SuiteAmerica Living

Benefits of San Jose Relocation

Posted on August 22, 2011 by Tamara Zablocki

Working and Living in San Jose

San Jose and the Silicon Valley are a major part of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region that is the sixth largest metropolitan area in the United States. If you are on temporary assignment or relocating to the San Jose area you will find why Money Magazine named it one of the Best Places to Live in 2006. San Jose has a rich historical heritage starting with being the first town in the Spanish colony Nueva California and then becoming California’s first capital when gaining statehood in 1850.

San Jose and the surrounding area has a lot to offer if you are being relocated or on temporary assignment to the San Jose area. For over 150 years San Jose was a small farming community surrounded by fields of cabbage, lettuce and tomatoes. San Jose and the surrounding area grew in the 1950’s and 1960’s and then with rapid growth of the high-tech industry in the 90’s became the booming center of the technological industry and received it’s nickname, Capital of Silicon Valley. San Jose has much to offer other than being home to the innovative technology firms that we will explore below:

Location and Weather: San Jose is situated close to the Pacific Ocean and to San Francisco Bay. The Santa Clara Valley is the population center of the Bay Area with surrounding communities situated between four distinct valleys. The four valleys are the Almaden Valley, south of the city; Evergreen Valley to the south-east, which is very hilly; Santa Clara Valley, which is the urban expanse in the South Bay; and the more rural Coyote Valley, in the extreme south of the city. San Jose has a typical Bay Area climate; which is a subtropical Mediterranean with San Jose boasting 300 days of sunshine a year with an average daily temperature of 73?F annually. Living in the San Jose area you are close to San Francisco, Santa Cruz and Monterey, and many other great areas to explore.

History and Landmarks: San Jose is known for a diversity of cultural landmarks and has something to fit everyone’s taste. They include the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose, History Park at Kelley Park, Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph, Plaza de César Chávez, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, Mexican Heritage Plaza, Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, Lick Observatory, Hayes Mansion, HP Pavilion at San Jose, De Anza Hotel, San Jose Improv, San Jose Municipal Stadium, Spartan Stadium, Japantown San Jose, Winchester Mystery House, Raging Waters, Circle of Palms Plaza, San Jose City Hall, San Jose Flea Market, and The Tech Museum of Innovation. You can find many ways to spend your leisure hours in San Jose from recreational pursuits to cultural landmarks.

High-Tech Companies: San Jose and surrounding area is headquarters for some of the leading high-tech companies in the United States with over 1,000 employees, including, Adobe, Altera, Apple, Brocade Communications Systems, Cadence Design Systems, Cisco Systems, eBay, Oracle, Sanmina-SCIand Xilinx, as well as major facilities for Hewlett-Packard, Hitachi, IBM, Kaiser Permanente and KLA Tencor. Other large companies based in San Jose include Altera, Atmel, CEVA, Cypress Semiconductor, Echelon, Integrated Device Technology, Micrel, Netgear, Novellus Systems, Oclaro, Quantum, SunPower, Supermicro, Tessera Technologies, TiVo, Ultratech, and VeriFone.

Top Universities: San Jose is home to several top colleges and universities. The largest is San Jose State University, which is the founding campus of the California State University (CSU) system. The Bay Area is home to three Division 1 Football Teams, including San Jose State, Stanford, and U.C. Berkeley.

Culture: San Jose is home to many performing art companies including, Opera San Jose, Symphony Silicon Valley, Ballet San Jose, Children’s Musical Theater of San Jose, the San Jose Youth Symphony, the San Jose Repertory Theatre, City Lights Theatre Company, The Tabard Theatre Company, and the San Jose Stage Company. San Jose is also home to the San Jose Museum of Art, one of the nations premier modern art museums. The San Jose area is known for film events such as the Cinequest Film Festival that has become a major screening ground for important independent films. The San Jose area is also known for hosting many musical events; the San Jose Jazz Festival, The Mountain Winery music series, along with the HP Pavilion being an active venue featuring everything from comedy to sports.

Recreation: The San Jose area has many parks, gardens, trails, and outdoor recreational sites to enjoy by foot or bicycle, including, Almaden Quicksilver County park, Alum Rock Park, Emma Prusch Farm Park, Circle of Palms Plaza, Kelley Park, Overfelt Gardens, Plaza de Cesar Chavez, Raging Waters, Rosicrucian Park, the San Jose flea Market, San Jose Municipal Rose Garden and Winchester Mystery House. San Jose parks offer over 53 miles of trials throughout the City, Major trials include: Coyote Creek Trial, Guadalupe River Trail, Los Gatos Creek Trail, Los Alamitos Creek Trail, Penitencia Creek Trail, and the Silver Creek Valley Trail. More information is available through the City of San Jose trail network website.

SuiteAmerica has the finest selection of furnished apartments in San Jose, Cupertino, Santa Clara and the surrounding area for your temporary assignment or relocation. Share with us on Facebook how you discovered your favorite places in San Jose.

Posted in Business Travel, Relocation, San Jose, Temporary Assignment, Vacation | Tagged HP Pavilion at San Jose, San Francisco Bay Area, San Jose California, San Jose State University, Tech Museum of Innovation | Leave a comment

Winning Sales Closing Tips

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Tamara Zablocki

Take Your Sales from Good to Great

Every salesperson would like to excel at sales. What does it take to go from good to great in sales? I could mention dozens of different closing techniques to help increase your closing ratio, but I want to focus on some basics today that help salespeople excel in closing sales .

Many of these techniques will seem simple or self evident, but personalizing and customizing these techniques and then using them consistently, can increase your sales while having you enjoying the process more. Sales are an art when done professionally. Most of these techniques or skills are simple, but not always easy to remember when in a sales meeting or sales call. Using them consistently, practicing these techniques, and incorporating them into your sales process can help take your sales from good to great.

Start with the end in mind: Wanting to close the sale is one of the most important factors in closing a sale. You probably think, who wouldn’t want to close a sale-but every sales starts with focus, intention, and preparation. It is important to prepare for a sale with understanding your potential client, by doing a full background research about your prospective client. Review current news, social media, press releases, company website, be sure to do Internet research about the company and the CEO or president, to help prepare for your sales meeting or sales call. The better you understand the company and their current needs the more confident you will be in your sales presentation. People also appreciate when you can engage on a more informed level about their company and they appreciate that you have taken the time to become educated about their company.

Talk less and ask questions: Once you have done your background research on a prospective client, you are equipped with information that helps you generate engaging questions that will help guide your sales presentation or sales call. Prepare a series of engaging questions, all of which are open-ended, not questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no. When preparing your questions keep in mind your objectives and create questions that will gently lead your potential client to the desired decision. If you understand a company’s objectives you can then understand how your product or service will be a solution to their needs. Be sure to remeber-He who talks least controls the conversation the most. A sure sign of a rookie salesperson is someone that needs to dominate the conversation.

Don’t tell me what I need, ask me what I want: People don’t like to be told what to do. When asking questions be sure to ask a prospective client what they would like or what they want. A prospective client properly queried will give you the closing information you need to close the sale. Be sure to focus on benefits versus features and facts. Most sales call end with a prospective client making a decision from being moved by emotions, not from an intellectual fact filled presentation. Base your discussions on results and benefits to the prospective client.

Know your competition: Know your competition that your client may be evaluating in relationship to the services or products you company provides. Being knowledgeable about your competition’s strengths, limitations, where they conduct business, how their product or service are rated, customer service, and company profile will help you be better informed about how your potential client would size up your product or service compared to your competitor. One of the basic tenants in sales is to know your competition better than you know your own company; your strength in a sales meeting or sales call will come from a thorough understanding of how your company’s product or service stacks up to your competitors.

Be solution oriented: Master the art of seeing the solution rather than focusing on the problem. Be caring, but don’t take things personally. A “no” is not a “no” to you, it’s a “no” for now to the product or service. Many times in sales trainings I have explained to salespeople to visualize a sales call or sales presentation as a tennis game, board game, or poker hand; always care about the outcome, be invested in creating a solution, but realize most successful sales people hear a lot of “no’s getting to get to a “yes”. If you can answer yes to a client and them figure a way to deliver on the “yes”, it is better than double thinking yourself so you don’t get to the “yes”.

Be sure to reward yourself when you make a sale or a sales quota; giving yourself an experience or small gift to reward yourself for a job well done is a carrot than can help you focus on your goals and outcomes. Enjoying the sales process will help you take you from good to great in sales. People enjoy working with people who enjoy what they do. Share with us on Facebook what has worked best for you in closing sales.

Posted in Business, Career, Communication, Customer Service, Goals, Sales | Tagged Advertising and Marketing, Business, Company, Competition, Customer Service, sale, Sales, Sales pitch, Sales process, Salesmanship | Leave a comment

Winning Time Management Tips

Posted on August 8, 2011 by Tamara Zablocki

Improve Your Time Management Skills

Time management skills are something that people agree are important to personal and business success. How we learn time management is usually out of necessity. Our bad habits have created a critical juncture in our life, if we don’t adapt new skills sets our peace of mind, productivity, and business success will suffer. Many of us have learned time management skills, but it customizing those skills, making them your own, and then consistently using your new skills that produces results and reduces stress.

There are some great rewards to learning time management skills:

The elimination of procrastination and avoidance of tasks you don’t enjoy
Less stress and worry about deadlines
Increased productivity and income
The time to relax and unwind
Increased enjoyment in your career

Different time management skills work for each person, but many of the skills we will discuss can be customized to fit your career, routine and personality. The best plan is to try something on for size, modify it to fit you, and then keep what works. Trial and error will lead you to the best time management skills for you. Try some of our tips and see what works best for you:

Distinguishing the important from the urgent: Many people are always working on the urgent, putting out the fires in their business instead of focusing on the important tasks that will create long-term results for their company. Learning how to distinguish the urgent from the important is paramount to good time management. If you are tending to the urgent, your efforts become fractured and marginalized, whereas the person who focuses on important tasks usually sees incremental progress happening with their business.

Tip-First hour in the morning, work on your most important tasks on you to-do-list, even if you can’t finish or complete the task, you have made incremental progress towards a larger project goal.

Organize your email and bookmarks: The ability to quickly respond to a request, process and synthesize information is an important skill set in the marketplace today. Organization of your inbox is paramount to not drowning in the minutiae.

Tip-Create folders for all your primary tasks or clients with sub folders for the most important tasks, this can greatly reduce the time involved in responding to client emails and upping your professionalism. If the message needs more attention, move it to your to-do-list, for reference-print, and for a meeting print and move to your calendar.

Tip-Organize your browser bookmarks either using a bookmarking service, such as del.icio.us or you be proactive about organizing your bookmarks by clients, tasks, and areas of interest. Stay current.

Create lists: Organize your to-do-list daily. If you don’t know what you need to get done, how can you manage the time needed to accomplish the task? With iPhone, iPad, Androids, there is an overwhelming amount of software available to help you manage your tasks in a way that works best for you.

Tip-Refreshing your task list at the end of a workday leaves you better organized for the next day. Some people like writing their lists, other people like software that automates many of the tasks for them into relevant chunks of doable tasks. Whatever system works best for you is the one that will produce lasting results.

Ban multi-tasking: Do one thing and do it well. Concentrating on one task allows you to bring your entire focus and abilities to the project; the mind works most efficiently when it is focused on one task. Multitasking decreases everyone’s productivity. Genius is not created in multitasking.

Tip- Practicing mindfulness to the task at hand is the surest way to produce winning results.

Schedule checking email: One of the largest productivity crashes happens from incessantly checking and responding to our email messages. It is not effective to read each message as it arrives; people would like a timely response, not an immediate response. This is why there is a priority setting in every email program, believe me, if it’s urgent, it will be marked as such.

Tip-Part of time management is managing expectations; as long as people know how to reach you in an emergency, how long to wait for a response, most emails can be responded to within 24-48 hours without negatively impacting business.

Know your sweet spot: Everyone has a time of day where they are most productive. Some people are “morning people” and some people’s bodies and brains kick into high gear in the afternoon, and then other people are “night owls”.

Tip-You can discover what is your most productive time by monitoring your productivity over time. Find your most productive time and make the most of it. Focusing your schedule on your highly productive times will allow you to accomplish more with less effort.

Avoid the procrastination trap: Know your style. Some people are great “starters” yet have a hard time finishing a project and other people are great” finishers” and have a tougher time starting a new project and kicking it into gear. Some people are both.

Tip-By cutting projects into doable chunks and delegating to others when you see your to-do-list going into overwhelm, these are both effective time management skills. Procrastination is the ultimate productivity killer. Working on your least desirable tasks first and then progressing to tasks you enjoy or are easier for you, helps you nip procrastination before it starts.

Reward yourself: Whenever you reach a goal, be sure to reward yourself-especially your milestone accomplishments. Give yourself a reward especially when working at tasks that are repetitive, stressful, have stringent deadlines, or when tasks have taken a real push.

Tip-Each of us can name small gifts we can give ourselves that nurture us and refuel us. Make a list of activities that you can give yourself as a reward when you finish a project that feeds and refuels you.

Avoid burnout: Burnout occurs when our mind and body can no longer cope with the tasks being demanding of them. Don’t force the impossible to happen; delegate, leave time to relax and renew, give yourself credit for your accomplishments.

Tip-Reviewing and reflecting is one of the best ways to increase self-confidence and increase productivity. Fear of failure slows people down; knowing you can succeed has you operating at your optimal performance level. Slow your life down and appreciate the moment; gratitude gives us an appreciation for all we have.

Good time management starts with knowing yourself, knowing both your long-term and short- term goals, daring to go slow, delegating, working as a team, knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and rewarding yourself for a job well done. Share with us on Facebook about what time management tips have worked for you.

Posted in Business, Career, Goals, Productivity, Time Management | Tagged Business, Education and Training, Management, Procrastination, Productivity, Time management | Leave a comment

San Diego Relocation

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Tamara Zablocki

The Joys of Discovering San Diego

You might have a lot of questions popping into your mind about your move to San Diego for relocation or temporary assignment. What will it be like to move to a place known for it’s sun, surf, beaches and weather? We would like to discuss what makes San Diego a top travel destination, but also a top choice for relocation or temporary assignment.

Permanent Vacation: Just consider that you are moving to a place that will let you feel like you are on permanent vacation, it has something to do with the beaches, sun, surf, and weather. If you are moving from the Northeast or Northwest the weather will be an adjustment, because unlike many places in the United States, San Diego doesn’t have distinct seasons-how about a 70-degree temperature year round. So weather is a major plus for being happy about your San Diego relocation. More sunny days than many places in the United States creates a slower pace of life and some very happy people.

Beaches & Sun: If you are a water person, you probably think this is the best decision your company has ever made. There are so many beaches and bays in the San Diego area that the possibilities for fun and sun are endless. From renting a kayak to jet skis, sunset cruises, snorkeling, scuba or deep-sea fishing the ways to spell FUN in San Diego are only limited by your imagination. Add in sailing, or taking a cruise over to Catalina, para-sailing, wake boarding or surfing-when are you going to have time to work?

Culture & Fun: San Diego is steeped in culture, artistic and cultural. Balboa Park has a wonderful carousel that can make anyone feel like a kid again, several museums, gardens, and beautiful walks to stroll at your leisure. If you are a music lover, San Diego is known for its House of Blues. From Old Town San Diego and its Gaslight Quarters to Mission Bay with its yachts, from the renowned San Diego Zoo to Sea World, San Diego has something for everyone.

Centrally Located: Location; you are two hours from Los Angeles, 10 minutes to Mexico, 3 hours to Big Bear for skiing, and 5 hours to Las Vegas. San Diego is centrally located to make traveling easy. The San Diego Airport is a stress-free airport; it’s small, easy to navigate, rarely crowded, and its simple to make plane changes. Traveling by car in and around San Diego is much less stressful than the Los Angeles area or other urban areas, with most points of interest being able to be reached within 20 minutes or less.

Amazing Cuisine: If you are a foodie, you will enjoy the diversity of food in the San Diego area. From taco trucks to fine dining you will find some of best food you have ever tasted in San Diego. From fresh seafood to the best Mexican food north of the border you will find it all in San Diego; from small intimate eateries to sumptuous dining establishments on the beach-there is something for everyone’s budget.

Sports: If you like sports, San Diego is home to the San Diego Padres and the San Diego Chargers with games at Qualcomm Stadium and Petco Park. If you like golf, San Diego is home to some of the best golf courses in the United States. A golf or tennis game is very enjoyable because the weather is mild and there is rarely a rainy day.

Picturesque Beauty: Beauty abounds in the San Diego area; it is known for being one of the most picturesque places in the world. Mountains, tropical vegetation, ocean, surf, flowers year round, and weather that compliments lots of outdoor activities-it’s a destination for temporary assignment or relocation many people would envy.

SuiteAmerica’s award winning corporate housing has the finest selection of San Diego furnished apartments from downtown San Diego to Carlsbad in the north and Temecula inland. We have an abundance of exceptional properties to make your temporary assignment in San Diego memorable and stress-free. Let SuiteAmerica pamper you with our personalized service creating a corporate housing experience that strives to exceed your expectations.

Posted in Business Travel, Corporate Housing, Relocation, San Diego, Temporary Assignment, Vacation | Tagged Balboa Park, Mexican cuisine, Petco Park, Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, Sea World | Leave a comment

Failing Towards Success

Posted on July 25, 2011 by Tamara Zablocki

The Success/Failure Paradigm

Everyone fails in life. It is how we see failure that defines our future. Successful people fail more often than average people. Successful people tend to see failure through a different lens, choosing to see failure as a detour rather than a wall.

John Maxwell wrote a well-known book called, “ Failing Forward, Turning Failures Into Stepping Stones to Success”. In his book he describes how achievers have a different perception and response to failure. Maxwell reveals his secrets to moving beyond failure, using failure as a stepping-stone to success.

Successful people ask different questions when faced with failure. If we see failure as a teacher rather than rejection or a statement of our worth, this change in perception can be the key to great learning. If we ask ourselves some simple questions our failure can lead us to new opportunities.

We all have failed, but it is what we do with our failures that define our future. Consciously asking some strategic questions can give you clues as to what your next steps can be:

What can I learn form the situation?
How can I do this differently?
What good has come from this failure?
What lesson is there for me in the failure?
How can I do things differently to affect a different outcome?
Should I try again or is modifying the original idea or plan a better resolution?
Am I taking responsibility for my part in what created the failure?
How can I dramatically alter the outcome-what needs to strategically changed?

Sometimes we need to miss a goal to find a new path or our destiny. Harrison Ford, Michael Jordan, Colonel Sanders, and J.K. Rowling all have one thing in common, they have all failed. What they have in common is they chosen not to see failure as a roadblock, they had clear intentions, and they persevered.

Realize through each challenge or failure we can choose hope and understand that failure leads to a better future if we have an attitude of gratitude, are open to possibilities, while trusting that new opportunities will present themselves. Looking at failure not as a dead end, but as a detour to a better outcome. Perseverance and tenacity can make a deciding difference in outcome. J.K. Rowling’s 2008 Harvard Commencement speech really says it all.

“A mere seven years after my graduation day, I had failed on an epic scale. An exceptionally short-lived marriage had imploded, and I was jobless, a lone parent, and as poor as it is possible to be in modern Britain, without being homeless. The fears that my parents had had for me, and that I had had for myself, had both come to pass, and by every usual standard, I was the biggest failure I knew. Now, I am not going to stand here and tell you that failure is fun. That period of my life was a dark one, and I had no idea that there was going to be what the press has since represented as a kind of fairy tale resolution. I had no idea then how far the tunnel extended, and for a long time, any light at the end of it was a hope rather than a reality.

So why do I talk about the benefits of failure? Simply because failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered to me. Had I really succeeded at anything else, I might never have found the determination to succeed in the one arena I believed I truly belonged. I was set free, because my greatest fear had been realized, and I was still alive, and I still had a daughter whom I adored, and I had an old typewriter and a big idea. And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” J.K. Rowling

Failure is facing your personal challenges, insecurities, and lessons, and letting them be a teacher to you, taking you where you could not even imagine. If you haven’t failed, you haven’t taken chances and lived. If we choose to see failure differently and experience the full benefits, we will fail forward to success. Use failure to become all of who you are meant to be.

Posted in Business, Career, Goals, Management, Relationships, Team Building | Tagged Colonel Sanders, Failure, Harrison Ford, JK Rowling, Michael Jordan | Leave a comment

San Diego Relocation Benefits

Posted on July 18, 2011 by Tamara Zablocki

Welcome to Sun, Beaches, and Great Weather

There are many benefits to a San Diego relocation or temporary assignment. To start, temperatures of 70 degrees Fahrenheit year round are the norm, with little or no humidity. San Diego is one of the top ranked cities to live in the United States, according to Money Magazine Best Places to Live 2010. If you like sun, San Diego is a great place to live, with more sunny days per year than many places in the United States.

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of a San Diego relocation or temporary assignment:

Weather: San Diego has consistent temperatures of 70 degrees with a soft coastal breeze blowing through your windows to help keep the air quality clean.

Pack away your sweaters because you will rarely need them living in San Diego.

Great Family Atmosphere: The San Diego area is a great place to raise a family because of a “kid friendly” atmosphere. People are welcoming and friendly no matter where you go, with activities and interests to engage children of all ages. From beaches to mountains, surfing to hiking, San Diego is filled with trails and places to enjoy family activities.

Surfing and Fishing: The San Diego area is known for it’s surfing beaches from San Onofre State Beach to La Jolla, San Diego is known for some of the best surfing spots in the United States. With San Diego’s warm water it is a great place to learn how to surf. If you want to start out slow, try a skim board or boogie board-people are more than happy to offer tips and advice for learning how to catch a wave. Book a seat on a fishing boat off the coast of San Diego and depending on the time of year you may catch white sea bass, yellowtail, bonito, barracuda, rock cod, and more. There are half-day, full day, or whole day fishing adventures off the San Diego coast.

Schools: San Diego has some of the best public and private schools in the United States, including top colleges such as San Diego State University, University of California San Diego and many community colleges throughout the county. The San Diego area is known for taking education very seriously and is home to many charter schools as well as Montessori and Waldorf schools.

Food: From fine dining to bistros from surf shacks to vegan restaurants, San Diego has something for everyone. Dining out in San Diego costs less than most major US cities and cuisine ranges from California eclectic to some of the best Mexican cuisine north of the border. Farmer’s Markets abound county wide for fresh produce and entertainment, along with street vendors, and taco trucks-a wide variety of food invites your palette in San Diego.

Beautiful Scenery: Palm trees, sunshine, sparkling ocean water, beaches, mountains, tropical vegetation and plants, and flowers blooming year round is what comes to mind when I think of San Diego. Beaches are a way of life in San Diego and on any given weekend you can enjoy beach volleyball, badminton, sand castle building, surfing, skim boarding, boogie boarding, barbecue, and some of the best sunset views on the California coast.

Great Location: San Diego is 10 minutes from Mexico and only two hours to Los Angeles situated in commutable distance to many places on the coast of California. San Diego offers many amenities to the vacation traveler, business traveler, military traveler, or person on temporary assignment or relocation. Commutes are generally easy, weather mild and San Diego is home to a diverse group of people from surfers to executives, entrepreneurs to celebrities.

SuiteAmerica corporate housing has the finest selection of San Diego furnished apartments, from our Standard Suites to our Grand Suites furnished rentals; we include everything you need in your San Diego extended stay for an exceptional relocation or temporary assignment. Choose SuiteAmerica for San Diego corporate apartments and let us help make your temporary assignment or relocation stress free and an award winning experience.

Posted in Corporate Housing, Relocation, San Diego, Temporary Assignment, Vacation | Tagged California, La Jolla, San Diego, San Onofre State Beach | Leave a comment

Auto Transport Shipping Tips

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Tamara Zablocki

Less Stress: Auto Transport Strategies

Many times when you accept a temporary assignment or relocation you don’t realize all the details that will be involved in your move. Most families own two autos; if you are flying to your new city of residence, not driving, there will be two autos to transport to your new residence. The mechanics of auto shipping are foreign to most people. It is not as easy as shipping a package. The process is simple, but not always easy.

Shipping an auto cross-country can seem like a daunting undertaking. We would like to offer some tips that can help reduce the stress and possible complications of shipping your auto to your new city of residence.

Try to keep your expectations realistic: Generally you will be provided with estimates for both pick-up and drop-off dates. You might not have considered the possibility of a delay due to weather, breakdown, road construction, or traffic. The auto transport company you choose will be working diligently to ensure your vehicle arrives at your home or terminal safely and in a timely manner.

Read your contract thoroughly. You can ask for a contract clause in writing, stating the company waives the cancellation fee if the car is not picked up by the auto transport company within a given parameter of days of the scheduled pickup date. Although most cars are picked up within the scheduled time, delays of a couple of days to 1-2 weeks can happen. Check to see if there is a rental car clause in your contract giving you a transportation alternative until your vehicle arrives.

Open or Enclosed Auto Transport: Most often people choose open trailers for auto shipping. When receiving a quote the default is usually for open shipping. The truck trailer can haul up to 12 vehicles and your vehicle will be subjected to weather. Enclosed transport can cost 25-100% more than open shipping and is usually reserved for premium vehicles, convertibles, and vintage cars. Enclosed shipping has the benefit of protecting your vehicle and your vehicle is usually shipped with only two other vehicles. Either method your vehicle will be in secured until delivery.

Payment for auto transport: When asking about pricing, be sure to ask for the total cost of transport. Obtain quotes from several vehicle transport companies. Some auto transport companies do not require payment in advance; others require a deposit of 10-25% of the total cost or full payment in advance. To safeguard yourself, ask if the company accepts credit cards, it gives you another recourse, because payment many times is limited to cash or cashiers check. If you cancel within a typical window period, still expect to pay some fee, usually $100 or more.

Auto Insurance: The auto transport company should cover your vehicle for theft and damage; ask for a copy of their insurance policy. Ask if the carrier’s insurance is primary or secondary to your own insurance. Be sure to ask if there is damage deductible and verify the insurance in writing. Take photos of the your vehicle; sides, front, rear and interior. Taking photos of your vehicle’s condition is your best insurance of getting a claim settled if damage occurs.

Door-to-door or terminal-to-terminal delivery: Auto transport companies have options to fit your shipping needs. Door to door delivery means the vehicle is picked up at your home and delivered to your home in your new city of residence. Transport trucks are usually 75 feet long and difficult for some urban and suburban neighborhoods to accommodate; you might have to set up alternative drop-off and pick-up locations depending on your neighborhood. Terminal-to-terminal service entails you delivering your vehicle to the shipping terminal and then picking up your vehicles at an agreed upon time at the terminal in the shipped to city.

Prepare for transport: Take all personal belongings from the interior and trunk of your vehicle prior to shipping. Do not pack the trunk to get a few extra things shipped, it could make your vehicle over weight and delay shipping or increase costs. The auto shipping company is not responsible for personal property left in your vehicle. Wash your car and take photos as suggested. Turn off your car alarm; you don’t want your vehicle arriving with a dead battery. Use up the gas in your vehicle; this is both a safety and weight issue.

Remove or secure any special equipment from your vehicle; spoilers, fog lights, antennas, or removable stereo systems. If you have a convertible it is best to ship with the top up. If you can’t raise the top consider enclosed shipping. Check the tire pressure, battery is fully charged, and you have no fluids leaking from your vehicle. You wouldn’t want your vehicle exposed to dripping fluids, so double check and be considerate to others. Be sure to receive an inspection report on the condition of your vehicle prior to shipping, this combined with your photos will help document the condition of your vehicle prior to shipping.

Taking delivery: Be sure to take delivery of your vehicles only during daylight hours, you want to be able to fully examine the vehicle. At the time of delivery compare the original inspection report with the current condition and mileage. If there are any inconsistencies, note the exceptions and be sure to get the signature of the driver or terminal manager.

Most vehicles that are shipped by auto transport companies arrive on time and in the condition they were shipped, but if there is a problem be sure to act on it promptly. The U.S. Department of Transportation regulates auto transport companies, their website is http://www.dot.gov , but they usually don’t get involved until after a court judgment. Be reasonable, but firm.

SuiteAmerica’s personal trasition services help with many details of your move including suggestions on auto transport. Auto transport companies can take the stress out of getting your vehicles to your new city of residence for a temporary assignment or relocation. Asking a company for references, checking with the Better Business Bureau, and asking family and friends whom they would recommend are some of your best safeguards in insuring that your auto transport experience is a positive one.

Posted in Auto Shipping, Auto Transport, Moving Tips, Relocation, Temporary Assignment | Tagged Auto Transport, Car shipping, United States Department of Transportation, Vehicle insurance | Leave a comment

Top 10 Tips for Moving with Children

Posted on July 5, 2011 by Tamara Zablocki

Moving Success with Less Stress with Children

Change is tough for everyone, but it can be earth rocking for children. Creating a successful move starts with us, the adults embracing change, because kids pick up on our anxieties. Whether it’s a temporary assignment or relocation, there will be a lot of changes for your family. Preparation is key to a stress-free move.

Many of us at SuiteAmerica have families and we have moved many times. As a company, we help others with relocation and temporary assignments by taking the stress out of their moves; so we have listed what has worked for us and our clients; to help you with your move with your children:

Communicate and keep them in the loop: As soon as you know you will be moving, due to relocation or a temporary assignment, be sure to include your children in the conversation. No one likes things sprung on them, let alone our children, so don’t wait till it is a sure thing-keep them informed, at their level, about your process. Listen, listen, and listen-let them feel comfortable telling you about their fears, anxieties, hopes, and questions.
Involve them in the process: Moves have a beginning and an end. Include your children in the process as much as possible, let them take ownership of the change. This allows change to be something they are participating in-change is not happening to them. Make clear to them that you will hear their wishes and opinions, everything will be taken into consideration, but the final decision is up to the adults. If you can’t take them along when planning the move, take pictures of the houses or apartments to share with your children later.
Try to explain everything: Assumptions and expectations can cause a lot of tears; explaining as much as you can to your children will allow the transition process to be as smooth as possible. Assume that your children know nothing about what is entailed in a move. Very young children can be confused about what can be packed, what can’t and why. They also don’t always understand why they are feeling what they are feeling-this is where listening and patience come into play for us adults. It may help to assure them that all their belongings; toys, clothes, furniture, pets, etc. will be taken to the new city and the new place they will call home. The last time we moved, we used different colored tape the kids could stick on belongings to signify what they wanted to take or give away to charity.
Plan a special goodbye: Saying goodbye to their favorite people and places is important, especially saying goodbye to their home. Throw a going-away party; invite friends, make a colorful handmade banner their friends can sign, remember to get email addresses for older children, or provide a journal for older children to write a goodbye note in, balloons, games, and a potluck meal can make it easier, providing a wonderful goodbye your kids will remember.
Get to know your children’s school: Just as you spend a lot of waking hours at work, your child spends a lot of his time at school. School is a major part of our children’s lives. The temporary assignment or relocation move will be less stressful if your children are happy at their school. As soon as you know where you are moving; contact the school and get information, photos, and what documents and paperwork are required for registration, so the first day of school can come off smoothly. Talk ahead of time with your child’s teacher and principal about any special concerns and needs, so they can provide the support your child will need. As soon as you have moved, set up an appointment to visit the school with your child, so your child can familiarize himself with his new school before their first day.
Make change fun: This is one time to go a little over budget; plan to splurge a little in your transition time with special foods, restaurants, theme parks, going to the beach, or a hotel stay in your new city of residence. Making the transition fun will help ease tension and makes for a stress-free move for all.
Say thank you and reward them: We can move at a fast pace in a move, but slowing it down, setting the example, saying thank you, focusing on what is great about your new town and house will help make for a happy transition. Set up a swing set in the backyard, help them build a fort, look for a house with a family room, plant a vegetable garden; give your new home something your old home didn’t have-make the transition special.
Make setting up their rooms the priority: Most adults think of setting up their desk or kitchen first, but thinking of our kids and setting up their rooms first shows them how important there are to us. Let your children add their special touch to their room; choose the color of paint, a new bedspread-adding their personalization will make it feel more like home.
Make it special: Before hitting the to do list hard, sign your children up for camp, classes at a children’s theater, scouts, sports, clubs-some of the activities they love. Helping them get acquainted with their new home through small groups will help them build friendships more easily. Once they have started making friends and have activities they look forward to, their new home will feel more comfortable and welcoming-they will feel more part of their new home and community.
Engage and explore: Once you have moved, start exploring your new city of residence with your children-make it an adventure. What does your new city have that you have never done before? Start exploring together and make your new city your home. Your children will feel like they are on vacation, while the adults will have fun also getting acquainted with their new home for temporary assignment or relocation.

At SuiteAmerica our Personal Transition Representative help our customers with the transition to their new city of residence for temporary assignment or relocation. Helping families move for over twenty years has given us a lot of insights that we pass along to parents to ease the transition for families. We supply Children’s Books for our major relocation areas to help parents with information that can help their move to their new home go smoothly for their family.

Posted in Career, Family, Moving Tips, Relationships, Relocation, Temporary Assignment | Tagged Adult, Child, Family, Home, kids, Parent, relocation | Leave a comment

Business Travel Survival Tips

Posted on June 28, 2011 by Tamara Zablocki

Travel Tips for Long Flights

Business trips can require long airline flights and they don’t need to be exhausting. Planning for your flight ahead of time can make all the difference; keeping you relaxed and prepared for your business meeting. Over the years most of us have come up with preparations that make business travel less stressful; here are our suggestions for arriving at your destination rested, relaxed and energized for your business meeting:

Before Your Flight Tips:

Three to five days before your flight try to reduce your appointments and free up your schedule some. Relaxing, getting a good night’s sleep, drinking plenty of water can help your immune system stay healthy.
48 hours before your flight up your fluid intake to at least half your body weight, the more the better.
If meals are sold on your flight, order ahead for a low fat, vegetarian, vegan or diabetic meal, they are usually fresher than the standard meals offered.
Increase your intake of fruits and vegetable which can help prevent bloating and water retention.
Plan carefully the items you pack in your carry-on luggage.

Carry-On Packing Tips:

Make sure your carry-on bag is lightweight; retractable wheels are helpful, because a loaded bag can weigh in excess of 25-30 pounds.
Quart size zip lock bag filled with 3 oz. containers; check current TSA rules.
Protein bars-most airline snacks are high in carbohydrates and low in protein-your energy will be better with a Cliff Bar, Builder’s Bar, or other high protein complex carbohydrate bar with equal fat, carbohydrates and protein.
Buy organic pre-moistened anti-bacterial towels.
Non-caffeine herbal teas, such as chamomile or bottled water with natural apple cider vinegar and maple syrup added, can help you stay hydrated.
Buy 2 bottles of spring water once through the security checkpoint. Stay hydrated.
Taking Airborne, Emerge-C or your favorite remedy can help protect your body from catching a cold or flu from people sitting near you on the plane.
One change of clothes, including underwear, and your 3 oz toiletries. If you have checked luggage this gives you clothes to wear in case your luggage does not show up at the airport on time.
Any prescription medications, extra contacts (eyes tend to dry out during flight), supplements or any over the counter drugs you want to have on hand.
Copy of your prescriptions, list of allergies, and a color copy of your passport.
Small pillow or garment that can be rolled and used as a pillow.
Disposable toothbrush with toothpaste included.
Wear loose fitting slip on shoes; it makes it easier to fit your shoes on after you land plus your shoes are much easier to take off during security checks.

During the Flight Tips:

Move around every few hours to maintain good circulation.
Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Avoid carbonated beverages, alcohol, or caffeinated beverages; they can increase water retention, they can tend to dehydrate your body.
Sleep or rest. In flight air is thinner and planes are usually hotter; go with the natural rhythm of your body wanting to doze off.
Taking 5-10 minutes to write or review you first day task list, meeting notes, or meeting goals; this task will put you mind at ease allowing you to use the bulk of your flight time to relax.
Entertainment; trying to fit in extra work time seems like good time management, but taking the time to pamper yourself with reading, watching a movie, listening to your iPod, or playing games on your iPad are ways of relaxing and that can leave you feeling better rested for your meeting.

Simple planning and common sense ideas can help make a long airline flight seem shorter and less stressful allowing you to be well rested and in top form for your business meeting. Share with us on Facebook what airline flight tips have helped you arrive at your destination feeling rested and relaxed.

Posted in Business, Business Travel, Career, Relocation, Temporary Assignment, Vacation | Tagged Airline, Business Travel, Transportation Security Administration, Travel | Leave a comment

Employee Motivation: Build-Engage-Thrive

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Tamara Zablocki

Elements of Team Building Basics

A major role for a company CEO’s or management leader is learning how to effectively motivate employees or team members. Some people are born motivators, but all of us can learn skill sets that help us support the motivation of other individuals or a team. Developing some simple skills can help you effectively support the motivation of others, create less stress for yourself, while helping your company reach their goals and objectives.

Understanding people and what motivates them takes building relationship with your employees or team. Ultimately, long-term motivation comes from people motivating themselves; below are listed some catalysts for motivation and ways we can effectively support employees in succeeding on the job:

ASK: Understanding what motivates people is essential to knowing how to motivate them. The easiest way to find out what motivates people; find out what their passionate about. Not only ask people, study their body language when they are answering questions for clues to how they really feel about a subject.

Asking for an employees or team members input is empowering; asking how things could be done better, will give you valuable information and allow the person to be part of the process. Responding with further questions, allows the conversation to open up further. Create the opportunity for several conversations of this nature and you will find relationships and trust developing while finding out what motivates people.

INCLUSION: When undertaking minor and major changes within your team or organization, go beyond asking for advice and opinions, involve people in the process, analysis and design solutions. Involving people in the definition of the challenge will help people take ownership. Involving team members in the analysis to create solutions will help them with ownership in the solution alternatives while giving them an investment in the outcome. People appreciate being part of the process, consensus building is inclusive, creates team dynamics, builds trust, and group involvement helps create better solutions.

COMMUNICATE: Communication seems like a basic, but in the flurry of accomplishment the communication process can get short changed. When anticipating change, let your team know your intentions. Include them in the goal setting process. Explain your process, hopes, goals and intentions. Explain how to find out more information. Explain how they can be part of the process and their comments and thoughts are important to the outcome. Listen. Listen to their approach, their aspirations, listen to how change affects them. Be sure to keep this channel open for both good and bad news. Keep the channels open and use many different mediums.

Starting your conversation with, “ I know you are busy or how can we do things differently” are important ways of keeping communication open while obtaining valuable input from your team or employees. Explain your expectations; people appreciate knowing the standards you wish to see met. Make your wishes explicit. Develop standards people can count on. The standard will include a minimum and a measurement evaluation with time elements included. People can tend to be de-motivated by a whirlpool of information or an ever-shifting landscape. People are usually de-motivated by arbitrary rules or standards. Understanding creates cohesive relationships and a team that works well together.

APPRECIATION: Appreciation shows people they count; appreciate people’s achievements in public. Keep your comments first person, real, stating the achievement and what is being commended. No one is left in doubt as to what behavior created the consequences, because the precise behavior is being commended. You are reinforcing a precise behavior to your team with praise.

REPRIMAND: Privacy is the main component for reprimanding behavior. Embarrassing people de-motivates the team. Explain exactly what behavior missed the mark; be specific about what, why and how the behavior was unacceptable and your rationale. Be specific about consequences, about repeating behavior, so your team member or employee has a choice. Ask for their input about how you can support them in improving their outcomes. Working together to create a favorable outcome builds trust and partnership.

CONFIDENCE: Help build your employee’s confidence by building on their strengths. Set up mentoring situations within your organization to share skill sets with other employees. Monitor progress and appreciate the steps they are taking in stepping into leadership roles. Being successful teaching another person builds self esteem and empowers both team members while building solid relationships. Use all resources within your budget to help coach and train the people in your company; the rewards will greatly outweigh the expense.

DELEGATE: Delegate responsibilities to competent people within your company. Clearly state what is expected, setting mutual goals. Only monitor at the beginning of the delegation process, at agreed upon intervals, once competence is proven, stop monitoring except for normal quality audits. Make sure the tools and skills needed for execution of the task are readily available. Lead like you would like others to follow; delegating tasks that your team member or employee are responsible for can decrease stress while building a motivated team.

The key to motivating people is understanding the people you lead, listening and valuing their input, while keeping communications lines open, and including your team in your process, while taking mutual ownership of goals. Consensus building is a skill that helps you build a strong team with an investment in the outcome with each person taking responsibility in the success of the project or business. Building a strong team is a process that builds leaders as it builds a unified team and a successful company.

Posted in Business, Career, Communication, Goals, Management, Relationships, Team Building | Tagged Business, Communication, Education and Training, Employment, Management, Motivating People (Essential Managers), Motivation, Team building, Team Dynamics, Understanding People | Leave a comment