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Monday, December 14, 2009

The Secrets to a Profitable E-learning Business

Like many aspiring entrepreneurs, I have my eye on one very important aspect of business and that is profit generation. Eventually, I joined the bandwagon of e-learning mostly because of its profitability, especially with the dawn of the internet/digital era. However, like many before me, I discovered that the unique e-learning market did not ensure instant success and riches. But there are those who reap financial benefits from it.

elearning software solutions

How did they do it? I know for a fact that it wasn’t enough that it’s an ingenious idea and a great service product. Neither was it enough that it’s a popular innovation. And so, I did a bit of research online to find out their secrets to success.

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Their secrets, as it turns out, focuses on customer satisfaction, trends in online culture, emerging revenue models and pioneering approaches. According to these successful businesses, there are some areas that can be explored in order to guarantee profits in e-learning. Ten of the numerous examples are: (1) become known and broaden contacts by offering a free product or service and building a reputation of competence and consistency; (2) provide consultation to potential businesses by achieving e-learning specialization. Some potential ways to do this is by implementing standards in e-learning, as well as ideal design models and so on; (3) develop useful software that penetrates the market through service solutions; (4) offer e-learning web development and customization that entails creativity, and finding an appropriate market; (5) develop affordable template games that support content mastery for every level and situation; (6) create relevant, quality content that covers media development areas such as videos, animations, graphics, creative and technical writing, simulations and games; (7) create a forum or association that offers free services for simple tasks, and a certain price for advanced ones. This can also generate revenue with membership fees or publication subscriptions; (8) offer “off-the-shelf” course content packages by building a course library; (9) create an advertising portal. In order to draw in advertisers, website traffic must be significant and; (10) provide content and translation management services that can assist organizations with content transition.

elearning tools

These are only some examples of the different ways a business can thrive and earn in E-learning. It is important to keep in mind that a business success is highly dependent on creativity, innovation, user awareness, consistency, and marketing.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

A Bout with Elearning Solutions

I always knew that elearning solutions would be the future of education. I have always been a techie person for most of my life. I just love gadgetry and I spend a lot of time in front of the computer. Computers, I believe, hold so much potential and power. It can and already is being applied as a tool in almost all fields right now. Modern society has entered the digital age and soon enough, nothing will run without the help of machines or computers. This might sound like the prelude to Terminator or the Matrix, but really I believe that it is a good thing. Yes, I am known to be a geek. I also teach math at this elementary school at our town in Oklahoma. So when the school finally agreed to have elearning solutions take a bigger role in the curriculum, I was so very excited.


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Soon enough, the school year started and elearning modules became part of the study. I actually became a bit complacent because I felt like the lessons covered by the elearning modules would not have to be discussed. But low and behold, the grades of the students seemed to be slipping.

I realize know what I did wrong. Elearning is a great tool especially for adults and employees who are independent enough and driven enough. But sometimes, it cannot stand alone when it comes to some kids. A mediator must still be present, a human moderator. Since I became complacent the kids’ grades suffered. Elearning in a lot of cases should be thought of as a supplement, something to help education especially if dealing with grade school kids.

E learning tools

Now that I learned my lesson, I still believe in the power of elearning. Some elearning solutions though are superior to others. I have seen this in the course of time. Remember that the more interactive and creative the elearning solutions are, the better.

Monday, December 7, 2009

No More Driving-after-Drinking Woes - Get Auto Insurance Quotes in California

All of us deserve to have a good time and unwind after a hard week at work. There are many ways to take away the stress but no one can deny that drinking is a common activity that can relax many of us. After all, having a drink or two and a good conversation with your close friends could really do so much to make things lighter. On the other hand, hosting a drinking spree with friends could put you at risk.

California car insurance
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There are some states in the country which hold the host liable for whatever happens to his drunk guests. Even if your inebriated friend was the one who directly crashed the car to a house or worst hit another car or a person, you would still be the one responsible for any damage caused by the incident. This is under the social host liability law. If you live in California, you should not worry about this law since the state does not observe such penalty, but considering how high the car accident rate in CA is, you should still look for ways to insure your car and keep yourself out of trouble by getting auto insurance quotes. California has one of the highest automobile accidents in the US and driving an uninsured vehicle is almost suicide. Since accidents happen anytime and anywhere in an unpredictable and random manner, you are putting yourself, your car and others who are with you inside a vehicle in a really big risk if you drive around the state without any insurance to back you up when something goes wrong. Getting insured is the best protection you can have and getting the best auto insurance quotes in California is the first step to insure and ensure your safety.

CA auto insurance quotes

Drinking is an acceptable activity as long as you keep yourself out of trouble and observe responsible driving. Since accidents come like a thief in the night, it does not hurt to protect your self and your hard-earned vehicle through auto insurance. Get auto insurance quotes in California and drive your way to safety.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

SEO Outsourcing: The Good and the Bad

SEO outsourcing, like most outsourcing ventures, fueled discords and debates that hone in on the controversial issues that surround it. Basically, most of the controversies are based on whether or not outsourcing is more of a liability than a solution to economic growth and stability. However, the argument that caught my attention is the one that is heavily influenced by nationalistic and oftentimes emotional premises that are central on the injustice of its practice and its detrimental effects on personal lives.

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Presently, the people who are antagonistic towards outsourcing passionately argue that it is the major culprit why local economies, such as those of the U.S.A. and U.K., are in decline. Since SEO outsourcing involves contracting the services of companies from foreign countries, local citizens are thus robbed of prospective jobs, concurrently increasing unemployment rates. Valuable opportunities to develop and hone the necessary skills of the outsourced task are lost, making it harder to contend and qualify for positions in various businesses. The resulting economic decline exacerbated the financial struggles of citizens, making it increasingly difficult for them to provide for themselves and their families.

True as it may be that SEO outsourcing contributed to the downward slope of their economies, I cannot help but notice that they are blinded from witnessing and appreciating the positive effect it has on others. Majority of the countries to which SEO tasks and so on are outsourced are third world countries such as India and the Philippines where unemployment rates and economic stability are teetering on the edge of disaster. The jobs provided by outsourcing fed, clothed and sheltered countless of impoverished families.

SEO outsourcing company

So what is the final verdict? I believe that for now, there is none. No one can say for sure that the suffering of a particular group outweighs that of the other. As the financial crisis continues, there will always be hopeful business ventures and methods that aim to alleviate, but inadvertently cause depression. Perhaps the day will come when both sides will be equally compensated when the global market finally gets back on its feet. But until then, the debate ensues.

Considering Loan Modification

I’ve spent countless of sleepless nights lying in bed, wondering how I’m going to be able to pay for my mortgage. I blame myself for being too presumptuous and not having saved enough money when it was still easier to breathe. Now, I’m just barely scraping by, with what, less than a thousand dollars now left to my name? And so, due to pressing needs, I am now looking into Obama’s loan modification plan and hopefully qualifying for it. They say that it lowers my rate to 31% of my total pre-tax monthly income!

To make it work, my lender would first have to reduce my interest rate by 2%. If this doesn’t get it down to 31% of my total pre-tax monthly income, they will extend my terms instead. If this still doesn’t work, they’ll have a go at my principal and reduce it, or defer it to a later date. All of these measures really help because it would significantly reduce my modified mortgage payments. Speaking of payments, there’s even a very, very enticing incentive to encourage promptness in paying dues! If my payments are given on time, I can get as much as $1,000 subtracted from my principal loan each year for five years!

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Only primary residences occupied by respective owners with outstanding balances of up to $729,250 are eligible. These eligible borrowers will have to verify their occupancy status and provide evidence of their financial hardship.

loan modification California

In view of everything I’ve discovered, I now know that I have to accomplish two very important things. First is that I have to carefully and thoroughly review my financial status, and second is that I have to consult with my lender. I’m going to keep my fingers crossed and hope that my outstanding balance is staggering enough. It’s funny how I now wish that I’m in serious debt!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Auto Insurance Quotes: California Natives’ Must-Have

Call me paranoid but in this day and age, no one can live uninsured most especially if you live in a place such as California, where the population is so huge, you can already call it a mini-country. Accidents can happen anytime and anywhere – Your house could get burned or destroyed and high incidents of a car crash can happen at any given day. Living without insurance is almost suicide. Because of this, it is no wonder that the insurance industry in the state has been making a killing in the recent years.

auto insurance quotes California

Getting insurance in California is just like going to McDonald’s and eating a big Mac. It is part of life. Everyone has almost all things insured from pets to their own health, and autos are of course, always a staple. And because it is hard to get approach insurers on your own with all the choices you have, people turn to California auto insurance quotes. People can get these for free online, which is amazing since nothing comes for free in the 21st century. It’s one of those things that can help consumers like me save in this time of the recession. It’s like manna from heaven if you ask me.

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auto insurance quotes Reseda

So instead of going round in circles and endangering your life and prized possessions in such a high risk area, the best thing to do is to get insured. If you don’t know where to go, simply Google
“free auto insurance quotes California” and voila! You will get a list of the top insurance quotes providers in your area. Just narrow down your choices according to which insurance company has the best offer that suits your budget and insuring your vehicle is just a few signatures away. On the other hand, make sure to check the legitimacy of these quotes providers before signing up. You can do this by asking the insurance department in your state to check on the company’s records.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Why Go for an SEO Company?

Many think that promoting a website on the Internet is a piece of cake. Just submit your link to directories and the search engines will already put your site on the web. Sorry to burst your bubble, but with the complex algorithms of search engines and architecture of the Internet, it takes more than just submitting your website URL for Google to even recognize your site. This is why most web owners are leaving Internet promotions in the hands of a legitimate SEO company.

SEO outsourcing company

So the question becomes this: What does it take to make a website rule search engine results list? The best way to answer this question is to look at the Internet marketing strategies employed by top ranking sites in your niche.

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If you have noticed, all these sites have one weapon against you: a leading SEO company that runs the search engine race on their behalf. With a whole team of SEO engineers, copywriters, and posters building quality links around the Internet for their site, they can be better assured of a more stable and steadier ranking on major search engines. The results also take effect a whole lot quicker. In just a span of 2 to 3 months depending on the keyword and competition, web owners can already expect Google to index their site.

So why are all these web developers shelling out cash on SEO outsourcing instead of Pay per Click advertising? For one, it is more affordable and cost-effective. Unlike SEO marketing, the effect of PPC on your rankings depends on the amount of money you can cough out, but despite spending too much finances on ads, there can never be any concrete assurance of quality traffic. With SEO on the other hand, the chances of reaching out to a larger and more targeted market is higher because a leading SEO company conducts calculated planning before any back linking strategy is carried out.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

How Easy it is to Qualify for FHA Loan Offers

How does one really qualify for FHA loan offers? It has become such a pain for me to try and get a housing loan. You see, it was a very long story but it all happened or rather started last year.

I was single and living at a boarding house four years after graduating from college. But then these living conditions were going to have to change because I was planning on proposing to my long time girl friend of five years. We both met during college and were madly in love ever since. I figured that all I needed right now was a house because I was promoted last year and had my salary increased by a few significant digits. My savings seemed good enough and I really wanted to settle down with Selma for quite some time now and to start a family of our own. I was 27 and old enough for it anyway. But then, something would dampen my plans.

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FHA program

The economic crash happened. The United States recession has really crippled the architectural industry. I was not let go but my salary has been cut down. And also, I had a few credit card payment misses and so my FICO score was affected. Now, we have already set the date and had already paid for a lot of the wedding expenses so we didn’t want to delay anymore. But the problem is, we won’t have a house to move to yet since I was really having so much trouble getting my housing loans applications accepted. They would not touch me since my FICO score was less than perfect and my income was not that high.

Thank god for the FHA. I then found out that even with my financial condition, I was good enough to qualify for FHA loan offers. I immediately applied and now we have a beautiful home. What’s great too is that the payments are low and so are the interest rates. You cannot beat that.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Call Center Outsourcing: Do you Have What It Takes?

Call center outsourcing has become so popular in the Philippines right now. So many call centers have sprouted up everywhere. One can find call centers in almost every city and not just one call center but a whole lot of them. This is especially incredible and has truly rivaled India as the number one call center location for the global competition. There are call centers everywhere in Manila, concentrated but not limited to both Ortigas and Makati. There are also call centers in Alabang, Baguio, Bacolod, Iloilo, Cebu, Zamboanga, Davao, and virtually everywhere that’s a city.

So, as a Filipino employee, do you think you have just what it takes to join the elite team of call center agents in all these call center outsourcing location in the country that is not just known for quantity (like India) but is renown for quality. Well you may think that you have just what it takes, but first browse through this list to see if you really have it.

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call center outsourcing

A call center agent has to be English proficient. But this does not mean just plain being able to speak straight English, it also entails the ability to have a neutral or an American accent. It also means that one needs to have perfect grammar and the innate knowledge of the many idioms that are usually used in speech by American clients. This may be hard at first but really, if you, like almost all Filipinos, love to watch American movies, television shows, and music, then this should not be much of a problems.

The second most important thing is that one needs to be able to handle customer management. This includes both the ability to absorb the customer’s query at once and also the ability to remain calm, collected, and sharp in trouble shooting or processing the demands and queries. That is what you need to even consider joining a call center outsourcing company.

Monday, November 2, 2009

My Life as an Agent in a Major Call Center in the Philippines

I have been in the so-called “sunshine industry” for a little over a year now and I must say that life as an agent in a major call center in the Philippines is not all about flowers and sunshine.

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Working in this industry means work. Being proficient in English is not enough for you to climb the corporate ladder or be retained in the company. Since the Human Resource Department head always assesses and evaluates our performance, it is a must for us agents to push our efforts every time. We have to give our best every day at work and satisfy our clients. Work is not all fun and games, but to tell you frankly, all the people I have spoken with in my company are happy with the work and service we do. Maybe it’s because of the fact that we feel accountable for the growth of the company. After all, we represent the Philippines in this competitive industry so it is just right for us to represent our country well enough through our skills.

call center Philippines

Despite the tedious work and the crazy shift we have, we do not feel that much stressed with the work that we do because our company offers a lot of activities for us to not be bogged down by stress. We have free dance lessons, voice lessons, outings every month, and lots of bonding activities to nurture our relationship and love for the job. Instead of forcing us to love our jobs, they are finding ways for us to enjoy our team because according to our HR head, the strongest factor that would drive you to do your job well and stay in a company is when you are in good working relations with the people in the company. It is working so far because we are all enjoying our work here in a call center in the Philippines. This enjoyment translates into good output we give our clients. In the end, everybody benefits.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Home at Last – Thanks to FHA Housing Loans

My husband and I have been married for two years and like all newly wed couples who are just starting out their lives together, one of our major considerations was to buy a home. It is after all, needed in starting a family.

What is FHA Loans?


A year ago, my wife and I started going around Tampa Bay area here in San Francisco to look for home that both fits out lifestyles and our budget. It was both exciting and challenging at the same time because while we are enjoying the options we know that we need to make do with the budget that we have. All in all, the quest to find the right home for us was not an easy one, especially considering that we do not have much savings to pay for the skyrocketing down payments the agents are offering us.

Those were very stressful times and it does not only affect our back accounts, but also our relationship. The whole hunt for the perfect house became a source of most of our fights. Then one day, we decided to sit down and talk about our options in getting out of this dilemma and stress about finally settling with a decision regarding purchasing a home.

We studied our options. I suggested something along the lines of going back to my parents’ house in Kansas, but of course, that option was out of the equation before we even discussed the pros and cons. Then, my husband convinced me about applying for one of those FHA housing loans. He said he read about it on the papers and knew someone from work who got his mortgage by applying for this loan.

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It seems like a safe option (way better than living in my parents’ house) so we both decided to go through with it. My husband asked the help of his buddy from work and was told to log on to website of a nonprofit organization based in New Jersey that offers free assistance and information regarding FHA loans.

The website looks legitimate and my husband’s friend said that the nonprofit organization has all the legal papers to back up their claim to help people like us. It is good to know that something worthwhile exists on the Internet these days aside from controversial celebrity bloggers and scams.

We signed up to get help and days later, we got a call from them saying that they are ready to process our FHA housing loans and that all we need to do is to provide the necessary documents required by the Federal Housing Authority. Good thing we got all these documents covered and prepared so it did not take us that long to turn in the requirements to our assigned mortgage lawyer.

Months after that, we finally got our loan approved! We found a perfect little home in Tampa Bay area and it is just what we wanted. It is accessible and fits our budget perfectly. I guess we are just very lucky to have such kind people who helped us get through our quest to find a home.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Philippine Call Center: Stereotypes about Agents in this Major Asian Call Center Hub

The call center industry in the Philippines is considered one of the major employment generators for Filipinos. According to a recent survey, almost 900,000 Filipinos are relying on the industry for their bread and butter. It is actually safe to say that almost every citizen in the country knows someone working in the industry of call center Philippines.

This call center fad has been part of the popular culture of the new millennium so it is inevitable for people working in this Asian call center to form a sub-culture of some sort. In fact, society has already stereotyped those who are working as call center agents in both positive and negative light.

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call center in the Philippines

Call center agents have health problems.
Working in this Asian call center does not only require proficient communication skills, but also the physical health to endure the demands of work. Unlike the usual reporting schedule implemented in other offices, most companies in the call center industry would require agents to do night shifts since most of their clients are from the opposite part of the world. The time difference would not allow their agents to work at the usual 9-5 pace. This is one of the reasons why there are many call center agents suffering from various health problems like insomnia, sedentary diseases, and such. On the other hand, this might not apply to all call center agents. There are some BPO companies that make sure that their employees are given the proper treatment to prevent stress that could eventually lead to such diseases.

They have been rejected by other industries so they decided to work as a call center agent.
This is just one of the negative connotations about call center agents and this is not without any reason. It is said that some companies in the call center industry do not look into an applicant’s academic achievement or attainment that much. As long as you can communicate yourself well using the English language and seem trainable to adopt an American accent, you have a sure trump card to this industry. In fact, even if you have not obtained a college diploma, you can qualify as an agent in call center Philippines. Because of the minimum requirement in terms of skills and work experience, many think that agents are those people who have either been fired from their previous profession for incompetence or those who do not have stellar skills to go head-to-head with others in their competitive industry. But then, these assumption are not entirely true. There are those who are working in Philippine call centers by choice and not because they have nowhere else to go. In fact, many agents have earned their degrees and obtained brilliant University grades. They are also very hard-working and flexible as seen in the feedbacks of many offshore clients. Good qualities that this premier Asian call center workforce have contribute to the sudden rise in interest of foreign clients opting to offshore outbound and inbound call center services from the Philippines.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

What are do it yourself loan modification kits?

Ever since the crash of the U.S. economy, people have all been looking for ways to save money. One of the biggest income eaters in the common American family is the home mortgage bill that people have to pay every month nonstop. Now, since people are all losing jobs left and right, it gets harder for them to pay for their mortgage. Also, since real estate development is the main site of the economic crisis (when the loan mortgage bubble broke) the value of homes has been plummeting. Foreclosures have been cropping up left and right in almost every state. Now, one of the most popular ways to save money and to try to fight of and stop foreclosure is to do a loan modification.

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loan modification helps


A loan modification is different from refinancing. With refinancing, you will have to get a whole new loan with all new terms and conditions. With loan modification, one will simply change a few terms and conditions on the original loan. A loan modification is easier to get and needs less paperwork and qualifications. These changes are permanent. These changes are of course meant to lower the burden on the home owner. Lowering interest rates, lowering monthly payments, getting extensions, and even lowering the entire loan itself are all changes that can be done with a loan modification. Now, one might imagine that the loan modification is just so complex that one cannot do it alone. But in truth one can do it yourself loan modification. There are a lot of do it yourself loan modification kits out there that one can purchase.

Now of course these kits will also cost you. It is slightly more affordable though than getting a professional guide and help you through the process and the negotiation of the amount changes.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Wanting the training but hating the tests – thoughts about elearning solutions

I’ve been itching to be included in the employee list of our company slated to take that elearning solutions training that they have been having over the past few weeks. I’m not sure if everyone really is slated to take it or they only hand pick the participants, but I think I really do stand to learn a lot from it. I know quite a few of those who have taken the training and from what I hear, it’s quite good and they were surprised to discover how easy the entire thing was, since most of us were apprehensive about joining it, since it felt like they were sort of re-schooling the participants, and since it has been quite some time since we left school for the professional world, it could mean another re-adjustment. The people that I was able to talk to said that the entire thins was internet-based, allowing the employees to learn what was needed to be learned on their own pace, which is good, since not everyone is real fast learner. Maybe the members of the marketing department and finance department could hack regular training sessions like they were nothing, but most of us work in production, and there really is a reason why we were assigned to mostly manual labor.

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elearning tools

I think it would be nice, however, to be able to learn a little something more than what I already do know from the previous company trainings that I received while working here. For people like me, learning a skill really is comparatively easy, so I would like to see if I can also learn a bit of smarts as well from the elearning solutions which they are having the employees take. My worry, however, is if they have an exam or evaluation that the employees take after they get the training. I’ve never been one for exams and tests and the like, especially the ones with a really tight time pressure that goes with them.

FHA Loans Eligibility Requirements

FHA loans are a response to the dwindling economy of ours. Millions of foreclosures are happening right now. There is an urgent need for the government to try and stop this from avalanching into another major economic crisis. Thus, the FHA has been mobilized and given a shot from the Obama bailout fund.

FHA housing loans
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For those looking for FHA loans in order cut back on their financial problems here are some of the eligibility requirements:

* The potential borrower should be able to qualify for the FHA loan.

* As with usual mortgages, the FHA approved lender needs to verify whether or not the borrower meets the qualifications by looking into the borrower’s assets, other debt load, income, and credit history.

* As usual, there is an income limitation. Those who can actually afford to pay the monthlies as computed against their other monthly expenses will be qualified.

* The borrow should have a valid U.S. social security number since only United States citizens that are of legal age can obtain an FHA loan mortgage.

* Even though there are no minimum FICO score requirements in order to qualify for an FHA loan, one’s score will still be the basis for the exact interest rate that will be given.

Remember that the FHA will look for good candidates. Even though nearly everyone can get these loans, there is still a certain kind of person that the FHA prefers to give loans to and that would be a great fit for the program. The FHA is a great option for people who are getting home loans for the very first time. This is because the down payment requirement is not so high as compared to other mortgage deals. FHA loans down payments usually just require the borrower to pay 3 percent of the amount of the entire mortgage.

Monday, October 12, 2009

There are many loan modification scams out there

The sad thing is a lot of loan modification companies are really just scams. These scammers promise results or amazingly low rates but none of these actually give exactly what they promise. So what are the tell tale signs that a company is going to scam you? Here are the first scam detection loan modification tips on the list: companies that contact you before you contact them.

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loan modification

This is the modus operandi of companies that are likely to scam you. First of all, scam companies love to use emails, because it is practically free and it reaches billions of people. Then, they use junk mail since it is also cheap. Finally, they use telemarketing and phone you up. These are lures cast on a wide scale in order to increase the likelihood of catching patsies.

But of course, legitimate companies do this as well because these are legitimate means of advertising marketing. But the second most tell tale sign that of loan modification scams is: upfront fees. Companies that ask for upfront fees are almost sure to be loan modification scams.

In the U.S.A today, billions of American citizens from all walks of life got caught in the recession and are having problems with their monthly loan mortgage payments. Those who are taking advantage of this situation where a lot of desperate people are willing to believe anything as long as it offers them hope to lift themselves up from their situation. These upfront fees might scare some away at first. Then the scammer will lower the amount and promise even lower loan modification rates so that you can start at least on your new loan. They will say that this is a special offer that they are giving exclusively to you. They will do anything just to reel you in.

There are really some real loan modification program companies out there. They can definitely help out by giving valuable advice and strategies and helping you along the loan modification processing. Remember that these companies do not get upfront fees. They will bill you after some time though. And also, it may be a bit hard to get a hold of their services because there are so many people availing their services as well.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Philippines Call Center: Filipino Culture

The Philippines call center industry right now is growing at such a high rate. This industry can truly be called the sunshine industry because right now it provides jobs to thousands and thousands of Philippine professionals. The culture of the Filipino people is closely connected to why the country is highly successful in the contact global center industry game.

The Philippines was once a United States colony. As such, the influence of the U.S. weighs heavily upon the native culture. For one thing, American English is a major subject in all schools. And that’s not the half of it. Spoken English, English reading as well as writing is actually taught in Preparatory School, Kindergarten, all Grade School levels, all High School levels, and the first college years. And what’s more, the country is full of people who have had schooling since according to surveys a large part of the population has gone to school. Then, there is also the influx of American media from music, movies, literature, magazines, and television shows that is greedily consumed by the masses.

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call center Philippines

Another great fact that makes Philippines call center businesses successful is that the country shares a lot more than language and culture with the United States. The country also shares the same systems with the United States. The legal system of the country, the educational system of the country, the business systems of the country and the government of the country are all patterned after the systems of the United States. With so much cultural affinity, there is no doubt that Filipino culture is a boon to Philippines call center businesses. Since contact center agents have to communicate quickly with United States based consumers, the need to be on the level is just so great. Without cultural affinity, the Philippines call center industry will not have succeeded to such great heights.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Philippine Call Center Health Hazards to Avoid

I am a professional that work in a company that has a Philippine call center. As such, I can see the culture of the agents and I can deduce the culture and the entire details that form this culture. I can honestly say that the Philippine call center is a place that promotes vices.

I once had a friend who worked in one of these Philippine call centers and he was a wreck. The industry always provides a lot of medical benefits in the form of Medicaid cards or similar medical cards. This is because of the stress level and the lifestyle that the industry creates. Although there are ways in order to avoid these factors in order to remain working in the call center while keeping healthy, a lot of call center agents just do not form this kind of discipline. As a result, a lot of them suffer from chronic illnesses such as respiratory diseases or digestive system problems. I would say that most of these are really products of stress and bad habits/vices.

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call center Philippines

So what exactly are these vices that a Philippine call center agent should avoid?

1. Lack of sleep – This is something that can obviously be avoided. Now Philippine call centers work on night shift and therefore it can be hard for some to get sleep. The key is to train and readjust the body clock correctly.

2. Smoking – Obviously one of the biggest vices out there. But it is particularly prevalent because of the stress involved. Smoking for some takes out stress. But this is obviously something that drains health and eats up vitamin C in the body to boot.

3. Drinking Coffee – Because of problem number one, there are a lot of agents who love drinking coffee. Then they become a bunch of nerves as this habit goes on. Caffeine is said to be good is small amounts. Do not consume more than a couple of cups a day.

4. Drinking Beer – To celebrate a weekday, most employees love to drink. But the acidity of Call center agents, because of their awkward sleep schedules and stress, is very high. Drinking beer will serve to damage one’s digestive system and increase acidity.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

The Work of Gawad Kalinga Foundation

To date, Gawad Kalinga Foundation has established 900 communities all over the country, and all of which were built through the blood, sweat, and tears of thousands of volunteers coming from different walks of life ranging from students, business executives, hoi polloi, and government officials. When it comes to GK volunteerism, your status in life and economic stability do not matter. The only thing that counts is your willing and emblazoned heart for serving the poor.

GK EXPO

Many have heeded the call for massive volunteerism because GK has made patriotism and heroism a fashionable concept. From volunteers, people who join the GK force turn into heroes for every house and community built for the poor. Aside from individuals, 200 of the biggest corporations in the country have pledged their support for GK programs such as Livelihood, Child and Youth Development, and Site Building. They do not only extend financial aid, but also contribute to the arm of the organization by involving their employees in such programs, helping to spread the good word about massive volunteerism as advocated by Gawad Kalinga.

Living in a world ruled by capitalism would make you think that patriotism is a dead concept, but Gawad Kalinga, through the power of massive volunteerism, has proven that love of country is still very much alive in the hearts of every Filipino.

Gawad Kalinga has made patriotism a fashionable concept. Through its cooperation and collaboration with schools, business corporations, government and nongovernmental organizations, the word about its altruistic goals are spreading like wildfire. The youth are also heavily involved in GK projects with the biggest universities in the Philippines encouraging the young minds to show their love for the country through helping their fellowmen. Corporations have continuously pledged financial aid and introduced their employees into the objectives of GK. Government and nongovernmental organizations use their influence to tell the world about the good works of Gawad Kalinga to rig in more volunteers for the cause.

Gawad Kalinga Foundation is more than just an organization. It is a movement will continue to move people to act on the pressing problems caused by poverty. GK breaks the deadly concept of apathy and keeps the idea of patriotism alive and burning. With more and more volunteers all over the world expressing their support for the movement, the GK goal of bringing dignity back to the poor will be an attainable goal.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Do It Yourself Loan Modification

I just visited a famous net forum with details on do it yourself loan modifications. Every one of us posting there own adjustable sub prime loan mortgages and are currently looking for the best way to increased payments.

The big aid the lenders say they are offering the worried borrower is not really what the borrower gets. At the time borrowers try to modify their mortgage loans they find resistance coming from poorly uninformed loan modification sections.

The Obama loan modification plan, is been created with standard qualification details to allow the average person or homeowner afflicted by the economic crises to be able to negotiate directly with the mortgage lender. The fastest way to start on with your do it yourself loan modification is by learning some simple steps that are vital to be successful in your loan modification application. Of course you realize you are not an expert and there may be a few things to miss, but if you work, study, and research hard enough about the loan modification process then you might just pull of a successful negotiation with your home mortgage lender and modify your loan so that you will be able to afford the monthly payments without sacrificing your daily necessities.

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Imagine the satisfaction of being able to say that you are the one who successfully managed the modification process and negotiation of your home loan.

Just remember that the first thing you need to do is that you must speak with your lender. More specifically, you have to get in contact with the loss mitigation dept of your lender if not that, then get in contact with their home retention dept. There may be other names for this department but they all function in basically the same way. This is when you see if you can actually qualify for loan modification.

Monday, September 28, 2009

A Look Back at the Great Depression and FHA Loans

Back in the day that it was formed, the Federal Housing Administration has always been designed to cater to the middle and low income families who need loans. This is no surprise since the Federal Housing Administration or FHA was created during the great depression when millions of Americans were all in the brink of bankruptcy and people where loosing nearly everything.

One can just look back at the Great Depression and truly feel the suffering of the American people during those times. There are many pictures documenting how people gathered in the streets to get food and one day hiring jobs. There were also a lot of rich people who were severely damaged by that economic depression. A lot of companies sunk down to the abyss and the many business men, in their great dismay, even took their own lives as a consequence of the unbearable loss.

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FHA loan mortgage

Now, we are sort of seeing a repeat of what happened all those years ago. Now, the degree of poverty might not exactly be the same, but the general blow to the economy, they say, is just as big. Millions and millions of U.S. citizens are jobless and homeless. There are many businesses that are closing down. Foreclosure signs are as common as daisies. Bankruptcies are going on left and right. The Obama administration is doing something about this mess of an economy handed to them by the Bush administration. The Obama bailout program is injecting money to the FHA in order to provide people with a loan that they can get despite their credit score or income.

This is the FHA loan. These are loans that insured by the federal government. That means that if the borrower defaults on this loan, the FHA is going to pay the bank or private lender to cover the balance.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

The new schooling of today – eLearning

I have finally finished my adult schooling, and while it was fun, especially with all the friends I got to meet and study with, it was really more work than I expected. Truth is, I actually engage in more mental preparation when I go to the adult learning center than when I actually go to work. I just didn’t expect going back to school would be as tedious, as tiring, and as mentally exhausting as when I was when I stopped back when I was way younger. I know that my mental faculties have not been affected by age. Besides, I’m really not that old yet, it’s just that I really wasn’t able to complete my schooling because I had to work early to support my family. My father died early on because of heart failure and I really couldn’t just let my mother do all the work herself, so I took it upon myself to help her put food on our table and get my brothers and sisters to a decent school, since I know that not being schooled will only get us deeper into misery and hardship. We were never rich, but we were never really impoverished either. To the best of our abilities, my mother and I did our best to make sure everyone in the family was well fed, had good clothes on their backs, and could to school on time, in the best of health, and had money to spend on whatever needed paying for. I am, however, not yet satisfied that my schooling is indeed complete. I think I can still learn a bit more, although I don’t think I’ll be going back to the adult learning center that I finished my schooling at. Instead I think I’ll be looking at some of the elearning solutions that my younger brothers have been talking about, and see how much I can learn from that.

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elearning

I always welcome a new experience, and I have to admit that this will definitely be a first for me, since I have not engaged in non-traditional forms of learning yet, but I must say that I am quite enthusiastic about this.

Fast Read: All You Need to Know About Loan Modification

Banks kept on giving out loans to anybody and everybody. The real estate market also profited from this since so many homes could be built and sold because it was so easy to get loans. Then, people weren’t able to pay the loans anymore. And then, the big bubble in the cash flow, the debt that was being spent faster than it was being paid of popped. The whole in the economy started the crash that everyone is experiencing now. Now, foreclosure signs are cropping up like mushrooms. People are looking for ways to stop foreclosure. This is why loan modification became so popular as a way to stop foreclosure.

What is loan modification?
Loan modification, simply put, is a change in one’s loan mortgage terms and conditions in order to make it easier for the borrower to make the payments. These changes are permanent and it can either create extensions or grace periods. It can also lower interest rates, monthly payments, and even lower the amount of the original loan itself. Loan modification is deferent from refinancing. With refinancing, one will get an entirely new loan. This means more paperwork. Loan modification is also easier since the loan is already pre approved.

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How do I qualify for loan modification?
Banks and lender will look for a good reason for why you need loan modification help in the first place. The reason why you, the borrower, is in financial straits should be something that was unavoidable. Valid reasons include loss of income due to lay offs or reassignment, health problems, health bills, a death in the family, etc. Another important thing that one must know is that loan modification can only be done if the home in question is where you are living in right now. If it is just a secondary home or a vacation home then the one’s loan modification application will not be approved.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

An elearning solution advocate

I am officially getting into the elearning solutions craze, if you could indeed call it that. I just learned that there are elearning tools that can be used just as easily as most tools that are available online, this means I can spend more time learning the stuff I want to learn about, rather than just spending most of time trying to learn how to use the learning system and the tools so that I could get to the real learning part. Some elearning development tools have been made so complex, in an effort to make it the most “innovative, intuitive, and adaptable” cost effective training solution in the market that it seems the developers failed to take into account the fact that this software was actually made to help people learn, and learn in the most convenient manner possible, which is the entire point of an elearning solution. This type of learning tool was implicitly intended to be done entirely on the internet, the ultimate expression of convenience, so it really doesn’t make sense if the learning system was designed in such a way that it would actually take longer to learn how to use the system than actually learning the lesson that the learning system was intended to teach.

elearning
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But I digress. I had originally intended to look for a job that entailed shorter hours so that I could enroll in a short course to learn a new programming language, but with the developments I have been reading about in the elearning industry, I believe I am better off maintaining a full time job, and I would still pretty much be able to learn what I need to learn after my work hours, since I can very well do it right at home. All I need to do now is look for a learning management system that is best suited to me, which I don’t think will be too difficult, considering how many are already in operation on the internet. All I need to do now is look which particular learning system is easily segmented, since I pretty much can’t get modules that go on for really long hours, since I do have to rest before going to work.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Voncore and Gawad Kalinga – Partners in Changing the World

Voncore is just one of the many Philippine companies who have responded to Gawad Kalinga’s call for social corporate responsibility. We have been a firm advocate of the GK mission and we believe that we can do something to help build a better nation by sharing our time, effort, and skills. As a technology-based business, we use our resources to help spread the good word about Gawad Kalinga and its mission. As a testament to our dedication to the GK vision, we have been part of a very important project to help the organization effectively carry out its humanitarian goals. Voncore collaborated with Smart Telecommunications and Gawad Kalinga in building a technology called GKUnity.

GK EXPO 2009
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GKUnity is a world-class technology developed to help Gawad Kalinga organize activities, manage resources and pledges, track progress of projects, and measure the impact of its many humanitarian activities to help the poor. Through this system developed by Voncore, Gawad Kalinga would be able to identify key areas that boost the results of its projects. GKUnity has also been presented in the recently concluded GK World Summit held in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Political leaders, journalists, volunteers, and GK advocates from different parts of the world attended this event.

Voncore has been inspired by the power of volunteerism and compassion fueling the noble objective of Gawad Kalinga. We believe that Gawad Kalinga is the catalyst that would drive a positive social transformation our country is in dire need of. More than building homes, our partnership with GK would be a driving force to uplift communities where beneficiaries are given a deeper sense of hope. Voncore does not only work for its success. There is a meaningful and inspiring purpose behind every effort exerted, every output produced, and every successful project launched; Working with Voncore is working with a company that supports a noble cause, a mission to improve the lives of the poorest of the poor, and an organization that drives a grand patriotic revolution to make a difference, Gawad Kalinga.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Can Obama Stop Contact Center Offshore Outsourcing?

Call center Asia industries have been shocked when Obama first said that he is against outsourcing. But are call center jobs Asia really have a cause for worry?

BPO including contact center offshore outsourcing jobs everywhere is reported to suffer because of the looming global economic struggle. The new U.S. administrations plan is one that a lot of people are nervous about. President Barack Obama’s strong position on this crisis is well known. Obama wants all the outsourced jobs back into the country to counter the growing joblessness that was created by the recession.

philippine call center

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There is nothing wrong with such a sentiment. It does sound like a good plan in fact to bring these outsourced jobs back into a country that desperately needs all the jobs that it needs. But really, this isn’t realistic in the schematic of Globalization.

Corporations, by law, are required to take care of its stockholders’ interest even before its stakeholder, employees, and externalities (externalities are everyone affected by the corporation indirectly). And another thing, corporations are by law, recognized as persons. Thus as a person, a corporation have the right to own, to sue people, etc. Basically a corporation has almost all the rights of a free person. How does this help contact center offshore outsourcing companies?

This means that they have to right to do as they please and they can purchase the services of contact center offshore outsourcing companies as is part of their rights. The government cannot force them to do anything. And their primary goal is top make profit. As long as contact center offshore outsourcing companies in the third world exist to provide cheaper services to corporations, corporations will keep taking advantage of such cheap services.

The president will not have enough power, even if it is just bargaining power, to coerce all American corporations to not outsource. This will stop profit, and corporations will not let that happen.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Putting the right priority on learning

What is the fuss about learning all these new movements, skills, programs and what-have-you from the net? Didn’t we really learn enough from school already? Why are so many people getting into this e-learning solutions thing? I guess good, old-fashioned reading really isn’t doing it for people nowadays, is it? I mean, I remember the days when all a person had to do to make themselves better is to just simply pick up a good book on the issue and then trying their best to implement what they learned. I even got caught on those audio self-help courses, trying some of them myself. While they really weren’t my cup of tea, I have to admit that they did have a level of efficacy, since mainly they did have a good retention rate because of the audio component. I think people tend to retain information if they get to hear it a few times over. I understand that people really do want to get over all that ignorance and mediocrity brought on by all the hash and tripe served up by mindless television, but I think they should really re-evaluate their reasons for taking up supposed self-improvement courses such as these e-learning tools before they really plunge headlong into it. It is always good to constantly improve oneself, but retention and better absorption of the new knowledge is only fueled best and made even better by a true sense of purpose.

e-learning solutions

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Did these people really want to use what they learned in a practical application, such as an office setting? Did they really take up a learning management system to improve their output at work or do they just want the supposed bragging rights that come with it, since they supposedly know something that most other people don’t know? I really think it’s important to stop and seriously ponder what they want to learn first, and why they want to learn it before they really commit to it.

e-learning tools: the way to a better social adjustment

While I am, by training and education, an educator myself, there are times wherein I wished that the better part of my education was simply garnered from e-learning solutions. That way, I would not have to deal with the more traumatizing aspects of learning in an established learning institution. While I did manage to do good in terms of an education, my current job description is proof of that, I cannot help but think how so much better of a person I would have been had I learned most of what I know through e-learning tools, thus allowing me more time to socialize and learn social skills, rather than being the clumsy oaf and socially inept person that I am today. Try as I might, I really don’t know how to talk to people, and they just end up thinking I am a weird or boring person. Others might disagree with me on this, since they would typically think that an e-learning management system would only keep me cooped up even more, I would like to think of the opposite, since I would be able to spend less time with studying and more time being a person and being with real people.

e-learning solutions

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I also think that having to complete an education from a learning management system would also allow me to get away from the professors and instructors who simply terrified me when they used to pick on me because of what they perceived in me as a social weakness, rather than simply help me adjust to my “condition”. I must admit though, that this treatment only prompted me to prove myself even further, I might not have grown to become the social pariah that I am now had I been able to nurture the proper social attitude and be able to relate with people more.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Of the Mistake that is the Obama Housing Bailout

A new Obama mortgage bailout is being proposed. People see that it is quite similar to the old one. The new Obama bailout moneys being injected is worth about 200 billion dollars. Again.

Why is it that the more someone tells you what you should do about your life or yourself, the more you hate it and you feel the need to rebel against the advice? At least that’s how it is for me. Perhaps it’s because I have been lectured so many times as a child while being hit with a belt. Perhaps it’s because I felt bullied or threatened. What is it that creates the pride that makes you hate admitting that you were wrong? That what you did made things worse. That it was your fault, your decision. And why is it that these kinds of feelings don’t usually appear in the issue of love. Is it because I knew too well the satisfying results of admitting your mistakes in love but not in other parts of life like work and responsibility? Perhaps. I don’t know. But what I am sure of is that the Obama housing bailout plan is a mistake. And the administration better fess up to it.

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obama bailout news

Everyone is fighting over the 200 billion dollar Obama bailout moneys distributed to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. So many people argue about the fact that the Obama administration is still working to create a kind of solution that only serves as a show move. A move to instill confidence back into the economy, but does not really have enough significant effects to raise it up on its own. The Obama mortgage bailout doesn’t even have a clear enough break down of expenditure. Please Mr. President, show us the money.