May 19

Office relocation can be brought in practice for many reasons like outgrown office, lease break coming up etc. Office relation is not a negative practice at all but this prospect may seem daunting. With proper planning this daunting process can be broken down in series of steps. Breaking down office relocation process in small tasks can be done with painstaking coordination. You need to think of building appraisals, cost comparisons, estimates and other schedules for smooth office relocation.  Being a responsible person of your office, you may be assigned some responsibilities to plan office relocation. Here is a list of factors that you need to think about office relocation:

  • Accessing Office Needs and Current Situation
  • Workplace Consultancy
  • Building Appraisals
  • Space Planning and Design
  • Cost Management
  • Project Management
  • Office Fit-out
  • Office Furniture

First of all you should think about what needs to be done and when. Who will do what and who will report to whom? All this must be decided before starting the office relocation practically. Estimate a time line for major tasks and arrange a meeting with concerned staff members to communicate necessary information to all members.

Taking inventory is of greater importance while thinking for new space for office relocation. Develop an updated inventory list and think about office needs regarding place. Organize proper files for shifting, clean up storage and common areas, clean up computer network space and manage all personal belongings in time. Plan for leasing needs assessment, office move budget, vendor’ selection for office move and office move schedules.

Office relocation is an opportunity in itself as you will get a chance to clear out all old files and purge all storage areas of unnecessary items. Scan out all your documents and dispose unnecessary files properly. You should consider this time of office relocation as an opportunity to upgrade with modern setup and get new supplier contracts on favorable terms of business. Office relocation will surely go in your favor if you take it as a project and plan thoroughly for smooth relocation.

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May 14

Sending money abroad has become immense need of business people and people who are working far from their native countries. Not so far in the past, online money transfer involved high risk but today there are lots of safest methods to transfer money online. Major and most commonly used ways of sending money abroad include cash transfer and instrumental money transfer. You will select a method for transferring money that suits you from different aspects like speed, cost, risk and convenience of each cash transfer method. Here is brief information about these methods of online money transfer:

Cash Transfers

Cash transfers are best for people who are conscious for transferring speed than cost on transfer. Time taken for a money transfer may be 5-10 minutes to 7 days for wire transfers via a bank. Effectiveness of money transfer also depends on postal service in destination country. Here is brief information about most common methods used in cash transfers to help you in making idea what method will suit you:

  • Western Union: It is a widely accepted online payment transfer service. Western Union is a private entity that is not affiliated with any government and financial institution but still it is trusted by people. Money senders and receivers don’t need to open account with this union. You can send your money online or by phone. Your receiver will be able to get money within 30 minutes after you transfer money. This online money transfer service is becoming wider as there are more than 310,000 locations in more than 200 countries. Its charges can change for varying destinations but typically it can be up to 10% of transferred money.
  • Xoom: It is newer global money transfer service that is competing other online money transferring services. They are providing their services in more than 40 countries and claim to be cheaper than other services. They are basically supporting picking up money from nearby location, direct deposit into bank account or cash delivery to residence of recipient.
  • Moneygram: It is another trusted international money transfer service but it is not as broader as Western Union but it offers similar service options in 180 countries.
  • PayPal: It is very effective e-commerce payment system that supports transferring money online using debit or credit cards. It is an online service and doesn’t have any office locations. Its users need to open an account with this website and follow its instructions for transferring money. Sender will send his money totally free but recipient will have to pay some charges for it but its charges are not so high that are 2-4% of the transferred amount but this fees can vary from country to country.
  • ATMCASH: It is very trusted money transferring service that is serving in more than 150 countries. Senders will send money online or over the phone.
  • Wire Transfers: It is transfer of money from sender’s bank account to recipient’s bank account. It is a risk free and effective way of money transfer. You don’t need to be affiliated to any bank to request money transfer. Its fees normally range from $ 40 to $ 75.

Instrumental Transfers

  • Money Orders: It is a payment document for sending a preset amount of money. Money orders are trusted more than personal cheques as they don’t have any risk of getting bounced.  They are usually used by foreign banks for money transfers.
  • Foreign Drafts: This document is alike money order. The recipient needs to have contact with same bank at which sender will fill out the draft. Its service charges are usually about $25. Usually one week is required to complete its transferring process. Once the sender receives draft from bank, he is responsible to mail the draft in time.
  • Credit/ Debit Card: This is another safer money transfer method but it is not so fast as Western Union or other cash transfer techniques.
  • Cheques: You can send personal cheque, travel cheque etc but this online money transfer is not so fast that is why less appreciated by users.
May 12

Offshore banks are the online financial institutions which facilitate the business people who have succeeded to expand their business in more than one geographical location. Besides business people, cosmopolitans who are away from their native countries and doing jobs there can also hold offshore bank accounts to transfer money in their native country.

People who are living in their native countries should have accounts in onshore banks so that they may get relief from the heavy charges imposed by the government to transact. No doubt cosmopolitans also have to pay the charges imposed by the state government but they find many other advantages which are enough to compensate those charges.

Offshore banks provide many more facilities as compared to onshore or native banks. They provide more security, efficiency, less cost and expenses and cash advance facility with more flexibility than an onshore bank. You can get any information about your account without facing the headache of personal visit and can also make transactions round the clock without any barrier. Offshore account holders enjoy tax-free environment and do not need to open accounts in different countries.  Any one can open online account in an authorized oversea bank.

In the past, online banking was not more than a risk of password hacking and many other damages but now with the advancement in technology and internet skills one can surely save himself from all risks and losses. A person having internet knowledge and skills to protect himself from damages happening on internet can better take advantage of the offshore bank account.  Therefore one can frankly open an account in offshore bank with no risk of password hacking and other mishaps.

In short, if we compare both onshore and offshore banking systems with their facilities (for instance to consolidate credit cards) and other charges imposed by the governments, we come to realize that offshore banks are especially for the people away form their native countries and onshore banks for the people in their native countries.