Help Your Employees Better Understand Health Insurance Terms |  |
- Help Your Employees Better Understand Health Insurance Terms
- Yahoo Mail Down For Days for Some Users
- 4 Essential Tools for Small But Growing Businesses
- New HP Slate Tablet Offers Another Budget Tech Option
- 10 Tips for Grabbing Last Minute Holiday Shoppers
| Help Your Employees Better Understand Health Insurance Terms Posted: 12 Dec 2013 04:00 PM PST
The health care landscape can be confusing. Rules and regulations seem to be endlessly shifting and it's a challenge to keep track of the moving parts. But from a micro perspective, health care shouldn't be that difficult. Your employees know what their insurance plans do for them, so that's really all they need to be aware of – right? Maybe. Except that odds are your employees may not actually be knowledgeable about their benefits offerings because they’re not familiar with health insurance terms and jargon. Nearly three-fourths (74 percent) of workers “sometimes or never” understand everything covered by their insurance policy today. With the trend of consumer-driven health care on the rise, this is especially alarming as employees are expected to take a more hands-on approach in selecting their health benefits options. While it's a small step, you can start helping your workforce by educating them about basic, yet essential, health insurance terms. Knowing the jargon is crucial, especially during open enrollment season, in order to read the literature, to understand benefits options available and to make informed decisions about health insurance. Below are a few basic terms to consider teaching to your employees. Health Insurance Terms Employees Must KnowDeductibleThe amount owed for covered health care services before a health insurance plan begins to pay. For example, if a plan deductible is $1,000, the plan won't pay anything until the policyholder pays $1,000 toward covered health care services subject to the deductible. The deductible may not apply to all services. CoinsuranceThe percentage paid toward each covered health care service provided. The coinsurance is paid on top of any deductible. For example, let's say an employer offers an 80/20 health insurance plan and the allowed amount for an office visit is $100. Once the policyholder has met the deductible, the coinsurance payment of 20 percent would be $20. The health insurance or plan pays the rest of the allowed amount. CopayA fixed amount, for example $15, that is paid for a covered health care service, usually due at the time of service. The amount may vary by the type of covered health care service. Non-Medical CostsWhen faced with a serious accident or illness, there are various non-medical costs associated with a hospital stay or recovery period including:
These expenses can add up quickly, contributing to the overall out-of-pocket cost of being sick or injured. Supplemental InsuranceSupplemental insurance, sometimes called voluntary insurance, is insurance that can be additional or complementary to major medical insurance. Examples include:
Just to name a few. It can help pay for services and out-of-pocket expenses that major medical does not cover. Provider policies may pay cash benefits, enabling the policyholder to put the money toward costs that are the result of an unexpected illness or injury. Limits or ExclusionsWorkers must pay attention to services not included in their plan, as well as any limitations or exclusions. Limits related to the number of refills for certain drugs, the number of visits to certain specialists or the number of days covered for certain benefits could mean unexpected out-of-pocket costs. Injured Photo via Shutterstock The post Help Your Employees Better Understand Health Insurance Terms appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| Yahoo Mail Down For Days for Some Users Posted: 12 Dec 2013 01:30 PM PST
OK, it may not be Gmail. But many still do use Yahoo Mail as a primary or secondary communication for business or other purposes. So when the service was partially down for more than 48 hours this week, users got a bit testy. Worse then the outage itself, however, seemed to be Yahoo’s response to worried account holders who rely on the service — even though it is free. Yahoo Tweeted a Few Times At BestThe company did respond to direct questions about service problems in the early hours referring some to Customer Care. But Yahoo tweeted general updates a few times at best from its Ymail Team account during the initial outage, TechCrunch reports. The first came Tuesday afternoon acknowledging the problem which, for many affected users, had started the night before. By then, upset Yahoo Mail users were already beginning to express their displeasure. Astoundingly, except for a steady stream of reassurances to inquiries from users, the Ymail Team did not post another general update until the following morning. By that time, disgruntled users were complaining about a lot more than just the technical difficulties.
The Yahoo team also finally posted a more detailed report on the problem with an estimate of the repair time needed to get people back into their accounts.
Later that afternoon, Yahoo had begun to restore email services to its users. The YMail Team also seemed to become more responsive — after being called out by users and the media. What’s Going On Here?It doesn’t matter what the majority of the business community thinks of Yahoo Mail. This situation does not speak well for the Yahoo turnaround supposedly being engineered by CEO Marissa Mayer? The issue is not just the technical problem, but how Yahoo reacted. Ignore for a moment some audacious moves like Mayer’s $1 billion purchase of hip social blogging site Tumblr earlier this year. It’s important for Yahoo to remain reliable in the areas where customers are still dedicated to its tools and services. Otherwise, it will be difficult for the company to build on its strengths while moving to new features and services in the future. Image: Wikipedia The post Yahoo Mail Down For Days for Some Users appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| 4 Essential Tools for Small But Growing Businesses Posted: 12 Dec 2013 11:00 AM PST
I've been in a tools and apps frame of mind lately. After all, if there's something that can make my work as a business owner easier, I'm all for it. So if you're looking to grow in the coming year (and who isn't, right?), below are four more tools you can use to do so. The Right Social Media Platform (+ Strategy)Social media sites on their own can be considered tools, but I like to work smarter. My go-to is Hootsuite, which lets me manage my Twitter and Google+ accounts as well as my client accounts. I choose not to manage Facebook or LinkedIn there, but it can be done. I don't have to visit each site to update profiles. I can even schedule posts to go live at a later date/time. I like spending an hour scheduling for the upcoming weeks so I don't have to do it daily. You might prefer Social Sprout or Social Oomph. Whichever tool you choose, it won't do you a bit of good if you don't have a smart strategy in place. After all, why are you using social if you don't have goals? My social media strategy tips:
Accounting SoftwareI'm no financial whiz, so I rely on QuickBooks to help me send invoices, track expenses, and pay taxes. I've heard good things about FreshBooks, too. The more organized your finances are from the start, the easier they'll be to manage down the road. My tips for smarter accounting:
Email Marketing (+ Strategy)You must must must have a long-term email marketing strategy. It's one of the best ways to stay on top of the minds of your contacts and customers, so when they're ready to buy, guess who they'll think of? That's right: You. Again, strategy is a key component of your success with email marketing. While services like iContact are great for helping you create newsletters and promotional emails, ultimately your success depends on what you put into those emails, who you send them to, and how frequently you send them. My email marketing tips:
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) SoftwareIf you've got just one or two clients, you can probably remember all the conversations you've had. But as your business grows, it becomes harder to remember which conversation you had with what client. CRM platforms like Zoho and Insightly help you by creating profiles for companies and individuals, tying in email correspondence you've had with each, and letting you take notes for meetings. Here are my tips for maximizing your results from CRM:
I love that we live in an era where more and more tools are popping up to help us do more – don’t you? Growing with Tools Photo via Shutterstock The post 4 Essential Tools for Small But Growing Businesses appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| New HP Slate Tablet Offers Another Budget Tech Option Posted: 12 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST
There are an increasing number of budget options for mobile technology out there. HP seems to be adding to the list with its new Slate 7 Plus, a budget 7-inch tablet. The device replaces the earlier Slate 7 which some felt fell so short of other slightly more expensive tablets like the Nexus 7, it wasn’t worth the savings. But the latest HP offering seems to have at least come up to the standards of the first generation Nexus 7, reports Brad Linder, editor of mobile technology site Liliputing. And HP certainly seems confident in the quality and versatility of the new update based on this video introducing the device: The new tablet features:
The device comes in what appears to be an attractive silver and is now available at $149.99 from HP’s online store. And it’s not alone. More New Mobile Devices from HPA small fleet of devices recently introduced by the tech giant include:
All run on Android. Whatever option you choose when investing in technology for your business, whether from HP or another brand, consider both cost and what features best serve your needs. The post New HP Slate Tablet Offers Another Budget Tech Option appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
| 10 Tips for Grabbing Last Minute Holiday Shoppers Posted: 12 Dec 2013 05:00 AM PST
All holiday season, your small retail shop has been battling the big online retailers. Well, here's some good news. As Christmas gets closer, and consumers get less willing to pay for costly shipping (or risk gifts not arriving in time), your brick-and-mortar store has a big advantage over online retailers. With free shipping a huge selling point for online shoppers, consumers have gotten spoiled to the point they hate to pay for shipping. That means after Free Shipping Day (the last day when participating retailers guarantee shipping by Christmas – it's December 18 this year), you'll see a lot more last minute holiday shoppers hitting the pavement in search of gifts. So how can you get the business of these last minute holiday shoppers? Grabbing Last Minute Holiday ShoppersPosition Yourself as the Answer to Their ProblemsYour marketing messages should emphasize that your store offers last minute gift solutions. Tell them that you offer fast, easy service and a wide range of products that will ease their holiday stress. Of course, make sure you can deliver on these promises. Offer In-Store PickupIf you have an eCommerce site, offer last minute holiday shoppers the option to order online and pick up products in-store. Make sure to set a cut-off date and time online orders need to be placed so shoppers aren't disappointed. Provide Assistance by PhoneWhile you may not want to hold unpaid products for customers for an extended time during this season, you can offer to hold them for an hour or so. You can have employees take credit card orders over the phone and hold the purchased products for in-store pick-up. Make it Easy for Customers to Contact YouLast minute holiday shoppers are in a frenzy and will often want to get in touch before they head out to your store to make sure you have product on hand. Make sure that your store's contact information, including email, phone number and address, is clearly visible above the fold (before they have to scroll down to see it) on every page of your website. Then make sure you're answering your phone and checking that email constantly. Also include driving directions and/or a map to make getting there easier. Update Your Presence on Local Search SitesCheck your listings on local search sites such as Google Places and Local.com. Make sure your listings are current and include information about any promotions, sales or special offers. In short, anything that will help persuade shoppers to choose you over the competition. Simplify Last Minute Shopping With "Grab and Go" GiftsYou can set up displays with products grouped together in ways that make sense, such as "gifts for Dad," "gifts for the kids," "gifts for the hostess," etc. You can also group products by price "gifts under $10," "gifts under $50," etc. You can even display the unwrapped products and then wrap up gift baskets or boxes with the products inside so customers can just grab the wrapped sets and buy them. Make sure wrapped packages are clearly marked as to what's inside. Offer In-Store Gift Wrapping ServicesLast minute holiday shoppers love one stop shopping. Help them stress less by offering gift wrapping in-store. You can offer a free option with basic wrap and ribbon, then charge for more elaborate wrapping. You can also sell gift wrap, gift tags, tape and cards right by the register for those who want to do it themselves, but don't want to make a separate stop at another store for supplies. Don't Forget the Impulse BuysPut small stocking stuffer type products next to the registers or the areas where customers wait in line. Extend Your HoursIf you aren't already doing so, open early and stay open late in the days leading up to Christmas. Be sure to promote the extended hours via email, text messaging, social media and store signage. Try Online AdvertisingPay-per-click advertising (PPC) can work great this time of year if you buy ads that serve up when last minute holiday shoppers look for gift ideas or last minute gifts online. Try these tips and take advantage of the last full weekend of Christmas shopping! Shopping Photo via Shutterstock The post 10 Tips for Grabbing Last Minute Holiday Shoppers appeared first on Small Business Trends. |
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