Professional Presence on the Phone

Within the first 5 seconds on the telephone, you and your employees establish your company’s image with clients and prospects. With each minute that passes in conversation, either strengthen a caller’s confidence… or weaken your professional integrity.

In short, you and your employees’ telephone skills can make or break your business.

1. When you’re on the phone with a client, you’re playing the roles of a good-will ambassador, problem solver, public relations representative, and more. Whether you are having a good day or a bad day, your telephone call is a performance that should leave your client feeling positive about you.

Holiday Office Hours

As we approach this Christmas holiday we wanted to remind you of our holiday office hours. Each of our offices (Midvale, Ogden and Orem) will be closed on December 24th and 25th for the Christmas holiday. Our offices will reopen on Wednesday, December 26th, for normal working hours.  

Thank you for your continued business and we look forward to an exciting new year in 2013.

2013 Standard Mileage Rates Up 1 Cent per Mile for Business, Medical and Moving

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued the 2013 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.
Beginning on Jan. 1, 2013, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:

• 56.5 cents per mile for business miles driven
• 24 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes
• 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations

The rate for business miles driven during 2013 increases 1 cent from the 2012 rate.  The medical and moving rate is also up 1 cent per mile from the 2012 rate.
The standard mileage rate for business is based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile. The rate for medical and moving purposes is based on the variable costs.
Taxpayers always have the option of calculating the actual costs of using their vehicle rather than using the standard mileage rates.
A taxpayer may not use the business standard mileage rate for a vehicle after using any depreciation method under the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) or after claiming a Section 179 deduction for that vehicle.  In addition, the business standard mileage rate cannot be used for more than four vehicles used simultaneously.
These and other requirements for a taxpayer to use a standard mileage rate to calculate the amount of a deductible business, moving, medical, or charitable expense are in Rev. Proc. 2010-51.  Notice 2012-72 contains the standard mileage rates, the amount a taxpayer must use in calculating reductions to basis for depreciation taken under the business standard mileage rate, and the maximum standard automobile cost that a taxpayer may use in computing the allowance under a fixed and variable rate plan.

Phone Service Temporarily Disabled

Due to construction the phone service at IDS has been temporarily disabled. We have forwarded phones to cell phones. Please be patient as we continue to service our valued customers. Thanks. The IDS Staff.

Social Marketing Success in Your Dealership

I got an email last week, one that’s similar to many I get from dealers and dealership personnel.  It was a perfect representation of why so many dealers and other business are failing to find success on Social Media:

Read More!
Want Social Marketing Success? Fail Often!