So, your credit’s not the best. A couple things happened, you were late on some payments. Now you’ve got some credit issues. Iffy credit is not the same as bad credit, but in the eyes of a lender, they are both high risk issues. Which is why you need a lender who will be willing to give you a higher risk car loan.
Now is a really great time to buy a new car, truck or SUV. The problem is that lots of people have dinged up credit. Now more than ever, lenders are catering to people with the same issues as you and offering bad credit car loans. We see the commercials all the time – dealerships telling you that if you have a job and $147.00, they can get you in a vehicle. If you need a car and you have credit problems, you should be taking advantage of these offers.
There are a few things you need to know, though, before you head off to get your auto loan.
? As with all loans, shop around. If you’re considering going through a car dealership, make sure they have a decent inventory in the price range you think you’ll be looking. You don’t want to be pre-approved for a certain amount only to find the dealership’s selection in that range is severely limited. Don’t accept a loan with an interest rate of more than 9.5%. Even with bad credit, you shouldn’t have to pay more than that.
? Don’t always fall for the deals. In certain parts of the country, dealerships are making deals to sell off their existing inventory, which can mean big savings for you. One dealership in Northern Illinois was offering a “buy one, get one for $1” deal. In other words, if you bought one new vehicle, you could get a second used car for just a dollar extra. While this can be a great deal if you have great credit, you may find that you’re overextending your budget if you take advantage of the deal, which may involve purchasing a more expensive new car.
? Be aware of what your lender will expect of you. If you’re shopping online especially, it’s really important to know if your lender has terms and conditions. They might only be willing to lend you a certain amount on a new vehicle, as the risk of your brand new truck breaking down is substantially lower than that of a four year old Chevy. Understand that to a lender, this lowers the risk to them, because if they’re in a position where they have to repossess your vehicle, it will be more sellable and likely in better condition.
? Be ready to put some money down on your new SUV. Or car, or truck. In bad credit situations, a potential lender will take your request more seriously if they see you’ve taken the time to save up a decent down payment. If you’ve got $1000 to spare, it’s a good idea to use it. This will help your chances of getting a bad credit car loan and it will help to reduce the cost of the loan in the long term.
Most of all, don’t set your sights too high or get too discouraged. You may find that you need to apply with several different lenders to get an auto loan to fit your bad credit situation. Don’t give up. Depending on the severity of your credit, there will be someone willing to finance you.
We saw multiple scenarios, where Corporate ERP implementation goes into limbo phase and you think that this system might be not the one you need. In our opinion – over 90% of these Corporate ERP implementation failing cases had rather subjective reasons and could be efficiently recovered if customer would stop at some point and asked for Second Opinion from one of local Chicagoland and Northern Illinois based Dynamics GP Resellers, or even from nationwide firm with strong Great Plains implementation, data conversion, reporting and customization expertise in your industry. Think this way – Dynamics GP is a tool and Corporate ERP platform, but it allows you to design and organize Accounting, Sales Order Processing, Manufacturing, Shipping and Receiving, Procurement, Inventory and Warehouse management procedures. Plus it open through Dexterity, eConnect, Integration Manager, ReportWriter, SQL Server Reporting Services, Crystal Reports and other tools to data conversions, customizations, integrations and reporting. To implement your new Corporate ERP you would have to probably assign internal Project Manager, plus probably allocate some members of IT team if data migration and customization is needed, and of course you should select the right Dynamics GP Partner, who could help you implement Great Plains as real team of GP gurus. We are trying to make this article readable for both IT managers and Company Executives, so please take it to consideration and skip the paragraph that is too technical or too philosophical. Let’s come through the most typical Corporate ERP failures scenarios:
1. Unrealistic Data Conversion. We were discussing which topic should go on the first position, and looks like the “winner” is data migration, massage and conversion. And this might be also related to lack of management involvement (when somebody from executives orders Dynamics GP VAR to convert “everything” and period) as well as to some learning curve from your Dynamics GP Reseller sales engineering team, where they say Yes to all customer requests in their desire to push Software Licenses Sale through (better approach would be to set the right expectation and explain recommended and possible levels of Data Conversions, their cost and potential risks). We described Dynamics GP data migration in previous publications, however here we would like to give you summary. You should first consider to convert only master records (customers, vendors, GL accounts, employees, addresses) and GL balances and leave your old Accounting system (QuickBooks, Peach Tree, etc.) for data inquiry only to secure possible strategies for future audit and IRS compliance. If you must have some GL history – consider only current year and only monthly balances – this exercise is possible via Dynamics GP Integration Manager via ODBC connections to your legacy Corporate ERP data base or to exports in text files from legacy accounting, the most typical case is when you are migrating from QuickBooks. Migrating “everything” to Great Plains is very costly and very risky, as GP business logic and tables structure are complex
2. Unnecessary Deep Modification. Great Plains already has pretty rich mid-market Corporate ERP and MRP applications business logic and first you should try to cast your business processes in Dynamics GP setups and procedures. We recommend you to be certain and not accept shortcuts approach, when if process is not apparent, realize it via Dexterity, Modifier or eConnect customizations. However if customization is required, please check with your Dynamics GP Partner that they have reasonable experience to accomplish it for you, versus try it first time and come through learning curve with facing most of the potential Great Plains Dexterity programming pitfalls
3. Integration with Legacy System limbo. Often you may have something from non Microsoft World: Oracle Based Sales Order Processing system, EDI, PHP MySQL and Linux based eCommerce web application. Typically to integrate the two you would need consultants who are either cross trained or consulting team with expertise in both platforms
4. Crystal Reports limbo. Industrial reporting tools, such as Crystal Reports, SSRS also require reports developer to have reasonable experience and exposure. If developer is novice and tries all sorts of Wizards – results might be disappointing. Professional reporting for Corporate ERP applications requires data query abstraction from the tool itself. In the term of Crystal Report for Dynamics GP it means that report should be based on SQL Stored Procedure or at least on SQL View, and these techniques are crossing the boundaries of apparent reports wizards
5. Process Manufacturing. If you were pushed in GP sales phase with the promise to implement Process Manufacturing, you probably should slow down, as Microsoft Business Solutions really features Axapta Dynamics AX as process manufacturing Corporate ERP option: food, meat and poultry processing, farmers associations, mining, drilling, energy, oil and gas, etc. Dynamics GP Manufacturing Suite is for so-called Discrete Manufacturing
6. Great Plains Upgrade Limbo. If you are migrating from really old version, such as Great Plains on Pervasive SQL or Ctree: 7.5, 7.0, 6.0, 5.5, 5.0, 4.0 or even from Great Plains Accounting for DOS and Windows, you should be aware on the possible problems. For example Intellisol Purchase Order Processing was recommended in time (2002) to be migrated to Great Plains Purchase Order module. You can still do this, but this should be performed for Great Plains Dynamics version 7.5, where you chosen Dynamics GP Partner may have no clue. Great Plains Accounting for DOS, Windows or Mac is even better puzzle, as its support was terminated by Great Plains Software somewhere around 2001. If you need to migrate away from this archaic Corporate ERP platform to Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0 – you should carefully design upgrade path with your Dynamics GP Partner
7. Trying to Implement Dynamics GP in International environment in the country where it is not localized. Please, note that GP is only localized in English speaking countries, plus in Spanish speaking Latin America. If you are trying to expand it for Brazilian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Russian subsidiary – you will not have success. International Corporate ERP is not piece of cake, it requires research and dedication to international business rules. We advise to consider alternatives to Great Plains, such as SAP Business One, or Microsoft Dynamics AX Axapta, these are Unicode characters compliant and available to broad spectrum of countries. For example, if you have small facility in Brazil, SAP B1 would be the way to go in our opinion, plus it is very friendly for data export and GL level consolidation to Corporate ERP Great Plains or even on FRx Reporting base. There are some exceptions – we can help you with options on Crystal Reports in Chinese with Great Plains Dynamics GP
8. How to get help? Please, feel free to call us: 1-866-528-0577, outside of USA: 1-630-961-5918 or email us help@albaspectrum.com We are very technical and real Dynamics GP Dexterity, SAP Business One SDK programming gurus. We have Great Plains Software Development Factory and could support unlimited Dynamics GP Customization and Programming needs. Plus we speak English, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and not only as native speaking sales folks, but as real technical consultants. If you prefer skype: albaspectrum
Anyone in northern Illinois experienced in long term care management knows that everyone feels anxious and under stress from time to time. Situations such as conflict-laden relationships, difficulty in performing important obligations or frustrating cognitive tasks, often bring about anxious feelings.
Mild anxiety may help make a person become alert and focused while facing threatening or challenging circumstances, while severe anxiety is very debilitating.
Anxiety disorders cause severe distress over a period of time and disrupt the lives of individuals suffering from them. The frequency and intensity of anxiety involved in these disorders severely compromises quality of life. But fortunately, with proper and effective treatment, residents suffering from anxiety disorders can lead normal lives.
What are the major kinds of anxiety disorders?
It is important for those in long term care management to understand that there are several major types of anxiety disorders, each with its own characteristics.
People with generalized anxiety disorder have recurring fears or worries, about health or finances etc, and they often have a persistent sense that something bad is just about to happen. The reason for the intense feelings may be difficult to identify. But the fears and worries are very real and often keep individuals from concentrating on daily tasks.
Panic disorder involves sudden, intense and unprovoked feelings of terror and dread. Residents who suffer from this disorder generally develop strong fears about when and where their next panic attack will occur, and they often restrict their activities.
A related disorder involves phobias, or intense fears, about certain objects or situations. Specific phobias may involve things such as encountering certain animals or flying in airplanes, whereas social phobias involve fear of social settings or public places.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by persistent, uncontrollable and unwanted feelings or thoughts (obsessions) and routines or rituals in which individuals engage to try to prevent or rid themselves of these thoughts (compulsions). Examples of common compulsions include washing hands or cleaning house excessively for fear of germs, or checking over something repeatedly for errors.
Someone who suffers severe physical or emotional trauma, such as from a natural disaster or serious accident or crime, may experience post-traumatic stress disorder. With this problem, thoughts, feelings and behavior patterns become seriously affected by reminders of the event, sometimes months or even years after the traumatic experience.
Symptoms such as shortness of breath, racing heartbeat, trembling and dizziness often accompany these disorders. Although they may begin at any time, anxiety disorders often surface in adolescence or early adulthood. There is some evidence of a genetic or family predisposition to them.
Why is it important to seek treatment for these disorders?
If left untreated, anxiety disorders can have severe consequences. For example, some residents who suffer from recurring panic attacks avoid, at all costs, putting themselves in situations that they fear may trigger an attack. Such avoidance may create problems by conflicting with family obligations and basic activities in the facility.
Many residents who suffer from an untreated anxiety disorder are prone to other psychological disorders, such as depression, and they have a greater tendency to abuse alcohol and pain medications. Their relationships with family members and friends may become very strained.
Are there effective treatments available for anxiety disorders?
Absolutely. Most cases can be treated successfully by mental health care professionals.
Those in long term care management should realize that, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, research has demonstrated that both ‘behavioral therapy’ and ‘cognitive therapy’ can be highly effective in treating anxiety disorders. Behavioral therapy involves using techniques to reduce or stop the undesired behavior.
For example, one approach involves training patients in relaxation and deep breathing techniques to counteract the agitation and hyperventilation (rapid, shallow breathing) that accompany certain anxiety disorders.
Through cognitive therapy, residents learn to understand how their thoughts contribute to their symptoms and how to change them to reduce the likelihood of occurrence and the intensity of reaction.
The patient’s increased cognitive awareness is often combined with behavioral techniques to help the resident gradually confront and tolerate fearful situations in the controlled, safe environment of the facility.
Proper and effective medications may have a role in treatment along with psychotherapy. In cases where medications are used, the patients care may be managed collaboratively by a psychologist and physician. It is important for patients to realize that there are side effects to any drugs, which must be monitored closely by the facility staff.
How can a psychologist help someone suffering from an anxiety disorder?
Psychologists are highly qualified to diagnose and treat anxiety disorders. Nursing home administrators, desirous of helping residents suffering from these disorders, should seek a provider who is competent in cognitive and behavioral therapies.
Family and group psychotherapy offer helpful approaches to treatment for patients with anxiety disorders.
How long does psychological treatment take?
Long term care management professionals need to be aware that treatments for anxiety disorders do not work instantly. The resident should be comfortable from the outset with the treatment being proposed and with the psychologist with whom he or she is working.
The patients cooperation is crucial, and there must be a strong sense that the patient and psychologist are collaborating as a team to reduce the anxiety.
No one plan works well for all elderly patients. Treatment needs to be tailored to the needs of the elderly patient and to the type of disorder from which she suffers.
The psychologist and aged patient should work together to assess whether a treatment plan seems to be on track. Adjustments to the plan sometimes are necessary, since patients respond differently to different treatments.
However, many residents will begin to improve noticeably within eight to ten sessions, especially those who carefully follow the outlined treatment plan.
There is no question that the various kinds of anxiety disorders can severely impair a geriatric patients functioning with family and in the facility. Long term care management professionals should realize that the prospects for long-term recovery for most residents who receive appropriate professional help are very good.
Those who suffer from anxiety disorders can work with the psychologist to help them regain control of their feelings and thoughts—and their lives.