Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce Blog

Got Mold? Know the Signs!

2/26/2019

Featured blog post from ServiceMaster of Bethlehem

One of the most commonly asked questions ServiceMaster of Bethlehem receives is, do I have mold? Often times, a home or business owner will ask our experts how to determine if they have mold, and how to remove it.

Signs of mold:

Musty/strange smell
Visual growth or discoloration on walls
Allergies acting up (i.e. – runny nose, itchy eyes, etc.)
Signs of recent water or flood damage

Mold negatively impacts your health and can lead to structural damage. It should be treated right away by trained professionals. If mold is discovered, do not try to clean it yourself. Sprays and chemicals can often worsen the issue.

At ServiceMaster of Bethlehem, our restoration professionals will respond to your home or business and take air samples. These samples are immediately sent out to a lab to be tested for mold spores present. When the data is returned, our team reviews the results and reports back to you, fast.

If harmful mold is identified, we will develop a comprehensive mold remediation plan to clean any affected areas and carefully remove any mold-damaged materials that cannot be saved. After clean-up services are provided, an independent certified industrial hygienist takes final air samples and tests them to confirm that your spore count is back to normal.

Don’t know what to do next? We do. If you believe that you may have mold, contact ServiceMaster of Bethlehem at 1-800-253-7366 to set up a mold test site visit. Your local restoration professionals have the right tools and training to assist with mold damage, and get you back into a clean, healthy home.

What is Custom Picturing Framing?

2/19/2019

Cutting back doesn't mean you have to be uncomfortable...

2/13/2019

Guest Blog Post by Carol Obando-Derstine | Regional Affairs Director, PPL Electric Utilities

Making a few small lifestyle changes can add up and help you decrease your energy bills. With heating being the single biggest contributor to a home’s energy expense, these changes may make a significant difference in your costs as the temperature drops. We recommend starting with these tips:

Set your thermostat to 68 degrees. PPL offers a programmable one for purchase at our new PPL Online Marketplace at 30 percent off retail price. Go to www.pplelectricsavings.com .
Check all of your vents to be sure they are free from obstruction. This includes items children or pets may have placed on top of a vent or dirty filters. Anything obstructing your vent will cause your system to use more energy to push the air through.
Close your fireplace damper if you are not using it. Leaving it open is like having a window open.
Use insulated drapes or curtains. In the winter, keep them open on the south facing side of your house to allow sunlight in and closed at night.

Water temperature can also affect your energy costs. Lower the temperature in your water heater from the typical 140 degrees to 120 degrees. Most people don’t realize that the largest cost related to running a washing machine is heating the water. Try to do a few loads in cold water and air dry your clothes in the warmer months.

Another issue you may not realize or think about is something called standby power or vampire power. This relates to the power used by appliances when they are plugged in but not in use. So while an appliance may be turned off, it continually draws electricity all day. Consider these two options to decrease your energy use.

Buy a power strip with a switch. You can plug in all of your like appliances into one strip and turn off the switch when not in use. Some examples of like appliances are a computer, printer and shedder in a home office or a television and gaming center in a family room.
Unplug all appliances which aren’t used regularly, such as a toaster oven or space heater. Unplug cell phones, tablets and laptops after they are fully charged because they will still draw energy when plugged in.

Lighting accounts for 20 percent of your monthly energy use. You can get immediate results by switching all of your bulbs inside and outside of your home from incandescent to LED bulbs. An added bonus to using LED bulbs is you are helping the environment. Every 60 watt bulb replaced with an LED bulb saves you $4 a year. That’s $160 per year for a home with 40 bulbs.
Finally, you can take a free online energy assessment on our website. Go to www.pplelectricsavings.com/onlineassessment. We provide you with an assessment and energy saving recommendations and offers customized to your home. You can even receive a free energy efficiency kit! And those with a qualifying income, we will perform an in-home audit and provide free energy improvement recommendations. Some homes even qualify for a new refrigerator, water heater and heating and cooling system repairs or replacement.

Remember saving money on your energy costs doesn’t have to be difficult or uncomfortable. We invite you to try these simple ways to save money and reduce your daily power consumption.
Guest blog post by C

Innovation as an absolute imperative

1/21/2019

Guest blog post by Carol Obando-Derstine, regional affairs director, PPL Electric Utilities

“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower” is an often-repeated quote attributed to Steve Jobs. But how is this playing out and helping to create the grid of the future?

Innovation requires all of us to make honest and, at times, difficult assessments of disruptive trends in our industry. Looking at the horizon and adapting to a changing landscape is essential.

So, what do we think the future has in store as we prepare for 2019 and beyond? Key highlights from the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Annual Energy Outlook 2018 with projections to 2050 are helping to bring this picture into focus. The report notes that although there were decades of slow—even negative (in 2017) growth— in electricity demand, use is projected to increase albeit at a lower rate than in the past because some of the growth continues to offset by energy efficiency gains.

Projections show that through 2050 wind and solar generation will take 64% of the total electric growth in renewables generation. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Energy announced the availability of millions to support new technologies for long-duration energy storage on the grid.

At PPL Electric Utilities, we recently announced a partnership with GE to develop and test software to manage electricity from renewable and stored energy sources. This initiative will enable both companies to learn more about the impact of this type of power—called Distributed Energy Resources (DER)—on grid management and accelerate the advancement of technology to support it.

This project illustrates how PPL is responding to a changing energy sector.
We are constantly modernizing our grid to better serve our customers safely and reliably through:

Installing smart grid technology throughout our system.
Using drones to inspect lines thereby protecting our employees and checking in on the grid before it fails.
Exploring the use of augmented and virtual reality, simulating substations for example, to train employees before they set foot in these locations.
Deploying 3D technologies in standards and design.
Installing energy storage (batteries) to improve reliability.
Deploying technologies to sense downed wires to improve safety.

All these new technologies and practices here at PPL are part of a cultural shift to formulate new and innovative ideas and test them out. It is what led to our PPL Innovation Lab, which opened in 2017.

Nicole Lacouve, an R&D engineer at PPL Electric Utilities, has firsthand knowledge of all the ways in which our corporate culture embraces innovation. She said:

“In the past, innovative thinking may have been encouraged; but now, it’s required. The grid itself along with customer expectations and services are changing. As the technical curators and long-term asset planners of the grid, our teams must have the vision to support this new energy future. Our success depends on it, and we know it.”
All of this is certainly energizing us. If I had one wish for 2019 at PPL, it would be to continue pushing the boundaries on what is possible. Because, just like Steve Jobs also said, “Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity—not a threat.”

Don't let frigid temperatures strain your budget!

12/17/2018

Featured Blog post by Carol Obando-Derstine, regional affairs director, PPL Electric Utilities

Kids playing in the snow, sipping hot cocoa under the glow of twinkling lights, and cuddling up by a fire, December and the holidays can be a happy and magical time.

But for some people this time of year can bring on significant worries, as December also means it’s getting cold, sometimes very cold. At PPL, we realize that frigid temperatures can put a strain on some customer’s budgets and we want you to know about the programs that can help.

We also encourage you to help spread the word to friends, family or neighbors who may be in need this season.

The first program is called LIHEAP, which stands for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. LIHEAP is federally funded and helps people pay their heating bills – whether electric, gas or oil – during the winter months.

You don’t need an overdue bill or to be on public assistance to qualify if you’re within the program’s income guidelines. LIHEAP’s application period opened in November and ends at the beginning of April, or when the funds expire, so we encourage you to apply soon by calling the LIHEAP hotline at 1-866-857-7095 or visiting your county’s assistance office.

To help make your home more comfortable and lower that number on your bill every month, PPL offers the Winter Relief Assistance Program, or WRAP.

Under this program, an energy educator will visit your home and teach you how to use electricity more efficiently, and conduct an energy survey. Based on the survey results, we’ll install free energy-efficient appliances, light bulbs and other items, helping you save into the future. Both homeowners and renters are eligible with landowner permission. Call visit www.pplelectric.com/WRAP or call 1-800-DIAL-PPL to see if you qualify or to apply; it’s already helped more than 100,000 families.

Additionally, if you find yourself falling behind on your bills this winter, please call us. You may be eligible for our On-Track program. Administered by non-profit community agencies, On-Track offers you a lower monthly bill amount and some debt forgiveness along the way.

Another program is Operation HELP, which offers cash grants for heating bills. Operation HELP is funded by donations from PPL employees, retirees, generous customers and the company.

From December 11- 26, we encourage you to help spread some holiday cheer, and the word about Operation HELP, (link to the Stories blog post about the initiative), by sharing a picture of something or someone that brightens up your holidays on social media with the #PPLLightUpTheHolidays. For every photo posted on Twitter, Instagram or our Facebook page, PPL Electric will donate an extra $10 to the fund, up to a total of $2,500.

And, please contact us if you believe any of these programs would be able to help you. Everyone deserves to have a happy, warm and bright holiday season.

Customer Service: An Investment, Not a Cost

12/6/2018

Guest Blog Post by Kyle David, president & CEO, KDG

Outsourced call centers. Representatives who constantly say “no.” Hold times of over an hour. Are we seeing the downfall of customer service?

Since the 1980s and the publication of Competitive Advantage by Michael Porter, we have seen one important facet of business disappear: the customer. The very individual who keeps a business in business has practically been eliminated from the supply chain in favor of inbound logistics and operations. In his book, Porter delegates service to the far corner of his supply chain, yet never even mentions the word “customer” in its definition.

What’s resulted has been over thirty years of Porter’s theory being put into practice: thirty years of outsourced call centers and of business schools teaching students that the customer is only a cost to be fit into the supply chain. When will customers stop being looked at as an operational cost and start being looked at as an investment?

Saving Expenses at the Customer’s Expense
In a chain consisting of inbound and outbound logistics, operations, procurement, and technology development, it’s all too easy to decide that “service” is the step to cut back on.

Starting in the 1980s, businesses started to look for ways to make customer interactions as cost-effective as possible. Gone were the days of one-on-one service, of customers interacting with shopkeepers over a narrow counter. Instead, there were call centers staffed with hundreds of individuals who recited a trained routine practically impossible to stray from. Conversations were kept brief and robotic. Interactions with customers were no longer defined by satisfaction, but by numbers: minutes on the call, cost of their interaction, revenue of their purchase.

Adding Value to the Chain
Improving customer experience may require a change in perspective on the part of executives. Customer interactions aren’t a cost. In fact, they have the potential to add an immense value to the company.

Improving customer service develops goodwill between companies and their customers. Interactions don’t become something customers come to dread, but something they come to look forward to. Hence, there are more of them, which means sales and profitability increase.

But that’s not all that improves. Customers start to trust the business. Look at L.L. Bean. Call centers aren’t outsourced, customers are connected with human representatives, shipping is free, and returns are accepted with no questions asked. While some business owners may see these features as added expenses, L.L. Bean sees them as the key to its $1.6 billion in annual net sales. They’ve offered a customer experience that’s hard to find at other retailers and have seen trust and profit skyrocket as a result.

Your Return on Investment
Return on Investment, or ROI, is everywhere in business and one of the most important metrics you measure. You measure the ROI of your marketing campaigns, of your new technology, of your employee training. But what about the ROI of your customer service? The results may surprise you.

Look at European airline Ryanair. Its cheap flights didn’t stop it from being named one of the “most hated airlines” and worst brands in the world. Stewards were rude. Space was limited. Claiming refunds was hard. Finding out about accessibility for disabled passengers was harder. Ryanair was fined over a half a million pounds and, in 2013, issued two profit warnings. Not investing in its customers wasn’t saving Ryanair money. It was threatening to put to the company out of business.

This all changed in 2016. Ryanair employed a new customer service team, increased cabin baggage sizes, and introduced the personalization tool MyRyanair. Seat occupancy rose to 92% and the company was named “the best-performing airline on virtually every measure of margin.”

Costco is another company that has been lauded for its customer service and has seen profits increase as a result. The store has a multi-year return policy, retains employees who then build relationships with customers, and hasn’t raised its popular fast food prices in over three decades. By investing in their customers and their needs, Costco is seeing customers return the favor and continue to invest in them. In the spring of 2018, Costco saw a sales increase of 10.8% and a profit increase of 36%.

Treating Customers as Humans, Not as Costs
It’s time for a change of thinking in business. Gone should be the days of seeing customer service as another link in the supply chain or another cost to figure into the budget. Customers aren’t “buyers,” they’re human beings. Become an experience-based company: respect customers’ time, listen to them, talk to them, and surprise them.

When you treat customers how they want to be treated, they’ll return the favor. Customers hold the future of your business in their hands. Isn’t that worth a little investment?

Featured blog post by KDG, Kyle David Group

Mindful Moments - December Giveaway!

11/28/2018

Feature Blog Post by Shelley Jaye, co-owner, Jim Thorpe Massage & Wellness Studio

mind·ful·ness
[ˈmīn(d)f(ə)lnəs]
NOUN
1. the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.

2. a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.

“Mindfulness Moments,” is a monthly addition to The Jim Thorpe Current. Shared here you will find tips on short practices moving you toward a more energetic and mindfulness way of life. Learn to maximize your energy by experiencing living in the present moment. These are intended as practices, not lessons.
Being Present

As we have hopefully adjusted to the end of daylight-saving time, Thanksgiving has been celebrated and we move toward winter and our religious and spiritual celebrations in December. Much to think about relative to time. We can fully embrace time in a different way. What if we still get up in the morning at the same time as we did before daylight savings? We could use this hour to do some meditation, or quietly contemplate our day, week and month ahead; perhaps in a different way. We can use this time to tune in to our body. How can time help us to focus on our wellness? One way for us to be present in our life is to listen to what our body needs. Your body will tell you exactly what it needs. Does a vigorous walk sound appealing? Go for one. Do you want to curl up on the couch with a book instead? Are you craving dark chocolate? Eat some. Maybe today you want fresh juice.
Being present is creating awareness in the moment, each moment. Much easier said than done. Imagine a practice of the simple act of paying attention to what is going on without changing anything. When you achieve being present you find increased happiness in the moments of life. The chaos and hectic times feel less stressful and recovery from trying times become effortless.

All responses received in December will be eligible for a drawing for a $15.00 gift certificate at Jim Thorpe Massage & Wellness Studio. This is good for a chair massage or can be used towards any service with me, Shelley.

If you have questions or would like to share your experience feel free to email me atJimThorpeMassage@gmail.com. Please

Save Money on Electric While Using Your Kitchen this Holiday Season

11/26/2018

Guest blog post from Carol Obando-Derstine, regional affairs director, PPL Electric Utilities

A line from the song Deck the Halls is often repeated around this time, which is ‘Tis the season to be jolly. We know so much of that joviality revolves around family time, cooking, and of course eating. It’s no wonder by January gyms are packed with folks trying to undo all this cheerfulness of the past two months.
While we are not in the business of counting calories, although there are plenty of apps for that, we can save you money on your electric bill if you will be spending lots of time in the kitchen. And the great thing about these tips is that they are applicable all year long.
So here are just a few of our most popular recommendations that we compiled over the years from various sources including the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR® program:

Use small electric pans, toaster ovens, or convection ovens for small meals rather than your large stove or oven. A toaster or convection oven uses one-third to one-half as much energy as a full-sized oven.
Use microwaves and slow cookers when possible. They use less energy than the stove or oven. When reheating food or cooking smaller dishes, consider using your microwave whenever possible because you could save up to 50% of your cooking energy usage. Cooking in a crock pot can also be much more efficient than using your oven. Crock pot costs 10 cents to run for eight hours while an oven costs 32 cents to run for just one hour.
Keep the inside of your microwave and oven clean because it improves their efficiency.
Use your dishwasher only when it’s full. You can save 5,000 gallons of water each year and $40 in utility costs by using a dishwasher instead of hand-washing dishes.
Use the air-dry option on dishwashers. It saves energy and keeps the machine from using a heating element to bake your dishes dry. Most dishwashers today are equipped with an electrical heating element that can account for up to 15 percent of the energy used.
Unlike a refrigerator, a freezer works most efficiently when packed as full as possible.
Use a thermometer to check the temperature. Freezers should be kept between zero and five (5) degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures that are too cold waste energy, and too warm temperatures can lead to premature food spoilage.
Leaky door seals are a main culprit for energy loss in the freezer. Improperly-sealed doors let cold air escape, making it work harder.
Turn off that ice maker until you really need a lot of ice because automatic ice makers generate heat that the freezer has to offset. Ice makers can increase your refrigerator's energy use by 10% or more.
Install and use efficient exhaust fans because they can be very effective in removing moisture, pollution, and odors from your kitchens and bathrooms. When installing new fans, install ENERGY STAR® qualified ventilation fans. These use less energy and last longer than conventional models. Also, they don't need to run more than 20 minutes to do their job. Leaving a fan on too long not only wastes energy, it wastes cool air in the summer and hot air in the winter by releasing them outdoors as exhaust.

If you want other energy efficiency tips for the rest of the house, please visit savewithppl.com . And of course, best wishes on a safe and healthy holiday season!

Top 20 - Procurement Organization Best Practices

11/14/2018

Feature blog post by Mike Cargiulo, President & CEO of MJC Sourcing, LLC

Move fast, segment spend, address large spend opportunities 1st
Develop and track annual savings goals by spend category
Competition more important than size of deal - for leverage and best deal
Standard “Sourcing Process” understood by all with team-based supplier selection decisions
(procurement led, finance, legal and business areas on team for large strategic spend)
Need data and systems to know where, how much, and with who you are spending
Procurement organization staffing should be adequate to address all spend, target ROI 50-1
Reverse auctions for all “commodity” spend categories, try to commoditize as much as possible
Be confident suppliers are not charging you 20% more than your competitors
Have supplier contract exit strategies wherever possible for leverage and optimal service
You have the money, you always have the leverage, always push for more
Suppliers must earn a fair profit
Local, regional, and global sourcing strategies must be considered
Never commit longer than 3 years, unless supplier has no real competitors in the market
Reevaluate large and critical spend categories every 2-3 years, new products always emerge
Hire top talent and provide ongoing training
Supplier relationships and who owns it are not as important as their ability to deliver
Never commit to purchase volumes if possible, forecasts work best
Procurement organizations are like Switzerland - always neutral for best deal for the company
Watch for supplier divide and conquer tactics, everyone at the company is on the same side
Electronic RFPs when available, paper RFPs/binder responses waste time and money

Mental Health at Work: It's Time to Start Talking About It

10/17/2018

Feature Blog Post by Carolyn Lamparella, Ed.S., L.P.C., Program Director at Preferred EAP, which is part of Populytics, Inc./LVPHO's collaboration of employer health services

“Mental illness is the single greatest cause of worker disability in the United States."
– National Alliance on Mental Illness

Considering this startling fact, you may wonder why there isn’t more focus on mental health in the workplace. Our experience as an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)provider to hundreds of small and large businesses has helped us identify some of the most common reasons mental health is overlooked.

First, most employers have limited access to data regarding the specific impact mental health is having on company productivity. Frequently, the effects are masked by physical conditions or are underreported due to the stigma that continues to surround mental illness. Employees are often reluctant to share information about their emotional well-being which then results in a lack of awareness of resources and a reluctance to seek help.

Employers may also feel that offering an EAP program is enough as opposed to implementing a more comprehensive approach that addresses the underlying culture of the company. Real workplace solutions involve a shift in mindset from crisis intervention to prevention and acceptance of the importance of emotional wellness.In order to achieve this transformation, an employer must be ready to integrate mental health information into every level of daily operations; thereby, normalizing mental health and reducing the fears associated with seeking help.

The Link to Productivity
The facts clearly show how much the mental health of workers can impact their employers. According to the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, there are more workers absent because of stress and anxiety than due to physical illness or injury. Absenteeism has obvious significant impacts on productivity and creates a huge cost burden for the employer as a result of unemployment, disability, and decreased performance.

The American Psychiatric Association Foundation and its Center for Workplace Mental Health reports the total economic burden of depression alone is estimated to be $210.5 billion per year, representing a 21.5% increase over the last 10 years. Nearly half (48%-50%) of these costs are attributed to absenteeism (missed days from work) and presenteeism (reduced productivity while at work).*

Reversing Mental Health Stigma
Employees often comfortably talk about their physical ailments around the water cooler; “I had the flu last week,” or “Did you hear Sally is having a knee replacement?” and so on. However, we rarely hear from our colleagues about their failing relationships, bouts of depression, or debilitating anxiety because of their fear of being judged or viewed as weak or incompetent. In some cases, employees may have experienced discrimination, bullying, or rejection as a result of their mental health challenges. They may even fear losing their job if they reveal a mental health problem.

Reversing this stigma begins with conversation. In particular, it begins with leaders, managers, and supervisors talking about the importance of mental health and the resources that are available to help employees care for their emotional well-being. This creates an atmosphere of safety, comfort, and acceptance for employees who may be experiencing something similar. The goal should be to create a culture of acceptance in order to reduce the effects of mental health concerns in the workplace.

What are the Best First Steps to Take?The following three steps are recommended to begin building a culture of mental health support and acceptance.

Train leaders, supervisors, and managers. Individuals in leadership roles have a considerable impact on company culture. Training management to respond and relate to employees who may be experiencing emotional distress is a great first step for all employers. Employees who feel supported and encouraged to seek help tend to be more productive and engaged at work.
Increase access for employees. Educating employees about their EAP benefits or other community mental health resources is essential. This includes hanging posters in places where employees gather, sending out frequent emails or mailings, and, routinely reminding employees about the help that is available to them during team meetings or one-to-one supervision. If your company has an EAP, make sure you understand all the services they offer – including consultation, training, counseling, and crisis intervention. EAP professionals are your most valuable resource for developing a new mindset.
Weave acceptance into the culture. Look for ways to continually put mental health in front of employees. View every encounter with an employee as an opportunity to connect and create that culture of acceptance. Consider providing wellness incentives for individuals who participate in an EAP event or counseling session. Think about options you have to build a company structure that supports employees in caring for their emotional well-being. These may include encouraging lunch breaks, offering flexible work hours and time off to address mental health concerns, or quiet spaces for employees to recover from stress.