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Global comparable sales increased 6.0%, with the U.S. up 5.3%, Europe up 4.1% and Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa up 8.1%

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Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (AHN) – A Canadian fishery expert urged on Monday that an international agreement on salmon production be drawn up to prevent overcrowding of salmon stock in the North Pacific. Estimates by a Canadian-U.S. research team placed the population of adult pink, chum and sockeye salmon to twice as much as in the 1950s.

Randall Peterman, Canada Research Chair in Fisheries Risk Assessment and Management, attributed the surge in the salmon population to 718 million adult salmon returning to their freshwater homes in 2005. The large number indicates overpopulation of the ocean with salmon.

Partly responsible for the sharp rise in the salmon population is the annual release of five billion salmon fries from hatcheries in Japan and Alaska. The result of this annual release is adult salmon from hatcheries now make up about 20 percent of total adult salmon production. Peterman forecast their number would continue to increase.

Peterman said an international treaty will help manage production levels to prevent the domination of hatchery fish in the ocean. He explained the dwindling salmon stock to a regional problem, such as the one experienced in British Columbia’s Fraser River.

He said in North Pacific, Asia and other parts of North American total salmon population is abundant, also because of increased survival rates.

Peterman pointed out the need for production control over hatchery salmon and wild salmon is because the former stray into wild waters and interbreed with the latter, which dilutes the strength of the wild salmon species.

He said the wild salmon’s genes allow them to respond to different situations such as climate change, but the hatchery salmon are generally not successful as wild salmon to fluctuating condition.

The study is published in the online October edition of “Marine and Coastal Fisheries: Dynamic Management and Ecosystem Science.”

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The Lighting Change Is Anticipated to Save Chili’s $3.7 Million per Year

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Chicago, IL, United States (AHN) – Stockholders of United Airlines and Continental Airlines both approved Friday the merger of two leading carriers which is expected to be finalized on Oct. 1.

UAL Corp., the parent company whose primary subsidiary is United Airlines, said that more than 98 percent of votes cast and 84 percent of shares outstanding were voted by stockholders in favor of the transaction.

More than 98 percent of votes cast and 75 percent of shares outstanding were also voted by Continental stockholders in favor of the same.

“This vote is a significant step toward closing our merger with Continental, creating the world’s leading airline and the industry’s best network for our customers,” Glenn Tilton, United chairman and CEO said in a statement.

He added the merger will also create “a strong company that provides career opportunity for our people and an airline that can deliver return for our shareholders.”

“There is much work ahead as we bring these two companies together, pulling the best from both of our companies and building on the work we have each done to strengthen our airlines,” Tilton said.

Jeff Smisek, Continental’s chairman, president and CEO said that “in approving the transaction, our stockholders recognized the value of bringing together (the two companies) to create a platform for increased profitability and sustainable long-term value.”

United and Continental announced an all-stock merger of equals on May 3. The companies have received clearance on proposed merger from the United States Department of Justice and European Commission.

United hires 46,000 employees and operates some 3,300 flights a day to more than 230 U.S. domestic and international destinations from its hubs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Chicago and Washington, D.C. It has key global air rights in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and Latin America.

United ranked first in on-time performance for domestic scheduled flights for 2009 among America’s five largest global carriers as measured by Department of Transportation and published in Air Travel Consumer Report for 2009.

Continental has 40,000 employees and operations of more than 2,700 daily departures throughout Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 132 domestic and 137 international destinations. It has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with its regional partners, carries some 63 million passengers annually.

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The restaurant industry is booming. With 945,000 U.S. locations and 13.1 million employees, 2008 restaurant sales totaled $558 billion dollars. That means, on a typical day, restaurant industry sales are about $1.5 billion.

In order to produce these numbers, restaurant owners need cash, cash that many attempt to acquire through bank loans. But when the bank is not an option, many would-be borrowers feel discouraged and often like they’ve hit a road block. However, restaurant loans provide an alternate route.

A restaurant loan is a form of a merchant cash advance. Like merchant cash advances, the loan is repaid via the credit card purchases of customers. Also, like merchant cash advances, they can be renewed, offering restaurant owners a type of “revolving loan.” Unlike most cash advances, that require a merchant to have owned his/her business for at least four months to be eligible for a loan, a borrower can receive a restaurant loan within the first week of the restaurant’s opening. Now in addition to being able to use the loan to expand your restaurant, for a boost in working capital, or for a special project, new restaurant owners can use these loans for startups as well.

Restaurant owners understand that creating a venue that appeals to consumers is vital, as obviously, these types of sales would not be possible if it weren’t for the consumer. People go out to eat when they don’t have the time to cook, or simply don’t want to cook. They go to restaurants to celebrate milestones, birthdays, holidays and accomplishments and to spend time with friends and/or family.

According to statistics provided by the National Restaurant Association, 70 percent of adults said their favorite restaurant foods provide flavor and taste sensations which cannot be easily duplicated in their home kitchens.

Restaurant owners have the challenge of keeping up with the times, providing healthier options and sometimes environmentally friendly sites, as “62 percent of adults said they are likely to make a restaurant choice based on how environmentally friendly a restaurant is,” states the National Restaurant Association.

Restaurant loans can make it possible for restaurant owners to provide these meals that customers can not duplicate, to create environmentally friendly spaces, and to finance all of the endeavors that it takes to make and keep customers. The loans can be attained with no collateral and offer a repayment process that is ideal for restaurant owners. Choose a restaurant loan to help bring out the best in your restaurant.

Author: Gaston Castro
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: PCB stencil online quote

Third party verification services help you maximize your profits by minimizing risk and help you protect your business against potentially devastating regulatory fines and legal fees. Research found that despite the growth in the use of Internet based services, the popularity of Florida call center services continues to increase, presenting a challenge for businesses to keep contact center costs down while continuing to improve the customer experience and protect their customers’ private and personal information.

Businesses have had to tighten security and show their customers they are implementing stronger methods of identity theft and fraud prevention to protect their brands and maintain customer loyalty. The research found that of the 43 billion calls that US contact centers will receive in 2007; 41 percent will involve a contact center agent asking identity verification questions at the beginning of the call. Although this process only takes between 20 and 30 seconds to complete, the U.S. contact center industry will spend $11.7 billion and more than 11,000 years of contact center agents’ time in 2007 alone checking callers’ identities.

Consumers are embracing the use of voice verification in protecting important personal information. Findings from studies suggest that voice verification is viewed as a business differentiator with nearly two-fifths of people surveyed agreeing they prefer to do business with a company that provides voice verification solutions. After hearing an audio clip of a voice verification process, three-fifths of the respondents were likely to use voice verification as a form of security. Sixty-one percent of respondents feel that voice verification is a secure form of identity verification for phone access to customer service data. And eighty-three percent of respondents agreed that institutions should require different forms of identity verification based on the types of transactions.

Voice verification is conceptually similar to fingerprinting. It is common knowledge that each person’s fingerprints have unique characteristics that can be used to distinguish one person from another. It has also been proven that each person can be identified by the unique features of his or her vocal characteristics and speaking patterns. Voice verification confirms a customer’s identity by comparing a caller’s voiceprint to an earlier digitized recording. This new application ensures that the person requesting payments or other services is the same customer who began doing so in the first place. Without third party verification services as another method of security, things would be more susceptible to breakage and other dangers.

Alexander Jones is one of the members of Quality Calls, which specializes in third party verification, recording, storing, scripting and grading of your sales. We are a Florida Call Center Service that understands the value of good customer service.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/customer-service-articles/voice-verification-services-in-business-1290256.html