Home >> X-tra Information >> Articles of Interest

Articles of Interest

	Automotive Dealership Forms ( ) Automotive Dealership Forms & Supplies By Debbie Beckham ESTIMATE & REPAIR FORMS Did you know that Estimate and Auto Repair Order Forms make serving your customer fast and trouble-free. Use these repair shop favorites for all the information you might need. Snap-A-Part Auto Repair Forms can improve the efficiency of your shop. Easily track your orders with Service Orders and Repair Order/Invoices. These Estimate and Auto Repair Order Forms make record keeping easy and efficient. Your time is money!! Auto Repair Estimate, Estimate, Repair Estimate and Estimate and Repair Order Forms have specific information for your business and are quick and ease to use.   SMOG & TRANSMISSION FORMS An important  fact is that Smog Control Order and Smog Check Work Orders are designed to be California compliant. Make keeping track of daily transmission repairs convenient and easy using Emission Work Orders and Transmission Repair Order Forms.   ODOMETER & AUTO HEATING and AIR Do you want to know why Odometer & Auto Heating and Air forms are used? Using Auto Heating & Air Conditioning Forms and Odometer Disclosure Statement Forms can help you to protect your business! Easily list materials, services, and labor costs. Odometer Disclosure Statements are printed on unalterable carbonless bulk paper to protect valuable information.   MARINE FORMS Handle your Marina Business with efficiency and ease! The Marine Purchase Order has space for all the sales details. Whether doing repairs or ordering parts for your customer, the Service Agreement and Repair Order has plenty of room to list parts, labor and so much more. Just like bank supplies and deposit bags these marine forms keep you on top of your organized game. Relatively speaking if you were to play the counterfeit detector pen or coin bag situation most people find this is a great application for their business.   DOCUMENT JACKETS & SERVICE ACCESSORIES Do you need something to help keep you organized? Automotive Dealerships will never lose a customer or forget an appointment when using our Document Jackets, Overnight Auto Repair Envelope and Weekly Service Appointment Pads. Use the Document Jackets for your personal files or to transfer information throughout your business. Your customers will appreciate the convenience provided by the Overnight Auto Repair Envelopes. Never have an employee question what repairs are scheduled for that day, when the Service Appointment Pad is posted. These forms are not usually MICR Encoded like bank Forms but come in bulk paper quantities and can be custom imprinted with your name, address and company logo. Some of the document jackets for bank are polyethylene or commonly called poly jackets. They use them to put CD's inside or customer's information. They carry documents and not money like the coin bags do. Financial calculators by Hewlett   Packard can help you in the banking area too along with general office supplies from Smead and Avery.
	Bank Bags, Coin Bags ( ) Bag From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia A bag (also known as a sack) is a non-rigid or semi-rigid container, made of paper, cloth, plastic, leather, vinyl, laminted vinyl or some other flexible material. A bag is used for packaging and/or carrying items. For the latter a bag may have one or two handles; a shoulder bag has a strap to carry it on the shoulder (the bag is either carried on the side of the shoulder carrying it, or the other side). A rucksack has straps to carry it on the back. There is also be a string bag, with two strings which go over the shoulder and can be used as the fastening as well. A bag may be closable by a zipper, snap fastener, etc., or simply by folding (e.g. in the case of a paper bag). Sometimes a money bag or travel bag has a lock. Sachets may be fabric bags that are filled with pot pourri and tied off with ribbons. A bag may or may not be disposable; however, even a disposable bag can often be used many times, not only for economic but also for environmental reasons. On the other hand there may be logistic or hygienic reasons to use a bag only once. For example, a garbage bag is often disposed of with its content. A bag for packaging a disposable product is often disposed of when it is empty. An empty bag may or may not be very light and foldable to a small size. If it is, this is convenient for carrying it to the place where it is needed, such as a shop, and for storage of empty bags. Bags vary from small ones, like purses (e.g. as an alternative to putting small objects in pockets of clothing) to large ones for use in traveling like a suitcase. Cheap disposable paper bags and plastic shopping bags are very common in the retail trade as a convenience for shoppers, and are often supplied by the shop for free or for a small fee. Customers may also take their own shopping bags to the shop. The word probably has its origins in the Norse word baggi[1]. Although paper had been used for purposes of wrapping and padding in ancient China since the 2nd century BC,[1] the first use of paper bags (for preserving the flavor of tea) in China came during the later Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD).[1] There are environmental concerns regarding use and disposal of plastic shopping and trash bags. Efforts are being taken to control and reduce their use in some European Union countries, including Ireland and the Netherlands. In some cases the cheap bags are taxed so the customer must pay a fee where they may not have done previously. Sometimes heavy duty reusable plastic and fabric bags are sold, typically costing €0.5 to €1, and these may replace disposable bags entirely. Sometimes free replacements are offered when the bag wears out. A notable exception to this trend is the UK, where disposable plastic bags are still freely available and are dominant.   [edit] References ^ a b Needham, Volume 4, 122. Needham, Joseph (1986). Science and Civilization Duh China: Volume 4, Part 1. Taipei: Cave Books, Ltd. ISBN 9780521087322
	Bank Supplies ( ) Guide to Banking Supplies Invest in the right banking supplies to increase your profits and support employees   Banking equipment and supplies include everything from deposit tickets to brochures on current financial products and banking programs to the equipment needed to run the bank. When purchasing banking supplies, you may look at the need for items like deposit tickets and cringe. Rather than look at paper products as a waste of money, look at the value they add. In many cases, supplies such as banking machines and tamper evident bags secure your bank's holdings and reputation. While larger items may be a one time purchase, other items require constant inventory and re-ordering. Many bank supply vendors offer a complete array of items to provide you with a one-stop shop. Other suppliers focus mainly on large ticket items like drive-through systems or kiosks. Use bank supplies to help you:   Save money. Increase productivity. Decrease human error with the right bank teller supplies.   Action Steps Detect counterfeit money with banking equipment Once you accept a counterfeit bill, you lose the money. Using banking equipment that detects counterfeit bills allows you to decline the bill before you deposit it. Color-shifting ink, security threads and watermarks help you distinguish real currency from fake. I recommend:  Purchase a currency counter with UV and Magnetic detection abilities, counterfeit pens.. Stock up on bank teller supplies Bank supplies such as anti-fatigue mats decrease work related strain on the body. Use tamper evident bags to help maintain security even when you aren't present. Banking machines reduce human errors in counting money and sorting change. Check out NetBankStore’s extensive list of cashier and bank teller supplies which include deposit ticket holders, steel security cases and cash trays. Install an automatic teller machine (ATM) Automatic teller machines reduce traffic through the drive through and help eliminate lines inside. Locate your ATM in an unused corner of your parking lot, on the outside wall of the bank or inside the bank lobby. Adding an Automatic Teller Machine means incurring maintenance costs, but allows you to collect fees for service from non-members. I recommend:  Use a company that sells products from a variety of ATM machine manufacturers. IMS sells automatic teller machines from Triton, Tranax and Tidel. If you don’t have space for a free standing ATM, look at through-the-wall options.   Tips & Tactics Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide Many manufacturers provide free or discounted supplies like receipt paper for a set amount of time as a promotion. Order all banking supplies from one vendor at the same time to save on shipping. Some supplies, such as counterfeit machines, eliminate the need to continually purchase other supplies, such as counterfeit pens. Market Pieces: Drive-Up Envelopes: Cross-sell services, thank account holders, or wish them season's greetings. Discover the variety within our line of products. Several different formats and sizes with numerous messages that convey your appreciation, available services, national and community pride and more. Our products allow you to order economical Drive-Up Envelopes that meet your specific requirements, whatever the need. NetBankStore wants to be your supplier of drive-up or drive-in envelopes. Use our sales designs, savings designs, service designs or patriotic designs to convey the message you want to your customers. Drive home the need for your bank's, financial institution's or credit union's services with netbankstore's envelopes.  These cost effective products build awareness of your services by putting your message right in your customer's hand.  Styles come in 1, 2 or 4 color process imprint.  Institution's logo, address and phone number will be imprinted. Proofs are offered on custom designs so you will see the layout of our logo before we go to production.  Turnaround is fast but if you have a special delivery need let us see if we can meet or exceed your expectations.
	Changes in FDIC Deposit Insurance Coverage ( ) May 20, 2009 Deposits at FDIC-insured institutions are now insured up to at least $250,000 per depositor through December 31, 2013. On January 1, 2014, the standard insurance amount will return to $100,000 per depositor for all account categories except for IRAs and other certain retirement accounts which will remain at $250,000 per depositor. (This supersedes the October 3, 2008 changes.) For more information visit: http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/financial/2009/fil09022.html The extension announced on May 20, 2009, does not apply to the Transaction Account Guarantee Program. The unlimited coverage under the Transaction Account Guarantee Program is only in effect for depositors at participating institutions through December 31, 2009.     October 14, 2008 FDIC announced its temporary Transaction Account Guarantee Program, which provides full coverage for non-interest bearing transaction deposit accounts at FDIC-insured institutions that agree to participate in the program. The transaction account guarantee applies to all personal and business checking deposit accounts that do not earn interest at participating institutions. This unlimited insurance coverage is temporary and will remain in effect for participating institutions through December 31, 2009. For more information visit: http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/financial/2008/fil08125.html http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/financial/2008/fil08110.html http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/financial/2008/fil08103.html   October 3, 2008 Deposits at FDIC-insured institutions are insured up to at least $250,000 per depositor until December 31, 2009. On January 1, 2010, FDIC deposit insurance for all deposit accounts—except for certain retirement accounts—will return to at least $100,000 per depositor. Insurance coverage for certain retirement accounts, which include all IRA deposit accounts, was increased permanently to $250,000 per depositor in 2006. For more information visit: http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/financial/2008/fil08102.html   September 26, 2008 The FDIC has simplified its rules for the insurance coverage of revocable trust accounts. The new rules provide at least as much coverage as the former rules, and are not subject to the expiration dates referenced above. Read more about this change at: http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/financial/2008/fil08099.html.
	Counterfeit Currency Detection ( ) How to catch a counterfeit December 22, 2003 Rolando Gonzalez, CEO of AccuBANKER There are currently millions of fake bills that circulate the world on a daily basis. Do you know how to spot them? The crime of counterfeiting is as old as our civilization. There is proof that in the Greco Roman era, before the times of Christ, counterfeit coins were already being fabricated. This is no myth or legend, samples of these Hellenic coins are on exhibit at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. Even though coins where the first form of currency to be counterfeited and still are found in huge quantities, bills are the most counterfeited. This article’s aim it to help protect others against this fraud. It is first necessary to understand that Counterfeiting is not a uniformed art. There are as many qualities of counterfeits as there are counterfeiters, and their recourses vary greatly. From a young delinquent who counterfeits from the privacy of his/her bedroom using a basic computer, scanner and high resolution printer, to a government of an terrorist country, who can use its enormous resources like industrial equipment and graphic experts to boycott the economy of the country they wish to harm. An example of such aggression can bee seen during World War II when Hitler ordered the counterfeiting of millions of British Pound notes in order to damage the UK economically. The U.S. Treasury Department, like the majority of the Central Banks that emit currencies around the world, are taking measures to protect their notes with multiple security features. By applying these security measures, the task of determining if the bill that you are receiving is counterfeit or not becomes easier. Don’t be fooled! Know your currency’s security measures and avoid being a victim of fraud, or even worse, providing the counterfeiter with your hard work, valuables and services in exchange for a piece of paper with no value. Most common security features in modern bills: The paper authentic money is printed on is normally made with 75% cotton and 25% linen. This texture and color is very different than normal paper, that is made with wood pulp and has high starch content. Upon analyzing it, feel it, feel the texture and wrinkle it. Normal paper tears easily unlike monetary paper. Upon wrinkling the bill energetically, a distinct metallic sound is produced, unique to monetary paper. Verify if the paper has color fibers that are incrusted in the paper, not only printed on it which would be a sign of a counterfeit. Printing Quality: The printing process for legitimate bills is highly sophisticated. The printing is always clear, with lines that are very defined, and distinct details of impeccable printing. The face and the eyes of the portrait are of high definition. It is important to analyze the visually the integrity of the bill and the general quality of impression. Using a magnifying glass of magnifying power > 5X, make sure that the lines that form the decorative edges of the bills are continuous, and that the details are clear. Real bills should not have any printing errors, while fake bills almost always do. In the case of the US Dollar and an many other currencies the governments mints use a printing with high relief known as “Intaglio”, which produces a printing area with raised ink and can be easily detected by only touching the front surface of the bills. Notice the thick and raised ink. Generally counterfeiters do not possess this prohibitively expensive printing technology. Micro-Printing: Because of the smallness of the text printed at a micrometric scale these security features are extremely difficult to reproduce. This technique is used widely as a security feature in order to prevent reproduction through photocopiers. The letters are too small, and the lines are too thin to reproduce. It is important to use a magnifying glass and verify that the micro-printing and fine lines are parallel or en a web that contains the bill being analyzed, be they solid or interrupted. Security Thread: Verify that the polyester strip is incrusted in the bill, and that the thread runs vertically with the pertinent text legibly printed on the strip. In the case of the US $50 dollar note “USA 50” should be legible printed. The security tread should also appear as fluorescent line when placed under a UV lamp. The colors for the security strip are: $5 in blue, $10 in orange, $20 in green, $50 in yellow, and $100 in red. Portrait: This image is distinguished by its fine quality and high definition. For example, in the US dollars printed in 1996 and afterwards, the Bust of the Presidents are printed larger, with more details, making its recognition easier and making its counterfeiting more difficult. This is an easy method for the public to distinguish the new design from the old. The portrait has been moved from the center of the bill to leave more space for the watermarks and the security threads in each denomination. Visual Aid: These large characters that are printed on the bills face and back are used to facilitate identifying bills by those visually impaired. Water Mark: The water mark is an integral part of the paper itself, and is normally identical to the portrait and principle motive of the bill. Place the bill to a light, identify and examine the quality of the watermark. The image can be seen by both sides of the bills. Color Shifting Ink “OVI”: Observe the Number printed in “OVI”. When tilting the bill up and down, the ink changes color. This type of ink, optically variable, is increasing in its popularity on new bill design. Magnetic Inks: Many currencies also utilize magnetic charges in specific areas of the bills for greater protection: The Unites States, European Union, UK, Brazil, Russia and many more. To detect float these areas on a detector with a magnetic ink sensor, and check for an audible sound and/ or illuminating indicator, to indicate the presence or not of magnetic inks. Fluorescent Marks: To view these marks place the bill under a UV lamp and the view the fluorescent marks of the security thread, color fibers, seals, numeric denominations and other marcs. This is one of the most common methods used to protect users from counterfeit bills. Infrared Markings: This is one of the most secure and difficult to replicate security features. Upon exposing the bill to a infrared camera, the screen will demonstrate the presence of secret infrared image. In the case of the US dollar the $5, $10, and $20 denominations printed in1996 and after and the $50 and the $100 printed after 1999 all include secret infrared barcode images. In the Euros half of the bill disappears when the face of the bill is placed under the camera, and only the numerical denomination appears on the back of the bill. Canadian dollars only demonstrate the bills serial # as well as other partial images depending on the denomination. Each country uses distinct secret markings, but till date there this remains one of the strongest security measures, and the most reliable method of checking suspect bills. Only compare the image of the suspect bill with that of a bill you are certain that is authentic, and in less than one second you will spot the counterfeit. Motives of Coincidence: In many bills, for example the Euro and the Mexican Peso, a figure is printed on the face of the bill and another is the back on the back. When the bill is observed while lit from behind a clear perfectly matching complete image is obvious. The perfection of positioning of these marks on the bills requires sophisticated technologies that complicated tremendously the work of the counterfeiter and thus makes this a good security measure. Iridescent Strips and Markings: By moving the bill in different directions these marks reflect the distinct tones and colors that are printed with this purpose in mind, adding to the security of the bill. Intangible Marks: These marks are used to help the detection of counterfeits by only feeling the bills for high relief printed areas, and can help determine where a bill is a counterfeit or not when these features are not present. Chemical Pen Detection: These pens utilize a substance that reacts chemically to the starch in regular paper. If the mark is dark then the bill can be considered suspect, if the mark is light or nonvisible then the bill can be considered authentic. Use the chemical pen in conjunction with other counterfeit detection systems, because counterfeiters have been known to bleach out a low denomination bill to print out high valued ones, in which case the chemical pen alone would not be able to detect the counterfeit. Hologram: The technique of using laser holograms is relatively new and of great help to the population. The inclusion of these strips and stamps on the back of bills, make counterfeiting all the more difficult, and easier to detect. By only visually inspecting these holograms and tilting the bill, it can be determined whether a bill s counterfeit or not. The Euros include this security feature in all of its denominations. Although there are an infinite amount of security features that can be used to protect the public from counterfeiters, we have covered the most used by the central banks and emitting mints of the world. It is important to know the characteristics of the bill that you receive and be able to verify if they are authentic and not counterfeits. The use of equipment and instruments, with magnifying lenses, magnetic ink detectors, chemical pens, watermark lights, infrared cameras and UV lamps are highly recommended. It is only with these tools that we can truly know if the bill being examined contains the security features that are placed to protect us and that the bill is authentic. Protect yourself, and don’t leave yourself open to fraud!
	Drive-Up Envelopes ( ) Drive-Up Envelopes Online Drive-Up Enveopes sold at a discount in the articles category. Bulk discounts on all the products such as with Drive-Up Enveopes in over 39+ distribution centers. Chances are we have the Drive-Up Enveopes item you need. Most stock orders are shipped same day and received next business day Monday - Friday. Let one of our sales professionals help you with your Drive-Up Enveopes order. Drive-Up Envelopes Cross-sell services, thank account holders, or wish them season's greetings. Discover the variety within our line of products. Several different formats and sizes with numerous messages that convey your appreciation, available services, national and community pride and more. Our products allow you to order economical Drive-Up Envelopes that meet your specific requirements, whatever the need. NetBankStore wants to be your supplier of drive-up or drive-in envelopes. Use our sales designs, savings designs, service designs or patriotic designs to convey the message you want to your customers. Drive home the need for your bank's, financial institution's or credit union's services with netbankstore's envelopes.  These cost effective products build awareness of your services by putting your message right in your customer's hand.  Styles come in 1, 2 or 4 color process imprint.  Institution's logo, address and phone number will be imprinted. Proofs are offered on custom designs so you will see the layout of our logo before we go to production.  Turnaround is fast but if you have a special delivery need let us see if we can meet or exceed your expectations.  These are different than other bank envelopes such as currency envelopes, ATM and deposit envelopes and often referred to as money envelopes. Drive Up Envelopes and teller receipts are some of our most popular items for banks nationwide.  Discover the variety within our teller receipts and drive-up envelope line. Our Campaign Coordinates allow you to do a complete Marketing program on a reasonable budget. 1 Color, 2 Color and 4 Color Imprint.  Financial Institutions Imprint, Logo and Address. We specialize in producing a forms that give your customers more. Popular Envelopes Styles: * Small Open End with Double Pocket ( 3-3/4" x 7" )  * Large Open End with Double Pocket ( 3-3/4" x 7" )   * #7 Coin Envelopes ( 3-1/2" x 6-1/2"  )     * Open Side Envelopes ( 3-3/8" x 7-1/8" ) Since several machines are used in the production of  Drive-Up Envelopes, it is important to place your application on the correct machine. Some of the machines are cost effective on low runs and others need a larger application to be competitive. Let one of our sales professionals help with your order to make sure you receive the best product at the best price. Some of the machines allow you to choose 4 designs for the price of one. Imprint that bleeds off the paper is allowed on some machines and printing on both sides is fine. Choose from a variety of stock designs, messages, styles and colors, or customize an envelope to fit your needs. Our products have numerous messages for your marketing plan. Show your appreciation, available services, national and community pride, and more. These are also called Drive-In, Bank Teller Window Envelopes and Drive-Thru.For a professional marketing program, try our matching teller receipts along with our Drive-Up Envelopes. It is easy to convey your message with matching teller receipts and Drive-Up Envelopes.
	Trend in Banking ( ) Latest trend in banking: Big boys caring about little guys from bizjournals.com While still head of the Philadelphia market for First Fidelity Bancorporation, Roland K. Bullard II last year was discussing the stiff competition for the banking business of the region's middle-market companies when he offered an aside about the future. The real war would be for the small-business customer, said Bullard, who has since retired. And community banks, long the only truly loyal financial providers for small business, would find themselves hopelessly outmatched by the spending power, technological might and product depth of the big banks and their nonbank competitors, Bullard suggested. How vivid was his crystal ball. Long an afterthought to most big banks, small businesses -- for these purposes those companies with less than $5 million in annual sales -- are now being smothered by their attention. In the Philadelphia area, the big banks are creating new divisions to cater exclusively to small-business customers and stealing talent from the competition to help do that. They are creating computer-based products for small businesses, scaled down versions of those available to large corporations for years. Some are even publishing special newsletters for small businesses and arranging self-help seminars for them. They are even blitzing small businesses. One day last month, PNC Bank NA dispatched more than 70 bankers to call on hundreds of small businesses throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs to show them what the $70 billion-asset bank from Pittsburgh can do for them. Meanwhile, high above all that street-level scrapping, Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. is trying to attract small-business customers with its dignified offices on the 29th floor of One Liberty Place and its storied reputation for financial planning and investment acumen. A $25,000 loan to help a widget maker buy a new machine to make more widgets faster, once considered by the big financial institutions to be more trouble to process and assess in terms of credit risk than it was worth, is now the kind of deal that would be chased by not only small banks like the Bank of Gloucester County, Royal Bank of Pennsylvania and Main Line Bank, but also PNC, CoreStates Bank NA, Mellon PSFS, First Union National Bank, Merrill Lynch and GE Capital Mortgage Corp. LENDING INCREASES According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, a recent study showed that the number of commercial loans of less than $250,000 had increased by 8.9 percent from 1994 to last year. Small businesses contribute 47 percent of all sales in the nation, employ more than half of the private work force and create two out of every three new jobs, according to the SBA. And so, with a change in attitude, new technology and promises of speedy responses to loan requests, the Philadelphia market's financial players are giving it their all to attract the banking business of the boat- trailer dealers, independent family practitioners, audio/visual retailers and the like. "I think it's more competitive than it's ever been," said Joseph J. Flynn, recently lured away from CoreStates to serve as senior vice president of business banking for PNC. Flynn had been part of Meridian Bank's Delaware Valley Business Banking Group prior to Meridian's merger with CoreStates. One recent afternoon, Flynn was helping colleague Barbara Laurenzi show off a new product for small businesses, BusinessExpress/PC. The software "brings the bank to about its most convenient location ever -- right inside your office," according to one of PNC's marketing brochures. With BusinessExpress/PC, a small business owner can check account balances, determine what checks have cleared, transfer funds from a personal computer and more -- without ever going to the bank. Additional features are expected to debut early next year, such as accessibility to line-of-credit account information. The software fee for BusinessExpress/PC will be $75, but is being offered through the end of the year for $37.50. There are also reporting and transaction initiation fees. AUTOMATION VS. ATTENTION With this emphasis on developing products that make it unnecessary to go to the bank, banks run the risk of alienating themselves from small-business customers -- generally a group that seeks personal attention and won't think twice about switching to another bank for a better rate or more efficient service. That is partly why PNC has restructured its business banking operation this year, establishing it as a separate line of business, Flynn said. In the Philadelphia market, that means six banking representatives that are responsible for working with the branches to ensure that each is familiar with the small business products PNC offers and the needs of each of the branches' small business customers. Each branch manager is responsible for handling commercial loan requests up to $250,000. Anything above that is the responsibility of one of 15 designated business bankers. Through those business bankers, business banking reps and branch managers, PNC hopes to provide some of the personal touch that the computerized processes of the more mundane banking procedures will eliminate, Flynn said