“Your call is important to us… Please stay on the line…”

If you’ve ever been a customer on hold for a phone representative, then you’ve probably heard these words in a friendly but irritating recording. And if you’ve ever had a business that relied in any way on call center customer service, you know that, the more your potential customers hear those words, the more likely they are to simply hang up and take their business elsewhere. I know I’ve hung up on the recording more than once, and I’m sure you have, too.

If you have a business that calls for a competent, professional customer service call center, you probably face a dilemma: should you keep it in-house or outsource? It’s expensive to maintain a call center, but can you really trust an outsourced company to handle your customer service the way you’d want them to? There’s one proven solution for outsourced call centers that’s ready to take the pressure off you and your staff: Solid Cactus.

Solid Cactus has a variety of eCommerce solutions, including outsourced call center options to fit your needs. They deliver on service, and they do it with professionalism that’s second to none. Let’s face it: at this time of year, in this economy, you really can’t afford to lose any customers to poor customer service or long hold times. Solid Cactus provides quality customer service through phone, live chat and email options, giving your customers a choice of communication methods that work best for them.

You might not have the time or resources to maintain a full-time customer service department, but Solid Cactus can fill in the gaps for you and, most importantly, make your customers happy. You know that the faster you go from “Please stay on the line” to “Hi, how can I help you,” the faster your business will grow. Sign up below to learn more about outsourced call center options from Solid Cactus!

You don’t really know how much you need good heating and air conditioning until you don’t have it. In my case, I had the “fun” of living without both at different times in the past few years, and it was less than pleasant. Last winter, our ancient heating unit went out (while it was so cold that everything outside was coated in ice), and I had to use space heaters and take very hot baths until we got the unit replaced. Then this past summer, our air conditioner went out, and we had to spend the night in a hotel because it was too hot in the house to sleep. Our house is finally climate-controlled with new, reliable units now, but I will never take that sort of thing for granted again.

If you live in Lehigh Valley, PA, and you need heating or A/C help, the company I’d recommend is Tru-Comfort. They handle heating, air conditioning and indoor air quality needs for homes and businesses all over the area. Their installation guys are experts, and they are able to install a wide variety of brands (although they’re a Carrier dealer). They do new home installations, retrofits (existing homes) and repairs to the units you already have. In short, they can handle it all, and get your home back to a reasonable temperature in no time.

Tru-Comfort has also embraced green living by offering systems that are more energy-efficient, cost effective and environmentally friendly than previous systems, including solar and geothermal options. They offer “Go Green” services, including annual planned maintenance to make sure that systems are running at peak performance levels. They’ve even gone green within the company: switching to a paperless office, recycling, driving fuel-efficient vehicles, and reclaiming, recovering and recycling refrigerant and refrigerant oil. Clearly, they’re looking out for the planet, which makes them an even more desirable choice in my book!

Did you know that there are federal tax credits available for some energy-efficient systems? A more efficient system could save you money in energy AND on your taxes. And right now, Tru-Comfort is offering some specials to sweeten the deal still further: $300 off heating or cooling installation for new customers, or $80 off a first repair service call for new customers. It’s a great time to give them a try if you’ve never tried them before… With these deals, it’s almost silly to wait.

Sign up below for more information and updates from Tru-Comfort! In Lehigh Valley, PA, they’re the best choice to keep your home or workplace as comfortable as you can imagine. And believe me, speaking from my own very unpleasant experience: You don’t want to take the chance of going without heating or A/C!

I love taking hot baths. There is nothing quite so relaxing and rejuvenating as slipping into a tub of hot water, exhaling deeply, and letting go of the day’s stresses. And of course, hot baths can be even better when they’re whirlpools; there’s a reason why having a whirlpool bath is seen as a high level of luxury. When I was young, I always wanted a whirlpool bath (and a pony, but the bath was more realistic). Even now, when I travel, I can’t help but feel gleeful when I check into a hotel and find a deep, relaxing whirlpool tub in my bathroom. I think it is actually the definition of bliss.

If you’d like some luxurious hydrotherapy for yourself, MTI Whirlpools is the obvious choice. They make some of the finest soaking tubs, whirlpools, showers, sinks and other bathroom features available, and they allow for such a high level of customization that the final results truly are your own personal bathing experience. Their products are hand-crafted of acrylic, solid-surface and wood materials and made in the USA. As they put it, they offer the closest thing to “mass-produced personalization.”

But photos speak more loudly than words! For a better idea of what MTI Whirlpools can do for your bathroom, you should check out their site and take a look at some of the tubs, showers, furniture and features they offer. It’s like every gorgeous bathroom remodel you ever wanted to do is actually a reality with MTI. You know how going to a gourmet grocery store makes you want to cook more elaborate gourmet meals at home? MTI’s website makes me want to start ripping out fixtures in my sadly-dated, rather-depressing master bathroom and replace them with the beautiful things MTI offers. A bathroom is a sanctuary, after all! It should be a place to relax, unwind and feel at peace. Just looking at the pictures of MTI’s offerings makes my blood pressure go down.

MTI Whirlpools has a vast range of amazing products, some of which have been featured on HGTV! Sign up below to receive news, updates and exclusive info from MTI Whirlpools. Once you experience the relaxation and rejuvenation for yourself, you may never step into an ordinary bathtub again.

I like going out as much as the next gal. Sometimes, I like to get dressed up, put on heels and go to a restaurant with a two-hour waiting list, an overpriced menu, and a waitstaff with attitude. And when I say “sometimes,” I mean “a few times a year, tops.” There’s only so much attitude (and heels) I can take!

More often, I want to put on jeans and go someplace fun, someplace with good food, good people, good sports and good times. Turns out, it’s tougher to find a place like that than you think… some have good food but lousy service; others have great sports coverage but greasy food. When you find all the good things in one place, it becomes your favorite local hangout! And if you’re in the Chicago area (specifically Countryside, IL), that place is Harry’s Sports Bar.

Harry’s is an authentic sports bar with a “Cheers”-type atmosphere. It’s got what you’d expect (games, sports and drinks), but it also has great food and awesome specials. Wednesday night is Trivia Night, Sundays during football season are Bears Sundays, Mondays are Ping Pong contest nights, and there are other fun events that come up on the schedule, like live bands and beer tastings. They have the major UFC, MMA and boxing matches on their screens, so they’re a great destination if you want to watch the “big fight.”In short, they’ve got everything you want and need to have a truly great time.

Harry’s has been around since 1996 (some of us can’t even remember that far back), so you know they’re not going to close up shop just when you start feeling like a regular. They’ll be there, opening their doors to patrons like you, for a long time to come. So kick off the heels, put on the jeans and head to Countryside, IL for a real sports bar experience!

Want a great special right now? How about a free beer? All you have to do is text “HARRYSBAR” to 41513 to get a free beer*. If you don’t want to text, sign up below to get your email coupon for a free beer, as well as other great info from Harry’s Sports Bar! The only thing better than a great place to eat and play is a special offer for that place, so don’t miss your chance to get a free beer to go along with your new favorite hangout!


*Must be 21 to receive free beer. Standard text messaging charges apply.

I’m trying to eat healthier and cook healthier for my kids. Chicken is a good choice, but as a working mom, I don’t have a ton of time to make chicken dinners from scratch each night, let alone make them interesting and fun for the family. The same obstacles come up when I’m putting out snacks for the football game… What’s healthy that I can make in a hurry and will be a crowd-pleaser? Thankfully, TacoTenders® are my answer.

Hooray for TacoTenders®! TacoTenders® are a low-fat snack made from chicken breast in a southwest marinade and crunchy tortilla coating™. The coating contains Chaveka, which is rich in vitamins, minerals and omega-3s, making it good for the heart! They’re easy to make, and they’re so nutritious that they’re served in school lunch programs across the country. Best of all, they’re yummy! The Tex-Mex flavor sets them apart from the usual dull, boring chicken fingers. You can use them with dips, put them in salads or wraps, or enjoy them any number of other ways. If I go to a Superbowl party this year, I’ll definitely bring TacoTenders®. I bet they’ll be gone before halftime!

Agora Foods, maker of TacoTenders®, isn’t just about nutritious lunches, dinners and snacks, though. They also have Pancake Poppers™, a great breakfast option! Pancake Poppers™ are made of a pancake wrapped around a fully-cooked chicken sausage, served on a stick. Just pop one in the microwave, and you’ve got a healthy on-the-go breakfast! These beat cold cereal any day. There’s never a reason to skip breakfast with Pancake Poppers™ in the house.

Spend less time in the kitchen and still give your family and friends nutritious, tasty foods; that definitely appeals to me. Believe me, you’ll love crunchy tortilla chicken™ as much as my family does! Oh, don’t forget to sign up below to win a hat signed by the legendary Coach Dooley, a big fan of TacoTenders®!

We all have an EX. Maybe it’s an ex-boyfriend, an ex-girlfriend, an ex-roommate, an ex-friend, or an ex-friend-with-benefits. Some people become exes on good terms, but sometimes, during a breakup, we have the thought: “If I knew then what I know NOW…” Shouldn’t there be some way to aggregate all the knowledge that we’ve gained about people through our relationships and share that knowledge with others?

The info about that deadbeat ex-roommate, cheating ex-partner or backstabbing ex-friend should be put out there for others to learn from! And there should also be a way to share the GOOD things about our exes, too, like my roommate in college who did all the dishes (and made fresh bread each day), or the boyfriend who brought my mom flowers. Those guys should get credit for being great, and as for the not-so-great ones… Well, other people should be warned about them.

Now, there’s a community just for the purpose of airing that laundry, clean or dirty: EXfileZ.com.

EXfileZ.com is, as they put it, “a place for EXz.” People like you and me can join and “dish the dirt,” so to speak. It’s an outlet for us to share what we love and hate about our exes, and also to read what other people have to say about their own. But why stop with the laundry-airing? EXfileZ.com is a real community, one where you can start a profile, respond to comments made about you, connect with others, and maybe even meet your next EX! Best of all, membership is free, so you won’t have to open your wallet to share what you know. Just sign up!

Fill out the form below to get news and updates from EXfileZ.com (this won’t sign you up for membership on the site; you have to do that on your own). They’re always adding new features and inviting members to submit ideas, so get over there, sign up, and start telling the world about your EXz!

Everyone’s heard the saying: “Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he will eat for a lifetime.” Education is vital to helping individuals, groups and societies grow, flourish and shake off the weight of poverty and disease. Aid organizations are wonderful for providing much-needed care when people all over the world are in disaster situations, but what happens when the disaster has passed and the aid organizations leave? That’s where groups like Mustard Seed Mission Canada come in: They bring an education and other resources to those in need, helping them to help themselves. They focus on the whole person, not just immediate aid.

Mustard Seed Canada is a nonprofit that works in Indonesia, building schools as well as the infrastructure needed to support those schools (clean drinking water, a health clinic, etc.). Then they work to train locals as teachers. In short, Mustard Seed workers help indigenous people to be self-sufficient; in Indonesia, there is no free public education system, so groups like Mustard Seed Canada are sometimes the only educational guidance the local people receive. Right now, the organization is working on building a teacher training facility with learning space and living space for dozens of people. What they’re doing is remarkable, and it’s a great reminder that not only are we not alone in this world, but we should do our part to help those who don’t have access to the kinds of resources that many of us take for granted.

If you want to help right now, click to donate:

Want to learn more about Mustard Seed Canada? Fill out the form below to get information about the difference that Mustard Seed makes. This is a group that looks after the whole person, not just victims of crises, with the goal of investing in children’s futures. With two kids myself, that’s an investment I’m happy to help make.

Maybe you play guitar. Or maybe you play a lot of Guitar Hero. Either way, why settle for a plain, boring, ordinary instrument? If you really rock, you want a guitar that rocks as hard as you do. You might even want one that’s totally unique, one of a kind, and customized for your style. So lose the plain axe and discover Art Guitar.

Art Guitar creates guitars that look AMAZING. They take plain guitars and turn them into works of art that are almost as great to look at as they are to play.

Enjoy Guitar Hero or Rock Band video games? Art Guitar makes guitar gaming feel more real than ever with the AG RiffMaster! It feels like a real guitar (same size, weight and wood), but it’s outfitted with the controls you need to rock out your games. You can pick a band design for your RiffMaster or choose your own custom design… The sky’s the limit! This is an awesome gift for the gamer in your life (or for yourself, of course).

If you want to bring the rockin’ gaming craze to your business, bar, club or other establishment, Art Guitar has you covered, too. Their HeadLiner ShowCase is a concert in a box! You get RiffMaster controllers, a drum set, game console, video display, software, licensing, tech support and more, all of which will let your customers get their groove on far better than any karaoke machine could! Your venue will become a rock party that will bring people back for more.

Art Guitar is definitely the place to go for guitar gamers and bar/club owners. But they want to sweeten the deal even more for you! Enter your email below to get a coupon code that you can use for $50 off your Art Guitar purchase! You can bring custom coolness to your venue or game for 50 bucks less than usual, so what are you waiting for? Get your coupon code and get Art Guitar!

Ready for a career change? Whatever the reason, lots of us are looking for greener pastures in our work lives. Have you thought about pursuing a legal career? No, you don’t have to go to law school… You can be a paralegal! Paralegals assist lawyers in delivering legal services, and despite the economy, the demand for paralegals hasn’t diminished. So the question is, where can you get your ideal paralegal education? Look no further than the Center For Advanced Legal Studies to get that new career off to a great start.

The Center For Advanced Legal Studies is an accredited and specialized paralegal college that has great resources for students of different ages, backgrounds and experiences. While the school is located in Houston, its students hail from all over Texas and the rest of the nation. Unlike community colleges and other online programs, the Center For Advanced Legal Studies focuses entirely on paralegal education, giving you the best direction and training possible. Everyone in your class has the same goal as you: to become a paralegal! The school has a track for people who already have college degrees, as well as one for those who don’t, so you know your program will be tailored to your specific educational background. They offer both a Paralegal Certificate and an Associate’s Degree in Paralegal Studies; pick the one that best fits your needs!

Of course, how you take your paralegal courses matters, too, and flexibility is key. The Center For Advanced Legal Studies offers in-person traditional classes, part-time/online classes, and a third option of Online Interactive Instruction™. So even if you don’t live in the Houston area, you can fulfill your paralegal education requirements.

The Center For Advanced Legal Studies doesn’t stop with an education, though; it also helps you with career placement. Once you’ve completed your chosen paralegal coursework, the school helps you find a position where you can put that knowledge to use. At the Center For Advanced Legal Studies, they don’t cast you adrift after you graduate. They help you take the steps you need to turn that new education into a solid future.

Sign up below to receive news, updates and other information from the Center For Advanced Legal Studies. If you’ve been thinking about a career change and want to get into the exciting field of law, why wait any longer? Get started now, and get that new career on track!

There’s a lot of negative in the world right now. Economic woes, war and poverty, fears of disease, and other reasons to be worried. Many have lost hope. But…

When life is at its darkest, the epic story of one man’s triumph over struggle could be the light we need.

JOB: A Man for His Time, a Man for Our Time, a Man for All Time by Gregory V. Jones, Jr. is a book that uses the Biblical story of Job to explore the four T’s of life: Test, Trial, Tribulation and Triumph. Modern-day struggles are used to illustrate the lessons of Job and God’s infinite wisdom. It’s timely, it’s transforming, and it’s a must-read for Christians.

Here’s just one testimonial about the importance of this book:

“The writing challenges us to plunge into the Spiritual, not being influenced by the enemy… how to successfully survive the tragedies of our day. Wonderful book. Recommended.”

- Prelate Bishop F.E. Perry, COGIC, Ohio Southern Jurisdiction

JOB the book is so inspiring that it’s soon to be a movie! Here are just a few of the comments that JOB the screenplay has received:

“It looks like a very powerful piece of work. We will encourage our members to go see it and purchase the DVD.”

- Bishop George D. McKinney, St. Stephen’s Cathedral Church of God in Christ Ministries

“This is definitely a story for the niche market the author has targeted. It has plenty of action, visuals, drama, conflicts and good characters.”

- Lynne Pembroke, Coverscript.com

JOB the book will be released in May 2010, but you can sign up to receive news, updates and information by filling out the form below. You’ll learn more about the book, learn how to place your pre-order (to make sure you get yours as soon as it’s released), and also get inspiration from the author, Greg V. Jones, Jr.

If you’re one of those who have given up on the positive and started to despair that your life can’t turn around, then you need this book. The lessons of JOB are as real today as they were in ancient times… Sign up below to get no-obligation information!