They are a USDA certified facility and consider quality & food safety to be the topmost priority of their business. By incorporating proper equipment and practices for their employees, they are able to provide families with a healthy dining experience. They were the first to use DNA Traceability, a technology that insures their beef is 100% pure ground beef and can be easily traced back to its source. They are constantly testing for pathogens and bacteria that could be harmful, guaranteeing the safest product for their customers.

FPL Foods recently entered into a partnership with the US Army to produce jerky products using new osmotic dehydration technology. And as one would expect from such a community conscious company, they currently support several charitable programs. A few of them are:

• Safe Homes of Augusta
• Southeastern Natural Sciences Academy
• Garden City Rescue Mission
• Relay for Life Cancer Walk
• Culinary Education Programs

We are proud to have such a socially conscious client whose concern for the safety and welfare of its consumers is top-notch. They are always on the edge of innovation as well, which makes sense that FPL Foods would currently operate with Sage 500 and FAS to efficiently maintain their accounting principles. Sage 500 is a customizable ERP software solution that ranges in attributes from accounting and finance to human resources. It’s especially helpful to FPL Food with its manufacturing modules. Sage FAS is FPL Food’s fixed asset software managing their inventory and asset depreciation accurately and guarding against regulatory noncompliance. With their financial processes in good hands, FPL only needs to concentrate on one thing: producing extraordinary beef.

The market was like nothing I’ve ever seen. So many people crowded around, walking down isles only two people wide. All the food is placed on mismatched, old looking tables or sitting on the floor on tarps or sheets.

There were carrots, cauliflower, beans, peas, lentils, corn, onions, eggplant, mangos, bananas, and so much more. In certain areas there were piles of bags and bags of potatoes. There were also piles of sugar cane.

The butcher shop is out in the open with chickens and other animals just hanging on a rod behind the owners. It’s amazing to see the way they sell food. I passed a boy carrying a goat that had just recently been skinned. He was just walking through the market and had probably just bought it from the butcher.

There were piles of clothes for sale. All the clothing was so colorful, and there was so many different designs. I saw a motorcycle shop, cell phones and other nic-nacs. You can get so many things at the market…pots and pans, shoes and more.

Kids were running around, some selling bags which are used to put your food in and others buying food for their families. Mixed in with the many people milling around were also goats, chickens, and other livestock.

The villagers don’t have cars so when they buy something they must carry it all. People, mostly women, would carry sacks of potatoes on their heads all the way back to their homes, which can be miles and miles away.

Nancy was one person from our group who, instead of helping paint, volunteered at the clinic. Nancy has been a nurse for many years, and with her background she was really able to help people visiting the clinic.

When we first arrived Nancy met Stain, the resident doctor, and got a feel for the clinic and its daily routine. I along with another missionary from our group named Annie helped Nancy bring the supplies we had brought from the United States to the clinic. We brought loads of gloves, antiseptics and other basic essentials that a clinic would need. Stain was extremely grateful for everything but wasn’t sure if they would actually use everything. He said this because they don’t wear gloves or clean things like they should. The things we brought are normally expensive and not readily available near the mission.

The clinic has a main section where Stain’s office and the sign in and waiting areas are located. Then it has other rooms for taking blood, administering shots and so on. The maternity ward was one of the more shocking rooms. It consisted of a bed with a metal table at the end and nothing else. There were no sheets or pain medication available. Women have their babies and then leave the next day or sometimes even that day. It’s amazing how strong these women are.

During our trip, Nancy gave immunization shots, checked blood sugar and so much more. Every time she came back from the clinic she would tell us another story about the people who visited. Apparently a lot more happens in a small clinic in Malawi than what she experiences in the United States. Every day she told us about how another baby was born and just how amazing the births were to watch. One day I saw a woman with basically no teeth on one of my walks through the mission. It’s very upsetting when you realize that some of these people cannot even afford basic things like a tooth brush.

On Wednesday, Nancy and Stain went to a small village to administer vaccinations to the locals, and I went along with them to help. When we arrived, there was a crowd of women and children waiting. They were all sitting outside a completely open building which acted as our temporary clinic.

Stain introduced Nancy and me, gave the women some information on what vaccinations they would be receiving, and then we got started. The women and children started lining up to get their books, which hold their medical history, and to weigh the children. In order to weigh the babies, the mothers wrap them in cloth and then hang them from what looks like a luggage scale.

Stain and Nancy gave vaccinations to the children and also to the women. The whole process took about three hours, and there were at least a hundred people there. Stain told me that this was actually a small turnout.

We started with the story of creation and then worked our way through as many stories from the Bible as we could in the week we were there.

Since the children didn’t understand English, their school teachers helped translate for us. After each story we passed out coloring pages which featured pictures of the stories we read and some crayons. Many of the children had never used/seen a crayon. As soon as they got started coloring they didn’t want to stop. While I was there, I saw some art, but the materials needed to paint a picture aren’t cheap and paper is scarce. From what I saw, most art in Africa is beautiful wood carvings.

After coloring with the children, we played games with them. Over the course of the week we played Simon says, duck duck goose, hot potato and a few others. The kids loved the games, and so did I. They were great because we didn’t really need to understand each other’s languages completely to play.

At the end of every night we would finish with some songs. All the children love to sing and they have the most beautiful voices.

Visiting the University.

Mrs. Wilson took some of us out to get a closer look at the college grounds. We visited the boys and girls dorms which were really crowded. During the school year there is eight girls to a room but during the summer there was only four to a room. Still, even four girls is a lot when I compared it to my own college dorms. My dorm is about the same size but I only share it with one other person. The girls have the basics and a few items of clothing but not much more.

Still even without all of the things I consider normal the dorms remind me a lot of home. The dorm is filled with laughing and people studying in corners. It’s amazing how many things are similar but then there are so many other things that are different. Instead of a washer and drier they have a house, buckets and a line to wash their clothing. All along the back of the dorms are clothing lines filled with clothes.

Since the dorms are so crowded and there are still more students are coming, Mr. Wilson is working on building a new dormitory.  They are using the concrete foundation of an old basketball court to build the dorm.

After looking at all the dormitories, we got to see some of the classrooms for both the college students as well as those for the grade through high school.

The classrooms are filled with older tables and chairs, but the walls have just recently been painted. Mrs. Wilson described  how most of the buildings looked before they arrived with broken windows and doors. But since they have been there things have definitely changed for the better. The Wilsons have worked night and day to improve the schools and housing of everyone who lives on the mission.

We got to see the houses where the teachers live. Some of them are nicer because they are new while others need to be knocked down because they are barely standing. The Wilsons want to knock down the older buildings and rebuild houses in the same spots, but they can’t because the teachers, their families and any other orphans that are living with them would be without a roof over their heads during that time. There are so many orphans in Africa, that any family member or friend who can take them in does it without a second thought. And it doesn’t stop there. These people also pay for the children’s schooling which can become very expensive.

Exploring the Mission.

The buildings on the campus are all constructed by members of the community. Different workers are skilled at laying tiles, making door frames, and other responsibilities. The buildings are of very good quality, and the workers are just as skilled as carpenters in America. Construction on the new nurses’ building began around the same time we arrived, and by the time we left all the walls had been put up and the doors and windows were already being added.

Mr. Wilson told us a lot about how everything works and what everyone does each day. He also told us many stories about his time doing missionary work. We heard about his experiences in the Congo and other places over the last six years. Mr. Wilson is filled with so many stories from Africa and beyond. Many of the stories were about the wildlife, including the elephant population. He told us how dangerous the elephants are in Africa. They aren’t at all like the ones you see in the movies. Instead, elephants can actually be quite vicious and terrorize the villages. They have killed many people: women, children, and even people driving on motorcycles. The elephants hide in tall grass and the only way to get rid of them is to hire hunters to kill them.

Working Hard or Hardly Working.

The job started with us on the roof. In order to get on the roof we had to use a homemade ladder which was pretty cool but also a little scary. Before we could start painting we had to sweep the leaves and dirt off of the roof with a broom. The process of cleaning off the roof took a little while but once it was done we got straight to the painting. It was a joint effort of some of the missionaries and some of the locals. This was a great experience because we were able to get to know them and learn more about their lives.

Florida Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists (FCSDA) is an unincorporated, nonprofit organization which serves as the administrative body for its sisterhood of churches with emphasis on evangelism, nurturing constituents, and operating a system of schools. FCSDA is a client of Perryman & Associates for their Sage HRMS software . It was with members of this organization that we were able to send two members of our staff to Africa for a two week mission trip.

Day of Rest.

The next morning was Saturday, the Sabbath, which meant we got to sleep in until seven. But that didn’t really happen since I woke up to the roosters and dogs barking at four am. Once I was fully awake Mrs. Wilson helped me get some boiled water to take a shower. All showers while there consisted of a bucket and a can to pour the water over your head. These showers were definitely an experience to say the least.

Once we were all up and ready, the Wilsons took us on a short walk to the university chapel where we attended church with the professors and some of the students. Some of it was in Swahili while the other half was in English. They had some music that was similar to what you would hear in the states, but there were also songs in the native language. All the people had such strong and beautiful voices.

After church we returned to the Wilsons’ home for lunch. Throughout the day I met many people. They all seemed very nice and most spoke a little English, while others were more difficult to understand.

The language sounded like gibberish to me, but I tried to learn some basic words and simple phrases like “thank you” and “good morning”.

That night we all met Dorothy, a local who was hired to help with meals and cleaning. The dinner she made was delicious and after we all ate Mr. Wilson showed us some of the constellations. The stars were brighter than at home and absolutely dazzling.

First Impressions.

Looking out the airplane window down at Malawi, all you could see for miles and miles was open land with some villages scattered throughout. The airport was smaller but not much different from those at home. After gathering our bags we walked to the cars that were taking us to Lake View Mission where we would spend the next week and a half.

In order to get the luggage on top of the car, we got help from some local men who were hoping to earn some money in order to buy food and other necessities. This was my first glimpse of the poverty that is spread throughout Malawi.

Fred Wilson, the site’s missionary, and Emanuel, a Malawi native, drove us the two hours to the mission. During the trip to the mission we passed numerous villages, people and markets.

Malawi is a place with very few cars but still a lot of traffic. There are no sidewalks but people still walk anywhere and everywhere. No matter where you go there are people walking or cycling up and down the side of the road. Kids are running around barefoot and alone. Cows, sheep and chickens cross the road at random with no one herding them. It was definitely funny to have to stop in the middle of the street for a cow crossing instead of a stoplight or traffic jam.

The market places are filled with so many people. Those that are lucky enough to have a bike have ones that are old and rickety. These people are truly amazing. Women carry immensely heavy buckets of water, corn and potatoes on their heads.

The way they live there is simple but tough.

After a two hour drive we finally arrived at Lake View Mission which is located right next to a local village. The people we stayed with in Malawi are two missionaries named Mr. and Mrs. Wilson. They have been living in Malawi for six years, but Mr. Wilson has been a missionary for more than 30 years.

When I was first told about the mission trip I was expecting to sleep in a sleeping bag outside in a tent. But to my surprise we ended up staying in the Wilsons house. They had set up single beds in their extra rooms with mosquito nets to keep the bugs away. The house was larger than expected, especially since I didn’t really expect much of a house at all. They had only the bare essentials.

At the end of the first day, we ate as soon as we arrived and all went straight to bed.

Florida Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists (FCSDA) is an unincorporated, nonprofit organization which serves as the administrative body for its sisterhood of churches with emphasis on evangelism, nurturing constituents, and operating a system of schools. FCSDA is a client of Perryman & Associates for their Sage HRMS software . It was with members of this organization that we were able to send two members of our staff to Africa for a two week mission trip.

Perhaps most importantly, the Miami Seaquarium is responsible for an extensive Rescue & Rehabilitation program that’s assisted many marine animals find their way back to life in the wild.   Since its opening, the park has rescued, rehabilitated and released countless distressed marine mammals including manatees, sea turtles, dolphins and whales.  Today, the park is a recognized leader in Marine Life Conservation and has accomplished many veterinary breakthroughs throughout its 56 year history.

Additionally, as one of three facilities certified by State of Florida as a critical care facility for the rehabilitation of injured, sick and orphaned manatees, the park is positioned at the forefront in the fight to save Florida’s endangered manatees.

The Wometco and Perryman & Associates partnership has grown substantially over the years. Wometco recently upgraded their accounting software from Sage PFW ERP which they used for many years to one of Sage’s premier ERP solutions, Sage 500 ERP (formerly Sage MAS 500). A longtime user of Sage HRMS (formerly Sage Abra HRMS), Wometco also utilizes NOVAtime Time & Attendance and Sage Fixed Assets (formerly Sage FAS). Perryman Managed Services provides outsourced IT services to Wometco as well. The combination of these products and services with Perryman and Associates dedicated team has helped the Miami Seaquarium create quite a splash.

We are extremely proud to have Wometco as a client. For more information on our esteemed client, visit them at www.miamiseaquarium.com.

Tell me if you can answer any of these questions:

• What is the vendor’s track record of performance?
• Does the software have the correct qualifications to work with your company?
• Is the software functional?
• Will the software work with your existing hardware?

If you laughed and said, “Of course the company selling the product already answered them.” Then I am sorry to tell you but you have just made another mistake. DO NOT take the vendors word alone! The company providing the software may be able to answer all your questions and make you feel like they are the right choice. But demos and brochures don’t always tell you everything. In order to gather the most accurate information talk to the companies that have purchased and used the ERP software. Ask to test the product and see how the product has worked within similar kinds of businesses. This allows you to see that the same software you may be buying has been implemented by the vender and is running successfully. Keep in mind that not all software is compatible with every business. Larger businesses have different needs than smaller sized business. Just because an ERP product is good for other company’s it does not mean it will be good for yours. Today, most ERP software allows you to customize the software to your company’s specifications, but there are still some that do not allow any customization. Make sure the software you are choosing is compatible with your company’s needs as well as other products your company uses.

Planning a successful training regime takes a lot of time and effort. A good first step is creating a plan. Start by writing out the goals of the curriculum.  The following are additional steps to help get your program in gear.

Stick to the Point. Plan your program so that you are able to present all the information without any problems. It can be easy for employees to take training for granted, but by making your training class concise you make it easier for your employees or clients to absorb the information. The beginning of any educational program should start with an introduction. Let them know the purpose of the program in clean, direct objectives.

Keep their Attention. Don’t have too much information in one session because it can pull focus and be overwhelming. It’s easy to retain information when it has to do with one major point, but once you introduce three or four features, information can get scrambled.  It can also be helpful to have a classroom that offers an atmosphere where students can focus and learn.  By limiting distractions, you’re keeping the class focused on the material.

Keep to the Schedule. To make your training more effective schedule them on a regular basis. Don’t let them get scheduled at random; have a routine that students can easily rely on. With a regular training agenda or preplanned training programs, employees and clients are better prepared.

Have a Good Instructor. To make your training program more credible Make sure you have a good instructor there who knows the information. When having a class on a new product, you need someone who is knowledgeable enough to explain the information. Good communication skills are also a must.  They need to be able to help others understand it.

Make Sure You Have Visuals. Help your clients or employees remember the information. Statistically, our memories are predominantly visual.  Incorporating this fact into your lessons or lectures can help the information stay in the minds of the employees.

Questions Are Always Good. Make your training program interactive. Ask if anyone has questions throughout the class.  Discussions and debates are a great way to leave a lasting memory regarding concepts or facts.

Have Reading Material. Even when you ask people to take notes, sometimes they’ll miss notating on a key point or feature. Create a summary of the program. That way they can take notes, but will also have a reference for later.

Remember a successful training is one that gives your employees or clients the knowledge they need to understand the product so that they can go forth and be assets to your organization.

You have employees who are married with kids, while others are single. Some employees could be veterans, others on the verge of retirement; some may have health problems while others may have a disability. Every one of these people would probably need a benefit plan specific to them.

And this is only taking into consideration your average health and supplemental insurance plans.  Oftentimes benefits come in the form of a 401k or IRA savings program that allows your employees to plan for their futures.  These have to be properly maintained by calculating deductions, matching contributions and enrolling new hires.

As our society moves in a direction where employees’ occupations become more than just a job, specialty benefits are becoming more and more popular.  Your employees often spend more time at work than they do at home, and frequently employers want to make their stay enjoyable to ensure retention.  Industry leaders such as Google and Hasbro offer a variety of unusual and extraordinary benefits to remind their employees that they’re appreciated: onsite gyms and daycares, dry cleaning services, allowing pets to come to work, oil changes, etc.  Even for companies on a budget, there’s a myriad of benefits you can provide your employees.  Local businesses are quite willing to provide coupons for their services in exchange for the advertising to your workforce.  A company garden is low cost and provides employees with a chance to take a breather and enjoy the outdoors.  Holiday parties are terrific time to express your appreciation of your staff.

Maintaining eligibility for those benefits can be based on incentive programs, hours worked, or a number of other factors.  Keeping all those programs straight can be a job unto itself!

Do you have benefit plans for your employees?
What about keeping up with these plans and your employees?

Knowing the changes in your employee’s lives can be a difficult task. Especially when the changes affect the benefits they would receive. Getting the right benefit administration software for your company could solve all of these problems.

For your employees…
Make it easy for your employees to update their marital status, dependents, dependent status, and more.

And for you…
Create a new benefit plan or have the ability to change the details of another. Reduce the time it could take to get in touch with every employee and change their plan.

Having the appropriate tools will help make your benefit enrollment process run smoothly.

When deciding on the perfect ERP software for your company most people concentrate on the software by itself and completely forget about the vendor selling the software. Buying software without taking the time to learn about the vendor is like going on a blind date. It can either go well or absolutely terrible. In order to avoid a terrible experience you need to ask questions…lots of questions!

• How long has the vendor been in business (experience)?
• What kind of customer references do they have?
• How do they treat customers in the sales cycles?
• Have they had successful implementation with little technical issues?
• What kind of technical support will you receive?
• Have they has past technical issues?
• What is their financial standing?
• What makes their ERP Software (and customer service) better than others?

By asking these questions before making a final decision you will be able to save your time and money. If you don’t ask questions you leave yourself open to the possibility that you’ll end up in a sticky situation later with no easy way out.

Buying software that is compatible with your company now might seem like top priority but what if in five years your company doubles in size. Will the software you buy today support any changes your company might make in the future?

You might be thinking if that happens you’ll deal with it when the time comes, but take a look for a minute at the big picture. If you buy software now that is not easily scalable, you may end up having to buy an entirely new product later on. In order to make a prudent decision, you will need to repeat your due diligence and all the steps required to properly evaluate the best software for your company. If you buy now with the future in mind, you’ll save a lot of time in the end… and you’ll end up with a software system that is built not only for the company you are today but the company you want to be in the future.

For the best chance of success, preparation for all scenarios is key. Choosing the right ERP software is no different. Planning for the future now can accelerate the growth of your company going forward.