Everybody loves a Christmas quiz so head over to the blog and test your Christmas carol knowledge – not Ornavi related!
2015
12 Days of Christmas Quiz
Everybody loves a quiz so what could be better than testing your Christmas Carol knowledge to get you in the festive mood? We all know the much loved song “The 12 Days of Christmas” but how many days can you actually remember what your true love gave to you? Let’s find out if you know your Swimming Swans from your Turtle Doves.
Merry Christmas!
10 Business Tips for Surviving Christmas
…and thriving in the New Year
Christmas is well and truly on its way. We know the festive season affects every business differently; for some it’s the peak of their yearly sales, for others December is the quietest month of the year. Either way, it has an impact and you need to be organised so we have compiled a list of our Top Tips for ensuring your business makes it through the festivities and is prepared for a prosperous New Year.
Business Tip 1: Plan, plan and plan some more
Research suggests that the business segment least prepared for the Christmas season tends to be the small and medium enterprise. The key to ensuring business runs as smooth as possible over the festive period is to be prepared and plan for every eventuality…and then some. Include your whole team and don’t be caught off guard.
Every business is different so only you can create a fool proof continuity plan but luckily we have some more top tips to help you on your way.
Business Tip 2: Online Health check
These are strictly business tips so we are talking of course, about the online presence of your business. Your website is the branch of your business that’s open 24/7 so it is crucial that it’s the best it can be. Make sure there are no broken links and the content is relevant and up-to date, especially with Christmas opening hours. Good website house-keeping will ensure that any customers venturing online for information when you are closed, won’t be disappointed.
Business Tip 3: Become a Weather Man
Bad weather can be a huge disruption to business and nothing has highlighted this more than the barrage of devastating storms the UK has been hit with in recent weeks. Damage to property, stock, vehicles and assets can bring businesses to a halt, so crossing your fingers and hoping for the best is not good enough. Keep an eye on weather reports and be sure to have plans in place to prepare you for the unexpected and keep your business on the go.
In times where disaster does strike, it is also important to have another plan to get you back up and running again.
Business Tip 4: Communication is Key
Every business relies on different people to keep it thriving, be it customers, suppliers, accountants or even the milkman so if your business closes completely over the Christmas period be sure to tell them. Give everyone who needs to know plenty notice of dates, times and if necessary, contact information. Inform them of the best way to get in touch, should they need to do so. Organise phone messages and automated email responses.
It’s also nice to be nice so take some time get a head of your Christmas correspondence when you have the chance. Send Christmas cards, write emails; do whatever it is you think is in keeping with the character of your company to share your well wishes with the people that keep your business running all year round.
Business Tip 5: Decorate Your Workspace
Ok this might not make it to the top of your list of priorities but spreading festive cheer is important! It doesn’t matter if it’s a huge office space, the reception, if you work from home or even just a desk, adding a little tinsel here and there will almost certainly improve the mood. If you send your employees home for the holidays lacking in morale and low in spirits, they are sure to come back that way. Filling them full of festive cheer is more likely to boost loyalty and enhance productivity.
Business Tip 6: Don’t Forget About January
Take some time to think about the direction you want the business to head in, in the New Year. It is easy to get stuck in a rut and become complacent so the end of the year is the perfect time to reassess your business plan, goals and objectives. Giving the business a new focus for the start of a new year can give it the lease of life it is calling out for.
Business Tip 7: Clear the Clutter
Who says a deep clean is just for spring? If business slows down as you creep closer to Christmas then take advantage of the lull by clearing your desk…literally. Clear out the drawers, file the piles of paperwork either to where they are supposed to be or into the bin, get out the cleaning supplies and decontaminate your workspace. Working your way through the junk that has built up over the past year will leave you feeling refreshed and dread the return less.
Top Tip 8: Your Staff Are the Business Heartbeat
Your staff have no doubt worked hard all year and are entitled to their Christmas break but it is good business sense to make sure you have “in case of emergency” details at the ready. Bear January in mind and that you are not closing for good. Having a clear idea of where your team have left off will make it that much easier to get going again, post-mince pies.
Business Tip 9: Red and Green Should Never Be Seen
Be environmentally friendly and switch off or shut down anything that doesn’t need to be running over the Christmas break. Not forgetting kitchen items such as fridges, kettles and toasters that won’t be getting used either. Doing this will not only contribute to reducing the overall environmental impact but it will save your company money. Don’t forget the office Christmas lights!
Business Tip 10: Relax & Enjoy!
Christmas comes but once a year so the last pearl of wisdom we have for you is to relax and enjoy what you have been working all year for. January will be here before you know it so take time to relax, refresh and recharge. If you have followed our Business Tips guide then you will rest easy knowing you are coming back ready for the best year yet.
Ornavi Named Top Software Tool!
We are super excited to announce that our Ornavi software has hit the headlines by being named one of the Top Project Management Tools. Read more here.
Top Project Management Tool
It’s always nice to hear some positive feedback so imagine how delighted we were to learn Ornavi has made it onto The Top 28 Project Management Tools list.
About Ornavi, Kevin from the DSM Group said:
“It was a pretty easy decision for us when we took a look at your company. Love the work you guys are doing with your service platform, as well as what your product does for agencies of all sizes everywhere – absolutely an invaluable tool.”
Thanks Kevin, and thanks to the DSM Group for the acknowledgement.
It’s a Double Whammy for our Project Management Software
Recently the team over at project-management.com were kind enough to carry out a full review of our software and we could not be more pleased with what the had to say about us. Here’s a snippet:
“Ornavi comes from a real-world requirement by a service provider company that has been successful in completing jobs and satisfying its customers. It is a modern business tool with a comprehensive set of features. New modules are being added as time goes on and other enhancements for collaboration and customization will be available in the future, depending on the direction or feedback they will take.”
If you have any feedback for us, we’d love to hear it. Share it below or using our contact form for a chance of being featured on our website in the near future.
Where Did That Come From?
Ever wondered how household brands like Google or Coca Cola got their names? Ornavi investigates the ideas behind the biggest names in business. More…
How Famous Brands Got Their Names
Ever wondered how the world’s most famous brands got their names? We go back to the roots of some of the biggest companies to tell you everything you they didn’t want you to know. From Google to Starbucks, we’ve got it all. First up, Amazon.
Amazon
Before Amazon became the global online superstore that it is today, it existed as a simple digital book store. Jeff Bezoz, Amazon’s founder and CEO wanted a name beginning with the letter A so that it would appear high on alphabetical lists, but he also wanted something that reflected the exotic nature and vast number of products he anticipated to sell. He settled for Amazon – after the Amazon River. Fast forward to today and the Amazon logo, with its sweeping arrow resting on the letters A and Z to form a smiling face, is to represent the companies great customer service and ambition to stock every product from A to Z.
Haribo
Haribo was named after the founder and the place of its inception. Hans Riegal, born in Bonn, Germany took the first two letters of each word HAns, RIegal and BOnn to spell HARIBO.
The official statement is that Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin credit the company name to an intentional play on the word “googol” – a mathematical term that represents 1 followed by a hundred zeros. It is meant to be a reflection of the seemingly infinite volume of information the search engine can organise. However a quick Google search (ironic) and you will find plenty reports that the household name was actually more of an accident. Following a pitch to an angel investor, where Larry and Sergey discussed at length the googol’s of information their product was capable of handling, they received a cheque made out to “Google”.
Hewlett Packard
Hewlett Packard founders Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard tossed a coin to decide whether the company they founded would be named Hewlett-Packard or Packard-Hewlett. Bill won.
Coca Cola
On the official website of the carbonated beverage giant, very little is said of the origin of the world’s best known brand. However internet search results are saturated with similar accounts of where the name originates from and no wonder Coca Cola make no reference to it. The name Coca Cola is reported to be derived from two of the flavouring ingredients: the coca leaf and the kola nut. Sounds logical so why would Coca Cola ignore their roots?
The coca leaf yields one of the world’s oldest and most potent stimulants also known as cocaine. In the 19th century little was known about the dangers of cocaine, in fact it was commonly used for medicinal purposes and would be frequently prescribed to remedy a range of ailments. Originally a pharmacist, John Pemberton, creator of Coca Cola used it to flavour his new beverage. Heading into the 1900’s the tide of public opinion was turning against the narcotic as the dangers of its use became more documented. Although Pemberton was under pressure to reduce the cocaine levels within his drink, the technology did not exist at the time to separate it completely from the coca leaf flavouring. Removing the leaf as an ingredient was not an option as it was the brand name that had been trademarked, not the recipe. He believed he could not stop using the leaf and still legally be able to maintain the trademark, and protecting the brand was his priority. It wasn’t until 1929 when technology had advanced enough, that his drink became cocaine free.
Coca Cola’s official stance is that cocaine is not, nor has it ever been one of their ingredients. In fact the only mention of the origins of their name is that back in 1886 the company bookkeeper suggested that two C’s would look good in advertising.
WD-40
WD-40 may appear like a random arrangement of letters and numbers but this name has a very precise and rather simple meaning. After 39 failed attempts to develop the perfect Water Displacing formula, attempt 40 was a winner hence WD-40. You know what they say, 40th time’s a charm!
Hotmail
The official explanation behind the Hotmail name could once be found on the Windows Live Blog but has since been removed. The website’s currently still hosting these broken links mention that in the days before Microsoft, original founders Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith knew they wanted something that ended in mail. Out of the many options Hotmail was selected as it contained the letters html, making reference to the programming language used in the creation of the service. In the early days it was even spelled HoTMaiL to highlight the reference and enhance the brand. Microsoft acquired the company in 1997 and today Hotmail has officially been retired and replaced with Outlook.
Ikea
The name Ikea is an assortment of letters from pronouns affiliated with the roots of the company. The Swedish founder, Ingvar Kamprad grew up on his family farm Elmtaryd, in the village of Agunnaryd.
Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd = IKEA.
Skype
A quick dive back in website time using the Wayback Machine shows that once upon a time (July 2003 to be precise) Skype was operating as Skyper. It has been said to come from Sky and Peer, or more specifically Sky and Peer-to-Peer. However the “r” was dropped when the founders realised the domain skyper.com had already been taken and so Skype was born. In more recent months Skype’s latest owners (Microsoft) have been battling in the EU Courts with satellite TV provider Sky over trademark infringements, specifically the name and the use of clouds in their marketing material. Could we be in for brand another modification?
Lego
Founded in Denmark, the name Lego derives from an abbreviation of the Danish phrase “leg godt” which translates as “play well” according to the Lego Group’s official history on their website.
In 1934 the company realised that Lego has another translation that was not intentional. Lego also translates as “I put together” in Latin. A happy coincidence even if it was complete chance.
Starbucks
The official heritage statement made by Starbucks themselves, paints a somewhat romantic tale of how the founders were seeking a name that would reflect the history of their home city, Seattle and that were inspired by the seafaring traditions of the early coffee traders featured in Herman Melville’s classic novel Moby Dick. Thus leading them to brand their chain around the character Starbuck, the chief mate of Pequod, a fictitious whaling ship.
However in an interview in 2003, co-founder Gordon Bowker tells a slightly different story. He recalls how they almost called the company Cargo House until a business associate of his mentioned that he thought words beginning with “st” were powerful. They started making lists and then someone in their team produced an old mining map and on it was a town called Starbo. This reminded Bowker of the Moby Dick character and he claims it just sounded right, but apart from that the name has nothing to with the book.
What’s In a Name?
Every wondered why “Ornavi?” – well wonder no more! We reveal all on the blog.
What’s In A Name?
Ornave, Ornavy, Ornavee – our customers sometimes find our name confusing. As well as spelling and pronunciation issues, from time to time we also get asked “Why the name Ornavi?” or “What does it mean?”. Besides us thinking it had a nice ring to it, there’s more to this name than meets the eye….
This may seem blindingly obvious, but when you start any new venture, especially in this digital world, it’s important to get the name right. Apart from being snappy, ideally you want to be unique. It makes life easier when it comes to securing the appropriate domain(s), social media handles, not to mention attaining better organic search results. But beyond this, we wanted something with real meaning that we could be proud of. After much research we uncovered Ornavi.
Ornavi is from a family of Latin verbs which mean “to equip, furnish or adorn”. It was a perfect fit because that’s exactly what we want to do, equip, furnish and adorn you with all the business information and tools you require to make educated and informed decisions that maximise the potential of your business. In other words, bring it all together in one place.
So you still might not know the meaning of life, but now you do know the meaning of Ornavi.
The A-Z is on the Blog!
Don’t worry if you missed any of the A-Z, it’s all on the blog. All 26 fact-filled letters of it.