This Week's Herman Trend Alert The Consequences of Virtual Meetings

The Herman Trend Alert April 2, 2003 Pet Care Moves to a New Level We've talked about pets in previous editions of the Herman Trend Alert (November 21, 2000 and July 22, 1998). Pets are important to people. They provide comfort, companionship, and an opportunity to care for another creature. However, care of pets can also be expensive. Veterinary bills, kennel costs, and pharmaceutical expenses can be at least as expensive as the routine care of a child. In our book, "Lean & Meaningful," we described how some companies encourage employees to bring their pets to work. Other employers pay up to $100 annually toward veterinary bills and some pay for kennel care when employees are sent out of town. We continue to see evidence that people have a strong relationship with their pets, and that commercial enterprises are taking advantage of this fact. Pet Assure (www.petassure.com) provides a comprehensive pet care insurance package. While individuals can purchase the coverage, the provider encourages employers to offer the package as an employee benefit. Covered owners simply present their Pet Assure identification card at thousands of participating merchants and service providers and receive discounts of up to 30 percent on purchases including pet food, supplies, boarding, grooming, sitting, training, treats, toys, kitty litter, and vitamins. Another purveyor, petcarerx.com, is an on-line store offering prescription and non-prescription medications. Even natural homeopathics are available, along with vaccines and pet supplies. This company has recently partnered with drugstore.com so you can purchase what you need for your pet at the same place you purchase pharmaceuticals for yourself. Did we get your attention with the mention of homeopathic remedies for pets? To get a sense of where this trend might be going, visit http://www.naturalholistic.com. The holistic care of animals includes homeopathy, acupuncture, chiropractic, and nutrition. What does the future hold? Watch for services available for humans to be made available for pets, internationally. At www.practical-pet-care.com you can create a memorial for your pet on-line. Thirty bereaved pet owners have already have taken advantage of this unique opportunity on a website that can be translated into Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. Can you see the global approach? © Copyright 1998- by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: RETENTION SPECIALIST PROGRAM A growing number of people have expressed an interest in attending our Employee Retention Specialist Certificate Program. We'd like to schedule on that's convenient for those who want to attend, but need your feedback to do so. Please place RETENTION SPECIALIST in the subject line and Joyce will personally call you back to schedule the workshop. Or you can call Joyce directly at 336-210-3548 (PDT this and next week). BUSINESS IS PICKING UP Most employers are unprepared. The recovery will bring a new set of challenges for employers that have been in prolonged contracted mode. They will need more skilled workers or will need now to begin to upskill their current staffs. But organizations can not engage in Strategic Workforce Planning, when they don't know how. That's where The Herman Group can help. We can help you with your "People Review"----large or small---so that you will know who you will need and when you will need them. . . and we can also guide you to the best sources for the people you will need. For more information, call Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail joyce@hermangroup.com. FIND OUT WHAT YOUR EMPLOYEES REALLY THINK AND FEEL Discover what’s really going on in the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-416-7066, or read more at: http://www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. 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