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Cape Cod Digest

The Cape Cod Digest is the newsletter of CCLS, BIO-REM E-D, AfterShock, and DrainMaster. It will be published whenever there is enough information to fill the space. The Cape Cod Digest is dedicated to bringing you information about the septic-related industries, as well as Cape Cod Biochemical Company developments. We appreciate any input and/or comments.

UPS

 

In the last Digest we reaffirmed our commitment to not raise prices through 2010 as our way of helping stem the tide of recession. This has become increasingly challenging as UPS continues to raise their shipping charges. As you know, we pay the freight on all our shipments.  Joyce has done a great job with the common carrier trucking companies (YRC, R&L, Cape Cod Express), making deals and squeezing every available discount out of them. As a result, our shipping costs have stayed in line for over-the road freight.

 

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for UPS. Through their state-of-the-art computer system, UPS can raise rates without anybody actually seeing the increases. No new tariff. No notification. Just the every-so-often “system update”, which always translates into a price increase.

 

As an example, it used to cost $4.88 to get a case of CCLS quarts from our plant in Massachusetts to central New Jersey. It now cost $14.19. A case of CCLS gallons going to Ohio costs $20.54. A pail of DrainMaster to Wisconsin costs $25.77. A 25-pound pail of BIO-REM E-D costs $29.08 to get to New Mexico. And a 36-pound pail of AfterShock going to California costs $35.47. Almost a dollar a pound!

 

Needless to say, these costs are carving too deeply into our margins. This issue will have to be addressed after the first of 2011. The upshot will be an increase on the smaller, UPS orders only. We think we can still hold the price line on over-the-road freight, with a minimal increase, if any at all. But unless UPS lowers their rates, we’ll have to increase our prices on UPS freight. Again, this won’t happen until 2011. We just want to give you a heads-up. We  hate surprises as much as you do.

 

 

AfterShock Price DECREASE

 

 

All the above being said, we have good news about AfterShock. AfterShock bioremediation/restorative is doing a great job. We’ve received almost no negative feedback from any of our dealers who have treated systems with our new oxygen-enhanced bacteria (the only negative turned out to be from root intrusion, not organic blockage). And since its introduction last year, AfterShock has saved over 400 soil absorption areas so far.

 

OPRYLAND

 

 

We’re sure that everyone is aware of the severe flooding in Nashville in May. You Tube has many videos of the flooding, but one that is specific to Opryland is quite startling to those of use who have been to this incredible facility so many times. You can find the fairly brief video on You Tube at

 http://www/youtube.com/watch?v=VfL5j9ckcyo. Opryland no longer suits the needs of the Pumper Show, but you wouldn’t wish this mess on your worst enemy. Worth a look.

 

 

Identity Theft, Part 2

 

 

Last Digest we talked about why we all need to be wary of identity theft, and our first tip had to do with ATM’s. In our continuing attempt to alert you to identity scams we offer the following tips:

1. Most identity theft experts encourage you to eliminate as much paper from your financial life as possible. On-line banking is highly encouraged. It’s easy, and sort of fun. They also recommend that you guard your mail. The fewer bills and other identifying materials that could be stolen from your mail box the better.

2. If you don’t already have a paper shredder, get one. We operate our business as though our most predatory competitor is standing next to our dumpster at all times. We shred everything. It helps to guard against identity theft, and it generates good packing material.

 

 

3.     Stay away from social networks on your computer, like Facebook. They are incredibly porous from a security standpoint. They are loaded with viruses. And unless you use them to enhance your business, they are a huge waste of time. Stay away, says our computer guru.

4.     Speak to your computer consultant about ways to protect your computer security. There are many ways to guard against people hacking into your computer and stealing your info. We don’t understand this part of ID theft that well. That’s why we recommend talking to the person you use for such technical matters. Some have to do with modem encryption, whatever that is. Others have to do with devices you can buy for this purpose (ID Vault, available at Best Buy is one such device). There are also web sites dedicated to this issue, such as www.privacyrights.org and www.consumercompare.org .

5.    Watch out for computer “Phishing”. These are the scams where you get an email from some foreigner looking to launder money into the US via your bank account. I have a file full of these things, from such places as Benin, Africa ($1.5 million), Bangkok, Thailand ($1.5 mill), Togo, West Africa ($5.5 million!), Benin again ($1.7 mill this time). I even got one from a guy claiming to be the personal account manager of a Dr. Edward William Howe, who allegedly died a few years ago leaving a huge amount of money, now located in the Bank of Seychelles, off the coast of Africa. This was especially tantalizing because it used a name of a “long lost” (non-existent) relative. Stated rewards are astounding…like millions of dollars promised. All you have to do is provide your full personal identifying info, including bank account numbers. HELLO???!!!

6 . Be careful about credit cards. Lenders are much too loose with credit cards. Not only do they approve anyone, they send them out in the mail, which can easily be stolen. One of my first jobs after college was running the then MasterCharge program for a Boston bank. We took applications for cards. We investigated jobs, credit history, etc. And we made decisions based on the information we got from that investigation. Once a month two plain-clothes policemen would drive me to Cambridge, Mass., to New England Bankcard Association, where we would go through several security doors, and eventually be given our cards to distribute. The two cops would then escort me back to the bank, where we would distribute the cards only after seeing the customer’s ID. Imagine how much better off the US economy would be if we still did credit cards that way. Credit card debt, which is killing the economy, would be at a minimum.

These are important tips. We highly recommend that you take this seriously before you’re subjected to the horror that I was in 1985!

Our final installment on identity theft will cover the most important means for monitoring any changes to your financial situation: credit reports. You’ve all probably seen all those “FreeCreditReport.com” commercials on TV. You’ll be surprised to find out how they are trying to scam you through something that is legally available to you for free.

SUMMER TIME IS ORDER TIME

Don't forget to check your inventory and give us a call with your summer order. Remember...you can't sell it if you don't have it.
As always, we appreciate your business and your input, but most of all we appreciate your friendship. Please let us know if there's anything you'd like to see in the Digest or anything at all we can do to make our relationship better. Because YOU are the reason we're in business. Thank you!

--Rick Howe, President