Blogs

President’s Note – Mike Hewitt

By Layla Martin posted 3 days ago
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Hello, TSL Society! After a year that was full of challenges for all of us, I would first like to wish you a happy new year and hope that you find yourself and those you care about in good health. I am excited to take on the role of TSL President, as I consider it to be my academic home. TSL has provided me with many opportunities over the course of my career to develop relationships that I have enjoyed and benefited from both personally and professionally. I hope during my year as president to create an environment that provides similar opportunities to current and future TSL members. I would like to thank Ann Campbell both for her past service as 2020 TSL ...
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Choosing Between On-premise Server and Cloud-Based Server

By James Mellor posted 9 days ago
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As technology advances, companies are increasingly finding themselves caught at a crossroads. The question being asked is whether they are to absorb and adopt the newest innovation or to bide their time and hold onto their tech and infrastructure, which has been sufficient to this point.  The question between on-premise servers versus cloud-based computing is a multi-faceted one that does not necessarily provide a one-size-fits-all answer. The key differences lie in the requirements of each company considered alongside the possible solutions to the problems faced. These are some of the considerations and options in the argument between on-premise and cloud ...
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How to Create Amazing Backlinks Easily

By James Mellor posted 25 days ago
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Any SEO specialist who has failed to build quality links will tell you that they have everything to build fantastic backlinks: free files, profile links, contributions of posts, trolling of feedback, etc., but none seem to work.  Building good quality backlinks takes a higher level of dedication and there is no shortcut to it. To be successful with it and boost your SEO, follow these simple steps below. Know what marketers are linking to Rummage the sites that presently have impressive backlinks and explore their link profiles, to begin with. Check for 'Lotsa links' pages because they have shown their link quality is worthwhile. These strategies will ...
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Ways You Can Improve the Procurement Process

By James Mellor posted 29 days ago
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The procurement process can be tricky, especially when it is being managed in larger corporations. Procurement can also be challenging for small businesses in terms of saving time and costs. With all the different systems that can be used for procurement and supply chain management, there might be confusion on implementation, which can cause inefficiencies.  With this in mind, how can you improve your procurement process? Here are the best ways to improve the procurement process for large and small businesses alike: Utilizing a contract management system To get high-quality service and the best pricing, negotiating and securing contracts for goods and ...
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TSL Business Meeting Report

By Catherine Cleophas posted 29 days ago
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The 2020 INFORMS Annual Meeting, for the very first time, took place in virtual form. It included 36 TSL-sponsored sessions that had been pre-recorded. This was compared to 61 sessions in 2019 and 58 sessions in 2018. Due to the special circumstances, no Plenary session was organized. Special thanks go out to the cluster chair Joseph Chow (NYU) and vice chair Neda Masoud (UMich) as well to the SIG chairs and vice-chairs Sandra Eksioglu, Sasha Dong, Changhyun Kwon, Samitha Samaranayake, Debjit Roy, Jennifer Pazour, Qing He, Terry Yang, Andrew Churchill and Lavanya Marla. During the business meeting, we congratulated the new TSL officers for 2021: president-elect ...
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TSL Finances: A Report from Vikrant Vaze, Secretary/Treasurer

By Catherine Cleophas posted 29 days ago
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The balance of TSL budget is stable, with projected funds of approximately $71,602 at the end of 2020. This is a somewhat lower value than 2017-2019 but exceeds all funds from before 2016. TSL Finances: Trend The COVID crisis has also affected our finances in 2020. It was a very unusual year in that some increases in expenses were planned, but the virtual conference led to expense savings. At the same time, we experienced dramatic revenue losses, likely due to the pandemic. Yet, the long-term financial health of TSL is stable. TSL Finances: Expenses in 2020 TSL Finances: Revenue in 20
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Five Vital Things to Do When Selling a Company

By James Mellor posted 12-09-2020
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For most business owners, their company has become an extension of themselves, something akin to a child, and letting go is not easy. Selling their enterprise might become an emotional issue for them, and this is when legalities and formalities might be neglected. If you have decided to sell your business and find someone interested in buying it, do so in a deliberate manner. Iron out as many details as possible before the sale is finalised. Here are some pointers: Put everything in writing Like any sale, selling a company requires a written, formal, legal contract that protects both buyer and seller’s interests. Be prepared to commit plenty of ...
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What You Need to Know Before You Rent a House

By James Mellor posted 12-09-2020
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The location of a property is just one of the things you need to consider before signing a rental agreement. You will also need to thoroughly check the house to make sure it is well maintained and is free of pests and damp.  A written rental agreement is important to avoid any confusion about the responsibilities and rights of both parties. Learn more about what you need to know before you rent a house.  Research the area You will need to find out more about the area surrounding a property before you sign a lease. Is it near a noisy pub? What amenities, such as parks, public transportation and supermarkets are nearby? What are the crime rates like in ...
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TSL Cross Regional Grant Report: Marilène Cherkesly visited Timo Gschwind

By Catherine Cleophas posted 11-16-2020
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The pickup and delivery problem with time windows, multiple-stacks, and handling operations This travel grant enabled Marilène Cherkesly from  Université du Québec à Montréal   to visit Timo Gschwind at University Mainz . Project In this project, we introduced, modeled, and solved the pickup and delivery problem with time windows, multiple stacks, and handling operations (PDPTWMS-H). The PDPTWMS-H is a variant of the pickup and delivery problem with time windows which combines multiple stacks (respecting last-in-first-out loading policy) with the possibility of handling between stacks. Several handling policies (unloading and reloading ...
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4 Steps for Installing a PTAC Unit the Right Way

By James Mellor posted 11-15-2020
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Installing a PTAC system in your property is always a great way to have an efficient and highly reliable climate control system.  The great thing about these systems is that they don’t require any ductwork and this can save you a lot of time and money in installation. Despite this, you still need to be extra careful when you’re setting up these units.  Well, here are some important tips to keep in mind: Pick a Location The location where the PTAC system will be installed determines a lot of things. For instance, several climate control models are designed to cater to a specific amount of space.  This would then follow that if you have a bigger ...
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How to Run a Successful ABM Campaign on LinkedIn

By James Mellor posted 11-09-2020
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One of the most challenging and perhaps even the most fun part about marketing is just how dynamic it is. The consumer keeps changing his or her behavior and as a marketer, you’re supposed to adapt your strategies to reflect that change in the market.  More often than not, marketers who are able to identify and respond to these dynamics do very well in generating sales for their businesses. There are of course a lot of ways through which you can adapt your marketing strategy to reflect changing consumer behavior or consumer profiles.  However, one thing we’ve found quite useful in recent years is account-based marketing, especially on the professional ...
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What Are Some Good Uses for Personal Loans

By James Mellor posted 11-08-2020
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One of the best things about a personal loan is that no one can tell you how to spend it. It’s not like a mortgage, a type of loan that is tied to a single purpose. It gives you the freedom to do whatever you want with it, and because it’s usually unsecured, you can feel like the loan is just some wind blowing into your sails and propelling you to do whatever you want. You can probably see how this is a bad thing. Personal loans can be expensive, and if you can possibly compare personal loans before getting one, you should always do it to find the least expensive one. But it’s the spending that’s the real problem here – you can squander it on shopping ...
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How to Get Your Finances in Order After College

By James Mellor posted 11-07-2020
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Finishing college is one of the greatest accomplishments in any young person’s life and a sure way for people to put themselves on a fast track to a better financial future. The number that’s usually thrown around is that college graduates earn $1 million more than high school graduates over their lifetime. Even if you factor in the debt that college students are more likely to have – college doesn’t pay for itself – it’s still a huge difference. Straight after college, young people find themselves in a world where salaries, expenses, and debt play a vital role in their ability to thrive further in life. All the more reason to figure out post-college finances ...
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How Do Virtual Phone Systems Work?

By James Mellor posted 11-07-2020
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As of this year, about 38% of the companies operating in the world today have remote team members.  Due to what traditional phone systems are and how they work, remote work was difficult at first. Companies were unable to give remote workers a wired connection and they couldn’t access a desk phone either.  This is why the   virtual phone system   was invented, to cater to the changing face of work in America and beyond.  A virtual phone system enables remote workers to take incoming business calls from home using any of their connected devices. It also enables callers to reach your support staff without incurring costly international calling charges.  ...
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TSL Highlights at INFORMS Annual Meeting 2020

By Jan Ehmke posted 11-05-2020
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Dear TSL members and friends, the virtual INFORMS annual meeting is coming up, and I would like to highlight some events that may be of particular interest for TSL members and friends.  Note that all times are EST. TSL Business Meeting including Networking Session (Sunday, Nov 8, 4:00-5:30 pm, Zoom , Meeting ID: 952 8756 1547, Password: 5521) Meet colleagues and friends and get an overview of what is going on in the TSL society. Voting results as well as winners of the best thesis and best paper awards will be announced. The meeting is  OPEN TO ALL regardless if you have registered for the Annual Meeting or not. TSL Best Dissertation Session ...
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How to Survive COVID Financially with Habit Changes

By James Mellor posted 11-03-2020
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The COVID-19 global pandemic has brought a lot of challenges and uncertainty to the world. For many people, the effects of the crisis have pushed them into a severe financial catastrophe. Millions of people have lost their jobs and are struggling to meet their daily needs. The burden is not only economic but also has emotional effects on lives. Many people are either affected or infected in the way or the other, so it is very challenging to get advice or support from family or friends amid the pandemic. Dealing with financial difficulties, especially during isolation, can be very hard. If you face any financial problems or are worried about economic ...
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ICS Business Meeting Fall 2020

By Simge Kucukyavuz posted 11-03-2020
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The fall business meeting of the INFORMS Computing Society will be held using Zoom during the INFORMS 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting on  Monday, November 9th, from 5:45 to 6:45 PM EST . You can join even if you are not attending the Annual Meeting. There will be reports on ICS activities, nominations for the open board of director positions, and the awarding of the ICS Prize, the Greenberg Research Award, and the ICS Student Paper Prize. Zoom Link Meeting ID: 933 8387 3916 Meeting password: 5521 Hope to see you there! Simge Kucukyavuz Chair, INFORMS Computing Societ
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TSL Business Meeting and Network Event

By Jan Ehmke posted 11-02-2020
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Dear TSL members and friends, The first ever virtual INFORMS annual meeting is coming up, and I want to give the details of our business meeting and networking event.  Please mark these times on your calendar! TSL Business Meeting   (Sunday, Nov 8, 4:00-5:00 pm EST, see Zoom link below) Voting results as well as winners of the best thesis and best paper awards will be announced. Get an overview on what is going on in the TSL society and with the Transportation Science journal.  Zoom link:   https://zoom.us/j/95287561547?pwd=QWFwT05tRzZJTHBOMm1VYWhOKzRBZz09 Meeting ID: 952 8756 1547 Meeting password: 5521 TSL Networking Event   (Sunday, ...
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How to Connect With Fans Using Mascots

By James Mellor posted 10-27-2020
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Mascots are sometimes the butt of the joke in a film or show, but when done right, these characters could be quite powerful. The following will help you figure out how to use your mascot correctly and connect with your audience. The Comic Relief During Events Allowing your mascot to have fun is a good way for fans to connect with this character. You do this all the time by making your mascot do cool or funny things during each game, but it's time to take your mascot outside the game day. For example, you can have the mascot at press conferences, live video chats, and other similar events. Yes, the mascot is going to be distracting, but that's the point. ...
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Call Center Trends For 2021

By James Mellor posted 10-27-2020
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Digital transformation is slowly becoming one of the corporate-speak buzzwords thrown around so much that they lose their original meaning. Essentially, digital transformation is all about businesses adapting to new technology in ways that best meet their organizational goals. Although skilled agents make up a successful call center, call centers are still extremely   dependent on technology . Agents and technology have to work in harmony to ensure a call center provides the best customer experience possible. Given the necessity for adaptation, here are some top call center trends for 2021. AI-Driven Customer Interactions As businesses continue to ...
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