Melamine is a durable material that makes for beautiful products including dishwares and more. Before you purchase a new set of plates, bowls, or other products, it’s good to gain some knowledge about this versatile material.

We’ve compiled some of the most frequently asked questions about melamine dishwares along with some answers, so read on to learn more.

What is Melamine?

Melamine is a durable, organic-based material that’s used to make a variety of food-safe products. From plates and cups to bowls and cooking utensils, this material is durable, heat-resistant, and practically impossible to break which makes it a popular option for cooking and serving food.

There are many perks to using melamine, including that it’s extremely easy to clean and has anti-bacterial properties. It’s the best quality food-safe plastic material on the market today, which makes it a favorite among professional and home cooks alike.

You’ll find melamine that looks similar to ceramic or porcelain, but it’s much easier to handle and won’t shatter when dropped. Our melamine can handle heavy use and won’t show scratch marks or chips.

Is Melamine Safe to Use?

Melamine dishwares are usually food safe and BPA-free. This means that no harmful chemicals will seep into your food, since the products are food-grade and rigorously tested. Our melamine products are extremely safe when using them to serve food, however, they should not be used in a conventional oven or microwave.

If melamine comes into contact with direct heat, its integrity can be compromised. However, you can clean melamine in the dishwasher with no problems whatsoever.

Will Melamine Break?

One of the reasons many in the foodservice industry prefer melamine is because this material is exceptionally difficult to break.

While there may be instances of some melamine dishwares chipping if handled improperly, your plates, bowls, and other products will not shatter if they’re dropped accidentally.

Chine and porcelain can easily break or show chips if they’re dropped or abused. With melamine, your dishwares will last much longer since they won’t break, saving you money and time.

Porcelain dishwares need to be replaced much more frequently than melamine. Since melamine doesn’t show fork marks and scratches, it’s a prime option for restaurants, hotels, and other industries where food is served to the public.

How Does Melamine Handle Hot and Cold Temperatures?

Since melamine is an insulator and not a conductor, it requires very long-term exposure to heat before the material’s properties start to change. Most products stay cool to the touch, even when serving hot food. That’s because the food will not produce enough heat for an extended period to change the temperature of the melamine.

As a server, you can handle melamine easily without worrying about burning your hands like you would with some other types of dinnerware. You can also use melamine kitchen tools, such as serving spoons to handle hot soups and other hot food products.

Melamine is also excellent for buffets and cold foods since it’s a terrific insulator. You can use melamine food pans for cold products like deli foods, salad bars, and much more. Add some ice to your melamine product to keep plated items cold.

Where Would I Use Melamine Dishes?

Since melamine is exceptionally lightweight and durable, it’s a popular option for use in a range of commercial settings. You can use our melamine dishes in restaurants, hotels, aged care facilities, catering, and much more.

Choose a product that has a sophisticated look that’s similar to handcrafted ceramic to give your presentations an upscale look. Since this material won’t break, it’s a great choice for serving kids, the elderly, and in places with a lot of activities such as amusement parks. With its durability and lightweight feel, it’s a smart choice for a wide array of outdoor or high-volume applications.

How Should I Care for Melamine Dishwares?

To keep your melamine looking new, there are a few things you can do to extend its lifespan. If you want to soak your melamine before putting it in the dishwasher, use high-quality dish detergent and allow it to soak for as long as you need to.

Avoid using serrated knives on melamine, as this could damage the protective coating. Never use melamine products in a microwave or a conventional oven.

Do not use harsh abrasive cleaners on your melamine. You should also avoid using metal scouring pads or steel wool. Instead, use a dish towel or a light-duty scrubbing pad without any abrasives.

Don’t use chlorine bleach on melamine. If you treat your melamine products with care, they should last for many years before you need to replace them.

Why Businesses Need a Telephone Answering Service

Are you thinking of utilizing a telephone answering service for your small business? Often one of the key reasons that businesses would recommend providing telephone answering systems would be to minimize costs. Many small companies may not have the in-house infrastructure to make high volumes of calls available, particularly outside work hours.

Unfortunately, this may lead to unhappy consumers, a lack of future customers, and an unwanted burden on your company.

Running a company means, you have many things to do at the same time. That’s why any company wants to employ a telephone answering service to retain the confidence of its customers. Soon after the mobile answering service takes control of the phone calls, company owners may know how crucial it is to get one that won’t skip a call from a single client.

Because you’re mostly occupied with other facets of your work, you won’t want your clients to be overlooked. This will have a long-term effect on your company. In addition, a positive voice and a polite person would make a better first impact on your clients, and they won’t shy away from contacting you again.

Along with the ability to save your business money, there are many other ways phone answering services might boost your business. In this article, we will discuss some of the main advantages of using a mobile answering service such as Message Direct.

1. Never Miss a Sales Call

Sales call is the backbone of the business. What’s the point of wasting money on ads or some other part of your corporation if you’re not going to make yourself available to your customers? While a lot of transactions and purchases are now done through the internet, there are still a lot of people who choose to use the phone.

This is particularly true in the case of Harleys as not only do we sell our own experience, but we also feel that before purchasing services, our clients want to talk to a real human. Having only one sale a month from your phone answering service might mean it’s going to pay for itself.

At Harleys, we’ve set up our system so that if we’re late in the office and unable to answer the phones, the phone calls will immediately be patched to the phone answering service, which will give us a reply. Alternatively, where there is no one in the workplace, the telephone answering service will forward calls to key members’ cell phones, which they will then be able to screen and answer where they wish.

2. Saves Money

The money you make is going to grow as your company expands. However, it may be pricey to recruit someone along with the cost of a desk, a phone, a computer, and all the basics they need to perform their jobs, along with their wages, of course, and health insurance.

Many companies tend to work collaboratively to answer the call, meaning that workers who are still overwhelmed doing their own work have to answer the phone. This can have a huge effect on their productivity and therefore on their own jobs. That’s why having a telephone customer service feels like a steal, because you’re going to get the advantage of someone who’s well familiar with handling phone calls.

3. Book Appointments

In contrast to being available to answer all calls 24/7, the mobile answering service would be able to make appointments with the clients. Employ a mobile answering service that can handle all customers and provide you with multiple scheduling choices and ensure that the service you employ is efficient and protects the details of the customer.

The last thing you want is for your clients to mistrust you for violating their personal details. There are several explanations why you should seek a provider that offers several scheduling opportunities. 

4. Establishing Brand Loyalty

Telephone calls are, above all, much more sensitive than email exchanges. People find it a lot easier to get across an idea, with a lot less space for stuff to get stuck in translation than email. You can also express your feelings a lot more effectively on the screen. This can be a perfect way to make new buyers feel comfortable, and current customers feel appreciated.

5. Handles Hiring

A lot of time, manpower, and energy is going into the recruiting process, and with the big headache you’re going to have at the end of a full day of interviews, you’re also going to have to make sure that the new hires are doing well in the new climate, and that they’re relaxed. The method of recruiting people should be done by a professional service. This is going to lift a lot of weight off your back.

As phone calls can interrupt all of your staff, including yourself, having a designated mobile answering service can remove this and keep everybody concentrated on their jobs. You will see the satisfying results of recruiting a reliable service as the company thrives, and everyone will actually get the opportunity to focus on their jobs.

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When the quality of a whole operation beats expectations, you are on the road to growth and prosperity. Make call management service for you and provide the staff with the resources they need to continue delivering quality support so that the clients can keep relying on you for reliable, competent service. Remove frustration from an incomplete business phone service. Learn how HARTLEYS can be part of your development plan with quality services and customized messaging solutions.

On Tuesday the Treasurer released a historic Federal Budget designed to lift the economy out of the doldrums. 

A number of job creation and wage subsidy measures in the budget should George Markoski help rapidly reduce our unemployment rate especially amongst our youngest workers who have been hit hardest during the pandemic. 

After coming within a whisker of balancing the budget at the end of 2019, the Treasurer revealed the budget deficit is now projected to blow out to $213.7 billion this financial year, or 11 percent of GDP, the biggest deficit in 75 years. The figures are eye-watering, but the Government is determined to do what it takes to keep Australians in jobs and grow our way out of recession.

While the net debt position of $1 trillion is a bit of a shock, there is no question that the government had to do something fiscally significant to kickstart our economy. 

This is a real restart of the economy. Yes, it will take 10+ years to pay it back, but with the Government borrowing at interest rates less than 1% for 10 years, if there was ever a time to borrow to not just stimulate the economy, but create valuable assets, then now is the time. 

Touted as one of the most significant Federal Budgets since the Great Depression, and the first since the economic devastation sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the next phase of the journey is to secure Australia’s future. 

The 2020 Federal Budget includes hundreds of billions of dollars of economic stimulus measures, the likes of which we’ve never seen before.

Key highlights at a glance

Taxes

• More than 11 million Australians will receive tax cuts with a permanent cut of $47 a week for high-income earners.
• Middle-income earners will also receive a one-off $21 with extension of the low and middle-income tax offset into 2020-21.
• From 2020-21, the upper limit of the 19% personal income tax bracket will rise to $45,000 and the 32.5% marginal tax rate upper threshold will lift from $90,000 to $120,000.

Jobs

• The Morrison government will pay businesses up to $200 per week to hire young Australians as part of a $4bn budget measure that aims to reverse an increase in youth unemployment during the recession.
• The new incentive will target firms that employ young workers who had previously been receiving Jobseeker.
• It follows Sunday’s announcement of expanded training subsidies, with the government pledging to cover half the wages of 100,000 new apprenticeships and traineeships.

Welfare

• The government has announced two additional economic support payments of $250 to pensioners and other eligible recipients, worth $2.6bn.
• Extension of the Jobkeeper payment support for a further six months until 28 March 2021.
• Extension of the coronavirus supplement until 31 December 2020 at a rate of $250 per fortnight from 25 September 2020.
• The budget doesn’t provide any clarity about the future of Jobseeker payment rates after Christmas.

Education

• $1bn will be injected into Australia’s university research sector.
• Funding for 50,000 online short courses to upskill workers and unemployed Australians in teaching, health, science, information technology and agriculture.
• $299m to provide an additional 12,000 undergraduate university places in 2021.

Small business

• Businesses with a turnover of less than $5bn – all but the top 1% – will be able to deduct the full cost of capital assets purchased after budget night and first used or installed by 30 June 2022.
• Small and medium businesses will also be able to apply “full expensing” to second-hand assets; businesses earning $50m to $500m will be able to do so for assets of less than $150,000.
• Companies with turnover up to $5bn will be able to offset losses against previous profits on which tax has been paid, to generate a refund.
• Exempting from the 47% fringe benefits tax employer-provided retraining activities to employees who are redeployed to a different role in the business.
• $4.5bn investment in NBN Co and $29.2m to accelerate the rollout of the 5G network.

Health

• 23,000 new packages for older Australians waiting to receive at home care, at a cost of $1.6bn.
• $2.3bn in announced funding for investment in Covid-19 treatments and vaccines and funding for the listing of new drugs on the pharmaceutical benefits scheme, including Lynparza for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
• $750m in funding for Covid-19 testing and $171m for the extended operation of up to 150 dedicated respiratory clinics to manage and diagnose Covid-19 cases.
• $798.8m for the National Disability Insurance Agency and NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
• A targeted capital gains tax exemption for granny flat arrangements where there is a formal written agreement, applying to arrangements with older Australians or those with a disability.

Environment

• The Morrison government’s environment and energy budgets consist largely of pre-announced items, including funding for its technology roadmap for reducing Australia’s emissions and $52m for the expansion of Australia’s gas industry.
• Tuesday’s budget reiterated the government’s plan to fund the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Arena) for a further 10 years from 2022 to a total of $1.4bn. Over the next four years, the agency will receive $223.9m.
• The government is spending $50m on carbon capture and storage to fund pilot projects it claims will “dramatically cut” emissions from industrial facilities and there is $70.4m over five years for a regional hydrogen export hub.
• The environment minister, Sussan Ley, said the government would spend $67.4m on oceans and marine ecosystems.
• Earlier this year the government announced $25m to reduce the timeframes for approvals for major projects. Tuesday night’s budget adds an extra $12m in funding over the next two years.
• There is $52.9m for investments in gas – announced in September – including $10.9m for planning of gas infrastructure.
• The government will spend $249.6m over four years on waste and recycling policies, including $190m for a recycling modernisation fund for new infrastructure to sort plastic, paper, tyres and glass waste and $233.4m to upgrade facilities at national parks.

Infrastructure

• $14bn in new and accelerated infrastructure projects over the next four years in every state and territory, including Melbourne to Brisbane inland rail and Western Sydney international (Nancy-Bird Walton) airport
• $3bn towards shovel-ready projects to support further job creation and economic recovery, including for small scale road safety projects.

Housing

• An additional 10,000 places in first home loan deposit scheme in 2020-21 to support the purchase of a new home or a newly built home.

Super

• Australians will automatically keep their superannuation fund when they change employers, stopping the creation of unintended multiple accounts.
• A new online YourSuper comparison tool will help people compare the performance of funds which will be required to meet an annual performance test.

I believe the budget will be metaphorical rocket fuel for property prices across Australia. The pandemic has upended the rule book when it comes to economic management and this budget was destined to be an outlier compared to any other in living memory.

What’s happening in the market right now?

Prior to the announcement, property markets were holding up much better than a lot of property experts thought they would, predicting a 30-50% drop, whereas the majority of markets didn’t get to double digits (apart from VIC and WA). 

Dwelling values were steady in numerous locations, apart from Melbourne, with the low volume of stock creating strong competition amongst buyers.

In the markets we certainly aren’t seeing any bargain prices – and that state of affairs will not change in the months ahead. That’s because one of the early indicators of future property price growth is when there is an undersupply of rental properties, which starts to force rents upwards.

I am encouraging my members to buy now before the upcoming property boom.

In the parts of the country that we’re buying in for our members, we’re competing with homebuyers and savvy investors for the best opportunities. Our members have been steadily growing their wealth, thanks to our tried and tested Markoski Method™.

These are uncertain times and with the budget ‘rocket fuel’ now underway, it’s hard to determine how long the opportunity to take advantage of the upcoming boom will last. 

How will the budget impact property prices?

This budget indicates that the Government wants our economy to rebound as quickly as possible and is obviously prepared to spend whatever is necessary to make that happen.

When it comes to the impact on property prices, I believe the budget measures will supercharge the next round of growth. Although property prices never really contracted by much, I’m confident that we’re going to see a sharp recovery.

If you want to hear more on my thoughts about the impact of the budget listen to my podcast series The Positive Property Show

At the end of the day as long as you have a sound investment strategy, thinking of the long term, you’re going to be safe no matter what the markets are doing. I haven’t got a crystal ball, neither does anyone else, and there may be a short little dip, however the prospects of long term property investing looks awesome regardless.

Educate yourself so you can take advantage of the upcoming boom. Join like minded investors who are wanting to live life on their own terms in our free Positive Property Group