100% Guarantee – 100% of the Time at Cartridge World Bloomingdale, Wheaton and Downers Grove

A picture might be worth 1,000 words, but a picture with faded colors, smeared or smudged, will be a disappointment.

A degree is worth landing the perfect job, but a poorly-printed resume will not even be considered by a prospective employer.

At our three Cartridge World locations, Wheaton, Bloomingdale and Downers Grove, we understand that if printing is going to be effective, it has to boast high quality.  That is why, we stand behind all of our product and our work, and we promise all of our customers 100% satisfaction guaranteed.

Remanufactured Printer Cartridges
Cartridge World uses the latest technology to remanufacture printer cartridges.  Our remanufacturing technicians regularly train on newer processes or techniques that make remanufacturing possible.  Only premium parts are used in the process, and rigorous testing is performed on each cartridge to ensure a high quality output.

Print Performance/Printer Warranty
Cartridge World’s remanufactured cartridges will NOT affect the printer warranty.  The print quality is par with OEM (original equipment manufacturer) products.

Refilling
Cartridge World refills all major brands of ink and toner cartridges, including HP, Canon, Lexmark and Epson.  We also remanufacture and refill copier and fax cartridges. We service the consumer, organizations, and businesses.

Giving Back
Cartridge World partners with local schools and organizations to establish fundraising cartridge recycling programs.

100% Guarantee
Cartridge World offers 100% satisfaction guarantee on all our products and services.

Cartridge World Bloomingdale
358 W. Army Trail Rd.
Bloomingdale, IL  60108
(630) 893-6300

Cartridge World Wheaton
97 Danada Square East
Wheaton, IL  60189
(630) 653-5500

Cartridge World Downers Grove
7341 Lemont Rd.
Downers Grove, IL  60516
(630) 353-1113

National Small Business Week to be Held June 17-21, 2013 Throughout the U.S.

At Cartridge World Bloomingdale, Downers Grove and Wheaton, we salute all the small business owners who make up more than half of the hiring sector and who are the backbone of our country.

This year, marks the 50^th anniversary of the first National Small Business Week.  The event celebrates small business from all states, and culminates in Washington, DC, with an awards ceremony recognizing State and National Small Business Person of the Year.  The event is sponsored by the Small Business Administration.

On the state level, the awards were announced on May 21, 2013.  We congratulate the following 2013 Illinois Small Business Award Winners:

Women in Business Champion of the Year: Julie Savitt, AMS Earth Movers, Inc.
Minority Small Business Champion of the Year: Mark Hands, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Small Business Exporter of the Year: Jason Speer and Sandra Westlund-Deeniham, Quality Float Works, Inc.
Jeffrey Butland Family-Owned Business of the Year:  Mary Richards Lawrence, Richards Graphic Communications, Inc.
Small Business Development Center Excellence & Innovation Award:  Jan L. Bauer, Illinois Small Business Development Center & International Trade Center At The College Of Lake County
7(a) Lender of the Year:  JP Morgan Chase, Michael Hereda – Vice President SBA Programs
504 Lender of the Year: Growth Corp., Douglas Kinley – President
Community Lender of the Year: Community First Bank of the Heartland, Jo David Cummins – President & CEO
Rising Star Lender of the Year:  Village Bank and Trust  (WINTRUST), Thomas Huffman – President

We must note that , Saqib Nadeem of Paradise 4 Paws, LLC of Schiller Park, IL,  a minority-owned and operated small business,  received the “Small Business Person of the Year Award, for his outstanding contributions to the business and pet care industries.

Mr. Nadeem will be representing Illinois at the final award ceremony in Washington, DC.

We congratulate these outstanding business owners and small business supporters, and applaud all small business owners throughout the U.S. , for your relentless commitment to making a difference.

New Graduate Free Resume Printing at Cartridge World Bloomingdale, Wheaton and Downers Grove Through June 30, 2013

Cartridge World Bloomingdale, Wheaton and Downers Grove is pleased to offer FREE resume printing services for recent college graduates!  Now through June 30, 2013.

Stop by at any of our three locations with your resume on a USB flash drive.  We will print up to 25 copies for you at no charge—one color, maximum resume length: 2 pages .

Julianne Kennelly of Fishman Public Relations, recently posted a series of resume writing tips on behalf of Cartridge World stores.  These include, paying attention to the format, weighing the options of online vs. print resumes, being conscious or choosing a universal font, and writing a killer cover letter.   You can read the entire article here.

Additionally, don’t forget to look into joining your local chamber of commerce!  Networking is the name of the game these days… but getting to know local business leaders in person, is still the best option.

Check out our local Chambers of Commerce:

Bloomingdale Chamber of Commerce

Downers Grove Chamber of Commerce

Wheaton Chamber of Commerce

Congratulations to all recent graduates!!

Making a Difference on Earth Day, 2013 – Some Thoughts from Cartridge World in Wheaton, Illinois

Earth Day 2013 is just around the corner.  Since 1970, it has been celebrated every 22^nd of April, and it continues to gain momentum with each year passing.

We, as inhabitants, have become more conscious of what actions are detrimental to our Earth and continue to make strides to correct them.  In addition, we realize that our Earth-loving efforts should not only be practiced just one day a year, but that it indeed implies an every-day, life-time commitment.

But, are we doing enough?

Here are some simple suggestions that can be put into action right now, today, to help Earth continue to provide us with a hospitable place where to live and raise our children:

• Plant a tree – Did you know that a single tree absorbs up to 48 pounds of CO2, and provides enough oxygen for two people?
• Share a ride – By sharing a car ride with someone else or by taking public transportation, you reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that goes into the atmosphere.
• Upcycle – By giving older furniture, clothing or accessories  a new look, you can recycle in a creative way.
• Use Cloth – By using reusable cloth napkins instead of paper napkins, you can help keep our forests stay forested.
• Implement a Smart Office – By using recycled paper and remanufactured and refilled ink and toner cartridges, you contribute to greatly decreasing what goes into landfills.

Collective small actions can go a long way.  At Cartridge World Wheaton, Downers Grove and Bloomingdale, we are happy to be a contributor and are glad to work alongside with you to preserve Mother Earth.

Make it a Happy Earth Year!

2013 Taxes: Paper vs. Electronic Filing. Are Taxpayers Making the Switch?

With the advances in technology and software programs, the Federal Government and the states are encouraging taxpayers to file electronically, rather than with the traditional paper forms.

Image Courtesy The Boston Globe.

Their argument is that the software programs designed file taxes electronically are bound to prevent mistakes, and will save processing costs.  According to an article in the Boston Globe of March 12, 2013, “The IRS, which stopped automatically mailing out 1040s in 2011, estimates it costs 15 cents to process an electronic return, compared with $3.50 for a paper filing.”

However, regardless of age group or gender, many taxpayers who file their taxes themselves (without the help of a tax preparer or accountant), sometimes find the process not to be user-friendly, and typically resort back to filing with the paper form.

Regardless of whether you file your taxes electronically or via the U.S. Postal Service, it is always important to have a paper copy of your return to keep in a safe place.  There might come a time when electronic files will be 100% accessible without the worry of hackers or crashes, but until that time comes, a keeping hard copy of your taxes is a good safeguard to implement.

So whether you are copying or printing a copy of your taxes,  don’t run out of ink or toner! Cartridge World Bloomingdale, Downers Grove and Wheaton carry recycled and remanufactured cartridges that will save you up to 50% of the cost of their O.E.M. counterparts.

Cartridge World is open seven days a week for your convenience.

Cartridge World Bloomingdale
358 W. Army Trail Rd.
Bloomingdale, IL  60108
(630) 893-6300

Cartridge World Wheaton
97 Danada Square East
Wheaton, IL  60189
(630) 653-5500

Cartridge World Downers Grove
7341 Lemont Rd.
Downers Grove, IL  60516
(630) 353-1113

How to Hire and Retain Employees – Tips from Cartridge World Bloomingdale

As the economy continues to improve, employers are considering hiring employees once again.

However, not having a detailed job description before embarking into the hiring process,  is often one of the most common hiring mistakes made by small businesses.

A detailed job description will be helpful in attracting the right candidates for the position, as well as providing clear guidelines to the new employee with reference to what the job will entail, and the expectations required to successfully take on the position.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, “a job description should be practical, clear and accurate in order to effectively define the employee’s needs.”  The job title and the overall objective of the job should be clearly stated.  In addition, it should include an outline to specifically identify the tasks involved, the methods that will be used to complete those tasks, the purpose and responsibilities of the position, the relationship of the particular job to other jobs within the company, and the qualifications needed for the job.

Additional help can be obtained through the  SBA (Small Business Administration), which offers many services to business owners at no cost.  Its SCORE  Chapter (Service Corps of Retired Executives) has an office located in Aurora, IL with retired executives ready to answer many of the questions a small business may have–including writing effective job descriptions.

Preparing a job description may require some preliminary work, but, if done in advance, the results are bound to give both the employer and the employee both clarity and purpose to ensure hiring and retaining the right employee for the job.

Cartridge World Bloomingdale, Wheaton and Downers Grove are proud to serve the businesses in our communities.  We are open seven days a week to serve you best.

Do Something Good for the Environment and Your Community! Cartridge World Bloomingdale, Wheaton and Downers Grove Can Help!

It’s never been easier to recycle and get rewarded for it! Local schools and community organizations can reap the benefit in dollars!

Cartridge World is committed to reusing, recycling while helping both our Earth and our local communities. We encourage community organizations and schools to get involved at the local level by collecting empty ink and toner cartridges, bringing them to us (or having us pick them up), so that they can be  recycled or remanufactured .  For that effort, Cartridge World will simply write the school or community organization a check.

School programs are constantly being cut or reduced.  Counteracting this trend is as easy as implementing fundraising campaigns that work.  The more empty toner or ink cartridges your school collects, the larger the check.   Get parents involved and encourage them to talk to their friends, neighbors and relatives.    Community organizations can benefit just as easily.

This is how it works:

• Register your school or community organization with us.  We will give you promotional material for you to advertise the fundraising program.
• Let us know if we can provide you with a collection receptacle you can display at your location.  When full, we will pick it up.
• If it works better for you, bring your collected ink and toner cartridges to one of our locations.
• Word of mouth is powerful!  By making friends, neighbors and relatives aware of your fundraising program, all they have to do is come in into one of our stores and just mention the school or community organization for you to get credit.

Needless to say, in addition to benefiting from the fundraiser and helping save our Earth by recycling,   everyone can save up to 50% on remanufactured cartridges.  It’s what at Cartridge World we call a Win-Win-Win Situation!

Call us to set up your school or community organization!

• Bloomingdale:  630-893-6300
• Downers Grove:  630-353-1113
• Wheaton: 630-653-5500

Cartridge World Bloomingdale/Wheaton/Downers Grove Asks: Is Your Business Focus Getting Blurry?

In the world of small business ownership, one of the biggest challenges business owners face today is the ability to stay focused.  Fully understanding how detrimental lack-of-focus can be for their business, business owners and managers often struggle with this issue.

In our on-going efforts to help our customers, Cartridge World Bloomingdale/Wheaton/Downers Grove would like to offer 5 tips for keeping your business in focus.

1. Do the task at hand – When it comes to time management issues, it is easy to fall into the mistaken belief that you can multi-task, thereby using your time more efficiently.  Time management experts and business coaches all seem to agree that this is the best way to ensure that nothing gets done well.  You may be able to do more than one task at a time, but sharing your attention with many projects, can result in low-quality work.
2. Prioritize your tasks – There are several good matrixes available to help you prioritize your tasks.  Here is one  by Stephen Covey from his first book “First Things First.”  Mr. Covey suggests putting together your priority list using a matrix to categorize each of your tasks and then numbering them on a list to keep you organized.  For items that require clear fresh thinking, make sure to schedule them at your peak operating times.  If you are a night owl that might be after lunch, whereas a morning person would probably prefer to do these tasks in the morning.  Whatever time you schedule them for, be sure to focus on the task alone and not allow non-emergency interruptions.
3. Take a break – It may seem a counterproductive notion, especially when you have so much to do; but working for short periods of time, 45 to 60 minutes, can actually increase your productivity.  Set a timer or alarm and schedule breaks throughout your day.  Get up and walk around, get a glass of water, talk to a friend or colleague about a non-work item.  You will come back refreshed and better able to concentrate on the next task on your list.
4. Deal with it the first time – In the day of the overrun email box, it is a good habit to treat emails like you used to treat postal mail. It can be overwhelming to sit down at your computer and see 7000+ emails waiting for you.  Go through your emails with a ‘read it once’ attitude.  If it is unimportant trash/delete it at once.  If you will need to follow up on it star it or otherwise mark it as important.  Set a time reminder for when you need to follow up on it.  If it is something that you need to keep as a reference for a later time file it.  All email programs allow you to make folders.  Use this key feature as a way to keep your inbox empty.  By the time you have gone through your emails in the morning, your email box should be empty or only have the items you plan on dealing with immediately.
5. Plan your week based on tasks – Group like-tasks for specific days.  If a particular weekly-task seems to take up most of a day, then schedule a specific day for that task.  Schedule other tasks that require less time but are similar in focus around the main task for that day.  This will also help your clients know when they can count on reaching you or hearing from you.  If you schedule your non-emergency follow-ups for a certain day of the week, you will find your clients adjusting their communication with you to fit that schedule whether you inform them of it or not.

Organizing your day, week and tasks is one of the best ways to keep your business flowing smoothly.  At Cartridge World Bloomingdale/Wheaton/Downers Grove, we want to help you with running your business more efficiently.  Remember to check out our special services for small businesses such as product delivery and services for your printer.  Come in to one of our stores and let us help you with your printing needs by providing re-manufactured and refilled printer cartridges.

You can also find us on the web at our blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter pages.

Cartridge World Bloomingdale Asks: Are You Recycling Your E-Waste?

In the new frontiers of recycling, one of the most important ones is E-Waste.  E-Waste is the shortened version of “electronic waste,” and although it mainly refers to computers, it also includes cell phones, TVs, stereos, gaming systems and anything electronic.

International Greenpeace reported that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated that over 4.6 million tons of e-waste ended up in landfills in the year 2000.  The ensuing problem is the contamination of the ground, ground water, and air being polluted by toxins as these items break-down or are burned.  So what is the solution?

Re-Use—In the waste hierarchy of Reduce-Reuse-Recycle the first to be approached in E-Waste is the reusing of old electronics.  This is appears to be the most practiced methods, as most families will put the old computer in the kids’ room and or pass the old cell phone down to the pre-teen for their first phone.  While it makes sense to extend the use of these items, it does not deal with the eventual problem of where to put it after it is beyond being used. Many of these items will eventually be shipped to third world countries to be used in their schools– which although admirable–then leaves the items to be disposed of in a country that does not have the necessary technology to do so in an environmentally-sound way.

Re-Cycle – The next step in the waste hierarchy also brings its own problems. The main problem with recycling e-waste is that if it is not done in an appropriate facility, the workers can be exposed to the harmful chemicals found in the plastics.  The plastics need to be cared for in a location that does not incinerate them, thereby releasing the chemicals into the air.  Again, when these items end up in developing countries the workers being exposed to these chemicals are usually children.

E-Cycle – An environmentally-conscious method of recycling commonly known as “e-cycling,” is rapidly gaining ground: People recycle their electronics by taking them to centers that will properly dispose of or recycle them.  Most communities have designated dates for people to take their electronics to a certified e-cycling facility. All three communities that we serve, Bloomingdale,  Wheaton and Downers Grove have e-cycling programs in place.

Additionally, following the entrepreneurial spirit of our country, private companies are sprouting offering incentives for people to turn in their used electronics.  One such company is  ECO-ATM,  with kiosks in shopping malls around Chicago, that offers cash for your used or broken electronics.  We recommend, however, if choosing a private company, that you do your due diligence to ensure that your electronics will be properly disposed of or recycled.

At Cartridge World Bloomingdale, Downers Grove and Wheaton, we pride ourselves in helping our customers find new ways to recycle.  Come in one of our stores and let us help you with your printing needs by providing re-manufactured and refilled printer cartridges.  You can also find us on the web at our blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter pages.

It’s Tax Season 2013 And Cartridge World Bloomingdale Is Here to Help

We didn’t fall off the Fiscal Cliff but the 2013 Tax Season is still approaching and giving many people nightmares over what they should expect.  On January 8^th, 2013 the IRS announced that it would delay the filing season by 8 days, allowing paper returns to begin being filed on January 30, 2013.  This along with the new tax rates passed by Congress with the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 will mean that tax accountants and individual preparers will need to make some changes this year.  A concise synopsis of the new tax rates can be found here.

With all of the above changes we at Cartridge World Bloomingdale would like to remind you of some of the services we offer during this time.

1. Free Delivery – If you purchase over $100 in supplies we are happy to deliver it to you.
2. Refill Service – Remember we refill ink and Laser toner cartridges for the following brands: HP, Brother, Epson, Cannon, Kodak, Lexmark, Dell, OKI Data, Dell, Samsung, and Xerox.  We also offer a replacement option where you drop off your empty cartridge and replace it with one we have already refilled.
3. Printer Repair – The last thing you need is to worry about your printer during tax season, call us if you need a repair.  We service all brands and models.
4. Paper Supplies – We carry paper products as well as printer cartridges.  Be sure to stock up when you come in to refill your ink and toner cartridges.
5. Same Day Service – We offer same day service on most products.  Check with us about your particular needs.

At Cartridge World Bloomingdale we strive to meet all your printer, ink, toner and printing needs.  Call us at 630-893-6300, or visit website/Facebook page to see our services. We are now on Pinterest.  Come by and check out our boards.

You can also visit our two other locations:

Cartridge World Wheaton                                            Cartridge World Downers Grove
97 Danada Square East                                                  7341 Lemont Rd.
Wheaton, IL  60189                                                          Downers Grove, IL  60516
(630) 653-5500                                                                   (630) 353-1113