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5 Ways To Acquire Machinery For Your Business

3/26/2021

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Almost all modern businesses rely on some form of machinery to operate. A few examples of business machinery include construction cranes, die cutters, combine harvesters, commercial dishwashers, digital POS displays and office computers. There are many different ways to acquire these types of machinery. Each form of acquisition comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. Here are the five main acquisition methods compared. 

Hire it
Hiring machinery can be a cheap way of acquiring machinery when you only need it for a temporary period. For example, a commercial cleaning company may decide to hire an industrial floor cleaner for a one-off job involving a polished floor. If this cleaning company rarely deals with polished floors it wouldn’t make sense to permanently acquire a machine. Of course, you don’t want to keep hiring a machine that you’re going to use regularly as this could end up being very expensive. 

Lease it
Leasing machinery is like hiring machinery but for a longer period. You don’t own the machinery, but you still get full use of it. You pay a monthly fee to lease the machinery and at the end of your lease you can trade your machinery in for new machinery. You don’t have to pay high upfront costs as you would when buying machinery, however you may end up paying more in the long run. 

Buy it
Buying machinery gives you full control of it. You can rent it out to others and even sell it when you no longer need it. Of course, machinery can be very expensive to buy. You could buy it using a loan, but this could mean having to pay large interest fees - which could make it just as expensive as leasing. It depends very much on the type of machinery you’re acquiring and how you plan to use it as to whether buying is a good deal or not. There’s no point leasing a card reader for $20 per month when you can buy one outright for $50. 

Build it
If you need a machine to meet your custom needs, then building the machine may be the best option. This is common in manufacturing where a machine may have to be custom built to produce a certain product. You’ll likely need to hire a specialist company to build this machine for you. In some instances, you may be able to save money by sourcing your own parts such as specialty wire online. In some cases, you may be able to buy existing machines and customize them to your needs to save money. 

Outsource it
When it comes to machinery that you don’t have space for or machinery that you don’t have training to operate, outsourcing this machinery is usually the best option. This could involve outsourcing a factory to produce a product instead of setting up your own factory, or outsourcing a crane operator and a crane to help on a construction job. Outsourcing can also be a way of saving money in some cases, although you do have to weigh up any fees that the manufacturer may charge for their service. ​
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You Should Design Your Home Office Differently

3/22/2021

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What should the design of the home office be? This is the hottest topic of question on the lips of business owners, employees, industry experts and politicians. How on earth can we agree on this question, when we can’t agree on how commercial offices should look? This should give you a pointer as to where the discussion is headed. It all depends on what you like. We think that you should consider designing your home office not to look like your desk at the office, but completely new and different.
Your chair

You will be sitting in a chair for about 8 or so hours every single day, so make sure it's a chair that you feel very comfortable in. The main type of chair you should look at is the executive chair. They are very padded, with armrests and a high headrest as well. However, they are heavy and they might dig into your carpet. A similar style is the gaming chair, which has all these features but with less padding. If you would like to sit with a cushion and would rather have a lighter and more versatile chair, then go for it!

Play it cool

The home office is going to be a smaller room than the office floor, so that means more muggy and stagnant air. It's only going to be solved with a good air conditioning unit that can keep you cool throughout the day. But it also means it has to be working for another 8 hours a day. This was not something that you demanded from it before, so always have a trusted HVAC Repair service standing by to help you in the event of a malfunction. They are a 24-hour service, with 99% of the parts required to repair any HVAC. efficient repairs and usually on the same day, means you can get back to work and stay cool in spring and summer.
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Wall to wall inspiration

Maybe the room you have selected doesn’t have artwork or photos, which is perhaps one of the reasons you chose it to be your new office. However, bald walls don’t inspire. So we recommend that you choose to decorate your wall in things that would give you motivation. It could be historical moments of triumph such as an important battle your nation won. It may be people of great willpower such as Nelson Mandela. It might be animals that you find beautiful like a jaguar in the rainforest. 

Fresher air

It's a well-known fact that plants reproduce oxygen. We think it would be brilliant for you to have a plant in your home office to add style and also, improve air quality. The most popular types of plant are the snake plant, ZZ plant and the English Ivy. Put a plant on your desk if you can or perhaps in the window sill to brighten up your workspace.

There are lots of ways you can make your home office more appealing both in style and in comfort. Design the office differently from how your workspace is, so a new mindset and new approach to working is fostered.

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Is Cryptocurrency a Viable Option for Your Business?

2/26/2021

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As a business, you may think about cash or credit cards when it comes to payment methods. But these days, when launching any form of business, you've got to think about more forms of currency. And this is not just in reference to PayPal or Apple Pay, but cryptocurrency is now the way to go. But should you be using cryptocurrency in your business? 


The Rise of Cryptocurrency
In the last few years, businesses have been using cryptocurrency, and as it has gained significant popularity among individuals and businesses, this will give a business more options. Businesses can now use cryptocurrency as a viable payment method. But it's not just about this, it's about realising that it opens you up to a whole new world, especially when it comes to trading. It's an unregulated currency, which can cause concern, but you must remember that when it comes to keeping up to date with new technology, cryptocurrency is front and centre. It can be a perfect way to raise additional funds, especially when selling Ethereum or using your time to take part in data mining. It's vital for a freelancer to diversify their earning potential. So for anybody looking to earn something extra on the side, cryptocurrency could prove to be the best way to bridge budding entrepreneurs when they are struggling.


The Benefits of Cryptocurrency 
Many people are naturally concerned about the use of cryptocurrency. But it's crucial to realise that there are many positives, not just as a method of payment, but as the method of payment:


  • Quicker transaction times. Traditional bank payments consist of a long waiting period. Even when a payment leaves a customer's account it can take a number of days to be received by the business. 
  • A reduction of transaction costs. If you need to diversify your business and promote too wide and far-flung markets, the traditional fees given by banks for processing card transactions can impact your profits. 
  • Protection against fraud. Security is crucial when it comes to company accounts, and cryptocurrency is supported by blockchain technology. This means their transactions are final and cannot be reversed or cancelled.
  • High conversion rates. Cryptocurrency is growing exponentially. And this means that if you are using cryptocurrency as a payment method, it can increase your conversions because many individuals are using cryptocurrency as their primary means of transaction. This is because it provides security to the owner, at a much lower cost.


Is Cryptocurrency a Good Option?
As a small business, you may feel very concerned about cryptocurrency. But as far as transaction speed is concerned, it can be vital to invest in this. And for the malleability of cryptocurrency, especially for a freelancer, it is going to help you save money in the long run. Naturally, cryptocurrency is volatile, but as any stock is volatile, you need to weigh up the risk. Overall, it is an incredible opportunity for businesses to expand their market. It could very well have a positive impact on your bottom line!

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Launching A Startup In 2021? Here’s What To Do First

1/8/2021

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If 2020 has taught us anything, it's that some things are out of our control. The world is changing and at a fast pace, which is obligating us to adapt to a new lifestyle and look for new opportunities. If you're contemplating launching a startup this year, do these four things first.
  • Plan​
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Writing a business plan is a crucial part of starting a business. It helps to ascertain the viability and feasibility of a company before too much time and money is invested. Saying you're going to start a business isn't enough; it's always easier said than done. What you have to do is sit down and write out a pan. What type of business do you want to mount? How much capital do you want to invest in it? Is your business going to thrive amidst the pandemic? Make plans for unforeseen changes too. A business plan not only provides strategies on how to start your business, but it also gives an insight into what approaches to take, what resources you'll need to start the business, among others. Failing to plan is planning to fail. 
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  • Determine the type of business 
What business do you want to venture into? If you're confused about the kind of business to start, you could write out a list of things you're passionate about whether it is the manufacturing, beauty, or construction industry. But above all, your business should aim to tackle problems or solve the consumer's needs. To determine the type of business, conduct a market study. This will reveal if there's a ready and potential market for your business and your existing competitors on the market. In the US alone, small businesses make up 99.7% of businesses, according to the US Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy. Conducting a market study could help you find a competitive advantage for your business.
  •  Assess your finances
Planning a business and determining the type of business are just ideas, which are worthless unless paired with execution. Nobody would care about your business as much as you would. So, how much do you consider your startup business to be worth? How much do you intend to invest as capital?  How do you intend to acquire the stipulated capital; by yourself or by borrowing from a bank? You don't need huge sums to begin a business. You could start with something small. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day. From your plan, you should have a fair idea of how much you'll need as a startup cost. It's a good idea to overestimate your startup cost, perform a break-even analysis, and consider available funding options just in case.
  • Create and design an easy to use website
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The E-commerce rate has risen over more than 30% in the wake of COVID-19, we live in times where consumers prefer to purchase by clicking. 2021 is the best year to start an online business like freelance writing, coaching, graphic design, delivery business, and the list goes on. You want to create an easy to navigate website which makes buying easy. Consider making your site mobile friendly as well. Nobody has time to grab a laptop just to assess your site. Think of convenience to the consumer when creating your website. Online content consumption is higher than ever; take advantage of it!

There are clearly more steps that need to be done but getting these first crucial items covered will get you well on your way to having that new business idea turned into a reality.

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Costs to Consider When Starting a Business

12/18/2020

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2020 has thrown many of our careers into disarray. The coranvirus and Covid-19 pandemic has brought chaos with it, not only in threatening our physical health and wellbeing, but in damaging our economy and finances too. The restrictions that governments around the world are putting in place are in good faith and are actively slowing the global population’s infection rate. But it’s impossible to deny that these restrictions have taken countless businesses down with them. Many companies have been unable to withstand the restrictions and have collapsed. Many of us have lost our jobs. A huge number of people have been made redundant. Then there are those of us who have been furloughed and had sufficient time to realise that the careers we’re currently in aren’t the right ones for us. If you’ve found yourself in any of these situations, you may be one of many people who are considering starting their own business. Now, if you have a  great product or service concept that can work during the pandemic, this is great and you could experience profound success and huge profits. But you should also be aware of the costs of running a business when you head into things. Here are a few to take into consideration!

Manufacturing

If you’re planning on selling a product, remember that there are going to be costs involved in manufacturing it. This is true no matter what product you’re making and selling. You’re inevitably ging to have to take one of two options. The first is outsourcing. This means handing over a product design to a third party manufacturer and paying them to create it. The second is bringing manufacturing in house. This means investing in specialist machinery, specialist equipment like a tungsten carbide nozzle and hiring staff to operate said machinery. The most cost effective option for you will likely depend on the volume of goods you’re producing.

Staffing

Sure, many business owners will take the bulk of the work on their own two shoulders when they first start out. But eventually, as you establish yourself as a brand, start making sales and see increases in demand, you’re going to have to take on staff to help. One person can only do so much and continuing to do things alone will see poor customer service and problems with reviews and reputation. So, you’re going to have to hire staff - who come with a cost - at some point. Consider part time, full time and even occasionally self employed individuals for one off tasks like web design, new product descriptions or other tasks.

Commercial Premises

If you continue to grow, you’ll eventually need to expand into commercial premises. Sure, operating from home can work on a smaller scale. But as you grow, you will need more space for yourself and your staff. Whether that’s brick and mortar stores or office spaces.

These are just a few costs associated with running a business. There are, of course, more. But hopefully, some of this information will help you to get the ball rolling in the right direction!

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Top Tips for Optimal Customer Service

12/2/2020

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Whether you’re in the thick of customer service, or you manage a team of experts in customer care, there are a few basics that it’s always worth brushing up on. So, if you want to give your team some tips to follow leading up to one of the busiest times of the year, then read on for some expert guidance on great customer service. 

Make it easy for the customer

One of the things that customers find frustrating is when the purchasing or communications procedure is complicated and takes unnecessary time. How often have you been buying something online only to give up when you discovered they didn’t take Paypal? At every step of the purchasing journey your customers take, you should be asking yourself how to make things easier for them. Whether it’s a credit card reader, scanner, or mobile point of sale, you can get one here to make things easier for your customer and ensure they slide smoothly from browsing to purchasing. 

Good product knowledge

If you want to provide amazing customer care, then flawless product knowledge is absolutely key. You need to trust your team and successfully delegate tasks to them and, for that to work, you should feel certain that they know the business inside-out. If Christmas and the holidays are a busy period for you, then it might be worth investing in some training days to make sure that everyone’s up to speed. If some employees are part-time or working reduced hours, then dedicate some time at the beginning of a shift to fill them in on any changes or developments. Remember, your customers should feel safe and confident that they’re dealing with experts in the product or service that they’re purchasing. 

Take on feedback

It can be challenging to deal with complaints. We all might know that you should avoid challenging the customer, but this can be difficult especially if it turns out that the customer is not always right. However, regardless of what they’re saying, you know you have to paste on that smile and let them have their way. Instead of letting angry or complaining customers irritate you, instead think about it as an opportunity for feedback. Some people will always try and get something for nothing, but other customers might have a genuine concern that they want to raise. Instead of getting defensive, use it as an opportunity to grow and develop your business.

Start a conversation

It’s important to get to know your customers. Firstly, because knowing who they are and what they like will mean you can interact with them far more easily and efficiently. But not only that, it will make expanding and developing your business that much easier if you’re already aware of your customer’s likes and dislikes. This might be straightforward in a face-to-face interaction but what if your business has gone digital? This is where you can really use a service like Facebook audience insights, to see what other pages your customers have liked and tap into their interests.

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Delivering The Best Customer Service to your Clients

11/25/2020

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Investing in customer service is one area of your business; you should never shy away from. Being proactive and making sure you, your employees and your company is doing all it can to make sure the customer experience is a good one will be one of the best ways you can not only grow your company but also help with marketing too. After all, word of mouth is still one of the most powerful marketing tools available, and a good customer experience means positive referrals and feedback.
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So how can you build upon and expand your customer service?

Products and Services.

What you are offering needs to be top-notch and fit for purpose. Making sure your providers or products meet the customer's demands and do what they need it to will keep people coming back time and time again. Opting for lower quality materials and packaging will show, and this will have an impact on the overall customer experience. Look at ways you can invest in products and packing such as products from https://plaspack.com/industry/food-beverage/ can help you invest in high-quality materials that will help you to deliver the best customer service possible.

Feedback

Feedback is vital to help you make sure you are on point when it comes to how your customers are finding the experience of dealing with your company. Constructive feedback will help you to hone in on areas where you can do better and help you to look at your options going forward. Invite feedback from clients, staff, vendors and more to help you to do what you do but better.

Always focussing on your goals by utilising feedback makes for a better entrepreneur and gives your customers the confidence that you really do have the best interests at heart.
Effective feedback requires you to ask the right questions and upon receiving results will also give you a good base for any expansion plans you have in mind and ways you can meet gaps in the market and fill any demand that other companies are overlooking.

Training

For yourself as well as your employees. Making sure everyone is reading from the same tool sheet and working from the same page is vital to make sure that no matter who your customers come into contact with, they have the same experience and benefit from the same knowledge level. 
Thorough and complete staff training also boosts employees confidence and gives them the correct tools needed to do their job. Low staff morale leads to poorer levels of customer service, and this will have an almost immediate and detrimental effect on your levels of customer service.
No matter the enquiry or the contact point, your team needs to know the appropriate answer, and if they don't, they need to efficiently be able to direct them to a place where their query will be dealt with swiftly. This will bolster customer confidence in your and your company and lead you back to higher levels of customer satisfaction. So remember, no one ever knows everything, and there is always room for growth and the ability to learn something new along with implementing newer, more efficient methods in business too.

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A Weight Off Your Shoulders: How To Delegate Tasks & Manage Workflow

11/12/2020

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Being a business owner is such a lot of pressure, as from day 1 the responsibility is on you to make this whole thing work. From creating products to implementing marketing campaigns, providing customers with a quality service and even disposing of your waste in a safe, planet friendly manner - every task seems to fall down to you, encouraging your stress levels to reach overwhelming levels. If this is the case, you must make an effort to learn how to delegate tasks and manage your workflow in a more proactive way. Luckily there are a few key tips and tricks that you can make the most of to ensure you can keep calm and controlled when pushing your business towards maximum profit margins, and it couldn’t be easier to get started today. So, if you would like to find out more, then read on to uncover some of the best steps that you can follow now to achieve business brilliance in no time at all. 
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Find A Trusted Team 

Though it can be extremely difficult to let go of some responsibilities to allow other people to take over, finding a trusted team of experienced staff to support you in your journey is absolutely vital if you wish to progress. You can’t continue to grow as a business if you only maintain 1 member of staff, so there’s no time like the present to search for someone skilled who can support you in your quests to grow. Finding a trusted team needn’t be as difficult as you might initially believe, as there are many sources of qualified candidates that you can interview and assess to evaluate their suitability. Be sure to go through a thorough questioning process that can offer a good display of their capabilities as well as their personality too. Having a right hand man can cut your workflow in half, so it’s the perfect way to cut some pressure without having to make a huge change. 

Don’t Be Afraid To Outsource 

If you don’t want to go through the hassle of interviewing and employing an extra pair of hands, why not outsource certain tasks or services instead? There are many professional brands that provide other businesses with specific specialist support, in all manner of different areas and tasks. Whether you need a marketing maestro to take your products to the people, or an e safety specialist that can protect your systems and services from the outside world, there’s bound to be a reputable supplier that’s ready and waiting for your call. If you think you may want to learn more about how you can benefit from something like outsourced IT support then click here, as you’ll find a whole host of reasons why you should make the switch to outsourcing. 

Handling the stress and pressure of running your own business has never been so easy when you’re able to follow the steps detailed above. Find quality staff that can help you thrive, and outsource specialist tasks and services that require more skill. 

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How Employers Can Support Their New Remote Team

10/27/2020

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During these uncertain times, many of us are having to adapt to new ways of working. Employees all over the globe have been asked to work from home wherever possible, which can be stressful and overwhelming, especially as it has been an unplanned and sudden change. 
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There are, however, some steps that employers can take to help lessen the stress of working from home for their employees. Having to operate in highly stressful conditions can have a negative impact on employees physical and mental health. Meaning, it is imperative that employers rise to the occasion and take on the challenge of supporting their employees. 

Have a look below at some of the ways employers can support their new remote team: 

Help To Build A Healthy Workspace

It’s very unlikely that all of your employees will have an ideal space that they can dedicate to working from home. Therefore it’s imperative that employers help and encourage their employees to find an area, where they can, that is away from the social area that used for relaxing and unwinding. You ideally need to prevent any blurred line between home and work life. If they don’t have the right equipment, such as a desk, it may be something to consider reimbursing or providing to them. 

Maintaining A Routine

While working from home does enable you to allow your employees to have a more flexible work schedule, it is still important for you to ask them to try and stick to a routine as best as possible. You need to encourage them to stick to a ‘work time’ and a ‘home time’, perhaps suggest they start and finish work at a similar time as if they were in the office. However, don’t make it compulsory and allow them the time to be flexible for things like shopping for essentials when it’s quieter, or going for their daily exercise. As long as you have a rough idea of when they will be available you are able to monitor their work-life balance and making sure they’re not overdoing it. 

Encouraging Wellbeing Practices

This time enables you to take a much closer look at your existing wellbeing strategy. Does it still work for a team that is working from home? Showing that you genuinely care about your employee’s wellbeing can help to boost engagement, trust, and productivity. Whether it’s directing them to the right website to order their glasses prescription from, offering online gym equipment vouchers, or offering to counsel or those who need support, it all goes towards looking after your employees while they are home. 

Investing in Technology

Providing the right technology for your employees can have a significant impact on their remote working experience. Proving them with the right tools for the job is essential, Giving them communication tools like video, voice calling platforms and instant messaging, can help you to stay connected to your employees. It’s also a good idea to think about investing in a recognition platform that enables you to provide recognition for good work and contributions even though they are working from home. 

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These are just four of the ways employees can support their new remote working team. Is there anything else you think should be included? 

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Purchasing A New Laptop

9/17/2020

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Nowadays most people own a laptop, and as they cost a lot of money and will hopefully last for a long time it is vital that you get a good laptop for the best price. There are often lots of deals on laptops, usually limited offers for a short period of time, by utilising one of these you can save an awful lot of money. 

If you are buying a laptop online these deals will usually be on the home page, so they are not hard to find. To get the best deals on laptops you need to look out for these special offers, but you do not need to simply buy the lowest priced one without any consideration for what the laptop entails. You must consider a few pointers first. 

First and foremost, you need to consider the brand of the laptop. If it is an unknown brand that does not have many products on display then I would stay away because, for one, you will not know whether they have a good reputation, and secondly, if they are not well known then there may not be good customer service available nor will there be a lot of people who know how to help you if certain aspects of your laptop start to fail. I would advise going for the well-known brands, such as Dell, Apple, and Acer, because you know you are guaranteed a great product as well as a great customer service and repairs team. 

The look of a laptop is also vital because let’s face it; you are going to be looking at it for the majority of the time then you don’t want to look at something unattractive. Therefore, get a design to suit you and a colour you will like. Nowadays laptops are available in literally every look you can imagine; you can even get changeable surfaces.

The battery is another important aspect because you need to pick a laptop that will have a fairly decent life once charged. There is nothing more annoying then charging your laptop to find that an hour later you have to plug it in and charge it all over again. Apple Mac’s are particularly known for their long-lasting battery life. 

If you’re looking for a business laptop, you need to make sure it is compatible with all the programs you need. It is often good to consult with industry experts here. You can read more about this online and the managed services available.

Finally, you need to consider the memory of your laptop along with the internet and network connections. Regarding the former, it is best to have a fairly substantial size memory, especially if you are going to be downloading things a lot of the time. Regarding the latter, you need to make sure the laptop you buy has the right internet features to suit you, for example, if you want to connect to Wi-Fi you will require a network card.

All in all, finding the best laptop deals does not just mean finding the cheapest laptop on offer, you need to make sure the laptop suits you and meets your requirements. My advice would be to scout out about five of the cheapest laptops then sit and compare the options they entail and choose the best one for you.

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