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What Have You Forgotten That Your Business Needs?

8/23/2020

As a business owner, you are continually going to be overrun with things to do. There is always something that needs sorting, there is always someone who needs some help, and there is always something going wrong. For this reason, it is really easy to miss something that your business needs, which can be a nightmare on its own. As such, we’ve written this article to help jog your memory on some of the things that you might have forgotten, but your business still needs. Keep reading if you want to find out more.

The Correct Equipment

First, you need to make sure that you have all the right equipment. You’d have noticed by now if you didn’t have the most essential stuff, but do you have fuels and lubricants to run the machines? As it’s not technically part of the equipment, it can be easy to overlook things like this, but it’s important to keep in mind that the machines won’t work correctly without things like this. It’s not a big issue though, simply order what you need and find out when it can get delivered to you. Shop around and find a supplier who doesn’t cost you a fortune and isn’t going to make you wait a lifetime to get what you need.

Or, it might be the case that something is broken and you need to replace it, but it’s gone to the bottom of your list because you got so busy. Bump it up and get the piece of equipment you need so your employees can do their job to the best possible standard.

Updated Technology

Another thing that you’re going to have to think about is updated technology. You can’t have your employees using computers from 2007 because they’re going to be slow and unreliable. As such, you’ve got to be willing to make the investment into the new tech on the market to keep your business competitive with all the others out there. If you do this, you are putting your company in a far better position than it would be with the old computers and tech.

An Expert In All Areas

Finally, you really need some kind of expert in all of your departments, if just to make sure that everything is running smoothly. We know that these can be quite costly, but it means that you don’t have to panic that something is going to go wrong all the time, and even if it does, an expert will know how to handle it. This is particularly important when it comes to IT and marketing, so do be sure to look into this. If you can’t afford this right now, then at least consider hiring a consultant to make sure everything is running smoothly.

We hope that you have found this article helpful and now have an idea about some of the things that your business needs, but you’ve forgotten about. Don’t panic, just get them sooner rather than later, and everything will be okay. Good luck.

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Bringing Your Coffee Shop Back to Life Post-Lockdown

8/19/2020

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When we open our businesses back up, we need to make customers feel safe. We cannot mess this up, we have to show that we are taking the government guidelines seriously. Customers who see that businesses are trying to protect them, we will be more inclined to feel an emotional connection to them. That means, the new form of loyalty! Emotional friendship is something so powerful, that businesses who don’t present a more ‘human’ touch, will always fail to hold onto customers in the long-term. But now that we have social distancing measures among others, how can we implement them more easily?

Signs of change

We have to show customers that we are following the guidelines, that the entire world is following too. Using coroplast signs, we can create bespoke images and text, to warn customers what they need to do. You can make a sign saying “wear a mask” along with an icon of a human wearing a face covering. You could also make a sign saying “two meters distance” and have two people standing far from each other with arrows or measuring dots in between.

Place these signs at the base of your lines in the store. Wherever the customers line up to the serving, place this sign on a stem and or platform. You should also place these signs on your windows, so passersby know that it's safe inside because you have such rules in place. If you have customers sitting outside al-fresco, then place the signs outside too.

What if customers don’t agree?

The key question for all coffee shop owners is, what if a customer walks into your store and doesn’t want to wear a mask or keep their distance from other customers? The sad fact of the matter is, you have to turn them around and refuse to serve them. They will also need to be kicked out of your store. Bear in mind, customers obeying your rules will want to leave your establishment, if you're too afraid to apply the law.

What if they become violent? This is why it's so important to have a good relationship with the local police. You should warn them that you will be opening up on this day and time and that you will call them if a non-compliant customer is causing trouble on your premises.

Also, consider hiring a security guard. They will need to be okay with the new rules. If they need to physically remove someone who isn’t wearing a mask, this is something that could be risky but they should know that this is part of the job requirements.

Indoor food and drink policies

Customers should not be allowed to pick food or drink items up, then put them back down again if they’re not buying them. If you have a pack of chips or perhaps some fruit bowls up for sale, customers should only touch these items if they are intending on purchasing them. This is a policy which you should enact in your business. Either write it down on a slate with some chalk or place a sign indoors. This will prevent customers who could have an illness from spreading it around your shop.

Social media

Showing customers that you’re open for business is crucial! Now more than ever you should drop any kind of pretence regarding marketing and just show the real deal. Take selfies in your store with lines of customers in the background. Ask customers if they would be okay with having their picture taken and post them online. Use their first names only and make it more personal such as “Cindy and Martin enjoying a muffin and a latte, come join us we’re open!” it's sounds so simple but it's so effective.

You can also take marvelous photos of your drinks and food as a way to bring customers out of their homes and places of work, to your shop even if it's just to buy some items and leave. You want to show the world what they’re missing out on!

Make local deliveries

Starbucks has already made announcements of stores making local deliveries and your shop should do the same. Allow people to make orders online and bring their food and drink to them. Remember, people are working from home so you no longer will be making deliveries to commercial offices, but people’s homes now.

Bringing your amazing coffee shop back to life isn’t going to be easy, but let’s face it, no one who owns a business will have it better anyway. So, let’s have signs reminding customers to follow the rules, keep a sound food and beverage policy and make deliveries where we can.

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Cleanliness Is Crucial In Modern Business

8/14/2020

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We’ve all had a lot more reason to be concerned with how we handle both waste and general dirt in the workplace as of late. If people weren’t taking hygiene seriously before, they are now. If you’re reopening your office, then you might find that a deep clean and much stronger hygiene routine is in order from now on. Here, we’re going to look at the options you should be considering.

From top to bottom
A lot of businesses are looking at reopening for the first time in months. Others are realising that they produce a lot more waste than they can typically get rid of, which can lead to it piling up and taking up storage space. Consider skip bin hire to get all the accumulating waste out of your office in one-go. This should be done as part of a comprehensive spring cleaning throughout the office, as you’re likely to find even more waste to add to the pile as you go through the workplace room by room and bit by bit.

Make it routine
A lot of business owners might think that they only need to invest in cleaning the office when it’s visibly dirty. However, dirt, dust, and grime can build up while you’re not looking and, even before you can see it, it can affect air quality, hygiene, and all manner of other health concerns. Outsourcing your cleaning can help you ensure you manage to fit the necessary provisions into your routine if you’re not able to take care of it yourself.

Help your team find peace of mind
Your employees are going to want to feel safe in the workplace, which means that a focus on making hygiene accessible must be put in place. First of all, make it a policy for team members to follow certain rules, such as using hand sanitizer and washing their hands after sitting down at or leave their desks. Then make sure that you provide all the supplies that they need to able to take care of themselves and their workspaces. If it will affect the feeling of safety and wellbeing, you can’t allow any exceptions.

Encourage forthrightness about illness
If people do not feel well, then you should encourage them to stay at home. Even if they feel well enough to work, but are showing symptoms of any transmissible illnesses, then you can have them work remotely, so they’re still able to contribute but without risking the health and safety of their coworkers. Traditionally, managers have been incentivised, though never explicitly, to encourage employees to work even when they are sick. For obvious reasons, this is not something we should be encouraging. It might take some time to adjust this part of workplace culture, but it is essential.

Clearing excess waste, making sure that regular cleaning happens, and providing your team with the sanitizing tools that they need are all examples of the kind of standard we all need to follow closely nowadays. More than ever, the health of the business depends on it.

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Why Make Life Difficult For Yourself? Top Tips For Avoiding Burnout

8/7/2020

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While being a small business owner is a satisfying and rewarding job, it can put a lot of stress on you if you are not cautious. You may wake up one day and realise that you can simply not keep going at the speed and intensity and speed that you are right now. Something has to give, and if you are not careful, it can be your health. What good are you to your business if you are ill?

Instead of keeping going until you drop, or throwing your hands up in the air and saying 'I quit', there are plenty of things that you can do to change the way you go about running and managing your business to make life easier. By putting the tips we share below into practice, you will find that you feel better, sleep better and accomplish a lot more.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Even the best business owner is better at some things than others. Maybe you are superb at winning big contracts but you scratch your head when it comes to optimizing your website content for search engines. Think about what you are good at and what you are not so good at, and delegate your weaker areas to someone who knows what they are doing. IT project management, for example, is best left to the professionals. You will be happier and your business will be happier.

Are you geared up for remote working?
Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, more of us than ever are working remotely, and people are beginning to see the advantages. All the hours you spend on trains and planes travelling to meet clients - if you are properly geared up, you can use that time to work. There is nothing worse than being stuck in a hot, stuffy office when you know you could be working better at home, or in your local coffee shop. Look at what you need to do to be able to work remotely - cloud storage, for example, and implement it.

Learn to say no
As a business owner, you want to say yes to every opportunity that comes your way. After all, who knows when the next one will be along? However, if you re saying yes to small scale jobs that don’t really benefit your business, but take time and effort away from bigger jobs, then you haven’t quite got the balance right. Learn which jobs to take, and which to turn down. It is difficult, to begin with, but can be very liberating.

Look after yourself
Running yourself down to the ground is the easiest way to rin your business into the ground as well. Make sure you are sleeping, spending time with your loved ones, getting plenty of exercise, drinking plenty of water and eating a healthy, balanced diet. It sounds simple, but you would be surprised how many people neglect this,especially when trying to get their business going.

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Ways To Get On Top Of Your Business Saved to Drive

8/7/2020

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If you have a business in a specific niche, such as dentistry or perhaps interior design, you need to be on top of your game from start to finish. Technology drives every industry forwards; which means that even if you are in the industry of dental care, it can actually improve your business. You may want to look at Pact-One Solutions, Inc. for further information on how these IT companies can take you forward. It’s also important to look at how it can affect your employees.

How Technology Can Improve Employee Function

Businesses can better manage large groups of employees using technology. For example, there are some special applications that record customer service call times. Thus, the respective managers provide opportunities for training to the employees who they deem need. Another example of the benefits of technology in business is that of employees - drivers. With the use of GPS and speed control systems, their vehicles are under constant supervision by their managers and this has several positive results. Apart from the seriousness and responsibility of the company, the employees must realise that they must follow set rules.

Drive Forwards Innovation

Every industry wants to thrive and each company, depending on the sector in which it operates will have its own needs. Where the company can automate a process, it automatically redirects its financial and other resources. This saves time and money in theory and practice. Automation can occur in many areas and greatly benefit your business while helping you stay in touch with your customers. For example, automation can record the progress of an order and or of someone’s treatment plan. For example, dentists can tell patients what work they will be having done, display it on a screen and give them the opportunity to see what will happen, what the outcome may look like and plenty of other information can be displayed making it really simple. Much time has passed since the days of no technology and now we are onto the next level of development. Customers are now given the opportunity to order anything online. In this way they automate the ordering system making it simpler and easier for the customer. At the same time, they are promoting this opportunity to a large population of people who use the internet on a daily basis.

Many companies nowadays have changed the way they carry out their training programs. They have turned them into automated online programs and corporate training centers, which makes it easier for employees to learn new information and develop their skills. In addition, it allows people to repeat any module they wish, without costing the company any more training costs. There is no reason to let business overwhelm you anymore.

The benefits of technology in business are many and if properly taken into account every business can evolve and achieve its goals. In order for a business to survive, but also to grow, it must be constantly informed and properly use every technological means that will help it to optimize its benefits and facilitate the lives of every potential customer.

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Top 4 Aerospace Startups to Watch Out For

8/6/2020

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Amazon's Jeff Bezos and Tesla's Elon Musk are two of the world's top entrepreneurs who have re-ignited the space race. Since Musk founded his SpaceX rocket company in 2010, he hasn't looked back. Fast-forward to today, his US-based private space company has achieved major milestones such as sending US astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) and bringing them back safely to the earth. However, Musks is not alone. Companies like RapidPSI are also into aerospace manufacturing and design processes. Here is a list of the top 4 aerospace startups to watch out for.

1. Earth2Orbit

Also known as E2O, Earth2Orbit is an aerospace engineering company that aims to develop India to become a world leader in the space industry. Specifically, their goal is to ensure that India will account for at least 25% of the world's booming space industry. And indeed, the company has demonstrated that the dream is feasible. Considering the fact that the world's space industry value hovers around $314 billion, Earth2Orbit does have a chance to thrive in the valuable industry.
Following the footsteps of Elon Musk, E2O's founder Sushmita Mohanty, wants his startup to go down in history as the first successful private space company in India. They have big dreams as well, such as wanting to take astronauts to the moon and even Mars. In 2012, the company launched its very first client satellite (the PROITERES-1) using the PSLV.

2. Team Indus
With a history of establishment stretching back to 2010, Team Indus wants to leave lasting impressions in the annals of space launch systems. Rahul Naray, the founder of the Bangalore-based company, has won the financial support of investors such as Nandan Nilekani (of Infosys) and Ajai Choudhary (of HCL). Team Indus achieved their major accomplishment when they won $1 million for participating in the Google Lunar Xprize.

3. Lilium

Founded in 2014, Lilium is an aerospace engineering company in Germany, Europe. The Munich-based aerospace startup is one of the hottest trending European aviation companies that looks promising. They are on a mission to develop commercial air-taxis. So far, they have produced a 5-seater aircraft known as the Lilium Jet. It's an electrically-powered lightweight aircraft with vertical take-off and landing capabilities. The Lilium Jet has flown its test flights successfully. It's such a revolutionary aerospace idea that will see passengers take off to the skies in an emission-free aircraft fully powered by batteries.

4. Wright Electric
Forget about Thomas Edison's General Electric (who are already leaders in the aerospace manufacturing business), instead, look at Wright Electric - a California-based aerospace startup in the USA. They gained prominence in the aerospace business when they showcased their idea of battery-powered commercial airliners, a very big dream but not so far from reality. Jeff Engler is the company's CEO. He admitted to naming his company after the popular American Wright brothers who pioneered aviation.

Since 2019, the company has been conducting test flights of a 9-seater battery-operated aircraft, which may go into action probably in the early 2030s or even sooner.

The aerospace engineering industry involves the research, design, development, construction, testing, science, and technology of aircraft and spacecraft, and even missiles. However, since technology changes with time, numerous aerospace startups are springing up with groundbreaking ideas.

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Enlist Marketing Help For Your Small Business

8/5/2020

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Marketing is vital for helping your business to grow. But for small businesses, marketing can be difficult. While yes, you understand that marketing will help connect your business to more people, the existing size of your business can mean that there’s nobody in place to take care of the marketing and do a good job of it too.

If you’re serious about marketing your business, then it’s worth bringing in some additional help to make it happen. A small investment on your part could have a big return, helping to spread the word about your business and help it grow.

Here are some of the ways you can enlist marketing help for your small business to help it reach new levels.

Hire a copywriter

Running a business involves many skills and talents, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that writing is one of them. Effective writing skills are essential for successful marketing, so if you’re lacking in this area, you might want to think about bringing in a copywriter to help you out. From drafting copy for your website to creating some social media posts, you could use a copywriter’s services to create engaging, useful content for your business you can use again and again.
Make the most of direct mail servicesDirect mail remains an effective marketing method, but it’s a lot of work to organize and can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. At https://www.action-mailing.com/data-services, you can benefit from full direct mailing data services to ensure you get the most from your marketing efforts. Direct mail can be particularly useful for showcasing your business in your community, as well as highlighting special deals and promotions as and when they’re needed.

Let someone else run your social media

Running the social media for your business is a full-time job in itself, and despite the number of benefits that come with being an active business on social media, many don’t use it to their full advantage. By hiring someone to run your social media, you can make sure that the day to day posting is taken care of, helping you increase your reach and engagement and grow your online following. While you could be nervous about handing over the reins to someone else, there are many benefits that come with outsourcing that will make it worthwhile.

Get someone to create a strategy for you

Sometimes all your business needs is a blueprint to help make sure you take the right direction for your marketing strategy. You can hire an external agency or individual to devise a marketing strategy you can follow to help you achieve your goals. This can be a great way to learn more about marketing and upskill people within your team, while still retaining control of the work. Your strategy will need reviewing regularly, but you’ll be off to a great start if you choose to bring in some experts to help you out.

Marketing is such an important part of your business, but it’s easy to neglect it when you have other priorities. Bringing in some outside help can transform your marketing efforts, helping you to achieve the growth you deserve to ensure a better future for your business.

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5 Things To Do If Your Business Is Growing Too Quickly

8/4/2020

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Explosive business growth can be just as scary as a sudden drop in sales. If not handled correctly it could result in poor customer service, unwise decisions, and a decrease in demand. So if your business has suddenly boomed and you’ve found yourself inundated with inquiries, here are five things you need to do.

Determine your client capacity

In an ideal world, you’ll never need to turn a client away, but if you’re finding yourself snowed under, it’s the right thing to do to ensure that you can deliver the service that you are promising to your customers. Sit down and determine your current client capacity and then put new orders on hold until you are in a position to take them. Make the most of the situation by turning your temporary pause into a marketing opportunity and set up a waiting list for people to sign up to. As you begin to hire new resources, you can then reassess your client capacity.

Outsource and trust

If you are overwhelmed, then relieve some pressure from yourself immediately by outsourcing areas of your business that you do not need to take care of in-house. You can outsource virtually any part of your business from HR at https://employeradvantage.com/hr-outsourcing/ to your social media marketing, whatever is taking up your valuable time, get it off your shoulders so that you can focus on growing your business.

Hire carefully

When your business begins to grow rapidly, it can be tempting to put out a job ad and to hire the first few people you interview simply because you need them right now. Don’t be foolish and risk hiring the wrong people by skipping stages in the hiring process. Outsource positions temporarily to allow you the proper time you need to make the right hire- it will save you money and hassle in the long run.

Don’t cut corners

The chances are that the reason why your business is booming is that you are offering superior service to your competitors or that you are operating in a new niche market. Don’t let your reputation for excellence or your position as a market leader be tarnished by cutting corners to save time or money. If this means lowering your client capacity temporarily or explaining that there could be a delay in delivery, then so be it.

Upgrade with future growth in mind

As you start to grow, you will need to adopt new software and systems. Don’t just choose a system based on how it fits your business now, but consider how it will serve you in the future if you continue to grow. Changing systems can be costly and time-consuming, so it pays dividends to put a little extra research in now so that they will continue to benefit you in the future.

Rapid change can be overwhelming, but this is an exciting time for your business. Use this time wisely, scale carefully, and remember your original mission, and you’ll have things back under control in no time.

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How Is Outsourcing Going To Be The Answer To Your Business Problems?

8/1/2020

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If your business is currently experiencing some issues, we bet that outsourcing can help with at least a few. Outsourcing is where you hire another company to take over certain tasks that your business needs completing, instead of hiring staff to do them yourself. There are a number of benefits to this, which is why it is the solution to a whole range of problems. If you want to know more about how outsourcing could be the solution you’re looking for, keep reading down below.

Saves You Money

The first reason that outsourcing is excellent is that it saves you money. As you’re not going to have to pay an entire team a full-time salary, you’re going to save quite a big chunk of cash. You might not know this, but it is going to cost you less money to outsource an entire department than it would to pay one full-time salary. If your business is struggling for funds right now, it’s certainly something that you should be considering. Remember, you’re only paying for the work they complete, so it’s a lot cheaper than the alternative.

Of course, different companies are going to charge different prices for their services, so it’s important that you look around and find the right fit for you. You don’t want to be in the position where you are paying a higher price when there is another company who can offer you the exact same services, the same high-quality, but for less money. This defeats the purpose!

Expert Help

Another benefit is that you are going to be getting the expert help that your business needs. Have you had a lot of problems with your employees in the past? Everyone makes mistakes every now and then, but when it is a more constant occurrence, it becomes an issue for the business. As such, the expert help that you are being offered by these companies is going to be hard to pass on. For example, if you need someone to handle your IT and you don’t have a qualified person to do it, outsourcing will help. The same goes for anything to do with accountancy. It can be a difficult task to complete thoroughly, but a company like Tri-Merit will be able to help you.

Less Stress

Finally, it means that there is less stress for you. As the business owner, you need to have your head in the game, but that doesn’t mean you have to be stressed to the max all the time. If you know that there are departments that are well taken care of, that don’t need you to constantly watch and make sure everything is going smoothly, you’re going to have a lot more free time. This means that you will be able to focus on the things that need your attention urgently, rather than worrying about every little detail of the business.

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now understand how outsourcing is going to be the answer to your business problems. Hopefully, your business won’t be struggling for long!

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A Cut Above: How To Ensure Your Business Offers A Superior Service

7/31/2020

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Competition to attract and retain customers is fierce. As a business owner, you have to ensure that your company is a cut above the rest, but how do you achieve this objective? If you’re on a mission to ensure that your business offers superior products and services, here are some steps to take today.

Invest in innovation

Innovation is crucial for business development and adaptability. Consumer preferences change and technology advances at lightning speed, and this means that it’s very easy to get left behind. If you’re committed to investing in innovation, you can move with the times. Ensure your team has access to the equipment and technology it needs to complete tasks seamlessly and efficiently. Use technology to improve the quality and enjoyment of the customer experience. Take advantage of solutions that help to enhance the functionality and durability of products. Consider the impact of video conferencing software and cloud systems for remote workers, chatbots for out-of-hours customer service for your website and processes like HVOF for components and products that are required to withstand extreme temperatures or exposure to the elements, for example. Whichever sector you operate within, embracing innovation can help you compete, provide a better service for your customers, produce better quality products and maximize profits.

Make customer service a priority

The quality of goods you provide for clients is essential, but it’s vital not to lose sight of the importance of customer service. In a world where over 85% of consumers now read online reviews, it has never been more important to ensure that customers enjoy the experience of dining, shopping, staying or ordering from you. Customers have high expectations, and their perspective of your brand will be heavily influenced by the service you provide. Whether you sell components for cars, you run a restaurant, you have a clothing store, or you own a luxury boutique hotel, it’s not enough to offer a product, an outfit, a meal or a room for the night. Clients want to enjoy an experience and they expect to be treated well. Every customer should feel valued, and you should strive to provide a quick, high-quality, personalized service. Extend a warm welcome, keep in touch, address clients by name, offer exclusive VIP discounts for regular customers and go out of your way to make the experience memorable for all the right reasons. Simple touches like offering a client a drink when they arrive at a restaurant, sending personalized emails, thanking online customers for their purchase and showing guests to their rooms can make a positive difference.

Analyse performance

Even if your sales are increasing, and you’re receiving positive reviews, it’s crucial to analyse your performance on a continual basis. Collect and evaluate data and use both positive and negative feedback to improve the service you provide.

As a business owner, you have to be able to compete with rivals and persuade customers to choose you over others. Hopefully, these tips will help you stay a cut above the rest.

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