3 Things To Look For When Shopping Around For International Currency Exchange

Companies that are growing to the point where they are doing business internationally face a number of considerations. Among the most practical is how to get currency transferred to another form, while saving the most money. With so many independent currency companies to choose from, not to mention conventional solutions like banks and Paypal, it can be difficult to find the best.

Nonetheless, there are certain earmarks which help separate the wheat from the chaff. These will help you find a company which could save your business thousands of dollars or much more.

If you have large or regular sums to transfer, you can’t afford not to find the best company for this purpose. Here’s what to look for:

Low, Variable Exchange Rates.

One of the best ways to find the company that works best for your needs is to call them. Take a couple of hours one day, lay out the contact numbers for 10 different currency transfer companies, and call them all about their rates. The reason you want to do this on a single day is so that you can compare their rates at a given moment. In addition to finding out who has the most beneficial rates for the amount you have to transfer, also see how much the rate will be discounted if you send even more money. Through these answers, you’ll be able to see which company will be the most affordable, today, and as your business grows.

Ask About Rate Locking Features.

The best companies keep your business by working with you to lock down the best rates. They usually do this with some combination of a dedicated agent – such as offered by Baydonhill – who will always be the one you contact by email or over the phone, and automated rate setting tools, like spot and forward contracts. Make sure these are offered transparently from the start, and take advantage of them to secure excellent rates when or before you need them.

Look For Low Fees.

Fees are surprisingly variable, company to company. Therefore, you’ve got to find the best, and also pay attention to how the fee might change if you were to send a different sum. Many companies offer a flat rate fee structure, until you cross a certain threshold, at which point the fee is waived or discounted. Others take a specific percentage of any amount. Some companies will be more affordable for small transfers, while others will make themselves most affordable for large transfers. Know what you’re looking for and take the time to find it.

There are many top finance blogs devoted to identifying excellent money transfer companies. But it is best to do your own research and negotiate the best possible deals for your business. By doing so, you’ll learn the industry and won’t be taken by surprise if you run into a less than ethical company. In general, the best companies are friendly and transparent. They are forthright with their rates, terms, and fee structures, and they are willing to work with you to get your business. Find one of these, and you’ll be able to transfer money for your business with excellent rates for many years.

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The Sandbox And The Titanic

by Jaime Bancroft Gennaro, CEO of Neologic

A recent New York Times article about the culture at Amazon has put this topic at the front of everyone’s minds… again.

And it created some discord between my husband and I.

As a business owner, developing a positive company culture and supporting employees is incredibly important to me. The employee stories that surfaced as a result of the Amazon article made me cringe.

I firmly told my husband that we needed to cancel our Prime account immediately in support of the people who work there. His responded with, “But they work at Amazon. They can get any job they want. They have the freedom to leave if they’re not happy.”

It’s an interesting argument.

Before I dive into it, let me define culture.

A way of life of a group of people – the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them.

Therefore, company culture is not created by one person. It’s constructed by the larger team. Yes, there’s a culture I’d like to see and encourage. But at the end of the day, it’s my team that can tell you what our culture is and what it is not. The trap leadership often fall into is this: they believe a culture they think they have created while their employees are existing in an alternate reality.

I have a mantra about giving internal teams time, outside of client work, to research and develop projects that they dream up. The goal is to move them from robotic tweet writing and micro design hours, in order to tap into their real talents. I am committed to building “innovation time” into our weekly non-billable hours, allowing time for internal teams to explore and create new ideas under the umbrella of research and development. This “innovation time” is the critical engine to keep client work fresh while leveraging people’s talents and enhancing team building.

But alas, as I’m writing this, we have hit a roadblock with an internal project which is now pulling more resources and time than was expected. And we’re all emotional about it because it’s our baby. Tensions are high and we haven’t solved one big issue, days before we present this idea to the world.

Literally as I write this, I’m wondering if my theory of splitting people’s time between agency work and internal projects can work.

Let me break it down into two parts: the project, and the team. The project may not work. We may not get around the obstacle or finish it in time for the presentation. But the team, and the work the team is doing, is great. The team has put their heads together to solve this issue. I haven’t asked anyone to work after hours; in fact I’m reminding them not to, but they want to solve it. And not just one person in a silo’ed space, developing alone. This is a cross-discipline effort. We have producers organizing data and strategists problem solving code work arounds.

And this is why I believe in this model. We are getting stronger as a team. This project will inform our next client project. We are learning how to jump over hurdles at our own expense. And we’re still laughing, because at the end of the day, we all know that we aren’t curing cancer. And it’s our project, so if we miss a deadline, we aren’t putting other people’s work or lives in jeopardy, this is our sandbox to play in.

Large corporations should stop developing philanthropic projects (i.e. Amazon Smile) before understanding that they are philanthropists just by being successful business owners. They have the ability to change lives, to support families and to allow people to thrive as human beings.

So yes, I’m happy for Jeff Bezos that he had an idea and grew it and profited. But he could have NEVER done it without his team. It took long hours and emotional toil to get that company off the ground, and there was a group at his side during that period. And now, to move the Titanic beast that is one of the largest corporations in America (#29 right after Citigroup, according to Forbes), takes the hard work of many people, working late nights and toiling, to keep the dream going.

And I believe they deserve more.

 

Jaime Bancroft Gennaro is the CEO of Neologic, a digital experience agency with an innovation lab. Neologic just launched their second internal project – a geo-cashing art-based app called, Cornbread. www.cornbreadapp.com

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Looking For A Reseller? Keep These 3 Tips In Mind To Find The Right Fit.

by Tony Tembunde, director at Network-Guarantee

When it’s time to purchase network hardware — such as routers, servers, switches, security solutions or wireless support hardware — you’ll have a few decisions to make. You’ll need to select a brand, decide whether to purchase refurbished or new hardware and choose whether to buy directly from the manufacturer or from a reseller.

Many technology purchasers choose to buy from a reseller because doing so offers several advantages. Not only can you typically find a more competitive price on the hardware you seek from a reseller, you can also access additional services beyond the hardware.

But if you’re in the market for hardware, how do you know what to look for in a reseller? What’s the best way to determine which one is right for you and your company? Here are three tips that can help:

1. Look for a money-back guarantee and warranty.

It’s important to make sure the reseller you choose stands behind the products they sell, whether you select refurbished hardware or buy new products. When researching potential resellers online, make sure the company offers a 100% money-back guarantee, and check into the types of warranties they offer on the products they sell. Reputable resellers who offer quality products will generally provide a 100% money-back guarantee as well as product warranties.

2. Make sure the reseller specializes in the hardware brand you want to buy.

Network hardware isn’t generic. Different brands have unique qualities and operating components. Some resellers offer products from a range of major manufacturers, including Cisco, Juniper, Northerly, Sun and HP. Others specialize in one brand only. Buyers generally get better service when they choose a reseller who specializes in a single brand. It’s better to work with a reseller who has in-depth knowledge of one brand than a reseller whose expertise is a mile wide and an inch deep.

3. Partner with a reseller who handles issues quickly.

Since network operations depend on the products you add to your infrastructure, it’s crucial to make sure you buy from a reseller who will provide an exceptional customer experience. Look for a reseller organization that is a registered partner with the OEM. That way, you’ll be assured of getting a quality product. Also make sure the reseller offers robust customer service. It’s important to find a reseller with trained experts on staff who can resolve any issues and answer questions quickly.

When it’s time to add to your network infrastructure, choosing the right hardware reseller is a critical decision, and it’s a large and competitive marketplace, so there are many options available. Product quality is a top concern, so make sure your reseller offers a guarantee to ensure your satisfaction, and look for a reseller with special expertise in the brand you choose as well as one who will provide excellent customer service. When you find a reseller who fulfills these requirements, you’ll be well on your way to establishing a productive partnership — and getting the products you need to keep your network going strong.

 

Tony Tembunde is Director at Network-Guarantee, a company that works closely with customers worldwide to define business requirements and provide the IT hardware and expertise companies need to succeed. Tony launched Network-Guarantee Ltd. during the global economic downturn several years ago, recognizing that people needed affordable solutions and products more than ever to overcome economic challenges. Tony leads strategy and operations at Network-Guarantee, driving global expansion.

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Building A Stronger Work Ethic Through Team Building

For any business organisation, the staff will be at the heart of the operations. Attaining a motivated and productive workforce that will allow your business to operate efficiently and profitably plays a significant part in the business’s successful operations. For people that need to manage staff, the desire to build a tight knit, loyal and profitable workforce is the ultimate dream.

However, many business owners and managers have no idea how to successfully manage or motivate staff in their business.

Things to acknowledge as a person who manages staff.

When staff are hired, they are there for their own primary interests, not yours. The agreement that you have with the employee will see them achieve a mutual agreement where they will receive a reward (usually in the form of income) in exchange for their services. You may build friendships and other relationship bonds with your staff, however it is important to remember the primary reason why they are there, what they value most and how that can impact your management style.

The aim to get people to become team players.

It is important to also acknowledge that not everyone is a team player. While many people will generally work towards the greater cause and collaborate with their colleagues, there are some people that simply cannot work in a shared team environment. Identify these people early and weed them out of your organisation. If they add value in an individualistic way, you can move them to a silo environment where they can still contribute to the organisation without affecting the team.

What is the value in team building for businesses?

Team building initiatives can help the operational efficiency and productivity for a business by improving the employee morale, workmanship, and value recognition by getting members of the organisation to work more cohesively. The Queensland Government urges businesses to engage in team building activities to extract the best from their workforce. In their resource in regards to team building in the workplace, they state that employees’ contribution will not only result in the succession or failure of a project, but also further contribute towards employee motivation and productivity.

How can businesses implement team building efforts?

There are a number of ways businesses can implement team building initiatives that will help to boost employee morale, motivation and workmanship. There are some initiatives that require little or no financial investment. And there are others that may require investment funding for the business.

Team bonding days out.

Build more excitement in the business with dedicated company days out that involve team building activities. Ideally, sports activities will be arranged and there will be a mixture of staff in the different teams. If not sports, some activities such as tug of war with the flag tied to the sisal rope that can motivate the team to victory.

Office games.

Simple games can be played at the office that will also encourage team building.

Games such as one truth and one lie can get teams to learn more about their employees lives outside of work. The game involves the staff members introducing themselves and telling one truth and one lie about themselves. Even getting your staff to play charades and aiding themselves with cooperative working abilities will be beneficial.

Once you have been able to develop a tight knit group through your team bonding initiatives, you will notice that the teams will manage themselves and that productivity will increase for the business, resulting in better output and profits. Recognise the value in team building activities and invest in it for your business’s future.

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FedEx Launches Small Business Grant Contest In Singapore And Hong Kong

FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp, is finally bringing its FedEx Small Business Grant Contest, a small business competition it first launched in the US three years ago to give small businesses have the chance to win grants to help them expand overseas into international markets, to Asia Pacific. It will be first introduced to in Hong Kong and Singapore in Asia Pacific, along with Brazil, to be the first three global markets outside of US, and with plans to be rolled out to additional markets in the future.

“At FedEx, we believe even ideas that start small can have huge potential, and the smart small businesses that we serve every day are a powerful illustration of that,” said Raj Subramaniam, executive vice president, global strategy, marketing and communications, FedEx Services. “The contest, which provides tangible financial grants, demonstrates our commitment to helping small businesses unleash their potential and realize their dreams. We are excited to bring this successful initiative to the international regions and look forward to seeing more small players in the global market,” he adds.

For the Singapore component, FedEx will be awarding in total grants worth S$40,000 – a grand prize of S$25,000; a first runner-up prize of S$10,000; and a second runner-up prize of S$5,000.

The contest is open to for-profit small businesses with 1 to 200 employees that have been operating for six months or more, and are not affiliates of overseas or franchised businesses. Between October 1 and October 31, participants can register online, where they will be asked to elaborate on their business dreams and plans to go global. In November, the small businesses who have been selected as finalists will be invited to submit essays that will provide further details of their business plans. Contest winners will be announced in early December.

For more information check out the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest website for Singapore and Hong Kong where you can register your interest. Interested small businesses in Singapore are also advised to check out the contest guidelines on http://ift.tt/1P4OJZp, while those based in Hong Kong can check http://ift.tt/1Rf2X9k.

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How To Hire Rock Star Employees

By Brian Sutter, Director of Marketing, Wasp Barcode Technologies

The definition of a rock star is a celebrity in any field or profession who is highly admired. While most people think of a musician when they hear that word, small business owners should be able to think about their employees as rock stars too. Hiring someone who will be “highly admired” in the workplace is the ultimate goal when filling any type of position.

In a 2015 small business survey, 42% of small business owners identified hiring new talent as their biggest challenge. Employees are a big investment for any business. The team of people hired will become brand ambassadors. Co-workers will team together to create a workplace culture and depending on who those specific individuals are, that culture could be positive or negative. This is why hiring the right people is so important and also why it is such a big challenge.

Rock Star Recruitment.

The first step for anyone ready to hire an employee is to get organized. Figure out what skills and qualifications will be required. It will also be important to know what schedule the employee will work as well as benefits that will be offered. Put all of these elements together and write a detailed job description. Clearing up any “grey area” ahead of time is crucial to finding the right fit.

Press Pass.

Interviews are what market a rock star in a positive or negative light. Even a short interview can tell a lot about a person. Pay close attention to all answers and even the tone of their voice. Are they enthusiastic and confidant? Do they answer experience related questions in an intelligent and knowledgeable manner? The Small Business Playbook says: “By just asking a few questions and listening to them speak, you can get an idea if this is a person you can possibly see working for you.”

Sound Check.

Once the interview process is complete and the pile of candidates has been narrowed down, it’s time to do some research. The sound check is a very unglamorous job but if this step is skipped the rest of the set-up was a waste. Find out what references and former supervisors think about your potential candidate? Did they leave their previous jobs on good terms? Were they on time and did they get along with co-workers? Don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions.

Backstage Pass.

After many interviews and reference calls the search is over and the future rock star has been invited backstage with the band, so to speak. They weren’t selected to join the team just by accident. Now that the new hire is officially on board the work isn’t really over. It’s important to start out with a well thought out and detailed training program with clear expectations. This immediately sets them up for success. Make sure co-workers are supportive and help them settle into company culture. Watch their attendance and job performance and meet with them to discuss their performance.

By doing your due diligence and not skipping a step, the newest member of the team has been selected, interviewed, recommended by references, hired, trained and then trusted to be part of the team. This is important; the cost of turnover for a small business with less than 64 employees is around $8,000. While it is not always this easy to hire an amazing, rock star, employee, it is never a waste to put time into one of the company’s largest investments.

 

Brain Sutter serves as Wasp Barcode Technologies’ director of marketing, where he sets the strategic direction and oversees the tactical execution of the company’s marketing programs.

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Communicating With Western Contacts Via Video Conferencing: A Quick Guide

Carnegie Mellon Business professor John Hooker points out in his study “Cultural Differences in Business Communication” that cultures rely on their core values. One such situation is business. It is for this reason that communication between businesspeople from different cultures with differing cultural values can be difficult, and this is especially true with the radically differing value systems of Asian and Western cultures. If you want to come off as the more professional party, you can take it upon yourself to learn a little bit about your partners’ business culture and adjust your behavior accordingly.

To help you with that, the following list summarizes several of the greatest fundamental differences you may come across is a video conference with Western business partners and how you can adjust your own behavior to make yourself come off as more diplomatic.

1. Provide Lots of Context.

As Hooker points out, most Western cultures are low-context, meaning that they are generally more specific about what they want and need more explicit instructions to assure understanding of a concept. Consider, as an example, the fact that low-context cultures like the United States of America tend to name all their streets and put up a lot of directional signs to tell civilians what to do. In a very high-context culture like Japan, the streets are very rarely given names and civilians are expected to find their ways around based on the fact that they have lived in the area for their entire lives and know the lay of the land. While the high-context approach is often more efficient for those “in the know,” the low-context approach works much more smoothly for diplomatic purposes. The point is, you should go the extra mile in providing clear directives when video conferencing with Westerners.

2. Try to Subtly Create an Informal Environment.

As one might be able to infer from the last point, Westerners tend to be a lot more direct than their Asian counterparts when it comes to business interactions. But a study by Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks found that, although Westerners tend to be considerably more blunt in the workplace, the level of directness they use when talking with friends is about equal to that of Asians talking to their friends. This means that you can try to create a more informal environment during your video conference where your Western business partners can consider you as a friend. Of course, you’ll want to do this subtly; you don’t want to come off as overly unprofessional. But you should try laughing, telling jokes, revealing personal details, and other friendly behaviors in order to establish a more laid-back tone. In this way, you can coax your Western business partners to adjust their behavior in a way that will minimize communication issues and you will also build a bond that will help win your partners’ favor.

Keep Power Distance in Mind.

Demand Media’s Eric Feigenbaum notes that there is a significant difference in power distance between Eastern and Western cultures, and this difference is especially noticeable when it comes to business culture. While it is expected that the inferiors in a Singaporean firm will not question their superiors or object to their orders, it is considered normal in a Western business. When the two cultures come together, this difference can cause problems if not addressed. To accommodate the Western businesspeople in a video conference, you should, although it may seem unnatural, think of them all as being on exactly the same level of power as you. If you are addressing a Western superior, it is important you do not come off as too subservient, as it will make others in the conference consider you to be weak. If you are addressing an inferior, it is important you do not appear aloof, as it will make others view you as rude. Do not be offended if a Western businessperson addresses in what you feel is an overly casual nature for a remote business meeting; it is just cultural differences at work.

Although the differences between Asian and Western business cultures are very numerous, you need not be daunted by intercultural communication. Your Western partners are probably also aware there are differences and will most likely also be making an effort to adjust their own behaviors in order to have the smoothest video conference possible. Realistically, you and them will probably meet somewhere in the middle. And while you are taking care of the human aspect of the negotiation, the last thing you need is for the technical side to cause problems for you. Making sure you have a quality video conferencing service – Blue Jeans Network Singapore is a good example – is a very important part of making sure everything runs smoothly. Combine good programs with communicative know-how and your video conference is almost a guaranteed success.

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How To Scale Your Business In 2016

by Lena Requist, president of ONTRAPORT

Startups that are prepared to scale have significantly more leverage in their own growth since they’re able to grow their operations without needing to quickly increase operating costs.

Invest in the Right Tools.

No matter what stage your business is at right now, automation – of everything from autoresponders to monthly billing to marketing – will always help increase efficiency and decrease the time that you spend on day-to-day business maintenance, allowing more time for growth stimulating projects.

By investing in the right tools early on, you’ll have an even easier time controlling and promoting your business growth. That’s why it’s worth spending money early on to do everything from develop a complete brand identity, to setting up a reliable, high delivery CRM and an international payment gateway.

The number one thing that you want to consider when looking at any new tools is whether or not the time it saves you is worth the money that you spend on it each month. If you can’t yet guarantee that the tool is worth the price, go with a free version that allows you to export your information from it at a later date as your business grows.

And if you can guarantee that the price of the tool is worth the investment, get the most practical tool that you can afford. Look for all-in-one platforms that fulfill multiple needs and let you rely on one team for support, rather than many.

Have the Right Mindset.

Another thing that many entrepreneurs forget about as time runs on is that it’s important to keep the right mindset when you’re looking to scale your business.

Every interaction should be looked at as an opportunity to make a new, beneficial connection. Every person should be dealt with as though they’re going to be your next best customer. And, most importantly, every customer should be treated as though they’re your best customer ever.

Be in the Right Place.

After you’ve invested in the right tools and made sure you’re in the right mindset for explosive growth, the only thing left to do is being in the right place at the right time. It seems obvious, but for so many early stage startups, the day-to-day of running operations bleeds over into everything and eclipses opportunities to learn more about their industry, about best practices for marketing and sales, and about the newest trends in entrepreneurship and small business operations.

That’s why events like ONTRApalooza (Santa Barbara, California | October 22 – 23, 2015) are designed specifically for entrepreneurs and small business owners with that in mind. In fact, by promising that you’ll accomplish meaningful work at the event ONTRApalooza recognizes the unique situation that entrepreneurs and small business owners are in.

Already named “the must attend conference for entrepreneurs” by Forbes, ONTRApalooza is the premier place where entrepreneurs come to learn more about how to run their business so that it doesn’t run them. It’s the place to come to automate processes and lay the groundwork for predictable, achievable and scalable success in business. Learn more about what you can learn at ONTRApalooza here.

 

Lena Requist, president of ONTRAPORT, is passionate about growing businesses and developing kick-ass business teams. Her talent helped grow ONTRAPORT 5,000% in three years, landing the organization at #102 on the 2012 Inc. 500 list and #96 on Forbes’ list of America’s Most Promising Companies. Lena also founded ONTRAPORT Women in Business, a community of over 300 women, for which she leads monthly virtual Hangouts about issues affecting female entrepreneurs and businesswomen today.

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Wonga Launches Fraud Hotline To Combat Phishing Scam

Wonga, the well known short term lender, is being used as the front for an email and SMS phishing scam perpetrated by a gang on internet fraudsters. The scam has been targeting consumers in South Africa, a country where online consumers face a high risk of internet fraud, for the past year.

The scam starts with an email or SMS being sent to customers, purported by Wonga South Africa, to a diverse range of recipients. The email, which includes the Wonga company logo, registration number and NCR number, informs customers that they have qualified for a personal loan of up to R60 000 at only 3.5 percent, and to send their personal details in response to the email or SMS to take advantage of the offer.

Once the recipients contact the scammers, they are told to provide their personal information and to deposit various amounts of money into private banks accounts to pay the administration fees. This process continues, with repeated requests for advance fees. Of course, at the end of it all, no funds are deposited into the victim’s account.

How to identify the scam

Wonga South Africa has launched a fraud hotline to help protect consumers from this ongoing scam. Wonga’s Head of Customer Operations, Justin Taylor, said: “Wonga does not send any unsolicited direct marketing, either through SMS or email, to any consumers in South Africa. The business receives on average 300 complaints weekly from customers who have been sent the unsolicited notifications by a third party under the auspices of the Wonga brand.”

So there we have it: Wonga never sends unsolicited direct marketing to consumers. However, there are also a number of other telltale signs to look out for. Wonga does not offer loans to first time customers at anything like the amounts reported. The lender offers a maximum initial loan amount of R2 500, which is significantly less than the R60 000 the scammers are offering. The only way to apply for a Wonga loan is via the Wonga.com, or Wonga.co.za website. It will also never request any form of payment upfront.

What should you do if you’ve been targeted?

Any consumers who believe they have fallen victim to the scam are being urged to contact the South African Police Service immediately. Once a police docket has been opened by the consumer, this can be sent on to Wonga. The lender will then use this information, including the case number, affidavit and paperwork the consumer has received, to investigate the case.

To its credit, Wonga has taken considerable steps to combat the fraud, and has taken out a widespread advertising campaign to warn consumers of the risks. It’s important to note that the company’s security systems have not been breached and remain secure for genuine Wonga customers.

Justin Taylor continues: “We have posted message on our internet platforms and taken out adverts to warn consumers about this scam. We, as a business, are going one step further, by offering to help victims restore their good name and credit record. Especially where consumer information has been used in identity fraud, we want to do the right thing.”

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Keeping On Top Of Your Occupational Health & Safety Obligations

Australian business owners often find themselves so busy that they neglect other important areas of their business. And despite the valiant efforts of most businesses trying to do the right thing, they are getting caught out by not keeping on top of their occupational health and safety requirements. In a report provided by Safework Australia, there were 129 reported deaths in the workplace in 2014. 101 have been recorded so far in 2015. Safework Australia also provided another report on the amount of non-fatal worker compensation claims by key employment and demographic statistics in 2012 to 2013.

In the report, there were 117,815 serious claims, which means that businesses are exposed to 1 in 100 employees making a serious workers compensation claim to their business. An amazing 60% of serious claims are a result of falls, trips and slips from a person and resulted in muscular or skeletal injuries.

Each year, several Australian businesses get caught out by their employees or by the public. Had the business committed to resolving any potential issues, it would have saved them financial costs and reduced the opportunity loss to their business.

What are some of the dedicated actions that businesses need to take?

Businesses need to commit to strong occupational health and safety practices to prevent the threat of workers compensation claims against their business. The Australian government has said on their website that “creating a safe environment is critical to the success of your business and is one of the best ways to retain staff and maximize productivity.” Businesses need to monitor the different areas of their business, in order to ensure there aren’t any health or safety problems that may open up the business to the threat of compensation risks, both with workers and with the public. It is necessary for businesses to provide the following:

• A safe premises.
• Safe machinery and materials.
• Safe systems of work.
• Information, instruction, training and supervision.
• A suitable working environment and facilities.

More information on the Workplace Health and Safety ‘Codes of practice’ can be found here. It is important that businesses commit to these duties to prevent any fines or legal prosecution.

Plumbing maintenance

As mentioned earlier, one of the major contributors to workers compensation claims is from accidents caused by slips in the workplace. One of the common issues that occur is from drips and leaks from mechanical equipment. Mechanical plumbing is a necessary maintenance procedure that businesses should commit to regularly to monitor any potential workplace health and safety threats. In addition, other plumbing areas such as fixing leaks in roofs and undergoing audits to ensure that the water systems aren’t posing any health risks is critical to the long term sustainability for your business.

Is there a way businesses can manage their workers compensation costs?

While it may seem like a myth, it is possible for businesses to maintain their workers compensation cost for both the small and large corporate Australian businesses. The businesses that fail to manage it, will find that their workers compensation costs spiral into the thousands, costing the business thousands of dollars in premiums. Business should enforce strict compliance procedures among management and staff, in order to prevent any hazards or risks that could potentially lead to injury and people’s workers compensation. Management can also initiate training methods and facilities to empower their staff to implement better working practices. Many business owners often dismiss implementing these practices due to the fees and costs associated with these new procedures. However, these costs are miniscule compared to the long term costs should occupational health and safety arise as a serious issue in your business.

The more businesses commit to their focus on different health and safety aspects, the stronger the business will be in their quest to keep on top of occupational health and safety practices. Don’t have your business fall victim to the legal consequences due to negligence and failure to commit to the larger cause.

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What To Look For In A Reputable Crane Hire Company

Cranes are the backbone of the building industry and are a fundamental part of what makes for a successful business. Without the use of cranes, it would be impossible to consider the construction of buildings like the Empire State building – or more recently the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. This building spans a phenomenal 829.8 metres (or 2,722 feet) and it was a hotly contested race to see which building company would be contracted to build this incredible structure. In the end, it was a big multinational company who were given the rights to build this huge tower in the desert city of Dubai.

What I’m saying here is that when you’re choosing a crane hire company, it pays to be vigilant and very thorough in your choosing – even if you’re only building a four story building as opposed to a huge, almost-a-kilometre-high building. After all, you’re choosing a company that is going to be the structural backbone of your building works and you need to ensure that you have a reputable and safe company behind you. There are a lot of things that have the potential to go wrong when it comes to cranes, and so knowing that your building site is in safe hands is going to make the construction process a whole lot less stressful. I’ve had a lot of experience in working with suppliers and contractors and I can safely say that there are a few things that I always do when I’m looking for a crane hire company.

Experience

You need to ensure that the people you choose to hire for your crane needs are experienced professionals. The team over at Membrey’s have always been the picture of professionalism and that’s something that’s really important when you’re dealing with a potentially stressful situation. Knowing that the people or company that you’re hiring have dealt with every possible permutation of every kind of situation before, will make the whole process a lot easier. You should also ensure that the experience that your chosen company has directly relates to the job that needs doing. You can check reviews and testimonials to get an idea of how past jobs have gone and how previous interactions have turned out.

Safety

This is also a primary concern, and really is no less important than experience. You need to place a high priority on safety as it’s going to be a fundamental part of your successful job. When you consider the safety of a company, you need to take into account the crane’s construction, the maintenance record of the crane that you’re going to be hiring and also the safety record of the person who is going to be operating the crane. Most companies will provide a technical operator or experienced professional for the particular type of crane you’ve hired – so make sure you know what you’re getting when you hire.

Equipment

Whether you’re looking for a mobile crane, a Franna crane, or a mini crane, you need to make sure you’re looking for the latest model and for cranes that have good reputations. The guys at Membrey’s have top-notch equipment and provide their cranes at a great price. Speaking of price – that’s also an important thing to consider, but it should always come after safety and performance – because if you compromise on price and choose affordability over safety, the consequences could be very costly.

Price

A reputable company is going to be able to provide you a great product at a great price and you won’t be left feeling like the price isn’t worth it. You should always get the quote in advance so that you know what to expect, and what you should budget for. Companies that don’t provide quotes aren’t going to be worth your time, so many sure you deal with someone reputable. Check the quote you get with all the other costs that may be associated with crane hire so you don’t get stung.

I hope this short piece on crane hire will help you in making the best decision for your next building project.

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[Infographic] How Non-Techies Can Find The Right Tech Talent

Finding the right talent in this competitive job landscape is tough enough, but it’s far worse when you’re a technology startup founder without a technology background – how do you know who has the right skills and the right mindset that will help take your startup to the next level?

With the unemployment rates for professional services logging in at an all-time low since 2007, demand for IT professionals is at an all-time high.  To put together the right team with the in-demand skillsets needed there are a few things that will help position your organization to snag the best candidates. Top tips include:

• Consulting with IT industry experts
• Researching job descriptions
• Asking your own network for referrals
• Visiting top colleges and well-known regional hackathons
• Working with an IT staffing agency

Here’s an infographic from the folks at Modis that looks at the process of finding and hiring the right candidates to fit your team. And if you like what you see, you may also want to check out the Modis 2016 Salary Guide, which features the most accurate salary numbers and job descriptions for tech.

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4 Key Lessons JotForm Learned From Its Users

by Steve Gibson, director at JotForm

JotForm is an all-purpose tool – an online form builder which allows you to do just about anything you need with forms. Its free version does everything the paid version does – only limiting users by the number of submissions received. Included are thousands of form templates with preset questions, form themes with preset styles and designs, hundreds of widgets for specialized fields on your form, and over a hundred integrations for processing your responses after they’re submitted. Conditional statements, custom “Thank You” pages, notification emails, and file upload storage space are all part of the package, and the list goes on.

In the almost ten years since its launch, JotForm has been a staple across many industries and business needs. We’ve both led the industry that is form building, and we’ve learned from our customers.

Here are some of the key insights we gathered from ongoing dialogues with those that love and use JotForm:

1. Customers are going to use JotForm in ways we couldn’t predict.

When we added the feature for conditional statements we didn’t put a limit on the number of conditions people might use. This feature allows users to make their forms dynamic, and have subsequent form fields altered based upon previous responses. For instance, a drop down on a contact form can request what department they’d like to reach out to. Then the rest of the responses can be relevant just to that department, and notifications can be sent directly to them.

We figured people might use 10-20 conditional fields – just enough to give their forms a few extra dynamics. We were surprised when we found forms with hundreds of them. Conditional statements allow people to establish paths through their forms to optimize the user experience and flow of data. It was shocking how many paths people created.

2. Some customers will come from markets we never intended.

A few years back we surveyed our users to learn more about who was using our product. Our target audience initially was small businesses who need a form for their website. JotForm’s a great tool for quickly adding a form to your site, so small business owners can get back to their business. That was the plan, and to that end tons of small businesses rely on JotForm as an integral part of their business. What we didn’t anticipate were all the charitable organizations, and educators that discovered JotForm as well. Let alone the sysadmins who use it across multiple websites with thousands of forms. Now we accommodate them by creating larger plans to meet their usage demands, and useful tools such as calculator fields and quiz apps.

3. Your most popular feature may not be what you expect.

We always thought templates would be popular, but nobody predicted our users would create almost 8,000 of them. These ready-made sets of fields span every industry and form type. They save users time in having to build their forms from scratch. For instance, if you need a contact form, or forms that real estate agents use, you can quickly find a template that matches your needs. They can be further customized, but nobody predicted we’d come anywhere near the number of templates created and used.

4. There are always ways to improve your product.

Our support forum is the most common way our users connect with us. Many questions are related to ways to use the product in specialized ways. For a long time people requested help improving the design of their forms. Sure their forms worked great, but they wanted them to look great too. Up until last year, this needed to be done with manual coding, which we were always happy to help them with. The fact that so many users asked us this, led us to ultimately build the Form Designer. This point and click tool gives users the ability to not only create forms that work great, but also look great – all without coding. Our support forum is actually set up internally to makes it easy for our staff to escalate feature requests. This helps us continually learn what’s most important to our customers. 

Listening to one’s customers is one of the best ways to know what features to build next. We maintain a constant dialogue with them, and in so doing are able to stay in tune with what’s most important to them. Beyond that, we love hearing their success stories and how JotForm proved to be the right solution for them. As much as we love our form builder in its own right, JotForm is nothing without its nearly two million customers. The lessons we can learn from them are invaluable to our continued success and growth.

 

Steve Gibson is a director at JotForm, and loves interacting with customers personally to learn how they use they use it and how it may be improved.

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Evaluating The Various Methods Of Commercial Dispute Resolution

In all instances of commercial disputes, it is beneficial for both parties involved to seek to resolve the dispute at the most appropriate and earliest opportunity. Where possible, this should also be outside of the courtroom in order to reduce the financial and personal costs involved in a complex and expensive court case.

Commercial litigation in Gloucester, and throughout the rest of Australia, encompasses various methods of commercial dispute resolution, each with very unique aspects. Therefore, if you are involved in a commercial dispute, it is important to seek the advice of an experienced lawyer, who can help you make an informed decision on the best course of action for your specific situation.

Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) consists of consensual and assisted negotiations between the disputing parties. Mediation is the most common form of ADR and involves a discussion with a neutral and independent mediator who is appointed by both parties to help facilitate the discussion towards an eventual resolution.

Advantages

ADR can be much faster and cheaper than litigation (taking the dispute to court) and can help preserve an ongoing commercial relationship, by producing flexible and ongoing solutions which are provided by the parties themselves. For this reason, Australian courts now actively encourage parties to attempt settlement through ADR before commencing proceedings in court, and will take into account the unwillingness of a party to take part in a form of ADR, when deciding the outcome of a case.

Disadvantages

It is important to note that ADR involves a non-binding outcome that cannot be enforced by a court; a process that relies upon the good faith and cooperation of both parties. It is important to therefore consider whether this form of commercial dispute resolution is appropriate for your specific situation, or whether it may only increase the costs and time involved in your dispute resolution process.

Arbitration.

Arbitration in commercial dispute resolution is very similar to court proceedings, however the process is held in private and can follow procedures to be decided by the arbitrator in agreement with the parties. As in mediation, arbitration involves an independent third party, however in this method of resolution, the role of the arbitrator is to reach a binding determination of the parties dispute.

Advantages

One of the main advantages of arbitration is the ability for both parties to choose the arbitrator. This allows the appointment of someone with an industry background and specialist expertise on the issues at hand. In Australia, commercial arbitration has become the preferred procedure for parties seeking a binding and importantly, confidential determination of their dispute and an alternative to Court based litigation.

Disadvantages

Arbitration can involve as much time and expense as traditional court litigation. Costs such as arbitrators’ fees and the hire of arbitration facilities are expensive and will have to be paid in addition to legal costs. Furthemore, as the chosen arbitrator is acting in a judicial capacity and their determination will become binding on both parties, this method of dispute resolution can lead to unsatisfactory decisions for some parties and make it difficult for the parties to continue to work together in a commercial nature.

Litigation.

Commercial litigation is the traditional form of dispute resolution and involves using the courts. Other than the expensive financial costs involved, court proceedings are intrinsically formal and the procedures are fairly inflexible. Due to these considerations, Australian courts actively encourage all businesses to consider, and in many cases in fact, attempt the other options available for resolving disputes before bringing the matter to a court room.

However, in many cases commercial disputes is the only and best option available to resolve commercial disputes. An experienced lawyer can ensure that your interests and rights are protected throughout the process, and a careful court process will ensure your peace of mind in knowing that the dispute has been resolved on the basis of all available evidence through the decision of an impartial judge.

All commercial disputes are unique in nature and involve important considerations of the nature of both the business and personal relationship between the parties, the business in question and the likelihood of the commercial relationship between the parties being salvaged through a dispute resolution process. It is therefore important to seek the advice of an experienced commercial lawyer, who can help you make the best possible decision regarding which resolution process will best protect your ongoing relationships and your business.

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5 Singapore Industries In Which To Get Rich

by Rhys Arkins, founder of Key Location

Singapore has a thriving economy, particularly when it comes to international business, so there are plenty of different paths to get rich in Singapore. Although with hard work and ingenuity you can get rich in almost any industry, you can certainly increase your chances by hitching a ride on a hot one. Some seem to be inherently lucrative in all countries, but may wax and wane over time. It’s important to note that many different factors beyond your control will make some industries more successful than others in your working lifetime.

Singapore’s size alone and its lack of arable land has already helped shape its society and the job opportunities within its borders. Wealth tends to come from a few concentrated areas:

1. Finance.

Singapore prides itself on the health of its financial sector, and there’s a great potential for wealth accumulation for the individuals who go into this sector. This potential is partly a consequence of the fact that Singapore has a stable economy, as well as a consequence of the fact that wealthy people enjoy relatively low taxes in Singapore. People who go into business in Singapore will hence be able to keep more of what they earn, which draws big capital.

The financial sector in Singapore is also large enough that the people who try to get involved there are going to have significantly more opportunities. The people who have financial training may want to consider exploring their potential in Singapore specifically. Succeeding in finance is probably one of the most “slam dunk” ways to wealth in any country, and Singapore even more so.

2. Property.

Like in many countries, the property industry can be a great source of wealth, but comes with its ups and downs. What people should remember is that Singapore is a notably small area, making the land and the properties there particularly valuable due to geographic constraints. Singapore condos are therefore going to be inherently more valuable than condos in most other cities of the world, all other things being equal. People may become accidentally successful property investors when their homes increase in value substantially over time. People who can invest in multiple properties in the best parts of the city-state can find themselves becoming wealthy in only a few years, as long as they sell their properties at the right time. Real estate is always going to be worth something, and it is particularly valuable in an area in which there is a great deal of competition for space. The question is: do you have the right timing?

3. Sales management.

Many people don’t think of sales jobs as being especially lucrative. What they should remember is that sales jobs will often be more or less lucrative depending on the state of the local economy and the nature of the market. Singapore salespeople once again benefit from the fact that they’re operating in a small city-state with access to a growing Asia region. In particular, Singapore is the regional headquarters for many multinationals. The individuals who manage to work their way up to management in sales can make a lot of money in the process in Singapore and have great job mobility.

Naturally, salesmanship relies a lot on personal qualities like charisma that some people can never develop and that some people have had since childhood. The people who are great at charming people should use those skills to their advantage. Singapore has a fairly diverse economy, but it is at least largely a knowledge economy. The people who want to utilize Singapore’s strengths when they’re looking for a lucrative job there should take that into account.

4. Biotechnology.

One of Singapore’s fastest-growing industries is its biotech sector. To a certain extent, Singapore is competing with countries like South Korea in that regard, which is only going to stimulate development in the biotech sector of Singapore further. Biotech is a huge field, so there will be plenty of lucrative job opportunities for the people who are interested in pursuing a career in that field. Singapore is pushing and marketing its biotech sector with a lot of force, which is going to make a huge difference for the people who get involved with it at this stage of the game.

Joining rising industries is often better than joining established industries that may start to fall into decline soon, and it is certainly better than getting involved with stagnant industries in the hopes that they will rise again. Some people who get involved with biotech in Singapore may decide to invest in a new biotech company, which could already be enough to make a person wealthy. Other people may be interested in going into research and development themselves. Either way, Singapore has a fantastic and lucrative biotech industry.

5. Electrical Engineering.

Although less known than finance and real estate, one of Singapore’s largest industries has been its electronics industry. Electronics are among the chief exports of Singapore, so this is an industry that is successful at the international level. People who go into engineering can often earn very high annual salaries, particularly in a city-state that has very low taxes. Engineers will tend to get rich in the slow way as opposed to the fast way, but they will have job security and stability that the people who take risks in entrepreneurship simply will not have. People who make investments are also going to take risks, even if they are investing in very secure industries in a country with a very healthy economy. Plenty of wealthy and ambitious individuals would like to take fewer risks when it comes to making money, and engineering would be a great fit for a lot of these individuals. This is also an interesting industry for those who would like to travel in the region for work, because multinationals seek out those who can travel to most countries without visas, and Singapore’s passport is one of the best.

So there you have five great industries you can consider if you’re looking for paths to build great wealth. Real Estate has made people rich in every country in the world, but it’s not without its risks. Singapore’s role as the regional headquarters for many multinationals increases prospects for Sales Management and Finance, meanwhile electrical engineering may be a path for those technical and wanting to take advantage of the same multinational benefits. Finally, biotechnology is an exciting sector and heavily promoted by the government, so it seems a smart idea to try to catch that wave.

 

Rhys Arkins is the founder of Key Location, a website dedicating to giving people better data about renting Singapore condominiums. You can read more about him here.

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Ways For A Vancouver Business To Get Over A Slump

Being the owner of a business is perhaps the toughest job that a person will take on in their lifetime. There are a variety of things that a small business owner will have to do in order to stay successful. Neglecting to do these necessary things will usually lead to a decline in the amount of business that a company does. When a slump like this hits, a business owner will need to find a way to push forward and get their company back in good working order.

Here are a few things that a company will need to do when trying to pull themselves out of a slump:

Evaluate Current Marketing Methods.

One of the first things that a small business owner must do when trying to pull themselves out of a slump is to evaluate the marketing strategy that they have in place. By taking the time to figure out what is working and what is not, the business owner will be able to retool their marketing strategy and get some traction. The more a business is able to find out about what needs to be done to their marketing, the easier it will be for them to have success.

Think About Hiring a Business Coach.

Another very important thing that a person will need to consider when trying to get their business back on track is hiring a business coach. Usually, there will be no shortage of coaches to choose from, which means you will need to do your homework. The more you can find out about a coach and what they have to offer, the simpler the decision on which one to choose will be. Hiring the right business coach will make it easy for a business to get back on track.

Replace the Current Team.

When a downtime in a company hits, the owner will need to look at the team members that they have in place to see if they are indeed a good fit. In some cases, it will be necessary for a business owner to replace the team members they have due to their lack of drive and enthusiasm. Taking the time to find the right team members will benefit a business owner greatly. Be sure to do in depth interview with each of the candidates to figure out which one is the best fit for the job.

Alternatively, you may need to approach a Vancouver business consultant – such as Ripple Deep – to advise you on your next steps especially in times of difficulty. They have the tools and experience you need to get back on track, and identify things in your business you may have missed that needs fixing.

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You Need To Prepare To Manage Your People

by Matt Straz, founder & CEO of Namely

You may have been told if you’re passionate enough about your idea, your startup will be successful. It’s an easy trap to fall into, especially in hearing the success stories of so many.

In the latest issue of the Harvard Business Review, the article “For Founders, Preparation Trumps Passion” talks about a study of 522 projects on crowdfunding site Indiegogo. The study found that projects with high expressions of passion – using terms like “devoted” and “enthusiastic” – were about three times as likely to raise the funds they needed, despite the level of preparedness.

The general public (and sometimes us, too) are easily sold on warm fuzzies like passion, optimism and dedication. But, the world of investors and VC funding is very different. Passion means very little if you don’t have hard evidence of planning to back you up.

Investors are becoming more privy to the red flags that signal investment fraud. Though a quarter of 194 investors surveyed in June by North Carolina State University have been a victim of fraudulent companies, the study also discovered what careful investors look out for to protect themselves.

When an investor reviews a startup, it’s not all about word of mouth. Investors who are concerned about fraud rely on financial statements rather than sources like advice from professionals, friends, or media sources.

Don’t get me wrong, you do need passion to help keep your spirits up as you fight to get your business off the ground. But, you can’t start a business on passion alone. You need to have a solid business plan with a clear understanding of the product, your market, and projected financial statements.

In the same way, having passion won’t automatically make you a great people manager. While it may help you engage employees, without a plan to help you hire and manage them, you’ll burn out fast.

Here are some people management aspects of running the business for which you should prepare:

1. Hiring and onboarding.

More than 58 percent of employers have implemented onboarding programs to engage new hires and help them “settle in,” Aberdeen’s 2014 21st Century Onboarding Report shows.

As a small business owner, engaging and helping new hires acclimate quickly should be a top priority. The faster they reach top productivity, the faster your business will be able to grow and keep up with market demands.

Welcome new employees with a customized plan for each role. Help them set goals and show them how they will impact the company’s mission right from the start. Give new employees visible access to company news feeds, updates and happenings so they feel in-the-loop.

2. Benefits.

Even if you’re just starting out, consider providing employees a small benefits package. Sixty-eight percent of employees surveyed by SHRM in November 2014 said benefits were a very important factor in overall job satisfaction. Benefits will help keep the team feeling cared for, especially during the long, grueling hours you’ll all spend at the office.

A benefits package doesn’t have to break the bank, either. The trick is to customize benefits to your organization’s specific needs. For example, if no one on your team needs vision coverage, you could choose to provide medical and dental only.

To keep peace of mind in the face of those unforeseeable disasters, purchase worker’s comp insurance. But choose a pay-as-you-go plan to avoid hefty premium costs and make sure the plan automatically adjusts based on your payroll.

3. Payroll and taxes.

Running a business, you won’t have much extra time on your hands, so making administrative tasks like payroll as simple as possible should be a priority. When it comes to paying your people, you don’t want anything to fall through the cracks.

Use a payroll system that fully integrates with your HR and benefits programs to reduce time spent on data entry and potential errors that could occur during data transfer. Also, take the headache out of tax compliance by using a program that automatically calculates, deposits, and files your payroll taxes.

4. Tracking and reporting performance.

You’ll always want to know exactly what impact your employees have on your bottom line, but having a way to track this from the very beginning is crucial. The sooner you know which employees are making the most impact where, the better decisions you can make when it’s time to promote as the business grows.

Choose a system that allows you to see the full picture of employee performance — one in which you can import goals and core competencies. This will help streamline performance reports so you can provide accurate, tangible feedback to employees.

You’d be surprised at how easily plans for people management can be pushed off to the side when starting a business. Yet, a company’s people are its most important asset. Even if you’re the most passionate entrepreneur with a brilliant idea, it will likely fail without a plan for both the business and keeping your talent happy.

What are some other people management aspects of a business for which startup founders need to plan?

 

Matt Straz is the founder & CEO of Namely, the HR, payroll, and benefits platform for the world’s most exciting companies. Connect with Matt and the Namely team on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

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Connectivity’s Essential Guide To Online Reviews

For any business, one of the greatest fears is the dreaded online customer review.  In fact, studies show that such reviews have a direct correlation with purchase intent – a positive review can boost purchase intent by 10% among potential customers while negative reviews lower intent by 11%, which goes to show that online customer reviews can impact the bottomline.

The truth of the matter is that such numbers can make or break your business, so it’s crucial for the small business owner to recognise that while online reviews are here to stay it is critical that they get a handle on it. There should be a clear and present strategy to deal with online reviews. For example, there should be a way for you to deal with negative reviews, spread or share good ones, or stop a bad review before it gets published.

If you want to know how best to control the online conversation around your business, one good place to start is Connectivity’s Essential Guide to Online Reviews for Local Businesses. It’s a simple 10-page resource, but chockfull of useful suggestions on how to leverage social media for your advantage. Within are simple tricks for turning negative reviews into a positive marketing opportunity, recommendations on online tools to get more positive reviews, and more.

So if you run a small business and value the impact of social media has on it, do yourself a favour and download that resource now.

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Advantages Of Hosting Your Own Conference Or Business Event

by Chloe Hashemi, marketing consultant for film and video production company LAMBDA Films

To some, the idea of hosting any sort of large event is more than just daunting. There seems to be even less a reason to put yourself through it all when there are so many other conferences already happening in your area. It can be stressful, long-winded, and downright horrible. However it doesn’t always have to be this way. With meticulous planning and genuine determination, you can create and host an event which can do wonders for your personal progress at work, your company, and business in the local area.

If you are a start-up, there is even more reason to consider put on an event, because this could be an excellent opportunity to build your business. Let’s break it down:

Choosing the Right Date.

One of the main difficulties about planning a conference which is not a web or telephone conference, is that you have to make sure all the key attendees can make the set date. Now, all being very busy and important people, this can be easier said than done.

You can always create an online poll such as Doodle calendars to get a rough idea of a good date for the most important attendees, such as your anticipated keynote speakers.

Having a Purpose.

Deciding you want to run or host a major business event or conference is all well and good, but chances are you are going to have to make your case to some all-powering individuals. This is where you will need to prove the ROI of the event, the potential new clients or partner opportunities you may be aiming for, etcetera etcetera.

Whether it is to recruit new clients, enhance brand awareness, or showcase a new service or product, getting these aims clear in your head early one can help you make clever decisions throughout the whole planning process.

Venue & Location.

Now, when it comes down to selecting the right venue for your event, the actual location may seem completely arbitrary to the overall success. However, this is rather incorrect. The location of your event helps you convey the right message of the intention of the event, as well as match your brand and company ethos. This event may be about marketing yourself and your company.

What is marketing all about? It is about selling the next step, and that is exactly what you will have to do when choosing the location and venue for your event. You want to showcase the sort of lifestyle and style your company can provide to potential clients and business associates. For easy access as well as close proximity to the central business district you may want to consider getting a central London venue hire, but this may depend entirely on the scale of your event, function of your company, etc.

Guest List.

This one is a little more obvious. If you are spending considerable time, effort and money on an occasion, you want the fruits of your labour cast upon the right eyes.

Make a list early on, and if there are a number of high-profile names on that list make sure you give them proper notice to improve the chances of them showing up on the day.

Cost.

This is probably a main factor which deters companies from hosting their own conference. But, as ludicrous as it sounds, a conference does not have to cost you an arm and a leg. For example, if you charge £80-£100 to attend, and get a couple of sponsors in, you can maximise profit. It all depends on the budget you have or are given.

What is more, you have to think about the ROI potential of hosting your own conference. If you are sharing your own expertise, or showcasing the experts within your company, then this is a direct chance to upsell to your attendees. Thinking along these lines, then even if you do spend a max of £3000-£5000 on the event, but a new client is worth double this, then your event cost covers itself.

Make those lists, crunch those numbers; there is no such thing as an over-planned business event. Have fun and good luck!

 

Chloe Hashemi is a marketing consultant for film and video production company LAMBDA Films, which is based in East Anglia, UK.

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5 Tips To Framing The Content Share

by Varda Meyers Epstein

You’ve created a great piece of content for your company blog, added compelling images every three paragraphs or so, and have a perfect Yoast plug-in score (oh how those little green dots thrill the soul). Now what? Time to share the piece on social media, of course.

As chief blogger at the Kars4Kids educational blog for parents, I generally spend three hours researching and writing my pieces and another 45 minutes to an hour sharing them here, there, and everywhere. It’s a young blog, not quite two years old, and sharing is an important way to build an audience, which is of course, crucial to making the blog generate a buzz about the charity that employs me. Which is why I’m blogging in the first place, natch?

Many bloggers simply click the share buttons for Facebook and Twitter and then move on to some other task. Maybe they think the content speaks for itself. Which is all well and good, but as the saying goes, “If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is around to hear it, does it make a noise?”

That is to say, if you don’t signal to your potential readers that here is something they ought to read, then what was the point of writing that piece in the first place?

I’ve seen too many bloggers waste their words and work with lackluster shares so I decided to give you five of my best secrets for making the most of the social media share. My suggestion is to choose one tip and really apply yourself to making it part of your blogging routine. Because even if you take one piece of advice from the following tips, you’ll be ahead of the game, for moving forward in a positive direction. Ready? Here goes:

1. Don’t just click the share button and call it a day.

The share is your opportunity to entice the reader to read what you’ve written, and that is, ahem, your goal, right? To get people to actually read what you write? The share comes with space to write something. So use it! Write something that intrigues and persuades. Pique your readers’ interest, or they’ll go somewhere else.

2. Don’t write the same thing on every share because that is spam and nobody likes spam.

I get all my Facebook notifications by email. Now my writing colleagues with mutual interests are sharing their pieces on all the groups we mutually belong to. That means that I end up with six or more share notifications that are carbon copies of each other, for instance, “It’s not so easy to get a job these days. Read my tips on how to handle that all important job interview.”

Now, there’s nothing wrong with that. But if you see that same notification in your inbox six times, you’re going to get annoyed. Instead, the writer could have used the opportunity to write something equally intriguing but different for each share, “Here’s my latest piece in which I share a really shameful personal experience. No spoiler. You’ll just have to read the article to read my ‘tell all.'”

Here is a writer who intrigues me more with each share! By now, I know I want to read that piece.

Bottom line? Don’t repeat yourself. Craft a new comment to accompany each share.

3. Hashtags are a blogger’s best friend.

The hashtag is not just a way to gather posts on one category in one space. It’s also a way to express your sense of humor and people do love to laugh. Imagine for a moment you’ve written an article entitled, “How I lost weight drinking nothing but pickle juice.” When you compose the text accompanying your share of the piece, you might add a few hashtags: #DontAsk #IfItsADietIveDoneIt #DesperateToBeThin. By now your reader’s thinking, “Hey, this person’s funny. Let’s read the article.”

4. Be on the lookout for new places to share.

I’m experimenting with sharing my pieces in Google+ communities. Some communities have thousands of members so you have the potential to reach a lot of readers! Use the search function to find communities that might be interested in your content. Yesterday I wrote a piece exploring the dangers of football and whether parents should let their kids play. I not only shared the piece in parenting communities, but in neuroscience communities and got some great feedback there.

5. Use every social media outlet available to plug your work.

I always share my pieces on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Stumbleupon, Tumblr, Google+, and Pinterest and sometimes other places, too. It doesn’t cost anything and you never know what piece is going to resonate for what audience if you don’t give them all a whirl. I have a piece on Stumbleupon that has 3,000 shares and counting. Who knew? I sure didn’t until I went ahead and gave Stumbleupon a try. You should, too.

Hopefully, there’s something here you didn’t know that will help you going forward. Even if you learned one thing, you’ll be getting more views and engagement with your content. Now that you’ve read my best tips, how about you share some of your own?

I’d love to read them!

 

Varda Meyers Epstein is the mother of 12 kids who is very, very organized. Varda writes for Kars4Kids, a car donation program and Guidestar silver medal charity that underwrites educational initiatives for children and their families.

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Contact Centers Use Callback Technology To Reduce Customer Frustration

Have you ever called a company’s call center to get assistance with a product, make a reservation, or get information, only to be put on hold, and then been so frustrated you move on to another company?

A Company with Callback Technology…

It happened to me recently with a major computer company, where the mechanical voice said, “due to customer calls, your wait will be approximately 15 minutes.”

I was already frustrated with my computer and then add insult to injury; I had to stay on a long distance call, on my dime, for 15 minutes.

A Company that Does Have Callback Technology…

Contrast that with the cable company I use, they have a wonderful callback service. Give them a call, a polite voice comes on and tells you how to use the system, and approximately how long it will be for a return call. It is simple, efficient, and a stress release to use.

In the competitive world of cable and Internet, the company’s callback service makes this company different than all the rest, and they have my business because of it.

The Callback Service.

The first effort at callback service was an attempt to move calls to off-peak hours. Customer information would be taken, but return calls were handled during the slow times for call centers. This left the customer in a vacuum, not knowing when a call would be returned, and it did little to reduce customer frustration at the expense of the company. In short, there was a callback service, but it was run more for the convenience of the call center.

In 1995, all that changed with the introduction of “Virtual Queue” to handle callback service. Virtual Queue handles the original call, gives the customer the opportunity to stay on the line, or opt for a callback service. If a callback service is requested, an approximate callback time is provided, and a callback is initiated without the customer losing his or her place in line.

The Virtual Queue callback service works, as it is client centered. It focuses on client control as they have a choice, it provides critical information, which helps to address issues of stress, and is efficient for the customer, who can carry on doing other things while waiting.

Trends in Callback Service.

Virtual Queue for callback service is well entrenched in many companies, and those that have it will be looking for ways to continue to maintain their customer experience differentiation, by looking for new and improved callback service.

Some of the things that people can expect to see are video calling, the ability to use security technology to protect customer interests, a higher standard for call center workers, growth in the use of virtual assistants to help direct customers to information that may solve their problems, and a number of other advancements, all towards differentiating a company from its competitors, while providing better service to the customers.

Conclusion.

The days are gone where customers will put up with being put on hold to have their issues addressed. Like that computer company, no matter how good their products, customer service is king, and the customer can expect bigger and better, faster and more efficient callback service as companies work to continue to differentiate their services from their competitors.

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The No-Nonsense Approach To Cutting Your Small Business Expenses

by Tony Campbell, founder and managing partner at WhichVoIP.com

Setting up your own business involves a lot of start-up costs, many of which you may not have even been aware of when you first launched. If you go into business without fully preparing for these costs, you may find that they take you by surprise, which can cause you unexpected problems.

Here are some ways that you can make some small but important savings in various areas of your business to ensure your money goes further when you are just starting out.

Save on Your Printing Costs.

Printing is one of those things that nearly all businesses have to do, but the costs over the months and years can add up when you consider not only the equipment but also the constant need for paper and toner. However, there are ways to make savings.

You could start by creating a printing policy that encourages staff to print documents as a last resort and to use draft mode for all but the most important documents. Help them to do this by installing software solutions that make it easier to communicate and share documents online rather than by printing documents.

You could also encourage staff to reuse paper by printing on both sides, and you may be able to make even more savings by seeking out the best places to buy toner at the best prices. Techradar.com provides more advice on saving on your printing setup.

Know When to Outsource.

Outsourcing is an extra expense, so if there is no need to outsource a task and you can do it yourself, then this is often the best option if your budget is tight. However, there are situations when you may benefit from outsourcing certain tasks.

For example, if you do not have the skills in-house (e.g. web design, online marketing) but you want to ensure a professional end result, outsourcing may be a good investment. It could also allow you to spend more time on other more important areas of your business, so always weigh up the pros and cons.

Use Free and Cheap Options where Available.

Always be on the lookout for free and cheap alternatives where they are available. For example, some of the most popular software often comes with a free version, and you may be able to start with these instead of spending money on the full versions. If you don’t absolutely need the premium versions, don’t spend money on them. You may find other free or cheap alternatives for banking, business cards, email services, and more, so always keep an eye open for savings.

Save On Your Phone System.

Setting up a telephone system can be an expensive undertaking, but it needn’t have to be. A landline system can be the most expensive option because you will need equipment like PBX hardware, and you will also have to pay maintenance costs. For small startups, this is often not feasible.

Another more affordable option comes in the form of a VoIP system. Voice over Internet Protocol works over your internet connection, and it is often more affordable than a landline system. It comes with a wide range of advanced features, and you can also use a hosted solution so you only pay a monthly expense. This makes it particularly flexible.

Make sure you compare providers because they all offer different things and they come at different price points. Use a service like WhichVoIP.com to help you find the most suitable option for your business.

Rent Reasonable Office Space.

You may simply not have the funds for a large office, so stick to somewhere small, affordable, and functional instead. After all, you can always move into new space when your business becomes successful. The same goes for office equipment. Could you make more savings by using secondhand chairs, desks, and even computer equipment?

Save on Energy Costs.

Gas and electricity can become a large outgoing for small businesses, so shop around to find the best deal, and this can save you lots of money over the coming months and years. Don’t pay a dollar more than you need to for your energy costs, and review your contract every year to find out if it is worth changing it.

In addition, encourage more sensible use of energy. There are many ways to save energy at work, including switching off lights and turning off computers, and these can all help to make savings over the course of a year.

Keep a Close Eye on Your Cash.

These are all ways that you can make savings when you are starting your business, so try to follow as many of them as you can. Entrepreneur.com has some additional suggestions on how to use technology to cut your business expenses. Perhaps the most important thing of all is to simply ensure you keep a very close eye on all the money that you are spending. Check your accounts regularly and work out where you are spending the most money, and constantly think of new ways that you could be making savings. That way you will always ensure that you are only spending what you need to.

 

Tony Campbell is a founder and managing partner at WhichVoIP.com, a leading resource for information and advice on technology solutions. Tony is an Internet/tech entrepreneur and has spent over 20 years working in networking and telecommunications. Follow Tony on Google+.

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5 Helpful Franchise Management Tips For Long Term Business Success

Starting and running your own business is never easy, and running a successful franchise business is a lot of hard work, but it also has the potential to be exceptionally rewarding. No matter which company you franchise or which product or service you sell, starting a new franchise venture means that you are putting your time, talent and finances behind it and during the beginning this can often feel rather overwhelming.

However, with the right preparation and planning, a solid business plan, and the right support and training, you can position your business for success.

We’ve put together five great tips for running a successful franchise business:

Stick to Your Business Plan.

Having a business plan and sticking to it may seem obvious, but it’s surprising how many business owners fail to do so, costing them dearly down the line. A lot of business owners find that dedicating time to planning often takes a back seat over the day to day running and operations of the business. However, it’s important to ensure that you set short and long term goals that you can stick to before you get too caught up in your daily routine. F

ranchisor software may also be beneficial to your planning, and companies such as Qvinci offer franchise management software to help monitor to overall financial health of a franchise. The information provided in these automated financial reports and analysis is beneficial to both the franchisor and franchisee.

Focus on Customer Service.

It’s a commonly known fact that the customers are the life blood of any business, and in order to be a success you will need to ensure that your customers are satisfied. Satisfied customers make repeat visits, and will also bring in new customers by recommending your services to their friends and family. When running a successful franchise business, customer service should always be a top priority.

Accept Support.

Your franchisor will most likely offer you a wealth of business tools and support, and it’s crucial that you use these if you would like your franchise to become a success. Remember, your franchisor has a lot more experience in running the same business, and is more knowledgeable about what does and does not work when it comes to that particular business’ success. Help to maximise your success by signing up for any training and support offered.

Be Involved.

Successful businesses are often those that are involved in their local community, and as a franchise business owner this is a major thing that you should be looking to do. Whether you sponsor a local sports team, give talks at local events, or even donate goods and services as prizes for local charity events, getting involved and making a name for yourself in your local community will only add to your success.

Networking.

Correct networking will help to take your business to an entirely new level, and by networking with the right people you will be able to take from it a multitude of knowledge that will help you to accelerate the success of your franchise. Attend conferences and meetings with other franchise owners, and join local groups where you can meet with other entrepreneurs to discuss strategies and ideas. Don’t underestimate the power of networking with your friends and family either – those closest to you are often the most willing to offer valuable support.

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