Business

As a business owner, success or failure often comes down to experience.  Have you made things easy and intuitive from a customer perspective when browsing and selecting products and services? Does the customer get what they want without having to jump through hoops or endure tedious wait times? After all, the customer is king, right? These things hold true still, but when is the last time you looked inwards - to your front-line employees - and recognized that their experience is also key to your success?  Yes, employee experience is a growing topic of interest in the business world, especially as workers gain the upper hand in many corners of the economy. Businesses across all sectors need to consider how things work from an employee standpoint, and make changes to improve the...

Cash flow may very well be the biggest challenge for upcoming and small businesses. Ironically, it’s also one of the very lifelines that keeps a business alive during a crisis or when the market is tight.  From the inception of a company to its subsequent branding, from the manufacturing of the products to marketing, selling, and shipping, and from digitalization to all kinds of legal and logistical fees, cash is always at the upfront of everything in the world of business. However, like I said, maintaining a positive cash flow at all times is rather hard for even the most profitable of companies, let alone small scale businesses and start-ups alike. In fact, insufficient, inconsistent, or lack of cash is the biggest reason for 82% of failed businesses. There are many factors ...

Presented by BetterHelp. Everyone can dream of creating their own successful businesses, but that doesn’t mean everyone will be able to do so. So, what qualities separate a true entrepreneur from someone who simply imagines being one? In this article, you will read about essential personality characteristics that they have, and perhaps they will line up with your own. Creativity Many successful business owners have definitely gotten by copying someone else’s idea, but there is always some element of creativity needed in order to help them stand out from the rest. Innovation, no matter how big or small is important for optimizing your current business model as well as coming up with new ideas on how you can better serve your customers, provide a service, or simply do business wi...

The article is developed in partnership with BetterHelp. Everyone knows that working from home can provide many benefits, but one of the perks that most people look forward to is having a more flexible schedule. This alone is exceptional for parents of kids of any age; however, not enough discussion goes into some of the cons of being in the house all the time as a work-from-home parent. This article will cover some of the challenges you can expect if you plan on going this route. Distractions One of the biggest complaints a lot of parents have regarding working from home and trying to make an income online is that it can be easy to get distracted and find it hard to concentrate on their work. Of course, you might request not to be disturbed while you’re working, but this doesn’t ...

This article was developed via a partnership with BetterHelp. The term neuroticism sometimes has a negative connotation to it due to its associations with anxiety, sensitivity, and similar feelings, but like other personality traits, it has its pros as well as its cons. This article will focus on the advantages of being on the neurotic side and how it can potentially help you be more successful when managing a business online. What Is Neuroticism? As mentioned in the introduction, neuroticism is a personality trait that is linked to negative feelings and emotions, like anxiety, sadness, and irritability. In total, there are five personality traits defined in psychological theory - openness, extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and of course, neuroticism. Of course, t...

The post is developed in partnership with BetterHelp. Having a positive outlook can have countless benefits on a business, including increased productivity, improved social relationships, and simply better job satisfaction. Whether you’re a business owner who is struggling with pessimism or you merely want to improve the morale of your employees, this article will share some ways optimism can be developed and applied to a business context. 1. Focus On People’s Strengths Sure, finding and understanding various problems and shortcomings is vital for you to fix them and increase your company’s success; however, many members of upper management can be too hyper-focused on what’s going wrong rather than praising their employees for what’s going on right. Naturally, when employees fe...

Increasing your productivity is not about working more, but the exact opposite. To be more productive is to do more in less time. The ultimate goal is to do your job with total efficiency so that you can have more free time. Work is stressful, and when you get stressed you become less productive and get tired more easily. A productive day is a good day, and it takes shape already when you wake up. That's why it's good to start getting up a little earlier. It will give you extra time to not have to stress. It is important that your start to the day is personal and motivating. Visualize how you want the day to go, and do it in a positive way. Are you looking for productivity tips on how you can improve your productivity? In this post, we take a closer look at an infographic c...

It's no secret that starting a business is hard work. There are so many things to consider - from developing a product or service that people want, to building a brand that stands out from the competition. But one of the most important things any startup can do is find creative and cost-effective ways to market their business. One of the best ways to do this is by using personalized stickers. Personalized stickers are a great way to promote your business for several reasons, and you are about to find out why: 1. They can be used for branding and marketing purposes Stickers are a fun and easy way to get people engaged with your product or service. They can be placed on products, packaging, or promotional materials – anywhere you want to get your brand’s name and message out...

Businesses that lost money due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting government shutdowns may be eligible for tax relief through Employee Retention Tax Credits. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act ended these tax credits in November 2021. However, businesses can still claim the credit on 2021 tax returns and file an amended return for 2020. Here is what affected companies need to know about filing. What Is the Employee Retention Credit? Congress created the Employee Retention Credit under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to entice employers to avoid layoffs during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Initially, the employee retention tax credit was worth 50% of qualified employee wages, limited to $10,000 for any one employee. The maximum credit was $...

Google is the top-ranked search engine today, and people use it to look for answers to almost all questions they have in mind. These include questions about celebrities, food choices, health issues, political matters, business-related concerns, and everything under the sun.  Thus, anyone curious or who wants to know more about your business can search through Google to find what they need through your profile.    So, if you’re a business owner, you might want to create an eye-catching Google Business Profile (GBP). Here are some tips to help you get started and guide you toward creating one that will drive readers to continue reading and may eventually purchase your products and services:  Download the GBP App And Turn On The Notifications  Businesses get leads on GBP...

As buildings become more technologically advanced, the impact that they have on the power grid becomes greater every year. This leads to a larger negative impact on the environment as a whole and is ultimately unsustainable. Fortunately, smart buildings are being created that are not only more energy-efficient but also feature integrated information systems that make them more profitable as well. This helps to protect the environment and promotes greater resource stability while at the same time incentivizing businesses to invest in smart business buildings for a variety of practical reasons. How Do Smart Business Buildings Work? In most cases, a smart business building is a small office building with built-in technology to help its workers perform their jobs more efficiently. The...

If you’re running any kind of business, there's a high chance that your company relies on its IT functionalities to create and maintain record data. In an ideal world, storing assets would be enough. Unfortunately, things don't always go as planned- even for the best businesses in this digital age. From cybersecurity threats to hard drive failures, there are a lot of contingencies you need to prepare for to prevent your business from suffering a major setback. These are times when an IT disaster recovery plan comes into play.  Here’s everything you need to know about creating an IT disaster recovery plan for your business.   Create an Inventory of IT Assets The first step to an IT recovery plan is creating a business inventory of all your technology’s assets. You might already ...

Online payments should be simple and it is something that should work easily and seamlessly so that you can focus on your business. The important thing when choosing a payment solution is to choose a payment service partner that meets all your needs and that handles your money safely and securely. Facilitate your administrative work of collecting all your payments from one provider. You then get a clear overview of your business while you only have one contact regardless of what it is about. People love to shop online. And the e-commerce industry has grown tremendously in the last decade. But studies also show that two out of three abandon their purchases in the payment stage of the checkout, partly because a seller does not have the desired payment method or makes it overly complic...

With the rise in social engineering attacks, organizations are increasingly investing in preventing cyber threats related to this kind of attack. As a business owner or IT department head, investing in reducing social engineering attack risks can prevent income and income loss. Before investing in social engineering security measures, it is critical to have a deep understanding of these tactics. Understanding the intricate details of phishing, ransomware, and malware mules also makes training employees easier, subsequently mitigating the risk of being a victim. Find out about social engineering and related attacks to better equip your workforce and cybersecurity arsenal. Textbook definition of social engineering Social engineering is defined as a wide range of malicious activities...

According to The Dallas Business Journal, a business that fails to embrace digital transformation is more than likely going to fail. They won't be able to keep up with their competitors who are using the tools available to improve their output and productivity. If you want to ensure that your business can compete, these are the productivity tools you need to implement, now. Google Drive Google Drive has possibly become the most popular application for document management in 2022, and for good reason. Google Drive provides free data storage and for mega-companies, more can be purchased. It is extremely easy to navigate and there are free Google Drive tutorials that can be used to train employees or to teach you more about how the workspace functions. Google Drive streamlines the ...

Technology is advancing at an alarming rate. The majority of the world’s population owns a mobile phone, and not many people rely on their desktops anymore. Mobile phones have become an integral part of these advancements for many reasons. People no longer leave their homes to go bet. With smartphones, it’s easier and more convenient to bet online in the comfort of your house. Most sports betting companies find it hard to choose between developing mobile websites or mobile apps. Having both is an added advantage though not all companies can develop both simultaneously. Nonetheless, based on customer needs and convenience, it is evident that most users prefer mobile Apps. This article looks at why mobile apps are a better option for your Organization than mobile websites. Feature...

Are you looking to host a successful hybrid event? If so, you're in luck! This post will provide you with tips on making your hybrid event a success. Keep reading for more information. What is a Hybrid Event? A hybrid event is a type of event that combines in-person and virtual elements. For example, a conference typically held in person might be turned into a hybrid event by live-streaming the event to remote attendees. This allows people who cannot travel to still participate in the event. Hybrid events also offer the opportunity to reach a larger audience than would be possible with an in-person event alone. By combining the two formats, organisers can create an engaging experience that meets the needs of a wide range of attendees. Reasons to Transition to a Hybrid Event Ther...

VoIP is something that has been around for a long time. It first started gaining popularity back in 2003 with the release of Skype. VoIP is different from traditional phones in that it connects with other devices using the internet. Skype is one of the oldest and most long-standing VoIP services, and it offers support for mobile phones and landlines that differentiates it from other self-contained platforms like Slack and Facetime. You will be glad to hear that modern VoIP technology is easier to install than you might think, and it works just as well as, if not sometimes better, than a typical mobile or landline phone connection. One main bonus of VoIP phones is that it provides you with access to more features while allowing you to keep your phone bill cost down.   Preparing to Set U...

Every company converts a lead into a paying customer by helping them solve their pain points. But how does a company find its leads? There are various ways to generate leads, such as direct engagement, paid ads, referrals, etc. Lead magnets are the most effective and sustainable way to generate qualified leads. You can generate numerous high-quality lead magnets with a compelling lead gen content strategy. And a reputed content marketing agency can help you develop an intricate lead-generating content marketing plan to boost your leads.  Lead magnets are the free resources that help your audience solve their problems in exchange for their contact information like email ID or phone numbers. People do not just give away personal information; you need to create value for your audience thro...

Customer service is fundamental to the ongoing success of any business in today's competitive marketplace; this is because customers reward excellent service. Moreover, customers avoid brands that lack customer service. No matter how great or unique your products or services are, your business won't achieve success if you aren't able to keep customers happy. When it comes to enhancing customer service in your business, it's worthwhile to consider partnering with professional call centers, adding chatbots to your website, and starting a customer rewards program. These actions will also dramatically boost customer service and customer satisfaction.  With this in mind, we've listed the key elements of excellent customer service.  Respect It's imperative to respect the blatant fact...