Reputation And Entrepreneurship- What Startups Can Do To Enhance It

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StrategyDriven Starting Your Busines Article |Enhance Reputation |Reputation And Entrepreneurship- What Startups Can Do To Enhance ItStarting up a new business is never easy but this wouldn’t dissuade someone born with an entrepreneurial streak. When you establish your dream venture, there’s always a lot to handle. Apart from the financial challenges and hard work to be invested, you need to be very careful about managing your reputation at all times. One slip at this stage can throw your reputation off track and your company may never be able to take off.

On the other hand, a solid reputation right from the start can build the trust, credibility, and loyalty of your customers. Also, it can present you as a reliable prospect for suppliers and partners. Together, these factors can give you the growth push that your startup needs. It makes sense to put all the effort you can in building your reputation. Here are some measures that can help you enhance the reputation of your entrepreneurial venture.

Invest in consistent branding

Branding serves as the bridge between a business and its customers. It is all the more important at the startup stage when you want the potential audience to know, recognize, and recall your business. Investing in a consistent branding initiative makes it possible to build a reputation for your product and brand. Start by creating a compelling narrative that highlights your value proposition. Encourage the first customers to stay with your brand and propagate it with word-of-mouth recommendations. Incentivize them for spreading the word around because people tend to trust other people rather than brands. Ensure that the tone of voice and messaging is consistent across all the branding channels.

Have the right people on board

While a great branding plan gets you a head start with your reputation, you cannot sideline the value that people can add to your brand’s presence. This is one more reason why entrepreneurs should prioritize having the best people in their team. Hard skills do matter but you should onboard people who are great with interpersonal skills as well. Customer-facing roles, in particular, require extra care and attention. After all, these are the people who will interact with your customers. Moreover, those dealing with suppliers, vendors, and partners should also be capable of keeping up your reputation with positive and friendly interactions.

Steer clear of legal issues

Legal hassles are one of the most common reasons why any business may face reputational damage. Startups are at a higher risk because they aren’t aware of the issues they may come across, from intellectual property breaches to founder disputes, workplace discrimination and more. The legal risk can be unexpected, like personal injury cases from customers and third parties. The injured victim will probably get a law firm offering top-notch legal solutions to represent them for a compensation claim. While lawsuits have financial implications, the loss of reputation can be a bigger issue. So you must do everything you can to steer clear of them in the first place.

Get the basics right

Besides avoiding specific legal issues, getting your basics right is equally important to protect your reputation as a startup. This is something that a majority of founders overlook and end up paying a heavy price. Double-check your calculations while doing sales figures, financials, and taxes. Go the extra mile with product design safety and testing and avoid service errors that may bring bad reviews. Do everything possible to keep customers happy because a single bad review can send your reputation plummeting. Even if you do get a negative review, address it immediately and try winning the customer’s favor.

Grow at an optimal pace

It may be great to experience booming growth and have a huge customer base quickly. But an unrealistic speed of growth can actually lead to unrealistic expectations that you may not be able to handle in the long run. Your efforts should be to move ahead at a consistent yet optimal pace, focusing on long-term relationships rather than only immediate revenues and profits. Keep a close eye on your growth graph and ensure that you are always on the right track. The processes you have in place should be scalable and reproducible with other people, rather than being dependent on only a few people.

Your reputation depends on your business and it works the other way around as well. So it becomes important to follow the best practices and be committed to giving the best to your customers. Avoid every small slip and admit your mistake even if you make them. A proactive approach towards resolving issues goes a long way in giving you a healthier reputation.

6 Ways To Improve Your Customer Service

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StrategyDriven Customer Relationship Management Article |Improve Customer Service|6 Ways To Improve Your Customer ServiceCustomer service has always been an important part of any successful business but in an economy that is struggling due to the Coronavirus pandemic, it has never been more vital to provide a flawless customer experience.

Have the right systems in place

Being available to your customers at the right times and on the right platforms is crucial. Most businesses have call centers and an online presence in the form of live chat, social media listening, and email. If your phone system is outdated then contact some specialist VOIP providers who will be able to advise you.

Learn to listen

Many companies can fall into the trap of just seeing their customers as faceless voices at the end of a phone or email. There is a real person with a real problem on the other side of any conversation.

Train your employees to actively listen rather than just read a script. Interact, engage, and empathize with your customers.

Use the right language

It can be easy to fall into an overly formal standard of language. It is seen as a way of communicating clearly and leaving no room for misinterpretation. It often has many negative effects on your customers. It is difficult to create a level of trust and friendliness, which is not good for your brand. When training your customer service reps, ensure that you create an atmosphere of friendliness and positivity.

Create experts in your customer service team

As a customer, there is nothing more infuriating than talking to someone who doesn’t know what they’re talking about or their lack of product knowledge. Even your first line support staff should know your products and services in-depth.

Respond in a timely manner

The time it takes for you to respond to a customer will have a huge impact on overall customer satisfaction. Not just the time it takes to answer the initial call but when responding to a customer’s query. Even if you don’t have a resolution to their issue right now, you should contact them to let them know you are still dealing with their issue.

Analyze customer feedback to improve

Continuous improvement cannot happen if you do not learn from your customer interaction. Rather than conduct a huge survey on an irregular basis, try building feedback into your daily customer service. Using feedback tools at the end of every customer service interaction will give you a real-time view of how you are performing. Changes can be made in a timely manner and improvements observed quickly.

Conclusion

Great customer service comes from really connecting with your customers on a professional and personal level. Customers expect speed, product knowledge, and a swift resolution to their issues. If you are failing to provide all of these, then you are going to start seeing the detrimental effects on your customer base and client retention. Use customer service as a key component in your business strategy.

Listen to your customers and improve your customer service levels accordingly in order to continue to improve.

How to Handle Back to Work Anxiety

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StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article |Work Anxiety|How to Handle Back to Work AnxietyAre you returning to the office? Businesses in many industries are starting to welcome employees back either on a full-time basis or a few days a week where remote working has been successful, but after months of working from home, it is understandable that many employees are feeling anxious.

So, what can an employee do to feel less anxious about returning to the office?

Learn About Changes

The fear of the unknown can be what causes the most anxiety, so it is useful to learn ahead of time what changes have been made to the office environment. It is likely that your manager/HR have been in touch but you can also speak to them directly which also gives you a chance to communicate your worries and work together to find ways to reduce stress and anxiety.

Socialize with Colleagues

Everyone is in the same boat so it is likely that you are not the only person feeling anxious which is why it is a good idea to speak to your colleagues and see how they are doing – of course, you will want to do this in a manner that you are comfortable with and by adhering to social distancing guidelines.

Prepare for the Commute

It is understandable that the commute is causing stress and anxiety, especially those using public transport. Wearing a face mask and having hand sanitizer is important, but it might also be useful to book online and try to travel at a quieter time. If you are getting on a train going to Portsmouth Harbour then you can book online which will give you one less thing to do on the day.

Have Something to Look Forward to

As with any type of anxiety, it is always helpful to have something to look forward to as a reward. This could be anything, but a few ideas include getting your favourite takeaway after work, going for a drink in the pub or buying yourself new clothes. You might also find it helpful to have a nice lunch planned in the middle of the day either with a colleague or by yourself if you are more comfortable.

Breathing Exercises

Breathing exercises are a proven way to reduce anxiety and can be done easily while on the train or simply sat at your desk so it is a good idea to teach yourself these exercises.

It is perfectly natural to have some anxiety returning to the office after months of working from home and with the virus still a threat. Hopefully, this post will give you a few ideas for ways that you can reduce anxiety and return to work with confidence – once you have done it once and got your feet under the desk, it is sure to feel like before.

How to Become a Successful Entrepreneur

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Successful Entrepreneur|How to Become a Successful EntrepreneurStarting your own business may be on your bucket list, but any entrepreneur would confess that it is no easy task. Although you may have ambitions to work for yourself and be your own boss, it can be extremely difficult to manage if you’ve had no prior experience in the business world. Being an entrepreneur is a 24-hour job and extremely demanding on your time in the early days; however, there are many benefits of becoming an entrepreneur that makes the hard effort worthwhile.

In this guide, we’re going to explore a few helpful pointers to make a note of how to become a successful entrepreneur.

1. Don’t take ‘no’ for an answer

Business people need to be tough-skinned to deal with the ruthless nature of the business world. In the early days, you’re likely to experience many unexpected setbacks. However, this is completely normal and is something you’ll have to tackle to achieve success. If your first plan of action doesn’t succeed, aim to find an alternate route to give your business the best chance of taking off. The fear of failure is what holds many entrepreneurs back from pushing forwards. However, you must visualize disappointment as a constructive experience for future growth.

2. Stay ambitious

Even when your business plan works in your favor, you should never stop pushing to keep achieving. The most successful entrepreneurs are always seeking their next challenge to beat their competition and make a greater profit. You should have the desire to work hard to create a better experience for your clients and customers and keep learning to improve your knowledge and skills in your industry. It is the moment you start to allow contentment to take over that you’ll get left behind. In this case, you must aim to keep up to date with the trends and adjust to new approaches for your business to go from strength to strength.

3. Be savvy with profits and investments

As an entrepreneur, you have the choice of drawing profits from your business, but if you don’t do it the right way, you could find yourself with a problem. Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of paying themselves a large salary in the early days of the business, but taxes can significantly deplete your income. In this case, you need to be savvy about how to draw profits from your business without losing money that could be better spent elsewhere.
It would also be in your best interest to keep re-investing to futureproof your business and enhance future growth. There are many ways you can invest in your company, such as improving your products and services, enhancing marketing efforts, or even hiring a coach to train your employees on new methods or practices.

4. Develop long-term business relationships

It is important to note that business relationships are part and parcel of what makes your business successful. However, this is all down to your skills as an entrepreneur. Clients and customers are always more inclined to deal with businesses they can trust. Therefore, if you have the ambition of acquiring repeat custom, you must be able to develop relationships to ensure long-term success. Most entrepreneurs would acknowledge that it is far more beneficial and easier to obtain repeat custom than seek brand new customers.

5. Plan your finances

Upon starting in business, you need to ensure that you have thought carefully about how you’re going to manage your finances. Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of spending money carelessly, without considering whether the decisions made are rational. Planning your finances would be in your best interests at the very beginning to ensure you don’t fall into economic difficulty. If you need assistance planning your finances, you could contemplate hiring a financial advisor or accountant to manage your business budgeting on your behalf.

6. Don’t dismiss complaints

While you may not want to hear negative comments about your business, it would be advisable that you aim to take negativity on the chin to understand your business’s weaknesses. When your customers are informing you that something isn’t right, don’t be afraid to listen. After all, without your clients or customers, your business is non-existent. Treat customer feedback with dignity and apologize profusely for their bad experience. After all, who better has a clear grasp of what they need and want than your customers, so never undermine their viewpoints.

Bearing in mind all of these points above will see you experiencing a successful business venture – try it for yourself.

Common Violations of Employment Law You Need to Know

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article | Entrepreneurship | Overtime | Common Violations of Employment Law You Need to KnowSeveral people in the United States have fair and excellent employers. However, we have some employers who violate the rights of their workers every single day. Some of them include break and rest violations and underpayment. In such a case, you have to know your rights and find a good employment lawyer to help you out.

Some employment law violations are common in the United States. The first one is failing to pay for overtime workers. These laws vary from one state to another but The Sattiraju Law Firm, P.C. can help you calculate your overtime hours and seek compensation. You are entitled to overtime pay unless you meet the set overtime exemptions. Some employers pay for overtime, but the amount of money they give is far much lower than what is legally acceptable. In such a case, you will need a highly skilled wage and hour dispute lawyer to help you out.

As an employee, you may also get compensation for not taking a non-paid meal period or any other rest breaks that you need to have legally. Some states expect employers to pay their workers extra for these services. If your employer frequently expects you to skip an unpaid meal or rest breaks, you must look for the help of wage and dispute hour attorneys to guide you. The Sattiraju Law Firm, P.C will make sure that you get full compensation for the working hours.

The other employment law violation takes place when employers classify statutory as ‘independent contractors.’ It will deny the worker several rights that he should be receiving like overtime, minimum wage, and other protections that the federal and state law provides. Some employers miscalculate the overtime amount genuinely. It can be a well-planned move that the employer uses to increase his profitability. You can clear out this issue by using a reputable employment law attorney. These legal experts will help you to determine whether your employer has misclassified you under the independent contractors.

You may also be entitled to some meal times and rest breaks that your employer doesn’t provide. Some of them may also fail to provide vocational pay and hence the employee will take home far less than what they deserve while the employee is benefiting unjustly. If you suspect that the employer is violating your rights, it is wise to seek legal help.

The incidences of violating the rights of workers in the United States are prevalent. However, some of them are not known because employees don’t know their rights. The cases range from miscalculating the status of employees to denying workers overtime pay. You may end up with more extended working hours, fewer breaks, and less income than is legally acceptable.

As a worker, you need to know your rights and seek professional assistance to defend you when there is the need. It will lead to a fair working environment that will see employees working safely and securely. You have to make sure that you are receiving adequate compensation depending on the services that you offer to the company.