Why is it Important to Have the Right Tools as a Business? 

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | Why is it Important to Have the Right Tools as a Business? How long has your business been established for? Have you been operating for a few years or are you one of the almost six million SMEs that have recently set up on their own?

Whether you’re new to being in charge or you’ve been at it for a while, it’s important that you have the right tools in place in order to do the job effectively. This applies to all industries and roles, from office jobs to manual positions on construction sites.

But what makes having the right tools so important? Here’s a look at some of the main reasons to make sure you and your team are fully equipped.

Safety is vital

No matter what sector you work in, the health and safety of you and your employees is a key consideration. While meeting requirements, such as having a fire marshal and getting your team to carry out safety training, is likely to be top of the list, it’s important that you make sure that you’re providing the right tools too.

By working out what tools are needed early on, you can protect staff from workplace hazards and potential injuries that can happen when the wrong instrument is used for the task. For instance, if you’re managing a building site, you’ll need to make sure that fully functioning drills and drill bits are to hand. Old drills that have seen better days will need to be replaced in order to keep workers safe and complete the job.

Cost-effective planning

Planning out the tools you and your team need can seem like a significant expense at first, especially if you’re just starting out. However, by investing in good-quality machinery and tools early on, you are more likely to save money as you won’t need to replace faulty hand tools or second-hand computers shortly after paying for them.

So, if you need to buy a cement mixer for your building work or you’ve hired a graphic designer and need the very latest software and hardware, investing in new machines and computers now will mean you won’t need to think about updating them for a while. It’s worth keeping track of the tools and machinery you invest in so that you know when they might need a service, check, or to be replaced completely.

Boost productivity

Workers can’t do their job well if they don’t have the right tools. If they do have everything to hand, they can work efficiently and be more productive. Providing full socket sets for the mechanics on your team, for example, means that they are more likely to be able to easily replace tyres, getting through more jobs than if they had limited resources.

Maintain your reputation

The wrong tools or missing parts can also be time consuming and, in the worst cases, detrimental. For instance, if you run a handyman company and you and your team are working on a big project, the customer isn’t likely to be happy if their bannister can’t be completed due to a lack of good-quality handheld tools. This can impact on your business and your reputation.

Whether you’re just starting up or you’ve been established for a long time, take the time to assess what tools are required. Do any need replacing? What machinery would benefit the business? This will be time well spent.

A Guide for Protecting Your Business Data

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article | A Guide for Protecting Your Business DataThere are many threats to your business data on a daily basis. Taking the right steps to protect your business data in the best possible way will help your business to remain secure, and your operations fully protected.

Here is a guide on all you can do to make sure that your business data is protected.

Back Up Your Data on a Daily Basis

A huge threat to your data can be data loss, and it is very easily done. Even if you are completely careful with your business data and avoid human error, there are many reasons you could end up losing data if it is not backed up, such as computer viruses, system problems or even power failures.

Backing up your data at least once a day — ideally storing data offsite — will help your data to remain protected.

Implement Virus and Malware Protection Methods

Viruses, malware and other cyber crime will always be a threat to business data, and all you can do is put up the maximum defense measures to keep your data protected. This means installing the right anti-virus software and firewall protection.

When it comes to cyber crime, it is also about staying aware of any new or evolving threats. Training an internal team on how to recognize threats can help to increase your protection (such as how to identify a potentially threatening email or suspicious activity).

Be Secure When Sharing Data

Data sharing is when data can easily become compromised. If data is being shared in unsecure ways, this can risk data hacking or even lost data through human error.

A great method for ensuring safe data sharing — if your team needs to work together with data securely — is by implementing a data sharing solution you can trust, like the platform from ovatiotech.com. This means data can be regulated and shared through a secure software channel so that your team can comfortably manage data efficiently.

Make Updates a Regular Item on the Agenda

The technology you use in business and where you store your data will be able to work most efficiently when regularly updated. Outdated programs and systems will easily become more vulnerable.

For ease, you should try to install automatic updates so that updates can always be made when they need to be. If manual updates are preferable, be sure to create a schedule and reminders so that it is not neglected.

Dispose of Any Business Data Securely

Not all data needs to be kept, and there may come a time when you need to dispose of old business data. Even if the data is no longer relevant, it still leaves your business vulnerable if the data gets in the wrong hands.

If you have hard drives or data files to dispose of, be sure to use professional services to completely overwrite and remove any information, or understand how to successfully remove the data yourself, as most of the time simply deleting a file does not mean it cannot be recovered by an outside party if they gain access to a device.

Always take the right steps to fully protect your business data.

From Building-Centric to People-Centric Workplaces

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Workplaces|From Building-Centric to People-Centric WorkplacesFor decades, corporations put little thought into employee workspaces. The mindset of “one person, one desk,” left workers imprisoned in a sea of grey cubicles. More recently, organizations have played with open office plans and Google and Facebook-esque spaces that include beanbag chairs and basketball hoops, all in a ploy to attract and retain younger workers.

While the overall look and feel of an office space from an architectural and interior design standpoint can have its appeal, the true crux of the matter is how well the space enables and facilitates work.

Even before the pandemic required most workers to work remotely from their homes, employees were making demands for more flexible work situations and escape from the 20th-century office straitjacket. Agile working, hot-desking and the gig economy were already shifting attitudes away from the limitations of that one desk mindset.

Today, with good connectivity widely available, easy access to the internet and effective file sharing, any space can become a workplace and the pandemic proved that to all the remaining hold outs. At the same time, the pandemic also revealed the advantages and efficiencies of occasionally coming together face-to-face.

In the post-pandemic era, business leaders have an opportunity to shift the office space paradigm and give consideration to how their offices can operate in a way that enables and facilitates work. Specifically, the workplace can become a tool for organizational change. A 2019 Harvard University study revealed that organizations with a more employee-centric approach to office space see a reduction in absenteeism and staff turnover, and experience as much as a 16 percent rise in productivity.

Use these strategies to embrace 21st-century fit-for-purpose workplaces:

  1. Consider user experience. Creating a productive and innovative working environment requires understanding when, where and how people need to interact. Offer diverse work settings for the different functions people perform, along with areas to collaborate with colleagues, socialize or just take time out to think and relax. Ask yourself what behaviors you want to encourage, and then construct a setting that promotes and supports them.
  2. Create a dynamic ecosystem. Old attitudes about the office as a place where people merely put in their time must be replaced by new impressions of the office as a place where employees can up their game, give their best and deliver greater creativity and innovation. The challenge is to create workspaces that enable knowledge and information to be communicated effectively in an open and collaborative environment. This may mean bringing technological infrastructure up to speed and fit for purpose. To deliver 21st-century workplaces, there has to a joining of the dots between property, people and technology.
  3. Design workplaces to support wellbeing. Alongside employee productivity, take a holistic view toward engaging your people. For example, if people make use of the office regularly, they will value having a workspace they can personalized as opposed to relying on hot-seating arrangements that can lead to musical chairs. In a nutshell, a great workplace must be an investment in space and an investment in people in equal parts.
  4. Allow flexibility in where people choose to work. Put people in control of their work-life balance. The extent to which you empower people to make decisions about how they interact within their teams will foster a trusting employer-employee relationship and result in a boost to employee engagement. Further, this leaves you free to concentrate on the constructive management of aspects that contribute to the bottom line.
  5. Make decisions that reflect corporate values. The ubiquitous nature of social media means that society as a whole has its eye on your corporate values. Considerations such as engagement with the surrounding neighborhood, use of sustainable building materials and other socially responsible practices can meaningfully contribute to your brand’s status.

Every organization must now formulate its strategic thinking around turning placemaking into profit-making and creating new, more meaningful solutions for the workforce and the workplace. In order to deliver 21st-century workplaces, there needs to be a convergence of approaches to create workplaces that inspire employee engagement, foster creativity and increase productivity, while also improving a company’s capacity to compete and create value.

About the Author

StrategyDriven Expert Contributor |Chris KaneChris Kane has worked in the Corporate Real Estate sector for over thirty years, having operated as the Vice President of International Corporate Real Estate for The Walt Disney Company, before acting as Head of Corporate Real Estate at the BBC. His new book, Where Is My Office? Reimagining the Workplace for the 21st Century (Bloomsbury Business, Dec. 22, 2020) investigates innovative corporate real estate thinking in the modern workplace. Learn more at www.whereismyoffice.com.

Choosing the Best Managed IT Services for Your Business

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | Choosing the Best Managed IT Services for Your BusinessNavigating information technology has become an inescapable part of every modern business, whether it is the size of an industry titan in Silicon Valley, an unassuming mom and pop shop, or anything in between. Some type of IT support is necessary, and if your business doesn’t have the luxury of on-site, tech-savvy support, you may have to outsource for managed IT services.

With a dense saturation of providers to choose from, here are the most important things to consider when seeking managed IT support for your business.

Do They Provide Sufficient Security?

Technologically oriented crime has increased at a staggering rate. Reports of industry giants suffering breaches show up frequently. To keep from being

impacted, you need to consider the standard of security your type of business requires both for your company’s safety and for your clients, vendors, and anyone else whose data you collect.

Can the provider be trusted with your company’s sensitive financial and personal information? Will they effectively encrypt your company’s network to ensure effective activity privacy and monitoring? Do they have a history of failing their customers in terms of data leaks, or are they vigilant in maintaining your protection?

Once you have found a provider that sufficiently meets these criteria, you’re one step closer to having quality managed IT support.

Are They Timely?

Tech emergencies can happen in an instant, and they can create havoc on your production and your systems quickly. In those moments, your company needs an IT service that can resolve the issue in a prompt and efficient manner.

When evaluating companies, ask yourself: Are they available at all hours of the day, every day of the year? If your services may be rendered at any given moment, so too should theirs. No company is immune from technological issues, hiccups, or potential digital attacks. Relying on the expertise of IT technicians whose services are available to you the moment you report an issue is of the utmost importance.

Although there is never a good time for a system glitch, technology often fails the people who use it at the most inopportune moments. Having an IT support team on standby who can resolve issues efficiently is key to maintaining a smooth business practice.

Are They Competent?

Pick the very best of the best that you can afford as a business proprietor. The experts on whom you depend should be exactly that: experts.

The distinction between an amateur who treats your network like a test lab and a storied professional with a distinguished background in providing service to multiple clients seems obvious. However, if you are in the market for an IT provider, take the extra time to weed out the average from the elite. Your business may have oddly specific needs or a wide range of general needs, and it is essential that whomever you outsource your technological dilemmas to is thoroughly equipped and licensed to address these problems.

Do They Meet Your Standards?

You wouldn’t risk providing subpar or thoughtless work to the clients who have employed your services. Therefore, you shouldn’t settle for anything provided by a managed IT support team that wouldn’t meet your highest expectations. Your company deserves tech support that upholds the same standards that you do.

Once you have answered these questions, evaluated the options, and taken the time to vet a reliable provider, your business can grow without your time and attention being divided. You have a secure, efficient, and competent network of experts, and you may now tend to the vital needs of your business without fear of a crash or breach.

What Is the Value of Pop Up Shops?

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Pop Up Shops|What Is the Value of Pop Up Shops?Are you looking to grow your physical presence but can’t afford the cost or are not ready for the commitment that comes with the retail store? Pop up shops for rent may be the solution you need. Research shows 70% of all retail purchases take place offline. Pop up shops are an affordable way for businesses of all kinds to set up a physical presence that allows them to meet customers and put brands before customers.

This post looks into the value of pop up shops for rent to businesses and why you should consider running one. Let’s dive in:

Creating awareness and building a buzz

Let’s face it, there are too many businesses competing for the attention of customers. Therefore, you need to put some effort into promoting your brand or products to potential markets with the view of increasing brand awareness.

By setting up a pop up store, you will ride on scarcity, a sales tactic that often drives action by arousing customer’s desire to purchase limited or exclusive products. This is because the temporary nature of the pop up stores mean they only run for a definite period thus shoppers are encouraged to visit the store or ‘miss out’ on the discounts. This often creates a sense of urgency.

But that is not all, you must also invest in the promotion of the pop up to not only build a buzz but ensure that there will be people coming through the doors once you launch. This means promoting your store on various social media platforms and sending a broadcast to your subscribers. This way, you will get people talking about your brand thus increasing awareness.

Promoting an in-person connection with your customers

Most consumers prefer to make purchases after seeing and touching products. Consequently, most online purchases are preceded by physical interaction with products. The reality is that while ecommerce stores present convenience, they don’t come close to face to face interaction and in-person experiences shoppers have when they go to a physical store.

Having a pop up spacerent will enrich your omnichannel experience while allowing your customers and prospects to learn about your products at the store, on social media, in print media and through search engines as well as other channels in between. The offline experience will certainly complement your online experience thus helping you strengthen brand loyalty and customer engagement.

Driving more sales

Although you can open a pop up store at any time of the year, it is even more advantageous when you run a pop up store during busy seasons like holidays. Setting up a pop up store during the holiday season will particularly work for you when it comes to driving sales because this is a time when more people spend more than they normally would. Moreover, a 2017 Retail Dive report found that more than 84% of sales during holidays take place in-store.

But this does not end here. You will be surprised at how much sales your pop up shopt will drive long after the busy season is over. Moreover, you may also realize that you’re turning most seasonal shoppers into loyal long-term customers by simply having that in-person connection.

Testing new marketing and gaining traction within current markets

Before launching a new brick and mortar store, you will want to validate demand. This will only happen where there is money changing hands. This also applies when you want to launch a new product but want to test a new market.

You can manufacture a small batch of your products and bring it to the pop up as a way of validating customer demand before you can continue with mass production. This can work when you also want to launch a new collection and want to see if they will have traction.

The experience of selling your yet to be launched products in person often gives you the advantage of receiving direct feedback, seeing their reaction and knowing how much they are willing to spend on the product. In the case where your ecommerce store is already established and you have a thriving customer base within certain regions, you could use pop up stores to go where customers are or to target a new geographical area.

Pop up shops offer endless value for businesses that are seeking to expand their market and sales in general. However, you must be strategic to ensure that these shops help to consolidate your customer base without having to spend so much money on customer acquisition.