3 Changes To Implement In Your Business This Year

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Business Goals|3 Changes To Implement In Your Business This YearIt is that time of year when we set new goals, revisit our expectations and make fresh plans for our businesses. You have probably already been thinking about revisions that you might need to make and pinpointing your strengths in a bid to build on them and further develop them. We are keen to help you to have a successful start to the year, which is why today we are sharing with you 3 changes to implement in your business this year.

Assess your business’ productivity

You are always going to want your business to be more productive, so take some time to fully assess it this month with a view to implementing any essential changes going forward.

Try to view your business critically, so that you can break down each element of your operation to enable you to decide whether it is working as efficiently as it could be. You might find that you need to get another pair of eyes on it for you, as you might be too close to everything.

When you spot areas that you feel could be improved, start looking into ways that you might be able to work differently. For example, you might find that it would be wise to invest in the latest technology like this field service dispatch software to give you a boost or you could move to using manufacturing companies such as TSMC to give you an edge.

Improve the working conditions

Your business will run more smoothly with happy, engaged and loyal staff, so it can serve you well to look at improving the working conditions for everyone.

You will want to ensure that you have all of the basics covered first, so make sure that the office has the supplies that it needs and give it a good deep clean.

After you have catered to the key areas, get your team involved in helping you to improve all common areas. You might choose to alter the premises through redecorating, adding accessories, rearranging the furniture or adding in new items.

Additionally, you might introduce dress down Fridays, music playing in the office, new reward systems or fresh flowers every week. Do not guess at what you think will work best here, do involve your staff. That way you know you are investing in the right places and they will appreciate having been heard.

Develop your marketing strategy

How is your current marketing strategy working for you? Do you feel that it is reaching the audience that you are striving to connect with? Do you feel that your business and brand is being promoted enough?

A coherent and positive marketing strategy is essential for any business looking to grow and flourish this year.

There are hundreds of possibilities available to you, such as direct mail, digital content marketing, business networking, hosting events, running promotions and utilising social media.

Take the time to think about the people that you are looking to connect with, and then you can start devising the best ways to reach out to them.

Adapting Your Business To The Marketplace

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Running a company|Adapting Your Business To The MarketplaceRunning a company takes more than brains and ambition. Your competitors will have both of those things in spades, too. So, what is it that distinguishes a successful entrepreneur from a less-than-successful entrepreneur? Well, many factors come into play. Primarily, it comes down to planning. Plenty of businesses have failed over the years, despite being built on good ideas. You need to be able to assess the market. It’s important not to get trapped in your business’ bubble. Whilst building your ideas, your workforce, and your brand, you always need to pay attention to the marketplace. You need to pay attention to your rivals and your target audience. With that in mind, here are some ways to ensure that you keep adapting your business to the marketplace.

Cater to the needs of your target market.

You need to cater to the needs of your target market if you want to adapt your business to the marketplace. Guessing what your current and potential customers want is not a smart strategy. You have to come up with innovative ideas that actually solve problems facing your target market. Talk to your existing clients and potential clients in your market. Find out what changes they want to see in your industry. The goal is to find gaps in the marketplace. When you can do that, you’ll be able to come up with solutions that differentiate your brand from competing brands. That’s how you’ll keep adapting your business to the marketplace and gaining customers.

Advertise your business effectively.

Advertising your business effectively is another way in which you could adapt to the marketplace. After all, there’s no use in creating a fantastic product or service but failing to let your target market know about it. There are plenty of great companies that go unnoticed because they don’t know how to market their brands in an effective manner. Digital marketing is the key to success in the modern age. You might want to get help from a local SEO company to improve your website’s online ranking. It’s so important to show up at the top of search result pages to increase your traffic. Plus, with better content, you’ll see more of your visitors become customers.

Reward continued loyalty.

Even successful businesses experience hard times. The market can be unpredictable and unforgiving. You might have a profitable product one year and, the following year, see that same product stay firmly on the shelves of your warehouse. The best way to prepare for unprecedented shifts in your industry is to develop a core client base. You might not always find it easy to generate new leads, but if you have a reliable base of loyal customers, then you’ll be able to maintain a steady profit. Offering an excellent standard of customer service is a smart way to ensure that your company can successfully adapt to the marketplace as it continually changes.

So, to achieve this, you need to reward continued loyalty. You need to give your clients a reason to stick around. A loyalty points scheme could help with that. If customers see that they’ll be able to get discounts or even free gifts from building up points when they buy your products, then they’ll keep coming back to your store. You should surprise your loyal customers with emails awarding them with discount codes as a way of showing your gratitude.

This will make your clients feel valued by your company, and it’ll keep them returning to your business time and time again.

Important supplies every office must have

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Office Supplies|Important supplies every office must haveIf you are trying to set up a new office or have been assigned a task to make sure all the important office supplies are available, then let us help you compile a list of all office essentials. Thorough research will help you create a list of all the necessary items and save you a great deal of time and money. Without proper planning, you can end up spending money on the items that are not required or might miss out on the items which are most essential. The more time you invest in proper planning, the less time you spend on finding important supplies for your office.

Stationery Items

Basic stationery items that you might consider having in the office include Pens, pencils, erasers, sharpeners, staplers, staples, staple remover, paper punch machine, paper clips, binder clips, folders, storage boxes, tape, tape dispenser, board markers, highlighters (different colors) flip charts, planners, diaries, locks, adhesives, sticky notes(of different sizes and colors), batteries, binding and laminating material, cartridges for the printer, paper of different sizes such as A4, A3, etc as per the requirement of office.

IT Equipment

In the present time, one cannot imagine running smooth operations of any office without adequate IT equipment. Make sure laptops/desktops are available to meet the office requirements. You can easily find good quality three in one scanner, printer, and photocopy machine for office use. Although it is a big investment but performs well for a long time. Make sure you have a high-speed Wi-Fi connection to make these items work properly. Items such as keyboards, mouse, headphones, shredders, extension cords, lamps, digital cameras, and telephones are also essential office supplies.

Software

It is essential to purchase licensed software such as Operating systems, Microsoft, and anti-virus to ensure the smooth running of office operations. Developing software or apps to store and manage data is also very integral in running operations of any office. Many offices develop their own software for a better day to day operational, Financial and HR Management. There are numerous apps and websites that help in preparing the project plans, setting the milestones, adding resources, and keeping track of the performance. Spend ample time in choosing the best option for your office.

Office Furniture

Most offices require staff members to work 40 hours per week. Don’t you agree they deserve a comfortable environment? You can explore cost-effective options for ergonomic office furniture which is designed to improve the posture of the employees which in turn reduces the pain and stress. If you want to increase the productivity of employees, you must care about their well-being and ergonomic furniture is your go-to option. Invest in a high-quality chair, standing desks and supportive keyboards to improve the overall working conditions of the employees. Buy some footrest and back cushion so if required they can be provided to the employees.

Depending on the amount of paperwork in your office, get the Storage boxes and cabinets for organizing the documents. Scattered documents will not only create distractions at the workplace but also makes it difficult to maintain official records properly.

Mailing Supplies

If your office deals in invoicing the clients and sending hardcopy of letters and invitations to stakeholders, keeping different sized envelopes, bookfold mailers, and adhesive, tape and tape dispenser is essential. Invest one time in good quality envelopes with the logo of your organization for corresponding with other organizations. It will not only give a professional look but also get the required attention from your stakeholders. Make sure you have a good quality paper and toner to print the address clearly and paste it on the envelope, so it reaches the desired audience easily and does not go unnoticed.

Calendars and Planners

Well-designed planners and calendars not only add to the look of your office but also help the staff members to organize their tasks in a better way and meet the deadlines. Each staff member must be provided with either a wall or table calendar and a planner to help them in managing their commitments better. It is always a good idea to have a planner in the meeting room so the scheduled meetings are marked right there for the information of staff.

Wall hangings and Motivational Pictures

We all need a little push on some days to get ourselves going. For days like these, have some nice pictures and wall hangings around the office. You can create your own attractive wall hanging by using motivational posters which will enhance the productivity of your staff members.

Kitchen and Cleaning Supplies

It is essential to keep the environment of the office clean. Make sure you have a toilet, kitchen, desk, floor cleaning items in stock so the office remains tidy at all times. A dirty office will leave a bad impact on all internal and external stakeholders. Do not forget to grab different material cleaning liquids such as flor and windows, tissue papers, Disinfectant wipes, Garbage bags, Paper toweling, Hand sanitizer.

Basic kitchen supplies such as small fridge, microwave oven, kettle, crockery, tea bags, coffee, sugar, and milk are also required for the well-being of the staff members.

First Aid Kits and Safety Items

Never underestimate the need for first aid kits containing basic items such as medicines, pain killers, antiseptic sprays, alcohol swabs for cleaning the wounds, and bandages. In case of any emergency, your office should be equipped to provide basic first aid to the staff member until the proper medical treatment is arranged.

You cannot ignore the importance of staff safety. To ensure that items such as flashlights and fire extinguishers must be in place to avoid any mishap in the office premises. Make sure the flashlights always have fresh batteries and fire extinguishers are refilled. It is also essential to train the staff on how to use the fire extinguishers and inform them about the spots where fire extinguishers are placed in the offices.

Conclusion

One list cannot fit all. Depending upon the nature of your office, there might be some additional essential office supplies that you require to run day to day operations of your business; however, the above-mentioned items are necessary to build the foundation of any office regardless of the type of operations. Always remember the key is to start with developing a basic list of essential office supplies and keep updating it to make sure your office requirements are met. Before making any purchase, it is a smart move to check in your inventory which items are already available in stock to ensure the cost-effective running of the business.

Building a Reputation For Excellence in the Construction Industry

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When you’ve dedicated your whole professional life to working in the construction industry, it’s entirely reasonable to want to make your mark in the industry by starting a firm of your very own. That is, after all, the dream isn’t it? To take the skills you’ve spent decades honing and go into business with yourself, taking on the industry on your own terms and shattering the ceiling that your current job places over your pay and prospects?

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | Building a Reputation | Entrepreneurship | Building a Reputation For Excellence in the Construction Industry

Yet while there are many who find success in setting up their own construction business, there are many caveats when it comes to starting out on your own. The construction industry is high in costs and low margins by nature. Cash flow equilibrium can be hard to come by and the inevitability of large scale borrowing can mean a great deal of money spent on interest in your early days. In order to find sustainable success, firms need to be securing contract after contract in rapid succession to stay afloat. Which is why reputation is so incredibly important in the construction industry.

Here are some tips to make sure that your nascent firm develops a sterling reputation which carries it to lasting success…

Never over-promise in the hopes of landing a contract

Bidding for contracts can be an extremely nerve-wracking process, especially when you’re throwing your hat into the ring alongside well established and seasoned construction firms with whom high paying business clients will already be familiar.

In such a context, it can be extremely tempting for hungry new firms to over promise in the hopes of beating their competitors to the punch… but such a tactic can often create more problems than it solves. There’s nothing worse than over promising and under delivering. As important as it is to be competitive, it’s also essential that you’re realistic about the capabilities of your team and your equipment.

Invest in the resources for outstanding project management

When you’re working on a construction project, it can seem as though every day is a battle for productivity. Not only do you need to keep close tabs on your plant, knowing where your equipment is and who’s using it at all times, you need to be sure of the whereabouts of every member of your team, know what they’re working on and make sure that they know what to focus their attention on next.

And this can be a real uphill struggle without the right project management solutions. Fortunately, there’s a plethora of software out there to help you to track your team’s progress as well as Internet of Things (IoT) enabled devices that can be attached to virtually any plant and allow for easier tracking. There are even new tools hitting the market that already have IoT technology built in.

Deliver solutions that will withstand the test of time

It goes without saying that compliance in the construction industry is enormously important. But in order to secure a sterling reputation in the industry, you’ll also need to be able to assure your clients that your firm will go the extra mile and deliver solutions that are guaranteed to withstand whatever time, the elements and the caprices of nature can throw at them for decades to come. Invest in great quality materials, having checks and balances in place to ensure consistent quality and outsourcing to other entities like seismic engineering contractors can all help you to go the extra mile and develop a sterling reputation. Even if your company is still in its infancy, clients will have confidence in you if they can see that you take every care to maintain the integrity of your work. That said, it’s also essential to…

Own your mistakes

No matter how many precautionary measures you take, there’s always a chance that things may go wrong either during or after the construction process. As tempting as it may be to bury your head in the sand, failing to own and respond to mistakes can do irreparable damage to your reputation.

Invest in your plant. Invest in your team

Your plant is an important investment. You need to be absolutely sure that the equipment you use will give you the same high standard of performance. And that’s not always easy to do when you’re first starting out, which is why hire purchase is often a favorable solution for nascent construction firms who need equipment of the highest quality but can’t necessarily afford to buy it outright.

But perhaps more important is the need to invest in a skilled and highly motivated team who you can trust to get the job done on time to a consistently high standard. Your work is only ever as good as your team. Fortunately, having spent years as a construction worker you likely already know exactly what to look for in your workforce.

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | Building a Reputation | Entrepreneurship | Building a Reputation For Excellence in the Construction Industry

Maintain an outstanding safety record

The last thing any client wants is mishaps taking place on their site. And as a seasoned construction professional, you know how fraught with risk the average site can be. This is why it’s so important to maintain the highest standard of safety. When deadlines loom near, it’s all too tempting to loosen your standards in terms of safety checks in the name of getting the job done quicker.

Manage and meet expectations

It’s always frustrating when your best efforts fall short of clients’ expectations. It’s even more frustrating when this happens because your client’s expectations are inherently unreasonable. This is why expectation management in the early stages is so essential. When the client has clear parameters for what to expect there’s no room for them to perceive failure and all you can do is meet or surpass their expectations of you.

Construction firms rely heavily on word of mouth, but unlike other businesses they can’t use easy strategies like discount codes and referral incentives to facilitate it. That’s why it’s so essential to hold yourself to the highest standards and have an infrastructure in place to assure excellence in every job. When you’re doing this, you can be sure that world will get around.

2 Ways to Take Your Business to the Next Level

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | Entrepreneurship | Next Level | 2 Ways to Take Your Business to the Next LevelYou didn’t start your business just to see it flounder and struggle at the foot of its market. You took the plunge and brought your organization to life because you wholeheartedly believed that it would one day be capable of reaching the pinnacle of its industry. If your business is to scale these incredibly lofty heights, you need to start taking action today. More to the point, you have to find a way to take your business to the next level.

To find out how this can be achieved, be sure to read on.

Expand Your Workspace

The bigger your workspace is, the more work you will be able to produce on a day-by-day basis. This will result in being able to provide your customers with a greater product range, which will ultimately result in standing a better chance of increasing your revenues. If you want to turn over a far greater profit and subsequently invest this extra money into taking your business to the next level, then you should seriously consider expanding your workspace.

Taking such action can entail you doing a number of different things. It can simply mean finding and moving into a bigger space, it can mean adding more space onto your current operational area, or it can even mean building your own bespoke space. Should you opt to follow the latter route — building your own workspace — you will be able to create an operational area that is tailored to your business’s specific wants and needs. Whatever you do, however, just make sure that you align yourself with a professional that is capable of creating bespoke buildings for businesses, such as BBB accredited Armstrong Steel. With them by your side, you will be able to circumvent the challenges of expanding your workspace and ultimately build an area that is optimized, safe and suited specifically to your needs.

Focus on Customer Service

If you want to attract and retain your target audience, you need to focus on your customer service capabilities. Quite simply, you should treat each individual consumer in a highly optimized and bespoke manner. Anything less, and your most desired client base will start looking for an alternative service provider in your market.

To improve your customer service, you must:

  • Understand your customer needs
  • Seek and analyze customer feedback
  • Go above and beyond to ‘WOW!’ your customers
  • Invest in customer service training for your sales team
  • Set clear standards and expectations with regards to customer service
  • Build your customer service processes around the consumer, not your organization
  • Empathize with your customers
  • Cross-sell as often as you can
  • Use positive language and body language
  • Know your products and services inside out
  • Always seek to establish common ground
  • Communicate with your customers clearly
  • Be an active listener
  • Respond to customer queries quickly

If you want to reach the very top of your industry, you constantly have to find a way to take your business to the next level. Put the above advice into practice, and you’ll be sure to do just that.