5 common business problems solved with software

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Business Software|5 common business problems solved with softwareMany of the problems your business is currently facing can be solved by finding the right software. In our times, when our lives are getting more and more intertwined with the digital world, it’s only natural that the same will be happening at work. You can decide to use some of the already existing programs, but there’s also a possibility of choosing bespoke options. Just remember that when you’re looking for software developers in Poland or any other country, you need to make sure their offer is good for your company. The price shouldn’t be the main factor behind your decision, it’s their previous work you should be focusing on.

Productivity

Productivity is the key to success in business. The more work you get done, the better the results you’ll be able to achieve. Modern technology can enable you and your employees to complete all your tasks much faster. Everything from sending documents to tracking expenses can now be done in a matter of seconds with the right programs. Another effective solution you should consider implementing in your company is the use of online calendars. They make it easy to create convenient schedules that can be regularly updated for everyone to see and follow.

Documents

Running a company requires producing a lot of different documents, and it used to be really difficult to keep track of all of them. The point is that if an important piece of text gets misplaced, it can lead to serious consequences for your business. But if you make everyone at the office use compatible software and provide a possibility to store all the files in the cloud, you’ll be able to access everything easily and make sure it won’t get lost.

Administration costs

Administration can create additional operating costs because it requires hiring more employees. But if you find ways to make tasks like tracking activities within a company, manage expenses and invoices, more time-effective, everyone will have more time for completing other work. It will not only boost your productivity but also lower the costs. There’s no need to personally take care of every little detail. You shouldn’t ignore the opportunities offered by modern technology, because your business has a lot to gain from such solutions.

Attracting new clients

As the internet is becoming a bigger part of our lives with each passing year, it creates a lot of different possibilities to communicate with one another. You can use such options to improve your contact with your clients. By using social media, you can easily get your message across. Such platforms are a great way to keep people interested in your offer and inform them of all the changes. But you have to remember that if you want your profile to attract new customers, you need to create content that will be engaging and appealing. A great way to save time is to use applications that allow you to schedule regular updates on your profiles in advance. This way, you can focus on other things and not be distracted.

Security

Keeping your data secure is an extremely important thing. That’s why, if you want to keep your business safe from potential risks, you need to make sure all your passwords are strong and regularly changed. Another sure way to protect yourself is to have backup storage for your documents. The truth is that if you lose your files, your company will find itself in a difficult position. So don’t underestimate such dangers, as even smaller companies can encounter problems with security.

Implementing technology in your business offers many benefits at a relatively low cost. Of course, if your company has very specific requirements, the price will get higher. But still, it’s possible to find satisfying options that will let your small business expand without having to spend a fortune.

A Guide: Taking Your Startup to the Next Level

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Startup|A Guide: Taking Your Startup to the Next LevelYour startup is up and running and performing well in its market — congratulations! Your celebrations must be short-lived, however, as you cannot afford to rest on your laurels in the world of business. You need to resolve to take your company to the next level because, if you don’t, you’ll soon find yourself falling behind your competition.

The world of business moves forward quickly, and you need to move with it. Read on to find out what you need to do to take your startup to the next level.

Save money where you can

You might be good at sealing deals and making money, but are you as good at consolidating the profit that you manage to turnover? Keeping a hold of the cash that you make is just as important as making it in the first place, as more money in the bank equals more security. With this security, you can then set about building a platform that will allow you to take your business to the next level.

Quite simply, you need to become a better saver at all costs. More to the point, you need to constantly be looking for ways to cut your business expenditure. One way to do this is to barter for goods and services whenever it is possible for you to do so. Before cash became the world’s go-to form of currency, bartering was what people did to get the goods and services that they needed. In exchange for whatever it was that they required, they would provide something in return. There’s nothing stopping you from embracing this form of payment, as bartering is not illegal.

By exchanging goods and services for other goods and services, you will find yourself paying out a lot less money. It may mean a bit of extra hard work on your workforce’s part, but that’s what you pay them for!

Make use of the latest technology

You aren’t going to be able to provide a service befitting of today if you aren’t using today’s top tech to provide it. It’s really quite simple: you need to be making full use of all the latest pieces of technology… because you can be sure that your competitors are.

Investing in the right tech is only half the battle won, though. To make sure you get as much out of it as you possibly can, you need to resolve to keep it in good working order. This can be achieved by:

  • Having risk assessments carried out by a corrective maintenance service such as MAControls
  • Putting a repair schedule in place
  • Keeping your records up-to-date
  • Training your workforce with regards to what is expected of them
  • Checking for signs of wear and tear regularly
  • Never overworking your machines
  • Cleaning your equipment and, if necessary, lubricating it

By saving money where you can, you’ll build for yourself a strong platform from which you can grow your startup; by making use of the latest technology, you will be able to provide a service truly befitting of today. Taking the above advice is, then, essential if you wish to see your startup claw itself to the next level.

Three Reliable Strategies to Help Your Growing Business Up Its Game

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Growing your Business|Three Reliable Strategies to Help Your Growing Business Up Its GameOnce you’ve got your startup off the ground, your next exciting phase is all about growth and development. And it can be a steep learning curve! To establish your company as a leader in your field and beyond, you need to be able to stay stable through periods of explosive growth, even if your resources are stretched. Many companies hit a speed-wobble once the demand gets too high. Unless you can keep calm and carry on, your growing business may never reach its full potential.

So how do you ensure sure that your startup takes growth—and the many challenges that growth brings—in its stride? Putting into place these strategies could help you keep up with demand without sacrificing quality… or sanity!

Get Your IT Sorted Once And For All

One of the top challenges for emerging companies is trying to meet higher demand with limited IT capability. Once your business is on its way, it makes sense to use your incoming capital to iron out all the hitches in your IT department once and for all. Purchase specialized or purpose-built programs to make your life easier. Everything from HR to payroll can be greatly simplified with the right software for the job. Likewise, where hardware is concerned, now is the time to invest in optimizing things like your Cabling System and building access system.

As is often the case in life, you get what you pay for when it comes to IT services. Expensive custom-builds can be hard to justify before your business has peaked, but paying a little extra now is likely to pay off down the line, as you’ll end up with the perfect software solution, not just for the present moment, but to meet the additional demand as your business grows.

Take The Lead in Customer Service

Maintaining top standards in terms of service is essential to your ability to keep attracting and retaining new customers as demand goes up. Whether it’s through intensive training or technological enhancements, delivering an unmatched customer experience at every step of your customer journey will make it more likely that your business customer base will not only continue to expand, but also grow more loyal. Repeat business is the bread-and-butter of many businesses in the small to medium-sized bracket, so treating your customers like royalty is a sure-fire way to keep your ship stable when the storm clouds gather and the waves get a little choppy.

Nail Down Your Brand Voice

Once your company starts to grow and your brand gets more exposure, this is a crucial time to invest in the voice of your brand. You can do this in-house, but you may get a better result if you get professional help. Find a copywriter who can demonstrate that they ‘get’ what your brand is all about, and get them to help you distill and clarify what your business sounds like—how you talk to your customers, pitch your ideas, and even speak amongst yourselves within your organization. A skilled copywriter will produce a “Brand Bible” for you to distribute among your team, ensuring that all internal and external communications (from website copy to client emails and social media posts) are in line with your brand values, and how you see yourselves as an organization. Having a cohesive brand voice is crucial to building rapport with your audience and fostering trust in your brand.

Whether you employ two people or two hundred, dealing with growth can be a huge challenge. These tips will help you embrace change and deal with whatever the market throws at you.

Need A Little More Oomph? Here’s How You Can Add That Extra Something To Your Business

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Business Growth|Need A Little More Oomph? Here’s How You Can Add That Extra Something To Your BusinessWhen you first come up with your business idea, your mind is completely and utter driven. You might not be at the peak of your motivation and productivity, but the excitement and invigoration have your mind racing at a rate of knots. With all of the potential ahead of you, all you can then think of is the number of different opportunities and avenues that are out there.

When things start to get a little more up and running, that’s when you have even more energy and bite. You actually see your work pay off in terms of output and income, so you and your partners/employees are functioning more than speedily! The motivation that comes from actually seeing results is like no other: not only does it make you feel as though you’ve gotten over the line, but it also makes you want even more. It’s quite an addictive feeling.

But, like with the majority of things in life, your work can go a little stale. The honeymoon period can wear off, and the motivation can drop off a little. It’s frustrating, but it’s completely normal – every single person on the planet drops off at one time or another. You can’t be expected to maintain the same level forever. Even the highest performers in all sectors and fields do it. It’s especially common in environments that have the same kind of work over and over again. Human beings need a little variety in their lives or a bit of extra stimulation. If they aren’t being presented with any, then things can plateau or decline slightly.

When you’re trying to run a successful business, how can you deal with the slight wane? If you’ve never encountered this kind of adversity before, then it might seem like a massive issue. There are things you can do to boost things a little, though. Whether it’s for yourself, your team, or the business as a whole; oomph can be added! If you’re in any way interested in knowing what we’re talking about, then have a little read of the following points. Some of them may jog your memory and give you a few more ideas!

Have Frequent Training Programs

In order to keep things fresh and keep brains constantly developing, you might need to break the monotony a little bit. One of the best ways to do this is by having training days every now and again. This will obviously benefit all of the staff because they’ll pick up new ideas and abilities during and after. If they’re constantly stuck in a mundane environment where they’re not challenged by fresh stimuli, then it’ll be likely that they’ll slow down a little.

The overall mood in the camp will also be boosted as a training day makes everyone feel a little better. They’re no longer stuck in the intense and pressurized working environment. Instead, they’re moved to a new area and given different tasks that are often fused with some kind of entertainment. It’s like being back in school again after all these years – minus the social pressure, and with more of a laid back approach.

Get Some Investment

This sounds like a pretty obvious point because every single business could do with this kind of assistance. Most of the time, in order to make more money, you need to spend more money. Having that extra capital can make such a massive difference to every tangible and intangible aspect of your business. If you can conjure up a wonderful plan and pitch, and convince people out there that what you’re doing is going to work, then you could be in for a huge hike. Angel investors are usually sniffing around for the next best business to invest in. Banks are also there for you to work with.

Work With A Digital Marketing Group

In this day and age, if you want to be able to make as much money as possible, you need to be able to have that smart online touch. It’s obviously not a mandatory part of your venture, but it can be the difference between a prosperous year and an average one. Marketing agencies have always been around, but in the past decade or so, digital marketing firms, like Thunderhawk SEO, have been popping up all over the world.

Whether you need some help with search engine optimization, or you need a group to help you expand your reach online, these particular companies will be able to show you the way and guide you through everything. Having that experience and know-how behind you can really boost business and revitalize your approach to certain areas.

Do Something About The Environment

Changing around the workplace can really stimulate the employees. If they are underperforming at any time, then playing with the office, warehouse, or factory might help a little. Your workplace and the stations within it will probably get a little messy or unorganized at some point. Perhaps getting everyone to spend a little while sorting things out could help. Obviously, you’ll want everything to be kept clean as nobody likes working in a murky area.

In terms of large and significant changes, you could revamp and redo the entire workplace. A refreshing feel around could get the staff to put their thinking caps back on. What about the idea of moving completely? If that’s plausible and feasible, then perhaps it’s something you could seriously consider.

Purchase Better Equipment And Software

Manual work is obviously a wonderful part of life, but it’s not without its flaws. Human error is absolutely inevitable; it happens all of the time; it will happen millions of times in the future. In order to work speedier and with fewer errors, you might want to think about using technology! There are so many programs and pieces of software that can help us work more efficiently.

If you’re working in a warehouse or factory environment with lots of different pieces of equipment, then improving on what you already have would make such a massive difference to the overall output.

Working With Distributors And The Balance Of Power

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Distributors|Working With Distributors And The Balance Of PowerRetail businesses have to continuously adapt to the changing market. How they distribute their products has to be subject to the means they have in the current climate. Drop shipping is something you may want to consider to lower your delivery and storage costs. But then again you’re putting your product in the hands of another company once it leaves the manufacturing facility. Other methods like wholesale retail such as Amazon, eBay and Google Shopping are all methods you must look into for your own business. Small businesses want to make it easy for themselves when it comes to logistics. Most of the budget has already gone onto design, testing and manufacturing. So how you distribute your products and sell them, is something you will most likely want to simplify. Usually, in order to simplify this process it will have to be taken out of your own hands. A balance power conundrum then occurs when you work closely with distributors.

Maintain your marketing plan

Distributors might have their own marketing department and use them to sell your product. This is an absolutely no-go as you need to maintain your own marketing campaign. Losing creative control is never something you should sacrifice because you want customers to perceive your product in a certain way. For example, if you are selling your safety razor product and have designed it to be beginner friendly, your distributor should present it as such. If you give away your marketing control over your own product, the distributor might display the razor as a product for the advanced shaver. This shifts your demographic and the dynamic of your customer relations.

Most of the time however, distributors won’t do this and instead, want to know what your marketing plan is. You’re still not out of the woods yet because even though the distributor has a policy of the partner having their own marketing plan, they still have their own policies of what is acceptable. If their terms and conditions for marketing plans don’t meet your own, you’ll need to consider a different distributor or change your plan slightly for that particular distributor. The key is, you maintain full control.

Integrity of worth

The main issue working with some distributors is, they will often try to undercut other distributors. This is quite evident in the smaller distributors that are more than happy to sell products at a price which they far exceed in terms of quality. If you are the victim of this, swift action needs to be taken. When your product is being sold at a cheap price when it’s worth so much more, your integrity takes a hit. Your business and product looks cheap, tacky and not very prestigious. This is a nightmare for those that want to build up their brand to be known for it’s high-quality.

You need a strong MAP policy which can be protected and overseen by a company that offers protection and therefore growth of your brand. The benefits are that you end the surprise for your internet sales channel, grow your sales with actionable sales intelligence and have your minimum advertised price and resale policy enforced via automation. When you set a minimum price for your product, any distributors you’re working with must abide by it.

Protecting your name

Wholesale retailers will create performance reports just like any other business. However if you don’t want your name featured in the reports you must agree to this before your agree on the partnership of sales. You might not want your name to be visible in the report because you may wish to not have your name associated with the retailer if they have a bad public relations incident. For example, if the distributor was found guilty of selling counterfeit products that either ripped off money from consumers or perhaps even hurt them, you don’t want your name featured anywhere near them in the press. Professional circles and businesses won’t take you seriously. Therefore you should always retain the right to protect your name featured in any of their sales and growth reports.

Working with distributors as a small retail business is part and parcel of your early years. Most small businesses spend most of their budget on the creation of products and are happy to save a lot of money by outsourcing their sales channels. However you must never lose the marketing control of your products so the narrative and demographics of your business are kept intact. You should also make sure your products are not being sold outside the boundaries of your MAP policy.