Saving Money On Your IT

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |IT|Saving Money On Your ITAlmost every single business that wants to earn money and be successful needs to spend money on IT. An IT budget is an absolute must and if you want to save cash without sacrificing your security and the productivity of your business, you need to know how to make your budget work for you. Making your IT budget count isn’t always an easy thing to do, but with the right tips, you can ensure that your IT expenses are lowered effectively.

Of course, you don’t want to cut your budget down only to really need to up it again because your IT is now lacking: that would be pointless. What you do want to do, though, is direct your cash in a way that ensures that your budget is wholly effective and works properly for your business. This should include any growth you plan to have with your business IT, too. So, how can you save money on your IT expenses? Checkout the tips below!

  • BYOD. You can ask your staff force to bring their own device to work. Laptops and tablets only, as this will save you money on computers in the office. Most people now own their own mobile devices, and if they’re already bringing them to work, there’s really no point in having work stations set up for every employee. You need to set very strict security standards to protect your business, of course, but you should consider that you can do this with a VPN. If you know that the servers and cloud access will be secure, then a bring your own device policy is going to save your company a lot of money!
  • Start using the cloud. The IT cloud is going to be far more effective for you in your business IT spending than using a server room. The cloud will reduce labor costs and save money on equipment. It’ll do this while lowering the amount you spend storing and powering all of your equipment, too. You can use a pay as you go model with the cloud, which means you’re only paying for what you need when you need it. This will make all the difference to your budget, and it will help you to stop spending way more money that’s necessary.
  • Outsource. If you outsource your revenue cycle management software & solutions, you’re going to instantly make a saving. You won’t have to worry about paying anyone to manage it for you in-house, which will save you money on your staffing, yearly salary costs and benefits on top of that, too. When you outsource, you only pay one organisation a fee for their help in return for what you need. It’s a great way to save some cash and it can make a lot of difference to the efficiency of your business, too.
  • Buying the right equipment. Make sure that when you do spend money on your IT equipment, you spend it properly. It’s a good idea to spend more to buy upgraded pieces of equipment, than to keep spending on cheaper equipment that will continue to break. You need to think practically as much as economically.

Three Housekeeping Tips to Help eCommerce Businesses Thrive This Summer

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |eCommerce Business|Three Housekeeping Tips to Help eCommerce Businesses Thrive This SummerIt’s not just the fact that spring is coming in and bringing the longer days and brighter sunshine with it: there are reasons to be optimistic as we head into the summer of 2021. It’s been a tough twelve months for businesses of all shapes and sizes, and we’ve all had to work twice as hard and twice as creatively to keep our heads above water and keep our companies running.

Now, as the vaccines roll out and we start making plans to see our friends and family, it’s time that we start thinking about how we can take our businesses to the next level in the months to come.

When Was The Last Time You Thought About SEO?

When you’re running an eCommerce site, it’s fair to say that you have your hands full most of the hours of the day. When you’re juggling so many different tasks, some of the housekeeping jobs can end up getting neglected, but it’s so important to conduct regular SEO audits on your content.

We don’t doubt that you know what SEO is and how it works, but with Google making constant changes and refinements to the way it displays results, and with the needs and concerns that we input into search engines changing so rapidly, you need to make sure you don’t find yourself falling behind.

Is Your Website Working Hard Enough For You?

While you need to keep one eye on your SEO to make sure it’s all up to date, we shouldn’t forget about the bigger picture either. Your website is so much more than a catalogue for your business, it’s a statement about your brand personality. It tells your customers who you are and what you’re about, and it’s not always easy to translate your vision for your brand onto the page, and if you are feeling the need for a new look then it is absolutely worth bringing in the experts.

Professional eCommerce web design is a complex and multi-layered process that should be tailored to your specific needs and vision. Cake Commerce knows that it’s about more than making your site look pretty, and they will find the perfect business solutions for your unique aesthetic.

Are You Available For Your Customers?

We don’t need to tell you how competitive it is out there for eCommerce businesses. It’s been a battle to stay afloat over the last twelve months, and one of the most important tools in any company’s arsenal has been excellent customer service.

We’re not just talking about making sure that you are responding to any and all customer queries that come through your website (and making sure that it’s clear to customers how they can make those queries). We’re talking about using your social media channels to show your customers just how important they are to your business and showing that you know that their support has helped to keep you afloat during this impossibly difficult time. While there may be brighter times ahead, “normal” is still a little way down the road, so let’s all keep in touch.

Thinking of expanding your business? Here’s how you can!

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Business Loans|Thinking of expanding your business? Here’s how you can!Have you heard the popular saying, “You have to spend money to make money”? It means if you want to expand your business, you need to invest in different marketing and other strategies.

However, with the concerns over the current growth rate, how can you push your company towards the growth phase? Well! By looking at the plethora of options that offer business loans at attractive rates.

But what about it? Let’s find out more!

It is a type of finance option that you can opt for if you are thinking of expanding your enterprise. These are also called commercial loans.

Why is it an attractive choice for your business? Read further to know!

Manages working capital – These loans come as the best solution to fulfill your working capital requirements and further grow your enterprise. When you face hard times in the commercial world, it is the way out to maintain the cash-flow. This can also help in covering short-term expenses. As the economy is changing rapidly, these loans help in strengthening your financial stability.

Flexibility – As per your financial need, you apply for this loan. For instance – you can opt for either a long-term or short-term loan. Basically, short-term loans are the ones that are given for up to a year, while long-term ones are given for more than 5 years.

After you get one, the lenders are not bothered about how you are running your venture. They want the timely repayment of their amount. Therefore, the owners find it easier to avail it as it gives them full control over how they are spending their funds.

No collateral needed – If you properly meet the eligibility criteria of this loan, congrats! You can get it without collateral, provided that you must own a property or land.

Improve your business credit – Acquiring this loan improves the creditworthiness of your enterprise. Ensure that you are making timely repayments. This will improve your financial score. In the future, this will further lead you to get more financing at lower interest rates.

You can also acquire a business credit card to improve the credit score. Regularly paying the bills through it helps build a positive credit history that will be fruitful for your enterprise. According to the financial experts at nav.com, choosing the card with a 0% introductory rate offer is suggested.

Profit is not shared – In case you have an investor on board, you will have to share the profits. But with this loan, a fixed amount is paid to the lender. This means the principal and interest amount does not change, no matter how much profit your enterprise is making.

Quick distribution – These advances do not require a lot of documents. Funds are quickly distributed. This ensures that a company does not have to stop its operations or change its growth plans while waiting for the funds.

Affordable rates of interest – The corporate world is ever-changing. There is a cut-throat competition to gain customers. Taking this into account, lenders offer such credits at a reasonable rate of interest. Some other factors that are also taken into consideration are – tenure or the financial condition of the enterprise.

Wrapping up
Expanding your enterprise takes a lot of hard work and determination. Also, you need to check the finances before thinking of doing the same. But with some solutions, you can be successful and take your enterprise to new heights!

3 Reasons Why Small Businesses Need Managed IT Services

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Managed IT Services|3 Reasons Why Small Businesses Need Managed IT ServicesRunning a small business isn’t for the faint-hearted. Competing in a global market with limited resources is challenging, which is why it’s essential to have the right resources to hand. Managed IT services give you the opportunity to outsource every element of your tech infrastructure, from installation and maintenance to procurement and future proofing. To learn more about the impact outsourcing your technology can have, take a look at these three reasons why small businesses need managed IT services:

1. Reduced Costs

Instead of hiring your own IT employees, you can avoid costly recruitment processes and minimize your expenditure when you rely on managed IT services instead. Managing a company’s tech infrastructure requires input from a wide range of IT specialists, such as network administrators, developers and cloud engineers. Hiring a full IT department is beyond the scope of most small businesses, but you won’t be at a competitive disadvantage when you outsource your needs to a professional IT company.

2. Access to Expertise

Some small business owners assume that hiring one IT employee will be enough to manage and maintain their tech resources while still keeping costs relatively low. In reality, there are numerous specialisms that are required to implement and maintain the right infrastructure, which is why you need access to a team of IT specialists, rather than just one individual.

When you choose a leading managed IT services partner, like Fidelis, Inc., you gain access to all the expertise you need. From IT consulting and hardware installation to helpdesk support and business continuity, you’ll benefit from having a wide range of resources at your fingertips.

3. Increased Security

Today’s businesses face a wide range of online threats, which often equates to financial risk. If you’re hit by a data breach or a DDoS attack, for example, it’s going to affect your professional reputation and reduce operational efficiency. To prevent this from happening, you need a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy in place. Furthermore, you need the tools and expertise to implement, monitor and update your security strategy.

Small businesses often overlook the importance of cybersecurity. After all, it’s easy to assume that major enterprises are a more likely target. However, the relatively limited security implemented by small businesses makes their systems a prime target for hackers. Fortunately, you won’t need to worry about your company’s digital security when you access managed IT services. By incorporating cybersecurity into your IT solutions package, you can protect your business and your investment.

Finding the Right IT Partner

Managed IT services offer a wide range of benefits, providing you find the right partner. As well as working with an IT firm that offers the services you need, it’s important to find a solutions provider who takes the time to get to know your business, your operations and your goals. This ensures they understand your pain points and growth plans, which allows them to provide maximum value when it comes to virtualization, business continuity and future proofing.

How To Find The Right Suppliers For Your Business

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Business Suppliers|How To Find The Right Suppliers For Your BusinessChoosing the right suppliers for your company isn’t always an easy task. First of all, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from, and secondly, it can be difficult to assess quality. To help you find the right suppliers to work with, try checking out these simple guidelines.

1 . Determine Your Needs

When you’re looking for suppliers, you must establish your needs. Think about what you require in terms of delivery, lead times, and returns guidelines. You should also consider which kind of quality procedures you need, and the storage options. Arguably, improving lead time is the most important thing to consider. Delivery and production times must enable you to make your client deadlines.

2. Consider Quality

When you’re looking for the right suppliers, you need to ensure that these suppliers can offer you the best quality. If you want to grow your company and impress your customers, you must provide a top quality product or service. Whether you’re looking for 940nm ir led or the best bicycle parts, perform a quality check on your suppliers and their materials. Before you commit to working with a supplier you might like to check out any reviews and testimonials on offer. You’ll feel better entering into a contract when you know you’re working with a great company.

3. Search With A SIM System

With the help of a Supplier Information Management System, you can search for the right suppliers for you. These platforms work by collecting data about suppliers, helping businesses to make an informed choice. SIM Systems gather information such as quality info and ratings, health and safety info, sustainability practices, and more. You can also take a look at analytics info, usually supplier scorecards. With the help of a SIM System, it’s easier to find suppliers that match your criteria. Whichever kind of specialist suppliers you need, a SIM can help you to find them.

4. Keeping things green

When you put sustainability first, you’ll protect the planet and improve the reputation of your company. You’ve probably already got a few green policies as part of your production procedures, but it’s always worth looking to make improvements. Choose suppliers who also follow sustainable business practices, this will help you to remain consistent. As much as possible, you should try to adopt green practices, across all areas of your business.

5. Continued Evaluation

Once you’ve found your suppliers, ensure that you assess their performance over time. Keep track of their performance, and communicate any issues that you are unhappy with. You’ll need to ensure that you set out clear expectations, so that your suppliers understand your standards. When you take the time to evaluate performance, you can raise the bar, and improve your relationship.

When it comes to your products and services, you’ll want to offer your customers the best experience possible. No matter which area of your business you are looking to improve, it can be helpful to set goals, to stay on track.