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.

A Guide to Buying a Commercial Freezer

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | A Guide to Buying a Commercial FreezerIf you are considering joining the food industry, and you are looking for a merchandiser freezer that will offer you ample long term storage as well as enticing product display, this article will help you find the most practical freezer that will also help minimize the time that consumers take browsing the products that are displayed. For example, a freezer that is designed with glass panes, equipped with sufficient lighting, and is easily accessible is a necessary appliance when you have a high-traffic business. Most freezers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and it is best to choose the one that will be easy to clean and maintain and that is also energy sufficient.

What You Should Know

The following are some things that you need to consider before you buy a merchandiser freezer.

Check The Size

Choosing your fridge should be done with the available storage space in your kitchen or floor in mind. You should be cognizant of the size of your floor plan and storage capacity on the shelves. Moreover, a bigger freezer also means that you will have higher energy costs, so when you are shopping around you need to consider the energy consumption and the size of the freezer.

Number of Doors

Each merchandiser freezer model comes in two different door models that represent the different lengths and storage space capacity. They also have varied mechanisms to open such as sliding or swinging and others come with an automatic mechanism that is ideal for energy saving. If you don’t have much space to move around then you can consider taking one with a sliding door because you won’t have to worry about blocking access to other parts of your display products.

The Type of Features

Nowadays, many freezers come with digital thermostats that are valuable for monitoring temperature and ensure that optimal food storage conditions are maintained at all times. Others come with convenient features such as removable racks for maximizing storage and easier cleaning.

Energy Consumption

When you purchase a commercial freezer you are looking for an appliance that is designed for high volume storage and use, so to save on your energy consumption, you should find one that is certified for energy saving.

Find The Right Supplier

Buying a freezer means that you are looking for quality and a return on your investment. A reputable and qualified supplier is essential to avoid poor performance issues in the future. Most of the ones that offer a long-term investment are more costly, but you shouldn’t let the price dissuade you from buying a quality appliance. As the adage goes, “you have to spend money to make money”.

he Bottom Line

Ideally, you should be shopping for a freezer that will be reliable, yet easy to maintain. Make sure that you know what warranty you are being offered with your freezer in case you find latent defects. You don’t want yourself to be frustrated by issues that should have otherwise been covered by an adequate warranty policy.

The Key Software Tools Modern Business Owners Should Embrace In 2021

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The modern business world relies on technology and with the rise in remote work, caused in part by the Coronavirus, more companies across the corporate landscape have needed to embrace innovative software solutions to stay productive and cost-efficient. Software is a scalable, cost-effective solution that saves time and effort, but only if businesses choose the right ones.

With so many different software products on the market, it can be challenging to pick the right software that will support your business. If you’re unsure what solutions are available and how they can benefit your business, then keep reading.
In this article, we’ll share some of the most popular and innovative types of business software on the market, and how you can choose the right ones to enhance your organization in 2021.

Customer Relationship Management

Customer relationship management tools, usually known as CRM solutions, are a handy way for businesses to keep all of their customer communications and orders in one place.

Any CRM user can view every aspect of the customer’s order, which helps to streamline the customer experience from initial onboarding through to order completion and beyond. As customer retention is vital for any organization that wants to grow and flourish, a CRM can drastically improve your company and act as a scaleable tool to assist your growing business.

Cloud Cost Management Solutions

Cloud storage is a digital tool that allows your business to store its files on the cloud rather than using a physical server. Cloud data storage is secure and convenient, but it is easy to pay a lot of money for your cloud storage, especially if you have a lot of data. As such, all businesses should consider cloud cost management software.

Many major corporations, including Netflix, Slack, and Lyft, all use cloud cost management tools. Cloud computing specialists CloudZero have put together a case study on how these large companies use cloud cost management software so that you can understand the benefits of these tools and how they can be used by your organization.

Project Management Tools

Managing your projects, particularly if they require skills from multiple departments, can be a time-consuming and challenging task. Project management software can help you to view the entire project on one screen and see what work remains and what has already been completed. As such, you can streamline the process of running your projects and make communication between departments much easier and more cohesive.


Video Conferencing Software

As remote work becomes more popular and travel becomes more challenging and more expensive, video conferencing software is becoming increasingly important. Choosing secure, reliable software that offers all of the functions and features that your business needs is essential.

Many companies offer video conferencing software, so you should check out the best video conferencing tools on the market in 2021 to find the one that will benefit your business the most. You can then use this tool to communicate with both staff and customers quickly and efficiently despite the geographical differences between you all.

Payroll Software

One of the most time-consuming business admin tasks is payroll, particularly for businesses that offer flexible working hours, bonuses and paid overtime to their staff. Thankfully, there are many payroll software products on the market that can help you to save time and reduce the chance of human error, meaning you will make fewer, potentially costly, mistakes. Many of these tools can also help you to manage tax and national insurance payments, saving your business even more time and hard work.

Accounting Managers

Payroll is only one small part of your organisation’s accounting admin. If your business struggles to deal with its accounting and finances, then you could consider using an account management tool. These often include payroll management solutions so that you can get this function and additional features, such as bill payment management, in one handy software product.

Cybersecurity Software

As companies have embraced software solutions such as those on this list, they’ve also made their data more vulnerable to attack. After all, with their information in multiple online places, there are more opportunities for cybercriminals to steal their data and use it nefariously. There are many different cybersecurity software solutions on the market, so you’ll be able to find the ones that will suit your business and keep your precious information safe throughout 2021 and even further into the future.

Preparing Your Small Business for the Post-Covid Era

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Post covid|Preparing Your Small Business for the Post-Covid EraBusinesses have been one of the major losers to the Covid-19 pandemic that has swept the world. Small businesses, especially those who were fledgling, have been forced to either shut down or reduce operations to the barest minimum. This is definitely not the best situation, but things will eventually turn around. In this article, we shall be looking at how to prepare your small business for the post-Covid-19 era by asking some relevant questions.

Where Do you See your Business after the Pandemic?

Making smart strategic moves means that you comprehend the position of your business in the current economic disposition. Know where you stand in the industry, understand your role, and who the competition is. You must have a clear vision of where you want to be and make those strategic decisions that will get you there.

When your competitors and other industry players doubt the future, let your vision remain clear. Do not lose focus and follow a roadmap to attain your goals. Remain resilient and ensure all members and employees of your organization feel the same way.

How do you plan to recover?

Of course, your short-term and long-term plans have been thrown off-kilter by the pandemic, but what is your plan to bounce back? If you have insurance for small businesses, that may be a start as it can serve as a cushion to allay your losses. Your roadmap to recovery should include the steps you will take to attain the vision you set in the previous point above. Not having a plan will only keep you disoriented and leave you unable to take advantage of favorable situations when they arise because you are unprepared.

What changes must you undergo?

It will be difficult to come out of this economic downturn without undergoing a significant identity change as a small business. The pandemic has ruffled through every fabric of life and society; as such, change is necessary. Through resilience and focus, you can attain your goals, but change is also difficult and may cause some friction. As an organization, your primary focus should be the customer. Any change that you have to undergo to remain customer-focused necessarily is worth it.

Do you have any new projects?

If you do have any new projects you want to launch, run or coordinate, you will have to sit back and restrategize. What you first need to do is prioritize projects that will secure the future of the business. Stick to the most important projects, and do not over-stretch yourself. Trying to do many things at the same time will only leave you frustrated and drained. Before launching a project, make sure you have the manpower, logistics, and expertise to accomplish it. Be critical also of the timing of such projects to maximize their impact.

With the impact of the coronavirus pandemic unprecedented, leveraging what you can accomplish now to prepare for the predicted post-covid-19 economic boom is the best line of action. So, plan, adapt, execute, and keep in mind the vision you have set for your small business.

Thinking about expansion? 6 considerations to help you decide

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Business Expansion|Thinking about expansion? 6 considerations to help you decideIf you’ve been fortunate enough to withstand the financial shocks which rocked many businesses in 2020, and even managed to thrive, you may be thinking that this is a great moment to expand your business. Assuming that you have already had a good idea of the direction you want to go in, just ensure that you’ve taken the following into consideration in your planning.
Are we focused on our core business?

A strong recovery is forecast by many analysts but is by no means guaranteed. What are the factors that have created your success so far? Given the climate of uncertainty, building on your core strengths will be far less risky than venturing into the unknown. That means delivering more of the same, but better and faster. Of course, if you’re an entrepreneur with an idea for a product or service that will disrupt the market – decide whether it’s a risk worth taking

Do we have adequate finance in place?

While recovery is still uncertain, it simply won’t be enough just to cover direct costs of expansion. If your customers have been affected by the prolonged pandemic response, could this have a knock-on effect on your business? Ensuring you have the finance in place to carry you over a period of suppressed demand is essential. Specialist companies such as HS Finance can help with secured business loan applications to make sure you don’t find yourself in a cash flow crisis after making a significant investment in your expansion.

What about workspace?

Are your current premises adequate, or will you need to find larger ones? Or, could you reduce the amount of space you use? With the increased need for social distancing, and many people now working from home, at least part of the week, expansion may result in reduced costs.

Investing in people

Linked to the above. If you’re shifting to a remote working model, keep in mind the duty of care you’ll still have for your home-working employees. They’ll need appropriate tools and equipment to do their job efficiently and safely. Make sure you include these expenses in your plan, along with additional training and support.

Are your systems fit for purpose?

When you expand, will your current systems be able to cope? Ensure any new software you invest in is scalable. New cloud-based PaaS systems, such as MS Azure, are cost-effective, flexible, automatically updated with the latest apps and services. As they typically charge on a monthly, by-usage basis, there’s no need for huge up-front investment.

Do we invest in marketing?

Once you’ve expanded, you need to get out there and sell! How are you going to let customers know about your new services? Is your webpage up to scratch? How are you managing social media for maximum exposure? Consider factoring in the cost of a marketing company into your plan to help generate the best return on your investment.

To be considering expansion, it’s clear that you’re energized and optimistic about the future of your business. With careful planning and a healthy dose of realism, you’ll be ready to reap the rewards of your hard work.