Five Advantages Of Cloud Computing For SMEs

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StrategyDriven Tactical Execution Article |Cloud Computing|Five Advantages Of Cloud Computing For SMEsThe importance of cloud computing is overlooked by many businesses, it is vital for small and medium businesses to function at their best.

Why is cloud computing so important for SMEs? The idea of the cloud is that it is a network of remote servers that will allow you to access shared applications, storage, and other computing resources via an internet-based facility. The cloud replaces the need to have to install additional hardware of your own. The cloud is all around you, operating in your day to day life.

Everything is moving into the cloud. This is because there are a lot of cloud computing use cases that will make life a lot easier for users and businesses alike. It can improve cash flow, increase efficiency, and offers a lot of other advantages.

Flexibility

When you own a business, have the needed flexibility is essential. This is where cloud computing for SMEs can come in to help you. When you’re on the go, you know that you can rely on the cloud to give you access to modify and save the files you need from any device wherever you happen to be.

If you want to access virtual resources like protected storage, web applications, or redundant firewalls for example, then you can do this by using any device that is connected to the cloud via the internet. Activity like this can give any small business the upper hand on the competition.

Portability – Remote IT Infrastructure

As part of the advantage of flexibility, the cloud offers near limitless computer resources to its users regardless of their location.

The ability to allocate an entire server farm’s equivalent of computer power for your project or the task you need to do with just a few clicks is very appealing. Every major player in business uses a platform like this to give its users and internal employees access to secured data.

Data Security

Storing files and your important data via the cloud is often safer than more traditional storage on a phone or a computer. There are often many laters that are put into cloud computing security so the best cloud service providers can offer infrastructure will protect all your data.

Software Updates

Automatic software updates are another bonus that you can get from moving across to a cloud computing system. A key thing that can damage the productivity of a business is running out of data software. A lot of owners neglect this step, so it’s a common issue. With the cloud, it’s the job of the cloud service provider to manage any needed maintenance and software updates without you having to worry about it.

Environmentally Friendly

Cloud computing can easily be scaled to match your business needs. Before the cloud, you had to buy physical machines yourself, pay to power the whole server room, and pay employees to handle maintenance. Now, you only need to pay for the resources that you actually need. This helps the environment by reducing your carbon footprint.

3 Tools for Streamlining Processes in Manufacturing

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StrategyDriven Tactical Execution Article |Manufacturing Processes|3 Tools for Streamlining Processes in ManufacturingManufacturing processes are complex and they often consist of multiple steps. So, in order to maximize profits, businesses have to find innovative ways to streamline these processes and reduce the time they take to complete.

If your manufacturing processes are inefficient, then there are a few things you can do to improve them, including getting rid of obsolete steps and improving the communication between your employees. There are also some amazing tools available that will help you to streamline these processes. Some of these tools include:

1.Salesforce

In order for manufacturing companies to be successful, they need to take good care of their customers. This is where the Salesforce tool comes in. Salesforce is a customer relationship management solution that brings customers and companies together. It makes sure that all departments including sales, marketing, commerce and service have a shared view of every customer. Salesforce for different industries is available, meaning that no matter what industry you work in, this is a tool you should consider. Salesforce solutions by Alt-Solut are a brilliant option for businesses wanting to streamline their manufacturing processes.

Here are some of the products they use to help you achieve this:

  • The service cloud – this allows your customers to connect with a specialist or find answers to any questions they may have in a fast and traceable way. Keeping track of your customers’ needs and concerns allows you to support them and run your business more effectively and efficiently.
  • The sales cloud – this helps companies to increase their customer base. It gives them the ability to notice potential deals as well as the ability to close more deals, all while increasing overall productivity.
  • The sales force CPQ – this allows you to provide accurate pricing and it can increase your ability to send quotes more quickly
  • Manufacturing cloud – this can help you to create transparency through each process.

2. Kanban

Kanban is another great tool that manufacturing companies can use to streamline their business processes. It is a Japanese scheduling system for lean manufacturing. This tool allows you to highlight problem areas by measuring the cycle time and lead time of each step. One of the main benefits of this tool is that it can help you to avoid overcapacity.

Unlike many other continuous improvement tools, Kanban is less about revolutionizing and more about evolving. This method looks at each part of the process as a fluid and changeable piece.

3. PDCA Cycle

The Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle allows you to test out hypotheses and ideas. The four stages of this cycle include:

  • Plan – set out your goals and work out how you will achieve them
  • Do – try out the first few steps of your plan to see how well they work
  • Check – keep an eye out for areas that can be improved. You can do this by evaluating each step you’ve implemented as you go along. This allows you to spot problems at each stage of the process.
  • Act/adjust – depending on what you find in your evaluation, make any necessary changes in order to meet your goals.

Most manufacturing businesses are eager to streamline the complex processes within their business. Streamlining these processes can not only increase overall productivity, but it can also increase profitability. However, streamlining these processes can often be time-consuming and daunting. This is where streamlining tools come in handy. Why not try using some of the above tools in your business to see what a difference they can make?

The Importance of Cleanliness in Your Manufacturing Facility

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StrategyDriven Tactical Execution Article |Manufacturing Facility|The Importance of Cleanliness in Your Manufacturing FacilityManufacturing facilities, regardless of what product you’re making, can get extremely dirty. With a variety of nooks and crannies for the dust and dirt to settle in, hard-to-clean equipment and machinery, and chemicals and particles in the air, a broom and dustpan just will not cut it. A clean facility is essential for the health and well-being of employees and the quality of your product. While cleanliness in any business is necessary, it’s even more vital to the manufacturing business, and here are some of the reasons why.

Makes a good impression

Clients often visit your manufacturing facility either for meetings, tours, or just to check on the progress of the production process. Sometimes, they can show up unannounced to do an audit and make sure that everything is up to their standard. A clean facility shows that you are professional and that your products are high-quality. If you have a potential buyer visiting for the first time, you must make a good impression if you want to close a sale. You will need industrial cleaning services that offer specialized cleaning for manufacturing. The cleaners should understand the manufacturing business, and the safety protocols to follow within different types of facility.

Improves efficiency

A dirty manufacturing facility operates less efficiently. When there is stuff lying all over the place, including scrap materials, empty boxes, and unused parts, it can become extremely disorganized. In manufacturing, it’s imperative that staff can find everything they need exactly when they need it. On top of that, throwing unused materials around and not having them in their right place can lead to wastage and losses. On top of that, cleaning dirty equipment takes time and time is money in manufacturing. If you have to stop the production line to clean up, you’re cutting down on production.
Boosts quality control

Regardless of what product your facility is making, if it gets loose particles or dirt in it, you may have to scrap it and waste materials, resources, and time. Orders almost always have deadlines, and you’ll have committed to producing a certain amount by a specific time. If you have multiple products contaminated with debris or dirt, your risk not completing the order in time. A clean facility means the products will always be good quality and ready at the required time.

Reduces workplace injuries

A messy and dirty facility is a recipe for disaster when it comes to employee safety. Suppose empty boxes are laying around, or even slippery floors due to a spillage, then an employee could slip and fall. Slips and falls are more dangerous in manufacturing facilities since employees could be carrying heavy or sharp items. The equipment and chemicals that employees work with also present hazards of their own, but when the facility isn’t clean, these hazards become more prevalent. Sharp materials, such as cut pieces of metal or glass left around as scrap could cause serious injury if not cleaned up.

For all these reasons, hiring an industrial cleaning service will help ensure that your manufacturing facility operates efficiently and safely.

3 Common Shipping Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

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StrategyDriven Tactical Execution Article |common shipping mistakes |3 Common Shipping Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemDid you know that UPS and FedEx each ship around 34 million packages each day?

If you’re looking to ship a package, you need to focus on how you can avoid certain kinds of shipping mistakes. If you don’t do this, your package might experience some kind of damage while it’s in transit.

Below you’ll discover three common shipping mistakes that people tend to make. If you avoid these shipping mistakes, your packages should arrive safely at your chosen destination.

Let’s begin!

1. Not Paying for the Right Kind of Shipping

One of the biggest mistakes people make is not paying for the right kind of shipping.

Most of the time, this happens because people are trying to save money. However, in some cases, trying to lower the cost of shipping can often lead to an increase in overall costs.

That’s because the item you’re shipping might ‘break’ due to the fact that you didn’t select the correct form of shipping.

In some cases, you might select the wrong kind of shipping, simply because you don’t know much about shipping. For instance, if you’re looking to ship a painting, you might use a ‘standard’ form of shipping.

Yet, in situations like this, couriers actually offer a dedicated form of shipping for those that want to ship paintings. If you use such shipping, your painting will receive special treatment, and this will lower the odds of it being damaged during transit.

Following this, always make sure you speak to your chosen courier company before you ship a given item. They’ll be able to tell you what kind of shipping is right for your chosen item, and this will then help you minimize any issues.

2. Not Packaging Your Items Properly

A lot of people don’t know how to pack items properly, and so their packages often experience an excessive amount of damage during transit.

If you want to package your items properly, you should use some bubble wrap, or even ‘packing peanuts.’ You might also want to invest in a high-quality box that will be able to withstand lots of bumps and scrapes.

3. Not Focusing on Presentation

Another thing that people forget about when it comes to shipping is presentation.

This is especially important if you’re shipping out items as a business, as your packaging can have a big impact on how people perceive you.

If you want your packages to look good, you might want to hire someone to help you with the package design. You should also think about coating your packages so the design doesn’t fade while the item is in transit.

If you’re going to coat your packages, you can generally choose from aqueous coating or UV coating. If you’d like to learn more about each option, this post takes a closer look at UV coating vs aqueous coating.

Will You Avoid These Common Shipping Mistakes?

If you avoid these common shipping mistakes, your package should arrive safely at your chosen destination.

In some cases, you might still experience shipping problems, even though you’re doing everything right. This can happen if you’re working with a lackluster courier, and so if you’re in this position, you might want to work with someone else.

Did you like reading this blog post? Go to our blog to see some of the other content we have to offer!

What Is POS Software and Why Is It Important?

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StrategyDriven Tactical Execution Article | What Is POS Software and Why Is It Important?The global POS software market was $12.23 billion in 2018. The market is expected to grow by a CAGR of 15.1% within the next seven years.

A point-of-sale system can transform your business by providing a comprehensive solution to everyday issues. If you’ve been dealing with human errors, unrecorded sales, and faulty inventories, POS software can help.

So, what is POS software, and why do you need it in your business? Here’s is our detailed guide on the point of sale software (POS) and its importance.

What Is POS Software?

Point-of-Sale software is the system eCommerce and brick-and-mortar stores use to execute sales. To understand POS better, you can consider it as an advanced cash register that gets combined with a computer. It allows cashiers to input customer orders and tally the involved costs, even before consummating the final financial transaction.

A POS system can incorporate other systems or software like the eCommerce platforms and accounting apps to expand the capability and flexibility of a business. As such, the POS software definition revolves around its primary purpose, which is processing sales.

POS software does more than sales processing. Here are some of the roles played by the POS system software:

  • Customer data management
  • Analytics
  • Inventory tracking
  • Sales monitoring and reporting
  • Employee management
  • Robust integrations
  • Mobile connectivity

On top of different roles, there are different types of POS software, too. Read more on that below.

Types of POS Software

POS software is in two types: cloud-based and on-premise. For the on-premise POS system, you need to be within the location if you want to use it. Terminals are the leading on-premise POS.

With cloud-based POS, you’re assured of flexibility as it allows you to use any compatible and connected devices for easy access to the dashboard. This system is preferable as it will enable you to execute sales and check your business even when you are miles away.

Some other types of POS system software that fall within the category include:

Mobile POS

A mobile POS can be used in-store or outside a shop. It manages and processes payments besides having other functions that include inventory tracking. The mobile POS is ideal for small businesses or sole entrepreneurs due to its affordability, ease of operation, and setup.

Desktop

A POS system running on a desktop is an on-premise solution, often in a checkout station. If you go for the best hardware version, the desktop POS will prove reliable and robust. However, it’s quite bulky, and you can’t move around with it.

Open Source POS

Open-source software allows businesses to create custom solutions using their source code. Business owners can create the open-source POS system with external contributors, or internally. This type of POS system software is ideal for companies that have a variety of technical resources.

POS Apps

POS Apps can work with any compatible devices or hardware for easy access to data and management of business operations. POS apps are best for a business that want customizability and flexibility.

Multichannel POS

A multichannel POS integrates with several commerce channels, which is one of its most sought-after capabilities. The channels are usually the third-party online marketplace, your website, pop-up shops, stores, wholesale, event sale, and many other channels. This POS is best for eCommerce merchants selling in-person or the multichannel online brands.

Why Is POS Software Important?

If you’ve been asking ‘what is POS system,’ there you have it. So, why is POS software essential for business owners? Here are some of the benefits you stand to enjoy if you have the best POS software:

Time-Saving

Your POS system keeps track of the movement of goods within and outside the store. The system will keep you updated on your stock. It further submits relevant orders to suppliers when you’re almost running out of inventory.

POS software also makes it easier to retrieve information about a particular product. You’ll reduce the waiting time, which is a plus in customer service.

Employee Management

On average, the cost of losing a worker to turnover is about 33 percent of an employee’s compensation. It is crucial to embrace tools that improve how you relate to your team. POS software is a managerial tool that can help in establishing the right reward criteria.

Consequently, your workers will be more enthusiastic and effective. Customer service will improve, and the sales will rise. If you’re looking for a tool that will be a resource in your employee management, consider the point-of-sale software.

Avert Mistakes

The entire system will be automatically updated if you make price changes. You don’t have to worry about inconsistencies as everything will be the same across the platform. With POS, it will be hard to contest with customers over inaccurate pricing.

Sales Report

POS software gives you an overview of your business processes as it keeps a cashflow record. If you need data on any product, you’ll find it effortlessly. The POS system saves crucial information about your company’s financial status, sales, and inventory.

With such data, it easy to have a realistic short-term budget. You can also make several predictions based on the reports.

Reduced Thefts

Theft from either customers or employees is one of the main concerns of retail stores. The POS system gives you control of your products. Strong tracking of items hinders common theft.

Invest in POS Software and Watch Your Business Thrive

Improving the sales process is a dream for many business owners. Despite embracing several tools to increase efficiency, many people are not familiar with POS. So, what is POS software in a nutshell?

POS software is a central component for businesses. The benefits of POS software are irresistible. From increasing the efficiency of processes to improving customer service, you need to get the best POS software for your company.

Our blog is all about businesses. Keep exploring for a range of articles on marketing, strategy, management, and execution, among other business-related topics.