Author: Ethan Theo

Abe WalkingBear Sanchez is an International Speaker / Trainer / Consultant on the subject of cash flow / sales enhancement and business knowledge organization and use. Founder and President of www.armg-usa.com, WalkingBear has authored hundreds of business articles, has worked with numerous companies in a wide range of industries since 1982 and has spoken at many venues including the Shakespeare Globe Theater in London.

Categories
How-To Guides

How to Protect Your Business From Crime

Thanks to the growing threat of hackers, businesses around the globe are investing more money into crime prevention than ever before.

To make sure that your business is best equipped to deal with both offline and online threats, we’ve put together a guide with five of the best approaches for protecting your company.

A Security System

Visible security systems are a proven crime deterrent. A recent study by the University of Carolina revealed that 60% of convicted burglars would think twice about targeting a home or business with a visible security system.

In another study of 422 convicted thieves, 83% of respondents revealed that they would carry out a reconnaissance mission to see if an alarm system was in place before trying to steal from a property.

Installing cameras that have a view of every entry point to your business is a great place to start. If your business isn’t in a well-lit location, consider installing motion-detector lights so that potential criminals are aware that they will be filmed.

Equipment such as the above can be expensive to repair or replace, so it’s also worth considering installing mesh camera and light guards. This will stop potential criminals from being able to damage any equipment by throwing rocks.

Invest in Cyber Security

While crime statistics can give you a good indication as to the physical risks of theft, cybercrime is an omnipresent threat that defies logic.

A recent report into cybercrime in the UK revealed that two-thirds of small businesses had suffered at the hands of online criminals.

Despite the growing online threat many business owners face, a CNBC/SurveyMonkey Small Business Survey in the US revealed that only 2% viewed cybercrime as a major threat to their business.

Hackers target businesses in a variety of different ways. Their most common goal is to retrieve the personal or credit card information of a company’s customers. More recently, hackers have turned their attention to blocking software in an attempt to retrieve ransom money.

If you want to protect your business online, here are some good starting points:

  • Install antivirus software on all of your company computers
  • Install firewalls
  • Upgrade your computer’s operating system
  • Install intrusion detection software
  • Backup all of your data regularly
  • Change passwords regularly
  • Restrict access to sensitive data
  • Hire a security expert

An Access Control System

You may not have realised, but access control systems are in place wherever you go in the US. Whether it’s a ticket barrier at a tube station or a metal detector at an airport, all systems are designed to ensure maximum safety.

In a business sense, most control systems come in the form of a pin entry design that enables access through a doorway. Keys are easy to duplicate and even easier to lose, so controls systems can enhance the security of a building.

Updates in technology have meant that fingerprint entry systems have rapidly gained popularity. Along with this technology, the systems also enable you to setup further authorization steps such as the scanning of a key card or the entry of a pin.

With such a system in place, it will be easy to determine who is entering your building 24-hours a day.

A Thorough Vetting Process

Verifying a potential employee’s employment history and carrying out reference checks will help to reduce the risk of internal theft.

Try to tag and audit expensive stock on a regular basis. This way, you’ll quickly be able to identify any discrepancies and act accordingly.

If you want to take things a step further, you could even consider securing expensive equipment, such as laptops and tablets, to a wall or office desk.

Anti-Ram Bollards

Businesses that keep cash or expensive items on their premises are at risk of suffering from a ram-raid robbery. This is where a thief crashes a vehicle into a store in an attempt to gain access to the premises.

One of the simplest solutions to stop this from happening is to install anti-ram raid bollards. It’s advisable to speak with your local council before installing them as you may need planning approval.

By following these tips, you’ll help ensure the safety of your business from potential hackers or thieves. When it comes to something as important as your company, it’s worth protecting yourself from possible threats.

 

Categories
Technology

5 Ways Tradies Can Use Technology to Improve Their Business and Efficiency

That tradies can greatly benefit from technology is a fact that’s easy to prove. Technology creates several advantages for tradies. Most notably, these advantages are demonstrated when it comes to marketing, communication, scheduling/organization, payments, and mobility.

1. Exploiting the Use of Mobile Technology

Mobile technology has greatly advanced over the years that business can already be conducted through mobile phones. With mobile devices capable of doing more than just calls and the sending/receiving of text messages, there are many ways to use mobile technology to improve business. There are many apps that can be installed on mobile devices to make doing business easier. With a web-connected smartphone or tablet computer, it’s easy setting appointments, interacting with customers, processing documents, communicating with customers and employees, and doing many other related tasks from anywhere. On the other hand, the popular use of web-connected mobile devices also creates opportunities for tradies to more easily find and reach out to prospective customers who regularly connect online through their smartphones or tablets.

2. Social Networking and Marketing

When it comes to looking for prospective clients and marketing, it only makes sense for tradies to take advantage of the popularity of social media. Social media networking and marketing should be an integral part of tradies’ promotional efforts.  Regardless of the extent of the marketing campaign, it’s always advisable to incorporate social media.  Self-employed or individual tradies can market their services even by just using their mobile phones. Larger companies or tradies groups/unions/cooperatives can come up with more systematic and sophisticated social media marketing efforts. Social media marketing is a confluence of internet.

3. Software/Apps for Tradies

Tradies should also consider the use of software or apps. There are many of these available for desktop and mobile devices. There are software applications designed to suit specific tradies industries, for example: electrician service software.These applications come with varying specialized functions and features to suit specific tradesman needs. They are designed to make it easy organizing tasks and monitoring availability or progress. They can also be used to take notes, send invoices, and get a heads up on important details such as the availability supplies needed for rendering services. Many of these software/apps support integration with other business software. You can find apps that can be quickly integrated with accounting software such as MYOB, Xero, and QuickBooks Online. This simplifies the process generating financial reports or taking a real time peek at financial performance at any time.

4. Improving Communication

Communication is essential for tradies. They need to master the art of communication as they look for and interact with their prospective and current customers. Fortunately, modern technology provides advantageous new ways for communication. Technology makes it easier, faster, and clearer to communicate through different means. Now, it’s easier answering customer inquiries sent through a website on your phone or desktop computer. Answering to requests for price quotes for the services being offered can now be automated. It has also become way easier setting up appointments as it can be done by phone, email, chat, special apps, or even through social media. It would be advisable for tradies to make use of all possible communication channels in interfacing with customers.

5. Facilitating Various Payment Options

Certainly, doing business nowadays is no longer limited to cash and checks. Technological advances have led to the creation of various new ways to make payments. Aside from making payments through credit cards, there are numerous e-payment options available worldwide. PayPal and other similar services have been working with banks in different parts of the world to facilitate more convenient ways to pay. Additionally, cryptocurrency such as bitcoin may be used to pay for services. It’s not necessary to do bitcoin-to-bitcoin transactions as bitcoins can now be converted to fiat currency through bitcoin exchanges or through bitcoin debit card services.

Payments can now be done through the internet and via mobile technologies. It’s possible to accept credit card payments using mobile devices even in the same manner as how it is done at stores (swiping a card). Tradies can invest in good web-enabled POS systems that can be used as standalone systems or used alongside smartphones. Some of the most commendable options include Square Register, PayPal Here, Innerfence, and GoPayment.

***

A combination of the five points briefly discussed above will surely improve the way tradies do business. Imagine how more efficient things can get if tradies use social media to target customers, employ desktop and mobile apps to organize operations/tasks, and make use of mobile technology to communicate with customers and employees/contractors from anywhere as well as to receive payments. Using these tech-based ways will definltely improve the business and efficiency of tradies.

Categories
Planning & Management

9 Positively Brilliant Benefits of Investing In Your Employees

With Brexit looming and new immigration rules likely to shake-up the availability of non-UK workers in the UK, interest in retaining talent has never been higher on the business agenda. If predictions are correct, the availability of workers, particularly those skilled in science, technology, engineering and maths (the STEM workers), is likely to fall dramatically following Brexit and the restriction of EU workers coming to the UK.

If businesses are serious about continued growth and success beyond Brexit, they will need to hang on to their key players like never before.There will undoubtedly be plenty of headhunting going on when there’s a shortage of skills, and small businesses could lose out. Ambitious and talented staff will be the ones most likely to be tempted by better offers of pay and conditions.

The loss of good talent from your business could cost you more than you think. Talented and loyal staff help to keep morale high. Lose them and you’ll not only be missing them, your whole workforce could slump inmorale and productivity. Add on the costs of recruiting and training new talent, and you’ll quickly see why you need strategies for staff retention.

There are many facets to running a successful business.Developing proper company policies and procedures, improving communication with your staff, and making sure employees know what is expected of them all make good business sense. A shift scheduler, project management tools and HR software are all great investments to help with the day-to-day running of your business. Your employees are worth some investment too.

Here are 9 brilliant benefits of investing in employee development:

  1. Improve retention

It’s a fact, poorly trained employees end up leaving within the first year of their job. Invest in your employees from the beginning and you’ll improve retention levels. It’s cheaper to train employees than it is to replace them.

  1. It pays to promote from within

When employees are properly supported and are able to see that they can move up the ranks and take on more responsibilities, they are more naturally inclined to perform their jobs at a higher level. Promoting from within also means you get employees who are familiar with your company culture, and recruiting replacements at the bottom of the ladder is much cheaper. It promotes loyalty, so will help with your retention levels too.

  1. Increase engagement and productivity

Employees who enjoy their job and are engaged with their work are more productive. It’s a fact. Investing in staff development is one way you can help your employees to feel more valued. Proper training also makes sure your people are confident in doing their best.

  1. Great customer service

Engaged employees who are happy in their work give off the same vibe to your customers. Exceptional customer service puts you one step ahead of your competitors. Investing in your employees pays.

  1. Reduced absenteeism

Employee development creates a positive channel of communication, allowing you to support your employees and know when they are experiencing difficulties. Empathetic employee support and a system of rewards for good performance have a positive impact on absenteeism.

Stress is known to contribute greatly to absenteeism. Understanding your workforce and providing a coherent training programme minimises the risk of work overload and work-related stress.

  1. Increase job satisfaction

Through continued investment, staff feel much more valued. A sense of value and the ability to progress within the company will have a positive impact on job satisfaction.

  1. Attract new talent

Implement an attractive employee development programme and you’ll not only retain staff, others will get to hear about it and want to work with you too.

  1. Stay ahead of competitors

Helping your staff to be the best they can be means your business runs at its optimum. Continual assessment of training and developmental needs will give you the edge over your competitors.

  1. Identify skills gaps

With an ongoing staff development programme you’ll easily see when a skills gap arises. It means you can support your staff with specialist training, helping them to feel more able and secure in their job.

When you are implementing an employee development programme, it’s important torememberthat your employees don’t just exist in a professional capacity. They are human beings with emotions as well. Endeavour to support your staff on an emotional level. Your employees need to be seen, heard, acknowledged and validated.

Brexit means the future availability of skilled talent is an unknown. If predictions are correct, developing a coherent, holistic personal development programme could benefit your business in more ways than one.

Categories
Operations

Protecting Your Business When Trading Internationally

As lucrative as it can be, trading internationally brings a whole new level of risks and challenges. Therefore, if you want to ensure your business and its customers and clients are protected, you’re going to have to take numerous preventative measures.

To help, here, you’ll discover the best ways to protect your business when trading internationally.

Being aware of counterfeit goods

Counterfeit goods are a growing problem for international businesses. While you may associate counterfeit items with purely fashion and jewellery products, research shows many businesses are falling victim to counterfeit software, food and even aeroplane parts.

So, what harm do counterfeit goods have on a business? Well, if you’re advertising high-quality, genuine products and it turns out they’re fake, it’s going to have a serious impact on your reputation. If customers find out, you’re going to need to give refunds, and in serious cases, you could even be taken to court.

So, it’s vital you check your stock to ensure it’s 100% genuine and you aren’t unknowingly selling counterfeit goods.

Choosing a reliable courier

It’s never been more important for businesses to ensure they’re using a reliable courier. However, for international traders it’s even more important; particularly if you’re sending important documents abroad.

If the documents were to get into the wrong hands, again it could have serious consequences for your business. Therefore, it’s vital you use a reliable and secure courier to transport important documents.

You’ll also want to ensure the courier company can deliver documents and parcels quickly. So, look for one which offers a fast delivery service, as well as reliable one.

Be aware of the scams currently circulating

There’s a lot of scammers who target international businesses. Be especially wary of investment opportunities presented to you, along with phishing emails. The latter are becoming increasingly complex and are designed to steal your businesses information including passwords and banking details.

To prevent cybercrime, never click on a link provided in an email unless you can confirm it’s from a reliable source. You should also make sure your computer is protected with the latest security software and you store all of your customer’s details securely.

Overall, there are many risks international businesses face, but the above are some of the best ways to combat the potential problems. Making sure your IT systems are secure and you’re choosing reliable suppliers is a must when you’re dealing with international trade.

 

Categories
Technology

How Technology is Transforming the Workplace

These days, it’s hard to imagine a world without technology. It’s integrated into practically every aspect of our lives; particularly the workplace.

The rate at which technology has advanced is staggering and as it continues to develop, it’s sure to bring even more dramatic changes for businesses in the years to come. So, just how has technology transformed the workplace?

Flexible and mobile working

Perhaps one of the biggest changes technology has brought to the workplace is the fact employees can work from literally any location with an internet connection. This has allowed companies to cut costs and increase employee satisfaction, allowing them to have a more flexible schedule.

Being able to work from home allows parents to juggle work and family responsibilities. It also saves businesses money, as employees require fewer days off due to illness or family commitments.

The fact business can be conducted remotely also gives companies the opportunity to expand on a more global scale. So, technology has changed the actual working location and that’s been a major benefit to both businesses and employees.

Better communication

Another major impact technology has had on the workplace is its communication benefits. Employees are able to collaborate and communicate much faster and easier than ever before thanks to email, Skype and instant messenger services.

This has really helped companies to become more efficient and made it possible to release and provide products and services at a much faster rate. This in turn boosts profits, helping businesses to become more successful.

Convenience and storage

Cloud technology is potentially one of the biggest developments that has helped make the workplace more efficient. These days, it’s all about the cloud and it’s not hard to see why.

Before technology took off, businesses had to physically store files within the office. That meant, whenever an employee or business owner needed information, they had to physically go through each file. These days however, the cloud has made finding files incredibly easy. Those with access can find the data they need in a matter of seconds. This in itself is a major benefit, but it’s the space saving factor that’s really impressive.

These days businesses rely heavily upon data. However, very few realise just how much space their digital files take up. Gradwell recently put together some research for their “Files In Reality” campaign which gave some real perspective into how much space a business would need if it were to store it’s digital files in a physical location.

The company ran a survey which looked into the data storage use from four different industries. Unsurprisingly, it revealed the IT sector had the most files saved in the cloud. The average file type used in IT is Excel, with each one coming in at approximately 700KB. Generally, 1TB laptops are used within the sector, which means roughly 1,500,000 Excel files can be stored.

So, what does this equate to in physical storage terms? Well, the number of files saved according to the study, would equal the size of a plane in just 3 days. In comparison, a customer service worker’s files would fill a whole house in just 9 days.

When you compare the amount of physical storage a business would need to house all of the files it requires today to physical objects, you soon see why the cloud has proven to be a vital technological development.

Overall, technology has transformed the workplace in a major way and the above are just some of the changes businesses have seen over the years. As it continues to develop, there’s sure to be even more benefits added to the workplace.