All Systems Go: Launching a Small Business (and the Tools You'll Need)

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Happy New Year everyone!

Starting a business requires an ample selection of tools to make operations manageable. Without them, you'd spend more time with its administration than selling and customer interaction.

Where's the fun in that? Almost 1 million businesses are launched each year with most being small operations. This is an interesting trend because it shows the viable nature of starting a business where before launching was heavily determined by access to finances and resources.

Perhaps the tools make the difference? I think so. I haven't launched a brick & mortar operation but I have started several successful, online businesses. Many tools I use are same (or similar) to those found in many, other small businesses. I can reaffirm this based on my networking and business with owners.

What common ground did I find with business tools?

1. Payment Processing

All businesses need a form of payment gateway services to complete transactions. Brick and mortar stores will likely use Point-of-Sale systems whereas online businesses rely on shopping cart software.

2. Accounting

The first year in business comes as a shock when it's time to pay taxes. Business taxes depend on its organization, profits, and expenses. Average business tax rates are usually 19.8%.

Accounting software is a must to keep income and expenses in order. Both TurboTax and Quickbooks make great options for small business owners.

3. Legal or business document(s)

All businesses should have a business plan to keep efforts aligned and to improve their chances to secure funding through loans and investments. Other important documents may include a bill of lading, trademarks, seller's permits, and more.

Legal and business documents are costly if they're created by professionals. Like taxes, a small business owner may use tools to create these items in-house. 

Tools include DocuSign and Formswift.

4. Computer and mobile hardware

What's a business to do if team members don't have access to computers, mobile devices, and the Web? These two sets of tools, alone, present many opportunities -- including:

• Access to website building tools

• Mobile CRM and networking tools

• Social media marketing and always-on monitoring

• Warehouse management and logistics

• Payroll and time management software

These tools become vital for its launch as Web efforts will generally lead to high engagement, low-cost marketing campaigns to build awareness and sales.

Also, businesses may choose to bring advertising and marketing creative design in-house by making flyers, posters, brochures, and business cards for a fraction of the costs if done by a designer. 

Tools all small businesses will want to explore include Salesforce, Hootsuite, Wix, and ADP.

5. Business Intelligence

BI tools give small business owners insights into the business operations and organization. Data is uploaded to these tools to compile information and records to produce actionable reports.

Microsoft Power BI offers a free version of their tool many small business owners may want to explore if they feel it provides a benefit.

6. Helpdesk

Gathering customer (and employee) feedback is tedious if these items are stored and organized through traditional filing systems.

Helpdesk software sits on your workplace hardware. Or, it's cloud-based. These tools create a gateway for feedback and handling issues. Other benefits include:

• A central hub for FAQ's

• User roles and hierarchy for management

• Community forums to crowdsource help

There's a Tool for Everything

No matter the task or problem... there's a tool to provide a solution. Yes, each tool you introduce will produce a learning curve and time investment. But, they will greatly reduce the tedious tasks.

This frees more of your time to work on the enjoyable activities like interacting with customers, exploring new ventures, and nurturing team cohesion.

I've found most businesses all use one or all types of these tools. Though, ask your fellow entrepreneurs for extra pointers and suggestions.

*by andreascy*

BYOD in Call Centers: Innovation or Disaster?

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Bring Your Own Device policies have been a source of debate in businesses around the world since mobile technology first became commercially viable, and especially since phones and tablets have become so multifaceted. 

The modern era of multitask devices brings this conversation to a new height, with industries in some cases moving to ubiquitous and exclusive tablet PC usage. BYOD becomes tempting to a myriad of businesses, and certainly, there are gains to be had, as ACM Digital Library claims. But do such policies bring more pros or cons to the call center industry, a field where customer privacy and employee morale both play major roles?

Pros of BYOD

Productivity. Having access to personal devices can make life much easier for your employees, especially if you have an abundance of tech-savvy individuals on your staff. BYOD brings flexibility and employee ingenuity to new heights in a way that is quite simply impossible with standardized company equipment.

Modern call centers can benefit from a number of CRM packages and various apps for iPads and other tablet devices - applications which prove most useful when customized and used in an equally familiar, customized device.

Costs. BYOD lets you attain many of the benefits of company-issued technology with a fraction of the costs. You lose the benefits of standardizations and risk a few downsides. However, if you lack the budget for a major tech overhaul but have employees with their own devices, the solution creates itself.

Morale. There are several ways a BYOD policy works to benefit morale. Using a familiar device just 'feels' better to many people. If your workforce is self-motivated and has proper self-control, the 'fun' factor available from personal devices also lends itself to morale boosts.

Being able to relax and read an e-book or play Angry Birds on break can be a benefit, especially in an industry as focused on customer-employee interaction as call centers. Keeping up employee morale can be the single hardest task in running a call center, so anything that helps is worth considering.

Cons of BYOD

Productivity. Personal devices mean problems that your IT guys will never figure out; people manage to screw up their personal machines in ways that are unfathomable. Hours will be lost resolving issues which don't exist, and can't exist, within standard employer-issued systems.

There's also the 'fun' factor. If your workforce lacks self-control and self-motivation, a BYOD policy will lead to people goofing off on the clock. It's impossible to prevent savvy users from finding ways to waste time on their own devices. That often means you risk productivity issues from one angle or another.

Security. Personal devices offer as many avenues of attack as you have unique employee devices. The headache for your IT security team may be too high and the risk not worth the potential gains, especially if you have employees lacking the savvy to safeguard their own devices. Standardized systems offer standardized solutions and a fraction of the risk.

Data Management. Data management is the biggest con to consider as a data center, as Science Direct explains. Your employees deal with sensitive customer data every moment of their work day, and BYOD policies open massive holes in typical data control schemes.

It's trivial to walk away with sensitive information, and it can be difficult to keep track of which devices should and should not have access. You run the risk of a device interacting with your data in an unintended manner and causing disastrous losses.

Overall

The feasibility of a BYOD policy in a call center in many ways depends on your employee base. A self-motivated, tech-savvy population will see gains across the board with little risk. If you have problems with motivation, untrustworthy employees, and IT ignorance, then BYOD may only serve to compound your problems.

MORE ON THE TOPIC: Making BYOD Work For Your Company

Be sure to read more articles for more information. 

*by andreascy*

Cloud vs. On-Premise CRM Software

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description : 

Customer relationship management (CRM) software is a significant and oftentimes necessary tool for your business. It enables you to keep track of customer information, promote lead generation, and generate reports and data that can help make your business more efficient and productive.

There are a multitude of CRM software programs available for you to choose from. These programs can generally be divided into two categories: those systems installed and maintained on premise, and those that are outsourced to internet cloud hosting services. Each system has its own benefits as well as disadvantages, and you should compare how well each would fulfill your company’s needs before making a purchase.

Security

The security and confidentiality of your business information and that of your customers is paramount. Security breaches can result in fraud, identity theft, and a sharp decline in customer trust.

- The greatest benefit cloud-based CRM has to offer is also its greatest weakness: it is hosted on and accessible through the internet. The convenience of accessing your CRM anywhere there is an internet or mobile connection is offset by the risks posed by online hackers. 

- Hackers are becoming increasingly skilled at bypassing security and encryption systems. If the ease of access outweighs the risk to security in your opinion, be sure to utilize a cloud-based system that has the most up-to-date and advanced security available.

- CRM software that is based on-premise does not require an internet connection in order to function and all its information is kept offline. There are no risks to the security of your information because without online access, it’s impossible for a hacker to break in.

Reliability

Your CRM system needs to be not only accessible, but also reliable, if it’s going to serve your company’s best interests. You need to be able to pull up customer information when they call in order to best serve their needs, and you need to be able to input important information as it occurs so it doesn’t get lost. 

- Cloud-based CRM is available anywhere there’s an internet connection, and many programs also come with access for mobile devices and phones. 

- The cloud’s dependency on a reliable connection exposes a significant weakness in the software. Should your internet go out, due to equipment failure, outages, or distance from a wireless hot-spot, you can’t access any of your information.

- On-premise software doesn’t rely on the internet, so it can function in a variety of circumstances where its cloud-based counterpart would fail. The software can be loaded onto multiple computers and laptops owned by your business, so that you can take it in a tunnel or to the mountains and always have your information at hand.

Customization

Oftentimes you want your CRM software to perform specific functions, such as automating reports or integrating with another program used by your company. The degree to which your business requires customizable software impacts your decision between on-premise and cloud-based CRM systems.

- Cloud-based CRM is often a one-size-fits all build with limited options for customization. If you plan to stay within the default parameters of the program, this shouldn’t be a problem.

- On-premise CRM is fully customizable. You control the system, so you can add whatever features or functions you need in order to capitalize on its use. You can integrate it with your other systems easily, especially if you have a dedicated staff member on hand to manage all the program’s modifications and maintenance.

Cost

The cost structures for cloud and on-premise software also differ. Cloud-based systems are hosted on a remote server, the use of which you are charged for on a monthly basis. On-premise software is purchased in one large up-front payment, but once purchased comes with no additional costs.

- Cloud fees can change from month to month due to bandwidth uses and any features you may add. This can make it difficult to budget for the cost of the program as it is constantly changes.

- In order to offset the inconvenience of purchasing on-premise CRM software all at once, you can get a payment plan to spread out the cost over the course of the year. The monthly cost doesn’t change no matter how you use the software.

Cloud-based CRM software can seem like an easy and convenient choice for your customer management needs. However, you should carefully examine how it functions compared to on-premise programs. The ease and convenience of the cloud also comes with some risks, so be sure to know how you plan to use your CRM software before committing to a specific system.

ALSO: What can MPLS service providers do for your business?

Thanks so much for reading our story! We welcome any feedback you might have.

*by andreascy*