Business

Businesses that refuse to use computers or the internet are a rarity nowadays. Even farmers in rural areas have social media pages to reach out to potential buyers of their products. It’s not an exaggeration to say that establishing an online presence is a must for modern-day businesses. Not having one is a significant disadvantage. Learn more about the reasons why businesses should start and nurture their online identity and accessibility in the following discussion.

It’s easy

Many may have second thoughts about developing their online presence because of their lack of tech-savviness, especially when it comes to building a website from scratch. This shouldn’t be the case, though. Oxford web design experts say creating a website is no longer as complicated as it was before. Businesses that want a simple website or even an online store can use instant website builders. However, paying for professional web designers is still the preferable option for those who want a greater level of customisation and more features for their sites.

If you don’t want to invest in websites yet, it’s also possible to have an online presence through free platforms, social media in particular. You don’t need to spend money to create a Facebook page, a Twitter account, Instagram account, or other social media accounts. You just have to exert some effort and time to learn the ropes of effective social media marketing. If you want to attract audiences faster, you may want to spend on premium services such as online ads and post boosting.

It attracts more customers

Online shopping is steadily on the rise. A US Commerce Department report says that online shopping now constitutes 12% of retail transactions (from 5% in the 1990s). Also, the report claims that the total market share of non-store (mostly web-based) retail sales as of February 2019 was already higher than general merchandise (including department store) sales. Many consumers already use the internet to make purchases. The failure to exploit the opportunities created by the growing number of online shoppers is a big loss for any business.

It’s a cheaper and more expansive way for marketing and PR

Another important benefit of having an online presence is the ability to grow a brand or reputation. The internet is a fertile and inexpensive place for propagating brands and expanding businesses. There are numerous ways to do marketing and PR online, from email marketing to content marketing, guest blogs or paid articles, video sharing, online advertising, and social media promotions.

Moreover, having an online presence makes it easy to manage the identity and reputation of a business. It’s not only a platform for launching marketing campaigns; it’s also a dynamic environment for rapidly responding to negative information or issues hurled at a company or product. In the past, businesses would have to beg traditional media (TV and radio) to cover their responses to bad publicity or scandals. Now, companies only need to write posts online, and many will likely know about the message they want to convey. Sometimes, mainstream media may even cover these business developments.

In summary, it’s advisable for businesses to create an online presence as there’s hardly any hurdles to doing so. Additionally, websites/online stores or social media accounts can help generate more sales and profits. It’s also relatively inexpensive to conduct marketing and sales on the web.

Nobody can deny the fact that data recovery services are one of your great friends when it comes to saving yourself from fall victim to a significant loss. You can lose millions of bucks or some of your valuable documents when your hard drive fails. In such a situation, data recovery services play a significant role to recover your data back and saves you from such damage. Check out this website to get a professional data recovery service. However, there may be some data recovery services that do not provide what they promise. They may say that they are professionally expert in the field and they have a lot of customers, but in reality, they may be one of the companies who has been abandoned by customers most of the times. That’s why it’s optima to consider a few factors before deciding on a particular data recovery service. Let’s know how you can choose a hard drive recovery service near you.

Free Evaluation

All the professional hard drive recovery services out there would want to do a free evaluation of your hard drive at the initial stage. Before getting into the recovery operation, and handing you a quote, they would like to analyze what is wrong with your hard drive and come up with a possible solution so that you can make your decision. In this way, you are not suffocated or obliged to hire them as they are giving you options and opinions to consider whether you should hire them or not.

Versatility

The company you should be able to provide you with the services of all types. No matter what kind of format file you want to recover, or what type of device you have got, they have to be confident to work on it. If they suggest you options to have a run from pillar post, move on and look for another data recovery service company.

Pricing

Do not choose the companies that offer flat-fee pricing. Data loss issues are different. The pricing should vary from problems to problems. When you see a company is charging you flat-fee prices, be sure that they are not a professional one.

Experience

Determine how well they are doing around the city and how long they have been in the industry. Look for reviews from their past clients. Ask them how good they are, ask about their experience hiring this particular data recovery service company.

Privacy

The security and confidentiality of your data should be at the top of the company’s priority list. The company you choose should have a clear track and make surer that there is no risk of data theft once you hire them. Otherwise, you will end up choosing a company that may make you prone to data theft, and it could lead you a major data loss instead of recovery.

Apart from all these factors, there are some companies that tend to set special offers for some groups of customers. Check out if any company has that type of offers available for you so that you can make the best out of it. Take their location into consideration as well because the location is a significant factor when it comes to availability and approachability.

You appreciate your employees who work really hard for the benefit of the company. They’re doing everything they can to satisfy you and help achieve the goals of the business. There are times when you wish you could reward them, but you think it’s impossible. There’s no room for a promotion as of the moment. Therefore, you ignore the accomplishment of that employee and move on. Before you do so, you need to understand that offering a promotion isn’t the only way of rewarding employees who perform well.

Offer extended paid leave

Every company has policies in regard to leave or days off. Some are quite strict and automatically deduct the salary of those who fail to show up for work, even with a valid excuse. If you want to keep your employees, you need to be more lenient when it comes to absences. Some of them have families to prioritize. Also, if there’s any employee who has done an amazing job at work, you can reward that behaviour by offering extended paid leave. It would feel great, especially since it provides an opportunity for them to bond with their kids.

Offer an opportunity to study for free

Some employees aren’t only after a high salary. They also want professional development. They need to move forward and not get stuck where they are. It helps to offer an opportunity to improve, and a scholarship would be a great idea. They would appreciate the chance to further their studies. Besides, if employees improve their skills, it will also help the company since they can provide better services.

Hold a fun event for a day

You can take a break from work and hold a fun event like a funfair. In doing so, you’ll not only be rewarding one employee but the entire team. It shows your appreciation for a job well done. No one will feel left out. The fair might be difficult to organise, but it would be worth it. You can also ask a firm like https://www.wearetricycle.co.uk to organise the event for you. Given how toxic work can be, it’s nice to have a day when employees can do something different.

Assign a project

You can’t promote the employee for now, but you can assign bigger responsibilities. Leading a team for a project could be a good start. It’s also an opportunity to test if the employee is ready to take on a leadership role in the future. You need to know what each employee is capable of, so you can assign an appropriate project.

Always show your appreciation

There are times when you don’t need to make a huge gesture to show that you appreciate someone at work. A simple thank you note would suffice. Employees just want to know that you notice their actions and effort to help out.

Try your best to do these things so that your employees won’t feel that they work hard without getting anything in return.

Technology is a valuable resource in business. Nowadays, companies rely on a suite of software and platforms to streamline processes. One of the most commonly adopted application is a CRM system or software. The concept of CRM marries the various functions crucial to a business. By definition, CRM stands for customer relationship management. But, it goes beyond providing a centralized platform to manage client interaction and relationships.

Features of a CRM system

Understanding what a CRM system can do for your company begins by being familiar with its key features:

• Managing contacts. This section contains up-to-date information about each customer – including contact details and a history of support conversations. This feature should be easy to access and update.
• Managing leads. Lead management is designed for the sales and marketing teams. This feature allows for convenient tracking of activities as well as specific targets. Each stage of the sales process is also outlined – from prospecting to conversion.
• Forecasting sales. A CRM system capable of generating reports helps the sales team visualize and track progress accurately. These reports also give managers a tangible means of evaluating performance.
• Messaging application. Another useful function of a CRM system is real-time messaging, making it easier to consult co-workers regarding issues related to sales opportunities.
• Email integration. A CRM system can sync multiple email clients so that you can have a unified view of all correspondence received. Using a single platform makes it more efficient because you only need to log in once.
• File sharing. A central location accessible using a single dashboard allows users to upload and share content.
• Analytics. Information stored in the platform is compiled and compressed using analytics tools presented via the user’s dashboard.

These basic functions may be improved further, depending on the provider you choose. For example, there are CRM systems that allow for enhanced automation of specific processes.

Why does CRM matter to your business?

If you want your business to succeed, it is necessary to invest in enterprise software, and you need to begin with CRM. As your company expands, it becomes more challenging to keep track of individual goals and targets. With a CRM system in place, you can get up-to-date and reliable data regarding your progress. Moreover, data collected from various sales channels, especially online and social media, will not be useful without a platform that can make sense and interpret the information.

Putting your customers first and understanding their needs and likes will allow you to address deficiencies in any aspect of the operation. A CRM system gives you a bird’s eye view of every interaction, regardless of if it is still in the prospecting stage. While most of the features of CRM systems cater to sales and marketing, your customer service department can also benefit significantly by using the data produced using the platform.

In conclusion, running a business with the help of technology is the way of the future. Whether you are a small, medium, or large enterprise, you need to consider the value of these software solutions. You can begin by implementing a CRM system and see the difference it makes for your business.

If you’re like many Americans, paying taxes doesn’t exactly rank high on your list of favorite things to do. In fact, it’s not on the list at all. For this reason, the phrase “tax credit” may be like music to your ears. However, not all tax credits are the same, according to TaxAudit, which has received multiple high ratings in audit defense reviews. Here are two tax credit options that you can take advantage of: non-refundable and refundable tax credits.

With a non-refundable tax credit, you would take how much you owe in taxes and subtract your allowed credit amount from it. However, the credit amount you use cannot exceed the tax amount you owe. As an example, let’s say that you owe $1,000 in taxes but are eligible to receive $2,000 in a tax credit for dependent/child care. You may claim $1,000 of your tax credit. The other $1,000 you weren’t able to use cannot be refunded.

Note that with some credits that go unused, you can carry them forward to the years ahead, according to tax audit reviews. Meanwhile, other credits that aren’t used cannot be used in the future. Examples of tax credits that cannot be refunded include the foreign tax credit, the child tax credit, and the adoption credit.

A refundable tax credit is similar to its non-refundable counterpart except that any extra amount can be refunded. Examples of credits that are refundable include the premium tax credit and the earned income tax credit. The additional child tax credit and the American opportunity tax credit can also be refunded.

All in all, both types of tax credits are advantageous: The former eliminates your tax liability, and the latter can cause you to receive money back. Either way, expert advice can help you to take full advantage of the various tax credits to which you are entitled from one tax year to the next.

Buying into real estate is one of the smartest investments that you can make, a tangible investment which will give you many opportunities to turn a profit. One of the most appealing aspects of real estate investment is the strength of the market, unlike stocks and bonds, the real estate market is notoriously robust and even when it dips or falters, it has always come back to life in the years that followed. Ali Ata is something of a guru when it comes to real estate investment and so we caught up with him to find out more about these investments, and more specifically what a first time investor needs o know prior to buying a single property.

If this is something that you have been thinking about, here are Ali’s tips on the key considerations which you will need to make first.

What Kind of Investor?

The first thing which you need to be thinking about is the type of investor which you want to be, and what you are looking to get out of your investment. For example there are a number of ways in which you can make money from real estate. Flipping properties involves buying homes which need some renovation work, buying them cheap, giving the property a makeover and then looking for a quick sale and a small profit. Alternatively you could look for a longer term investment, renting out the property over a long period of time, giving you an asset to sell when the market looks good. Understanding this will help you to pick up the right properties when it is time to buy.

Do You Know The Market?

It is absolutely essential that you spend a good chunk of time on learning about the real estate market. You need to know what impacts prices, which properties are more resilient against the market than others, and how you can make a smart investment based on what the market is doing. Learning this now will save you time in the future and give you far more chances of success with your investments.

Do You Have The Money?

It is important to work out exactly how you are going to fund your investment, will it come from savings or a 401K and will you need to refinance an existing mortgage or will you look to take a mortgage out on the properties which you are looking to buy. The amount of money and debt which you have will influence the types of property which you go on to buy.

Have You Considered The Community?

Many people fail to consider the community they are investing in when they find a property, this is a key factor in being able to rent or sell the property. You should be looking into crime rates, job opportunities, quality of schools and hospitals, as well as looking at the potential growth of the community. This is essential and you need to know that it is more than the property which you are investing in.

 

Some say that maintaining a business is all about making compromises. If you want your company to succeed, you have to be willing to put in the work – which in turn increases the stress. The same thing can be said about your employees as well. However, anxiety and success do not go hand-in-hand, no matter how many business owners might claim it to be the case.

The truth is that how much stress and anxiety you end up experiencing while maintaining a start-up is all up to you. Falling for a few beginner’s traps can set your business on a downward spiral, which is undoubtedly a stressful experience. Fortunately, you do not have to resign yourself to such a scenario. Here are a few ways to make improvements while reducing anxiety.

The impact of taking good care of your employees

How many times have you heard of companies that put their customers first above everything else? While it is an excellent notion to have, it does not mean that prioritising your customers over your employees will have a positive effect. Instead, consider taking care of your workers so that they, in turn, can take care of your clients. Something as simple as the implementation of employee incentives can have a significant impact on how your customers will end up viewing your business.

By adding incentives and urging your employees to work hard, they will have a reason to be reliable and hard-working for your company. Take good care of your workers, and they will do the rest.

How business software can positively impact a start-up company

For the most part, a start-up business cannot use the full potential of business software. For example, they might not necessarily need centralising business software to make it easier to communicate between departments. A start-up might not even have any departments. However, it does not mean that it cannot be useful. There are hundreds of different types of business software available, each geared toward specific scenarios. You will undoubtedly find one from services such as eworksmanager.co.uk which will help streamline tedious tasks.

Take steps to improve the workplace

It can be quite easy for a start-up to end up with a cluttered workplace, even after just a few months of work. The more clutter there is in the office space, the harder it will be for your staff to focus – which increases the likelihood of everyone experiencing stress. Take the time to care for your workplace, adding house plants and decluttering to ensure that people always feel welcome in the office. It will not only make things less stressful for you and your company, but it will also improve productivity.

There is no denying how challenging it can be to run a start-up company without experiencing the stress and anxiety often associated with start-ups. The methods above will help you in avoiding stressful scenarios while at the same time improving the odds of your company’s success.

 

 

If you’re a freelancer, tracking your time accurately is crucial to maintaining your integrity and trust with your clients, and getting paid the correct amount for the work you’ve done. It can be difficult to sift through all of the apps available out there, so we’ve put together this handy list of apps to track your time. Most apps come with a free trial, so you’ll be able to try them out before you buy.

1. Toggl

Toggl is a popular time tracking app that is affordable, easy to use, and best of all, has an intuitive interface for an easy learning curve. You can easily train employees on how to use the program in just a few minutes, taking the first step towards greater accuracy and time tracking.

Toggl allows you to break down your hours by clients or projects, so you can see exactly what’s costing (or making) you the most money. With this level of insight, you’ll be able to identify problem areas and address them quickly to improve your company’s overall hourly efficiency.

Toggl is available on just about every platform, so you can continue to manage your team’s time even when you’re on the go. The app is available for both Android and iOS devices. Starting at just $9 per month per user, it’s also one of the most affordable options for small and large businesses alike. Enterprise options are also available for those who need custom options.

2. HiveDesk

One of the great features about HiveDesk is its unique ability to take screenshots from your team member’s computers/devices automatically. This will help you stay updated on the progress of their projects, and also hold them accountable for their portion of the workload. Accountability leads to more productivity, and that’s exactly what HiveDesk has to offer.

With project, time, and activity tracking, you’ll never miss out on what’s going on with your team again. Updates will be constantly fed into the software, and your invoices will be much more accurate when it comes time to settle up. Don’t take a chance on something as important as time tracking; use HiveDesk for incredible results and a company you can trust.

HiveDesk starts at $15 per month for up to three users and an admin and includes storage space for your screenshots. With five different plans available, you’ll be able to find the one that works best with your needs and your budget.

3. TimeCamp

This useful time tracking app is actually free to use, so it’s perfect for those freelancers with a strict expense budget. You can give it a test run with a free trial, and if you like it, you can either continue to use it for free or upgrade to a paid plan.

TimeCamp has automatic time tracking, so each task will be tracked accurately. You can also divide larger projects into smaller tasks and track those times separately from one another, and log the project timeline as a whole once you’ve finished.

TimeCamp offers plans for around $5 per month per user when billed annually, or $7 per user per month if you choose monthly billing. There are also pro and enterprise options for those teams that need extra features and support.

4. HourStack

HourStack features an easy to use drag and drop interface for a more visual approach to tracking and managing your time. Each task is represented by a time block, which you can move around to different days and times with the click of your mouse or drag of the finger.

This is a great option for those teams or individuals who struggle to meet deadlines. Everything will be laid out in front of you, allowing for better planning and allocation of time and resources. Meeting deadlines is crucial to maintaining a good reputation and relationship with clients and managers.

HourStack is only $5.60 per month, with both professional and enterprise options for those who are looking for a bit more for their dollar. With so many features and a different approach to time tracking, it’s easy to see why HourStack is a favorite among freelancers.

5. HubStaff

Another free to use option for those on a budget is HubStaff. This useful software comes with time tracking, GPS tracking for travel, online timesheets, and productivity monitoring for maximum efficiency.

HubStaff makes time tracking easy by taking a simple approach. An intuitive interface makes learning the software simple, and powerful tools keep everything accurate and well-organized. If you’re looking to time-track on a budget while still getting some great features, try out HubStaff.

HubStaff starts at $5/month for their paid services and supports one user. You can opt for up to the $20/month package, which grants you access to all of the impressive features this software has to offer. You’ll get GPS tracking, online spreadsheets, the whole nine yards. Best of all, the company also offers 24/7 support, so any problems you may run into will be addressed quickly and professionally.

Conclusion

Time tracking apps have changed the freelancing game, making time management simpler, invoicing more accurate, and productivity higher. Try one of these amazing apps today and start taking control of your time for an affordable price. With so many options to choose from, you’ll want to consider these five before anything else; they’re simply the best at what they do!

 

Are you happy at work or just managing the grind until the end of work day?

Happiness is a major prerequisite for productivity. When you are happy at work, you:

• Experience creativity
• Engage better with what you do
• Make workplace friends easily

Unfortunately, there are times when you are in a slump, and don’t feel in the right frame of mind to work. This is a common situation, and happens to most people, even those working in the best of jobs.

The following smart suggestions can help you improve your workplace happiness quotient, so that you can have a better time at work, and become more productive.

Before looking at how you can be happy at work, it is important to point out that most times, happiness at work is tied to your work circumstances. Incentives such as good working environment, steady pay, health insurance, and retirement benefits are some of the factors that can engender workplace happiness and productivity.

Figure out your motivation

A lot of people are unhappy at work because they have not been able to discover what makes their job meaningful. When you work in a role you are not passionate about, it is difficult to be happy in that role. It is therefore important that you discover your definition for success and fulfillment, and see how it applies to your current job role.

Once you can find fulfillment in your job, you will be happy doing it, and this may mean a change in job role, or a complete career change.

Conduct a self audit

Different part of your work process may be responsible for draining your positive energy, and this can result in dissatisfaction and unhappiness in your work. You have to identify these energy drains and take steps to stop them.

For the next few days, make a list of all the things you do at work, and note how each one affects your frame of mind. Your list should contain both your intention and unintentional activities.

At the end of a week, check your list to find out the activities that drain your energy or tasks you mentally. Then ask yourself if there is anything you can do to balance the debit side of your audit. For example, if you have a lot of mentally tasking assignments, you can increase your number of breaks, so that you have more time to refresh.

Avoid working 24 hours

When you spend too much time at work, it becomes monotonous and can drain your energy and make you unhappy.

Unless absolutely needed, avoid the temptation to work the full 24 hours in a day. When you spend too much time doing the same thing with little or no downtime for yourself, you are courting workplace burnout.

If you work in an organization where constant overtime is the norm, you should seriously consider a change of job.

Make more friends

The people you surround yourself at work with will determine how happy you are during office hours. In fact, a Harvard study found that people who report great emotional connection with their colleagues tend to be happy and more productive, and the organization maintains a high level of employee retention.

This goes to show the strong evidence between close friendship at work, happiness, performance, and career success.

Therefore, if you want to be happier at work, get close to your co-workers, encourage collaboration, and be part of a successful network.

Reward yourself

Everyone knows that reward is incentive for work. However, you don’t have to wait for your boss or supervisor to reward you for work done. Creating a reward system for yourself will put you in the right frame of mind to get work done.

For example, you can say “I will only join my friends for happy hour after work if I finish this report on time”.

When you are motivated, you become happy, and when you are happy, you find it easy to do the things that need to be done.