What is ERP Software And How It’s Useful

Posted on April 9, 2022 by Allen Brown

For those of you who haven’t heard of the term ERP before, below we will provide you with some essential information. So what does it represent, or What is Enterprise Resource Planning? ERP or Enterprise Resource Planning is the process of collecting and handling business data from numerous sectors by utilizing particular software.

Namely, this software provides institutions with an integrated, real-time perception of their main business processes, easily accessible through a single centralized system. All in all, ERPs can be defined as tools employed by numerous organizations to simplify their business operations, such as accounting, supply chain, human resources, customer relationship management, e-commerce, and risk management.

These are just the basic information regarding the ERP software. If you’re interested to learn more about it, including its advantages, then just keep reading and you’ll gather all the crucial information.

Huge Benefits Of ERP Software

Enhanced Productivity

According to many ERP software connoisseurs, one of its key benefits is automation, ranging from marketing automation to invoice generation. This allows workers to be a lot more effective and productive and focus on different areas, and at the same time, makes sure no process is being neglected.

Additionally, by having a central repository attainable by all sectors, an ERP eliminates the need for tiring and overwhelming manual processes, for example, repetitive data entry across several systems. You’ll quickly notice that the precision of your data will enhance as well!

Decreases Expenses

Of course, this highly depends on the solution. Generally speaking, ERP software can cost somewhere between a few hundred dollars, up to $100,000. What matters is the fact that this software is truly worth every penny.

Now, on the market, you can stumble upon a variety of different ERP software, one is the NetSuite ERP software. But what is so great about it? Namely, it enables companies to focus on their business without worrying about how they will operate their ERP.

Besides that, NetSuite integration partner helps consumers enhance their flexibility and efficiency and encourages entrepreneurs to work on their functionality and prioritize real-time business insight with this software. Bear in mind, that the faster you get the desired insight, the better.

Why did we mention NetSuite in particular? Well, because not only it’s currently one of the best software on the market, but it is also very affordable which is something that every business owner appreciates. This type of software will save you money in the long run.

Now, let us return to the subject. Generally speaking, with practically every ERP software, you’ll be able to reduce your costs, due to the fact that this program lets you input it only once and then carry it over to other sectors in real-time.

Furthermore, you can also simplify tiresome tasks, for instance, invoice allocation, report drafting, employ payroll, which can definitely save you lots of time and allow you to focus on more important obligations.

It’s worth mentioning that if you spend more on different systems, than you normally would on centralized ERP, you might even be able to save on IT expenses overall. Keep in mind that utilizing one system also decreases training requirements for end-users since they’re supposed to be learning only one system.

Enhanced Planning & Resource Management

This software really does effectively enable planning across your company so you know exactly how to predict your expenses, sales, and the resources you need, whether that includes people, materials, equipment, or anything else.

Moreover, it offers a thorough insight that allows you to efficiently plan production schedules and simultaneously, foresee resource needs, which is extremely important, because when you’re able to predict numerous crucial things, such as equipment maintenance, then you can decrease production delays or unplanned downtime.

What Are Other Major Advantages Of ERP System?

Enhanced Collaboration

Another very important trait that can certainly positively impact every company is the fact that this software effectively connects teams, and enhances communication and overall employee engagement.

Furthermore, with this software, every approved worker has on-demand access to all operational data, which enables them to comprehend all of the business’s moving parts and the role they have.

Real-time project updates, along with decreased silos further enhance the efficacy which leads to cost savings, as well as better workflows. Remember that the collaboration capabilities expand outside the wall of a particular company in order to connect with some of the most crucial partners.

Regulatory Compliance

In every single industry, especially the one that revolves around food & beverage, there are various legislations and requirements that are continuously changing. If a certain firm fails to comply with them, it can seriously jeopardize many aspects of it.

On top of IFRS and GAAP compliance, enhanced solutions, such as Sage Intacct and Acumatica, can also help with training, reporting, paperwork, accuracy, security, and process control, which all play a major role when it comes to meeting regulations.

Furthermore, with the help of the ERP systems, you can tackle various types of regulatory compliance, such as:

Government Regulations
Trade Regulations
Business and Finance
Labor Regulations
Information Technology
Industry Compliance

Improved Accuracy And Availability Of Information

This is an advantage that must definitely be mentioned since it is one of the most important ones because it affects various aspects of enterprise resource planning. Namely, high-quality ERP software allows efficient and centralized collection, storage, and processing of information regarding sales, production, consumers, sales, and many other things.

That’s precisely why a single data system is utilized and maintained instead of using a variety of separate databases that require regular checks and synchronization to eliminate duplicate or outdated records.

Moreover, the enhanced quality of all types of internal data, mixed with its availability to the employees in all crucial sectors, is a precious feat that leads to performance optimization in all areas of the company. Especially inventory management and supply chain is the activity that experiences the most benefits from the ERP software.

Enhanced Data Security

Another great benefit that the ERP system offers is data security. Namely, this system has control over who can view and alter sensitive data. Merging info into a single repository shore up security in comparison with scattered sources on different systems.

Unfortunately, these days, a lot of companies are experiencing issues with security breaches that can cause some serious expenses, which is why it’s of huge importance to implement ERP software if you want to make sure your data is being secured.

Most importantly, enhanced data security is going to help your firm with regulatory compliance and built-in reporting functions that can help you decrease auditing expenses.

Complete Visibility

This advantage of ERP is for sure one of the most crucial selling points for this software. Namely, it enables total access to every single essential process within your company by developing data from every sector easily accessible to both your senior management and you.

For instance, with the help of ERP software, you can easily supervise inventory levels on a daily basis, including future deliveries that you’ll be receiving in the near future. By knowing exactly where you stand when it comes to inventory levels, you can efficiently control the working capital on a more accurate level.

Furthermore, the availability of all important information about your business in a centralized location leads to enhanced collaboration and simplifies the completion of all duties and tasks. Additionally, this visibility offers more coherent workflows.

All of this helps you make much smarter decisions, as you won’t have any doubts that you are seeing a crystal clear picture at any moment.

Improved Customer Relationships

Employing an ERP system on Salesforce enables integration with the Salesforce Customer Relationship Management platform, significantly extending the visibility you have over every single operation that occurs within your company.

What’s great about it is the fact that every consumer information from personal data, to purchase history is stored in a single place and goes straight to the ERP system with the goal to improve the customer experience.

If you decide to use both CRM and ERP, you’ll be able to automate consumer services, such as payment notifications for current customers. Besides that, you can also supply the marketing and sales team with much more useful information to help them close a sale. Below, we’ll enumerate the major benefits of the ERP system when it comes to this:

Simplifies invoicing and accounts receivable
Close the books quicker at the end of every month
Decreases invoicing errors and billing with the goal to accomplish a better consumer experience
Puts consumers in the driver’s seat with customized portals and dashboards
Connects sales, product, and finance teams for alignment on product offering and accessible income streams
Provides easily digestible data to every member of your team by using real-time dashboards
Produces global financial reports by employing embedded analytics

Gives You A Competitive Advantage

Business owners who decide to start implementing this software will quickly realize that it gives them relevance among other businesses. When you enhance productivity, use automation, acquire real-time information on finances and eliminate bottlenecks from the workflows, you will get more money, and at the same time, gain more recognition from your employees, colleagues, clients, partners, and stakeholders.

And all of this leads to making more informed business decisions and also having a company that truly runs like a properly-oiled machine.

Implementing An ERP Software In Your Company

How To Properly Implement The ERP System?

Now that you’ve realized how essential an ERP system is, it’s also crucial to understand different ways you can implement it in your company. Remember that just like with many other things, there are right and wrong ways you can do it. Below, we will talk about some steps that must be taken into account to be sure you are doing everything perfectly:

Map out various divisions of your business – This can be defined as the most important step when it comes to implementing the ERP software in your company. First, you must figure out which department of your business is going to employ it. Bear in mind that every firm works differently and that ERP that you can find on the market can vary, depending on the type of company you have. Therefore, it’s of huge importance to map out numerous sectors of your organization, so you can figure out which ERP system is most suitable for you.
Opt for the ERP program that comes with the best features- During this step you must be extremely careful. As it was mentioned above, this program can vary depending on the organization it’s intended for, hence, there’s no such a thing as the best ERP software for every single company. Instead, you should opt for one that perfectly matches the demands and needs of your firm. In order to make the smartest decision, acquire software that is loaded with high-quality features that can hugely benefit your organization.
Seeking professional help is always recommendable – Even if you think that this is something that you can do all on your own, it’s always advisable to talk to someone who has way more experience when it comes to this. Just keep in mind that if you talk to a professional you will streamline everything regarding setting up and training your employees to employ the ERP program. Namely, these experts have a plethora of experience in this field and know exactly what you’re supposed to do if you want to properly implement this system for your company. In these types of situations, having a professional by your side is always welcome because you can never predict whether you’ll be experiencing any problems or obstacles on this journey. As was mentioned multiple times above, ERP systems cannot be defined as “one size fits” tools, which is why you must consult someone who is familiar with every single feature that it offers so you can take advantage of it the right way.

There’s no denying that ERP software is more than beneficial for every company out there, but just like with any other software, you must first get yourself familiar with everything it offers in order to use it correctly.

Top Online Methods to Try When You Want to Verify Someone’s Identity

Posted on February 10, 2022 by Allen Brown

In the modern world, where many people do not know their next-door neighbors, it can be difficult to find out information about a stranger. The Internet has made verifying someone’s identity much easier. In fact, there are various ways to check someone’s online digital footprint and ensure that they have a history of being who you think they should be. So here is how to do just that.

1. Background Check Sites

There are many background check sites that provide information on someone’s past. These sites can help you verify a person’s identity as well as provide information such as marital status, possible aliases, and the last known addresses. You can even use these sites to unearth criminal records or determine if someone has held multiple jobs. Once you have the results of your online search, it is up to you whether to initiate contact with the individual in question. There are also some top sites where you can get the details of any individual.

If you want to verify someone’s identity or simply want a peek into their personal lives, social media is a great place to start checking their background by utilizing People Search tool. If the person in question has a Facebook profile, for example, you can see what they’ve been up to recently and who is important in their life. Google Plus, Twitter, and LinkedIn are other big social media sites that can provide insight into someone’s life. You might not get the full picture right away since people tend to curate their profiles, but you will start to see patterns of behavior which you can use to determine if they are someone worth knowing.

2. Automated Phone Calls

With an automated phone call, you can take information that is available online and use it to verify someone’s identity. It is the easiest way to do so, since you simply need to gather all the information that you have found on them and input it into your phone call. Then, you can just sit back and relax as your phone call does the work for you. The automated phone calls cost less than $1 each, so it is a really inexpensive way to get all of this information. This is an especially great way for people who are interested in online dating to see if the person that they are talking with is telling the truth about their identity. It is beneficial because it can save you a lot of time and stress later on. And it is easy to use, so anyone who wants to know the truth about someone’s identity will love it. Lately, there has been a lot of prank calling everywhere in the world, so using this type of technology to do a background check can help you prevent getting pranked by someone.

3. Public Records Search Sites

Sites that provide public records, such as familysearch.org and ancestry.com, can also help you verify someone’s identity if you input the right information into your search engine. If you are unsure about whom the person is that you are talking with, simply search their name on one of these free people finder sites. You will have access to records such as birth certificates, marriage licenses, and death certificates if they are available. These sites generally have more information than other background check sites, so it can be much easier to find someone’s true identity with them. And because not every site has all records, this makes it even easier to verify someone’s identity since you have access to more information online. Once again, once you have found out the truth about this person that you want to know a bit more about, it is up to you whether you want to continue getting in touch with them online through chat rooms or social media platforms.

4. Credit Reports

A credit report is another way to see someone’s identity if you are trying to verify it. These reports are an easy way to tell if the person in question is trustworthy or not. If you are thinking of doing business with someone, for example, a credit report can be a great way to find out more about them and what they have been up to financially in the past. It will let you know their debts and how much money they have access to at any given time so that you can determine whether it is a good idea for this person to invest money into your project. You will be able to see if they have been paying bills on time and if there are any outstanding court cases against them, which could indicate that they might not be as trustworthy as they claim. Since these reports cost around $10, it won’t break the bank to take a look at someone’s credit report before you invest your money into their business. It is also beneficial for people who are just simply curious about what they can find out through a credit report since it isn’t expensive, and it offers great insight into the person that they are trying to determine if they are involved in some legal troubles.

5. Search Engines

When all else fails, you can always search for information about this person on Google or Bing. Since everyone has access to these types of searches, it will be easy for you to see if the information that you have gathered checks out by looking at their previous results online. If there is no evidence of what you have found on them, then it might be best to continue your search and look for the truth elsewhere. But if everything lines up, then you will know that person’s identity is true and that they are who they say that they are. It will also save you time in figuring out what other ways there are to find this information out, since it is such a simple way to gather evidence about someone’s background check. The internet has become such an easy tool to use when trying to discover the truth about someone’s identity, so why not give it a shot! You never know what kind of information could pop up online while you try searching for it.

6. References

Next, you can always go with a method that is more straightforward by asking the person for a list of references. While this might not be as easy as running a check on someone’s identity, it will also give you an insight into who they are and what their life has been like up until now. This simple step could lead to some great information about whether this person is telling the truth about themselves, since you will have people from their past that can verify if they really attended college or where they worked for that many years. Employers do this all the time as part of the interview process, and it is such a great way to see if what they are saying about themselves is true. If you have a lot of trouble getting in touch with their references, then you might have some doubts about this person’s identity. But if everyone that they claim to know ends up giving a glowing review about them, then there is a good chance that you can believe what they say about their background checks. If this is just a regular person, however, you can ask for information from their friends.

7. Classified Ads

Classified ads are a great way to find out about someone’s identity since you will be able to get information about them that you wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else. You can put an ad in the local newspaper or on Craigslist and get some responses from people who know this person. This is sort of like doing a reference check, but not always having to ask for verification themselves by someone they know. It is an easy way to get access to valuable information about their past since it will come right from one of their friends instead of asking them directly. If you are trying to figure out if they have any convictions, then you should search the local paper for evidence of this, since they might not answer questions themselves. It is a great way to narrow down your focus and to get the answers that you need fast, so you don’t have to spend too much time searching for this information.

8. Private Investigators

Lastly, if none of these methods work, then you can always go with a private investigator to find out what you need to know about this person. You can hire someone who will be able to provide you with the information that you are looking for easily without having to go through all of these methods yourself. They will have access to everything that you need in order to see if someone’s identity is true or not, so it is definitely worth hiring one when looking online. There are some risks involved since they could turn out to be unreliable, but the risk might be worth taking when trying to figure out if somebody is lying about their background checks. If they get caught lying, then there could be legal problems and other repercussions, so make sure that this person really knows what they are doing before paying them any money for it.

So, verifying someone’s identity can be done using several methods, so why not give one of these ideas a shot to see how easy it is? With all the information online today, it makes verification so much easier than before, so why not see how it works! You never know what kind of evidence that you will find!

Why Collaboration Is Key in Complex Tech Projects

Posted on December 1, 2021 by Boris Dzhingarov

As a team includes people with increasingly specialized skills, collaboration becomes crucial as it allows the whole team to take advantage and make the best use of everyone’s strengths and specialized skills. We all collaborate in one way or the other, most times without knowing it, although everyone understands that working together is a key component to a team’s success. It is, therefore, worth taking the time to explore why collaboration is so important.

It Helps Keep Projects On Track

A key component of getting tech projects completed on time is ensuring they are on track all the way through. When using the right collaboration tools, project managers and team leaders can ensure everyone understands what should be done, when it should be done, and who is responsible for various aspects of the project.

To make things easier and to keep everyone in the look, teams can use a diagram maker to create action plans, bring changes and alterations together in one place, ensure everyone understands the project, its scopes and tasks, and take action depending on the various action items added during the diagramming process. By doing all the above and when used to its full potential, a diagram maker becomes an important tool that helps combine the diagramming process and collaboration to keep complex projects moving forward as expected.

It Helps With Problem-Solving

Everyone gets stuck on one thing or the other from time to time. It often happens that you face a problem, try everything you know and every solution you have, and the problem still remains unsolved. You then run out of ideas and are left with a looming deadline that you do not think you will meet.

While taking some time away from the situation and trying another approach later, the best course of action, in this case, would be to ask for help. You might call up a colleague and set up a brainstorming session for a few minutes to talk through the problem you are trying to solve.

The ability to collaborate with people in this way in the middle of complex tech projects, utilizing your combined skills, knowledge, and expertise is the key to successful teams. Team leaders and project managers should not let collaboration be the last resort, as they should ingrain it into their teams. The more people a team member can reach out to at any time, the easier it becomes to spot potential issues and to find solutions to issues easily and as early as possible.

Collaboration Brings People Together

When working on a complex project, the worst thing a team can do is operate in isolated silos that hinder collaboration. Instead of operating in this way, project managers can form teams of people with different skills. These can include developers, user experience designers, writers, and graphics designers to tackle a complex project together.

Forming teams composed of people with mixed skills works out best for complex projects because these usually require people with diverse skills, varied perspectives, and different areas of expertise.

When different people are set up to collaborate in this way, they have a shared purpose between them, and these connections and shared purpose will help with other complex projects in the future. The point is that collaboration achieved through putting together a mixed-skills team is not only good for the project, it is also great for breaking down walls and barriers in the workplace and forming connections that will be crucial in the future.

Collaboration Helps Reduce Project Complexity

While it may seem that a project is quite complex because it has only a few people working on it, allowing more people to come in and collaborate on the same project can reduce its complexity. With more people working on the project, the project can be divided into mini-projects and tasks where each is tackled by the person with the most skills and expertise in that area.

By dividing up a project like this, other members of the team do not have to deal with the complexities of the other parts of the project. This reduces the mental load of thinking the project is a complex one, it simplifies it and allows everyone to use their strengths to ensure the success of the project.

It Allows For The Transfer of Skills

Savvy business owners, project managers, and team leaders are always looking ahead. They want to know that complex projects in the future can be handled by people with the right skills. A team cannot complete a complex tech project without some knowledge being shared across the different team members.

When people with different skills, experience, and expertise are brought together to achieve a common goal, opportunities for coaching, learning new skills, and the improvement of the whole team and organization appear. Every good team has at least one person who is good at one specific thing and they can share their knowledge so they can contribute to the future success of the team and business.

Collaboration in complex tech projects is not only about ensuring the project is completed in time and according to set specifications; it is also about looking into the future. Allowing collaboration today can have positive ramifications for a team and the overall business in the future.

Trends and Tools for Call Center Automation

Posted on October 26, 2021 by Mildred Austria

While the pandemic impacted call center operations, their services are vital to keeping businesses going. The technological advances in machine learning, artificial intelligence, and robotic processes automation help continue customer care. In addition, call center automation is increasing at a more rapid pace. Thus, companies must ensure that they implement best practices for a smooth-flowing operation.

Shifting from a traditional to an automated business process is challenging. There should be a balance between your customer service automation approach and humans. Tools are meant to facilitate workflows and help humans improve their productivity and efficiency. However, you cannot remove the human factor in call center operations because customer service (CX) deals with humans.

Implementing Intelligent Automation

The most important best practice in call center automation is to balance the core service goals and the key performance indicators (KPIs) with automation. The primary goals are to improve operational efficiency and the experiences of customers continually. In addition, the company must know when to deploy AI-powered virtual assistants and employ human interaction with your live agents to achieve these goals.

Smart Dialing System

Today, a very effective tool for contact centers is a cloud predictive dialer, an automated, cloud-based automated dialer that determines when an agent will soon be available. According to the performance of the agents.

A predictive dialer detects when an agent is about to end a call and puts the next call through. Thus, the system places many phone calls, drops unanswered calls, and immediately routes the call to the agent ready to take the call. The result is improved efficiency and performance for the center’s agents.

Automated Interactions

The term refers to any CX tool that lets a customer talk to a program instead of a human. This is a better option than a customer being put on hold and forced to listen to annoying music, which frustrates customers. You can reduce their frustration and potentially gain more customers by using automated software with advanced voice recognition technology to enhance customer experience.

Workflow Automation

A myriad of mundane and simple yet repetitive tasks take time to complete. You can maximize the time agents spend on their actual functions with automation software that can quickly organize customers’ accounts and other paperwork and make it easy to do follow-up tasks such as call logging, emails, and invoicing. Often a workflow automation program is AI-powered, which helps reduce errors.

Guidance for Agents

This call center automation tool allows agents to get a customer’s information as soon as they call in. During the call, the program’s multifunctional user interface lets the agent look up the details of the customer’s account, history of payments, purchases, and other relevant information that can assist the agent in helping the customer. In addition, there is automation software that can create call scripts to help respond to customers’ requests, which can lead to positive reviews.

Post-Call Analytics

Today, most businesses use analytics to improve their services, understand customer behaviors, and provide vital information for the company. For example, use automated call center software that will store transcripts and record other essential individual call information.

Summary

Automation is part of today’s modern businesses. Automation is vital, but it will be more effective if you can balance automation and better performance from your employees with empowering tools and best practices.

5 Software Development Methodologies That Improve Functionality

Posted on October 21, 2021 by Scott Fluent

The software development industry relies on several advanced methodologies, tactics, and strategies to enhance business productivity. In fact, each methodology is a structure that plans and controls the information encoded in software. Development methodologies can improve project management, optimize computer functions, and create highly scalable technology. As an aspiring software engineer, you should learn the different methodologies that can improve technical function.

There are many software development methodologies that improve functionality. In this article, we’ll discuss the software development methodologies that improve functionality.

DevOps Pipeline

One software development methodology that improves functionality is the DevOps pipeline. Use the DevOps process to ship updates faster. Then, optimize the DevOps processes with the pipeline tool from JFrog. This way, you can continuously streamline and secure your development team’s tools. Moreover, you can use this methodology for continuous integration and continuous delivery. With this function, you can automate everything from code to production for high-powered technology. Furthermore, the JFrog pipeline optimizes the process for building, testing, and deploying software solutions. Additionally, the pipeline methodology can improve functionality on both cloud and on-prem subscriptions. Certainly, consider the DevOps pipeline methodology to improve your software functionality.

Agile Development Methodology

Agile development methodology is one of the most popular ways to improve software functionality. Agile development methodology enables your company to focus on user satisfaction. Your team would complete tasks over short time periods of just one to four weeks. During this time, the iterative model provides you with multiple tests as development continues.

Next, you would use Agile development methodology to obtain feedback from customers. You can then make the necessary changes to your software. Additionally, your team can take full advantage of this methodology’s functionality since it has few defects. This way, you can streamline productivity and improve performance across your software team. Surely, consider agile development methodology to improve software functionality.

Waterfall

Of course, the waterfall software development model is another great choice to structure your project. Employ waterfall to manage projects with clear, stable objectives. Waterfall’s sequential method will handle your team’s tasks one at-a-time. Moreover, waterfall will improve functionality by ensuring each step is complete before moving on.

The rigid, linear style of waterfall is easy to understand and manage your SDLC. Thus, you can explain the waterfall methodology to your team quickly since it is fairly simple. You will benefit from using waterfall if your team changes personnel frequently. Throughout the development process, waterfall maintains itself, so many functions are performed automatically. Definitely, look into using waterfall to improve software development functionality.

Feature Driven Development

Feature-driven development is another software development methodology that improves functionality. Use FDD to develop an overall model. Then, plan each feature by building a feature list with the platform. Next, use FDD to design your software. This way, you can visualize your development project. After this, FDD can build each feature for you. Throughout this process, FDD will provide you with status reports, results, and possible errors. Additionally, FDD gives you quick, efficient responses to platform changes. Moreover, these quick responses allow your team to process information faster. This way, you can accomplish more in the given workday. Long-term, this will allow you to maximize profitability, expanding your earning potential, and get more projects done. Surely, consider using feature-driven development to improve software functionality.

Scrum Development Methodology

Scrum development methodology can also help improve software functionality. Apply this methodology to manage your development project. Specifically, use scrum development for emerging technologies and rapid changes. Then, you can implement scrum to plan, meet, and review important software features quickly. This technique allows your business to accelerate the development of software by processing many iterations at once. With scrum development, even your slowest-moving development projects can be fast-tracked. Certainly, use scrum development methodology to improve software functionality.

Summary

There are many software development methodologies that improve functionality. Taking advantage of the latest models, you can future-proof your development pipeline, learn new skills, and follow the latest trends. Plus, these tactics enable you to optimize your workforce and experiment with productivity-improving measures. The DevOps pipeline will fully automate your software and integrate it continuously. Then, waterfall will provide you with a rigid, step-by-step system for project management. Feature-driven development implements many notification features to help you stay on top of your software development project. Scrum development methodology can rapidly quicken the pace of your software development process. Finally, agile development methodology prioritizes user satisfaction over process-oriented structures. Consider these options when improving your software development functionality.

Here Is What Studies Show Employees Want in Return for Loyalty

Posted on October 21, 2021 by Mildred Austria

The UK average employee turnover rate stands at around 15%, although that figure fluctuates depending on what study you look at. That does not sound like a terrible figure – does it? Well, if you consider the average number of employees for a small business is 10, that is 1.5 employees lost a month, so we will round it up to 2. The cost of replacing one employee in the UK is £50,000 – which accounts for their entire first year of employment.

So, effectively, small businesses are spending up to £100,000 because of their ‘employee churn’, a term used to describe the number of employees leaving at a given point in time.

Since employee churn equals costly financial implications, what are they demanding in return for undisputable loyalty? Let us explore.

A Recognition Rich Culture

A study in 2017 found that 81% of people were looking for another job. Interestingly, money is not what it is all about. 74% of employees would take a pay cut if it meant working in their dream job, and 23% do not need a pay rise to take on a new role. What do they need? They need to work in a recognition-rich culture that focuses on employee engagement, which has been proven to boost a business’s profitability by 21%.

There is no better way to improve employee engagement than to look at employee engagement strategies offered by an employee engagement agency. Incentive Smart offers a comprehensive high-reward-based employee loyalty programme that helps to improve communication, provides an area for feedback, and creates a place for positive reinforcement. You can find more on their website www.incentivesmart.com. Working with an incentives scheme agency helps employees to feel energised, motivated, and willing to work.

Investing in Employee Happiness

You can invest in employee engagement, but without taking the time to invest in the happiness of your employees, it will be hard to unlock the true potential of an employee reward scheme. A study carried out by Workplace Insight found that only 46% of employees are happy most of the time at work, and 26% are rarely ever happy.

Happiness and positive vibes are infectious and can infiltrate an entire company. Just look at Google the reviews of what it is like to work there, and you will realise the potential of a happy workforce. How has Google consistently ranked as one of the best companies to work for? Innovation.

Google was one of the first companies to introduce nap rooms to their offices. If you have ever felt that afternoon office slump where even matchsticks would struggle to keep your eyes open, you will know how happy the option of a quick nap would make you. They have ideas and mood boards on the walls, indoor slides, bikes to get around, relaxed clothing requirements, the freedom to come and go as long as work is completed, and the list could go on.

They have broken free from the structured corporate mould and redefined what it means to be a 21st-century brand. And, employees want just that. A space to be creative, open, without pressure, and with flexibility.

Do Not Micromanage

It does not get much more pre-21st-century employee management than micromanaging. Micromanagement is a style of management where an employee is closely observed or controlled, to the point it can feel overwhelming, yet it is still a regular occurrence. Micromanaging happens when there is no trust between the manager of their employees, and it leaves employees feeling stressed and devalued.

The trouble is, 71% of employees say micromanaging interferes with job performance, and 69% of employees would actively look for another role. Find a balance between management and allowing employees to use their own initiative.

Remove the performance pressure unless there is a reason for it, say if an employee is significantly underperforming. If they are, consider a buddy support system with another high-performing employee. It is a less invasive management method and can be highly motivated and educational for an underperforming employee.

Finding the sweet spot that keeps every employee happy and loyal is a tricky skill to master. Fostering a happy and inclusive working environment helps, as well as incentives, company days out, and a general openness to discuss problems. The more time you invest in your employees, the more they will give back.

Essential Software Your Growing Business Should be Using

Posted on October 21, 2021 by Julia Evans

As your business success begins to flourish, you may find your success comes at a price. As your enterprise inevitably grows, so do your responsibilities, yet the amount of time you have to complete these tasks is only diminishing. It’s at this point that most entrepreneurs and small business owners should consider utilizing a variety of software applications and online tools to help streamline their daily operations, enhance their productivity and keep their business success on track.

In this post, we’ll explore some essential software that your growing business should be using. Read on to find out more.

VAT Software

The pressures of accounting and financial management can quickly become overwhelming for small business owners, especially as your enterprise begins to grow. Whether you have minimal experience in handling company accounts or you’re still scrambling together receipts, expenses and financial reports, VAT software is an essential tool, you shouldn’t be working without. Using VAT software is easy to implement and makes navigating your tax obligations easier, allowing you to submit VAT returns to HMRC effortlessly.

No matter how complicated your VAT return may appear, small businesses can streamline their VAT responsibilities with just a few simple clicks. VAT software will also help you create a digital paper trail, one that allows you to register all your VAT-related actions and activities in one easy-to-manage location, highlighting how much you owe with monthly snapshots and giving you the knowledge to make better business decisions. With the right VAT software application, you can protect your business from penalties incurred through late submissions or inaccuracies in your reports.

Time Tracking Software

As your business flourishes, you may find that the hours available to tackle your responsibilities proficiently begin to diminish, and effective time management becomes an essential part of your working day. This is where time tracking software can help. By highlighting how long it takes you and your employees to complete specific tasks, you’ll be able to use this data to your advantage. By developing accurate time frames that streamline your daily operations, you can encourage employees to make the most of their working day and to meet the expectations of your clients, effortlessly.

Understanding how you and your employees spend your working hours keeps everyone accountable while still providing full control over the working day and maximizing efficiency across your business. If you’re working on an hourly basis, then time tracking software also helps to keep payroll/invoices as accurate as possible.

Customer Relationship Management Software (CRM)

Developing meaningful and beneficial relationships with your clients can drive your business success forward. By carefully managing those relationships and interactions using CRM software, you can also improve those relationships and use them to your advantage. This software provides a central location for all client (and prospective client) data to be collected, stored and updated, as well as building a library of individual customer interactions which can be used to curate unique and specific future interactions that can lead to a sale.

A CRM tool gives your customer service the edge, and can completely transform the way your clients view your business. And as this software is cloud-based, this information can be accessed securely from anywhere – so no matter where your working day takes you, your growing business can maintain strong customer relationships effortlessly.

Communication Software and Tools

As a growing business, you’ll already recognize the importance of strong communication. But as your enterprise continues to push forward, the importance of communication now applies to both external and internal situations. Maintaining strong levels of contact between you and your clients was something you undoubtedly managed via email chains and multiple messages across various platforms, but now your communications approach directly impacts the customer experience and employee collaboration.

Therefore, it makes sense for growing businesses to utilize communication software to improve communication workflows and to keep their employees organized. Tools such as Slack and Skype are perfect for businesses with remote teams, whilst video conferencing/calling applications such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams and even WhatsApp can keep you and your clients in touch and improve the client experience.

Social Media Management Software

A strong online presence is one of the key factors of business success, and while your business is experiencing growth, you must take the management of your social media platforms seriously. SM management software can help you manage multiple accounts, using one login and an easy-to-use interface that helps you move from one platform to another. SM management software means you’ll never miss a notification or an opportunity to engage with your followers. You can also schedule posts ahead of time, freeing up more time for you to focus on other areas of your growing business.

Final Thoughts…

A variety of software and tools can help your growing business continue to flourish. Consider these options above to continue with your success.

6 Benefits of Gaming for Your Productivity

Posted on September 28, 2021 by Anna Yurovskikh

There are different ways of creating a productive atmosphere at work. Computer games may come as a surprise due to old prejudices about their destructive nature. Adults with this hobby are usually stigmatized as lazy, depressive, and childish people. But all these stereotypes don’t seem to be the truth in reality. Apparently, it’s not about wasting time anymore, but increasing productivity. In fact, allowing employees to get distracted from time to time shows incredible efficiency.

Gaming benefits are underestimated. They make us creative, relaxed, and less violent. Games for employees can have a significant impact on their productivity.

1. Boost Outside-The-Box Thinking

A monotonous routine kills the ability to come with creative ideas. Be it an office or a school class, repeating the same task suppresses talents. And simply bores. To freshen up, try computer games. It’s true, entertainment is their primary goal. But this goes along with a bunch of skills to perfect. Such as decision-making, non-conventional thinking, competitiveness, etc.

The gaming environment adjusts the right mindset. It includes self-confidence, leadership skills, and the ability to focus. According to statistics, 79% of gamers are sure that virtual reality stimulates their mental activities. With this in mind, short distractions will provide employers with a flow of good solutions.

A mind-reloading and challenging task in Kill the Buddy is a nice example. Aimed to train your logical thinking, it offers you a puzzle to solve. Overcome obstacles and use a catapult to kill the main character. With a piano. Sounds crazy? That’s the whole point!

2. Create a Strong Community at Work

As a rule, employees don’t have time to form strong bonds in the office. Everyone has their own duties and no desire to deal with someone else’s issues. After all, they’re complete strangers to each other.

However, multiplayer matches may unite people and foster teamwork. Give a group of people an enemy and they turn into a team. It develops a habit to watch each other’s back and synchronize in doing tasks. As a result, workers engage in proactive discussions more often and share challenges. A department vs department is a nice idea to get such a result. It’s a chance to build these vital connections and develop supportive behavior.

Shell Shockers can help with bonding. Although you shoot each other and cause death, it doesn’t seem violent. It’s a multiplayer FPS where everyone takes on the role of an egg. Make it private by creating your own gaming room. Choose the Team vs Team mode and invite colleagues to join. It’s a tool to get to know each other better. Thus launching a brainstorm of ideas of how to solve them together.

On the other hand, creating competition between employees may influence a challenge at work. If your task is to make them grow over each other. And show the best results. Just pick the game right.

Such activities make social interactions at the workplace stronger. Gaming benefits organizations as a whole. HR managers should really consider that.

3. Increase Job Satisfaction

Another 8 hours of hard and not particularly exciting tasks. Do you know the feeling? It can cause depression and influence your health. But what if you could prevent it? When adults play, it usually happens at home where it’s safe and comfortable. While work is associated with constant pressure and stress.

Build a bridge between the atmosphere of home and not-so-pleasant office. Allow mixing routine tasks with fun. It increases job satisfaction, results in fewer sick leaves, and a better mood.

What exactly makes people happier? It’s down to our nature and anatomy. When we play, our body releases spirits-lifting hormones, such as endorphins or serotonin. They fight depression and form positive emotions.

A couple of rounds in Rush Race are sure to shake you up. It’s about speed, maneuvering, and earning in-game coins for upgrades. Epic car crashes and traffic violations won’t get you bored. They guarantee satisfaction from the process. Which will influence your work mood in general.

4. Mitigate Stress

We spend most of our time doing our job. No wonder that it gets on our nerves eventually and causes depression. Stats show that 46% of employees blame workload. If previously it was taken as something normal, today managers are looking for ways out.

Gaming makes people feel at ease. It lowers the heart rate and blood pressure and serves as an effective stress response. And what seemed too much to deal with turns into a manageable task. Games shake off any symptoms of exhaustion or burnout and improve productivity. 78% of players are sure that virtual adventures cause relaxation and reduce stress.

Pop It Master is a meditating digital alternative to the popular toy. Clicking on the cells and listening to the sound, you relax. And let the stress go away. Several levels and different types of PopIt molds will be a rescue in stressful situations.

5. Develop Attention Span

Have you ever experienced a dramatic decrease in productivity after hours of work? This ability to stay focused longer is like a muscle. It can be trained through gaming.

Just pick any adventure that requires your attention. For example, one of the most played legends is Classic Snake. Eat dots on a pixelated field. Beat your previous results. Find a way to occupy the whole space to end the session. It’s hard because as you grow longer, you risk bumping into your own body. Play it at least once a day to feel the significant shift of concentration skills. It’ll help you at work, school and everyday life.

6. Reset Your Mind

A particularly difficult task can make us focus on it for hours. With no results. Our mind becomes stifled. It does not produce new ideas and has no inspiration to circulating around. One of the best ways out is to break this cycle of non-productive work. Just get distracted.

The Pomodoro Technique suggests dividing the day into working and resting periods. And we’re not talking just about lunchtime. It’s about frequent breaks to switch off from the current tasks. A video game is one of such distractions that can serve you well. Coming back to tasks, you’ll see new perspectives to tackle problems and be more productive. Read about the real-life experience of how workers started to perform better with this approach.

To practice the technique, you need a virtual adventure with short rounds and interesting content. Check out Filled 3 Glass Portals. It’s a puzzle and a great exercise for your mind. Fill a glass with small colorful balls using a system of portals. Avoid overfulfilling it or losing balls. Based on precision and logic, the title offers 30 levels with growing difficulty.

Gaming and productivity are interconnected. Don’t give up gaming if you like it. And if you can do it at the office is a good sign. You work in a good team. The one that has a progressive approach to workspace organization and overall staff wellness.

And if you are a top manager or HR, you should really give it a try and see the results. Games help relax, open new doors for creativity and benefit the company. It’s a useful tool in any organization or educational institution.

Driving Efficiency on Your Construction Projects: A Guide

Posted on September 24, 2021 by Carol Trehearn

Most leaders in the construction space know that efficiency is everything. Because your projects can last a number of months to complete if they are of a large enough scale, you’ll have seen costs ballooning when you’re not hitting your deadlines and targets, and when workers are disrupted or materials are stuck in supply chains. As such, you’re more than aware that anything you can do to make your processes more efficient could save you hundreds of thousands of dollars. Here are three ways that you can get there, operating a watertight, optimized construction business.

Meticulous Planning

All businesses are only as strong as the thought leadership underpinning them. And all projects require careful management in order for all the individual components to come together as quickly and smoothly as possible. Your job is to facilitate this seamless operational side of your business. And you can get ahead by:

Using high-end management technology to keep you abreast of developments on site
Structuring a chain of command that helps you remain aware of all elements of the project
Use a Construction Management Company
Making contingency plans in the case of delays that may be out of your hands
Hiring outsourced staff where appropriate to help you get the job done

These tips all fall under the auspices of “organizational skills” – absolutely vital if you’re to make a success of your construction business.

Tech Engagement

On site, your workers will be using all kinds of tools, vehicles and machines to get the job done. They’ll be expensive and valuable, but they may also be approaching several years of age. Some may break, some may be faulty, and others might simply not be up for the job on a modern construction site. So the advice here is to engage with new technology and to make upgrades where you can to your tools and hardware.

Where to start? Well, you should always be keeping an eye out for automation technology. Look to automatic welders for plastic, for instance, to give your workers a head-start when they’re fixing the paneling on roofs and under floors. Or invest in far better material-moving equipment – like cranes – so that the logistics of getting things around your site take far less time.

Great Staff

It’s easy to lose sight of the workers when you’re in the planning office of a project site. You’re trying to see the big picture constantly, envisaging potential delays that could come from anywhere on your risk map. With this perspective in mind, you can often forget that it’s the people who are following your commands that are ultimately going to decide the success of your project. Training is key for a cohesive business. Whether it’s the administrators, the crew, someone looking to become a welder or learning to run heavy machinery, ensuring everyone is on the same page is essential.

On site, you want there to be team unity and motivation to get the job done. You want great managers underneath you to head out there, making sure everyone’s pulling in the same direction. And you want to hire the best talent where possible so that you can rely on your workers to get the job done on time.

Run a more efficient construction firm, on more efficient sites, with the three key tips outlined above.

How To Better Manage And Keep Track Of Your Employees’ Payroll Checks

Posted on September 19, 2021 by Allen Brown

Managing your employee’s payroll checks is a complicated task that should always be carried out with accuracy. You either perform the job using an outsource, a manual system, or an online software service because making errors time and again is a severe threat to small businesses since the employees have the right to report such errors and get compensation. Yet, in the process, the company has to suffer from higher penalties. Even though the claims made by the employees are false, the company can still suffer a significant loss if they fail to keep track of the employees’ payroll checks or manage their records. Therefore, to perform your job efficiently, you need to keep track of the employees’ payroll checks by preserving their working hours, performance level, and salary checks issued in the form of milestones or paystubs. It is a document that businesses usually keep as evidence to hold all the information of the cashed payroll checks. So, here are a few steps to manage and keep records of your employees’ payroll checks.

1. Get Employee Management Software

Growing your business will always require improving your technological tools; today’s world has completely transformed into digital industries. No matter who you ask for advice, they will always recommend using software to manage your employees in the best possible way. Several apps help HR managers manage all employees’ hiring, financing, and other related jobs; businesses often use apps like Connecteam, Remote, Workday, etc., to manage everything.

2. Preserve Employee Payroll Records

All businesses must prove their legal documents, financial deposits, and transactions to be able to get their license. In order to keep an accurate record of the employees’ payroll checks, getting the recording job done correctly should be the highest priority for business owners. Whether they use a paystub creator, an app, a manual sheet, an excel sheet, or an outsource, the medium they choose should always be accurate, time-efficient, and convenient for their business. As a result, companies will be able to prove accounts histories and be able to manage their employees’ payroll systems efficiently and transparently.

3. Apply Diverse Ways to Manage the Payroll System

When managing your employees’ work performance and payroll, you cannot rely on a single strategy to manage your working system.

Diverse techniques should be applied like organizing payroll management by making a strict schedule, following federal and state rules, using different software, websites, and apps to track the working hours, work performance and productivity, etc. You can apply new ways from the following payroll management options:

Issue policies to outline the criteria of the payment.
Choose a standard system for recording payroll checks.
Track the time consumed by the employees by using GPS tracker, software, apps, etc.
Follow the federal and state laws.
Use outsourcing for managing the payroll methods.
Use diverse software to manage and track employee performance.

If you want to manage your employees’ work performance, payroll checks, records, and other financial information, you need to apply several methods to cross-check that your work is done accurately. Besides, staying alert is your topmost priority since you can neither risk your business’s image in the market nor your company’s employees’ professionalism.

When Does the Payroll Tax Cut Start?

Posted on September 17, 2021 by Jamesh

On Aug. 8, 2020—during the first spike of COVID-19 in the United States—President Donald Trump issued an executive order to institute a “tax holiday.” If you’re still wondering when it starts, I’m afraid you’ve missed the mark. The tax holiday started on Sept. 1, 2020, and ended on Dec. 31, 2020. Moreover, it wasn’t a true tax cut, but a tax deferment.

So let’s look at what the tax holiday entailed and how it affected businesses and employees.

The Executive Order

The Executive Order contained three sections that directly affected businesses and their employees. Here is what these sections entailed:

Section 1 & Section 2

These two tie into each other. Section 1 states the COVID-19 pandemic is “of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant an emergency declaration,” and Trump directed the Secretary of the Treasury (then Steven Mnuchin) to “use his authority to defer certain payroll tax obligations.” In simple terms, it’s like an essay introduction: It states the issue and the way Trump intended to fix it.

Section 2 goes into more detail about Trump’s policy. In it, he directed Mnuchin to defer the “withholding, deposit, and payment” on wages between Sept. 1 and Dec. 31, 2020. In sub-section (a), the order states the deferral will apply to anyone who makes less than $4,000 before taxes per bi-weekly paycheck (or the equivalent, if they aren’t paid bi-weekly).

Finally, sub-section (b) states this deferment will not incur any penalties, interest or other additions to the taxes deferred. In other words, the tax deferment is almost like an interest-free loan.

Section 4

Section 4 is short and to the point. In it, Trump directed Mnuchin to “explore avenues” through which the deferment might become permanent. In other words, Trump asked Mnuchin to look into any methods through which the deferred taxes might be forgiven entirely.

In the end, however, these taxes were not forgiven. Everyone who received the tax deferment was required to pay it back through extra tax withholdings between Jan. 1 and April 31, 2021.

What It Meant for You

If you’re the owner of a private company or one of its employees, it probably never meant much at all. Most private entities opted out of the payroll tax holiday and decided to deduct taxes from paychecks as normal. It was never law, it was never mandatory and most private companies thought it was short-term relief with an impending reckoning.

Think about it: Trump gave the option to not pay taxes for four months, but you’d have to pay double taxes during the next four months to make up for it. At best, it would be a lot of work to accomplish nothing; at worst, it would harm employees by cutting their paychecks during the repayment period.

Companies Can Learn From the Payroll Tax Cut

Even though the payroll tax cut proved to be irrelevant to most businesses, it did provide some value. Most notably, it compelled businesses to think carefully about their processes and how they affect their bottom line.

How to Make Effective Employee Training Videos

Posted on September 13, 2021 by Anna Yurovskikh

Many companies waste a lot of money and resources on training. For example, if a new employee comes on the scene, a current employee will have to teach them all they need to know. Not only will this put extra strain on the other employee, but it will also prevent them from fulfilling the job that they were supposed to do.

Training videos reduce the costs of training to almost nothing. Indeed, you may have to make an initial investment for the equipment and the creation of the video – but after that, you’re all set. This article will tell you everything there is to know on how to create a training video.

What Is a Training Video?

A training video is a kind of video that has an educational goal. Its purpose is to teach a skill or knowledge to anyone wanting to learn. Simply put, training videos are there to teach someone how to do something.

Training videos could be for employees coming on board, software education, compliance training, and many more. They can be corporate or non-corporate, depending on whom the target of the video is. Training videos can spare several resources because rather than using a person’s time, you are getting the information that you need from a video.

Why Choose Video for Training?

On average, videos are much more engaging and compelling as compared to texts. You can access them anytime and anywhere, and you don’t have to wait for your peers to come over and teach you anything. They reduce costs and effort, something that will help not only the employer – but the employee as well.

Types of Training Videos

There are several types of training videos to choose from, all of which will depend on your audience, your goal, your resources – and sometimes, just your personal preferences. Here are some of the training videos that you may utilize for your business:

1. Instructor-Led Training Videos

As the name suggests, these training videos have an instructor at their core. It’s like in-person training – only instead of talking to a live person, you see them digitally on the screen.

With instructor-led training, the instructor will show up on the screen and explain the topic to an audience online. These training videos are also referred to as “talking head videos,” because basically, the only thing you can see is the head and bust of the speaker.

These employee training videos are mostly recommended for beginners and intermediate individuals that are still in the learning process. It’s perfect for delivering the information in an engaging way, as it makes the audience feel like they are talking to someone right in front of them.

2. Screen-Capture Videos

For skills that are slightly more technical, such as a program tutorial or a demo, seeing that person’s face on the screen will not help you much. What you need to see is how to use that program in particular. And this is where screen-capture videos with a voice-over come in handy.

These videos will tell the employee exactly what they need to do from start to finish. It’s a “show and tell” kind of video for people that learn more from seeing than listening.

3. How-To Videos

For processes that require a step-by-step approach, how-to videos are generally the most recommended type. Also referred to as demonstration videos, these training videos will take you step-by-step through a process that you wish to learn.

Various topics may be approached in these training videos. For example, if your company needs its employees to write in an APA format, then a “How to write in APA format” training video might be exactly what you need.

4. Animated Videos

These training videos make use of visuals that are fully animated. They are a great option for explaining data, ideas, and complex processes. It makes explaining much easier when everything is made in the form of animation. Also, these types of videos are much more engaging.

5. Interactive Videos

For many people, interactive videos represent the most efficient way to train someone. These videos work on a scenario basis, where the viewers will see a small clip and be given a path choice. They are less restrictive, and they are also highly motivating.

Resource-wise, they might take the highest budget. On the other hand, they are also very efficient, as they test the knowledge of the person watching them. If possible, these interactive training videos should be used as much as possible when it comes to training new employees.

6. Videos Created by Employees

We learn the best from our peers, which is why employee-created videos are usually the best options to go for. After all, it’s not the employer that usually knows best; it’s the employee that has already been doing this for a while.

Plus, by creating these videos, the employee will get a better understanding of their tasks and the right ways to put their skills into practice. The employees will offer their tips and tricks so that the newcomers will know exactly how to do their job.

Steps to Create a Training Video

There are five steps to keep in mind when creating a training video, and they go as follows:

1. Set Objectives and Goals

The first thing that you will have to do is to understand your goal. What outcome are you planning to achieve by creating this video? Understand your goal, know your audience and then define what the learning objective should be.

2. Plan the Video

You already have a big idea in mind – now it’s time to move onto planning. Build the staff, decide on the video type that you plan on using, prepare the equipment, and create a project plan. Set up the atmosphere for your team. Get to know your SMEs and make a video knowing that your SMEs are most likely busy.

3. Design and Script

The planning is done, now you need to move onto the designing part. Write a script for what you are planning to add to the video. Sketch out the ideas and try to figure out how to make them more entertaining. Decide on the tone; can you add jokes and other stuff, or does it have to be more on the serious side? Plan everything out nicely.

4. Record and Edit

This is where the action starts. Take your tools and start recording. Whether you want to create an instructor-led webinar or you want to set up an interactive workshop, use the tools that are most convenient to you. You may film yourself, record the screen and your voice, and then edit them in the way that you see fit.

5. Share the Video

Your video training piece is done. Now, all that is left for you to do is to share it. LMS platforms are good for smaller companies, but for larger ones, you may use other tools as well. Vimeo and YouTube are the most popular options in that regard.

Requirements for a Good Start

To start on a good note, you’ll need certain pieces of equipment. Here is what you need to put on your checklist.

· Equipment

First things first, you will need a webcam, a computer, and a good microphone. When it comes to microphones, you might want to go for a lavalier microphone, as you clip that one onto your clothes. This way, you can make sure that the audio quality is high.

· Software

To have a good start when it comes to video creation, you might also want to be very careful about using the right creation and editing software. There are various tools that you may use here, such as iSpring, Wistia video software, Kapwing, and FilmoraX. If you want a more accessible online video editor, you may also try Fastreel. All of these options are great when it comes to creating an online course.

Depending on the type of video that you are making, you might also want to get a screen recorder program. However, some video editing programs also have the option of recording your screen.

Examples of Effective Training Videos

There are many examples of effective training videos that you may learn from. Here are just a couple of examples:

Retail POS: After upgrading the POS of their system, many employees would once more have to learn how to be productive.This is why Retail created a 10-part video series that would teach the users how to efficiently use the new system.

Supply Chain eLearning Video: Supply Chain has more than 12,000 employees, and more people keep coming around each time. This is why they created very effective 12-course learning videos on best practices for the end-to-end supply chain.

The Bottom Line

Training videos are a great way to maximize time and productivity. This is why, as a business owner, you should ensure that you make the most use of them. Check the tips above, gather your equipment, and start filming.

6 Important Things To Do To Boost Your Business Growth

Posted on September 8, 2021 by Allen Brown

Evidently, there’s no success formula to establish your own business and boost its expansion. Maintaining your business and managing its growth does not happen overnight, unfortunately, it can be quite challenging and demanding. In fact, it requires a lot of hard work, knowledge, patience, and perseverance. Having a clear perspective and working towards achieving it is the key to a successful business. Here are 6 important things to do to boost your business growth.

1. Build A Strong Sales Funnel

A sales funnel is the potential journey of customers to complete a purchase. There’s nothing more frustrating than having a customer not complete the purchase, especially after spending hours looking around, chatting with the sales team, and questioning about different products.

Well, you can never stop this from happening, but you can lessen lost opportunities by creating an automated sales funnel and getting the right help to manage the process.

You will find that creating a strong sales funnel will increase your business growth and decrease the lost opportunities.

2. Apply a Customer Managing System

It is quite impossible to keep track of demands and customers’ purchase orders unless you have a customer managing system. Now, there are plenty of options available in the market, do thorough research and select the one which is best for the type of your business and utilize it. Having the right CMS will help scale your business and manage to track your transactions.

3. Know Your Customer

If you don’t know the needs of your customers, you will not be able to develop your business according to their needs and demands. Knowing your customer well will give you a wider perspective on how to develop your products and services. Being up to the rapid market changes and the wide variety of similar products offered everywhere heightens the challenge of keeping customers’ satisfaction. You have to work on personalizing your products and enhancing your services to meet the requirements of today’s market.

Everyone in business today has to know that their customer is out there using at least one or two social media platforms. Social media is one of the most essential marketing strategies; knowing how to manage it is one of the most crucial key factors for growth and success. Online traffic and leads from Google will help you get more customers. Specialists at Infinite Ace recommend that you apply to search engine marketing in order to grow your business. It is a bit difficult to keep up with social marketing trends as well as the rapid market changes, therefore, getting professional help will get you there faster than you think.

5. Customer Experience

Having to deal with customers is the most challenging part of any business. Keeping up with customers’ perspectives and satisfaction is one goal that you must achieve if you want to expand your business and have loyal customers. Delivering quality products and providing distinguished services will help you keep a successful and growing business.

6. Hire Dedicated Employees

Hiring the right people for the job will ensure running your business successfully. Dedicated employees and delegating tasks will enable you to focus on new and different ways by which you can improve your business. This will also free your mind to implement innovative methods to satisfy your customers and provide them with the best services.

Understanding that growing a business is an ongoing process will give you the power to continue trying and striving to achieve your goal. If you see no other alternative than to make it work, you’ll be able to get there, even if it takes more of your time and effort. In this fast-changing market, you must research and implement different software and techniques to take some burden off your shoulders, so you can focus on delivering the best products/services to your customers.

Implementing the Best Safety Measures for Your Business

Posted on August 31, 2021 by Carol Trehearn

When it comes to safety measures, you may not be able to stop the determined thief from visiting you, whether it is online or in person. However, you can make it so very difficult for them that they go and find somewhere else and leave your business well alone.

Cybersecurity

With cybercrime ever-present, it is more important than ever to keep your cybersecurity up to date. It is important to use the best security software for your business. The use of SOAR Security (Security Orchestration, Automation and response) is often used if you have remote workers working on personal equipment and saving data to multiple cloud storage facilities. There are alternatives available, though, so you may find it beneficial to speak to an expert to make sure that you have the correct product for your business, as protection given can vary greatly depending on what your business is.

Most reputable cybersecurity businesses will offer more services as well as support on their products, enabling you to get the best out of your software and helping your business in being safe and secure for all the data you hold.

Training Your Employees for Personal Security

One of the best ways in which you can enhance your security is to teach your employees about the importance of all security as well as their own personal online security.

It is a good idea that each of your employees has to have a password to access your database and that the password is unique and private for each employee. Your employees must understand the importance of changing their password regularly and not divulging it to anybody else.

Having a good strong password is imperative as cybercriminals are smart, cunning, sly, and resourceful. Using names, whether it is last names or pet names, important places, and other topics mentioned on social media is a big ‘no-no’ as cyberthieves watch social media sites to gain ideas for passwords as well as personal information.

Password Security

The best passwords need to be at least 12 characters long, preferably longer. It should contain special characters such as the asterisk or question mark. Have a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters and contain some numbers too. It is a good idea not to use words that can be found in the dictionary as these are easy to guess but try misspelling or dotting numbers and special characters throughout your password.

Ensure that your employees understand why they are having to use keypads or swipe cards to enter your building and tell them the importance of not letting someone tailgate behind you to gain access to the building.

It is a good idea to have a person nominated as a go-to person should anyone see an unfamiliar face wandering around if they are not confident enough to challenge the person for work identification.

Physical Security

It is important that you make sure that your work premises are secure and safe for your employees, as well as the information you have on-site for your customers.

There are many things you can do in order to make your premises secure, such as erecting fences in order to keep trespassers out. Fences used in this way are usually over 6 feet high with razor edging to make them unscalable. Vehicle barriers are a good idea for car park entrances which can be activated by swipe cards or keycodes so that you do not have to have your parking lot patrolled. Warning signs are also a good idea to deter unwanted visitors, as well as security lights for exterior areas.

Control Access

When it comes to actually be able to gain access to your premises, it is a good idea to install key coded entry or personalized swipe cards which can be handed out to each employee with a lanyard, perhaps with their photo printed on to it. Make sure that you have a few for visitors clearly marked. This will help any intruder to be spotted as they will not be wearing a lanyard or have any visible form of identification on them.

When you have visitors on-site, make sure that they fill in a visitor book with their name, company, and who they are on-site to see. Do not let them wander around your business premises unchaperoned at any time, and make sure that they wear either a lanyard with visitor written on it or a badge of some description. It is important that you do not give them a way of entering your building by themselves and keep all key codes secret to outsiders.

How to Improve One-on-One Meetings with Employees

Posted on August 19, 2021 by Nikki Gabriel

Meeting one-on-one with employees is never easy. However, it’s necessary to solve problems, boost engagement, and put out fires before they ignite.

What’s the best way to conduct one-on-one meetings with employees and make the most of these key conversations? Here are tips from some of the best managers in the business.

Schedule for Success

How often should employee meetings occur, anyways? Every company is different, and today’s managers are more willing to rethink the old way of doing things.

“Quarterly reviews used to be the norm, but that’s no longer considered best practice for the fast-paced modern workplace. Schedule shorter meetings every few weeks to keep the communication flowing and avoid stagnation.” – Dylan Arthur Garber, Co-Founder of Audien Hearing

“I am all for scheduling more frequent one-on-one reviews, but I also advocate an open-door policy so that employees can keep the conversation ongoing at any time. Now that everyone is so seamlessly connected via technology, you can be more flexible.” – Aidan Cole, CEO of HIDE

“More managers are embracing an as-needed approach to employee meetings, which allows for more honesty and transparency in the workplace – always a good thing.” – Jeff Goodwin, Vice President of Direct to Consumer and Performance Marketing at Orgain

Be Ready

Without a plan in place, your employee one-on-ones will only waste time. Show up prepared and accomplish far more in a shorter time frame.

“Having regular one-on-one meetings with team members is incredibly important to not only an efficient workplace, but in building team morale. That said, no one likes to have meetings just for the sake of it, so it’s important to be prepared in advance. Send over a few talking points to your team members, and give them an opportunity to add their own. That way, you’re both prepared to deal with any questions or situations that need to be discussed. ” – Marc Atiyeh, CEO of Pawp

“If you aren’t ready for the meeting, what message does that send to the other person? The least you could do is take five minutes ahead of time and organize a little file with all the key points you need to address.” – Seb Evans, Co-Founder of Banquist

“Part of preparing for a one-on-one meeting is being transparent with the other person. Nothing should be a huge surprise or come out of left field. That’s anxiety-inducing for everyone. Great managers make these meetings feel like an everyday convo between friends.” – Lori Price, Co-Founder of PixieLane

“As the manager or supervisor, you’re the one leading the conversation from the start, so have an agenda in place to get things moving. Use real facts and figures to support your points. From there, you can open up the floor and allow the meeting to flow more organically.” – Tyler Hayden Read, Founder of PT Pioneer

“The structure of your meeting is important because you don’t have all day for meandering conversation. Discuss performance, offer constructive critique, ask for feedback, and leave a few minutes for extra dialogue. Don’t overcomplicate it.” – Lucas Nudel, Founder and CEO of Pride Palace

Courtesy is Key

Just the thought of a one-on-one meeting can cause employees to stress. Ease the tension by being cool, calm, and courteous.

“I like to keep meetings casual with open-ended questions like ‘tell me how things are going?’, or ‘how can I support you on this project?’. It’s less abrasive to ask something like ‘where are you struggling at the moment?’ instead of openly criticizing people.” – James Meincke, Senior Marketing Manager at CloserIQ

“Trust allows you to give people direction, get everyone aligned, and energize them to go get the job done. Build trust in employee meetings first. Trust enables you to execute with confidence and produce extraordinary results.” – Douglas Conant, Former CEO of the Campbell Soup Company

“Be more accommodating when it comes to setting up employee reviews or meetings of any type. Allow them to have some input rather than demanding they show up at a certain place at a certain time. It makes things way more comfortable for everyone.” – Jeff Meeks, VP of Sales and Marketing at EnergyFit

“The toughest part of any one-on-one meeting is addressing issues with performance or production. Nobody wants to talk about it, but it’s a must. Don’t worry about looking like the bad guy. Be honest and speak the truth, then start talking about real solutions.” – Mike Pasley, Founder of Allegiant Goods

Look to the Future

Before the meeting concludes, be sure to set some “next steps” so everyone is on the same page moving forward.

“Setting clear goals and benchmarks for the future is one of the best ways to take your employee reviews to the next level. It gives them something to work towards and get excited about. Plus, the next time around, you know exactly what’s on the docket.” – Michael Jankie of Natural Patch

“A lot of employees are eager to advance within the company or get more involved, whether it’s to get a promotion or just expand their repertoire. If you think they’d be good in a specific role, why not bring it up during a meeting? It may spark their interest.” – Ryan Rockefeller, Co-Founder and CEO of Cleared

“A one-on-one is a great opportunity to reflect on the past in the short-term while looking towards the future. Employees love talking about their plans and aspirations, so be open to discussing all possibilities for advancement.” – Dylan Trussell, CMO of Culprit Underwear

When done correctly, one-on-one meetings can be productive, constructive, and even enjoyable. Take these tips to heart and make your next round of meetings a success for all involved.

Top 5 IT Asset Management Best Practices Businesses Need To Follow

Posted on August 13, 2021 by Pablo Manuel

Every company generates income by using its fixed assets. Over a period, as the company grows, those fixed assets also grow in volume, size and management.

In this article, we are going to speak with leading experts at SPW Malaysia. This is one of the foremost organizations in the field of ITAM that has been helping businesses since the last decade.

In recent years, for most big and small organizations, the ownership, control and management of IT devices like computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, servers, and memory storage devices has become important.

So many functions, processes, data, files and payments are done through such systems. This means that for any organization their proper maintenance, control, access and destruction should be a priority!

Wrong…

Most businesses, sparing a few do not invest or take IT Asset Management (ITAM) seriously. They wait for a serious situation to emerge like a cyberattack or a huge penalty before they start taking action on this front.

IT Asset Management: Meaning and Definition

ITAM is not a one-time thing that you do and forget. It refers to the continuous monitoring, maintenance, upgradation and disposal of all IT-related assets in an organization.

This means that all hardware components that are used in any office are accounted for with proper documentation, processes and structures.

A proper ITAM process will help your organization answer the following questions-

How many computer systems are there in the office and who all are using them?
What are the access codes of the computer systems that the employees are using?
Where are the access points located when it comes to software, files and servers?
Has someone tried to improperly log in or seek credentials beyond their authority?
How will computer systems, files, hard disks and other IT stuff be disposed?

In short, businesses need to realize that every IT asset, whether it is hardware or software, has a finite existence. It needs to be maintained and tracked till the time comes for it to be disposed of.

Even when disposal is concerned it cannot be simply thrown away with all company records, data and other essentials. There is a process that should be in place for the same.

List of 5 ITAM Best Practices you need to start following

1. Create a Pro-Active ITAM Process for the Organization-

Most businesses make the mistake of starting with ITAM after they have suffered from a massive loss. This means that the process becomes reactive, as against pro-active. If you do not want to be hit by something that shakes the foundations of your business, you need to be proactive when it comes to setting up a well-defined ITAM process in your organization.

2. Set-up a Dedicated Team or Hire Professionals for ITAM-

Frankly speaking, there are two things a business can do. It can either hire ITAM professionals from a specialized agency or set up its own team internally. You might think that this is a bad investment, given nothing is happening. However, a good ITAM process helps prevent financial losses for the organization. It can also prevent credibility attacks on the business.

3. Follow the Lifecycle-Based Approach towards ITAM-

If you want to execute an ITAM process, you need to start as soon as a computer system is purchased. The same goes for software whose license has been purchased recently. Experts note that an ITAM process should take into account the entire lifecycle of the hardware or software. This means that everything should be monitored from the start to the absolute end.

4. Carry out Regular and Rigorous Audits of the ITAM process-

Many businesses face severe penalties from authorities for over-reporting or under-reporting their assets. This happens because they fail to carry out regular ITAM audits that keep frequent track of their systems. As a business grows in volume, its infrastructure, systems and structures also grow a lot. This is why regular audits are a major best practice of ITAM.

5. Go for High-End Automation to Save Costs and Time in ITAM-

Whenever businesses hear the term record keeping, their minds quickly race towards MS Excel files. When it comes to ITAM, not only is this process slow and outdated, but more importantly, it deprives the business of efficiency. There is advanced software that can help you track, monitor and update file names and other reports systematically. Automation is the way forward.

The Bottom Line

In the last few years, awareness around ITAM is growing. This has been partly because of the increasing number of cyberattacks that are being reported, especially since the pandemic started. ITAM will help you plug a crucial loophole that might attract the interests of cybercriminals.

With more processes and functions being carried out by IT assets, businesses have started realizing that there is a strategic need to protect these at all costs. If you have any more questions, you would like us to answer on ITAM, let us know in the comments below.