Keeping Your Business Data Up to Date

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | Keeping Your Business Data Up to Date

Collecting valuable data for your business is essential, but keeping it up to date is just as important. If you have data that is no longer relevant, it won’t be much use to your business. How long your information is useful for will depend on exactly what it is, so staying up to data can take some work. There are a few things that you can make sure you’re doing if you want to have accurate and useful data at all times. Take a look at some of the steps that you can take to keep your business data up to date.

Bring in Fresh Data Regularly

Collecting business data isn’t something that you just do once and then never again. You should be bringing in new data regularly so that you always have the freshest information. How often you collect new data will depend on what sort of data you’re collecting, where it comes from, and what you can afford. You might constantly be collecting data on who is visiting your website and how they behave. On the other hand, you might only collect information about your competitors every few months or years. When you collect new data, you can ensure it’s accurate and up to date.

Have Your Data Reviewed

Going over your existing data can be time-consuming. If you want to save time, outsourcing the review and auditing of your data will help. You can use a service to comb over your debt collections contact details or your customer demographics data. By finding the right service to help you, you can ensure that your data is reviewed and stays up to date while saving time so you can work on other things. Some services can both review your current data and help you to find more up to date and accurate information for your records.

Remove Data You No Longer Need

You should get rid of data that are no longer useful for your business. For one thing, it will help to free up digital space so that you can store new data instead. It will also mean that outdated and irrelevant data is no longer used, even accidentally, and you can replace any old data with new and more relevant information. Data that are no longer relevant could be useless and best and even dangerous at worst, depending on what it is.

Pay Attention to Regulations and Compliance

It’s important to be aware of the regulations and laws concerning data. You should know what you’re allowed to collect and record, and what you’re not allowed to keep. You also need to know what rights individuals have to know about the information that you hold about them and to ask you to remove it. The regulations can change at any time, so it’s essential to stay up to date with the latest laws and how they affect your business.

Keep your business data up to date if you want it to be useful for your company. If it’s out of date, it could cause problems.

The Best Ways to Modernize Your Business

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Modernize your Business|The Best Ways to Modernize Your BusinessStaying modern is something that every business needs to do, but many struggle with. Those that are able to stay current will be able to satisfy the fast-changing needs and expectations of today’s consumer, streamline their business and stay ahead of the curve. Meanwhile, those that struggle to keep up will get left behind and could find it hard to compete. It is clear that staying modern is im-portant, but how can you go about doing this? It is hard to know in today’s day and age as there are so many different ways to do this – read on to find out a few of the most effective areas that are worth focusing on.

Remote Working

Remote working has been on the rise years, but in 2020 it has become widespread due to the pan-demic. In most cases, this has shown to be a success for companies with many reporting an increase in productivity as well as a boost in morale. Having the right tools and learning how to manage re-mote teams is important if you want to find success and you may want to have some flexibility as some people will prefer working in the office at least part time.

Outsourcing

Outsourcing is becoming increasingly more common in today’s day and age and made much easier through the rise of remote working. It makes sense from a business perspective because outsourc-ing allows you to use experts to handle certain aspects of the business operation without the need to pay a full salary and other employee costs. This makes it a cost-effective option and could allow you to scale up with ease, and there are many areas that you can outsource, such as:

  • Digital marketing
  • IT
  • HR
  • Accounting
  • Social media management

Use Video Marketing

Video marketing is a highly popular and effective ways to promote your business and can be much more engaging than other formats. Video marketing will capture the attention of your target cus-tomer; it allows you to use both audio and video as it can make it easier to communicate your mes-sage and it is a chance to impress and show your expertise. The key is to have any videos made by an experienced professional as amateurish videos can have the reverse effect in a time where peo-ple are used to seeing so many videos every day.

Influencer Marketing

Another popular form of digital marketing to use right now which could have a huge impact on the success of your business is influencer marketing. This involves getting someone with credibility in your field to promote your products/services on social media which will help to boost your reputa-tion, advertise your company and allowing you to reach a much larger audience.

Automation

Automation is a word that can create some strong reactions in the business world, as some argue that it leads to job losses. While this is the case in some circumstances, you can actually use automa-tion alongside employees which can be a great way to boost efficacy, reduce workload for staff and speed processes up. Using automation to handle simple, repetitive tasks will allow your team to fo-cus on other areas. They could help you to work at a much higher capacity than before so it should certainly be looked into.

Artificial Intelligence

Another type of technology that was once seen as futuristic but is now becoming common in a range of industries is artificial intelligence. AI can be used in all kinds of creative and innovative ways, such as:

  • Process automation
  • Collecting data
  • Chatbots
  • Optimizing logistics
  • Predicting performance

Update The Company Website

If you have not updated the company website for a few years, then this is a smart way to modern-ize. It is amazing just how quickly web design trends can change, and a dated website will quickly deter any visitor. Therefore, it is a great idea to use an experiment web design agency that will know the latest trends to deliver a modern, attractive and easy-to-use website which will impress any visitor.

Cloud-Based Training

Cloud computing can bring many benefits to a business and is a great way to modernize. Despite this, many people are struggling to get to grips with cloud computing which is understandable as a relatively new type of technology. This is why you should look into cloud-based training for enter-prise teams which will help get your team up to speed about using the cloud. This will help you to get the most out of cloud computing and modernize your workforce so that everyone can excel in their role and work with confidence each day.

Upgrade Cybersecurity

Understandably, business owners are focused on the threat of the pandemic in 2020, but one area which you must not overlook is cybercrime. Cybercrime is a massive problem that affects business-es of all sizes and in all industries, and there are constantly new threats being developed. This means that this needs to be a priority, and you need to invest in high-quality cybersecurity products in addition to learning about the latest threats and how you can stay safe.

Be Environmentally Friendly

Every business should be looking at how they operate and find ways to be more environmentally friendly. This is important in terms of doing your part to reduce impact, but also because consumers are becoming increasingly eco-aware and selective of the brands that they use, so it is important for your reputation. Not only this but often you will find that being more environmentally friendly can help to lower your operating costs too.

If you are wanting to modernize your business, then these are a few of the best ways that you can do this. Businesses need to stay current and ahead of the curve so that they can find success, appeal to their target customer and stay ahead of the competition but it is also an area that many struggle with so hopefully this post will help.

How to Run a Successful Janitorial Business

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Efficiently and successfully running a janitorial business takes time, strategy, and consistency. Due to the ways that janitorial businesses can differ from other companies, there are very specific steps that are most advisable for success.

As a business that focuses on meeting the maintenance, repair, and cleaning needs of others, it’s important for everyone to be on the same page. In order for this to happen, workers, managers, and business owners must effectively do their jobs.

This is where adhering to the following steps comes in handy.

1. Use Time Tracking Software

Time tracking software is a valuable tool for any company; however, janitorial businesses can especially benefit from using this tool.

Janitorial Time tracking software allows you to not only know when your employees are working, but also where they’re working and which tasks are underway. If you employ remote workers or freelancers, then time tracking software can especially come in handy.

Additional benefits of using time tracking software to run a successful janitorial business include the following: knowing where company funds are going, tracking task productivity, and saving time from manual data entry into timesheets.

2. Maintain Contact with Your Clients

Clients are the lifeblood of any business, including janitorial ones. Staying in contact with your clients ultimately helps ensure that your business is meeting their needs.

If the janitorial business is checking all necessary boxes, then having that confirmation is advantageous; if there are areas in need of improvement, then catching this sooner rather than later (and acting accordingly) is always the best protocol.

When communicating with your clients, be open to feedback, suggestions, and even complaints. In the long run, this can only benefit your janitorial business and enable its success.

3. Market Strategically

Strategic marketing is another imperative measure for successfully running a janitorial business. In order for your business to thrive, the free market needs to know about it. Contrary to certain beliefs, the importance of a marketing plan doesn’t disappear when clients arrive.

Even as your janitorial business thrives and grows, marketing will remain a necessity. Keeping your business before the eyes of consumers allows for room to increase your profits; it also puts you and your janitorial staff in the position to remain afloat (and profitable) even if certain clients go elsewhere for whatever reasons.

Running a successful janitorial business is not an overnight process; although, with the best time tracking software, communication with your clients, and strategic marketing, you can successfully run a janitorial business one step at a time.

About the Author

StrategyDriven Expert Contributor | Raya KhashabRaya Khashab is the CEO and co-founder of ezClocker, a time tracking and scheduling software for small businesses. She is passionate about customers and building products that change the way people run their business. S

Mold In The Workplace: How To Handle It!

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Mold in the workplace|Mold In The Workplace: How To Handle It!When you own a commercial property, you want to ensure that it’s as safe as possible for you, your staff and for any clients who come into the building. The best way to ensure safety is to invest in the right insurance policies. You will know that you have to have public liability insurance and other insurance ranges to take care of people, but have you considered your commercial property? Fire, flood, earthquake and all manner of natural disasters can really affect your business, but if you’re smart about your insurance purchases, you can ensure that you are covered much of the time. If there is one thing that can have a devastating impact on your business it’s flooding.

Whether flooding is because of a burst pipe or a natural storm, your business is going to be badly affected by the water rising in the property. Floods that start in the basement can have an impact on the structure of the building, causing damage that is expensive and interrupts your business hours. You will also find that a side effect of flooding is often mold. Mold can present some serious issues for your business. Not only does it have an impact on the health of your staff and any guests, it can lead to devastation for the structure of the building, too. Those who are dealing with allergies and asthma are particularly vulnerable to the effects of mold and if you have people getting sick as a result, they are not likely to be particularly productive for your day to day needs. Mold can also lead to business interruption as you will need to think about the time taken to clean your business from the mold on the walls and in the ceiling. If the mold is ingrained into the walls, you will have an even bigger job, as there may need to be replacement and replastering efforts made.

Did you know that if you can see mold, it’s not necessary for a company to come in and test for it? They can see the mold is there already, so there is no real need for them to take the time to test for something that they can already see. Mold can be a blessing in disguise if you haven’t considered your flood insurance or your commercial drainage options before. However, you don’t want to have mold in the business property if you can help it! If you suspect mold in your business premises but you haven’t seen any, we’ve got eight situations that warrant booking a mold test. Let’s take a look:

  1. You or your staff are sneezing and experiencing allergy symptoms. Whether it’s sneezing or other symptoms like stuffy heads, headaches, scratchy and itchy throat, runny nose and more, you need to get a mold test booked in. This is especially important if you’ve had some drainage issues and flooding lately.
  2. You think that you can see some mold in the building, but given your lack of expertise with mold, you’re not sure and you want confirmation. There’s nothing worse than mold being in the corners of the bathrooms or the basement. It’s unprofessional to see mold blackening the corners of the room, and if you are seeing mold, you have to assume that it’s in the walls, too.
  3. There is a weird, musty smell in your building but you can’t identify what is causing the smell. The cleaners are doing their usual excellent work, but you haven’t got rid of the smell and it’s getting worse. This can indicate mold in the home – even if you cannot see it.
  4. If you have recently had a flood or plumbing leak, you may not notice the beginnings of mold coming from the damp. Any leaks or drainage issues should be looked into ASAP, too, as this can lead to mold if it’s not caught early enough. If you have a professional come to check your drains, you need to ask them to check out the damp a wet spot has left behind, too.
  5. You can ask for mold testing to see whether a removal has been successful. This is a great way to check if any mold is left behind after you have paid for it to be removed. Air testing is going to be done by a professional and they can tell you if the levels of mold normalized.
  6. If you are buying your commercial property, a mold test is an essential and it’s a great reason to get your commercial place checked by a professional – just in case.
  7. Another good reason for getting a mold test is whether you need to prove that there is a problem. This is especially important if you are a tenant and your landlord is asking for evidence before they spend their money making changes.
  8. If you want to make sure that your staff are breathing in high-quality air, then a mold test is a must.

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Mold in the workplace|Mold In The Workplace: How To Handle It!There are several things that you can do to handle mold in the workplace, and we’ve got some of those things for you below:

  • Keep All Of Your Flood Insurance Documents Accessible
    You need to avoid mold after a flood and you should call a professional water damage company to help you out. You should consider that the longer you are delayed, the longer it will take for your insurance company to come out and reimburse you some costs.
  • Work On Any Leaks Right Away
    If you see any leaks in your business, then the best thing that you can do is clean them up straight away. Mold can present an issue everywhere there is moisture, and you need to prevent that moisture from collecting in the first place! Calling a plumber to deal with your pipes and drainage regularly will mean catching any leaks that you could be unaware of. You want to make sure that you stop any water from getting into the surfaces around the building. This will prevent further damage.
  • Work On Ventilation
    Bathrooms and kitchens are notorious for being full of steam and moisture in the air. With the proper ventilation, you can ensure that moisture is out as fast as possible and avoid any mold and damp patches forming. Installing fans throughout these spaces as well as vents and open windows will help, and standing fans will blow the humid air away!
  • Buy A Humidity Monitor
    You don’t know how truly moist your property is without a humidity monitor. These monitors will tell you how much moisture is in the air and they’re not particularly expensive, which means that you can get answers without breaking the bank. Not only will they check the current moisture levels, they’ll tell you if there is a spike in the amount of moisture in the air.
  • Stop Using Bleach
    If you want to clean off any mold that you have spotted, you need to stop using bleach. The bleach may be a quick fix, but it only takes off visible mold and the idea is to eradicate the problem entirely. To do this, you need the professional to come in. Store-bought solutions just won’t do the job on stubborn mold, but the professional cleaning companies have everything that you need to get rid of the problem properly.
  • Keep The Moldy Areas Empty
    If one office in your building is dealing with mold, you need to cordon it off and have the affected area away from the rest of the property. This prevents the spreading of spores on shoes, jackets and even in the hair of your employees. Don’t wait too long to get help from your local cleaning company, though, as it can be a widespread issue and this is the “ground zero” for it. Close the doors and shut the vents to avoid spreading the issues, too.
  • Get Rid Of Any Contaminated Property
    If your desks and cupboards have become “infected” by mold, you need to get them taken away and scrapped as soon as possible. Even the smallest patch of mold can cause health and long-term issues for your property, so you need to get rid of it as quickly as possible!
  • Listen To Your Employees
    Are your staff complaining of a musty smell or difficulty with breathing? Their complaints have to be taken seriously – as seriously as the mold problem you have. Your employees health matters, and if you’re not listening to them, there could be some serious legal issues coming back to bite you as a result.

Mold in the commercial property you work in is a big problem. If you’re not looking after your staff and yoru building, you’re not going to notice it creeping up on you. Handling the mold as quickly as you can will help to stop the problem from spreading, but are you ready to get rid of it? Start today! If you notice leaks or damp anywhere in the building, you need to get on top of it as soon as you can.

Creating The Perfect File Organization System For Your Business

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Managing file storage correctly is important in business for a number of reasons. Firstly, if your business computers are clogged up with unnecessary files, they will run slowly and it will be harder for employees to find the files that they need, which means that productivity will take a hit. It’s also important to make sure that all of your files are stored securely to reduce the risk of accidental data loss. Unfortunately, a lot of businesses don’t put enough thought into their file storage system, which causes them some big problems. However, if you follow these simple steps, you can create an effective file storage strategy for your business.

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | Creating The Perfect File Organization System For Your Business

Clean Out Unnecessary Files

The first step is to clear out any unnecessary files that you have stored on your computers. This will speed your computers up and make it a lot easier to organize things moving forward. There are some great applications that can quickly find and remove duplicates on Mac or Windows, which will make a big difference immediately. Once you have cleared all of the duplicated files, go through the rest and delete anything that you don’t need anymore. This may take a while but as long as you keep on top of things in the future, you should only need to do it once.

Use Folders

Using folders is the easiest way to keep things organized, but it only works if you file things away in their folders right away. A lot of employees like to keep things on the desktop while they are working on them, with the intention of putting them in organized folders afterward. However, that doesn’t always happen and they end up with a big mess of files on the desktop with no semblance of organization whatsoever. If you ask them to pull up an old file a few months down the line, it’s going to take a long time to find. It’s a good idea to plan out your folders and categories on paper before you get started so you can make sure that everything has its place.

Back Up On The Cloud

Backing up all of your files is essential if you want to protect yourself in the event of a cyberattack or a hardware issue. If files are only stored in one location and you lose them, there’s nothing that you can do. But if you upgrade to a cloud storage system, you can easily recover anything that is lost.

Use Note Taking Apps

When you are making notes about things that you need to remember, you might decide that post-its or notebooks are the best option. But then you end up with a disorganized mess of paper and when you need to refer back to a specific note, it’s nowhere to be found. That’s why you should treat notes like you do the rest of your files and get organized. There are some great note taking apps that you can use to get everything in order and make life easier for yourself in the future.

If you can create the perfect file organization system for your business, it makes things a lot easier for you and your employees and you will notice an increase in productivity as a result.