As the volume of records and information continues to grow as organisations mature, it becomes increasingly important and challenging for enterprises to manage their recordkeeping responsibilities effectively. Choosing an effective records management system is an important and crucial step in this process.
With many different records management solutions available in the market with their own set of features and capabilities, it can be difficult and daunting to choose the right one for your business. To assist with your decision making process, we have provided some tips that will help you select the right records management solution for your business. First we’ll cover off what a records management system is.
What does a records management system do?
The primary objective of a records management system is to provide a single, comprehensive solution that aids in tracking, locating, maintaining and disposing of organisational records, whether they are paper-based or in electronic form. Nowadays, records management systems are available as cloud-based or on-premises.
Micro Focus Content Manager is the most readily used records management software worldwide that helps organisations solve the complexity of records management. This system is ideal for heavily regulated organizations and industries.
How is a records management system classified?
Generally, records management software falls into two main categories; records management software or an enterprise content management (ECM) system which is less records focused and more of a content management system, as its name denotes. A records management system (RMS) will have greater functionality relating to the classification, retention and disposal of information.
How is an RMS different from ECM?
A RMS is designed to enable the various facets of enterprise records management. This software includes record tracking, automated retention, disposition of records and access control for physical as well as electronic formats.
ECM systems are built to assist organizations with capturing, storing, managing, delivering and preserving its files and content. A complimentary information management strategy will assist organisations in managing their unstructured information.
An electronic RMS simplifies the management of records throughout their lifecycle. A records management application assists with the automatic implementation of organization-wide and consistent records policies, which simplify compliance with state, industry and federal regulations.
Another basic difference between an ECM and RMS is their capacity to enable retention of records and disposition procedures. In this respect, an RMS system takes the top position.
Characteristics to look for in a records management system
There are a number of important characteristics to look for when choosing a records management system, including a system that:
Is intuitive and user friendly
Automatically captures and classifies records
Won’t change the way your teams works and will capture records regardless of their location
Manages content across repositories
Can manage physical, digital and hybrid records
Captures email and social media records
Offers a high level of security
Provides an audit trail
Is compliance with federal and state based standards and policies
Conclusion
A comprehensive, high performance records management system is a crucial component in the lifecycle of organizational information. At a high level, this system governs the way business information is developed, stored, distributed, tracked and protected.
Before you search for the right software solution for your business, it is important to understand your own business requirements with respect to records management. Having this understanding will equip you well as you begin to assess your RMS options.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/block-chain-2853002_1280.jpg5701280StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2019-06-13 17:00:542019-06-13 15:37:05How To Choose The Right Records Management System For The Organization
If you are having any sort of building work done at your business, then the excitement of the finished product can often cloud your judgement and make you forget about all of the dirt which will be left behind because of the construction itself. Cleaning this mess can be a hefty and unwanted task and thus it is highly beneficial that you seek a professional company to provide the service of experienced cleaners in order to save yourself the hassle. There are a whole host of benefits associated with utilising a cleaning company, as you will see below.
First and foremost, the mess left behind by builders can be substantial and very difficult to clean. After all, the range of products utilised can be vast and the construction elaborate. Thus you need to proper cleaning equipment and products in order to ensure that you restore the beauty of the area. These products are quite expensive for you to get your hands on. Moreover, you may not be able to even buy them, as most high street stores do not sell cleaning industry standard goods, unless you use specialist companies like steamaster.com.au. Nevertheless, you need not worry about this when it comes to a professional cleaning service because they will have the best products and equipment to deal with the task at hand.
As mentioned the products and tools required can be very expensive for you to purchase. Nevertheless, most people deter from seeking builders cleaning because they think that this will be a costly process. But, the truth is; paying for a one off clean is a lot cheaper than having to spend tons of money on products which you may never use again. After all, it is not as if you are going to have building work done every week.
Furthermore, we live in a day and age whereby time is of the essence for all businesses, and thus most people do not have the hours in their day to spend in order to dedicate to cleaning. Moreover, because the mess left by builders is usually extensive, this is a big task and is something which needs to be dealt with straight away. Therefore, if you cannot devote immediate time and effort to the cleaning process then you are simply going to let the mess get worse.
Lastly, for the untrained eye it can be quite difficult to determine what the mess is (in terms of materials) and what the most effective method of cleaning will be. Therefore, a lot of the time people end up thinking that they have cleaned when they have actually not got rid of anything properly. This can obviously result in deeper problems as time goes by, such as mould and alike.
To conclude, if you consider the four points in this blog post, then you will see why it is highly recommended that you seek a professional company to carry out the service of builders cleaning. After all, quality will be assured, money will be saved and you will save yourself a great deal of time.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/build-builder-builders-8092.jpg8001200StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2019-06-13 16:00:272019-06-14 22:25:19After Building Cleaning Services For Your Business
Most entrepreneurs and business professionals understand that to truly thrive within business, they must have valuable business skills. It’s important to know the importance of investing in yourself when it comes to growing your business. When it’s your own business, you’re the only one who can fully get behind it, bringing in new skills and strengths over time.
Each year, new innovations and trends in business arise. This means that you must be constantly on the ball, sharpening your skills to keep ahead.
Whether it’s learning how to improve your conversion rate on a certain social media platform, or improving your public speaking skills, everyone has their own areas they wish to improve.
Here are 4 key business skills worth mastering in 2019, which will confidently take you and your business into 2020.
1. Technology
It seems that there is no faster moving industry than that of technology. One minute we think we have the most up-to-date smartphone, only to find it quickly replaced by the next big thing.
The same applies for the technology required for businesses. Retail businesses must understand that their point-of-sale (POS) systems will constantly need to be compatible with mobile payment systems, like Apple Pay and Google Pay.
As the world goes mobile heavy, it’s beneficial to have your business accessed via apps. Perhaps to reach wider audiences, you could benefit from understanding how to make short video clips or even podcasts for your business.
All these require a thorough understanding of new and existing technology you may not be familiar with. Assess which aspects of technology could benefit your business and learn how to use them.
2. Social Media
Understanding the evolving social media platforms and how to use them is vital to any business. Whether you run a product-led retail business or service, social media can be used to reach new audiences and potentially increase sake.
Social media evolves rapidly, therefore, any entrepreneur needs to stay on top of the most popular platforms, without falling behind. In 2019, Instagram is constantly updating itself and has become the most widely used social media platform, so sharpening your skills across this platform is vital.
It’s worth studying the effect on social media platforms for both marketing and sales, sharpening your knowledge on how to effectively use them. It may be that only certain platforms would work with your business, but either way, it’s worth finding out.
3. Relationship Building
Communication is the key skill when it comes to relationship building. Without being able to communicate and build mutually beneficial relationships within business, you could be preventing new opportunities arising.
Some of the relationships you build will be more client or supplier based, in which you’ll not only need strong communication skills but that or negotiating and persuasion. These are key for working to anything numbers and financial based, so it could be worth improving your skills within negotiation and sales. You can look at seminars by companies such as Karrass, which teach you tactics and strategies.
4. Failure Management
With all new businesses, you’ll be expected to have highs and lows. No matter how hard you have worked on a plan, an unexpected outcome can happen. Everyone deals with failure differently, but it tends to be those who don’t deal well with mishaps and approach business failure negatively that fail to grow their business.
When you fully understand how failure can come and go, and how to handle it, you can budget for unexpected expenses and mentally prepare. It all comes down with understanding how to respond to a crisis. There are many courses and classes that focus on failure management to help to train you with this.
The above are a hand-picked selection of many business trends which will help you thrive as an entrepreneur in 2019. It’s worth assessing a combination of soft skills and hard skills spreading across technology, processes and personality skills. Both are equally as important, so do analyze your current strengths and weaknesses, and take action accordingly.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/training-2874597_1280.jpg5061280StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2019-06-11 17:00:432019-07-30 22:09:394 Business Skills to Improve in 2019
If there’s one thing that sums up the realities of the modern world more than just about anything else, it’s the sheer pace of it. The modern world moves at such a speed that it can actually be somewhat overwhelming a lot of the time. There are few places where this is felt more keenly than it the business world. Keeping up with the world around your business has always been a challenge but it keeps getting harder as the world moves faster and faster every day. This means that there is one thing that your business needs to be willing to embrace in order to succeed: innovation. If you’re not willing to innovate, your business is just going to end up getting left in the dust by your competition. With that in mind, here are just a few areas of your business that could use a little innovation.
Technology
The most obvious place for innovation is most certainly the realm of technology. Technology has been the driving force behind a great deal of innovation both within the business world and in the rest of the world in general. Because of that, you need to be sure that your business is willing to embrace new technologies. Just look at the various businesses that refused to accept the rise of the internet. From cloud storage to specific things like Fusion Narrate speech recognition software, there are so many ways that technology can both make your business more efficient and connect with the world more effectively. Sure, you need to use a degree of discretion about which technology you use in your business, but keeping an eye on the horizon is always a good idea.
Employees
For the longest time, it’s been assumed that the way that employers have treated their employees has been working just fine. However, the truth is that more and more businesses are finding the benefits in innovating the ways that they treat their employees. Thinks like offering more flexible work hours and the potential for things like remote working can make a huge difference not only to the morale of your employees but their overall productivity as well.
Marketing
Marketing is one of those things that is inherently tied to the current moment and generation. If you want to be able to market your business effectively then you’ve got to be able to keep up with the changing times. People in the modern era simply don’t connect with traditional marketing. Instead, they want to content. You need to be able to connect with them on an emotional level.
Of course, one of the most important things that you have to remember is that it’s not enough just to innovate within your business once. If you introduce some innovations into your business and then assume that you can just rest on your laurels then you’re just going to end up in a position where the world keeps moving forward and you’re stuck in one place. You need to be willing to keep pushing your business forward in as many ways as possible if you want to keep up with the rest of the world.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/art-big-data-blur-373543.jpg8001200StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2019-06-11 16:00:322019-06-11 14:21:01Your Business Needs To Embrace Innovation!
If you own a small business, then you should be aware of how important it is to offer your customers the option to pay via credit card. Without this option, you may find yourself actually losing money. This is because, many times, people will walk into a business already expecting there to be a credit card payment option.
If your business doesn’t offer this, then the customer might not have any other choice than to cancel the sale. With today’s technology, not many people still carry cash on them, or at least not a large amount of it. Paying with a card is quick and convenient.
So, how can your small business start accepting credit card payments? Read on to learn more.
Choose a Payment Service Provider
With merchant accounts becoming a thing of the past thanks to their contracts, many hidden fees, and their inability to provide multiple services, payment service providers are on the rise. Payment service providers are an all-in-one payment and processing system. These providers allow for small businesses to accept both credit and debit card payments without the need to open a merchant account.
Any associated fees using a payment service provider are more clear than when opting for a merchant account. And your merchant account is part of the payment service provider system. With a payment service provider like Dynamics GP Credit Card Processing, you can track inventory, manage accounts, deposit funds, and much more!
Choose a Payment Gateway
The payment gateway secures and encrypts customer information when they make a purchase through your website. It then sends the information for approval. It’s then either approved or denied instantly.
If approved, the payment is complete and the funds are deposited into your account. Many payment service providers include a gateway with their system, but others require you to purchase one separately.
Purchase the Needed Equipment
You’ll also need to be sure that you purchase all of the necessary equipment for accepting credit card payments. This differs depending on where you’d like these payments to be made.
Online
For online purchases, you’ll need a merchant account with a payment gateway, or you’ll need a payment service provider that includes both of these. You can also buy a virtual terminal, which is software that’ll turn your computer into a credit card terminal perfect for accepting purchases over the phone.
In the Store
For purchases made in the store, you’ll need a merchant account and a traditional credit card terminal or a point of sale system. Either option allows the customer to swipe, tap, or place their card into the terminal for payment.
Smartphone or Tablet
Mobile card readers attach to your smartphone or tablet and allow purchases made from swipe cards or chip cards. This is a great idea for food trucks, massage therapist, and other on-the-go businesses. Most point of sale providers offer this service.
Accepting Credit Card Payments Is Good for Business
Accepting credit card payments is the best way to ensure that your customers can make a purchase whenever and wherever they may be. Without credit card acceptance, you may find yourself losing business. For more information on the business world, be sure to check out our Insights section today!
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/money-256319_1280.jpg8531280StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2019-06-10 17:00:582019-06-10 16:12:59Setting Up Your Small Business for Accepting Credit Card Payments
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How To Choose The Right Records Management System For The Organization
/in Managing Your Business/by StrategyDrivenWith many different records management solutions available in the market with their own set of features and capabilities, it can be difficult and daunting to choose the right one for your business. To assist with your decision making process, we have provided some tips that will help you select the right records management solution for your business. First we’ll cover off what a records management system is.
What does a records management system do?
The primary objective of a records management system is to provide a single, comprehensive solution that aids in tracking, locating, maintaining and disposing of organisational records, whether they are paper-based or in electronic form. Nowadays, records management systems are available as cloud-based or on-premises.
Micro Focus Content Manager is the most readily used records management software worldwide that helps organisations solve the complexity of records management. This system is ideal for heavily regulated organizations and industries.
How is a records management system classified?
Generally, records management software falls into two main categories; records management software or an enterprise content management (ECM) system which is less records focused and more of a content management system, as its name denotes. A records management system (RMS) will have greater functionality relating to the classification, retention and disposal of information.
How is an RMS different from ECM?
A RMS is designed to enable the various facets of enterprise records management. This software includes record tracking, automated retention, disposition of records and access control for physical as well as electronic formats.
ECM systems are built to assist organizations with capturing, storing, managing, delivering and preserving its files and content. A complimentary information management strategy will assist organisations in managing their unstructured information.
An electronic RMS simplifies the management of records throughout their lifecycle. A records management application assists with the automatic implementation of organization-wide and consistent records policies, which simplify compliance with state, industry and federal regulations.
Another basic difference between an ECM and RMS is their capacity to enable retention of records and disposition procedures. In this respect, an RMS system takes the top position.
Characteristics to look for in a records management system
There are a number of important characteristics to look for when choosing a records management system, including a system that:
Conclusion
A comprehensive, high performance records management system is a crucial component in the lifecycle of organizational information. At a high level, this system governs the way business information is developed, stored, distributed, tracked and protected.
Before you search for the right software solution for your business, it is important to understand your own business requirements with respect to records management. Having this understanding will equip you well as you begin to assess your RMS options.
After Building Cleaning Services For Your Business
/in Managing Your Business/by StrategyDrivenFirst and foremost, the mess left behind by builders can be substantial and very difficult to clean. After all, the range of products utilised can be vast and the construction elaborate. Thus you need to proper cleaning equipment and products in order to ensure that you restore the beauty of the area. These products are quite expensive for you to get your hands on. Moreover, you may not be able to even buy them, as most high street stores do not sell cleaning industry standard goods, unless you use specialist companies like steamaster.com.au. Nevertheless, you need not worry about this when it comes to a professional cleaning service because they will have the best products and equipment to deal with the task at hand.
As mentioned the products and tools required can be very expensive for you to purchase. Nevertheless, most people deter from seeking builders cleaning because they think that this will be a costly process. But, the truth is; paying for a one off clean is a lot cheaper than having to spend tons of money on products which you may never use again. After all, it is not as if you are going to have building work done every week.
Furthermore, we live in a day and age whereby time is of the essence for all businesses, and thus most people do not have the hours in their day to spend in order to dedicate to cleaning. Moreover, because the mess left by builders is usually extensive, this is a big task and is something which needs to be dealt with straight away. Therefore, if you cannot devote immediate time and effort to the cleaning process then you are simply going to let the mess get worse.
Lastly, for the untrained eye it can be quite difficult to determine what the mess is (in terms of materials) and what the most effective method of cleaning will be. Therefore, a lot of the time people end up thinking that they have cleaned when they have actually not got rid of anything properly. This can obviously result in deeper problems as time goes by, such as mould and alike.
To conclude, if you consider the four points in this blog post, then you will see why it is highly recommended that you seek a professional company to carry out the service of builders cleaning. After all, quality will be assured, money will be saved and you will save yourself a great deal of time.
4 Business Skills to Improve in 2019
/in Professional Development/by StrategyDrivenEach year, new innovations and trends in business arise. This means that you must be constantly on the ball, sharpening your skills to keep ahead.
Whether it’s learning how to improve your conversion rate on a certain social media platform, or improving your public speaking skills, everyone has their own areas they wish to improve.
Here are 4 key business skills worth mastering in 2019, which will confidently take you and your business into 2020.
1. Technology
It seems that there is no faster moving industry than that of technology. One minute we think we have the most up-to-date smartphone, only to find it quickly replaced by the next big thing.
The same applies for the technology required for businesses. Retail businesses must understand that their point-of-sale (POS) systems will constantly need to be compatible with mobile payment systems, like Apple Pay and Google Pay.
As the world goes mobile heavy, it’s beneficial to have your business accessed via apps. Perhaps to reach wider audiences, you could benefit from understanding how to make short video clips or even podcasts for your business.
All these require a thorough understanding of new and existing technology you may not be familiar with. Assess which aspects of technology could benefit your business and learn how to use them.
2. Social Media
Understanding the evolving social media platforms and how to use them is vital to any business. Whether you run a product-led retail business or service, social media can be used to reach new audiences and potentially increase sake.
Social media evolves rapidly, therefore, any entrepreneur needs to stay on top of the most popular platforms, without falling behind. In 2019, Instagram is constantly updating itself and has become the most widely used social media platform, so sharpening your skills across this platform is vital.
It’s worth studying the effect on social media platforms for both marketing and sales, sharpening your knowledge on how to effectively use them. It may be that only certain platforms would work with your business, but either way, it’s worth finding out.
3. Relationship Building
Communication is the key skill when it comes to relationship building. Without being able to communicate and build mutually beneficial relationships within business, you could be preventing new opportunities arising.
Some of the relationships you build will be more client or supplier based, in which you’ll not only need strong communication skills but that or negotiating and persuasion. These are key for working to anything numbers and financial based, so it could be worth improving your skills within negotiation and sales. You can look at seminars by companies such as Karrass, which teach you tactics and strategies.
4. Failure Management
With all new businesses, you’ll be expected to have highs and lows. No matter how hard you have worked on a plan, an unexpected outcome can happen. Everyone deals with failure differently, but it tends to be those who don’t deal well with mishaps and approach business failure negatively that fail to grow their business.
When you fully understand how failure can come and go, and how to handle it, you can budget for unexpected expenses and mentally prepare. It all comes down with understanding how to respond to a crisis. There are many courses and classes that focus on failure management to help to train you with this.
The above are a hand-picked selection of many business trends which will help you thrive as an entrepreneur in 2019. It’s worth assessing a combination of soft skills and hard skills spreading across technology, processes and personality skills. Both are equally as important, so do analyze your current strengths and weaknesses, and take action accordingly.
Your Business Needs To Embrace Innovation!
/in Innovation/by StrategyDrivenTechnology
The most obvious place for innovation is most certainly the realm of technology. Technology has been the driving force behind a great deal of innovation both within the business world and in the rest of the world in general. Because of that, you need to be sure that your business is willing to embrace new technologies. Just look at the various businesses that refused to accept the rise of the internet. From cloud storage to specific things like Fusion Narrate speech recognition software, there are so many ways that technology can both make your business more efficient and connect with the world more effectively. Sure, you need to use a degree of discretion about which technology you use in your business, but keeping an eye on the horizon is always a good idea.
Employees
For the longest time, it’s been assumed that the way that employers have treated their employees has been working just fine. However, the truth is that more and more businesses are finding the benefits in innovating the ways that they treat their employees. Thinks like offering more flexible work hours and the potential for things like remote working can make a huge difference not only to the morale of your employees but their overall productivity as well.
Marketing
Marketing is one of those things that is inherently tied to the current moment and generation. If you want to be able to market your business effectively then you’ve got to be able to keep up with the changing times. People in the modern era simply don’t connect with traditional marketing. Instead, they want to content. You need to be able to connect with them on an emotional level.
Of course, one of the most important things that you have to remember is that it’s not enough just to innovate within your business once. If you introduce some innovations into your business and then assume that you can just rest on your laurels then you’re just going to end up in a position where the world keeps moving forward and you’re stuck in one place. You need to be willing to keep pushing your business forward in as many ways as possible if you want to keep up with the rest of the world.
Setting Up Your Small Business for Accepting Credit Card Payments
/in Managing Your Finances/by StrategyDrivenIf your business doesn’t offer this, then the customer might not have any other choice than to cancel the sale. With today’s technology, not many people still carry cash on them, or at least not a large amount of it. Paying with a card is quick and convenient.
So, how can your small business start accepting credit card payments? Read on to learn more.
Choose a Payment Service Provider
With merchant accounts becoming a thing of the past thanks to their contracts, many hidden fees, and their inability to provide multiple services, payment service providers are on the rise. Payment service providers are an all-in-one payment and processing system. These providers allow for small businesses to accept both credit and debit card payments without the need to open a merchant account.
Any associated fees using a payment service provider are more clear than when opting for a merchant account. And your merchant account is part of the payment service provider system. With a payment service provider like Dynamics GP Credit Card Processing, you can track inventory, manage accounts, deposit funds, and much more!
Choose a Payment Gateway
The payment gateway secures and encrypts customer information when they make a purchase through your website. It then sends the information for approval. It’s then either approved or denied instantly.
If approved, the payment is complete and the funds are deposited into your account. Many payment service providers include a gateway with their system, but others require you to purchase one separately.
Purchase the Needed Equipment
You’ll also need to be sure that you purchase all of the necessary equipment for accepting credit card payments. This differs depending on where you’d like these payments to be made.
Online
For online purchases, you’ll need a merchant account with a payment gateway, or you’ll need a payment service provider that includes both of these. You can also buy a virtual terminal, which is software that’ll turn your computer into a credit card terminal perfect for accepting purchases over the phone.
In the Store
For purchases made in the store, you’ll need a merchant account and a traditional credit card terminal or a point of sale system. Either option allows the customer to swipe, tap, or place their card into the terminal for payment.
Smartphone or Tablet
Mobile card readers attach to your smartphone or tablet and allow purchases made from swipe cards or chip cards. This is a great idea for food trucks, massage therapist, and other on-the-go businesses. Most point of sale providers offer this service.
Accepting Credit Card Payments Is Good for Business
Accepting credit card payments is the best way to ensure that your customers can make a purchase whenever and wherever they may be. Without credit card acceptance, you may find yourself losing business. For more information on the business world, be sure to check out our Insights section today!