Posts

Take These Vital Steps To Keep Your Business Data Secure

/in /by

StrategyDriven Organisational Performance Measures Article |Keep your data secure|Take These Vital Steps To Keep Your Business Data SecureToday, consumers and business clients are paranoid about data security. They are constantly fearful that the data held by companies is leaving them vulnerable and open to cases of fraud or scams. That’s why it’s important for every business to take the right steps to secure all business data. Here are the possibilities that we recommend.

Research Standards To Remain Compliant

To help protect customers numerous new regulations have been brought in relating to data security. When you are running your business it is important that you remain compliant with these standards and regulations. For instance, you could be running an accounting firm. If that’s the case, you need to make sure that the software you are using is compliant. Accounting practice software that is compliant will be advertised as such so there should be no confusion here.

Hire An IT Support Team

One of the greatest risks for your business data security is the potential of a hack. It’s important to be able to recognize the key signs of a hack and address them accordingly without any delays. That’s why you should think about hiring an IT support team. An IT support team will monitor your network along with your different systems to check for any issues here and ensure that you are not leaving your business vulnerable. They can also guarantee that your business network and anything like your cloud solution is set up correctly from the first day that you decide to enter the market.

Invest In The Right Level Of Training

Next, you should think abou investing in the right level of training in your business model. The best training will ensure that you don’t have to worry about issues with security developing because your team members weren’t able to recognise the signs of a threat. Phishing scams are becoming more common in a range of different industries. The problem with phishing scams is that they will target team members at various different levels. Investing in training can help team members identify phishing scams so they don’t become victims of an attack like this, giving away sensitive data to the wrong source.

Use A Disaster Recovery Service

Finally, while your main goal should always be to prevent a hack, you do need to think about taking the right step after a hack occurs. More often than not, this is going to mean a full disaster recovery. Without the right plan in place this could take weeks or even months and cost your business thousands due to downtime. With a plan, you can get everything back up and running in minutes. You should speak to your IT support team about this possibility. They should be able to provide you with all the right options here that you need.

We hope this helps you understand some of the key steps that must be taken to ensure that your business data does remain secure. In doing so, you can avoid incidents that could obliterate your brand and cause you to lose the support of your clients.

Tips To Improve Safety And Good Health In The Workplace

/in /by

StrategyDriven Risk Management Article |Improve Safety |Tips To Improve Safety And Good Health In The WorkplaceWhen it comes to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace, prevention is better than cure. A safe workplace contributes significantly to your business’ performance and, consequently, your reputation.

What’s more, the costs that your business will incur in case of any injury incidents resulting from inefficient measures are too much. The good news is that similar incidents can be minimized with a good plan and the damages controlled.
Follow the tips in this article to gain valuable insights on some preventive measures to implement in the workplace.

Regular Inspection

Is there any reason to check the workplace after knowing it’s safe?

The answer is yes. While one thorough examination of your business workplace will help you know of any existing and potential causes of risks, regular checks will prevent any unexpected risk surprises.

Seek professional help when conducting inspections. Some of the hazards to check for include;

Biological hazards

These are dangers caused by organisms such as bacteria and viruses.

Physical hazards

Physical dangers at the workplace vary from business to business. However, noise, weather, radiation, and electricity are the most common ones.

Ergonomic hazards

Disorganized workstations can increase the risks of accidents and poor health. For example, improperly adjusted chairs cause lousy posture.

Other workplace hazards to look out for are chemical and safety hazards.

Remember to have reports from all the inspections conducted as they will come in handy when planning for risks and during employee training.

Conduct Routine Safety Trainings All Employees

In a business setup, learning should never stop. So conduct safety training for your employees, even for what you think they know.

Avoid working with assumptions and make sure every person in your business has some safety tips at their fingertips. For example, assuming that all your employees are skilled to handle the different equipment at work is very risky.

Carry out orientations for new employees and interns even if they claim to know. You can also take advantage of this opportunity to organize internal workshops following identifying a new risk or introducing a piece of new equipment. Remind them of self-care tips and the importance of wearing protective gears made of closed cell foam.

Implement and Prioritize a Risk Management Program

Even with the best risk management skills, it is all nothing with no good plan in place for the future. Therefore, the ultimate strategy after identifying risk is to create a program that works towards its management and, eventually, its elimination.

After identifying and contextualizing risks at the workplace, the next step is to analyze and evaluate them critically. This step will help you come up with an effective strategic plan. Then, in the program, note all the measures systematically to reduce distractions and put your business in a better control position.

Conclusion

Times change, and new risks emerge. But If you are flexible and committed to a few readjustments from time to time, this will not be a problem and you will not have your staff organizing workers comp if they are injured and unable to work.  

Additionally, your customers and employees are important human resources for your business. Strive to create a work environment that prioritizes their safety and health at all times.

Flexibility Like No Other: Why the Hybrid Work Model Is the Future

/in /by

StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Hybrid work model|Flexibility Like No Other: Why the Hybrid Work Model Is the FutureDuring the recent pandemic, quarantining meant working remotely to keep businesses productive as the world shut down. As a result, many companies scrambled to support remote workers and keep their company doors open. As a result, management and workers soon discovered remote work offers many benefits. Offering both flexibility and functionality, the hybrid work model is ideal today and in scenarios for the future.

Heads in the Cloud

Supporting remote workers during COVID-19 meant investing in cloud Hybrid Workplace Software to ensure real-time collaboration and updates from any location. Working in the cloud is secure and collaborative with the proper software solutions. As a result, workers appreciate the opportunity to choose their work hours based on their schedules and energy levels. Plus, employees on the go can access work updates from any device, including tablets and smartphones.

Increased Employee Satisfaction

Satisfied employees tend to be more loyal and productive, benefiting businesses by putting in their best efforts each day. A hybrid work model is desirable because workers plan their schedules rather than staying in an office for most of their week. The opportunity to work at home and collaborate at the office is the ideal mix to inspire employees and give them the flexibility to achieve the best possible work-life balance.

Effortlessly Increase Productivity

After generations of management attempting to improve productivity, the hybrid work model is the answer. When employees have greater control over their schedules, they become more productive. In addition, the ability to handle personal responsibilities and work when they have the highest energy levels ensures employees always bring their best when working. Plus, the cloud software helps management and employees stay connected to provide the necessary transparency and ensure projects are completed on schedule.

Improve Mental Health

Supporting optimum mental health is crucial for modern employers in a world filled with unexpected stress, ranging from natural disasters to a pandemic. Offering a hybrid work model gives employees essential time to process stressors without bringing anxiety to the workplace. As a result, employees’ time in the office is more meaningful and collaborative. Additionally, workers away from the office have an equal opportunity to collaborate remotely through cloud software.

Support Continuous Learning

Finally, a hybrid work model supports continuous learning. Consider the time it takes for workers to get dressed and commute to and from work every day. Some employees gain hours in their day when they work remotely. The extra time in a worker’s schedule can be used for continuing education classes, training sessions, and personal enrichment.
Additionally, companies offering educational incentives show they support their team members and want them to succeed. When employees feel valued, they do their best work at all times, which is a competitive advantage for progressive companies that realize the value of adopting a hybrid work model. Team members who continue educational opportunities bring their talents to benefit the business.

Beyond supporting employees’ success, a hybrid work model helps companies maximize resources and save money. Fewer workers in the office mean less space is required and the need for utilities is reduced. Plus, happier workers are more productive, helping companies gain a competitive advantage. Invest in software today to support the inevitable hybrid work model that top talent will demand in the years to come.

How to Increase Your Ability to Connect with Your Customer

/in /by

StrategyDriven Customer Relationship Management Article |Connect your customer|How to Increase Your Ability to Connect with Your CustomerHaving the ability to successfully connect with your customer can mean the difference between a thriving business and a stagnating business. Even if you have the best product in the world, if you can’t communicate effectively with your customer, you may well struggle in selling it. Customer Engagement is a vital component of any business strategy. Generating new leads that actually lead to sales is of paramount importance. Plus, once you have these customers, you need a strategy to get them to stay. To help your business connect with your customer, here are a few ideas:

Research your Target Audience

In order to connect better with people, it helps if you understand a little bit about them. So, it makes sense to research your target audience. You need to pose questions to yourself like what characteristics does my key customer hold, age range, family, gender, etc? Also, delve deeper and work out what their likes and dislikes are, what motivates them what value does your product or service pose in their lives? The more you can learn, the more you can develop better marketing material and improve communication between yourself and the customer too. Use as many sources as possible in your research, from your customer files to social media don’t forget to look at your competitor’s social media accounts too.

Branding

Your brand is your identity and is key to connecting with your customers. Working on your brand is where you develop a recognizable logo and color scheme along with an entire company philosophy. Your logo is an emblem of this philosophy, and when someone sees it, they are meant to conjure images of your company’s personality, culture, core values, and ethics. It is worth creating your brand identity with your key customer profile in mind. You are working for your customer to make their lives better so use this information to your advantage. Think about the things that they like and position yourself against this. If it is sustainability, then ensure you have sustainability at the heart of your business. Your brand acts like a foundation to your content and allows for a joined-up approach. Ensure that you have your brand narrative and creation story clearly shown on your website, so anyone interested in your messages can see that it is a vein that runs through the company as a whole.

Customer Service

If you invest in developing a great customer service team, then you can win around even the angriest customer. Anyone that has an issue will want to contact your company, and your customer service team are the fact of your brand. Ensure that your onboarding process is aligned with your company culture so that you employ the most suitable people. Ensure that your staff have the ability to treat every customer as they come and are not restricted by a script. You need the customer to understand that you see them as an individual. Adiotnaly use services such as het vertaalbureau for translation so that all, customers foreign and domestic can be understood.

Top Tips on Choosing the Right Fulfillment Company for Your eCommerce Store

/in /by

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Fulfillment Company|Top Tips on Choosing the Right Fulfillment Company for Your eCommerce StoreWhether you are new to the eCommerce world or are a keen investor with some extra money for a new business venture, eCommerce fulfillment is a great business to get involved with. eCommerce is only evolving and growing, and in 2021 alone, it is estimated there could be up to 24 million eCommerce stores around the world.

It is extremely easy to set up an eCommerce store, and much cheaper and more practical than setting up a physical store. And there’s no wonder, with over 2.14 billion people browsing and shopping online in 2021.

However, there are some key strategies that you need to know if you want them to be successful.

You can have a great store, a great marketing plan, and a great offering, however, if you do not have your fulfillments in order, then you cannot serve your customers. Without a good fulfillment company, and strategy, you will ruin your reputation and your business is likely to fail. With giants such as Amazon Prime offering quick next day deliveries, and some are even available on the same day, the expectations of customers are the highest they have ever been. Fulfillment is key to your bottom line and a successful eCommerce store.

Here are some top tips to help you get started with your new eCommerce business, and everything you need to know about fulfillment.

What is fulfillment?

Fulfillment can be done in-house or can be contracted out to a third party, but it involves the storing, picking, packing, and shipping of inventory from the warehouse to your customers. There is a lot involved in the fulfillment process before a product can be shipped to a customer. Some of these things include the sourcing of high-quality materials and products, managing the warehouse and the inventory, choosing the right packaging for your product, communication between contractors and staff, and keeping the costs down throughout.

Inventory is the first and most important thing to think about in business. Without an inventory, you cannot fulfill orders for your customers. Some businesses choose to keep the fulfillment process in-house, which means sourcing a warehouse to store all of the inventory, as well as staff members to fulfill the orders. Other businesses choose to outsource the fulfillment process, which is usually with a third party logistics (3PL) provider. This option is not just for large corporations, there are plenty of 3PL for small business contracts.

StrategyDriven's 45 Minute Business Accelerators eBook

Why is it important to pick the best fulfillment company to work with?

Outsourcing this part of your business comes with many benefits, such as allowing you to focus on other areas of your business, broaden your reach and grow into new markets, cheaper operating and shipping costs, and much more. If you choose to fulfill your goods with a third party, then you must pick the best one for your company if you want to reap these benefits. You can have the best product in the world, but if you cannot get it to your customers, it doesn’t matter. The right company can positively contribute to your brand success. It is therefore important to conduct thorough research before signing up with a fulfillment company, to ensure they are the right ones for you. Here are some things to look out for.

Shipping speeds

Modern consumers are expecting fast deliveries, and you have a lot of competition with companies such as Amazon. Make sure you work with a fulfillment company that can offer good delivery times and will stick to its promises. Good shipping speeds are key to the success of the future of your online store. Without good shipping speeds, you risk losing customers as they are more likely to opt to purchase the product with a competitor instead.

Location of the fulfillment company

You will need to know where the location of the fulfillment company is, and ensure that it is in a location whereby the products do not have to travel far. This will help with quicker delivery times, as well as costs. Ideally, they should be located near your target customer base. It can also be helpful to ensure the warehouse is located near ports and main transport routes to more efficiently receive materials and send goods. Depending on the goals of your company, now and in the future, you may also wish to consider if they have warehouses in different locations, and offer a quick and easy global shipping solution. It is also a good idea to visit the warehouse so you can see for yourself how they work to ensure they are a good fit.

Order fulfillment processes and software

When you start and run a business, it is likely that you already have numerous rules, best practices, spreadsheets, software, and processes in place. You will therefore need to ensure that the processes and the software offered by the fulfillment company can easily integrate into your company and values. This is vital because you need full transparency and visibility from the company, so you can keep up-to-date with fulfillments and what is going on with deliveries. This way you can manage customer expectations and trust much better.

Management

The staff and management of the fulfillment company are also key to the success of the partnership. You need to ensure that you get along, the communication is clear and regular, and that your business can get personal attention from them.

When you start or run an eCommerce store, building your brand and trust with customers is vital to the success, and future growth of your business. The fulfillment process is going to play a key role in building trust with your customers, and your reputation. This is because not only do customers expect deliveries quickly, but they also want to be able to track them, and their promise of delivery day and time is kept. If the delivery date offered at checkout is too long, if the delivery is delayed, or if the fulfillment is wrong, then your trust and reputation can quickly be shattered. It is therefore crucial that you conduct your research, speak to different companies and find the best fulfillment company that will work well with your business and keep your interests a priority.