managing your business

A Guide to Buying a Commercial Freezer

March 5, 2021/0 Comments/in Managing Your Business /by StrategyDriven

If you are considering joining the food industry, and you are looking for a merchandiser freezer that will offer you ample long term storage as well as enticing product display, this article will help you find the most practical freezer that will also help minimize the time that consumers take browsing the products that are displayed. For example, a freezer that is designed with glass panes, equipped with sufficient lighting, and is easily accessible is a necessary appliance when you have a high-traffic business. Most freezers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and it is best to choose the one that will be easy to clean and maintain and that is also energy sufficient.

What You Should Know

The following are some things that you need to consider before you buy a merchandiser freezer.

Check The Size

Choosing your fridge should be done with the available storage space in your kitchen or floor in mind. You should be cognizant of the size of your floor plan and storage capacity on the shelves. Moreover, a bigger freezer also means that you will have higher energy costs, so when you are shopping around you need to consider the energy consumption and the size of the freezer.

Number of Doors

Each merchandiser freezer model comes in two different door models that represent the different lengths and storage space capacity. They also have varied mechanisms to open such as sliding or swinging and others come with an automatic mechanism that is ideal for energy saving. If you don’t have much space to move around then you can consider taking one with a sliding door because you won’t have to worry about blocking access to other parts of your display products.

The Type of Features

Nowadays, many freezers come with digital thermostats that are valuable for monitoring temperature and ensure that optimal food storage conditions are maintained at all times. Others come with convenient features such as removable racks for maximizing storage and easier cleaning.

Energy Consumption

When you purchase a commercial freezer you are looking for an appliance that is designed for high volume storage and use, so to save on your energy consumption, you should find one that is certified for energy saving.

Find The Right Supplier

Buying a freezer means that you are looking for quality and a return on your investment. A reputable and qualified supplier is essential to avoid poor performance issues in the future. Most of the ones that offer a long-term investment are more costly, but you shouldn’t let the price dissuade you from buying a quality appliance. As the adage goes, “you have to spend money to make money”.

he Bottom Line

Ideally, you should be shopping for a freezer that will be reliable, yet easy to maintain. Make sure that you know what warranty you are being offered with your freezer in case you find latent defects. You don’t want yourself to be frustrated by issues that should have otherwise been covered by an adequate warranty policy.

A Managed Technology Service Can Help Your Business Succeed

February 26, 2021/0 Comments/in Managing Your Business /by StrategyDriven

When it comes to helping a business succeed, there are a lot of factors to consider. One of those factors is the way technology is used. If there’s too much of it, it can actually get in the way of a good customer experience or relationship due to the impersonal nature of all of it. But if there’s not enough, it can be very difficult to accomplish what needs to be done or even keep up with competitors. Clearly, it’s a balance that’s important and has to be addressed. Here are some things to consider when choosing the technological options that are right for your company.

Not Everything Needs to be Stored On-Site

For many companies, storage for customer data and other information can quickly become overwhelming. But making good use of the IT cloud can change the game. That allows your company to store much of its information somewhere else, so it doesn’t end up with servers that are slow and bogged down, glitches, lost data, and other problems. Too much of a load on your current systems isn’t good for your company or its clients. The IT cloud gives you choices, because you can put all the info in the cloud or choose what’s stored that way and what stays in-house.

Some companies worry about data breaches and related kinds of problems, but there is good protection in most of the larger cloud services — and many of the smaller solutions, as well. While it’s still possible that someone could get into the company’s information, that’s just as much of a risk when keeping the data on your own servers. In some cases it might be even more of a risk, because not all companies have the right kind of security or the level of encryption that a cloud-based IT solution can offer. With the cloud, a business can also get services that are managed and monitored, so they have less to worry about where data is concerned.

Managed solutions Can Make Data Storage Easier and Safer

Among the ways to add security to your company’s data storage is through a managed IT service that can collect, store, and monitor access to information. With managed services, a company can focus on the other aspects of operating the business and worry less about IT issues or whether customer data will be available when it’s really needed. Additionally, it’s easier to control access to information and reduce the chances of large blocks of information being accidentally deleted, lost, or mislabeled.

Companies can control what they want to see handled by their managed IT service, and that makes it easier for those companies to have peace of mind and a strong plan for the future. If a company isn’t sure what services they really need or how to handle those options, they can also work with their provider to get the information they need to make the right choices. Not only does that help protect the company’s customers, but it’s also better at ensuring employees have access to what they need, as well.

Why is it Important to Have the Right Tools as a Business?

February 19, 2021/0 Comments/in Managing Your Business /by StrategyDriven

How long has your business been established for? Have you been operating for a few years or are you one of the almost six million SMEs that have recently set up on their own?

Whether you’re new to being in charge or you’ve been at it for a while, it’s important that you have the right tools in place in order to do the job effectively. This applies to all industries and roles, from office jobs to manual positions on construction sites.

But what makes having the right tools so important? Here’s a look at some of the main reasons to make sure you and your team are fully equipped.

Safety is vital

No matter what sector you work in, the health and safety of you and your employees is a key consideration. While meeting requirements, such as having a fire marshal and getting your team to carry out safety training, is likely to be top of the list, it’s important that you make sure that you’re providing the right tools too.

By working out what tools are needed early on, you can protect staff from workplace hazards and potential injuries that can happen when the wrong instrument is used for the task. For instance, if you’re managing a building site, you’ll need to make sure that fully functioning drills and drill bits are to hand. Old drills that have seen better days will need to be replaced in order to keep workers safe and complete the job.

Cost-effective planning

Planning out the tools you and your team need can seem like a significant expense at first, especially if you’re just starting out. However, by investing in good-quality machinery and tools early on, you are more likely to save money as you won’t need to replace faulty hand tools or second-hand computers shortly after paying for them.

So, if you need to buy a cement mixer for your building work or you’ve hired a graphic designer and need the very latest software and hardware, investing in new machines and computers now will mean you won’t need to think about updating them for a while. It’s worth keeping track of the tools and machinery you invest in so that you know when they might need a service, check, or to be replaced completely.

Boost productivity

Workers can’t do their job well if they don’t have the right tools. If they do have everything to hand, they can work efficiently and be more productive. Providing full socket sets for the mechanics on your team, for example, means that they are more likely to be able to easily replace tyres, getting through more jobs than if they had limited resources.

Maintain your reputation

The wrong tools or missing parts can also be time consuming and, in the worst cases, detrimental. For instance, if you run a handyman company and you and your team are working on a big project, the customer isn’t likely to be happy if their bannister can’t be completed due to a lack of good-quality handheld tools. This can impact on your business and your reputation.

Whether you’re just starting up or you’ve been established for a long time, take the time to assess what tools are required. Do any need replacing? What machinery would benefit the business? This will be time well spent.

Choosing the Best Managed IT Services for Your Business

February 18, 2021/0 Comments/in Managing Your Business /by StrategyDriven

Navigating information technology has become an inescapable part of every modern business, whether it is the size of an industry titan in Silicon Valley, an unassuming mom and pop shop, or anything in between. Some type of IT support is necessary, and if your business doesn’t have the luxury of on-site, tech-savvy support, you may have to outsource for managed IT services.

With a dense saturation of providers to choose from, here are the most important things to consider when seeking managed IT support for your business.

Do They Provide Sufficient Security?

Technologically oriented crime has increased at a staggering rate. Reports of industry giants suffering breaches show up frequently. To keep from being

impacted, you need to consider the standard of security your type of business requires both for your company’s safety and for your clients, vendors, and anyone else whose data you collect.

Can the provider be trusted with your company’s sensitive financial and personal information? Will they effectively encrypt your company’s network to ensure effective activity privacy and monitoring? Do they have a history of failing their customers in terms of data leaks, or are they vigilant in maintaining your protection?

Once you have found a provider that sufficiently meets these criteria, you’re one step closer to having quality managed IT support.

Are They Timely?

Tech emergencies can happen in an instant, and they can create havoc on your production and your systems quickly. In those moments, your company needs an IT service that can resolve the issue in a prompt and efficient manner.

When evaluating companies, ask yourself: Are they available at all hours of the day, every day of the year? If your services may be rendered at any given moment, so too should theirs. No company is immune from technological issues, hiccups, or potential digital attacks. Relying on the expertise of IT technicians whose services are available to you the moment you report an issue is of the utmost importance.

Although there is never a good time for a system glitch, technology often fails the people who use it at the most inopportune moments. Having an IT support team on standby who can resolve issues efficiently is key to maintaining a smooth business practice.

Are They Competent?

Pick the very best of the best that you can afford as a business proprietor. The experts on whom you depend should be exactly that: experts.

The distinction between an amateur who treats your network like a test lab and a storied professional with a distinguished background in providing service to multiple clients seems obvious. However, if you are in the market for an IT provider, take the extra time to weed out the average from the elite. Your business may have oddly specific needs or a wide range of general needs, and it is essential that whomever you outsource your technological dilemmas to is thoroughly equipped and licensed to address these problems.

Do They Meet Your Standards?

You wouldn’t risk providing subpar or thoughtless work to the clients who have employed your services. Therefore, you shouldn’t settle for anything provided by a managed IT support team that wouldn’t meet your highest expectations. Your company deserves tech support that upholds the same standards that you do.

Once you have answered these questions, evaluated the options, and taken the time to vet a reliable provider, your business can grow without your time and attention being divided. You have a secure, efficient, and competent network of experts, and you may now tend to the vital needs of your business without fear of a crash or breach.

Three Ways Property Owners Entice and Retain First-Rate Tenants

February 17, 2021/0 Comments/in Managing Your Business /by StrategyDriven

Have you ever rented to a tenant who refuses to pay rent on time, adhere to rental agreements, or get along with other property residents? If so, then you understand the value of a high-quality resident. Whether you are trying to attract a reliable, considerate tenant with a stable income or are simply trying to keep one, these three techniques will increase your chances of finding a first-rate, long-term tenant.

1. Implement an Effective Tenant Selection Process

Quality residents are easier to find if you have a detailed screening procedure. Do not allow your need for a renter to prevent you from checking an applicant’s income, references, criminal history, previous eviction history and credit rating. Having the potential applicant provide references from previous landlords and employers will give you another opportunity to identify any red flags before generating a lease agreement.

2. Keep Your Property Well Maintained

Regular cleaning, painting, and appliance replacement will make your property look like a nice place to live. Property investment gurus like Paul Daneshrad understand that you must treat your properties as assets. Therefore, a landlord must keep their rental property impeccably maintained if they wish to entice good tenants to stay. Renters who make regular payments enable you to make repairs, comply with building code requirements, pay utilities and taxes, and supply other services to residents. You do not want to tick them off a tenant by not promptly responding when they inform you that something is broken. Keeping up with maintenance schedules and maintaining your property will reduce the likelihood of things breaking.

3. Use Effective Communication Strategies

Approachable, frequent, and clear landlord-tenant communication will help you build positive relationships. It is especially considerate for you to show flexibility in how you communicate with tenants, as some people prefer emails, texts or phone calls. Make yourself available in person and through all three of these communication modes. High-quality residents will want to stay long-term if you are easy to reach in the event of an emergency. Providing your tenant with a 24/7 contact goes a long way to building a trusting, professional relationship that will last.

Reliable and responsible tenants are hard to find, and not keeping them long-term can make your property management experience difficult. If you are choosy in your selection process, impeccably maintain your property, and practice frequent and clear communication, you are more likely to attract a trustworthy resident.

StrategyDriven Entrepreneurial Insights

April 14, 2021/in EB - Entrepreneur /by StrategyDriven

This week’s actionable entrepreneurial insights from StrategyDriven’s world renown business and leadership experts:

Entrepreneurship

Women Leading Women: The Future of Entrepreneurship

There’s a lot of talk in corporate circles about inclusivity and empowering women in business. But why is it that so much of this talk is coming from male business leaders?...
Important Steps For A Successful Sole Proprietorship

If you have an entrepreneurial spirit and are the sole proprietor of a business, you know that it is just as important to offer an excellent product or service as it is to understand the business side of your chosen pursuit....
5 Starting Tips for Entrepreneurs

Setting up a new business is an exciting move for any professional entrepreneur, but getting into the right headspace and doing the appropriate planning before you begin is key for success....
Follow these Rules if you Want to Become a Successful Entrepreneur

If you are thinking about becoming a business owner, then you are probably wondering what it takes....

Starting Your Business

Key Costs Of Business Expansion You Need To Be Prepared For

Expanding your business is incredibly exciting, but it’s also a huge risk....
How To Set Up the Perfect Therapy Office

Having the perfect office can make your therapeutic sessions a lot better....

Expanding Your Professional Business Without Compromising

Realizing that it's time to expand your professional services business is a big moment....
8 Super Tips to Grow Your Small Business Today

If you’re a small business owner, you probably understand that it takes proper planning, flexibility, and excellent organizational skills to succeed....
Three Qualities Your Medical Practice Can’t Be Without

Running a medical practice is quite unlike almost any other kind of business you could be involved in....

Managing Your People

Why Should Businesses Embrace Offering More Virtual Work Experience Placements?

Over the last year, more aspects of our lives have gone virtual than we could have ever imagined....

Managing Your Finances

Government Funding Can Elevate Your Business: But Know What You’re Getting Into

Funding is always at the top of mind for small business owners. From startup costs to expansion, your current cash flow dictates how you structure your business and plan for the future....

Online Marketing and Website Development

Building A Friendly Digital Marketing Plan For 2021

Forbes magazine wrote early on in the pandemic, and further identified that a key component in responding to the crisis lies in digital transformation....
How social media can help build brands

In its short, 30-year history, the internet has come to transform almost all areas of modern life – everything from how and where we work to the way we shop and find/watch media....
Using Digital Marketing To Line Your Own Pockets

There is a lot that needs to be considered when it comes to digital marketing today! If you want to make sure that your business stands out from the crowd, there are a number of things you must do....

StrategyDriven Expert of the Week

Sharon Drew Morgen, author of Dirty Little Secrets, is the Founder of Morgen Facilitations, a sales training, consulting, and decision facilitation firm. Sharon Drew is the visionary and thought leader behind Buying Facilitation^®, the new sales paradigm that focuses on helping buyers manage their behind-the-scenes, offline, buying decisions. She has served many well known companies including: KPMG, Unisys, IBM, Wachovia, and Bose. Sharon Drew is the author of The New York Times Business Bestseller, Selling with Integrity, and the new bestseller, Dirty Little Secrets, as well as five other books and hundreds of articles that explain different aspects of the decision facilitation model that teaches buyers how to buy.

Listen to StrategyDriven Podcast Special Edition 39a – An Interview with Sharon Drew Morgen, author of Dirty Little Secrets, part 1 of 2

Greer Trucking

April 5, 2020/in Featured Service Provider, Managing Your Business, Service Provider, Tactical Execution, Trusted Partner Service Provider /by StrategyDriven

Greer Trucking

Greer Trucking was started in 1960 by Jerry Greer, an Army veteran and long-time trucking industry mainstay. After working multiple roles across several trucking firms, Jerry took the entrepreneurial leap of faith and ventured out on his own to start his namesake company; and has never looked back.

Over the years, Jerry grew the organization from a sole proprietorship with one truck to a well-respected and reliable national industry service provider with multiple partners and employees.

Today Greer Trucking continues to serve our clients with the same determined spirit Jerry possessed when he started the firm. After over 50 years in business our mission remains unchanged. Our customers, many who have been with us for several decades, are the lifeblood of Greer Trucking and we will always strive to provide them the best air freight and logistics services in the industry.

If you are in the process of expanding your logistics or air freight operations or looking for a firm to service your needs, we would love the opportunity to earn your business. As we like to say to our customers- current and future, when you’re considering a company for your trucking and logistics needs, Go with Greer!

Contact Greer Trucking

Phone: 4047687300

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.greertrucking.com

StrategyDriven Service Provider Network Provider Network Disclaimer

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Forum

March 22, 2020/in General /by StrategyDriven

Successful businesses require well-managed, efficient internal processes…

Well-run internal processes enable business leaders to focus on culture and employees, market changes and innovations, as well as envisioning the company’s future…

While often appearing mundane and bothersome, internal or back-office processes keep a company moving. Their health and efficiency is as important to the enterprise as acquiring new customers and fending off marketplace competitors. Indeed, these very processes may be the key to achieving success in both of these areas… they were for Walmart, Dell, Southwest Airlines and many others.

Businesses grind to a halt without sound operational practices. Effective and efficient core business functions including strategic and tactical planning, innovation, operations/production, procurement and partnerships, customer service, and information technology contribute significantly to overall success. (So do finance, human resources, and marketing and sales as covered in other StrategyDriven forums.)

Each core business function is itself a complex topic, commonly served by whole divisions or departments within large companies. For the entrepreneur and small/mid-sized enterprise, these functions require no less attention but are typically not surrounded by the weighty policies and programs necessitated by massive scale.

StrategyDriven and members of our Service Providers Network stand ready to support entrepreneurs whatever their circumstances and to the degree they desire. From online advice to direct consultation and the provision of services, we are an entrepreneur’s most trusted partner.

Focus of the Managing Your Business Forum

The StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Forum presents the sound operational practices managing core business functions such as strategic and tactical planning, innovation, operations/production, procurement and partnerships, customer service, and information technology. Note that insights associated with financial functions can be found in the Managing Your Finances Forum, those associated with the human resources function within the Managing Your People Forum, and those associated with the marketing and sales function within the Online Marketing and Website Development Forum.

Articles

Total Access StrategyDriven Insights Library Subscribers can access all of the articles listed below. Sample Library Subscribers can access those articles annotated as [SL]

Not yet a StrategyDriven Insights Library Subscriber? Click here to learn more.

Featured StrategyDriven Expert Contributor Articles

Keep Your Workplace From Going Viral by Glenn Greeley
How We Prioritize at Sticker Mule by Anthony Constantino
How Start-Ups Stay Up – How I Run My Small Business by David M. Offen, Esq.

The StrategyDriven Team

Headquartered in Acworth, Georgia, StrategyDriven provides affordable business consultations in Atlanta, the Southeast, throughout the United States, and around the World. Our world class advisors are recognized leaders in their chosen fields.

To learn more about StrategyDriven’s team of seasoned business executive contributors, click here.

Kim Ades

Kim Ades is President of Frame of Mind Coaching and one of North America’s foremost experts on performance through thought management.

Christopher Conner

Christopher Conner, President ofFranchise Marketing Systems has been in the franchise industry since 2002 working with several hundred different franchise systems in management, franchise sales and franchise development work.

Jeffrey Gitomer

Jeffrey Gitomer is the New York Times bestselling author of Little Red Book of Selling, the best-selling sales book of all time.

Nathan Ives

Nathan Ives is a renown Fortune 500 business advisor and author of Discovering Business Gold, used to identify over $200 million in operational cost savings.

Hank Moore

Hank Moore is a renown business advisor, speaker, and author of The Business Tree, revealing his trademarked approach to growing, strengthening, and evolving business.

The StrategyDriven Entrepreneur

November 29, 2019/in General /by StrategyDriven

The StrategyDriven Entrepreneur…

Focused, driven, purposeful… bringing products and services to the market that others have only dreamed of… leaving their mark on the world.

The StrategyDriven Entrepreneur is a uniquely talented individual, motivated to move beyond the confines of corporate America to make an indelible impact on the world around them. These entrepreneurs accept the risks and challenges involved with building an enterprise; believing in themselves, their team, and their ideas.

Starting and running an entrepreneurial enterprise presents a unique set of uncertainties and challenges. As no one person can know all there is to know about your products and/or services; the marketplace; marketing, sales, and delivery of your product and/or services; your business operations, finances, and talent acquisition and management; and the regulatory environment; as well as your resource limitations and other constraints, you need direct sources of actionable insight to assist you in following the road to success and avoiding the paths of failure.

StrategyDriven recognized the need to provide actionable information tailored to small and mid-sized business entrepreneurs to help them successfully navigate the challenges of such enterprises. Within the several Entrepreneurship forums (described to the right), we’ve amassed the proven, real-world tested, actionable insights needed to support your ongoing success from business startup to exit.

In addition to our vast online library, the StrategyDriven Entrepreneurial Insights newsletter delivers new thought leadership to you every week via email – available at your desk or while on the go – supporting you wherever and whenever you need. Subscribing to the StrategyDriven Entrepreneurial Insights is FREE… so why not do it now and gain access to the actionable information needed to take your business to the next level?

StrategyDriven Entrepreneurial Insights Sign-up

Entrepreneurship Forums

Materials in the Entrepreneurship forums provide insights and practical actions small and mid-sized business ventures and their leaders can take to expand sales, heighten productivity, and accelerate growth within the following topical areas:

Entrepreneurship: Personal qualities, characteristics, considerations, and actions embodied by the successful entrepreneur
Starting Your Business: Considerations, planning, and actions needed to minimize startup risk and accelerate the new business launch
Managing Your Business: Programmatic enhancements to optimize business operations post startup; ensuring long-term success
Managing Your People: Programs and practices enhancing overall workforce productivity, creativity, and engagement as well as how to acquire and retain top talent
Managing Your Finances: Practices to ensure near and long-term financial stability, capital optimization, and overall company financial viability
Online Marketing and Website Development: Methods to brand, market, and sell products and services leveraging the power of the internet via social media, search engines, and the company’s website