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A Guide to Being a Great Manager in Manufacturing

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StrategyDriven Management and Leadership Article | A Guide to Being a Great Manager in ManufacturingBeing a manager is not an easy job, especially in manufacturing, where there are lots of moving parts that you need to be aware of. To make sure that your manufacturing operations can run smoothly and that your business can reach success, here are some top tips to ensure that you can expertly manage your processes and your employees.

Get the Right Supplies

The basis of any successful manufacturing company is its supply chain’s effectiveness and the quality of the materials that it uses, and it is up to you as a manager to ensure that you can find and buy the right supplies for your business. For instance, at GF Laser, their precision metal laser cutting services can allow you to get the metal that you need for any project that you are working on, including sheet metal. This will ensure that all of your engineering needs are met no matter your company’s requirements.

Hire and Train the Right Staff

However, a large part of being a manager is having employees to manage, and a large part of your responsibilities is being able to hire the right staff members for your business. You should then hone your recruitment drives, spruce up your interview questions, and ensure that you use the correct HR software to enable you to find the best team for your company. You also need to prioritize these employees’ training by sending them on external schemes and ensuring that every person knows how to use the equipment in your factory.

Focus on Safety

As a manager, it is your job to keep both your employees and your clients safe. Then, you should create a health and safety policy and make sure that this is enforced within the workplace, check that your employees have been properly trained before they get onto the factory floor, and ensure that equipment is regularly maintained and checked for any damage it might have sustained. Health and safety is also particularly important in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, with there being an increase in awareness of infectious diseases in the workplace.

Create High-Quality Goods

Although you might believe that it is your job as a manager to make sure that you deliver goods quickly, it is even more important to create high-quality goods for your clientele. This means that you should focus on improving your manufacturing processes and increasing their precision. You can do this by encouraging your employees to work to a high standard, investing in the right equipment, and by constantly collecting ad analyzing data, and conducting quality checks throughout the working day.

Constantly Innovate

Manufacturing firms need to innovate if they are going to stay successful in the future, and a lot of this innovation falls to the manager of the firm. Then, you should constantly research and find the money to invest in new gadgets and equipment and manufacturing intelligence software that can help your operations go smoothly. You should also consider developing the products and services you offer, finding better ways to meet your client’s needs, and wants.

Three Pieces of Shipping Equipment Your Business Should Consider Investing In

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StrategyDriven Tactical Execution Article | Three Pieces of Shipping Equipment Your Business Should Consider Investing InFor many businesses, shipping equipment is an afterthought. They are more concerned with their actual product, that they do not spend a lot of time thinking about the products they use to wrap up, ship up, or transport their items in. As a business owner, there are a variety of different types of shipping equipment and products that can make your life easier and help to ensure your products arrive at the destination in pristine condition. Here are a few of the pieces of shipping equipment that your business should consider investing in and how they can help to improve your business.

Custom Pallets and Skids

Pallets and skids are a base or foundation that you can stack your products on as you prepare to ship a mass load to a business or location. While pallets and skids are pretty standard, not every pallet or skid works for every product. Your products may be extremely heavy, and a traditional pallet cannot support the weight of the items you are placing on top of it. Your items may also be awkward shaped, and you may need something longer or wider than a traditional pallet or skid. Having custom pallets or skids created helps to ensure that you can properly stack your products to preparing them for shipping, without having the pallet break or run the risk of awkwardly sized items tumbling off the pallet during shipping.

Vapor Barriers

Another piece of shipping equipment that your company should consider investing in is vapor barriers. Some items are more susceptible to weather elements, including temperature changes and humidity. The humidity can get in your packaging and cause an item to rust or eat away at the finish. A vapor barrier can be custom made to fully protect your products so that they remain safe during the shipping and transportation process, no matter what type of weather elements the drive runs into.

Custom Packaging Material

The final type of custom shipping equipment that your business should consider investing in is custom packaging material. This includes boxing and foam to properly protect your items during the transportation process. Items that are not properly packaged can bounce around during transport. Your customers may get broken items. Buying custom packaging materials helps to ensure that your item is protected inside the box and the box properly fits the item being shipped or transported, to dramatically decrease the chances of damage occurring during the shipping or transport process.

There are many different types of shipping equipment that can help to make your life easier when you are shipping out the items you make and/or that can ensure that your items arrive at your buyers’ location without being damaged. If you are ready to learn more about the various types of shipping equipment that are available or you are ready to place an order for items that may be beneficial to your business, located a trusted shipping company that can help get you started.

What Is POS Software and Why Is It Important?

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StrategyDriven Tactical Execution Article | What Is POS Software and Why Is It Important?The global POS software market was $12.23 billion in 2018. The market is expected to grow by a CAGR of 15.1% within the next seven years.

A point-of-sale system can transform your business by providing a comprehensive solution to everyday issues. If you’ve been dealing with human errors, unrecorded sales, and faulty inventories, POS software can help.

So, what is POS software, and why do you need it in your business? Here’s is our detailed guide on the point of sale software (POS) and its importance.

What Is POS Software?

Point-of-Sale software is the system eCommerce and brick-and-mortar stores use to execute sales. To understand POS better, you can consider it as an advanced cash register that gets combined with a computer. It allows cashiers to input customer orders and tally the involved costs, even before consummating the final financial transaction.

A POS system can incorporate other systems or software like the eCommerce platforms and accounting apps to expand the capability and flexibility of a business. As such, the POS software definition revolves around its primary purpose, which is processing sales.

POS software does more than sales processing. Here are some of the roles played by the POS system software:

  • Customer data management
  • Analytics
  • Inventory tracking
  • Sales monitoring and reporting
  • Employee management
  • Robust integrations
  • Mobile connectivity

On top of different roles, there are different types of POS software, too. Read more on that below.

Types of POS Software

POS software is in two types: cloud-based and on-premise. For the on-premise POS system, you need to be within the location if you want to use it. Terminals are the leading on-premise POS.

With cloud-based POS, you’re assured of flexibility as it allows you to use any compatible and connected devices for easy access to the dashboard. This system is preferable as it will enable you to execute sales and check your business even when you are miles away.

Some other types of POS system software that fall within the category include:

Mobile POS

A mobile POS can be used in-store or outside a shop. It manages and processes payments besides having other functions that include inventory tracking. The mobile POS is ideal for small businesses or sole entrepreneurs due to its affordability, ease of operation, and setup.

Desktop

A POS system running on a desktop is an on-premise solution, often in a checkout station. If you go for the best hardware version, the desktop POS will prove reliable and robust. However, it’s quite bulky, and you can’t move around with it.

Open Source POS

Open-source software allows businesses to create custom solutions using their source code. Business owners can create the open-source POS system with external contributors, or internally. This type of POS system software is ideal for companies that have a variety of technical resources.

POS Apps

POS Apps can work with any compatible devices or hardware for easy access to data and management of business operations. POS apps are best for a business that want customizability and flexibility.

Multichannel POS

A multichannel POS integrates with several commerce channels, which is one of its most sought-after capabilities. The channels are usually the third-party online marketplace, your website, pop-up shops, stores, wholesale, event sale, and many other channels. This POS is best for eCommerce merchants selling in-person or the multichannel online brands.

Why Is POS Software Important?

If you’ve been asking ‘what is POS system,’ there you have it. So, why is POS software essential for business owners? Here are some of the benefits you stand to enjoy if you have the best POS software:

Time-Saving

Your POS system keeps track of the movement of goods within and outside the store. The system will keep you updated on your stock. It further submits relevant orders to suppliers when you’re almost running out of inventory.

POS software also makes it easier to retrieve information about a particular product. You’ll reduce the waiting time, which is a plus in customer service.

Employee Management

On average, the cost of losing a worker to turnover is about 33 percent of an employee’s compensation. It is crucial to embrace tools that improve how you relate to your team. POS software is a managerial tool that can help in establishing the right reward criteria.

Consequently, your workers will be more enthusiastic and effective. Customer service will improve, and the sales will rise. If you’re looking for a tool that will be a resource in your employee management, consider the point-of-sale software.

Avert Mistakes

The entire system will be automatically updated if you make price changes. You don’t have to worry about inconsistencies as everything will be the same across the platform. With POS, it will be hard to contest with customers over inaccurate pricing.

Sales Report

POS software gives you an overview of your business processes as it keeps a cashflow record. If you need data on any product, you’ll find it effortlessly. The POS system saves crucial information about your company’s financial status, sales, and inventory.

With such data, it easy to have a realistic short-term budget. You can also make several predictions based on the reports.

Reduced Thefts

Theft from either customers or employees is one of the main concerns of retail stores. The POS system gives you control of your products. Strong tracking of items hinders common theft.

Invest in POS Software and Watch Your Business Thrive

Improving the sales process is a dream for many business owners. Despite embracing several tools to increase efficiency, many people are not familiar with POS. So, what is POS software in a nutshell?

POS software is a central component for businesses. The benefits of POS software are irresistible. From increasing the efficiency of processes to improving customer service, you need to get the best POS software for your company.

Our blog is all about businesses. Keep exploring for a range of articles on marketing, strategy, management, and execution, among other business-related topics.

Will You Take These Services up on Their Offers?

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In order to stay ahead of the competition your business must utilise the best options offered to it. In this day and age, there are a whole host of companies and services at your disposal to make use of in order to make sure you’re getting the best assistance and the best value for money. Maybe it’s time you took a look at some of the services below and how they can help your business succeed, better their area and field, and how they too can better your wallet.

Virtual receptionists are an example of just how much technology has killed, or begun to kill, the professions of old. VRs take it upon themselves to simply answer calls, but do so in a manner that could make the need for a receptionist a thing of the past. They mean a call is never missed; they retain the ‘unique-ness’ of your business by answering and responding in a way that you tell them to; they are open 24/7 which can mean you are perceived as being ‘open’ 24/4 by any ringing customers; and they are cheap — some offering their services for a mere quarter of what you’d pay a receptionist per month. Also, advances in cleaning and hygiene services have improved two-fold. Also, with janitorial services offering an effective clean and hygiene levels that blow a quick vac and polish out of the water, the need for an in-house janitor or cleaning team may be over. But are there cons to utilising such services?

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A big one is that they could take a job off of someone who has done it for years and proved themself to be extremely loyal. It could be tough for you to get rid of a trusted employee in order to replace them with a service, but it’s your business, and you must do what’s best for it. if a service offers much more, for the same or even less of the price, then it’s a no brainer.

Something else that joins the whole host of things that have been killed by technology is the need for cold, hard cash. Merchant Services, a type of bank account that allows businesses to accept payments in a multiple of technology driven ways, means that trips to the bank for coins and notes may soon become a redundant exercise. With the pace of change in the U.S. payment market showing that over the past five years the credit card has proved itself to be the generally preferred method of payment, merchant services are ones that must be optimised if a business owner wishes to retain custom. This means you should have a card reader and atm machine on site at all times so that you are able to take a customer’s payment when they don’t have notes or spare shrapnel on their person.

So, there you have it. A few modern day services that are on offer to you, the business of owners of today. It’s now up to you whether you take them up on their offers.

Benefits Of Migrating To Cloud Computing

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article | Benefits Of Migrating To Cloud Computing

More and more companies are moving their data to the cloud. The benefits of cloud-based computing are substantial and companies of all sizes and sectors are able to access these advantages.

Migration is the moving all of your data and applications away from a physical IT infrastructure onto a digital one is called cloud computing.

But, before you think of fully migrating to Cloud storage, you first need to consider an IT equipment disposal plan through a server disposal service provider or company. Here in Newark CA, there’s an expert by the name of “Dataknox” that offers complete equipment disposition, reverse logistics & equipment buyback, Cloud and asset management services.

However, some companies are still reticent to embrace cloud computing due to a number of concerns. They may not trust a solely, cloud-based system, fearing that it is more vulnerable to a cyber attack. Some companies do not like the thought of being beholden to an internet connection to run all of their key services.

Moving your IT functions to the cloud has a number of benefits:

  • Cost reduction
  • Scalability
  • Unlimited storage
  • Business continuity and disaster recovery options
  • Automation of common tasks
  • Security
  • Agile response
  • Increased uptime
  • Eco-conscious compared to standard IT systems

The most well-known cloud providers include Microsoft Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud. The type of contract chosen depends on the storage and performance needs of the company.

Gartner’s research states that 83% of companies will be using cloud-based platforms bt the end of 2020. The industry itself is thought to be worth $240 billion annually.

Cost Reductions

Traditional IT systems use more hardware, which raises the overall cost of buying, installing, and maintaining your IT system. IBM estimated that IT labor costs are reduced by over 50% when a company switches to cloud computing.

By using a specialist such as cdsla.com to manage migration, you can further reduce costs by transferring your data and applications quickly and efficiently, causes little to no disruption to your services.

Reduce Downtime

Downtime is bad for business. It can cost companies money and their reputation. Standard, physical IT systems experience 4 times more downtime than cloud-based systems.

When deciding whether or not to move to cloud computing, consider how the impact of your IT systems going down for any length of time would affect you.

Scalability

Your cloud services can expand or contract in response to your business needs. This allows companies to adapt to changes without having to spend money on hardware to cope with temporary increases in demand.

If there is a sudden increase in demand for services, a cloud-based system can cope with these without any interruption.

Environmentally Friendly

The advent of cloud computing has decreased data center energy consumption by almost 40%. That is a huge reduction and one that can be further improved as more businesses move to the cloud.

Business Continuity

If there was a sudden emergency that stopped you accessing your place of business, or affected your data (such as a ransomware attack), how would you deal with it? Cloud computing can allow you to fail-over to backups almost instantly as part of a robust business continuity plan.

If someone is threatening to hold your data hostage unless you pay them, you simply failover to your backup systems.