Business Tech

Whether you’re a small business owner, entrepreneur, or run a startup that’s just finding its way in the business world, business digital solutions should be your top priority. This is because digital software solutions make your processes efficient enough to give you a competitive advantage over more established small businesses.

The digital software solution tips for entrepreneurs and business owners that we share in this article can be adapted to suit a wide range of business models, regardless of what business or service you offer, so keep reading.

1. Call Center Software

If you run your own call center, Bright Pattern’s call center software makes it possible for all your call centers to be working at all hours of the day. This then allows your sales team to offer excellent customer service and phone support to your callers. Bright Pattern’s call center software solution can be easily integrated with your current CRM system. What’s more, the customer data that you can glean through this integration further allows you to give your customers an unparalleled customer experience.

Additionally, Bright Pattern’s contact center solution is compatible with major CRMs including Salesforce, Oracle Service Cloud, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and Zendesk. With a good CRM, you can organize your workflow, keep track of your sales, manage your client list, and deliver exceptional customer support.

2. Cloud Storage Solutions

Cloud storage has significantly changed how most companies access and store their data. Cloud storage solutions allow business owners to store their applications and data on remote servers. These servers are secure and allow small businesses to access data either through a private network connection or through the public internet. A third-party cloud provider maintains these servers and allows you secure data access when you need it.

Financially speaking, cloud storage solutions are an inexpensive storage option when compared to using on-premise storage networks or hard drives. What’s more, when it comes to storage space, computer hard drives are limited in the amount of data that they can store. The implication of this being that when they run out of storage space you will need to transfer your data files to an external storage area network.

If a majority of your workforce works remotely, cloud storage solutions such as the ones offered by DropBox, Google Drive, and OneDrive provide your workforce an easy way to access work information from their virtual workstations. This allows for quick deployment of working solutions, and increased scalability in the way that information is managed within your organization.

3. CyberSecurity

Cybersecurity is a digital solution that every small business owner should take seriously. Businesses of all sizes are susceptible to cyberattacks, making it important for every company to be aware of the cyber threats that it faces, and having resources in place to make themselves secure.

Conducting regular penetration tests is a great way to test your company’s security systems. Penetration tests mimic the techniques that hackers use to check for potential vulnerabilities. By mimicking the type of cyber attack a cybercriminal is likely to use (malware attacks, password strength standards, identity theft), you can make the relevant security updates to your system, stopping cyberstalkers and cyber criminals before they attack.

Antivirus software is another important cybersecurity solution that alerts you to malicious malware attacks. One common type of malware is the Chromium virus which has been tormenting PC and MAC users for a while. Chromium is a web browser application that is programmed to tamper with your computer’s settings. What’s more, because it adds unwanted programs to your Google Chrome browser, it can be difficult to uninstall.

Antivirus software can also scan email attachments to prevent employees from falling victim to phishing attacks. Phishing is a form of social engineering where a cybercriminal pretending to be a trusted person or entity deceives their victim by tricking them into opening a text message, email, or instant message. In most cases, personal information such as social media login details, credit card numbers, and other user data are stolen.

4. Video Conferencing Solutions

With more people working from home during the COVID-19, the need for video conferencing solutions has become a fast staple for businesses that need to touch base regularly. If your business model is such that you have remote teams spread out across different time zones, video conferencing tools like Skype Meet Now, Google Meet, Zoom, Bluejeans, and Cisco Webex can allow these teams to converge seamlessly. As long as each team member has a strong internet connection, side issues like sickness, commute delays, and distance will not affect your daily output.

If you plan to expand your business in the future, making sure that your company is digitally mature is a great first step towards meeting this goal. What’s more, the digital space is in a state of constant evolution, so staying savvy with the current digital trends is a great way to keep your business relevant in today’s market.

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It can prove challenging for business owners to sleep sound without knowing how their businesses are doing.  Access security systems are incredibly vital and come in handy in ensuring that your business runs smoothly.

Above all, your employees and everyone inside the building, including all vital documents, are safe from any potential threat.

Why does your company need to utilize access control security systems?

To enhance security

Let’s face it, the traditional security measures such as keys and padlocks can’t keep away intruders and potential spies. The access control security systems are more reliable and keep everything and everyone away from harm. With access control security systems, you can rest assured that your company is not accessible to people with ill intentions.

To acquire information that will help enhance security

Constant monitoring will help your security team identify the best ways to seal any security loopholes. They will be better positioned to establish the best security measures that are ideal for your business.

To secure sensitive data

As a business owner, you understand the dangers of exposing sensitive data.  Access control systems are the best ways to hide such information. Only authorized members will be allowed inside the areas that carry sensitive information.

Apart from securing data, you also get to keep all vital assets in check. By regulating the access to any critical assets, you get to keep everything in check.

Here are the types of access control systems

Electromagnetic access control systems

This system does not have interconnecting parts, and this makes it very easy to install and operate. It provides an adequate level of security due to constant electrical currents. In this system, release protocols are in the form of keypads, wristbands, and swipe cards.

Electromechanical access control systems

Under this system, doors and drawers can only open upon the activation of the system. The release protocols are similar to those of the electromagnetic system.  They can operate as fail-safe as well as fail secure. Fail-safe requires power to remain active, while fail-secure requires power to release the lock.

Standalone locking systems

As the name suggests, they do not communicate with other security networks inside the office or even the building. Instead, they are independent.

Integrated systems

These are ideal for your business because all things work together, making it easy for users to operate it. However, it is expensive to install because it needs software that can reach out to many systems.

Here is the methodology of access control systems 

Access control systems connect with other security systems with smartphone-based, cloud-based, or even IoT based systems. Here is how the access control methodology is arrived at.

Authorization

Firstly, authorization takes place. This is the procedure of determining who gets clearance to what. After this vital step comes management. Here access to secure areas is controlled. Depending on the protocols of the company, the administrator activates or cancels access to the area.

Authentication

Authentication then follows immediately after the management phase. Here, one must present the credentials that help prove that an individual is authorized to be inside the building or a restricted area.

Audit

Here, everything that transpired is recorded. Information about who came in and out is kept. You are likely to secure information about the credentials that were denied access. Access is the final stage. It’s the process of unlocking the door if the credentials of the person seeking access match the authorization list.

To wrap

No company can survive a day without access control security systems. These systems play a crucial of improving the business, hence increasing profits.

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When it comes to starting a business, you generally can’t go wrong with starting a business in a Miami. That’s because the city offers so many benefits to business owners, according to travel and business afficionado Brian Ferdinand in a recently published article For instance, Miami-Dade County offers an excellent geographical location that positions it for winning global and regional investments. In addition, the county offers a skilled and diverse workforce. Let’s take a peek at many of the area’s other benefits for today’s entrepreneurs.

Why Start a Business in Miami?

In the recent article, Brian Ferdinand, the managing partner of SoBeNY and its parent company, CorpHousing Group, explains that the Miami area is one of the world’s most diverse cities. After all, Miami-Dade County houses 2.5 million people in 35 cities, and these resident speak a whopping 104 languages.

However, the area’s diversity isn’t the only perk that it has to offer. The county also offers a top-level infrastructure and is an excellent location for trading goods with the Caribbean and Latin America. In addition, because Miami is situated between South and North America, it is also these Americas’ cargo gateway and is well positioned to experience higher levels of trade from Africa, Europe, and Asia as well. In fact, the area has consistently ranked among the most popular customs districts throughout the United States.

Also, the fact that Miami remains a major destination for global tourists may especially be appealing to you if you’re thinking about starting a business in the tourism industry. After all, Miami’s port happens to be the world’s cruise capital, serving as the home of seven cruise lines and more than 20 cruise ships.

Other Benefits of Being an Entrepreneur in Miami

If you intend to operate a global business in Miami, you can take consolation in the fact that Miami-Dade County houses 70-plus trade offices and foreign consulates, as well as more than 1,100 multinational corporations. In addition, the Miami port is the state’s top port for cargo containers, as it does business with more than 200 ports located in 100 nations.

Also, note that the international airport in Miami is number one among airports in the United States that handle international freight. It is also number two among airports that handle international passengers. As a result, you couldn’t ask for a better place to do international business in the months and years ahead.

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Despite the fact that we are seeing so many businesses close their doors, now is in fact a great time for you to launch your very own company. The reason for this is that those business which have closed have left gaps in the market which need to be filled, not to mention the fact that so many staff and so much infrastructure for businesses is now available from those which have gone. The issue which many of you will be faced with the is getting the right funding for the business, but there are in fact multiple ways in which you can do this, let’s take a look.

Equipment Financing

A good friend of mine works at Sertant Capital and she often talks to me about the benefits of taking on equipment financing. As the name suggests, the idea is that the business borrows money purely for the equipment which it needs to get set up with. This can free up liquid capital for the business and because of the nature of the loan, it can also give the borrowing power in the future, should they need additional support.

Bootstrapping

The idea behind bootstrapping the funding for your business is basically a DIY approach which means that you take on zero credit. This could mean that you use savings for your business, borrow from friends or family or perhaps even reach out for some crowdfunding. There are of course clear benefits to taking on this kind of funding, but we have to remember that it is also one of the more difficult ways to approach the business.

Traditional Route

There is always the traditional route of taking on a bank loan for your business venture, and this is still one of the most common ways in which you can go about getting funding for the business. banks offer some of the best rates with regards to interest and because of the fact that they want to get their money back, they will work with businesses and try to help them in any capacity that they can. Banks offer a very solid and favorable funding option which could be the perfect way for you to get that business up and running.

Venture Capital

If you have a new idea or an exciting startup in a fast growing sector then you may be able to look towards angel investment for your support and for your funding. A venture capital is someone who backs these young business and that usually involves buying a stake in the firm. They will then use the experience which they have in the industry to power you and the business to new heights, because of course the better that you do, the better that they do too, because they have a stake in the business.

These are the ways in which you can secure funding for your business in the coming year, and remember just how great an opportunity we have right now.

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As a business owner, you are very careful when it comes to hiring people to work for your company. You want to ensure that they are the perfect fit and that they have the specific skills you are looking for. Your business depends significantly on the people you hire, which is why you keep your eyes open for the best you can employ. Once you have come up with your dream team, you will naturally want to retain them for as long as possible.

One of the things you need to be looking for is loyalty, which can only be achieved if you give your employees all the reasons to continue working with you. There are several ways of keeping your employees content, and as an employer, you should utilise these ways. Successful business owners have methods of displaying appreciation, which is something that employees look for. One practical way is planning an office party to celebrate excellent work, along with a funfair stall for hire to complete the party atmosphere. Apart from this, there are other ways to retain the services of your employees.

Entrust them with responsibility

Micromanaging is a common practice of business owners who want to make sure that every task needed for the business is accomplished precisely the way they want it. This is understandable, but it also makes an employee feel like they are not trusted enough. The reason you hire people is to make them work on specific areas of your business where you feel they excel. An employee will appreciate being given the responsibility and trusting that it will be done accordingly. It goes without saying that you must also be there to help when needed.

Give them respect

Employees are just like anyone else who cannot be happy in a place where they are disrespected. Treating your employees with respect shows that you recognise their talents and hard work. If there is any need to speak to them about certain issues concerning their work, it is best done in privacy to avoid embarrassment. The manner of communication should be one that is professional and by no means degrading. Respect also means listening to explanations and whatever else they need to express. It is always best to keep in mind that there could be reasons behind any issue.

Allow them time to relax

Employees also need to have some time to relax. While you expect them always to provide their best performance, certain circumstances may call for a bit of time out. Breaks in between working hours are necessary so that employees can take a breather and have the chance to recharge and perform even better. No matter how efficient anyone can be, there is a point where things can get overwhelming, and productivity can suffer. It is also good to provide them with enough time to recover from illnesses or to take vacations.

An employee who knows that their employer cares about them and their well-being will always think twice about leaving. A higher salary offered by another company may not even be enough to entice them when they are content with where they are.

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Sometimes situations arise where the HR department needs help in solving issues to make sure there aren’t any legal problems down the line. But what are the situations that should be handled by an employment lawyer?

We’ll walk you through five situations when you should hire an employment lawyer to sort out a business issue below.

1. Call An Employment Lawyer For Terminations

Not all employee dismissals are clear cut cases. Some are very murky and need an expert eye to make sure all the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed.

A wrongful dismissal case can spell disaster for a company by tieing up time in courts and dishing out payouts. Making sure your dismissal is airtight is something an employment lawyer can help you oversee.

2. Contract Reviews

When an employee requests a contract review, some instances may be an easy thing to take care of by your HR department. But bigger issues like negotiating terms and conditions should warrant a call to employment lawyers and business lawyers.

The employment contract is the legal bond between an employer and employee so making sure that there isn’t any confusion or omittance in the wordings can be the difference between a great mutual contract, and a legal disaster.

Employment lawyers will also make sure that any statute and legal references in the employment agreements are up to date and current to make sure sections are always valid.

3. Workplace Harassment

These days workplace harassment is not taken very lightly. In more cases depending on the severity, an employee can be fired for harassment claims.

In these cases, an employment attorney will be able to walk you through calculating severance packages, compensations filings, and whether or not the harassment claim meets the threshold for termination.

4. Legally Filed Complaints

Often times courts will refuse to interact with or hear from a business regarding filed claims unless they have legal representation. Before these issues even hit the courts, it’s best to get an employment and business lawyer on hand immediately.

The lawyers will be able to assess the complaint and determine the best course of action for your business and can potentially save you costly court fees by discussing settling out of court.

5. Negotiating & Providing Settlements & Severances

Any payment that a business makes outside of regular norms can be scrutinized legally on a level of fairness on the basis of quite a few criteria.

Terminating long-term employees without cause factors in employees’ age, job type, and marketability of their skills in getting a new job. This will determine how much more you may be on the hook for in paying employees for settlements and severances.

Additionally, if you want them to sign a release agreement, you will need to ‘sweeten the deal’ for them to do so.

The Necessity of Employment Lawyers

Employment lawyers have a unique set of skills and knowledge in the legal area of business and employee dealings that your HR department may not have. When it comes to any legal matters its always best to consult a lawyer for advice.

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One of the latest and greatest from the Adobe Creative Cloud community is Spark. It’s a helpful tool for anyone looking to create better social media graphics.

While editing photos in Spark, you might need to flip an image to make sure it’s oriented in your graphics layout correctly. Here’s a quick guide on how to flip an image using Adobe Express.

Getting Started with Adobe Express

Graphic designers default to apps like Photoshop and Illustrator where they can quickly make changes to images that result in print-ready masterpieces. But Adobe Express is comparable in its ability to create market-ready graphics for your audience.

There’s a bit of a learning curve since the interface is set up for social media and web page design, but it’s simple once you get started. Change the orientation of images easily using the main graphics toolbar.

Note that once you flip an image in Adobe Express it won’t change its original file. You’ll have to use editing software like Photoshop if you want the original image permanently changed.

You can use Adobe Creative Cloud Express but need to ‘Save As’ to maintain the image’s new orientation.

How to Flip an Image

The first step to flip an image using Adobe Express is to upload your image to Spark Post. This is the area you use to create new graphic content in Spark.

The photo opens on the right-hand side of the viewing window. You’ll notice three separate tools in the left-hand toolbar.

Scale, Rotate, and Flip. The Scale feature appears first with a sliding toolbar next to it.

This is the tool you use to make your image larger and smaller. Slide it from left to right to watch your image grow or shrink in size.

The second option below Scale is Rotate. Again, the sliding bar allows you to spin the image around on a y-axis. This feature is helpful for times when you need to correct the horizon or change the eye line of your subject.

The Rotate feature works well with the Flip function. Flip always changes the orientation of everything in the photo. It helps you use templates better since you can control where the weight of the photo is located.

For example, if your photo is composed using a golden ratio, the subject is located in the lower third of the image. You can swap the subject to the opposite end of the photo so that text or a logo can appear with ease.

To flip an image, click the double triangle icon. There’s an option to flip horizontally or flip vertically depending on where you need your subject to end up in the frame.

Adjust the rotation is the balance photo is thrown off by making the image flip.

Editing Software Like Photoshop

Adobe Express doesn’t get nearly enough credit. It’s a fantastic tool for marketers and entrepreneurs to quickly create content without an extensive background in graphic design.

Think of it as the iMovie of graphic design. You can flip an image using a few plug-and-play options without the need for long tutorials to help you get started.

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Most people have a lot of queries regarding the sales tax and the queries are not really one time problems. Most of the small business owners come up with such questions again and again and quite very often. Here, is a one-time solution, you can look for the best questions as of now and know their answers. Today, here I will give you some of the solutions which will be helpful for you majorly in your whole career of sales tax filing.

Saving More Time

Keep all your information in one file, when you have everything ready in one place then you will be able to save more time. Time is money, as they say, filing sales tax anyways consumes a lot of money so if you manage to save some time by keeping all documents in a single file then it will help you to use your time even more efficiently. Things that you can do beforehand keep it up to date such as,

• Sales tax rates,
• Appropriate Taxability Status
• Collection on Due Dates
• Put all Sales Tax related questions in one place

Stay Organised

Now no longer you find any table stacked with sales tax files, it is just one paper that you need to keep ready and handy so that whenever you need it, you get in along. When you have a better tax solution, you will have everything organized and handy, this will alos save some time and some money.

Lower Your Risks

You must have the ability to identify a problem before it arrives and solve a problem before it actually becomes a problem. All the updated information must remain up to date in your file. Find out the kind of risks that you might face and then solve the risks even before they become a risk to you.

How to Plan a Sales Tax Filing?

There re no such specific ways, but there are some ways in which you can try to organize your work which will make your work easier.

Choose the Correct Platform

These are some of the things that you must work on if you wish to maintain your sales tax filing very easily. Most states initially send preprinted tax returns to taxpayers unless the taxpayer has registered for e-file status. These are solely determined by the state where the company has been established. If you have any questions in mind regarding the types of business or the kind of form that should be filled, then you can contact the state to confirm.

Entering the Data

Sales tax reporting are tough unless you do them all by yourself, it will be your decision to determine what to include in the filing and what not. If someone represents the sales of your company then you should have an open chat and discuss how things are happening and where do you need to take an extra edge. Be very careful while entering the data in the system because the misplace of one number or one data can cost you enough.

File the Return

Last but the most important step is to make the file and conclude it properly. Paper filing is fine who have a very small business and a very small amount of sales tax to be filed. When when we talk of the giant fishes, it becomes not very normal to file on paper. In such cases, you do need a soft copy and some more paper to keep as proof of hard copy.

Conclusion

These are the basic information that you need to keep in mind while filing the tax, but apart from that, you can also check the sales tax filing rules of the state where you are eligible. The sales tax varies from state to state hence check which state are you eligible for.

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I am often inspired by those around me and one person who has certainly been an inspiring future to me since I launched my business is the highly successful CEO Fred Brisker. Fred has worked in a number of businesses and he is widely seen as a fixer, someone who can come in and turn a company’s fortunes around. Fred is someone who I have always kept an eye on because he was actually born not too far from me, and that is why I have tried to become inspired by people like him.

To me there is something about being inspired by someone who you ‘know’ rather than someone who appears untouchable like a Warren Buffett or a Bill Gates, and here is how Fred got to where he is.

Relationships

Worked for Fred very briefly when I was younger and he was always ready to offer some sage advice to those who would listen, and I can always remember him telling me about the importance of relationships in business, something which I try to remember myself. The idea is that the more friendships and positive relationships which you have in business, the better you will be, even if they are your competition. This has served Fred very well throughout his career.

Basics

Everyone who I have ever ran into who has worked alongside Fred has told me about how simple his method of working is and how this is what helps him to rescue so many companies. The reasons why so many companies go wrong is because they forget the basics of business and sales, simple principles which if remembered, will form the core of the company.Some businesses however will forget this and that is where they have difficulty. Fred is someone who has these beliefs and basic values ingrained in him and that is why he has gained such a great reputation for helping companies out. His business principles can be clearly seen when you think of the range of sectors which he has worked in, it doesn’t matter if they sell cars, buildings or school books, he can use his principles to help out.

Hard Work

Something else which you will often hear about Fred is that he has a work ethic which is unshakable and there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this is a large part of the reason that he is where he is. We talk about this a lot in business, the need to work hard, but the reality is that so few do and they expect to find success without first putting the effort in. Fred is proof of the fact that if you are prepared to put the hard yards in, then success is more likely to come your way.

Fred has taken tough decisions, for good or bad, he has worked hard and that is how he has managed to get to the very top.

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Every business, no matter the size, needs to have a well-structured background in order to make sure all business processes go as smoothly as possible. Since we live in an informational era, humans are not capable of keeping track of everything that is going on in the company.

That is where the personalized business software comes in. It can improve the way you run your business and also make it much more efficient. Today, we will highlight some of the benefits that can come from well-structured business software for your business.

Customer management

The world is evolving, and there are different things that matter now compared to a decade ago. For instance, customer management, or gathering data from the people that are interested in your business is more important than ever.

Remember, the value of data surpassed the value of oil and became the most valuable resource on the planet. You don’t need software to gather information from people, and the job can be done using your social media or website. However, all the gathered data will be worthless if you don’t know how to read it.

Fortunately, there is specialized business software that will allow you to analyze your data, which will help you in the decision making process.

Tracking

One of the best ways to improve your business is to boost productivity in your company. As in any organization, not all employees are giving 100% all the time. That is where the productivity tracking software comes in.

This software will allow you to track your employee productivity levels throughout the day and find a way to improve them. Additionally, it gives you the capability to hire people who are in a different part of the world. That way, you will have a much wider work-talent to choose from.

Some might argue that the time-tracking software is too much, but it is an excellent tool for mapping employee’s work throughout the day. It is all for a good cause, so no harm will be done.

Finances

We come to a sensitive part where even the smallest mistake can cause big problems in your company. That is why every company needs well-structured software that is capable of managing all finances.

Your job is to find the software that meets your requirements. There are many different extensions or apps that you can use for online payment and invoice maker just to make your accountant’s job much easier.

Your software must be capable of generating a financial overview as an analytic tool just to have a better understanding of where your business is going.

Bill of Materials

Just to avoid turning everything into chaos, you need to install software that is capable of tracking your manufacturing process and every product’s journey. If you are manufacturing, you need to pay close attention to all the parts and costs that go into the finished product. It is the only way to apply a good margin on all of your products and come out profitable.

How to Choose the Right Software

Choosing the right software for your business is a process that requires highlighting all the things you need. First of all, you need to add all the parameters that are important for your business and niche.

Bear in mind that the software might not be upgradable with additional apps, which is why you need to pay close attention before choosing your software.

Research is crucial. There are thousands of software available for businesses, and finding the right one is entirely based on your research. You should ask people’s opinions just like you research for NBA betting advice on BetAmerica.com or find online reviews for some of the best travel experiences on Tripadvisor.

Choosing software can determine your business success. All business procedures need to be aligned in order to make all processes run smoothly. Remember, after installing your latest software, and you need to go through in-depth education for every employee in your company. It is the only way to make you use the software’s full capacity.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Business Tech category