Business Tech

For startups it is not just enough anymore to have a digital presence, a functional website and an active social strategy.

To be able to survive in the digital age, a start-up needs to be able to stand against an array of competition and to be able to attract customers to their business. Survival depends on understanding their ever-changing market and knowing which technologies will help ensure that the business evolves to take advantage of new market trends.

Through the opportunities offered by the internet, businesses are now able to tap into a vast interconnected economy and connect with customers, a wide range of businesses, technology, and an information distribution system that surpasses the limited opportunities offered by lesser media options.

Here are some of the strategies which a start-up could adopt to help ensure it stays afloat in today’s digital age.

1. Understand how to kick start and quicken business growth: businesses need to find out creative ways of spreading their digital presence. A business that wants to survive would need to be able to analyze and drive results through customer engagement, data crunching, and the media. It needs to be able to provide creative solutions which would better serve the market and which very few, or none, have thought of before. Through proper research, innovation, and analytics, a business would be able to control a vast market by testing out varied strategies that provide value, convenience, and customer satisfaction.
2. Discovery through relevancy: the media is filled with a wide array of information which can be daunting to sift through. Consumers are bombarded with a lot of material which they are hardly ever able to relate to or completely digest. Start-ups need to realize that the only way to capture the attention of the market and actually attract consumers would be by creating a content which people would be able to relate to and which provides maximum value and satisfaction. It is essential to create a strategy which would allow consumers to actually seek out the business. The more value provided, the more consumers would share the business’ contact with their networks, creating more traffic for the business.
3. Make use of analytics: with the use of valuable analytics businesses learn what it is they need to do to increase their visibility and drive traffic to their online channels. Analyzing available data allows a business to discover how well they are doing and which areas they need to improve on. The insights obtained would enable start-ups to measure their web metrics and discover trends in data that actually predict online behaviour.
4. Use technology to scale: It could be just expanding your webhosting or revamping the technological foundation of your website in order to cater for a blooming audience. It could also be using cloud-hosting to enhance aspects of the business such as brand communications or customer acquisition. You simply need to ensure that your brand is using technology to drive growth wherever necessary and justified. Remember, if you are not doing it, your competition could be!

Investments need a plan and research for it to work. Whatever financial decision you make will always affect your financial journey. It is the thin line that separates the rich and poor.  Before you make any investment decision, you need to consider some factors that will help you navigate through.

Investing is a unique way of making money grow faster rather than putting it in a savings account. Better put, it is a way to save your money for a future goal. It could be so that it enables you to pay college education for your children or just having a business empire for your later years.

Consider the following factors before investing.

Understand your objectives for investing

Why do you want to invest? You may want to do it for your future so that when you retire, you have enough money to keep you going for your entire life. An investment move could be getting into the stock market. As such, you would need to get an online stock broker who understands your needs and expectations. You can find some of the best online brokers over at https://aaacreditguide.com. As the saying goes, high-risk, high returns, you may want to have a venture that will bring in more profits. Get somebody who is well-versed with such and seek advice before making a move.

How old you are

Early investing is always an advantage.  When you are young, you have more time to try out new ventures and see how they work for you. Also, you are flexible enough to try new ideas in the market because even when you make mistakes, you have time to pick yourself up. However, if you are older like in your 50s, you are keener on what you invest in as time is of the essence. You don’t want to make mistakes when you are just about to retire.

Investment ideas

What investments do you have in mind? Have a list of all ideas you’d want to implement and get the relevant established people. Enquire on them before making the ultimate decision. Venturing into the stock market could be an excellent way for people who want a long-term project. Though they are high risk, the returns can be overwhelmingly high. Bonds have low risks, but their backs are less than those of stocks. The amount of money you have will ultimately affect what kind of investments you take.

Diversification

For a successful investment journey, learn about diversification. Don’t ‘put all your eggs in one basket.’ Invest your money in different areas. You may decide to invest in both stocks and bonds to spread the risk of losing money. These stocks and bonds can even be international ones.  Also, you can also pool resources with your friends and come up with a business that could bring in high returns in the long run. Diversification is a crucial aspect of this journey as it is the only way to reduce investment risks.

Consider how much time you have before you need the money

Before you have finally settled on where to inject your money, also consider how much time you want to keep doing so. You may want to invest the money for a shorter period of one or two years. Do some research on the best investments that could work for you and still give you returns after the end of the period.

Investing is an exciting journey that helps you learn along the way. Pay attention to what moves you make and see what works for you. Don’t be in a hurry to invest in everything everybody is doing. Also, have a fall back plan in case things don’t go as planned.

Peter Drucker, the father of modern management, stated that every company requires four tools for success: fundamental information, information on productivity, information for the management of resources, and information on essential skills.

The information on productivity refers to the indicators that measure the productive performance of the organisation. Experienced accountants in central London explain that some of the financial instruments SMEs must take into account to be competitive in a globalised market are:

Balance point

The equilibrium point analysis studies the relationship between costs and fixed costs, costs and variable expenses, sales volume and operational profits.

The balance point is understood as the level of production and sales that a company or business achieves to cover costs and expenses with their income.

In other words, at this level of production and sales, the operating profit is zero, that is, the revenues are equal to the sum of the operational costs and expenses.

The break-even point is also considered as a useful tool to determine the operational leverage that a company can have at a given moment.

Degree of operating leverage

Operational leverage is defined as the use of fixed costs within the overall cost structure of a company. In other words, when investing in fixed assets, it will generate a charge for depreciation, high or low; everything depends on the amount of the investment.

The displacement suffered by some variable costs, such as direct labour, fixed costs, and depreciation, causes companies to be operationally leveraged in order to maximise operational profits.

The displacement of human force by mechanical force means the total unit cost is minimised, which leads to the company restructuring its pricing policy, becoming more competitive in the market.

Degree of financial leverage

The financial capacity could be said to be the first of the five capacities that all SMEs have, the other four are investment, production, commercialisation and generation of profits.

Companies are financially leveraged and use the fixed expenses for interest in order to achieve a maximum increase in earnings per share when there is an increase in operating profits. In other words, the proper use of financing capacity, originated in the use of debt applied to productive assets, should result in an increase in operating profits and, consequently, an increase in earnings per share.

State of sources and uses

This is a financial statement that allows a company to identify if it is fulfilling the objective of properly orienting resources. Through a vertical analysis of sources and uses, the company will recognise the way it has been financed and its procedure when applying these resources.

Sources of financing are considered to be the internal generation of resources, increase of liabilities, increases in items that make up the stockholders’ equity and the decrease in assets.

It is used or applied to the increase of the assets, the decrease of liabilities and stockholders’ equity and the losses of the year.

 Is your business as secure as it could be? Regardless of the size of business you run, there are many benefits which an integrated security system incorporating security cameras can offer.

Today’s security camera systems for companies are specially designed for the industrial environment, office buildings, small commerce, warehouses, etc.

The advantages

Full HD video surveillance is a control and management tool that will allow you to increase the security of your company. Such a system is a strong ally in terms of the provision of security services, making monitoring of your business premises more efficient, and allowing control of all movements that occur within the building, grounds, and surrounding areas.

Full HD video surveillance systems are a powerful deterrent above all to prevent theft, both internal and external. Oxford security experts recommend, based on years of experience, that the best way to prevent security issues is through deterrence.

Benefits of security cameras in companies

Based on various research studies, it is recommended that entrepreneurs, business owners, and those responsible for the security of industrial plant and facilities seriously consider the installation of video surveillance systems because studies have shown that:

• Video surveillance will save you time and help you better manage your company and your human resources.
• Video surveillance reduces the annual unknown losses from theft, by between 70% and 80%.
• Video surveillance will protect and manage your company/business and increase the profitability of your company and help better manage the time of security staff.
• Video surveillance can help eliminate “work downtime”, it is an effective visualisation system for the improvement of production processes, allowing for the monitoring of efficiency in work practices.

Integrity of the images of security cameras in companies

High-quality surveillance security systems for companies provide a watermark (digital stamp) on the images of the surveillance cameras, making it impossible for the recordings to be altered or modified. It is an essential requirement so that the recordings of the security cameras can be presented legally by the police as judicial evidence.

Greater control

The installation of security cameras in your company will allow you to remotely control:

• The opening or closing hours of the company or business premises.
• The quality of customer service.
• The location of machinery, plant, goods, facilities, etc.

Continual monitoring allows you to print or record on your computer hard drive any activities or incidents which might concern theft, improper use of company resources, or other security issues which catch your attention when viewing the security camera footage.

With greater oversight, control, and management capability through the use of HD video surveillance, you can better ensure the efficiency, integrity, and security of your business operations.

 

When online shopping became something that people were used to, many experts and business analysts saw the end of the retail industry. Since then, many retailers have closed down their shops and admitted defeat to the online revolution. Others are catering to online customers more in order to keep going.

Look closer, however, and you will notice how the best, most agile retailers on the market are showing strong quarterly performance. The answer behind this stunning performance boost is technology. Retailers are finding new ways to leverage technology to survive.

Delivering Good Customer Experience

There are reasons why people go to Starbucks for coffee, and one of those reasons is the fact that Starbucks employees are trained to make customers feel special. This is a part of the customer experience offered by Starbucks as a company.

Other retailers are paying close attention to their user experience too. Thanks to retail technology, retailers can alter the customer experience they deliver altogether. Using an app-based barcode scanner, for instance, retailers can allow their customers to shop independently.

In fact, retailers are borrowing a lot from how ecommerce stores make active steps towards improving their user experience. The checkout process is shorter than it was a couple of years ago. Even the ambiance of retail stores is now different.

More Analytics

Another way technology is helping retailers survive lies in data processing and analytics. Brick-and-mortar stores may not have the capabilities that ecommerce stores have when it comes to tracking their customers, but that doesn’t mean offline stores can’t get valuable insights either.

In fact, stores are getting very good at understanding their customers. You see supermarkets playing into the tendencies of their customers and placing items accordingly. Coffee shops and smaller convenient stores are using tools like surveys and even social media interactions to get to know their customers better.

With the help of better data processing tools, these insights can be collected and processed into meaningful resources that retailers can benefit from. Changes happening across the retail industry are data-driven and are mostly designed to better cater to specific market segments.

Specific Target Customers

Speaking of catering to specific market segments, personalization is another trick up the retail industry’s sleeve. While it may be impossible to deliver a highly personalized experience to individual customers, there are ways to tailor that same customer experience to market segments. You’ll be surprised by how the small things offered throughout the retail landscape – like Starbucks Puppocino for dogs – are actually based on personalizing the customer experience.

You see this with loyalty programs and promotional offers. It is now easier to see when retailers are targeting a specific market segment from the way they communicate with the target audience. Promotional offers are now data-driven, and they can be very effective in generating leads over a short period of time.

There is also the tangible side of the retail market. Despite the rapid growth of our ecommerce business, nothing beats actually going into a store and trying things before you buy them. That experience is irreplaceable – for the time being – and will continue to be the retail industry’s strongest weapon against the ecommerce revolution.

If you have decided that having an online shop is your next goal, congratulations. This is an important step and it can definitely pave the way to your success. But designing an e-commerce website is not as easy as anyone may think; it’s not just about having the best pictures of your products or the easiest checkout options. In e-commerce, competition is fierce. So, do you want your e-commerce site to be a success? Here are some important elements to remember.

• A better experience mobile-wise

More online shoppers are doing their shopping using their mobile gadgets, and this is where your e-commerce site can really shine. Make sure your website is mobile-friendly, and your share of the market will increase. So what are the elements you have to think about? First, think about your checkout functionality. It should be easy for your shoppers to check out once they have made their buying decision. To make your mobile-friendly site even more effective, keep it clean and simple and combine it with clear, easily recognisable links and buttons. Make sure that your page navigation, ‘next’ icons, and check out icons have appropriate space for thumbs and fingers to tap on.

• Enhance your process for checking out

One of the worst things you can do for your e-commerce site is to have a checkout process that is not designed well or not working properly, as the professionals in web design from https://xist2.com will confirm. Pay attention to your process for checking out, and make sure there is a balance between usability, trust, and functionality. To give you a better idea: have big checkout icons, and don’t surprise your shoppers with unexpected expenses or costs whilst they’re checking out. Also, make sure your site is optimised when it comes to loading time – in other words, make it fast. Make it easy for shoppers to edit the contents of their cart, and show your options for shipping in a clear manner. Don’t forget to showcase your security methods through logos, and ensure that your process for checking out is clean and uncluttered. Highlight your customer support number(s) as well.

• Give guests an option

For many shoppers, nothing is worse than having to sign up or register before they can begin shopping. Most shoppers will simply abandon their purchase if they are forced to register, so give your shoppers a guest shopping option. Rather than have them register, just give them the option to shop as a guest, and they’ll thank you for it. The fact is that those who shop online do so because they want a quick and easy process – so having them fill out a long registration form defeats their purpose. An option for guest users has become a necessity for many e-commerce websites.

 

Imagine sitting on the beach with your laptop, sipping a tropical cocktail while you work.

Okay, this sort of image has become pretty cliche for remote workers at this point, hasn’t it?

While the tech world certainly glamorizes the lives of digital nomads and the concept of “working from anywhere,” the fact remains that you can get down to business just about anywhere these days.

And yes, that does include the beach and other exotic locations.

Why Techies are Taking Remote Vacations

In fact, tons of remote workers are taking frequent “vacations” not for the sake of showing off, but rather due to a desire for more productivity. If you’re fortunate enough to have the same sort of opportunities, consider some benefits of working vacations such as…

• The opportunity to break out of your traditional environment to spark creativity
• The ability to spend quality time with your family while also earning some much-needed income
• The unique change to double-dip work with pleasure, a huge upside of not having to stay confined to a traditional office setting

Of course, this begs a big question: who do you need to make your trip a success? Is going on a sort of “working vacation” possible without being caught up by distractions?

Absolutely. It all boils down to a combination of smart planning and having the right tech on deck. With the following six tips in your back pocket, you can start brainstorming where you want to go to get away from it all while getting to work at the same time.

Bring Along the Comforts of Home

Ideally, you should have a sort of “home base” that’s conducive work regardless of where you’re staying. That’s exactly why there’s a shift towards remote workers doing business via RV. As such, you can find RV rentals in Virginia Beach or any other tourist hotspot that are fully equipped with WiFi and all of the other comforts of home.

Stay Connected Constantly

There’s nothing worse than poor connectivity, especially when you’re away from home. While Internet access is a no-brainer for remote workers, it can be a bit tricky when you’re on-the-go.

Taking a look at the best mobile hotspots, consider how you can invest in such tech so you don’t have to worry about lost time while you’re away from home. Likewise, you may have the option to tether via your smartphone depending on your phone carrier and data plan. As a precaution, make sure you’ve tested all these options beforehand to give yourself peace of mind.

Mind Your Mobile Screens

If you really want to work from the beach, you’re going to have to keep your screen-time in mind.

This rings true for your laptop and mobile devices alike. One essential but often overlooked piece of doing work on the beach are anti-glare screen protectors. Although an obvious tip, make sure to stay shaded where possible to also prevent potential overheating of your devices.

Around-the-Clock Communication

As is the case of any remote work vacation, you need to take steps to ensure that you’re in constant communication with your clients, customers and coworkers. Whether it’s collaboration solutions such as Trello and Google Docs or chat platforms like Skype, such tools result in less lengthy back-and-forth while you’re trying to relax.

Stick to a Schedule

There’s nothing worse than going on vacation and feeling like you can’t relax. Remember: a working vacation should still be a vacation.

By sticking to a schedule in terms of when you’re going to work, you can block out time to work and play. The key is to commit to being productive during your work hours, which requires your commitment as well as the respect of anyone who might be traveling with you. Seriously: your vacation will go way smoother when you set your own boundaries.

Know When to Unplug

On a related note, it’s difficult to work through plateaus or work-related headaches when you’re on vacation. Sometimes you might flat out need to walk away for a moment for the sake of your sanity. Ideally, you can plan your vacations around times where you’re working on more relaxed projects or are simply “on-call” versus being a workaholic.

Likewise, bear in mind that you don’t have to be glued to your laptop to be productive. A quick phone call can be the remedy to an hour-long back and forth Slack conversation, for example. Similarly, taking notes on a pen and pad can be a great brain break from staring at a screen.

Either way, it’s all about working on your terms. There is no “right” way to take a remote work vacation, after all.

Don’t assume that an awesome working vacation in somehow beyond your reach. By investing in the proper tech and making plans accordingly, you can literally make your vacation work for you.

Make your travels more convenient and enjoyable with the best gadgets and tech accessories. Travelling anywhere will be more fun if you get to document all the activities you do. This way, you can relive everything you’ve done during your trip and remember all the good times you have shared with the people closest to your heart.

Whether you’re going to the beach or another city, you have to make the most of your escapade. In order to do this, you need to prepare all the stuff you need prior to your trip. Ensure that you are able to take the following gadgets and tech accessories with you:

Waterproof Bluetooth speaker
It might be a superfluous thing to bring with you a waterproof Bluetooth speaker when travelling, but it is one of the most significant things that will keep you company during your trip. In fact, road trips are made better with good music, so this speaker is extremely useful. Also, you can use it while sound tripping at the beach or pool and there is no reason to worry about it getting wet since it is waterproof.

Camera

Never forget take with you a camera during your escapade. You will need this to take photos and record videos of the places you visit and things you do. Whatever kind of camera you bring, be it a digital single-lens reflex, video camera, action camera, or simply a smartphone camera, you have to make it a point to capture each life moment you create. Nothing truly beats snapping great shots with the people you love the most.

Chargers, adaptors, and power banks

Always pack with you some tech accessories, such as chargers, adapters, and power banks, once you go places. Be sure to have your gadgets’ batteries recharged when they get low in order to use them again and be able to capture moments. You don’t want to ruin your travel just because your gadgets ran out of a battery, right?

Portable WiFi

Stay connected to the online world wherever you go. Bring a portable WiFi anywhere to be able to keep in touch with everyone you know and be able to share with them what you are up to. More importantly, you need this to post your photos on your social media accounts. Apparently, this has been a practice nowadays when people are traveling.

Headphones or earphones

To keep you entertained while on the road or when you are doing nothing, bring headphones or earphones. You need this when you just want to hear good music or zone out from everyone. After all music is one of the best companions when traveling.

Here are some best places to visit whether you are going to the beach or another city, here are a few places that you should visit:

• Chiang Mai, Thailand– Another popular destination, this Asian city is the largest city in northern Thailand. Its proximity from Bangkok, where most tourists flock makes Chiang Mai a serene place for a vacation. Explore the city’s mountain ranges and elaborate temples, while munching on delicious local cuisine and meeting friendly locals. Try not to play your Bluetooth speaker in full blast, as respect to the locals.

 

• Seoul, South Korea– A highly urbanized city known for perfectly combining the old and the new, Seoul is a great destination for tourists who love learning more about culture. Because of Korea’s technological advancement, you can find all the tech accessories you need on your vacation.

 

• Perth, Australia– Perth is one of the best cities to visit in Australia. Its clear beaches, lush mountain and laid back vibe makes it popular among tourists. Use your camera and capture the naturally beauty of this stunning city. Do not forgot to rent a car to keep your gadgets all belongings safe. With a car rental, you can travel for long hours without sacrificing comfort and safety. If you’re not sure which car to rent, check out DriveNow website here to compare rental rates.

Travelling to this cities can be difficult but rewarding and with the help you your trusty gadgets and tech accessories, you will definitely have an unforgettable travel experience.