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Richard Blech – Online Security Risks Which Your Business Must Be Aware Of

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One aspect of my job which I really love is working with online businesses to bring about awareness of the huge range of security threats which exist to them. In fact the best aspect of being able to create an online business, in terms of the digital capability, is also the Achilles heel, which can be manipulated by those with bad intentions, to create huge damage to online companies.

Last week I was speaking with the highly knowledgeable Richard Blech, who works with top security company Secure Channels. During the conversation we talked about the cutting edge approach which the company is taking against a wide range of security threats, and how his company can offer a great option for online businesses to protect themselves. If you have an online business and you aren’t aware of the importance of security, here are just some of the risks which you could be facing.

Identity Theft

When your customers give you their personal information, they do so under the premise that you will protect their private details, and keep them safe. Whilst you may think that this doesn’t pose to much of a risk, you couldn’t in fact, be more wrong. Identity theft is one of the most common forms of cybercrime and the consequences of this happening to you company, with your customer’s information, could be catastrophic. These kind of attacks have happened on a grand scale in the past with the likes of Apple and Sony falling victim, if it can happen to them, it can definitely happen to you business. Whilst these industry giant were powerful enough to repair their reputation following the attacks, a smaller business could succumb entirely after such a sober attack.

Data Theft

Take a second and think about what kind of information your business’ computer and cloud systems have stored in them. Email conversations, private negotiations, business plans, employee data and any a huge range of other confidential information is likely to be stored on your systems, just imagine if they got into the wrong hands. This is a very real threat that hackers and even your competitors can pose in terms of your private data, giving you yet another reason to look into how you can best protect that information, and ensure that it stays private.

Computer Damage

Software and malicious attacks are so potent these days that they have the power to actually cause damage to your computers and its systems, something which could end up costing you an incredible amount of money to repair and replace. Attacks such as trojan horses, malware and spyware are easy to obtain and easy to use in terms of damaging your computing equipment. The worrying aspect about this kind of attack is that they are becoming more frequent, and more advanced. The best way therefore to protect the systems that your business is using, is to employ smart security strategies.

Does your Company have Untapped Potential?

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No matter how will you think your company is doing, Marc Leder believes there is always room for improvement. So if you’re keen on finding new ways to increase your company’s revenue and profit, continue reading to discover how to identify any untapped potential which your company may have.

1. Compare your business’s success with your competition’s success

One simple way to see whether there is potential for your business to grow is to compare the current success of your business with your closest competition’s success.

As an example, if a similar business offers to double your product range, it’s likely that there is a high demand for the products or services which you offer and that your business could greatly benefit from increasing your product range.

Alternatively, you may find that a similar company has double the number of retail spaces as your company. Which could be a sign that your company should consider investing in a brand new retail space.

2. Take inspiration from other companies

While the last thing you should do is to poach other companies ideas, there’s nothing wrong with taking inspiration from other companies, especially companies who operate in a completely different field. As an example, while your company may be focused on selling high-quality furniture, you may see an advertisement campaign for a restaurant, which may give you ideas on how you can overhaul your current marketing plans.

After all, sometimes it’s hard to hard to see how you can improve your company, without taking a look at what other companies are doing right.

3. Search for unbiased reviews of your company online

In order to gain an outsiders opinion on whether there are areas which your company could currently improve upon, it’s well worth conducting a quick Google search to find honest, unbiased reviews which have been left by your past customers or clients.

As an example, you may find several negative reviews which give the impression that your company needs to improve it’s customer service skills. If so, don’t see negative reviews as an attack on your company, instead see them as invaluable information, which can help your business achieve future success.

After all, if customers had negative experiences with your company and none of them left a review, you’d have no idea about the areas of your business, which you should work on.

4. Try to find a business mentor

If you’ve never hired a business mentor in order to help your business achieve success, it’s well worth finding a reputable business mentor who’ll be able to share their wealth of knowledge with you and who may be able to help identify the areas in which your business has untapped potential to flourish.

It’s even well worth reaching out to two business mentors, in order to be presented with double the advice and suggestions, which will help your business flourish.

Regardless of whether you believe your business is doing well or needs a lot of improvement, it’s well worth identifying your business’ untapped potential!

Why Shift Work is so Popular

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If you’re curious as to why more and more individuals are opting to apply for shift work over jobs which boast traditional working hours, continue reading to discover a few key reasons from ShiftPixy as to why shift work is becoming so popular.

Why shift work is so popular:

1. Shift work often suits working parents

Many parents with young, school-aged children opt to work shift work jobs as it allows them to stay home with their children during the day and to work when their children are fast asleep and won’t miss them.

Some parents work alternating shifts, so that one parent will be home with the children during the day and will work at night, while the other parent will work during the day and will stay home with their children at night. When their partner starts their night shift.

As it’s becoming harder and harder for families to comfortably raise their children on a single income, many couples are looking for innovative ways to bring in two incomes, whilst still being able to spend quality time with their children. For many couples, shift work will provide their family with a better quality of life.

2. Individuals who pursue shift work, often get to enjoy more down time

Individuals who work traditional 9 to 5 hours typically find themselves incredibly busy as may even struggle to find enough time to take a 30 minute lunch break. However, shift workers who voluntarily sign up for night shifts, often have a far lighter work load due to the time of day which they work.

As an example, most security guards who work night shifts get more down time than security guards who work 9 to 5 hours, if they guard a mall or building which is shut at night.

In much the same way a nurse who works night shifts, will have a far easier time taking care of patients than their day time counterparts, who will be required to complete double the amount of tasks, in the same amount of time.

3. Shift workers don’t have to contend with traffic

Individuals who can’t stand the thought of having to spend an hour or more commuting to and from work each day, often enjoy working shift work hours as there are far less cars on the road late at night and early in the morning, than at 8.30 am or 5.30 pm, when the majority of workers will commute to work.

4. Companies often offer lucrative bonuses to attract shift workers

As some individuals refuse to work shift work style jobs as they prefer to work more conventional hours, many businesses try to attract shift workers by offering higher hourly rates or wages. So it should come as no surprise that many individuals who want to attain higher wages, opt for shift work style jobs!

So if you were curious as to why shift work is becoming an increasingly more popular option for hard working individuals, you should now have a proper understanding of why shift work is becoming such a popular choice.

A Better Approach Towards Business

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Retail business owner and restaurant owners would connect to the fact that managing several customers at the same span of moment can be a difficult task to carry out efficiently. Specially the customers in a restaurant look out for a good quality service that does not only consist of high quality tasty food but behaviour of the hotel crew members and their efficiency to attain the needs of the customers be it any.

The task of an employee in a restaurant other the cooks is not restricted to just bringing in food or cleaning the table after a customer leaves. It starts all the wat from greeting the visitors to taking their orders, explaining them with their enquiries about a dish, take complaints of any and also provide them with the demanded mode of payment. Along with all these duties one also needs to make sure that all the work is done with in an efficient and convincing span of time without having the visitors wait for too long.

Some customers might turn out to be cranky about late serving of food or payment related issues and things really get out of control if someone gets stuck with such customers. Some people are too choosy about what they order and ask enormous questions while placing the order so that they can get the right food on their table. A person who is preparing the food knows the details, but servers do not always know about everything, drawing a bridge between the cook and the consumer is also done by these employees.

It is not the case that these things are new and have never been managed before but advancement of technology can make the work easy and smooth. Smartswipe pos support help restaurants with its extraordinary features that are meant to serve for easing up the entire process of how a restaurant survives on good remarks.

Smartswipe pos login help people in manging various time at a time that too from just one device. Smartswipe pos login is developed to create a manage station of sale that works by installing one core point to manage sales while one can access the same from various devices. It is a blessing to the restaurants because of its technology advantages–

  • It makes making a payment easy. Card payments are made easy without having to carry the card to the counter. One can just bring the device to the table and swipe it then and their and get done with the payment in seconds.
  • The device can act as a storage for menu and pantry. Additionally, one can simply tap on a dish that the customer needs to enquire about the provide the customers with all the details without having to disturb the cook.
  • One can upload the orders instantly as the customers mention with their demands. This helps in avoiding a rush in the kitchen area and makes it easy to serve food faster.

Smartswipe pos admin is easy to install and is a user-friendly support provider for retail business and restaurants.

The Top Questions You Should Ask A Food Supplier Before Placing An Order

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The food industry has a lot of leading players, and if you are in the food sector yourself, whether you are operating a restaurant or dining establishment or are manufacturing various food products, you need to know who these leading players are. A leading supplier, for instance, can give you the ingredients you require, and if they are a good supplier, they will make sure that the ingredients they supply are of the best quality and are safe as well. If you are looking for a supplier of food ingredients, there are certain questions you shouldn’t neglect to ask first. Here are the top questions you should ask a food supplier before placing an order.

How much are their products?

Of course, the price of the product or ingredient will depend on what kind it is. You can expect to pay more, for instance, for fresh ingredients that are not in season in your area, and you can also expect to pay more for premium products such as truffles and extra virgin olive oil. But the good news is that, even if the products or ingredients are on the expensive side, there are suppliers which can give you great discounts for products ordered in bulk – you just have to find out from the supplier itself whether they are willing to offer you a good deal. Discounts can also be had when it comes to delivery (regular deliveries may give you certain discounts), and you may also receive discounts based on the packaging of the ingredient or how it is processed (sliced and cut, pasteurised, etc.).

How will they deliver?

You should also ask a prospective supplier how they are going to deliver your order. Are they able to deliver it themselves straight to your door, or do you have to arrange delivery yourself? What about the delivery schedule – is there a specific time for deliveries, or can delivery be arranged on a bespoke basis? Also, and more importantly, does their time of delivery coincide with your own schedule? The supplier you choose should be able to give you the ingredients you need when you need them so as not to affect your production and operations.

How long have they been in the business, and do they have any accreditations?

Another top question you should ask the supplier is how long they have been operating as a supplier. If they have years of experience, then that’s all well and good – but aside from this, it also pays to know if they have any accreditations or even awards. A supplier with the right accreditations and certifications such as www.kiril-mischeff.com (especially when it comes to food safety) should be considered – more so if they have awards from industry bodies as well.

How a Reputation Management Agency Can Monitor Your Brand

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If a brand wants to do well online and offline, they need a solid reputation, with a foundation in their digital presence. However, it is not just down to good designs and excellent content. A high quality product or service backed by excellent customer service is perhaps even more important. In fact, even the way in which employees are treated has an impact on reputation. A reputation management agency will usually focus on the digital content that exists, although they may also provide advice on issues such as customer service and employee satisfaction.

A Reputation Management Agency Teaches You to Walk the Walk

All brands need to have a consistent spread and marketing of positive, genuine, and fresh online content. They aim is to make sure that if any negative content exists, it is hard for others to find. Research has shown that people now read a lot of reviews before deciding whether or not to trust a brand, so it is very important that you have reviews to offer, and that they are positive. The damage from negative reviews can be offset thanks to reputation management strategies, but it is obviously better to attract positive reviews in the first place.

A great way to make a brand look positive outside of attracting good reviews is to create authoritative content. This content has to provide something of value to the audience, setting the company apart as a trustworthy expert in their niche. At the same time, this content has to be SEO (Search Engine Optimization) optimized, meaning it contains the right keywords and the right backlinks. It should also be posted in all the right places, which is anywhere where a potential customer could search for information about this particular niche.

Essentially, this is about talking the talk (creating content) and walking the walk (showing that you mean what you say and having this confirmed through positive reviews).

Real Life Scenarios

Businesses can do a variety of different things in order to improve their overall image. Obviously, this should start by focusing on customer service. It has been shown in a study by Dimensional Research that 54% of people would share complaints about receiving a bad customer service at least five different times, in different places. Furthermore, the survey showed that 58% of people are now far more likely to leave reviews compared to the same time five years ago.

It simply cannot be stressed enough how important it is to offer the highest levels of customer service. Reputation management can do a lot to make it harder to find negative information. Excellent content strategies can set you apart as an expert in your field. But if the real life element, which is your customers interacting with you, your product/service, and your customer service, is a negative one, no amount of hard work can make it better. You need to see reputation management as a form of marketing, in other words, and that only works if your foundation is right.

The Rise Of The Live Streams

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“Livestreaming Wikimania 2016 Esino Lario” by Sebastiaan Ter Burg (CC BY 2.0)

If you have found yourself watching any kind of digital media recently, there is a good chance that you have done so using a live stream. Despite being a relatively new phenomenon, the market for this particular brand of video content has been growing exponentially over the past few years and based on current projections, it looks set to become even bigger in 2018.

For those who are somehow unaware of this latest trend, live videos are a type of streaming media where the content is simultaneously recorded and broadcast in real time. The technology has actually been around for the best part of a decade, having gained popularity within the video gaming community through platforms such as Twitch. However, these services have now spread into other sectors and as a result, they have begun to become a part of some people’s daily lives.

Much of this popularity can be linked to the release of easy-to-access live streaming software for social media over the last couple of years. Apps such as Facebook Live, Periscope, and Instagram have all made it easier than ever for their users to share and stream content to their peers. On top of this, almost every social media platform has integrated live streaming into their services, allowing anyone to take advantage and offering a potentially massive audience to those willing to try.

Source: Pexels

That is not all, however, as streaming has also made it easier for people to watch live coverage of news and events. Almost every major sporting event is available to view through some form of live media as fans are foregoing traditional television broadcasts in favour of watching on other devices. Meanwhile, the massive growth and success of the eSports industry in recent years has been largely attributed to services like Twitch, which is currently one of the biggest streaming sites in the world, boasting over 100 million users per month.

Another frequent use for interactive streaming is for hosting live casino games. These interactive streams, featuring offer an authentic gaming experience that anyone can participate in from the comfort of their own homes. They also allow players to take advantage of bonus offers, like the current free spins offered by diverse online casinos reviewed by bonus.ca, though whether that is something that interests you is a question answered here.

These qualities that live streams are also an extremely viable tool for digital marketing. With the market growing as it is, brands and creators can use these streaming services to deliver dynamic content and engage with their audiences directly at the same time. Even better, since anyone can access these tools through their social media accounts, it is incredibly cheap and easy to set up.

Looking at the numbers, it is hard to see why anyone would ignore this trend. Over 80% of customers have said that they prefer watching live videos over other types of content and it is predicted that streaming will be a $70.5 billion industry by 2021. In short, live streaming has quickly grown into the next big game changer and it is showing absolutely no signs of slowing down any time soon.

How To Promote Your Business With Personalised Gifts For Your Customers

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Personalised gifts are a nice touch for your customers, and they are also the perfect element to give visibility to your brand in different situations.

Promotional calendars, mugs, caps, T-shirts, and many more items; all these promotional gifts can have a high impact on brand recall.

To get away from your competition we advise you to personalise such items with creativity and take advantage of the specific opportunities offered by each season of the year.

All businesses can benefit from personalised gifts that can be given out at events, workshops, meetings or celebrations as a potential marketing tool. It is only necessary to choose the most suitable items according to the line of business you are in.

Here we present the most common uses of personalised gifts, ranging from the more general that emphasise the brand itself, to more specific ones which can be used as seasonal gifts.

Brand gifts

When we talk about brand gifts, traditional media such as pens or key rings come to mind. However, if you want to stand out from your competition with more innovative and original ideas, you have other innovative items such as magnets, stickers or personalised cups at your disposal.

These are advertising products that, with creative graphic design and excellent printing, can easily become part of the daily routine of the recipient with ease, and that increases the presence of your brand and its visibility.

Promotional gifts

Promotional gifts are linked to a specific marketing action, be it the launch of a product or to promote a certain sales campaign. A very clear example is the promotions in the hospitality sector to increase the sales of a particular brand of beer. In these cases, it is the beer supplier who facilitates the promotional gifts.

But you can also implement your own actions by celebrating a theme without relying on intermediaries. One of the advantages of online printing is the ability to order your own personalised promotional gifts at low cost.

In addition, it will be your own authentic idea, so the gifts will be unique. Why not, for example, organise a themed party this summer that raffles some exclusive shirts among your customers?

Seasonal advertising gifts

Each season provides a specific framework that you can take advantage of to promote your business. For example, one of the star gifts in summer is the fan because it fits perfectly with the need for a touch of fresh air to combat the summer heat. At the same time, it is a versatile medium in that it can constitute a brand gift or promote a specific action.

At the other end of the calendar, Christmas also serves as a clear opportunity for you to optimise the potential of seasonal advertising gifts since Christmas calendars are perfect for this time of year.

Event Planning: 6 Essential Tips For A Successful Event

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Meetings, congresses, workshops, or celebrations; no matter the occasion, a corporate event has to leave a positive impression on the attendees, be they customers, colleagues, investors, etc. With this in mind, we have created a mini guide with six tips so that the event organised by your company creates the expected results.

  1. Dialogue between HR and the participants: It is essential that the workers in charge of the event know who will participate in it. It is important to understand the target audience. Otherwise, you run the risk of offering a schedule that does not interest, for example, a long conference for Generation Y.
  2. Democratic commission: The development of all the areas that will benefit from the event is very important. For that, the ideal is to create a commission with a representative of each participating sector. These people can give suggestions and talk about their expectations, so all involved in the event feel included in the planning process. At this time, the role of the event director is to guide the discussion and reject or accept ideas.
  3. Transform the event into an experience: Circus classes, the creation of a samba school and even collective hypnosis. All these are innovative approaches which have been applied to corporate events. By transforming the event into a playful moment, an unforgettable experience, or a creative epiphany, the attendees enjoy it more and it increases the commitment to the company.
  4. Opportunities for meetings: One of the most interesting things about corporate events is to allow meetings between colleagues who do not know each other personally or might not have had the opportunity to meet in person previously. For this reason, it is important to devote a part of the programming for this purpose, especially so that any external representatives or visitors have a chance to meet with key personnel.
  5. Use technology: Technological innovations are some of your best allies when it comes to planning a corporate event. Ensure all presentation, projection, and other audio-visual needs, etc. are well sourced from a specialist AV hire supplier. Also, specific applications created for the occasion can, for example, help to keep everyone informed about the programming and allow data to be collected from the participants, such as food requirements, among others, as well as being useful for sharing photos of the event. These resources also show that the company is ready for the future.
  6. Giving continuity: The objectives and themes debated in the event should not be forgotten. To guarantee the efficiency of a meeting or workshop, it is necessary to plan how the workers will apply what was discussed. For example, if this goes into the expected budget it has to be estimated not only for the day of the event, but for all that it implies, both before and after.

Technology Helps Improve Customer Experience

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Some of the key marketing approaches have always been advertising, personal selling, and sales promotion. However, even these tested and proved methods tend to carry limitations, especially in the digital era we live in. With the global boundaries dissolving and the competition level rising to new heights, business and firms realize the importance of staying connected with their customers at all times.

It is indeed challenging for companies to achieve their business goals and expand their business. The key lies in how to reach the current customers and the potential ones. There is nothing better for a company than a happy customer who can help get more leads. Improving customer service holds the key here and keeping them happy and satisfied is essential for business growth. Thankfully, the marketers can pick from a wider array of communications tools that can help make efficient and effective communication with customers. The best part is that the newer tools of communication are faster and cheaper than the traditional methods used for feedback on customer experience.

In the era of cut-throat competition, one needs to sell more than just good quality products. The business owners need to focus on excellent customer services too in this highly-competitive business world. Maintaining good relationships and creating a delightful experience with the customers holds the key to boosting business growth. By doing so would create word-of-mouth advertising that remains one of the best marketing strategies till date. Thus, it is important to exceed the expectations of your clients and delight them. It is early essential to give personal attention and provide excellent customer service to the costumers. Once they feel they are valued at your company, they would love to come back. Have a constant interaction with them to know their mind and requirements. They are sure to respond by purchasing your products and services regularly and becoming a loyal customer. Get their feedback about the product, and their experiences as clients’ feedback are important. Understand and know your target audience before selling and marketing your products or services towards them.

Every business needs customers and in order to do so, needs to promote itself by talking about its products and services. The Internet has become a powerful medium to do so and reach out to your customers. Today, the means of promotion and communicating with your customers are only increasing by the day. The best approach is to make use of both the newer and the older communications tool to develop a balanced marketing program for a business. Social Media platforms are being used to increase target market and find new customers. One can reach out to the customers efficiently and create positive experiences. Customer referrals are an inexpensive way and yet the most effective to get more customers. It is essential for a firm and company to place useful information and valuable contest for their customers online. When the customers get valuable information that can be used for their benefit, it helps to build trust and develop new connections. Using the right words and content helps to establish your authority.

and grow into a profitable company, every business needs customers. In order to get customers, every business needs to promote itself. Before the advent of the internet, promotion was easy because there weren’t too many options. It was a matter of deciding between a flyer, a post card, or an ad in the local newspaper. Today, however, the methods for promoting your business are overwhelming and only increasing by the day. There’s social media marketing, search engine marketing, guerrilla marketing, and more. If you are a small business owner struggling to figure out which one to use, or to even get up to speed on which options are out there, you are not alone. To help you navigate the sea of ideas out there for getting the word out about your product or service, we have put together a list of 18 ways that you can promote your business whether you have a budget or not.