Silence Aloud » Business

Is a Virtual Office Right for Your Company?

sophie smith — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Cloud computing, mobile devices , and an increasingly tech savvy workforce are contributing to make virtual offices a very hot trend right now. The amount of money that an individual company can save by switching to virtual is a major incentive. However, there are a number of trade offs in the way in which business is conducted. Before you make a final decision to transition to a virtual office, you need to consider the following questions.

How much of your total work is conducted via computer and telephone? This applies to your entire workforce, not just yourself and a few sales staff or managers. If any part of your daily operations involves a lot of physical paperwork or hands on work using equipment other than computers, a virtual office New York may not be for you.

Are your employees dependable and independent workers? In other words, can you trust that they will do their work day and day out from home and that they will continue to work at peak efficiency?

Do you have or can you employ centralized systems for project management, time tracking and billing, remote collaboration like video conferencing and document sharing, and other productivity software? Will your customer and company data be protected yet accessible on remote servers?

Do you have systems and procedures for work, reporting, and accountability that can be easily converted to suit a virtual office? You will need policies regarding client contact, use of company technology, and general standards of conduct for at home workers.

Positive answers to all of the above questions is a good indication that your business may be able to make a smooth transition to a virtual company.

Is a Virtual Office Right for Your Company? is a post from: Silence Aloud

Business Stationery Needs

sophie smith — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

As a new business owner you have probably spent time fantasizing about what your business cards and letterhead will look like. You may have spent countless hours trying to choose the perfect business name and to design just the right logo to convey the image and tone you want for your new endeavor. Realistically, you know that the logo is going to be seen mostly on your website and possibly email signature lines rather than actually printed anywhere.

Business stationery has evolved very quickly from needing logos that look good on high quality letter paper to those that appear attractive on computer screens, and now, smart phones and iPads. While there are still industries that require written documentation in the form of mailed business letters, contracts, and order forms, most business correspondence is conducted electronically and documents are rarely printed, but instead stored as digital files.

There are still some forms of stationery you will need to invest in. Business cards are a necessity as are brochures, folders, or other promotional materials to hand out to potential customers. You may want to invest in pre-printed business birthday cards and holiday cards to send out throughout the year. You will also want to design an attractive letterhead for your company, even if it is only ever used on computer files.

Business Stationery Needs is a post from: Silence Aloud

Finance Managers Need Advanced Degrees

sophie smith — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 01:10:00 +0000

The world of finance and investing can be a thrilling arena to explore. Fortunes can literally be made and lost and made again over the course of days or even hours. Many people are drawn to careers on Wall Street and in foreign markets based on movies, books, and tv shows that portray that world as both luxurious and exciting — a truly heady combination.

The competitive nature of investments and financial markets means that only the best rise to the top and the rest are left huddling in the middle. In order to stand out, analysts and portfolio managers need whatever edge they can find. Many of them are turning to advanced degrees in order to gain that edge.

Studying for a masters in finance online means that these students can continue to work in their current position. This allows them not only financial security, but a ready-made platform for testing the ideas they are learning in class. A masters program is going to provide advanced knowledge of portfolio management and investment assessment as well as exposing students to strategic analysis techniques. Once they have their degree in hand, they will be ready to advance within their field, either through promotions to higher paying positions or by reaching new levels of financial rewards in their existing job.

Finance Managers Need Advanced Degrees is a post from: Silence Aloud

TransGlobe Property Management and the Key to Customer Service

Methods of User Research

sophie smith — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 01:10:00 +0000

When businesses decide to conduct consumer research for a new website, they usually hire a usability testing company to set up, run, and analyze the actual tests. This User Research is invaluable in ensuring that the final site meets all the company’s sales and branding needs. There are several broad types of testing that can be employed so businesses can choose the one that will provide the best data set for their needs.

Hallway testing is a common form of usability testing. It selects random people from a public location rather than relying on trained testers. This testing is done in a laboratory setting, where testers can observe all aspects of the user interaction, even recording the tests for detailed analysis after the test subjects have departed. Expert Review is the opposite of hallway testing . It utilizes experts in a subject, industry, or trained in usability factors. A variant of this is Automated Expert Review which subjects a site to the same rules of usability and design, but it conducted by an automated program rather than actual users.

Asynchronous usability testing or remote usability testing provides data from much larger samples, since it is not tied to a centralized lab or test center. Data is collected from users using an online survey or by remote video and computer recording of the tests. The larger sample size can provide data sets that can be divided by demographic and geographic segments as well as attitudinal and behavioral types.

Methods of User Research is a post from: Silence Aloud

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Mediation for Patient Complaints

sophie smith — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 23:06:07 +0000

Customer complaints are common to all industries – from retail stores to restaurants to medical facilities, is an aspect that few really enjoy dealing with. Dealing with complaints can become very uncomfortable very quickly.

Within the medical field, dealing with patient complaints can not only be … uncomfortable, but they can have serious ramifications. These complaints can range from discrepancies in billing to calling into question the quality of care received. Within the healthcare industry, a complaint can turn into a malpractice allegation, which can much more serious than a mixed up delivery. Therefore staff dealing with patient complaints should be well trained in the areas of customer service and communication.

Communication is a very important aspect of handling and resolving patient complaints. Within the healthcare field, there is a real need for understanding and empathy which must be communicated fully. This often falls under a team of highly trained individuals who are knowledgeable not only about dealing with patient complaints, (and entering it in the patient complaint software) but who understand the human condition. They understand the importance of listening to what the patient (or their loved one) has to say. Its often the case that people simply just want to be heard. These listening skills help one to gain the information necessary to resolve the conflict and address the complaint.

In problematic situations mediation may be the answer. Involving a third party, one who is objective, can help to smooth out the situation. This gives you and the patient a viewpoint of someone with no vested interest in the outcome and helps to give credibility to the situation.

Passions may run high when discussing the well-being of a patient. It requires an empathetic listener with the skills to deal with complex situations. Its no easy task to give validity to a concern without accepting the related legal responsibility. Proper training can help, patients complaint management software can help, and the staff can learn how to listen, to mediate, and to be certain that the quality of care remains thorough and of the highest of quality, for the reputation of their facility and for the well-being of their patients.

Mediation for Patient Complaints is a post from: Silence Aloud

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Use a Property Management Service to Move Your Business

sophie smith — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 01:10:00 +0000

When a business has grown or shrunk , it can be hard to admit that it is time to move, but it is almost always for the best. The hardest is when the business has shrunk because it still feels like you fit in the space, but now there are a number of empty desks and in some cases, there just isn’t enough money to keep paying rent on the building. Luckily for most companies finding the right place to relocate doesn’t have to be hard. There are a number of great commercial property management companies like Transglobe Property Management Services that are happy to help find the right place to relocate, with all the right amenities.

For some companies amenities can be the hardest part. Places like laundry mats, or restaurants need specific amenities so that the business can operate. Of course, Transglobe Property Management Services and others are often happy to take on challenges like this and find a place that fits the client’s needs. It is actually a red flag if they would not be willing to either build in the right amenities, or else find a place that can provide them. Property managers who won’t do this are often going to be hard for any company to get along with.

Use a Property Management Service to Move Your Business is a post from: Silence Aloud

Passion is Essential for Sales

sophie smith — Mon, 31 May 2010 01:10:00 +0000

There is one secret to being successful in business and that is passion. It doesn’t matter if you are working for someone else or if you are working for yourself. Passion is a motivator it drives you to keep going even when times are tough. It also shines through and makes other people passionate about it. When your passion goes away often times so will the passion of the person you are trying to sell to. The key then is to do what you love and love what you do.

This is something that Southwestern Company discovered a long time ago. If you have passion you sell better. Partially because when you have passion for your products you know every detail about them. You also will need to believe in your product in order to have passion about it. It is doubtful that you have ever met a person who is incredibly passionate about the product they are selling, with a company like Southwestern Company that might be the book series that they are selling, they can’t stop talking about it, about all the ways that it helps people, and who the author is, but at the same times doesn’t believe that it actually helps at all and they don’t think it is any good. People have a hard time doing both, and usually will find that they can either sell the product and come to really believe in it and continue to talk like that, or they will stop talking about it when they stop believing in it and the passion is lost. When the passion is lost, so are a number of the sales.

This is because sales aren’t just about convincing someone else that this is the best solution to their problem , but knowing that it is the right solution to their problem. When someone is passionate about something they want to spend extra time talking about it and finding out how it can fit into someone’s life. The way they talk makes you want to like it too. That is the greatest tool a salesperson has.

Passion is Essential for Sales is a post from: Silence Aloud

College Years, Life Transitions and Professional Skill Development

Building Strong Employees

sophie smith — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 21:20:14 +0000

With the American economy still in tangles, many businesses are looking for ways to not only survive but to thrive. Many may find it hard to believe that in such tumultuous times businesses would have anything on their minds except riding out the current storm. However, those in business know, there is no reward without some risk. With a catchy new slogan or advertising technique, perhaps it could be enough to put you firmly back in the black. Unfortunately, many companies spend millions of dollars on new advertising and ad campaigns that target new audiences while their employees are entirely overlooked. If any company is going to be great it needs a strong foundation to stand on. That foundation comes in large part from its employees.
Two key ways to encourage loyalty among your employees are to invest in them and to help them reach their potential. One of the ways that this can be done is through corporate team building programs. These programs allow your employees to receive more training as well as allow you to see their strengths. The more employees understand about their job and its purpose, the more productive they will be. They will also be encouraged by the time you spend enhancing their training. Business training allows you to invest in your company and employees at the same time.
Sadly, many companies have allowed morale to fall to the wayside. After all, with so many people looking for jobs a few unhappy employees are easy to replace, right? While that may be true, it is better for the company and for business if the employees enjoy their jobs and are willing to make that extra effort to see that the company is successful. Employee loyalty is not such as under-rated thing; perhaps it could be the one thing to make all of the difference.

Building Strong Employees is a post from: Silence Aloud

TransGlobe Property Management and the Key to Customer Service

sophie smith — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 18:54:10 +0000

In this day and age, a time of economic pressure and concern, businesses must really be on their toes as far as customer service is concerned. At TransGlobe Property Management, the customer always comes first, be the owner of a building or a tenant renting a space in the building. All are important, which does mean a lot these days. With experience, knowledge and a sense of caring, a company will not only be sure to profit, but will find that the all around experience is just enhanced.

Finding joy in the caring for the properties and the renters as well, has gained the team at TransGlobe Property Management quite the reputation. The more the customer is satisfied, the more the business will grow and the more satisfying it for the members of that team to come to work each day. So then, what is great customer service?

There are many characteristics. One is simply trust. To know that those you are working with are true to their word really means a lot. It sounds so general, so common sense, but when a smile is genuine, trust is ensured. Tact and empathy go hand in hand. What really does it take, to be polite? And what really does it take to not feel for someone else? It is a reflection of how well an employee can find the view of another’s perspective, and how well they attend to that perspective. Some companies provide training seminars, while others hire those who have that innate capability of compassion and wisdom.

Can that be learned? I do not know. But when I had to relocate, find not only a living space but a work space as well, the team at TransGlobe was there to help. It did not seem learned to me, it seemed real and genuine, and in a world that is filled with the trappings of falsehood for monetary gain, they provided me a bit of a respite. They provided customer service in the way that it was meant to be provided.

TransGlobe Property Management and the Key to Customer Service is a post from: Silence Aloud

Site Listings Swiftrank by Optimizing Search Results

sophie smith — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:28:24 +0000

There are many factors of Internet browsing that relate to company visibility and web page traffic volumes and recognizing these will benefit an online company and improve not only their chances for survival but also increase their potential success rates. Practicing business online can be profitable though it is still considered to be in a new and genre specific category. Popular search engines such as Google and Yahoo have only been around for about ten years, which means that most of those years have been part of web traffic direction development and in some instances experimentation. Doing some research into search tools and swiftrank categorization, or being able to pay someone to do it for you can greatly assist you in your online business ventures.

Since the creation of the earliest search engines web masters have sought to create and determine ways to generate higher rankings in the search results and generate greater traffic to their pages. The importance of an individual web surfer finding your site versus one that offers the exact same services or products can not only make or break a single sale but also repeat business opportunities and referrals to friends, relatives and others. The same marketing necessities that exist in real world businesses are just as important for online companies, though some of the tools, practices and structures may differ. Choosing a name that will be easy and most likely to be found in the yellow pages is a similar concept though is much simpler to accomplish. The company needs only to place their business in an alphabetical context that consumers are likely to seek out when looking for that particular service or product. Online companies deal with the various algorithmic programs that search engine optimizations use to list the results of a particular search. This is something that current online businesses need to deal with as well as the future progression of these tools.

Site Listings Swiftrank by Optimizing Search Results is a post from: Silence Aloud