Successful Blog

It’s Your Business to Work the Right Schedule

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With the New Year off and running, did you make the standard resolutions that most folks make?

You typically hear things such as :

* I want to lose weight
* I want to exercise more
* I want to pay down my debts
* I want spend more time with my family

While those are all good resolutions to have, how many of them do you actually follow through on when all is said and done?

Unfortunately, too many Americans who work for or run their own companies do not make a resolution to enjoy more time out of their offices, be they at a corporate setting or at home.

With the economy still feeling like a ride on a rollercoaster, many workers feel they just can’t take the time from their busy work schedules to enjoy a little rest and relaxation. As a result, it is not uncommon for them to become burned out.

In order to lessen the chances of becoming burned out on the job in 2013, keep these things in mind:

* Work can be consuming – Everyone has to work in order to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. That being said, spread out your work loads as much as possible. If you run your own small business, consider hiring some help if you have not already. The money you may be saving trying to do all the work on your own could end up being spent on medical bills down the road if you overdo it. If you have to handle it by yourself, set a goal for yourself each day to accomplish X amount of the work;

* Don’t procrastinate – One of the worst things you can do when working at or running a business is procrastinating. Especially in today’s Internet age, albeit with personal computers, access at work through an office machine, smartphones, apps and more, it is easy to get distracted in doing your job. Make sure you take a break or two during the day, but don’t let it turn into several breaks. Some companies prohibit employee access to the Internet while on the job for just that reason. There is time before and after work to shop online, talk to friends, and simply browse different sites. Make sure your work does not fall victim to wasted time on the job whereby you are left with major deadlines and little time left to meet them;

* Get away from the grind – How many times have you had a chance to get away from work for a day, a few days or even longer, yet in essence ended up taking your work with you? You could be at a plush resort or far off in the mountains and yet you have the desire to check your work email. While they do not want to bother you, you tell your coworkers that it is okay to interrupt your vacation with calls and emails. Finally, you take a project or two with you to “work” on while you are suppose to be relaxing. Everyone needs some time to recharge their batteries, so make sure doing so means turning the work answering machine in your head off;

* Don’t be a hero – Finally, there are only 24 hours in a day, so don’t try and get everything done at once. When you are rushing to get things done because your workload is too heavy, you tend to make mistakes. Always remember that it is better to take a little extra time to get a project or simple task done then to rush it through and have to go back to fix it. If you are working for someone, discuss with them what you feel you can handle on a regular basis. If the workload is too heavy, consider ways to lessen it without putting your job or company at risk. Taking on too much at once is oftentimes a recipe for disaster.

With the New Year upon you, make sure you work out a schedule that meets both your needs and those of your customers.

Photo credit: apartmenttherapy.com

About the author: Dave Thomas covers small business topics for a variety of websites, including finding the best Waikiki hotels when traveling for work or play.

Did You Picture a Successful 2012 for Your Company’s Employees?

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With Christmas in the rear view mirror, many thoughts now turn to New Year’s Eve and the New Year that will be here in less than a week.

For many small business owners, that also means looking back at the past 12 months and determining what worked, what maybe did not work, and what needs to be done over the next 12 months to make 2013 an even better year for one’s company.

As noted last time, how did you treat your customers over these last 12 months?

As some small business owners have discovered, this last year meant gaining some and losing a few customers. The ultimate question many of them will be left asking, what could they have done better to cement these relationships with the very people that keep them in business?

While business owners will agree that customers are a vital part to staying in business, employees prove just as important if not more a key component to keeping the doors open. Without quality workers to keep things running smoothly, a business owner can see their dreams go down in flames rather quickly.

Along with reviewing what you did for your customers this year, take a few minutes at this time and review what you did for your employees.

Among the items to look at:

* Making sure their needs were met – From the little things like benefits to making sure they had all the tools necessary to complete their jobs (see below), did you meet their needs? While many small business owners have had to scale back on benefits due to the economy, others still continue to offer things like health insurance, 401(k)’s and more. If you are not offering these, can you change that in 2013?

* Setting the scene – Whether you operate out of a spacious office or one the size of your home living room, what were the conditions your employees had to work under during the last 12 months? Did you make the office environment as comfortable as possible, making sure simple things like office space, lighting, ventilation, safety etc. were in place? Office workers tend to thrive in environments that are both comfortable and secure. If they are currently working under strenuous conditions, there is a good chance that their work performance suffered at times. What do you need to change in 2013?

* Taking time to reflect – While the goal of any company is to be as productive as possible, did you recognize your workers during the year? Such occasions can be things as simple as office happy hours, a party from time to time, birthday celebrations, awards for a job well done etc. If you offer a year-end party, did you record the last 12 months and show off all the success via things like an office video or blurb photo album? By reminding employees of all the successful things they did over this last year, you not only make them feel better about their efforts, but you also give them reminders of what can be accomplished. Lastly, videos and photos of the office team working together, solving customer issues, and celebrating office milestones (birthdays, anniversaries and more) helps make for a more unified staff;

* Staff improvement – Finally, you always hear coaches and many athletes talking about there is always room for improvement with their teams. The same holds true in the workplace, especially when you run a small business with a small number of employees. As noted a moment ago, everyone there is part of a team, a unit that must function as one for the entire company to succeed. While you run the company and have the final call, get input from your workers on the company’s efforts these last 12 months. From the administrative assistant on up to your top employee, everyone’s feedback counts.

As you get set to run your business into 2013, always remember that without your dedicated employees, you could be hanging a permanently “closed” sign on the front door.

Photo credit: blog.parago.com

About the author: Dave Thomas covers small business topics for a variety of websites, including www.verybestsoftware.net.

 

 

 

Were you naughty or nice to your customers this year?

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As much of the nation enjoys Christmas and other cherished celebrations this month, many small business owners can’t help but think ahead to 2013.

With the clock winding down on this year, what are your business aspirations for the next 12 months. Simply put, how will you and your customers work together in 2013, making it the best relationship yet?

If you were the small business owner who maybe did not spend as much time as they should have coveting their customers these last 12 months, how will you improve upon that task going forward?

Among the things to review:

* Did you go that extra mile for your customers in 2012?

* Did your employees (where applicable) return customer calls promptly, answer any and all questions, and solve problems when necessary?

* Did you gain referrals from many of your customers because they appreciate the products and/or services you provide them? If not, do you think doing a little more for them may have helped you in gaining the trust of their family, friends and co-workers?

* Did you do the little things like send them a year-end holiday card or email?

These are but four of the items that you should be asking yourself, more importantly, answering without hesitation. Remember, without your customers, there is no small business to run.

Many people make New Year’s resolutions on a yearly basis, but how many truly keep them?

In a day and age when customers have a variety of shopping options, what will you do in 2013 to stand out from the competition?

Among the things to consider:

* Offering online shopping (if you do not already), delivery services (where applicable), mobile payments, and providing follow-up service with each and every customer;

* Utilizing social media to the max. If you are not currently using SM, why is that? You are essentially passing on free advertising when you are not social;

* Surveying customers from time to time on what they like about your business, what they do not like, and how you could improve things.

Lastly, use the coming year as the chance for a fresh start for both you and your small business.

In the event you could have done more for your customers over these last 12 months, make it your gift to them to make 2013 an even better year.

Photo credit: teamaltman.com

About the author: Dave Thomas covers small business topics for a variety of websites.

 

Do Employees Get Credit for Being Honest?

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While it is not a common day occurrence, you also are not entirely surprised when you pick up the newspaper, turn on the television, or go online and hear about an employee who was stealing from their employer. Specifically, using the office credit card for their betterment.

As noted, while the cases may be in the minority, they can still be devastating to a small business, especially one that is having trouble making a go of it or is just getting its feet wet in the business world.

Some examples include:

* The office manager who is in charge of ordering supplies suddenly gets the urge to go on a small shopping spree of her or his own. While ordering stuff for the company, they conveniently order some items for themselves. Before you know it, they have spent hundreds or even thousands of company dollars, leaving a blotch of red ink in the company’s finances;

* The employee who travels often for their company gets a business credit card to book flights, hotels, rental cars, meals and more while conducting business on the road. The next thing you know, they have run up multiple purchases that should have come out of their own wallet.

When such instances occur, employees may be caught immediately by someone else in the company who is keeping an eye on expenses, or they could go for some period of time before their game is discovered. Either way, the potential is there for businesses to not only lose money, but also the trust of customers who view such actions as a lack of overall leadership.

 

Losses to Small Business Add Up

According to a report from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), it takes on average more than a year for a business owner or co-employee to nab the in-house criminal who is stealing from the company. Meantime, ACFE reports that small businesses (those with less than 100 employees) on average suffer a median setback of $147,000, compared to $100,000 for those businesses with 1,000 or more employees.

Some of the reasons losses at smaller businesses can go unseen for a while include:

* Less oversight because the small business owner is occupied with dozens of other responsibilities to keep his or her business running;
* The person in charge of the office credit card is oftentimes the person who is also doing the office books;
* Fewer employees means less chance of getting caught.

In order to lessen the chances of such crime at your small business, make sure you:

* Check the books yourself or have someone outside the company do it on a regular basis to look for any irregularities in spending;
* Make sure even the smallest of expenditures are accounted for and documented. Whether an employee is buying new ink toner for the office copier or spending a weekend in Las Vegas to meet with new clients, everything needs to be properly recorded;
* Do a thorough check on each employee you hire to make sure they have no criminal past, especially where it involves money (do not just assume that everyone who checks off they have never been convicted of a crime on their application is telling the truth);
* Have a meeting with your employees once or twice a year to inform them of the consequences of such actions, including possible loss of employment and/or jail time (meaning you will press charges).

With all that you potentially have to lose from even one serious incident of credit card abuse in your office, are you willing to take that chance?

Photo credit: insuranceproviders.com

Dave Thomas covers small business topics for various websites, including processing credit cards.

It Pays Off to Find the Right Payroll Outsourcing Firm

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If you own a small business, you undoubtedly find yourself with not enough time in the day to get everything done. As a result, attention to detail must be focused on the most important tasks at hand in order for your business to run smoothly.

So, where does paying your employees (where applicable) sit on that list of required items at your company?

One way to keep employees happy and giving you their best effort is to make sure they are paid properly and on time. If their payments are miscalculated and/or late, their desire to put in a good day’s work can seriously be impacted.

In order for the busy small business owner to meet this need, that sometimes means going outside their own office and hiring a payroll outsourcing firm, giving the business owner one less important responsibility to handle.

If you find yourself in this position, what are some things that should come into play when you discuss doing payroll in-house or outsourcing it?

Among the areas to focus in on include:

* Provider background – Just as you would spend the time to research any business you work with, extra attention should be given to any payroll providers you consider. Check to see their track record of working with other customers, if they have any history of complaints against them, and if they are financially stable. It is a good idea to get some referrals from other small business owners using such services that you are friendly with;

* Time saved on the job – If you got outside your company with payroll duties, you free up time for the individual or individuals (typically the HR department) who had previously handled this responsibility. When that is the case, that person or persons can then assist you with other duties. It also removes the pressure from such individuals for properly calculating pay, taxes to be withdrawn, and any benefit issues that can typically arise with payroll, including deductions towards health insurance and 401k plans;

* Taxes do matter – Especially in cases where you are outsourcing payroll, make sure you deal with a company that gets it when it comes to taxes. It is not at all uncommon for small businesses to get a letter in the mail from the IRS, specifically stating that they did not calculate their taxes correctly when doing payroll. When that happens, the company is subject to a potential financial penalty. You will also want them to handle preparing W-2s and 1099s at year’s end. Finally, make sure the payroll provider is bonded, meaning your small business has protection from liability when finances are incorrectly reported;

* Employee security – If you turn to payroll outsourcing, make sure they can promise security for you, specifically involving employee data. Information such as how much the worker is being paid, their Social Security number, home address etc. need to remain confidential. If you are transmitting the information via fax machines or even a computer software program, it is important to confirm that the data will be properly protected;

* Up to date with benefits – You not only want a payroll provider who can properly and efficiently handle payroll and taxes, but one that is also up to speed with requirements regarding things like health benefits and 401k plans. Some or many of your employees may be eligible to participate in both, so it is important that the correct amount of money is deducted each pay period for such items;

* Terms of contract – Lastly, make sure you have in writing exactly how much it will cost for the payroll provider to handle your needs. Will you have a one-year contract with them or a longer-term one? When trying out a new provider, it is wise to go with a shorter term deal so you have the ability to see what you do and do not like about their services.

As you head into the New Year, consider working with a payroll provider if you find doing payroll in-house is getting to be too taxing.

If it is, it pays to take the time and find the right payroll provider the first time around.

Photo credit: smallbusinessbranding.com

Dave Thomas covers small business topics for various websites.

Putting Some Notoriety Behind Your Brand

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When it comes to letting people know about your brand, how do you go about it?

Do you regularly advertise through in-house means on radio and television, through newspapers, and via your social media opportunities? Do your employees spread the word to help promote your business? Or, even though it can be more expensive, do you get a well-known figure to promote your brand?

If you are practicing the latter tactic, you are not alone. In fact, more and more companies are using celebrities to help them spread the word.

Even if you only watch television or peruse the Internet on a limited basis, you have likely seen some of the following ads over the last year:

* Peyton Manning promoting Papa John’s Pizza with owner John Schnatter;
* Charlie Sheen promoting DirectTV;
* Danica Patrick for GoDaddy.com;
* Betty White touting Snickers;
* Norm Macdonald promoting SafeAuto.com.

While celebrity advertising is certainly nothing new in this day and age, it has become more prevalent given the mass reach of the Internet not only in the U.S., but worldwide.

Whether large or small, businesses have the opportunity to put a face behind their brand and tell both current and potential customers why their product or service is second to none.

As you might expect, it oftentimes comes down to advertising budgets, something the smaller business doesn’t always have much of. In those cases, it may involve finding a well-known figure who actually uses the product to go in front of the camera or the radio to promote it.

If you are a smaller business and your advertising dollars are stretched, the big question then becomes can you get the celebrity to consent to their likeness being used in the ad?

The bottom line is that celebrity endorsements give the impression that the individual uses the product or service they are promoting. If it is discovered the celebrity does not actually use the product or service and still promotes it, does a company’s brand suffer as a result?

If you plan on using a well-known figure to promote your brand going forward, consider a few items:

* Does the individual have mass appeal to a wide range of consumers?
* Does the individual come with any “baggage” that may dissuade consumers from touting your product or service? Such cases can be where the celebrity has said something negative, had a run-in with the law, or is viewed as not relevant at the time;
* Does the individual meet your budget needs? If not, you may be able to come to an agreement where they will take less for an advertisement in return for something beneficial to them.

In today’s world, a company’s brand is its heart and soul.

Before you get a well-known figure to promote what you have to offer, look at the big picture, identifying whether that individual is going to brand your business a winner or loser.

Photo credit: adnews.us

 Dave Thomas covers small business topics for various websites.