Content Management Systems for New Businesses

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Start-ups have everything to gain with a company website. Smaller companies can get by with simple yet personalized look, one that enough about the company and what it’s about. However, there’s only enough time to spend in a day, and there’s always someone who’ll take care of portions of operations, giving you time to ensure everything falls into place.

What these businesses need is a content management system (CMS), a computer application that supports the creation and modification of digital content using a simple interface. A CMS usually supports multiple users, working in a collaborative environment and features, among others. This includes web-based publishing, format management, history editing and version control, indexing, search, and retrieval.

An Efficient Way to Run a Company Website

A CMS is a great tool for first-time businesses to put their work out there. Essentially with a CMS, they already have a working website that can publish, edit, and modify content as well as maintain it from a centralized user-friendly interface. This and more reasons have put CMS on the map as a popular way to start up a site.

Ready Design and Usability

A major advantage of using a CMS separation is its design and functionality. In the case of starting from scratch, there is a need to set up the code and design for the site itself, and that can quite be demanding especially for those who aren’t experts in that field. But with a CMS, there’s already the site set up; the coding and design is already in place. There can be changes made in the appearance, such as the use of themes, but nothing that will risk disrupting the established look. This gives the business a site that is uniformly clean but with more than a hint of personality. It can also concentrate on content, adding, formatting, and editing whatever’s necessary to convey its message across.

Content Regularly Updated

One more advantage of choosing a CMS is the possibility of a quick content turnaround. For up-and-comers, updates are a must. There needs to be a constant stream of news and fresh content to haul in views and customers. And building a site from scratch can be a serious hindrance, with all the design and coding matters to look into. A CMS, however, handles these really well. Because there is little need to worry about the technical aspects of the site, much focus can be pooled for the content itself. The people behind the business can freely update as regularly as possible, and with accuracy and uniformity, too, thanks to the content editing functions. A site made using a CMS can be a lively one, indeed, and not because it’s a design work in progress.

Search Engine Friendly

Another advantage, still, with having a CMS for site building is its SEO-friendliness. New businesses need to get themselves out and heard in the tough, vast world that is the Internet. They need to appear on a search engine whenever a word of interest is being searched, and they need their content to be an easy work of navigation. With site building from scratch, there is the possibility of that function not being present or usable, and that can be a huge blow to them. The CMS, on the other hand, has evolved over the years for that. Most programs of this kind come with SEO-friendly functions such as custom page titles, metadata, adjustable URLs, and helper plugins. The businesses need not toil much over getting on the front page of Google anymore; with the CMS will take them there faster.

Content management systems come in many names: Joomla, WordPress, Mambo, Drupal, PhpBB, and VBulletin are some of the most widely used. And for businesses who don’t have the time or the expertise needed to work with one themselves, there are outsourcing companies who offer that as part of their line of services. They can be assured that an outsourced CMS-made site will have an air of professionalism: uncluttered, informative, and engaging.

Your business can definitely turn to the CMS for help. With it, you’ll have all the essentials covered, and the site will still speak much about your company, your product/service, and your team.

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A Three-Step Guide to Effective Contact Center Management

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In today’s highly-competitive industry, it is no secret the primary goal of every entrepreneur is to attract and maintain customers, ensure their business’s success in the long run. This is due to the fact that corporations go head-to-head when it comes to providing the same products/services, leaving consumers with a wide variety of choices and ultimately, giving them the power to choose which brand is better, which lacks the ability to satisfy consumer needs. In light of this situation, companies see the only way to increase sales is to make sure customers keep coming and keep purchasing. Hence the birth of a more elaborate and organized customer service and support system.

Not until recently, business owners saw the worth of customer service as a minor factor in the development of their corporation. But with the growing competition among industries, followed by rapid changes in market trends, corporations are forced to invest and provide more attention to customer service, to building relationship between the company and its target market. In line with this new marketing strategy is the birth of the contact center, a system under a company’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) department that handles customer issues. Generally, contact centers are the ones responsible in maintaining good customer relationship, it’s main role is to provide a clear communication line where customers can conveniently voice out their requests and concerns.

Here are three simple but essential steps to help you better manage your contact center.

Know Your Role

It’s hard to do your job if you have no idea what your duty really is. You’ll perform to your potential if you’re well aware of your role – the nature of your work, why it’s important, and what you’re doing it for. Knowing the importance of the contact center, as well as your company’s benefit, will give you detailed reason why the job is crucial. This way, not only will you learn how to act accordingly, you will also find some motivation to help you focus on your work.

Act the Part

However, knowing the nature of your job is not enough. The next step is to act the part. Once you understand your role to the full, it’s time to set goals that would lead to the success of your department and the company as a whole. It is essential that you and your team work in synchronized manner, with the same ideal in mind. Just like in a play/movie, each person has a role, and the whole cast/company has to perform as one unit for the play to really work. The same is to be said in contact center management: for the whole crew to build a harmonious connection with the customers, everyone has to play the parts assigned to them. Only in this way could the team achieve the set goals, which includes maintain a good relationship with the clients.

Own the Part

The ultimate role of a contact center team is to make sure customers get the attention they want and deserve. Meaning, a contact center system works for the sole purpose of endorsing their company’s good image, by presenting an excellent customer service performance. Contact center teams need to keep in mind the department exists to increase customer retention rate. This being said, they should know that their job as contact center personnel essentially means the success or failure of their company.

While it is true that modern technology is of great help in enhancing customer service performance, it can also be said that the technical aspect is not enough to build a strong foundation for a customer support. The real deal still fully relies on the ability of the employees to perform in accordance with the standards of their clients.

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Staff Leasing, Customized to Meet Your Needs

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There’s one reason why businesses turn to staff leasing to cover for operations: the variety of specializations available. Different companies have different goals, and BPO companies adapt using different approaches that would effectively help their clients achieve their goals. With a plethora of outsourcing companies active on the international market, businesses would want a partner that shares in their visions, and will seamlessly work together to deliver high-quality goods and/or services.

Staff Leasing Keeps You Up to Speed with Industry Standards

With the fast-paced growth of the Internet and technology, it’s understandable companies would want to be on top of everything, will try anything that could make transactions and operations both effective and efficient. Sometimes, though, they don’t have the time or the people who are up to par with the tasks needed to be completed, and that’s when staff leasing comes in. Professional staff leasing companies would be well-versed with the newer systems and applications that can cover back-office and customer support.

Company executives want to maximize these benefits, so they can focus on other parts of the business that would boost company growth. Unfortunately, when the company turns to some staff leasing companies for help, they run the risk of limiting themselves instead. Companies should then make sure that the staff leasing company they seek out will adjust to the company’s needs and wants, not the other way around.

Customizing Your Leased Staff to Fit

Does the leasing company have the specialized and professional pool of talents that can meet the standards of your business? Can these talents dedicate the time and effort that will make the project/campaign successful? Will the leased team contribute to the overall growth of the company? Leasing companies should be able to help curate the perfect team who can finish the job done within the specified time.

The company should also take into account the facilities a staff leasing company has to offer. Is it properly outfitted and updated with the means to deliver the results required? As mentioned earlier, the growth of the Internet and relevant technologies comes with expectations. Staffing companies are expected to have the proper equipment and resources that that enhance talents.

The cost of leasing staff for certain projects or operations shouldn’t outweigh the benefits of an outsourced team’s offerings. Leasing companies fully understand the value of efficient operations, so by being able to provide a customized solutions service for the company, both parties can reach a point of agreement that would be advantageous for everyone involved.

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Is Customer Satisfaction The Goal, No Questions Asked? Rethinking The “Customer Is Always Right” Policy

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Is the customer always right? This is running policy in most businesses, and in many situations, it protects customers from unfair or unsatisfactory service. Customers may be the lifeblood of business, but sticking to this unwritten rule can open a can of worms that affects employee morale. As an entrepreneur, you carefully consider which side you’ll take in disputes, between employees and irate customers; customer satisfaction is a primary goal of business, but it’s far from absolute.
If you’re still on the fence whether you should side with employees in an unfair dispute, here are three good reasons that should help you decide in your people’s favor:

1. Siding with customers (when they’re wrong) puts a dent on your employees’ morale.

You’re actually doing your people a disservice; even if the intent is to appease a disgruntled customer, it shows your distrust in your employees. It’s about weighing the tradeoff of giving customers what they want, against the possibility your people will lose confidence in you after your lapse of judgment. Diplomacy is crucial in conflict resolution, and you can build the concerned employee as you side with the customer in a complaint. Keep in mind that lip service to the customers’ dilemma only benefits your business for the short term.

2. Abrasive customers shouldn’t always have the upper hand.

They say that when you give someone an inch, the same person will demand a mile. Perception is a fickle thing, and the last thing you want to be perceived as is a patsy. You’re probably thinking of companies who buckled under the pressure of (negative) customer feedback, pulling products, doing recalls, offering refunds and rebates to compensate. The point is you need to establish your boundaries and protect it. Your front-line employees bear the brunt of the abuse, and the least you can do is call a bad customer out, on the spot.

3. Side with enough bad customers, and soon your employees will dish out sub-par service.

This could be out of disappointment or disapproval, expressed in ways short of a mutiny. Employees need to know their service and judgment is valued in the company; that’s why yo hired them in the first place. Sure, there are times when an employee is clearly on the wrong side of the dispute, but what about the gray situations and you need to investigate further? Bosses fail when they pick the customer’s side in effort to save face; it’s likely disputes and complaints will only increase, as discontentment spreads among the ranks.
The secret to good customer service is good employee morale; invest in your employees and they will pay it forward with excellent service. Consider your customers and employees as equal partners to your company’s success; ensure both are satisfied and the effort will pay off as you move along.

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Your Post-Sale Strategy: Gaining Leads From Your Customers

Your Post-Sale Strategy: Gaining Leads From Your Customers

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For many businesses, getting a sale is always the great goal, but the work doesn’t necessarily end once the customer signs the contract. Sales experts refer to this stage as the honeymoon phase, an appropriate term of endearment. This is the time when you and your customer have formally entered into a union, but is also the period when the two of you will get to find out interesting things about each another.

This is the perfect chance to further strengthen the relationship, by coming up with an effective after-sales strategy which can be composed of five elements.

1. Thank You card. An email saying “thank you” should be good enough, but sending a card carries a more personal touch. With a card, you can add a few special notes like assuring your new partner that you’re just a call away if he has questions.

2. Call. Some people are not inclined to picking up the phone and making a call. Take the initiative and call customers a week or two after closing sales with them. They may just have a few questions in mind that need clarification. If not, checking up on them to make sure they’re fine is always a good after-sales strategy.

3. Giveaways. When getting in touch with a new client, always ask if it’s okay that to call him regularly. If he agrees, prepare a few free items that he will find interesting, like phones, magazines, and many others.

4. A Second Sale. This need not be done right away, because you will have to work first on gaining the trust of your customer and discovering his other interests. Once you succeed in this, you can begin looking at the prospects of offering a few complimentary products.

5. Referral. With his trust gained and his satisfaction met, asking for a referral from your client should be easy. Actually, this last element will come naturally without you having to do anything. A contented customer will gladly share his experience with friends and family, and do you the favor of a recommendation for your business. This is the best and most important part of your post-sale plan—to go full circle and offer your service again to a new prospective client.

Your sales strategy should be self-contained and sustained, and investing in after-sales skips you the steps of doing the legwork to find new prospects. If you’re interested enough to consider building a team of customer service specialists, you’ll find it more cost-effective with staff leasing service, instead of hiring personnel in-house. You get the convenience of dedicated service without shouldering as much in overhead costs.

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Dear Small Business Owner: You Also Need Staff Leasing Service

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With the competitive nature of today’s industries, start-up companies find it more difficult to carve their niche in the field; competition is fierce and markets are saturated. There are also fewer opportunities, compared to big time corporations who have the lion’s share of the prospects. It’s fortunate small business owners have a leg up with outsourced help, yours could use staff leasing service, for so many reasons:

Reduced Cost

In partnership with Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs), businesses have the luxury of hiring dedicated workforce at a lesser cost. This is because the whole operation is being managed by the PEO. From recruitment to management, PEOs take on the role of overseeing the entire operation, which includes attending to all necessary transactions: taking care of taxes, insurance, benefits, and all other matters concerning the leased employees. In addition, PEOs takes care the workplace and equipment required for the job, leaving the company free of any additional expenses. This alternative is cost-efficient compared to hiring an in-house team.

Less Paperwork

As providers, PEO are also responsible for administrative and HR services. This is preferable for new companies, start-ups who don’t have the resources to hire their own HR personnel. By partnering with PEOs, business owners are also spared from additional paperwork; administrative tasks can also be entrusted to PEOs’ leased staff.

Reduced Employee & Legal Liability

PEO can essentially conduct all required arrangements between employees; consequently, companies face fewer liabilities, in terms of legal and employee issues. This is because transactions are only conducted with the PEO. Since all paperwork is left under the care of the PEO, small businesses don’t need to deal with such matters directly. The work is all on the PEO.

Fewer Expenses Translates to Increased Revenue

Many PEOs offer all-in solutions to business needs. The workplace, equipment, operation management, and the administrative and HR support all come with the package, so small businesses are able to skip many company expenses. Earning more while spending less is heaven for entrepreneurs.

Staff leasing service offers you opportunities to cut costs, without sacrificing the quality of your operations. If you’re looking for cost-efficient ways to streamline your business, consider leasing your staff instead of hiring in-house; you’ll have more money to spend on other essentials.

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Choosing Shared Services? Here’s Your Five-Point Cheat Sheet

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A business would be better if everything is kept simple. When operational costs start to grow but the productivity rate remains low, it’s time to think of strategies that would give the organization a vibrant metamorphosis.

Shared services model is the answer to that dilemma. It is a business model where the resources of a business are pooled together into a single unit. Here, the chargeback is not centrally divided but is computed based on the actual services used. It is a cost-efficient mechanism of doing business, eliminating the risks of wasting resources.

Shared Services Model – Cheat Sheet

1. Goal – What is the goal of the business in trying alternative ways of doing business? Is it solely based on cost-saving? Perhaps you want to improve the working conditions or to better the services? Whatever the reason, the goal to implement a shared service unit should always be results-driven. Analysis is the key to finding out if this kind of model would benefit all the players.

2. Team Decision – The decision to implement a shared service center is not shouldered by the higher-ups alone. The whole team should be involved in the decision-making, as everyone will be affected by any drastic business shift. This way, all sides will be considered, especially the ones who will need to adjust to accommodate the changes.

3. Time Frame – Time is crucial when implementing new projects. As far as shared services is concerned, a feasibility study should always be considered. This includes discussions on transitioning, training, and procurement of necessary resources. After all, for a shared service center to succeed, all things should run in unison.

4. Target Discussion – When the rudimentary procedures are settled, it’s time to explain the target to the team. This includes discussions on the output, the best practices, various approaches to take when handling the task, grievance procedure, and the goal of the organization. The involvement of each team member is important, as they’re the ones to decide as to what is essential and what is counterproductive.

5. Performance Monitoring – It is crucial to monitor the team right from the start of the operation. This is to gauge the capacity of each member to handle important tasks, avoiding any hindrances that would defeat the purpose of the shared service center. Leadership and delegation of tasks are improved in this setup, but it is necessary to consistently check if the management of the team is indeed efficient.

A shared service model is an advantage if you have a feasible strategy in place. Whether you’re a start-up or established corporation, consider this option if you want to maximize productivity and streamline operations.

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Monitoring Social Media: Where’s Your Focus?

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Establishing presence on social media is important, but monitoring your brand is crucial. Social media is not only used for customer service, it’s also a good way to see how your brand is performing; are you making the right impression? Social media is a platform where you can fish for opportunities for success.

The power of social media is great; you have everything to gain by leveraging it. There’s a lot of noise in this platform, and it takes effort to isolate and listen to what’s important. Many companies consider staff leasing service just to filter all the information. The goal of social media monitoring is to collect relevant data, also analyze how such data can be used to the brand’s or company’s advantage.

Here are two things to monitor online, especially on social media:

1. Monitor your Brand or Company

The first thing to monitor is your brand or your company. This is the easiest to verify, because a lot of information will be revealed with a simple keyword search. Consider user questions about your company, viral content about your brand, reviews of your products or services, or maybe even a community of your avid followers. All these information from common people will not only give you an idea of how popular your brand or company is, it also gives you the chance to connect with them. After all, the best customer service is when customers can feel your solid presence.

2. Monitor the Industry

After “stalking” your brand or company online, it’s now time to widen your perspective—monitor the industry. By doing so, you’re not just checking out the position of your company or brand in the market, you’re also keeping your eyes open for the competition. After all, the customers are not the only ones talking about your products or services, the other companies are also checking you out.

Monitor their activity and content, see if there are things that you can learn from them. Maybe you can learn from their weak strategies to improve yours? How about unsuccessful campaigns that you can use as case studies? Just gather relevant industry information and use them as recipes for success. Keep your customers close and your competition closer. If you find the task overwhelming, hire staff leasing service.

Beyond the noise in social media, there are important information in the form of complaints, positive reviews, questions, and feedbacks that you can use to improve your brand or company. By monitoring only the relevant things, you’re making the social media a place where opportunities abound.

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Shared Services Model – It Could Be Your Best Business Solution Yet

Shared Services Model – It Could Be Your Best Business Solution Yet

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In unity there is strength, as best described in the shared services model; it’s a business strategy where some resources of an organization are combined to cut costs and remove redundant operations. Processes are standardized and resources are optimized, effectively combining the best practices of different teams and strengthening the organization in the long run.

Cost-Cutting

With resources focused on just a single unit, operational costs would greatly decrease. In a normal setup, each department has its own intangible and tangible assets, even repetitive operations, while the shared services model pool valuable resources together to remove menial tasks. Consequently, downtime is lessened and operational costs are reduced.

Efficient and Professional

Reduced downtime enables workers to focus on their tasks. With dedication to only accomplish valuable services, the workers’ training and skills are improved. This promotes the professionalization of their work, making them able to deliver efficient service.

Improved and Standardized Service

A task-driven team is also customer-focused. Once cultivated into a work culture, clients and the business receive services from just a single structure and from a standardized process. There would be no complicated administrative procedures to take, just a streamlined mechanism to quickly and wisely extend services.

Flexible and Focused

There’s the misconception the shared services model is complicated, considering various tasks are juggled by just a single unit. The uncertainty that comes with this is normal, as a shift in business model is coupled with inevitable changes. However, this is resolved as soon as the shared service center is in operation, once the staff knows how to prioritize between processes. Thus, they can control the work flow by managing tasks, as well as strategize procedures based on the business’ and the customers’ needs. With such flexibility, the focus and quality of service is improved.

Indeed, the shared services model is not just a practical means to do business. It is a wise move to improve the overall operations of an organization, all while maintaining a professional workforce and providing optimum service.

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Three Things Successful Entrepreneurs Never Do

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When was the last time you learned a lesson the hard way? You fumbled in negotiations, costing you that contract. Do you have pangs of regret remembering that business deal snagged by your competition?Should have considered outsourcing projects instead of in-house operations, to cut costs?

You’re in good company if you ever made a costly misstep, it comes with the territory. If it’s any comfort, the most successful businesses are constantly roadblocked by pitfalls. It’s fortunate the stories are well-documented; for your business sake, skip the mistakes and apply costly lessons others learned.

This isn’t your usual to-do list, though. Consider these points as precautions in running your business:

1. Don’t Forget Why You’re in Business

It’s easy to get sidetracked when you’re in the thick of a thriving business. Some forget why they started their businesses in the first place. The reasons may vary, but it’s often to fill a need; it could be personal, financial. Is there a niche on the market few businesses are catering? Did you intend to break new ground in the industry?

The “why” of your business will tide you through times when the “how” doesn’t make sense. If you built your business so you can spend more time with family, keep this in mind once there’s too much on paperwork your plate. Successful entrepreneurs are fully aware of priorities, and they’re willing to drop everything for the sake of what’s truly important.

2. Don’t Enter Partnerships in a Rush

This is tricky dilemma, especially if the prospects are too appealing to pass on. When you’ve done all the legwork, consider trusting your intuition. It’s great if you’ve started this business with friends and long-time acquaintances, and now everything’s as strong as ever. However, some partnerships fall flat because of mismatched expectations. It’s best if you thoroughly consider future business partners, ensure they’ll complement your team.

Opposites do attract, and it’s good business sense to on-board someone with skills and approach opposite to yours. This creates conflict, but it also keeps you from being complacent. You can bounce and filter ideas off each other, in effort to glean best solutions.

3. Don’t Stay on the Plateau, Keep Evolving

All progress occurs outside the comfort zone. You’ll reach plateaus in productivity, in revenue; there’s trickle of new clientele. These should push you to be proactive, take measures and get out of that rut. You only need to consider the humble beginnings of the most successful companies. Google and Apple started as garage businesses; imagine if these plateaued after eperiencing moderate success?

Successful companies keep evolving, for better or for worse. If outsourcing projects is the hard decision you have to make, consider the trade-off in cost and efficiency. There’s always risk of loss in business, but there’s also potential for gain. You can’t know what’s waiting for you at the corner if you don’t turn the bend.

You’ll make mistakes on your own, some can be costly. But, learning from other people’s mistake gives you the advantage. You don’t have to go down the well-tread path of mishaps. If ever you stumble into obstacles few have hurdled, you’ll at least have acquired wisdom of others, enough to tackle problems head-on.

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