Small Business Tips and Ideas - BizSieve.com

Why A Virtual Call Center Makes Sense for Your Business

Many business owners erroneously believe that they can provide a higher level of service to their customers by having a live receptionist available during working hours. Although there definitely are some benefits to providing people with the opportunity to connect to a live switchboard operator, this is no longer a necessity due to the virtual call center option. In fact, making the switch to a virtual call center can actually help you greatly increase your customer satisfaction.

How Does a Virtual Call Center Work?

In the standard business environment, a customer’s call will be answered by a receptionist who than determines which office number to connect them with. Unfortunately, there are many drawbacks to this approach, including the fact that calls can be missed when the receptionist is already speaking to someone else. Additionally, it is important to note that even a highly professional receptionist can still have a bad day, and this could end up reflecting poorly on your business.

Due to this, it is becoming increasingly common for companies to switch to a virtual call center company like Avoxi. This option provides callers with a recorded message that politely thanks them for calling and expedites the process of appropriately transferring their call. As an added bonus, you will have many quality control options that you can utilize via an online dashboard such as the option to review the time and length of each call and even listen to them if you have the recording feature turned on.

Additional Perks of a Virtual Call Center

Every company from home-based businesses to large brick-and-mortar locations can save a lot of time, money and customer frustration by switching to a virtual call center. After all, you will never need to worry about someone taking a break, being tied up on another line or treating your customers poorly because they are having a bad day. It is important to note that a virtual call center is less expensive than paying a receptionist’s salary, and it will never need sick or vacation leave. Your customers are also certain to love the fact that they will be able to connect with the appropriate voicemail 24/7 because you have a virtual call center in place.

Effective Call Screening

Many high-profile businesses need to screen their callers to ensure that they do not spend a lot of time discussing irrelevant matters such as whether or not they want to change their long-distance provider. A virtual call center will make it easier to connect salespeople with a specific voicemail that is monitored for any legitimate calls that need to be returned. Alternatively, if you have a live receptionist in place, they are much more likely to get worn down by the persistence of salespeople, and this could cause them to connect high-level employees with undesirable callers.

As you can see, having a virtual call center will provide you with several notable perks. Due to this, it is no wonder that so many leading businesses have already made the switch. You can improve your customer service and reduce your expenses by signing up for a virtual call center and moving away from a traditional receptionist environment.

Creating A Strategy To Address Business Fire Risks

Do you have a fire strategy in place at your business premises? If not you should have! Since the Fire Service stopped issuing Fire Certificates every business owner is legally responsible for having their building assessed for risk and putting a strategy in place.

We know this seems like just another niggling piece of red tape but not only could it save lives but it could save you a great deal of money. The cost of fires can be astronomical and of course if you don’t have an adequate plan in place and be seen to be active in this area you could incur fines.

A blow by blow plan

Here are our tips to ensure you stay compliant within the new fire safety laws:

Nominate a member of staff to be ‘fire risk officer’; if they have fire risk assessment training so much the better
Get a fire risk assessment for your building either by your officer or by an outside agency. This will look at all the areas of risk and give you a report which you can use to address any issues
From the report draw up a check-off list to ensure that these issues are dealt with in order of listed priority
Make sure you have a plan in place in case of fire and that your staff are well versed in; this should include how they make their way to the escape route, who is responsible for closing doors and checking everyone is out of the building and other details
Have regular fire drills so that in the case of an emergency, your team will know exactly what to do and panic won’t take over
Have a clear escape route and make sure it is kept clear at all times
Ensure you have sufficient fire figh
ting equipment and that it is in good working order. This includes fire or smoke alarms, sprinkler systems, fire extinguishers and fire blankets
Get your fire fighting equipment checked regularly to keep it in good working order
Make sure that your fire risk officer knows which equipment or risks should be checked regularly. This ensures that your fire risk assessment is an on-going process rather than something which is looked at once a year
Record what is checked and when it is checked for your records
Put training for fire safety in place for any staff that need it
Make sure that your Fire Risk Officer liaises with your First Aid Officer

The list may seem excessive especially if you don’t have many employees but it is far better to be safe rather than sorry after the event. It is good for compliance with the legal requirements too.

Time to get started

First things first, get your fire risk assessments completed so that you have a starting point. It’s never too soon and then you can start ensuring that you are legal in this department and get your staff up to speed.

About the Author: Harry Price is a free-lance writer and personal trainer. He enjoys guest blogging and travelling the country.

Starting A Business? Here’s Your Checklist

So, are you tired of living off from your salary? Do you feel like you have been working too hard without being paid just as much? Or are you over with the thought of having to need more than just one job to be able to pay your bills? Or perhaps you are a student, trying to find ways to pay off your student loan as much as you could to lessen your parents’ burden? Maybe you are a retired personnel wanting to invest money and make it grow? Or are you a homemaker whose kids have gone off to college and now has more time for yourself? In any case, today, to be able to survive, it is important to have an eye for business. Why business? Because business is the root of everything—the economy, supply and demand all rely on business and how it will grow. Even some academic institutions were built for the main purpose of profit. This is how important a business is. It is a part of the life cycle which may make or break the person. But just how do you start your business?

Here’s your checklist:

1. An Idea That Sells.

Before thinking of anything else, you have to know first, what it is that you are going to do. If you are good in baking, then you can probably start a bakery but with a twist—you wouldn’t want to be like the other bakeries! Maybe you can do something to lower your costs and then go for an everyday buy one take one, or a food truck that sells authentic dishes that cannot be found elsewhere.

2. A Unique Name.

To catch your customers or clients, you have to come up with a name that’s special and that speaks for your business. Remember, this name will carry your future.

3. Investors

You may or may not need investors because it depends on how big your budget is and your vision to the business. However, it would be better of course to have a partner to help you out with the chores and the errands. It wouldn’t hurt too, that they can lessen the money you will cash out.

4. Target Market

Who is your business for? This is in relation to the first item on the checklist. You have to know your bu
siness above anybody else. Your target market will help you in choosing your advertisements and even in the pricing strategy!

5. Paperworks

Now, you have to go on with the paper works such as the different permits you have to secure. In cases where the health may be at risk, be ready for an inspection in your area.

6. Headquarters

The headquarters will serve as your playroom slash boardroom. It is where you will discuss things that you are not comfortable discussing with others such are the tedious tasks, the amount of taxes you have to pay, the multiple permits you need, and the likes.

7. Employees

Unless you intend on a one-man job, you will need several employees to do the tasks for you.

8. Office Space

To grow a business, you need to have a decent office. The difference between this and the headquarters is that, the headquarters can be as messy as you want it to be.The office space needs to be gleaming and presentable at all times. Choose furniture that’s elegant, classy and never goes out of style. Office furniture such as the sofa in the waiting area will show your prospective clients that you mean business. As what they say, “”First impressions last.” . Remember, your office is the reflection of your business. Treat it as your
home.

About the Author: Marie is an Interior Designer and Decorator who specializes in offering design consulting to various Business’s. She occasionally shops for office furniture from Only Office Furniture.

6 Ways To Save Energy In The Office

In these environment-conscious times, ‘saving energy’ is one of the most-used catchphrases for reducing the demand for fossil fuel used to generate power. Not only will it help save the planet, but it will benefit your household budget as well. The same goes for your workplace, naturally, when you apply your home energy-saving habits to your place of work.

Here are a few suggestions.

Don’t Use More Light Than You Need.

You can use a desk lamp for your table instead of the overhead lights when alone in your work room, for instance. Position your desk near windows so you can use the day’s natural light while it lasts: not only will it save you energy, but it is much healthier and pleasant to your eyes than artificial lighting. Use compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) as much as possible: they use about 70% less energy than incandescent lighting. Switch off unneeded lighting, particularly in less-used areas such as storerooms and conference rooms.

Turn Off Equipment When Not Using It.

Switch off equipment such as printers, copiers and scanners not being used. It takes only a second to switch them on for use. Turn off computer monitors if you will be away for more than a few minutes like when going on a coffee or lunch break. Switch off even the computer itself if it will not be used for over an hour. Even a few watts saved each time may accumulate to a substantial amount after a while.

Similarly, unplug all power equipment at the end of the day and most importantly on weekends. Appliances on standby mode still use some power even when switched off but plugged to outlets.

Close the Drapes or Blinds

Do this when leaving for the day or weekend to conserve internal heat and reduce the amount of energy needed
to raise the temperature to comfortable levels for the next working day. Some rooms don’t require heating up or cooling down much such as storage rooms as they are infrequently used. Likewise, cooler or warmer corridors will discourage employees from loitering there, increasing work time.

Program your Thermostats

Make Sure the thermostats switch off during the night and switch on only a little time before the rooms are used. Remember, HVAC systems require about 150 times the power lighting systems need. Heating and cooling comprise about half the total energy bill in offices, so save on air conditioning power and you slice off a significant portion of your power bill.

Maintain Your Equipment Well

A dirty airconditioner or heater will work harder to produce the same amount of coolness, increasing power consumption. This principle applies to all mechanical devices or parts, such as those in printers and copiers. Scheduling maintenance fo
r them will ensure efficient performance from these machines.

Make Your Own Energy

Finally, to save energy, the best way is to install solar power generators to make use of free power. The initial investment will be paid off over time through savings on power bills and, if you generate more than your needs, you may even get paid for the power you plow back into the power grid.

So save energy in your workplace as much as you can. Who knows? Maybe management will share the savings with you via bonuses and other emoluments. Then you benefit direct.

About the Author: This article was written by Kim from MSE. Kim has been blogging for about 5 years and has loved every second. Apart from blogging Kim enjoys music and exercise.

5 Most Effective Tips To Boost Your Home Business

Operating your own home business is certainly exciting, but if you want that home business to be a success it is essential that you are operating that business properly. Not all home businesses will be around in one year, much less 5 or 10. Those businesses that do not succeed are those whose owners were unwilling to put forth the effort required to boost the business. If you want success you have to live success and this means putting forth all of the right skills and techniques.

But, even those who have all of the motivation in the world may not find their home business a success if the right steps and tips are not used. Do not allow yourself to become a part of this scenario. Instead, use these 5 effective tips and boost your business greatly. Success is a given with this enlightening information.

1. Go Social

Social media is where it is at. If you are a home business owner, using social media can put you in the mi
x of thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds from around the world. Each opportunity of meeting these people is one that can help you grow your business. You can reach consumers by building your own page, adding a variety of information, tips, photos and fun to draw in more awareness of your company. Join a variety of sites, update them regularly, interact with fans and build your brand! Thousands of business are in the mix with these social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, and so should you!

2. Use Effective Marketing Schemes

Using effective marketing schemes, such as social media as outlined in tip one, helps you avoid wasting time, money and potentially trust to your business. The marketing schemes best for you are based upon the nature of your business and the people that you are trying to reach. Many forms of marketing exists, so do take the time to examine them all. Some of the most common forms of marketing include text message marketing, advertising via banner, online, etc., social media, radio and TV commercials, t-shirts and promotional items and more. Decide which of these can be of the most benefit to you.

3. Keep up with the Latest Trends

When trends change your business should change, too. The world around you matters the most in the success around you. When you are aware and up- to- date with all of the trends, your home business can benefit greatly. This is a true statement no matter the type of business you are operating from your home.

There are many blogs you can follow to keep up with the latest trends. One of the blog I follow is Jobs8Home where I get the tips on growing my online business.

4. Have a Plan

Going into any deal without a plan is one of the riskiest things that you will ever do. When it is time to find success with your home-based business, this is the last thing that you want to happen. It is simple to create a business plan. Inside of this plan include your projections for profit, loss, and goals for the future. Know what you want to do and how you are going to do it, and put it in writing so that you can easily go back and look at it any time it should be needed.

5. Have a Mentor

Having a mentor who has been there, done that can provide you with a great amount of assurance and confidence in your endeavors.

Look for someone that has been successful in running a home business, whether this person is found locally or online. One great online source to look at is known as SCORE. It is a free service that is used for monitoring and mentoring.