The 2017-2018 flu season is shaping up as one the worst in recent memory. Widespread outbreaks have been reported in every state except Hawaii, although some regions have been hit harder than others. Some states report that flu cases have tripled or more since last year. Alabama has declared a state of emergency. While the [...]
Our last post focused on this year’s SMB and Midmarket Top 10 IT Priorities, IT Challenges and Business Issues report from market research firm Techaisle. Cloud computing ranked as the top IT priority for small to midsize businesses (SMBs) in 2018, thanks to the cloud’s ability to address some of the key business issues these organizations [...]
With limited budgets and scarce resources, most small businesses understand the need to stretch a dollar. This fact is underscored by a new study that finds budget and spending issues at the top of the list of concerns for small to midsize businesses (SMBs) in 2018. The research also shows that these concerns are likely [...]
In our last post, we discussed how structured employee training can help boost productivity, enhance customer service and maximize the return on investment in new technologies. Training also has a number of ancillary benefits, including improved morale, greater employee retention and reduced risk that critical knowledge will be lost when a key employee leaves the [...]
Organizations are under constant pressure to improve productivity, operational efficiency and customer service. Many are modifying their business processes and adopting technology tools to advance these business objectives. Employees are expected take advantage of these tools to boost the bottom line and deliver the best possible customer experience. In many cases, however, organizations aren’t providing [...]
In the previous post, we defined the customer experience and explained why businesses that are launching new products and marketing strategies should make the customer experience a top priority. We discussed the various types of interactions and contacts that occur during the customer journey and offered recommendations for developing and managing a customer experience strategy. [...]
A new survey from Microsoft Store and SurveyMonkey provides insights into what small business owners have planned for 2018. Ninety percent plan to hire one or two people, which could have something to do with expectations for growth. About 37.6 percent are considering offering a new product or service, while 35.7 percent plan to implement [...]
Is every copy of software installed across your organization properly licensed? Very few can answer this question with any level of certainty. According to a 2016 survey conducted by BSA and IDC, 39 percent of all installed software was not properly licensed. Even in highly regulated industries, software license noncompliance was alarmingly high. For example, [...]
Faced with increasingly sophisticated cybersecurity threats, most enterprise organizations have established a senior executive role tasked with creating and steering a comprehensive security framework. There is growing evidence that the chief information security officer (CISO) role could also benefit small to midsized businesses. SMBs have become prime targets for cyberattacks. In the past year, hackers [...]
In the previous post, we discussed why every small business needs a customer relationship management (CRM) system. Improvements in collaboration, productivity and customer service can be gained by using technology to record and manage data from every customer interaction. CRM data can also provide insights that allow organizations to optimize operations, better understand customer behavior, [...]
