Information technology has historically played a supporting role in most organizations. IT systems and applications help to automate and streamline workflows and provide employees with the information they need to make decisions and serve customers. In this traditional model, technology is vital to operations but not necessarily core to business strategy. That’s changing rapidly. Smart [...]
Psychologists claim that first impressions are formed within the first 30 seconds of a meeting, and that brief encounter will set the tone for how the relationship will ultimately develop. Surveys about employee onboarding processes seem to indicate that organizations aren’t putting their best foot forward. One recent study claims that onboarding is a critical [...]
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, [...]
