Business

By now, you’ve realized that the internet is a powerful tool for business. What you may not realize is how to practically apply that tool. Digital tools and digital content can drive your marketing department to a new level of success.

If you have been trying to make something happen for your small business, you could be missing some of the most effective methods of utilizing the IoT (Internet of things). Here are a few tips to help you learn more about how the power of the web can be harnessed to boost your business.

Cloud computing offers infinite connectivity

It’s important that you stay connected with all of the professionals who work with your operation. The internet offers that ability.

Through cloud computing, you can stay connected at all times. You can easily collaborate with other professionals, and the cloud offers a simple solution to data and record storage. There’s no longer a need for a filing cabinet.

Blogging will help boost visibility

Use the popularity and integration of the web in today’s culture to spread the word about your professional expertise. Start a blog and link it to your business website, so passing web users will have something of substance to absorb as they explore what your business has to offer.

You can become a leader in your industry with a strong blog presence.

For instance, even in an industry as vital as oil and gas, there is still a need for connectivity and marketing. Writing a solid article to teach readers something crucial about oil and gas safety topics will help to draw more web traffic to your digital domain.

Wrangle the power of social media

Social media is a part of the web that holds a lot of power when you’re looking to be seen by consumers. Today’s culture runs parallel with the events and discussions present on social media, and the correlation is up to the minute.

Claim your place in the realm of social media, and build a community of followers who will support your operation. Design a profile for several different social media sites, and make a point to keep your content up to date. Interact with users, and they will come back for more.

Learn the ins and outs of Google

If you’re going to be a champion of the web, then you need to delve into what Google can do for you. You’ll have to familiarize yourself with the concepts of SEO (search engine optimization) to truly reap the best benefits from Google’s search platform.

Invest in the latest software tools

Last, but not least, invest in the latest software tools to keep your business ahead of the game. Upgrading your software consistently will assure that your business has all the capabilities it needs to succeed.

 

Accounts receivable financing is a kind of financing option that provides entrepreneurs and business owners an opportunity to secure money from lenders against outstanding invoices.

The lender – typically an accounts receivable financing company – will advance you money which is a percentage of the outstanding value of the invoice.

However, the company charges you a fee for every week that the invoice remains pending.

This kind of financing is favored by borrowers because it is secured against raised invoices.

The reason why businesses secure accounts receivable financing is that they want to use the cash which is otherwise tied up with unpaid invoices. It helps in the smooth running of the cash flow so that you can have ample cash available for your daily business operations.

Moreover, you can also payoff your own invoices, disburse payrolls, and make timely investments in your business.

How to Best Finance Your Accounts Receivable

Before going for accounts receivable financing, it must be understood that it is a kind of recourse financing. It means if you are securing accounts receivable financing against outstanding invoice, it is you who will ultimately be responsible for their payment.

In some case, the lending company will agree to follow up with your customer in order to receive payments against the invoices. But at the end of the day, if the customer does not make the payment, you will be required to settle the entire debt.

In order to secure the best accounts receivable financing, you should keep in mind the following points discussed in the article.

Selection of Accounts Receivable

During the course of business, you may raise quite a lot of invoices against several customers.

Out of all these invoices that are outstanding at any point in time, you must have a clear idea which customers will make payment smoothly and swiftly.

You must select all these invoices, and should secure financing against them. This way, your invoice will be paid swiftly, and you will have to pay little amount in terms of fees.

The more time it takes for the invoice to get paid, the more money you will be required to pay to the financing company.

Choosing the right Accounts Receivable Financing Company

Another important aspect of securing this kind of financing is to find the right company.

There are many lenders that are ready to advance you against your outstanding invoices. However, you must find the one that advances you the highest percentage of the outstanding amount.

Most companies would lend you 80% to 90% of the outstanding amount. You must find the one that advances you the highest percentage.

Another aspect is the fee charged by the company. The fee charged by the company should be the prevailing market fee. In fact, it is better if the fee is lower. This will have less adverse effect on your net profit.

Customer follow-ups

As discussed earlier, it is ultimately your responsibility to get the invoices paid. In this regard, you will be following up with your customer regularly.

However, if the financing company also agrees to carry out follow ups for payments, it will become an added advantage for you.

Your customer will also know that you mean business. Involvement of another interested party will add urgency to the bills payment.

Fulfil requirements for Financing

It is comparatively easier to qualify to accounts receivable financing if compared to other kinds of traditional loans.

The technical reason behind this leniency is that the lender hinges his decision on the capacity of your customer to pay the invoice on time rather than your own credit rating and financial strength.

Documentary requirement for accounts receivable financing is very simple. The most important documents in the entire scenario, are the invoices that you wanted financed through the company.

You may also be required to produce your driver’s license and bank statements.

Keep all these documents ready, make photocopies, and keep in a place that is easily accessible.

Check online portal of the Lender

Several accounts receivable financing companies have a portal through which you can apply for the facility.

Check their portals for the requirements. Some of these portals are auto-synced with accounting softwares. This will save you from entering the invoice values one by one into the portal.

You can simply upload your invoices into the lender’s system. Online applications are easy to fill, and also take less time in processing rather than the traditional application methods used by banks and financial institutions.

Best Accounts Receivable Financing Companies

Blue Vine

BlueVine is a company that specializes in accounts receivable financing. Business owner may submit their outstanding invoices to company, and secure financing up to 5 million dollars.

BlueVine usually takes around 24 hours for processing an application. Disbursal is made within two to three days.

If you have secured financing from Blue Vine Once, your subsequent applications will be processed more quickly since they already have your data in the system.

FundBox

It is another financing company that specializes in invoice financing. The operations of FundBox are completely online.

You can secure funding of around 100,000 dollars through this company. The good thing about FundBox is that it would allow almost 100% financing against your outstanding invoices’ value. The repayment method is similar to the traditional lending. Fee charged by FundBox is lower than BlueVine.

Another point to note whether you are working with BlueVine or FundBox is that both of them would like to see your business history. How long you have been in the business? What is your average yearly turnover? Brace yourself up to face such questions during the process.

The Final Word

Accounts receivable financing comes in where you are facing cash flow issues in your business either because of your own operational problems, or seasonal trends.

Through invoice financing, you can free up your cash outstanding on the part of your customers, and use it for running your day-to-day operations without the need to inject more capital.

It is better way to capitalize on your outstanding invoices immediately rather than waiting for days for your customers to pay you in cash.

 

The business landscape has undeniably shifted towards a greater emphasis on customer experience and satisfaction. While quality goods and services are still paramount, it’s begun to appear as though many customers would opt for slightly fewer products as long as they’re paired with world-class treatment. Plus, with the increased focus on convenience in the digital era, customer demands are growing, as well. That’s why it’s important to ensure your customer service department and call center are at the peak of their performance.

A notable shift

Picture the quintessential call center. What do you see? Chances are, you’re imagining row after row of cubicles, representatives outfitted with thin headsets, and desktop units. A few years ago, you might not have been too far off. However, the customer service industry has changed fairly radically, and more and more companies are making the move away from locationally-specific call centers altogether. With a handful of key technological innovations, the picture perfect call center of the past has all but disappeared. Instead, companies like Bright Pattern have offered businesses of all sizes an enticing alternative in the form of distributed cloud call center capabilities.

Instead of devoting physical space to a traditional call bank and investing in frequent hardware upgrades, many businesses are looking towards these distributed models due to their convenience and their numerous benefits. Due to the growth of cloud-based applications and in response to some of the primary complaints about the customer service career path, more and more businesses are relying on remote work to boost morale, reduce turnover, and decrease overhead costs.

Benefits of call center software

The top benefit of call center software is fairly obvious: Cost reduction. Instead of supplying each representative with software and maintaining a space large enough to house your customer service department, a distributed model cuts costs by allowing representatives to use their own hardware. The remote working component means that, as long as they’re available during your business hours, they can work from nearly anywhere in the world. All call representatives need is phone service and an internet connection. You save on leasing expenses as well as regular hardware upgrades and simply have to provide access to the software.

The notion of greater freedom for customer service representatives leads directly into the next point. Customer service sees some of the highest levels of turnover in any industry. Attracting top talent is hard enough, let alone retaining that talent. Incentives like remote work make customer service much more appealing. For representatives, this means no commute time, locational freedom, and less overall micromanagement. This can greatly boost morale and keep your top representatives with your company.

Avoiding turnover is key as the more time and money spent investing in team members who ultimately resign shortly into their tenure can disrupt your business’s flow and reduce the efficiency of your call center as a whole. This frequently leads to increased customer complaints, lowered representative performance, and morale dips. While call center software doesn’t immediately remedy all of these, it still goes a long way toward increased satisfaction for all parties involved.

A better call center

Don’t let your customer service efforts fall behind those of your competitors. If you want to become a top business in your field, you need to offer greater levels of customer care. More often than not, this starts directly with your call center. Look into software options and choose a provider that can offer guidance when it comes to restructuring your call center. It’s a great first step towards asserting yourself as the best of the best.

To read more on topics like this, check out the business category.

The digital industry may be heavily dependent on consumers, but without the brains behind the products there wouldn’t be a market to speak of. In the US, technology is one of the fastest growing sectors with an employment growth of 13% expected in IT by 2026. Now is the time to jump on the bandwagon, whether you’re already efficient in particular computer skills or need some extra training to get your foot in the door. Here are three of the most sought-after careers of 2019 to help you put your goals in order.

Mobile App Development

To say mobile technology is booming would be an understatement. If, while playing Minecraft or scrolling through Instagram on your smartphone, you’ve ever wondered how these programs are made, the fact is that it all comes down to research and practice. A degree in graphic design or software engineering is useful, but more basic apps are within anyone’s potential and budget. Platforms like Mobile Roadie exist for this precise reason. They provide all the tools necessary to create your own app and manage it. Whatever the niche, there are ways to develop the skills you need, if not build a profitable project in the process.

Web Development

This next level in IT does benefit from more specialized training in Javascript, HTML, CSS and more, simply to be able to understand how the internet and its landscape works. The aim is to design domains that are attractive, informative and easy to navigate. Visiting a site should inspire trust and a desire to stick around. Bonus.ca’s site, for example, is clearly structured and contains helpful links to online casinos, gaming tips and details on their selection standards. As a provider of multiple services, their website ensures that users can spot content that interests them or quickly find what they’re looking for. Self-taught web developers are common nowadays, simply requiring greater determination.

 

Cloud Computing

As perhaps the hottest topic in current corporate circles, becoming a part of the cloud department may set you up for life. However, it’s growing into one of the most complex jobs of the tech industry. New Relic highlights the importance of certified knowledge on subjects like data integration, automation software and key cloud platforms, such as Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services. You will also need analysis, business management and communication skills as the cloud becomes the meeting point between several different departments driven by people, data and market demands. Fortunately, Google Cloud Certified is one of many prestigious training programs that can help prepare and qualify you for this exciting step.

These three IT paths demonstrate the range of opportunities available for the technologically adept. From enhancing smartphone and website experiences to getting tangled, if not pulling the strings, of cloud networks, it’s a wise decision to get involved in the digital industry. While receiving proper training is handy and likely to open more doors, you can reach that coveted job by making use of the tools and programs offered by reliable online providers.

 

You have to go through a lot before you can find someone to buy your house. You need to advertise the property. If you find people who want to buy it, you need to entertain questions related to the house. You even need to do an open house to welcome all potential buyers.

After opening your house to those who seem interested, you have to be open to negotiation. Even if you already agreed to the amount offered by the potential buyer, it’s still not over for you. There’s a need to prepare all the documents and finalize the sale. Unless that happens, the other party can still change their minds and decide not to buy the house at all. Since you didn’t sign anything yet, you can’t sue the other party for not fulfilling their obligation.

Be ready for any possibilities 

You might find people who really want to buy a property. Others want to test the waters and see how low you’re willing to go. You might also find potential buyers who will tell you that they’re capable of paying for the property when in reality they can’t.

Since you’re selling your house, you need to prepare for whatever happens along the way. The key is not to stress regardless of the people you have to deal with. Eventually, you will find someone who will agree with the market price and sign the deal.

You don’t need to go through that difficult phase

You can avoid the entire process. Another option to sell your house is to look for wholesale buyers. There are firms that will offer you an amount to buy the house right away. There’s no need for you to think about how to advertise your property. You don’t even have to renovate it to improve its value. The offer is reasonable enough and you won’t hesitate to sell it right away.

Another reason is that you’re dealing with reliable companies. They’re willing to buy your house because they can find potential buyers right away. They already have a pool of buyers waiting to find the right property. Others might even renovate your house and sell it at an even higher price. However, you don’t have to deal with those issues. Once you receive the full payment for the sale of the property, you can walk away. You might even receive the payment in cash. You can simply type “sell my house fast Fort Lauderdale” in your favorite search engine online if you want to partner with a wholesale buyer in the city now.

Selling a house takes time and it could cause a headache. You don’t need to feel that way if you can choose a straightforward process. You can still hope to find a buyer who will offer you a much higher price, but you can’t hold your breath until that time comes.

You should sell the house now and use the amount for whatever expenses you have.

Image: https://unsplash.com/photos/9rYfG8sWRVo

 

The ecommerce industry has seen significant growth in recent years, with total US retail ecommerce sales climbing from $167.3 billion in 2010 to $347.3 billion in 2015. Whether you’ve already launched an ecommerce business or you’re looking to take advantage of the industry’s growth, now is a great time to start building your own business.

Since achieving success requires taking the proper steps to grow your ecommerce business, here are some essential tips to follow.

Decide what to sell

Once you’ve decided to start your own online business, you need to determine what you’re going to sell. Before choosing what type of ecommerce business to enter into, conduct some market research.

If you have an idea of what you want to sell, pretend you’re a consumer and browse the internet to find out what similar businesses charge for their products. This will help you choose a starting price point.

On the other hand, if you’re not sure where to start, buying and selling overstock merchandise is a great way for beginners to get their foot in the door. Focusing on wholesale pallets allows ecommerce business owners to pay less for goods that appear to be new. Ultimately, investing in the right pallets will allow you to maximize your profit margins and grow your business.

Take the time to perfect your website

Many ecommerce business owners make the mistake of rushing the launch of their website. Since you only get one opportunity to launch your website, it’s crucial to wait until everything is perfect before making the big reveal. Start by crafting a strong brand name and identity for your business, and make sure to think critically about how your name will influence everything else.

If you’re not sure where to start, brainstorm different ideas and share these ideas with friends and family. You’ll want to build your brand around the products you’re selling or your target audience. In addition, consider marketing and competitors to ensure you’ll be able to effectively use your brand name. Your brand name should be available to use on social media platforms and for a web domain.

After setting up your website, it’s time to shift your focus to search engine optimization (SEO). Since the ecommerce industry continues to experience immense growth, SEO can give you an edge over competitors and boost your search engine rankings. From making your website mobile-friendly to practicing link-building, there are a variety of ways that SEO can help you stay competitive.

Grow your customer base

Now that you’ve set up a platform to sell your products, you can start growing your customer base. Reach out to your local community by making business cards with your contact information and website. Attend local events, like conferences and seminars, so you have the opportunity to let others learn more about your business.

In addition, set up accounts on social media and begin producing regular and relevant content. With free photo storage, products like ibi can help business owners save photos and videos in one place. Plus, you’ll be able to organize and find what you’re looking for in order to schedule pictures to post with ease.

Keeping a regular posting schedule for social media helps you with marketing your brand and raise awareness of your business while driving more traffic to your website. Setting up social media pages for your brand will help you build a loyal following and grow your customer base.

If you’re interested in becoming your own boss and working on your own schedule, then building an ecommerce business could be just right for you.