Published on: 01 August 2018
Last Updated on: 08 August 2019
Many businesses rely on off-the-shelf applications and stock software to run their operations. As much as such software comes with different features, it might not provide all the functional requirements that come with running a business. You might also run into challenges as stock software also comes with other unnecessary functions that might not be relevant to your policies. One of the solutions to this challenge is to hire professionals for bespoke software development.
It comes with a number of benefits that could help your business as shown below.
Control over design and functionalities :
Bespoke software development helps a business to customize its applications to accommodate its requirements and needs. The developer uses tools to come up with designs that are useful to their clients. The advantage of bespoke software development is that the entire development process is monitored and your feedback helps in ensuring the developers include only features that your business needs.
Complete ownership :
As a business owner, you will have complete ownership of the software designed for your business. This might not be the case with third-party applications as there are terms that bar you from making any changes to the way the software operates. Working with a Bespoke Software Development Company that deals with web and software development gives you an asset that you can manage freely and you don’t have the compulsion to upgrade your software. You can only do this whenever you feel that your business needs an upgrade of operations but not because a third party has decided it’s a mandatory procedure.
Expansion of existing tools :
If the business owns tools for managing data and other processes, you can hire a bespoke software development agency to have these tools expanded to transform repetitive tasks through automation. Tailored multi-user tools can store data and use a central repository and this would help to save time for the business. It also enhances transparency, access and reporting, and data validation. Such a system brings together an array of operations together to transform how the business runs.
Integration :
Developers can make bespoke software to integrate with other applications installed to help the business. This is not to say previous integrations are rendered obsolete, but it’s a way to enhance the efficiency of systems by providing backing technology. Bespoke software should be introduced as a measure to improve operations.
Potential marketability :
In other cases, you might decide to sell software that was developed for your business. Although the application was originally developed for internal use in your business, a bespoke solution could be turned into an off-the-shelf application that can be used by other businesses. This creates room for your business to earn more money by leasing the software.
Software integrations can help a business to run more efficiently. Although many businesses use third-party applications, it is cheaper and more convenient to have bespoke applications developed with the needs of the business in mind. Such an application is the property of the business and you can make any upgrades or tweaks you want to suit your business.
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Many experts point out that running a successful B2B business is easy if you avoid making some important mistakes. Even if you are not running exceptionally sophisticated campaigns to woo newer clients, simply avoiding mistakes can give your company the much-needed boost.
This is more important in the new scheme of things, especially for a post-COVID-19 business world.
With 2021 just around the corner, it is essential that you pay heed to the contents of this article and ensure that you are able to avoid some if not all of these mistakes.
In this article, we speak to some of the leading minds from the B2B world of marketing, sales, and logistics. We ask them about the mistakes and the way forward.
List of Top 5 Mistakes B2B Businesses should stop making right away
1. Maintaining Data on External Disks-
We all know how data is important to the success of any business. In the case of B2B companies, data can be the deciding factor between success and failure. Most B2B companies are still averse to maintaining data on the Cloud and prefer to use hard disks.
Experts are of the opinion that in addition to the risks of data getting corrupted or being destroyed by human error, this strategy is flawed and outdated. Maintaining data on the Cloud does not only increase its security but also ensures cross-department usage of the same.
2. Using Outdated ERP and Inventory Management Tools-
The next set of mistakes concerns B2B businesses still relying on age-old strategies for inventory management. With AI, ML, and Automation being offered by the best vendors, it is high-time, B2B businesses should opt for the best inventory optimization software.
This will allow B2B businesses to accelerate the pace of their functions, boost the efficiency of the team, and improve customer experience. Looking after simple things like reducing the turnaround times can have a major impact on any B2B business in the world.
3. Manual Task Assignment and Follow-Ups-
If you are a B2B business owner, you will agree that following up with your team members or checking the progress of their work can be a pain. Using phone calls, emails, WhatsApp and other outdated mechanisms promotes inefficiency and prevents clarity.
This is why automated task assignment workflow software should be used to better employee performance. From Trello to Asana, there are many credible ones in the market, which are simple to use and will allow you to keep track of the work assignments of your employees.
4. Doubting Digital Platforms-
Most business consultants point to the fact that B2B businesses and their owners are still hesitant when it comes to pursuing digital transformations. They still feel that the internet will not be able to help them fulfill their sales and marketing objectives.
However, nothing can be further from the truth. Using search engines and social media in a strategic fashion can help you with a number of advantages. From reaching your target audiences to improving branding and lead generation, there is a lot to achieve from digital.
5. Taking help from External Specialised Vendors-
B2B businesses think they must set up internal teams to start digital transformation or automate their processes. They fear hiring specialists. However, it does not have to be that way.
By working with specialized digital marketing agencies, they can bring on an external partner firm, which can help them in multiple ways. This will ensure that they do not have to hire teams, give them systems, and spend on their office spaces.
Once you start avoiding these mistakes, you will see a qualitative and quantitative transformation in your B2B business. You need to understand that the world is increasingly moving towards a digital framework, and as a business, you need to make the most of it.
Common B2B Marketing Terms you Should Know
Still a beginner at your B2B marketing strategies. Here is your dictionary to understand the different B2B marketing lingo.
1. What is the 80/20 Rule in B2B?
The 80/20 rule simply states that 80% of a company’s revenue comes from 20% of its customers.
In a business-to-business model, this highlights the need to identify and cultivate your key accounts.
Therefore, concentrate on your sales resources on those customers who generate the most profit for you rather than trying to be all things to all people. You truly cannot impress anyone!
2. What is the 95/5 Rule for B2B?
The 95/5 rule suggests that at any point in time, 95% of your target market is not actively buying, and only 5% are.
As a result, B2B firms need to focus on consistently building brand and supplier awareness.
This also includes developing relationships with customers so that they will think of them when they do go into ‘buying mode.’ B2B customers are different than dealing with one customer. Therefore, it is important you are always in their mind.
3. What are the 4Cs of B2B Marketing?
The 4Cs are Client, Cost, Communication, and Convenience.
In B2B marketing, it’s all about understanding the client’s needs, keeping costs in check, opening channels for communication and making sure your product or service is convenient and of value to the customer – this is what customer relationships and loyalty are built upon in the world of B2B.
4. What are the 3 Most Important Qualities of a Successful B2B Salesperson and Why?
Knowledge, Persistence, and Empathy!
Successful B2B salespeople must be knowledgeable, persistent, and empathic. The more knowledge you have about your product but also about the development in your industry or the general economy – the more credible person you become for your client.
Because let’s face it, only real knowledge gives you power over the situation (matched with superb confidence). Every business out there looking for answers is desperately looking for someone who has all the answers.
However, as we talk of successful B2B salespersons, we need to consider that they often also deal with long sales cycles. In those cases, persistence is what will make you stand out from the competition.
If I shower my leads with attention every day, no other competitor can gain a share of attention.
While we’re in relationships, people buy from people they “take care of them." Therefore, a successful B2B salesperson must adopt empathy when dealing with their clients.
5. How to Gain B2B Sales Experience as a Beginner?
As a beginner, you can gain sales experience in B2B by shadowing your experienced sales reps, going to networking events, and taking internships or entry-level sales positions.
The most valuable lessons are learned through real-world interactions, so concentrate on developing exceptional communication and negotiation abilities.
Plus, never stop learning, self-reflecting, and staying on top of industry news if you want to become an expert.
6. What is the B2B Lifecycle Strategy?
The B2B lifecycle strategy refers to an end-to-end management of the customer journey.
This starts from leading to post-sales support by providing value at every stage, ensuring client satisfaction and loyalty through attracting, engaging, converting, and retaining clients with consistent, personalized experiences.
Read Also:
Top 10 B2B Marketplaces to Grow Business!
5 Most Common Digital PR Mistakes And How To Avoid Them
The Right B2B E-Commerce Platforms to Sell Your Used Machinery
There are different ways of investing in your company, and providing a Training Program for your employees is one of them. You could be training new or existing employees on new trends, but all this works when you have a strategic program. Effective training is more than just sharing information. This is an opportunity to expand the knowledge of your employees on certain matters. Leading companies in Dubai know that allowing employees to go for courses might delay projects; however, training is beneficial to both the organization and individuals.
Why Training Programs are Beneficial for Your Company:
Although these programs are costly, for instance, taking the employees from the office, the benefits outweigh the costs. Below are some of the reasons why you should consider a training program.
Training increases your employees’ productivity and adherence to the quality standard of work in the departments. Trained workers are effective, and they rarely make common mistakes, they are consistent in their work, therefore, increasing productivity.
These programs help the employees to improve their skills and eliminate problems before they escalate. It also helps the team to stay competitive. Corporate training in Dubai will help your staff to stay innovative; this boosts their creativity and helps the company to stay ahead of the competitors.
Tips for Creating an Effective Training Program:
The best way to create an effective training program is to start by developing a plan. The following steps will ensure that your training program is useful to your staff and company.
Define the Goals and Measures of Success:
Before starting the training, you ought to define the base of your program, for instance, the goals and how you will measure the outcome. First, you need to identify the departments or the staff that needs training. Developing a detailed plan for the employees helps you to create an effective program that suits their schedule and needs. After identifying the staff that needs training, you can go on to establish your business goals. You can include all the team-building activities for various departments.
Create the Outline of your Program:
After establishing your goals and team-building activities, the next step is to decide how to approach the content. Start with the outline and concentrate on the subject you want to address in the program. A simple way to choose a topic is by selecting the topic that suits the employees. Focus on the training goals and objectives. Decide on how you are going to present the training to the employees. Confirm that the audio, visual, and multimedia slideshows work.
Create the Plan:
To create an effective program, you need to define the learners’ objectives and focus on strengthening their weaknesses. The topic should include a significant area and how the program can help to solve or improve the problem. Choose appropriate team-building activities that help the staff to learn and improve their skills. Decide whether you want to use online resources for individuals or onsite; this depends on your budget.
Engage the Audience:
The program will only be successful if the learners are engaged. Ensure that your audience can understand and grasp each concept of the program. Confirm that each of them feels comfortable and confident in what they do. Divide the content into smaller parts for better understanding. This helps to avoid confusion and misinterpretation among the audience. Ensure that the learners understand that team-building activities are as important as the rest of the content.
Conduct a Test:
Before the program, you ought to conduct a pilot test to establish what works and what needs improvement. It is easier to fix the content at this stage rather than when the program is underway. You can even ask the participants to take a survey comment on what they think worked and suggest any improvements.
Measure the Success of Your Program:
The significance of measuring the success of your program is that it will help you to improve your current and future programs. Once the program is underway, you can start monitoring the engagement and the effectiveness of your program. Ensure that the team-building activities deliver the intended results. Translate the outcome into improvements that can benefit your program and the participants.
Measuring the success of the program is as important as training. Conducting surveys and interviewing the workers and their supervisors help you find out whether the desired results were achieved. Ask the employees if they notice any changes after the program.
Whether you are a startup or an established company, an effective training program is important for the company and the employees. Training enables the workers to remain innovative and confident in their departments. Remember to conduct a pilot test to improve weak areas and to update the program. Don’t forget to measure the success of your program; this helps to improve your future training.
Read Also:
Doing Business In The UAE: Pros And Cons
Planning The Perfect Event Charter In Dubai
3 Ways To Boost Employee Engagement In Your Business
Have you ever felt like your desk wasn’t quite meeting your needs? Do you wish it was just a little different so that you could use it more effectively and efficiently? Perhaps you’d love to have a desk that’s custom-tailored to the way that you work.
But how can you achieve something like this? There are plenty of options, but if you want to adjust an existing piece of furniture, the easiest option is to build one yourself. If you’re planning to build a desk or have an existing desk that you’d like to customize, here are ways to customize a modern desk.
Here Are Five Ways In Which You Can Customize A Modern Desk:
1. Choose The Right Shape
The shape is one of the first things to decide when customizing your desk. You may prefer a defined rectangular shape or something more unique, such as an L-shaped desk.
The main thing to remember when choosing the shape of your desk is the amount of space available in your office or home office. If you have a smaller room, an L-shaped desk will allow you to fit in more furniture while still leaving you space to walk and work comfortably.
2. Add Your Desired Features
Next, consider the features you’d like to have on your desk. Do you want a place to store your keyboard or your computer monitor? What about drawers? Keyboard trays are a great addition to an office desk, allowing you to type while sitting in a comfortable position.
If you work with a lot of documents, you might love the idea of adding a file drawer. You want your desk to be as functional as possible; to do that, it needs to be well-suited to your needs. Desk drawers are an excellent tool for increasing the desk’s functionality.
3. Choose A Suitable Material
After you’ve specified the shape and features you’d like on your desk, you can focus on the material it’s made from. There are many different options, each with unique benefits, so choosing one that suits your needs is essential.
Here are some of the most common materials you’ll find in desks:
Metal: The most common type of desk is made from metal, usually aluminum or steel. These desks are durable and easy to clean but tend to be heavy and cold.
Wood: A timeless classic that offers a warm, natural aesthetic. Wood is also easy to maintain and can be customized with stains or paints to match your office’s decor.
Glass: Glass desks are popular because they look great and are easy to clean. They’re also a good choice if you want a modern-looking desk that won’t clash with other furniture in your office. However, glass desks can be heavy, scratch easily, and aren’t very durable.
So it’s worth researching to find material that’s right for you.
4. Pick A Style
One of the final things to consider when customizing a modern desk is the style. The two main styles of desks are modern and traditional. Modern desks are sleek, clean, and minimalist, with sleek lines and a lack of ornamentation. Traditional desks are more whimsical and often feature ornate carvings, ornate legs, and decorative panels.
5. Choosing The Color Of Your Desk.
The color you choose should complement, not clash with, the other colors in the room. Colors that clash creates a harsh, unpleasant look. You’ll feel energized and ready to work if your workspace is inviting.
Summary
Make sure your office is functional, good-looking, and comfortable. The game of business is most effectively played with a well-designed workspace that fits the needs of its occupant. If you can find a desk that allows you to do more, that is an asset to your business.
Read Also
Why You Need a Solid Wood Office Desk
Office Building Renovation: How Long?
Interior Design Ideas For Your Small Office
