Published on: 08 June 2021
Last Updated on: 21 December 2024
If you’re the owner of a home business, you may often wonder if manning the phones while trying to grow your company is a good idea. Interestingly, using the phone can be one of the toughest issues involved with running a home business.
While some home business owners would prefer to try and do it all themselves, there are many benefits to hiring a virtual receptionist.
Being Your Own Receptionist is Tough
Family phone needs, environmental noise, and simply not hearing the phone make it a challenge when you work from home.
Being your own receptionist means you’re saddled with daily responsibilities and tasks that take up a great deal of time. This is why it’s important to delegate receptionist duties to a qualified person.
Here are the top four benefits of using virtual assistants for your home and business.
1. Enjoy Greater Savings :
The cost of a virtual receptionist is well worth the investment for home business owners. You don’t have to hire a person to sit in your home all day doing admin and answering the phone. What’s more, a virtual receptionist can manage a range of tasks, including:
Calendar management
Call handling
Message taking
Basic customer service
Scheduling appointments
Delivering messages whichever way you prefer
Send voicemails to your email
Record calls for quality assurance
Accept and also track collect calls if necessary
2. Make Your Home Business Look Even More Professional :
The CEO of any company shouldn’t really be answering the phone. It’s not professional, and it shows that either you’re not particularly busy or that there might be a problem like your entire staff has quit, and you need to manage the phones yourself. It’s just a poor impression of your business.
When you work with a virtual receptionist for your home business, you can give your company a much more professional look by letting callers, customers, and prospects believe you have a properly trained in-house receptionist taking care of the calls. A virtual receptionist is always available to answer the phone to your specific requirements, which also means your company is sure to make an excellent first impression on callers.
3. Provide Quality Customer Service :
Virtual receptionists have expert customer service training. So, they have the necessary skills and experience to fulfill the role to the highest of standards. Each and every phone call to your home business will be handled in a professional manner to ensure your customers are always happy with your service.
4. Never Miss Out on a Call :
While running your home business is extremely satisfying, it can also be stressful. A virtual receptionist can offer the support needed to ensure you never miss a work-related call and that your business is available at all times.
Does Your Home Business Really Need a Virtual Receptionist?
Many home businesses certainly need the assistance of a virtual receptionist. The drawbacks and hardships of trying to be your own receptionist from home tend to outnumber the benefits of hiring a virtual receptionist.
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The advent of the internet has transformed how various organizational activities are conducted. In fact, many businesses incorporate IT into their business operations to keep up with the drastic changes caused by the Internet. However, to improve your business operations, you need to choose business IT solutions.
So, how does IT improve business operations? It helps to create different innovations that affect how business operations are conducted. For instance, the various IT processes help improve data storage, aid in broader and more efficient dissemination of information between multiple departments, and faster business operations processing.
Basically, a business with an efficient IT process provides better quality services and has high productivity levels. Moreover, due to the importance of IT in businesses’ smooth functioning, you must get the best services from your IT supplier.
To learn how to choose a good business IT solution, read on to the end of the article.
Factors To Consider Before You Choose Business IT Solutions
Several factors play a part in determining how efficient your IT supplier will be. Looking for better service from your IT supplier? Below is an outline of the significant factors:
1. Understand Your Needs
The IT needs of your businesses determine the type of IT supplier suited for it. There are different types of IT suppliers, each providing a broad range of hardware, software, and IT services. They include:
Manufacturers:These suppliers sell their products and offer essential IT services. Basically, such suppliers are helpful if you are confident that you only need someone to provide you with IT services and support.
Specialist suppliers:These IT professionals have expertise in a specific field, let’s say, management systems or customer relations.
Resellers:These mainly act as agents for hardware manufacturers. Nonetheless, some of them also offer software and a wide range of IT services and support.
System integrators:These IT professionals deliver an integrated working station by selecting appropriate hardware and software depending on your specific needs.
Consultants:These provide consultancy services tailored to meet the IT needs of your business. Consultants also sell services like IT setup and installation.
2. Determine Your Budget For Business IT Solutions
Your IT budget determines the quality of services you get from your supplier. Most IT suppliers provide different types of services, including cloud backup services, monitoring services, maintenance services, data backup and restoration, firewall services, cybersecurity services, and provision of firewalls.
The types of services your IT suppliers provide you will depend on your IT budgetary allocation. If your budget is low, you will likely afford only the essential IT services.
Conversely, if you have sufficient budgetary allocations, you’ll be able to afford vital IT services that will help improve your organizational efficiency and productivity.
3. Consolidate Your IT services With Business IT Solutions
Some organizations have in-house IT personnel. Such organizations mostly rely on the services of this personnel for most of their IT solutions. However, there are IT services that the in-house personnel cannot provide.
In such a case, the organization source for services of outside IT companies. While there is an option of getting these services from many companies, it is better to consolidate these services from a single supplier.
Doing this fosters good relations with the given supplier. It also aids in their quick execution of the IT services, given that they are familiar with your system. Other benefits of consolidating your IT services with one supplier include:
You will save moneyand reduce the need to make repeat procurements.
It gives you better bargaining power when negotiating for prices, given that you deal with one supplier repeatedly.
It minimizes the failure of critical business services.
4. Check The Track Record Of The Service Provider
There are numerous IT suppliers available. However, the quality of services they provide differs. As such, it is vital that you choose a company that offers the best IT services.
Here are some of the factors that determine an IT supplier’s efficiency: the ability to complete IT services in time, the availability of maintenance services, and the ability to provide high-quality services.
You can find such a company through referrals. Also, you must check their reviews on the internet or outrightly research on the internet. This way, you can determine how suitable the supplier is for your IT needs.
5. Check Whether They Can Maintain Good Relationship With You
Like the case with other suppliers, fostering good relationships with your IT supplier plays a massive part. For instance, it helps to determine the quality of services they will offer you. The following are some of the ways you can ensure this:
First, ensure that you pay for their services promptly. Prompt payment reduces the chances of any disagreements with the supplier, leading to them opting to stop working with you.
Likewise, make sure to offerthem reasonable prices for their services. When you pay your IT supplier affordable prices, there is a high probability that they will want to retain you as a client. Moreover, they will strive to provide top-notch services that ensure that your business grows.
When one business IT solutions supplier offers you services, they will understand your needs better. Hence, they will work to ensure your success.
6. Make Sure The Company Offers A Variety Of Business IT Solutions
Working with a single IT company helps you foster a good relationship with the supplier and cut your IT services costs. When you work with a single IT supplier, you reduce costs such as procurement costs.
Moreover, to learn about different types of business IT solutions, check the next section of the article.
7. The Company Must Have Experience Working With Similar Businesses
There are different types of IT suppliers. Generally, each of them has the expertise to provide solutions that are tailored to specific businesses.
Actually, you must work with a company that is averse to business IT solutions similar to yours. This way, you can ensure that you get the best services from proven industry professionals.
Essential Business IT Solutions You Must Know
Generally, an IT service provider offers the following business IT solutions:
1. Managed IT Services
Basically, Managed IT services include handling of remote servers and device and desktop management. These services will ensure that your system works smoothly.
2. Cloud Backup Services
The supplier should know how to store your data on the cloud to be available even when the server has a malfunction.
3. Monitoring Services
Try to keep an eye on the server’s net traffic, security, communication, and any other monitoring services that your system may need.
4. Data Backup and Restoration
The IT service provider must offer data backup with both external data centers and the cloud. You, therefore, won’t have to worry about losing your data in case of any unforeseen problems. Generally, such problems include malicious intrusions, natural occurrences, and hardware failure.
5. Firewall Services
Firewall services are vital in ensuring that your enterprise is insulated from cyber-attacks. Preferably, your IT supplier should have a hybrid network with additional control and network monitoring abilities outside of the normal rulesets.
6. Antivirus Protection
Your supplier should provide you with up-to-date antivirus to protect your IT systems from any malware that may lead to the loss of sensitive data.
7. Remote Services
Your It supplier should be flexible enough to provide you with IT services even from remote locations. This can be beneficial, especially if you are outsourcing services and there is an abrupt IT problem. Some of the services these IT professionals can solve remotely include software repair, IT support services, and software updates.
8. Mobile And Remote Networking
Your supplier should install mobile networking services in your system that enable your employees to work off-site using computers or mobile devices.
9. Data Analytics
Your supplier should install data analysis software or personally analyze the data to help your enterprise process information such that the data can produce usable information.
10. Networking Services
Networking encompasses activities that are geared towards ensuring your business has an efficient network. The supplier should build efficient network infrastructure, setting up devices like LAN, Reuters, Modems, optimization, security, and other factors essential in creating a seamless network.
11. Unified Communication
The supplier should provide you with software that unifies all communications in your enterprise in a single space, such as the UC software.
12. Communication Management
Efficient communication within the various departments is crucial to your business’s smooth flow. As such, your IT supplier should provide you with universal communication software that incorporates messaging from chat, voice calls, video calls, and email.
Basically, such a system will ensure that there is an efficient flow of information between the personnel from different departments. It can also aid in creating efficient communication with outside parties such as suppliers and creditors.
Choosing The Best Business IT Solutions: Way Forward
The recent increase in internet usage and technology demands that every business have an IT department to run smoothly. While there are several IT suppliers to choose from, knowing which supplier is best suited for your company is essential to ensuring that your business gets the best business IT solutions.
The first step to ensuring that you get the best IT services is choosing an IT provider that offers services that meet your needs. Some of the ways you can do this include ensuring that they charge affordable prices for their services, offer a wide range of services, are available whenever you need their services, and offer excellent IT services.
Getting such a company will ensure that your business’s operations run smoothly and that your productivity increases.
Do you have more information to offer about business IT solutions? Please share them in the comments section below.
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When it comes to finding fun ways to advertise your business. It can be tricky to think of something that is unique, fun and impactful. Gone are the days of ‘swag’ is enough to win over the potential business. Forking out for a bulk order of pens with your company’s logo won’t work because, to be frank, people are bored of pens. What you need is something big, unusual and attention-grabbing. If you’re looking for a sure-fire way to grab the attention of passers-by and make your logo stand out. You should definitely consider inflatables. Whether you are preparing for a trade show, fun day or grand opening, giant inflatables are a fantastic way of drawing in new customers. And putting a smile on peoples’ faces while marketing your brand will only lead to good things.
What Type of Inflatables Should You Opt For at Your Business Event
While any type of giant inflatable is pretty much guaranteed to increase brand awareness due to the sheer size and quirkiness, there are a number of different types available, and choosing the right one will make all the difference. Here are just a few of the giant inflatables that can be custom made for your company these days:
Giant product replicas
What better way to show off your product than having an enormous blow-up version of it for everyone to see? This creates instant brand recognition and is the perfect solution to a product-specific marketing campaign.
Air dancers
Also known as sky guys (or ‘wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube men’ if you’re a fan of Family Guy), putting your logo on one of these charming retro inflatables is a great way to catch people’s attention.
Inflatable archways
These are the ideal investment if you’re sponsoring a race; displaying your branding in a prominent yet non-obtrusive way that’s integral to the event. Having your logo overhead at the start of a race and visible in all event photographs will go a long way for your business.
Blimps
Often called inflatable airships in the industry, these helium-filled advertisements for your business can be hoisted up to 200 feet/ 60 meters in the sky and act as a homing device to attract potential customers.
Mascots
If your company has a friendly character as a mascot, whether it’s a friendly farmyard animal or a quirky monster. Make sure they’re always visible with an oversized inflatable version. This is especially great if you’re a family-friendly business; kids love them!
Buildings
Offer shelter from the elements in the form of domes, tunnels, arches, and cubes and you’ll find that people are happier to give you more time than under an exposed gazebo.
The type of inflatable you opt for will vary depending on the event and what your current marketing plans are. Whichever of these you choose, taking a ‘go big or go home’ approach to marketing at a business event will always guarantee that you stand out from the crowd and gain the best possible ROI of any promotional materials.
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Grant management, or a management plan, first and foremost includes all administrative responsibilities that must be completed during the time frame of a grant. When managing a grant, all promises must be kept that were made in the grant proposal, meaning that it's important to stay in compliance with the terms of the grant, as well as to follow through on each deliverable and submit reports according to the requirements of the funder.
As George Mason University reveals, the federal government spends over $500 billion annually on grants-in-aid to state and local governments. Grant management, whether federal grant management, state grant management, private or another type, is more than just ensuring that all of the terms of the grant, sticking to the budget and any deadlines, however. It includes efficient program development and tracking and strategic planning as well as having the resources to ensure the process is managed smoothly. Managing the grant means working with your organization's stakeholders to identify grant opportunities, develop strategies, evaluate projects that have been successful and implement specific grant awards. It requires working across departments, from working with those who implement all the details to the CEO.
Grant Management Best Practices:
A Grant Management Calendar
Creating a calendar that is specifically dedicated to management grants which every member of your team can access and work on will allow everyone to stay involved while staying on the same page resulting in improved communication and better accountability. It should include deadlines, progress meetings, and important dates.
Keeping Supporting Documents Organized
Staying organized throughout the year is key for optimal grand management. Be sure that all documents that support grant-seeking and grant-receiving efforts are kept well-organized. Keep answers that can be reused for common questions to save time too. A quality template will allow some of that work to be completed beforehand, in fact, as much as three-quarters or more of your funding proposals, before you even know which grants you're applying for. Keep all financial records such as receipts, invoices, and contracts organized too, making sure everyone who needs this information can easily access it and update it when necessary.
Put Together An Archive for Grant History
Keeping archives of all grants can help you make better future decisions based on history while helping you save time when it comes to managing current grants. It should include critical details about all grants and funders, along with the kinds of programs that are funded, the usual range of funding, tax forms related to grants, any social media efforts, and notes kept during conversations. You'll also want any previous applications you've submitted as well as contact details, information about the person who wrote the grant, amounts requested, and any amounts that are received.
Grant Tracking and Report
A grant management software system that efficiently tracks and reports everything is essential too. You'll want something that provides checklists, status updates, regular reports, and reminders.
Providing Internal Progress Reports at Regular Intervals
Be sure that summaries on internal progress are provided regularly, keeping everyone in the organization and board up to date on the progress and current status of all grant-seeking efforts. That grant management software system you've invested in will mean the entire effort will be much easier, requiring just a few clicks.
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