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4 Benefits Of Professional Managed IT Services

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In this modern business world, technology helps increase productivity and efficiency in any organization. That said, technology also changes at a lightning-fast pace. As your business grows, so are your IT requirements.

Keeping up with this continuously evolving landscape can be both time-consuming and challenging. To reduce the burden and ensure top performance and efficiency, relying on professional-managed IT services such as IT support Melbourne is a go-to solution for many companies.

If you’re still thinking twice about hiring a managed IT service for your company, here are some reasons why you should:

Professional Managed IT Services

It’s Cost-Effective

Running an in-house IT team is expensive. First off, you need to find the right talent to fill your IT department. There are associated costs on hiring, onboarding, and training staff members. There’s also their monthly salary, paid leaves, as well as other relevant costs in retaining an employee. 

In order to do their job properly, your IT team also needs to have access to the right technology, software, and hardware. If you’re planning to build an in-house IT infrastructure, you would also need space to accommodate technological equipment.

All of these can take up a significant amount of your business’s budget. And for small businesses, this is not a practical option.

Outsourcing your IT functions to professionals can significantly reduce large capital expenditures. There’s no need to waste time and money finding the right talent, nor invest in every type of technology required for an IT department to function properly since your service provider already comes with it. 

In addition to lowering your capital expenditures, a professional managed IT service provider can also help lower your IT costs. For instance, a managed It service provider can help you save on software licensing, consulting, emergency repairs, and training. All you need to do is pay them their service fee, and they will take care of the rest, making them cost-effective.

It Improves Business Productivity And Efficiency

Improving business productivity and efficiency is one of the major objectives whenever a business invests in new technology or practice. Leveraging managed services can do it better.

A managed IT service provider can ensure that all IT-related functions of your business are streamlined and all IT requirements are met. They ensure that all technologies are working efficiently and regularly updated while resolving any possible issues that may arise.

With all systems working smoothly and several tasks automated, the job is done efficiently. Also, when employees don’t have to worry about IT-related issues, they can focus more on core workflows, leading to increased productivity across the company.

You Can Get Diverse Experience And Expertise

With an in-house team, you’re only limited to your employees’ skills and knowledge. And if you don’t provide them with the necessary training, you can expect limited expertise in a variety of IT-related situations.

By opting for a managed IT service provider, you can get complete access to different individuals with different skill sets and experiences.

Managed IT service agencies make sure to screen and hire professionals that can tackle a variety of IT functions. This allows you to get access to a pool of experts that you can get service from every time you face a problem.

On the contrary, an in-house team may only be experienced in solving common issues that surface in your business. Which means it can be challenging for them to solve new and unfamiliar issues.

When you outsource your IT functions, you’re hiring experts that resolve a wide variety of IT issues every single day. This means that if any issue arises, they already know how to fix it quickly and at a lower cost. After all, managed service providers regularly train their IT experts to ensure that they provide the best service possible.

Manage IT service on Keyboard

They Have Superior Security And Protection

Cybersecurity is a major concern in today’s era. And businesses need to do their best to ensure proper security and protection against cybercriminals.

Your in-house team may be able to implement standard security protocols to protect your business’s data. However, they are often limited in terms of individual skills or the right technology to ensure strong protection.

With a managed IT service provider, you can get your preferred strength of security for your business at economical rates while ensuring that cybersecurity experts with enough expertise will be dealing with your security solutions.

In addition, outsourcing allows you to avail superior security and protection solutions that are compliant with government and industry-specific regulations.

Take Away

And there you have it! As the world continues to digitally advance, professionally managed IT services have only become more popular for many good reasons.

Hiring a third-party managed IT services provider can help streamline all core IT functions at a reduced cost while allowing you to stay focused on working on your business’s growth. So, go ahead and leverage the services you can get from an IT service provider.

What to Do if You’ve Been Scammed by a Ponzi Scheme

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It can sometimes be silly to think about the people that get caught into all sorts of ridiculous ‘get rich quick schemes. Most people will probably tell themselves that they’ll never be conned into such things, but you never know what might happen. The invitation for a potential Ponzi scheme might come from a trusted source, urging you to invest as much as possible now as it’s set to blow up. Something like NFT tends to ring a bell as the most popular form of Ponzi scheme.

No matter the scenario, people have been on the receiving end of Ponzi schemes, and they often don’t know who to turn to. It’s understandable, as such methods can make it challenging for anyone to push back and turn things around. Here’s what you can do if you’ve been scammed by a Ponzi scheme.

Look into Various Chargeback Options

Keep in mind that not every victim of a scam can get their money back, which is why it’s crucial to look into as many services as possible that can help. For example, chargeback companies give you the opportunities you need to get back your hard-earned money after being the victim of a scam. Aside from letting your bank know, look into various hargeback options. You can check this Payback LTD review to see if it’s a service you’re comfortable trying.

Cut off all Communication and Interaction

Without a doubt, one of the first things you should do if you feel you’ve been scammed is to cut off all communication with the fraudsters. The trouble with many Ponzi schemes is that people still invest cash if they don’t know for sure that it’s a scam; the issue with that is you could end up losing so much more by the time you finally realize that it’s a scam — resulting in a worse situation overall.

Cut off Communication

Even if you feel like you don’t have enough evidence to prove you’ve been scammed, it’s crucial to cut off communications, as they could end up reassuring you and tricking you into investing more money.

Consider all of the Information you’ve Provided the Fraudsters

It’s understandable to get somewhat personal with those involved with a Ponzi scheme, perhaps to the point where you end up giving them sensitive information. If it happens to include your bank information, ensure that you let your bank know as soon as possible.

Any account you have that the fraudsters could potentially access should be changed, including your password and other security measures. Anything that you feel is compromised by the scam, make changes as soon as you can.

Conclusion

Being caught in a Ponzi scheme can be stressful, and it can feel like you’re alone on the matter. The good news is there are always services you can count on, even if you might not have too much evidence to tip the odds in your favor. With a bit of research, you can find assistance that can help you recover lost funds — especially in an age where Ponzi schemes are so commonplace.

Objectives Of Sales Promotion

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Marketing and sales are an integral part of any business to make sure that the product reaches potential customers and compels them to buy your product. Besides advertising, sales promotion is a sales technique that takes the product to the customers instead of bringing customers to the product. Sales promotion is one of the most popular sale methods used globally to keep dealers and customers engaged with the brand.

If a brand does not utilize sales promotion techniques, it may be lost among hundreds of other products. There are numerous objectives of sales promotion that eventually aid to more sales.

banner-header-price-product-sale

Attracting new Customers

One of the techniques used in sales promotion involves giving samples to the customers. When customers are unsure about buying a product and receive samples, they believe that the brand is so confident in its quality that it does not shy away from offering a chunk of the product for trial. By offering samples and discounts, sales promotion basically focuses on generating a new customer base and building a brand on the trust of loyal customers.

Introduction of New Products

Introducing new products into the markets is among the most challenging and risky tasks, both for the brand and the dealer. If a business decides on introducing a new product or service into the market, convincing the dealer to display the goods is a huge task. Most dealers do not want to risk their clientele by offering products they are unsure about. Offering samples and discounts to the dealers can lure them into putting up your product for sale initially before it gains a place among other products.

Staying in Limelight

Have you seen your previous-favorite spice brand offering “buy one get one free” and resisted buying a set?

We understand that it is not easy to resist such offers, and the brand knows that. When they observe that the products are not as popular as before, such schemes are introduced that excite the customers and add to sales. They could be discounts, additional offers, or extra samples of other products. Targeting your potential customer base with the right kind of offers can help you achieve this objective of sales promotion.

Enhancing sales in existing customer base

If you think that sales promotion activities only help gain new customers or introduce new products into the market, they help retain old customers. Some schemes like getting a new bottle of oil on submitting two empty bottles or receiving coupons on spending a particular amount on an item can help keep your old customers attached to your brand. Sales promotion enables you to improve sales even with the previous customers without engaging more.

Increasing off-season sales

It is common to find an expensive refrigerator at a discounted price in winters or a premium electric heater at reduced prices in summers. While you may think, “what’s the need for low prices in seasons of low demand?” it is quite important to keep the products running.

Many products like air conditioners and heaters are seasonal, and the sales sometimes drop a lot in seasons of low demand. To ensure that the product maintains stable sales throughout the year, many companies offer discounts and coupons on purchases.

Increasing brand awareness

You may often come across an absolutely new brand offering samples of their product at the supermarket and convincing you to buy their product. One of the objectives of sales promotion strategies is to increase brand awareness among people and make them accustomed to their brand. Increasing brand awareness ultimately adds to their sales.

Making consumers switch brand

If you are a new brand in the market, brand awareness acts as a part of sales promotion to enable people to switch from their current favorite brand to yours. If your promotional activities reach the right potential consumers, they will most possibly shift from the brand they are using to switch to yours. However, it requires extensive marketing along with sales promotion to achieve this objective.

Encouraging B2B Sales

Some businesses are more inclined towards B2B businesses than B2C, requiring more effort than the latter. Most businesses would not want to change their old source and purchase a new brand in bulk. Sales promotion strategies allow businesses to engage wholesalers by offering some extra material at the same price or giving samples and gifts they can use. Encouraging B2B sales through sales promotion is one of the leading strategies to promote relationships with other businesses.

Stabilizes sales of slow-moving products

Sales promotions are widely adopted as one of the last resorts before discontinuing a product. If a brand observes continuous instability in the sales of a product that is not generating enough revenue, incentives and samples or discounts are offered to dealers to attract customers and present the products among the top choices. Many dealers only agree if the products are up to the standards. This way, sales promotion can sometimes give life to a dying product.

Eliminating the risks

Another objective of sales promotion is to reduce or eliminate the risks consumers sometimes associate with the product. You can give them a guarantee or offer to buy one get one free offer to attract them and ensure that they are getting value for money and their money is not wasted. This helps eliminate the risks associated with the product and improve sales.

The Bottom Line

With increasing competition, using techniques to stabilize and improve sales is inevitable. Sales promotion is one such strategy that allows you to bring the product to the consumer without looking for it. It ensures the product reaches the right potential customer base, and once objectives of sales promotion are met, they contribute significantly to sales and brand awareness.

What is Elastic Logistics?

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Elastic logistics has become a popular paradigm for warehousing and transportation services as technological improvements and automation solutions become more prevalent throughout the supply chain industry.

Essentially, elastic logistics refers to the ability of businesses to be flexible and agile in the face of the altering demands of the supply chain industry. With this approach in place, an elastic supply chain provides the most flexible response to varying market demands, guaranteeing that operational infrastructure meets market variations cost-effectively at any moment.

So, what exactly is elastic logistics, and what are its benefits?

What is elastic logistics?

Elastic logistics refers to a business approach that is flexible and swift enough to scale up or down in response to changing market demands. This enables supply chain processes to expand or contract in real-time, based on anticipated (and even unanticipated) market events.

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Typically, elastic logistics use mechanization processes in both picking and packing, including forcing warehousing and logistics to further make more supply-led decisions. This never-ending supply-driven expansion and contraction of warehouse activities allow for increased reliable financial control. In addition, the model of elastic logistics enables companies to operate supply chains more competently in the wake of market fluctuations.

All in all, the ultimate goal of any business lies in trying to minimize their expenses, control waste and have better control of their inventory requirements. Elastic logistics fall into this category of lean business. But, it also helps bridge gaps unlike many businesses that suffer in warehousing and middle- and last-mile operations.

Benefits of Elastic Logistics

  • Optimizes transport routes for faster shipment delivery and increased transport efficiency
  • Minimises the practice of over-developing and over-stocking
  • Decreases the chances of risk
  • Boosts order fulfillment
  • Reduces price instability
  • Increases efficacy at various checkpoints of supply chain
  • Improves customer service

What Businesses need to implement Elastic Logistics?

Here are the key features businesses need to successfully implement the model of elastic logistics:

Artificial Intelligence

AI enables in predicting and estimating costs, risks, and demands. With the help of real-time data analysis, machine learning is one of the finest ways to anticipate the unexpected and determine demand with accurate detail. 

Big Data

Inaccurate or imperfect data can cause big data analysis to be essentially fruitless. This effectively defeats the purpose of elastic logistics as well as its scalability. Therefore, having ample quality, verified and accurate data is vital for business models to work successfully.

Blockchain

Blockchain technology is the best way to store all data. It can store every piece of data in sequence, allowing machine-learning robots to analyze, assist and predict in decision making. Besides, blockchain is emerging as the future of the supply chain, thanks to its ability to improve transparency as well as communication between all chain partners in the supply chain process.

People

An ever-growing fear among people is the probability of losing their jobs as the supply chain moves towards automation. However, the fact is that people continue to remain the most valuable resource companies have when it comes to supply chain improvement.

So, if businesses want an agile supply chain, they will require expert professionals who possess the know-how to make quick and effective decisions while also nurturing a strong working culture. When people work in sync with technology, elastic logistics can exceptionally thrive. 

This type of business model helps create greater sustainability by permitting warehousing and logistics teams to promptly deliver against tight deadlines, while also minimizing cost. Today, as many organizations are slowly heading towards improving their operations, the need to reduce costs and increase functional efficacy is greatly increasing to remain competitive. This is why elastic logistics is becoming a need for modern production.

How to Market Your Small Business

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Marketing encompasses everything from pricing to research to promotions to advertising to running your business on social media. There are so many options for marketing your small business, and it can be challenging to know what you should do. The good news is there are a few ways you can begin marketing your business.

Influence Productivity

Make Sure You Have the Skills to Market Your Business

If business ownership is something new to you, you will want to make sure you are spending enough time learning the ins and outs of the process before getting started. This might include spending weeks or even months doing research. Another thing to consider would be to get your degree in a marketing-related field. Then you can learn about the process in a safe setting, where mistakes would not cost you time or money. Paying for college can be expensive, so you might want to consider taking out a loan from a private lender to pay for your college degree. Then you can take on business ownership with the confidence of knowing how to run things and what to expect.

Setting Up a Website

Today, many people expect you to have a website so they can find you on search engines. You need the website to indicate that your company is legitimate and give potential customers some quick information on who you are. This should be friendly to both computers and mobile devices. Make sure you have analytics set up on the site so you can track where your traffic is coming from. Then you can figure out what’s working and what you need to improve upon. Just make sure you don’t fall for any promises to get to the top of search engine results pages because there is no guarantee that your page will get to the top of results.

Using Social Media

To grow your audience, develop a social media strategy and set up some social media pages. Everyone uses social media sites, so you can find a great deal of traffic in these areas. Even older people are joining social media, so you can find your entire audience on these sites. Once you have grown your accounts a little bit, you can start promoting your pages through paid advertising to further increase your reach.

Creating a Network

It’s important to build local brand awareness of your business as well. Join business associations, groups, and chambers in your town. Networking can also help you come up with leads, but ensure you do not come across as a pushy salesperson only interested in selling your product or service. Creating genuine relationships allows you to meet potential contacts and just build awareness of your business.

Consider sponsoring events in the community to get your name out there. You might sponsor nonprofit events and other things that are for good causes. When you attend the events, you are sponsoring, give away shirts, mugs, keychains, or anything else that has your business name on them. These are great advertisements for your business and can help you get the word out there.

Types of Filing Systems

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Filing is an important part of any organization as it allows you to keep all data save and accessible. Like everything else around us, filing systems have also evolved in the past centuries and decades, providing more options to classify and file data according to your preference. While most organizations now follow digital filing systems, traditional filing systems also exist and are inevitable for many companies.

Filling System

What are Filing Systems?

A filing system may be simply defined as the method of gathering and categorizing data for easy access when needed. Filing systems are the need of every organization to keep memos, circulars, bills, and other important documents and data safe. Filing systems are divided based on different factors.

One of the filing system categorizations works on how the data is classified. They are also called the filing classification system and are named:

  • Alphabetical Filing System
  • Numeric Filing System
  • Alphanumeric Filing System
  • Terminal Digit Filing System

While these are the file classification system, filing systems are more about storing the data than classifying.

Types of Filing Systems

Filing systems are typically classified into two categories with sub-categories. The types of filing systems include;

Traditional Filing System

Traditional filing systems are the ones that have been used since the beginning and are still operated in some organizations according to the need. They cannot be completely removed from the filing systems, and they provide a purpose in some places. There are five types of traditional filing systems, some of which are outdated, while some are still in utilization.

Bundle filing

Bundle filing is the most primitive kind of filing system. In bundle filing, all the documents of a particular period are put together in a piece of cloth and tied. These bundles are arranged date-wise in racks. They were used in the old times to keep them together in one place and find the documents concerning the time they were produced or came in.

Wire filing

Wire filing is also known as spike filing as it makes use of a spike or wire attached to a wooden base either kept on the table or hung at a higher surface. The sharp end of the wire is used to insert the documents and letters into the wire to be accessed for later use. As newer letters are punched above the previous, they are arranged in chronological order and taken out in the same order if needed.

This method has been commonly used in small and medium-sized organizations as the wire hoop can only contain a small number of documents. They are susceptible to fire and not as safe as other methods of filing.

Why wire filing?

  • Easily organized
  • Takes less space
  • Cheapest method

Pigeon Hole filing

As the name suggests, pigeon-hole filing makes use of cabinets shaped like pigeon holes. Documents are usually categorized in alphabetical order, and each hole is given an alphabet for easy sorting. It is also known as docket filing. Pigeon hole filing cannot keep a lot of data and is primarily used in small organizations.

Why pigeon hole filing?

  • Protection from dust
  • Takes less time
  • It does not cost much

Cardboard filing

Cardboard filing is one of the earliest forms of filing that uses cardboard for filing. There are flaps on both sides of the cardboard with laces. These laces are used to tie both flaps together, securing the documents inside them. These documents are also put in chronological order, and the cardboard files are kept safe in cabinets. However, as these files are made of cardboard, they are not safe outside and must be kept in a cabinet.

Why cardboard filing?

  • Takes less space
  • Economical
  • Quick documentation

Box filing

The last of traditional filing systems is box filing. Box filing makes use of cardboard boxes to keep the documentation. Spring clips are attached to the box to keep the documents safe and accessible when needed. The documents are usually put chronologically, and separate boxes are used for different subjects. It is a common traditional filing method but not preferred due to technical issues. Sometimes the papers are not held adequately due to the spring being loose over a period.

Why box filing?

  • Cheap and convenient
  • Saves the files from spillage and dust
  • Easy to sort documents

Modern Filing Systems

As it was observed that traditional filing systems are good for small and medium-sized businesses, large ones use modern filing systems. They are divided into several sub-categories.

Horizontal filing

Horizontal filing comprises documents in folders or files placed over one another horizontally. There are two kinds of horizontal files; flat files and arch files.

Flat files have metal or plastic clips or laces on the left side of the file. Holes are punched in the paper using a punching machine and inserted into the file. Usually, documents are placed in chronological order, and you need to take out succeeding papers to take out a particular document.

Arch files have arches or round clips on the left side of the file. Paper is punched using a punch machine and then inserted into the file. You can easily find any document you want by opening the rings and searching for one.

Using horizontal filing can sometimes be time-consuming to find the right file.

Why horizontal filing?

  • Easy to operate
  • Convenient to find files
  • Many documents can be placed in one place

Vertical filing

Vertical filing is more convenient than horizontal filing as it is easier to locate the documents you are looking for. The files are placed in an upright position, and the names on the files are visible. Vertical filing uses the following equipment:

  • Folders
  • Cabinet
  • Guide card

Why vertical filing?

  • Easy to find documents
  • It is economical
  • Keeps the documents safe

Suspension filing

Suspension filing has advantages of vertical filing with an added benefit of suspended folders that make it even more simple to use and access documents. The drawer has a metal rod to suspend the documents attached to hinges. The need for extra equipment makes it a bit more expensive than other filing methods.

Why suspension filing?

  • Easy access
  • Extra safe

Lateral filing

Latera filing system is one of the most popular methods of filing in modern offices. They make use of envelope-like folders closed by metal strips. The folders are hung laterally on metal shelves for easy reach.

Why lateral filing?

  • Most convenient
  • Easy to find documents

Open shelf filing

Open shelf filing is commonly used for documents that need to be at an arm’s distance. The files or folders are laterally or horizontally kept on the shelves with proper classification. It is usually used in large offices to cater to massive amounts of data. However, the data is not very safe as it is open to all.

Why open shelf filing?

  • Easy to reach
  • Convenient to find documents

Electronic filing

Most modern offices use electronic filing as the main filing system to store data and documents. With advancements in technology, digital, cloud-based filing methods are also being adopted in offices globally, saving the cost of paper and keeping it safe while being accessible.

Why electronic filing?

  • Saves the cost of paper
  • Accessible to all authorized people
  • Ensures safety of documents

The Bottom Line

Filing systems are an integral part of any office, whether it is a small organization or a large business. While some organizations follow traditional filing systems, others are moving to modern types of filing systems and digital options. Ensuring the right kind of filing system for any organization can make documents easy to store and more accessible to authorized persons.

Factors That Influence Productivity

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Are you observing decreased productivity in your workplace and worried about the long-term effects?

Don’t worry. We got you!

While some factors that influence productivity are internal, like motivation, some are external and directly related to the workplace.

Considering the productivity influencing factors, let’s tell you the factors that influence the productivity of your employees.

Influence Productivity

Workplace

You might be surprised to know, but the structure of the workplace plays a major role in the productivity of your employees. The environment you provide to the team makes a huge difference in their attitude towards their job and influences performance. It includes both the infrastructure/ design of the space and the working environment they resonate with.

When designing a workspace, it is ideal for giving enough space to each employee to work comfortably. Besides the space, other features that contribute to increase or decrease in productivity relating to the office design include

  • Choice of colors that motivate the employees and leave a positive impact. Choose shades that represent the thought and motive behind a specific space.
  • Opt for lights that are neither too bright nor dim.
  • Provide thinking spaces with motivational quotes and comfortable seating.
  • Create a relaxing area where they can play critical thinking games and get back to work after a while.

Working Environment

No employee can give their best when they are continuously worried about their boss being angry or not getting credited for their work. To make sure that you achieve high productivity, you must be a leader than a boss and encourage your team members to take the initiative and support them in their ideas.

The working environment should inculcate values like integrity and transparency, so everyone knows that their contribution is acknowledged. Create a trustworthy atmosphere where your employees feel trusted, offer feedback, and prioritize their mental health.

Goals

How will your team members help you achieve goals when they are not aware of them?

As we talked about transparency, your employees need to know short-term and long-term goals to work accordingly to give the results you are looking for. Without being aware of the goals, they work in an unknown direction and may not be able to deliver what you expect. Informing them of goals also gives you relief that everyone in the organization is working towards a shared interest.

Technology

With the tech-savvy world, it isn’t easy to compete with others in the market without being well-versed with technology. Productivity is highly dependent on tools and technology in today’s time. They help you perform well while reducing the time of processing.

Automating many processes enables you to perform a task of days in hours by using appropriate automation formulae. Using cloud-based technologies helps employees and teams communicate without having to remind each other to check their email.

Training

You may think that your employees are giving their best and have accustomed to the company’s culture and do not need any training. Yet, it is important to train your employees about their job roles regularly, imparting them the advanced knowledge and skill they need for their job roles.

You may have an utterly talented employee who continuously gives his hundred percent but does not achieve any outcomes? It happens when the employee does not know that he is putting the effort in the wrong direction. Training does not only help with enhancing the performance of your workers but also improves coordination between teams to ensure productive outcomes.

Employee Wellness

In the past, it was common for employers to keep work above everything, and employees were expected to work in deteriorating health, and no benefits were offered.

Such work culture ensured short-term high productivity, but what about the long term?

Now it’s all about creating long-term clienteles and retaining employees. The best way to achieve long-term outcomes is to prioritize your team members’ mental and physical health giving them the confidence that their job is secure in any such circumstances. Giving them a few days off to focus on their emotional or physical health can save you from losing a diligent employee.

To improve employee health, you can also introduce a healthy eating culture in the office or encourage everyone to go to the gym for at least half an hour after office timings.

Diversity

Diversity means having a blend of different cultures and backgrounds in the workplace. Diversity promotes acceptance, and your employees feel themselves to be a part of the space, putting more effort into work. Ensuring equal opportunities and representation gives confidence to your team members which you can see in their performance.

While diversity might not directly influence productivity, it can be a crucial element in team performance and job satisfaction. Engage people in healthy conversations apart from work to give them a breeze of freshness to boost their analytical and critical thinking abilities that help with productivity.

Leadership

Leadership is one of the most important factors affecting productivity in a workplace. The leader must be an example of honesty and diligence to their employees, and they should look up to them for advice when needed. A leader’s personality should be influential and unbiased. Leaders should encourage people who work hard and guide others to perform well.

Accepting Feedback

As customer relationships are made through accepting feedback, so are with employees. If your employees or team members are not comfortable sharing the lacking in the business with you, they cannot achieve the goals you are looking forward to.

The way you handle that feedback is one of the crucial factors that influence productivity. When you brush the feedback under the carpet and do not heed what your employees have to say, the issue will not be addressed and continue to prevail.

The Bottom Line

Productivity is not related to anyone’s particular cause as many factors influence productivity. From creating a trustful, transparent environment to providing tech-savvy tools and offering work breaks for physical and mental health, everything contributes to productivity. You can improve productivity by allowing them to take care of themselves and give feedback without being judged or mistrusted. It adds to a diverse company culture that believes in team benefit instead of personal benefit.

Understanding the Hidden Costs of International Shipping

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Whether you are shipping personal effects or a collector vehicle overseas, your shipment will get past a certain check post that will require you to fulfill certain rules and regulations of international shipping. As much as complying with those rules will help expedite your package, learning the costs involved will also save you from spending an extravagant amount of money.

It is because sometimes certain hidden costs can catch you by surprise. Therefore, it is important to plan and do thorough research before shipping.

Here are a few crucial elements to keep in mind if you want to obtain a better idea of where these fees might be applied.

  • When you are shipping with express couriers, you may need to pay the overhead for the fuel surcharge. This varies monthly or weekly depending on the country and is measured as a percentage of the shipping fees. Thus, keep an eye on their fluctuations because they can have a big impact on your bills.
  • Selecting value-added services for your shipments, such as insurance in the event of loss or damage or delivery outside of normal business hours can cost a bit more than your ordinary shipping needs.
  • Sometimes, certain surcharges are applied depending on the pickup location. This is commonly referred to as a remote region surcharge indicating that these areas are outside of your chosen couriers’ typical collection path.
  • Delivery retries, address correction costs, and occasionally even return fees are all areas where you may be charged extra. So, be very careful when you are filing your paperwork to avoid these unnecessary costs.
  • When it comes to costs, it is best to go with a logistics and shipping company that is not necessarily the cheapest. When it comes to supply and logistics companies, pricing is directly proportional to the level of quality you should expect. While you do not have to break the bank and go with the most expensive choice, going for the cheapest one does not make sense either!
  • Not all shipments are of the same nature and may require extra care or handling when shipping overseas. Such is the case when you are shipping fragile or dangerous goods. You will almost always be charged an extra fee, which is commonly calculated as a percentage of the shipping expenses or the value of the items.
  • Some couriers charge an additional fee depending on the material and shape of your containers. Therefore, be prepared to spend a little extra in case your courier charges you for the material of the container you are shipping.
  • Surcharges may apply if your package exceeds a courier’s specified dimensions or weight. You may be penalised for having an oversized item or a large parcel if the length of your parcel exceeds a certain limit.

Under-declaring the items of your shipments on the commercial invoice is a mistake you should avoid at all costs. If customs clearing agencies feel that the claimed value is less than the market value, they may request a fresh invoice, resulting in a slew of additional fees. The shipment may remain in customs if they do not get the amended commercial invoice in a timely way, resulting in warehouse storage fees. In addition, the courier may charge you a fee if your items are undervalued.

Now that you’re aware of the hidden costs and extra charges that can occur when shipping overseas, you’ll be able to budget for them appropriately. With DHL Express courier service, you don’t have to worry about the hassle and hidden costs when it comes to international shipping. Additionally, DHL also offers preferential rates to customers that meet the requirements of their business.

How to Hire Senior-Level Talent: A Complete Guide

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Entry-level employees are important to the business, but with low-security clearance and no budget or expenses to speak, making a mistake is not as serious as it can be with hiring senior-level staff. This can make the big hires something of a scary prospect. Let us take a look at how to take the uncertainty out of finding the best senior-level talent for your vacancy.

Promote Internally

If possible, why not reward the hard work of one of your most loyal employees? As mentioned in the introduction, it is much easier to hire at a lower level, and you have the peace of mind of knowing a lot about your potential manager – more than even the most rigorous interview process could tell you.

Hire a Headhunter

If this is not possible, take it to the experts and hire a headhunter, such as those to be found at eagle-headhunters.co.uk. A headhunter can offer you the best candidates, and will often have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the whole industry, knowing where the best workers can be found and understanding who might be tempted away from their current position.

Using a third-party recruiter to find the external candidate can also calm down frayed tempers, should existing employees feel that the decision to hire a new employee rather than promote someone is an unwise one. The very good news is that often a headhunter will find you such a high calibre candidate that protests will very quickly be silenced!

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Think of the Overall Team

Before rushing to pick the most perfectly qualified candidate, pause and assess what your candidate is going to be like once in the office and deal with the rest of the team. It might be better sometimes, to choose an alright candidate with amazing management and people skills, over a highly qualified candidate whose lack of empathy or arrogant behaviour rubs people up the wrong way.

Know What You Need

This advice can be applied to any process in which you are looking for something: know what that something is! Know what the job entails, what specific skills the candidate must have (and whether the company is prepared to pay to send the candidate on training courses should it prove necessary) and offer a reasonable salary for the skills on offer.

Personalise Your Offer

Assuming you find someone who you think will make the perfect addition to the team, you will have to begin a long and sometimes unsuccessful programme to make them aware of the job vacancy, encourage them to think about making the jump, and let them know what sort of perks and remuneration they will be able to expect. Bear in mind that the first time you meet them will be your only chance to make a good impression, so take a moment, make sure you have all the information easily at hand, and then go out and wow them before making the offer!

If this all sounds daunting, the good news is that most of it can be left to your headhunter! Let them bring you the best in the industry with style and confidence.

18 Advantages And Disadvantages Of E-Commerce

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E-commerce is a major contributor to sales globally, with 93.5% of internet users having made at least one purchase through the internet. E-commerce is growing at a rate of 23% per year, and it is expected that it will be a significant sales platform by the year 2040, with 95% of purchases being made online.

What is e Commerce?

E-commerce refers to making business online without interacting with the buyers physically. It is a modern approach to business, and more brands are moving towards e-commerce to boost their sales. E-commerce involves online selling and payments through online payment gateways. While it provides a space for people to sell their products without having a physical store to display their goods, there are also some disadvantages.

Advantages and Disadvantages of eCommerce

shopping-online-drop-shipping
AdvantagesDisadvantages
Available 24/4Lack of direct interaction
Larger marketNo tactility
Lesser costMore competition
Convenient buyingNo guarantee of quality
More choicesLong delivery time
Detailed product informationInternet access needed
No need to go outWebsite crashing
Affordable marketingBad reviews cause losses
Access to customer data 
Better sales through reviews 

Advantages of eCommerce

Available 24/7

Can customers go to their favorite apparel store at 5 in the morning and get the jacket they need for a trip urgently? No.

But can they order? Yes.

When you set up an e-commerce store, you are 24/7 open and available to your customers without any time restriction. They can place an order any time of the day, and you can dispatch their goods at the soonest to engage the customer and convince them to buy from you often.

Larger Market

The world has become a global village, and e-commerce is the best product of this global village. Websites are worldwide, and you can reach potential customers across oceans if you want to. Even a high school student can do it too. E-commerce gives you access to people globally to expand your business by catering to a large number of people.

Lesser Cost

E-commerce stores are a one-time cost and do not require continuous maintenance. While you may need 4 employees to run a physical store, e-commerce stores do not require the same workforce. Online selling also saves the cost of electricity and other forms of maintenance in the store, eventually decreasing your monthly expenditure. E-commerce stores are more automated, avoiding human error and reducing the need for many staff members.

Convenient Buying

Online sales have rocketed in the past years. Do you know why?

E-commerce allows people to buy at the comfort of their homes without going out. Everything they need is readily available on the internet, and they can buy quickly, just with a single click. Many e-commerce stores also provide the option of replacements where they pick the purchased good from your home. E-commerce is every busy shopper’s dream come true.

More Choices

Anyone might not have enough time to visit one store to another, you can always scroll through multiple stores online. The presence of hundreds of options online gives you more choices to select from, offering a wide range of colors, designs, sizes, and material quality. With so many options, you are more likely to easily find what you want.

Detailed Product Information

Another benefit of e-commerce is the information mentioned with each product for ease. Customers do not have to ask the seller about the features of the product as the product description and details give it all out themselves. You can find all information about a product on the e-commerce store or search engines to make the right choice of purchase.

No Need to Go Out

Online buying has made accessibility easy than ever before. If you do not have enough time to go out and buy the pack of cheese for dinner, order it right away, and it will be at your doorstep in a few minutes. While sometimes you have to pay a minimal delivery fee, e-commerce does not only save time but also cuts down fuel costs.

Affordable Marketing

We won’t say that billboards and TV advertisements are gone, but the era of digital marketing has definitely taken over. Now, most businesses are looking forward to digital marketing and making the best use of social media platforms to market their products to a wider audience. Digital marketing costs less than traditional marketing, and your product reaches a global market.

Access to Customer Data

Online selling gives you access to customer data and enables you to design your store according to customer needs. You can add products that your customers usually look for and cater to the needs of potential customers in a better way. By targeting the right customers with the products they need, you can make them choose you more often.

Better Sales through reviews

Reviews on the internet are just like words of mouth but reach more people. Reviews and testimonials are one of the most effective ways to enhance sales through e-commerce. Reviews on the website by your satisfied customers help new buyers make a decision about the product, and you sell more.

Disadvantages of eCommerce

Lack of Direct Interaction

One of the major drawbacks of e-commerce is the lack of direct interaction. Interactivity and body language are two vital components of communication, and they both are lost during online dealing. This loss of interaction during selling products online sometimes makes the customers move to retail shopping to understand the product better.

No Tactility

Besides not being able to communicate face-to-face with the sellers, the customer also misses the experience of touching and trying the product before buying. Many customers want to try a particular product such as shoes, clothes, spectacles, and others to make sure they are the right fit, but this is not possible in online shopping.

More Competition

E-commerce allows everyone to create a website and have their online store, increasing the competition among sellers. Buyers visit multiple stores within minutes and choose the one with better quality and lower price. High competition makes business difficult on e-commerce platforms as customers tend to choose products that cost less, and store-owners have to keep prices competitive.

No Guarantee of Quality

Talking of buying something online, there is no 100% guarantee of the product’s quality when it reaches you. It may be the same product as mentioned, but the rate could be worse than you imagined. When setting up an e-commerce store, it is important to ensure that your quality is unparalleled to keep customers loyal to your brand.

Long Delivery Time

Ordering and receiving goods is incredibly easy with online shopping, but not that quick. It usually takes 2 to 3 business days for the purchases to deliver and more if you are ordering from a distant place. Sometimes people avoid shopping online if the store does not offer urgent delivery if needed and prefer to go and buy from a retail store.

Internet access Needed

E-commerce is highly dependent on the availability of the internet as you cannot buy anything online in the absence of an active internet connection. Internet access is a must for online shopping to add an item to your cart and make payment through the card. Some website functionalities need a high-speed internet connection and may not be accessible to buyers with slow internet.

Website Crashing

While the need for the internet is inevitable when going for e-commerce, it may have a few other problems. Having an e-commerce store always comes with the possibility of your website crashing or having a glitch that may push your customer to move to another site.

Bad reviews cause Huge Losses

Let’s say you have a bad day and deliver a wrong product to a customer, and they leave a bad review. You may try to fix it, but sometimes buyers are very critical about service and do not hesitate to leave a bad review right away.

Reviews are as risky as beneficial they are for e-commerce. Good reviews can help you get more customers and direct them to your website; bad reviews can stop potential customers from buying from you.

Frauds

Online shopping comes with numerous security issues and has higher chances of fraud. As people usually pay for purchases through their credit or debit cards, there’s always a risk of stealing information leading to money fraud. If any such scam happens after shopping through your site, the customer usually leaves a bad review, and the word spreads like wildfire. Ensure a safe shopping experience for your customers by providing security and cashback when needed.

The Bottom Line

E-commerce is growing massively, hundreds of females started the business with low investment in recent years at there are a wide market and hundreds of product options to sell and the dimensions of shopping are changing. Now more people are moving towards online shopping as it offers numerous advantages like having more options, getting all information about the product, and the possibility of ordering from an online store any time of the day.

Besides the advantages, some disadvantages also come along, like lengthy delivery time and uncertainty about the quality of the product. Despite the disadvantages, e-commerce is expected to expand more with most purchases and transactions made online. If you are looking to set up online, give it a try with any of these profit generating ideas.