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Everything you Need to know about Running a WFOE in China

Last Updated on July 9, 2022 By Jason Obrien Leave a Comment

Are you considering setting up a WFOE in China? WFOEs are the most preferred business structures for foreigners coming to China. The country’s economy has grown steadily over the last about 40 years, jumping to the second largest today. Indeed, the World Bank predicts that at the current economic growth rate, China is likely to surpass the US as the largest economy on the planet.

So, if you are planning to open a WFOE in China, this can be an excellent idea, especially when targeting a long term presence. Keep reading to learn more about WFOE incorporation in China and what you need to make it successful.

Table of Contents

  • What is a WFOE?
  • The Benefits of Starting a WFOEs
  • The Main Requirements for Opening a WFOE in China
  • What do you Need to Run a Successful WFOE after Incorporation?

What is a WFOE?

WFOE, shortening for wholly foreign-owned enterprise (WFOE), is a type of company where the foreigner is allowed to hold 100% shareholding. This means that unlike a joint venture (JV) that requires you to enter into a partnership with a Chinese, a WFOE allows you to be in charge of all the decisions, from who to hire to company strategies.

Originally, WFOEs were designed for the manufacturing sector. However, their immense success, which resulted in transforming China into the largest manufacturing hub, convinced the Chinese administration to open the format for other industries. Now, you can open a consulting WFOE, manufacturing WFOE, or trading WFOE. So, no matter your area of interest, know that it is possible to open a WFOE to reach the large Chinese market. 

The Benefits of Starting a WFOEs

Opening a WFOE in China comes with a long list of benefits that no investor wants to miss. The most notable benefit is that you are able to engage in profit-making deals in line with the selected company scope. Other benefits include:

  • You do not have to share profits because no partners are required for the formation of WFOE.
  • The company allows you to access a larger market and run just like a local company. This means that you have a level playing field to compete with others.
  • Profits can be remitted back to the parent firm with limited restrictions.
  • WFOEs take the form of limited liability companies, meaning that your personal assets are protected in the event of issues like bankruptcy.

The Main Requirements for Opening a WFOE in China

To incorporate a WFOE in China, there is a long list of documents and requirements. Remember that the process involves dealing with multiple departments, including the Ministry of Finance and Commerce (MOFCOM) and the State Administration of Industry and Commerce (SAIC). So, here are the main requirements:

  • Company name.
  • List of controlling partners.
  • Registered address.
  • Managerial structure.
  • Articles of association.
  • Registered capital.
  • Feasibility study.
  • Then, apply for company chops, bank accounts, and additional permits where necessary.

What do you Need to Run a Successful WFOE after Incorporation?

Registering a WFOE is only the first step when targeting international business expansion. Once the company is successfully registered, you will need the following to keep it profitable.

  • Accurate Accounting: In China, you must follow the Chinese accounting standards for company accounting. Remember that accounting involves monthly bookkeeping, filing returns, and auditing.
  • Payroll Management: Your company requires employees to implement its strategies. These employees have to be remunerated in line with the Chinese labor laws. When processing payroll, ensure to also make statutory deductions and remit them to relevant authorities.
  • A Good Strategy for Growth: Your business can only grow and become successful if you have the right strategy. For example, do you use online marketing or television ads to reach targeted clients? Remember that your strategy should be reviewed regularly to ensure it is delivering the expected results.

Registering a WFOE in China is an excellent idea for entrepreneurs targeting rapid growth in this high-potential market. Remember that you will need to work with an agency of experts, such as Hawks ford, to help with company registration and post-incorporation procedures. Indeed, Hawks ford has more to offer, including data protection, tax compliance, and immigration services. Visit them now for all the help you want about WFOE.

Jason Obrien

Jason is the Marketing Manager at a local advertising company in Australia. He moved to Australia 10 years back for his passion for advertising. Jason recently joined BFA as a volunteer writer and contributes by sharing his valuable experience and knowledge.

Filed Under: Business

The Pros and Cons of Electronic Signatures

Last Updated on June 29, 2022 By Jason Obrien 1 Comment

Innovative solutions to everyday life operations are coming up with every dawn. Developers are creating tools to enhance lives and bring about efficiency in how business owners run their operations. One of the solutions gaining traction in the business world is electronic signatures. Electronic signatures, as the name suggests, enable you to sign documents digitally. You don’t have to be physically present to sign your contract or get approval. Sounds intriguing, right? Are you wondering whether you should adopt this digital tool in your organization? This article will help you make this decision by discussing the advantages and disadvantages of electronic signatures. Read on for the insight!

man electronic signature on contract

Table of Contents

  • Pros of Electronic Signature
    • Better Project Completion
    • Increased Customer Base
    • Saved Money
  • Cons of Electronic Signature
    • Unwilling Customers
    • Security Issues
  • Conclusion

Pros of Electronic Signature

Better Project Completion

Most projects are always time-sensitive. Delays in project execution lead to the waste of many resources, which isn’t always ideal since costs are involved. Part of the project execution process involves document signage by various parties. This stage often causes delays, especially when some parties aren’t physically available to sign their part of the contract. In most cases, work can’t go on until they sign. This is where electronic signatures save the day.

With e-signatures, you no longer have to wait weeks for your project to start because of a lack of signatures. You can send the documents to the relevant party, be it other professionals or the client, digitally. They sign using e-signatures and send the documents back to you in a few minutes. You’ll be able to stick to your project execution schedule and finish it on time. Visit jSign.com to find out how to request signatures from your documents’ recipient.

Increased Customer Base

For most businesses, geographical location is often an issue. Some owners, especially those in service provision, find it challenging to offer their services to clients in another part of the world. The document handling process often becomes a challenge and expensive since either you or the client has to fly to get to the other party for them to sign the necessary documents. Due to the associated costs of this procedure, most entrepreneurs prefer to keep their operations localized. Localizing your business operations hinders its growth.

However, the narrative changes once you adopt electronic signatures. You can take on any clients from whichever part of the world they’re based. This increases your customer base, increasing the chances of making more profits. All you must do is send the contracts and documentation for them to sign. No party is inconvenienced in the process, making it suitable.

Saved Money

Money is the cornerstone of any business. You can barely run your operations without funds. Therefore, business owners tend to reduce expenses to avail more to fund the core operations. The lack of using electronic signatures defeats this purpose. You must print the physical document and send it to the said party. You’ll incur the cost of getting the printing paper and associated components, such as the printer and ink, and the courier you’ll use to ensure the party gets the documents. On the other party’s hand, they’ll also incur costs when sending back the document. With most contracts, you’re likely to be in charge of all the costs associated with making the contract solid. These costs can accumulate, especially when sending the document to several parties.

Pros and Cons signature

Electronic signatures don’t consume a lot of money. There are no printing or delivery costs. You’ll only incur costs in terms of internet usage, based on the document size. However, these costs are much lower than what you’d spend sending the paperwork physically.

Cons of Electronic Signature

Unwilling Customers

Although digitization has many benefits, some of the population is still reluctant to adopt it. Some could be unwilling because they aren’t tech-savvy, with others preferring to stick to the old techniques of handling business.

In such situations, some clients may decline to work with you, which isn’t ideal for business. With others, you have to send them the documentation physically, whether you’ve invested in electronic signatures tools. This doubles your expenditure and lowers your return on investment in the tool.

Security Issues

The digital handling of contracts comes with security risks. Although you can track the documents and see who accessed them, the time they spent on the document, and the changes they made, security is still a concern. Why?

In most cases, the features may be safe, but the software isn’t secure. The developer might not have invested in data security aspects, such as data privacy and protection, as well as anti-virus and anti-malware tools. Placing documents in a tool that lacks these features puts your documents at risk. A hacker can access these documents and use them for the wrong reasons, jeopardizing your contract.

It’s advisable to vet the security and privacy policy of any e-signature tool you use before investing in it. Your vendor can shed more light on this.

Conclusion

Electronic signatures serve a great purpose in the document handling process of any agreement. However, like any other innovation, e-signature also has disadvantages. The discussion above sheds light on the merits and demerits of this innovation. With this information, you’re better placed to decide whether to adopt electronic signatures. Be sure to make the right decision, all factors considered.

Jason Obrien

Jason is the Marketing Manager at a local advertising company in Australia. He moved to Australia 10 years back for his passion for advertising. Jason recently joined BFA as a volunteer writer and contributes by sharing his valuable experience and knowledge.

Filed Under: Business

3 Keto Business Opportunities you can Explore this Year

Last Updated on June 25, 2022 By Jason Obrien Leave a Comment

As processed foods translate to unwanted illnesses and chronic diseases, more people are becoming health conscious. This results in people searching for the most effective diet plan that will allow them to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle. Nevertheless, one of the most famous diets searched online today is the Keto Diet.

The keto diet allows you to lose weight faster by excluding carbohydrates from your meal plan. The industry has been growing in recent years, and many entrepreneurs have started taking advantage of the broad target market. After all, dieters following Keto meal plans are willing to spend as much as possible, given that it will help them achieve their health goals.

woman writing on notebook

If you’re looking into starting a keto-related business, here are some great business ideas to explore this 2022:

Table of Contents

  • Keto Meal Plan Delivery Services
  • Reselling Keto Specialty Products
  • Blogging About Keto
  • Conclusion

Keto Meal Plan Delivery Services

The working population usually lives hectic lives and may no longer afford the luxury of time to prepare for their keto diet. In order to address these needs, one great business opportunity is to open a Toronto keto meal delivery service, in which you’ll be offering keto meal plans. This is perfect for targeting customers who are always on their feet. Preparing a keto meal plan requires time and effort, and many dieters would rather spend some money to have a reputable provider prepare their meals for them. Using this method, your customers can save a lot of time in the kitchen.

To be competitive with the other keto meal delivery services in Canada is to provide more comprehensive ranges of keto-friendly food options. Allow customization for meal plans and even offer low-carb selections for those who still want to include it in their meals. The key is to provide different meal plans that are creative, unique, delicious, and healthy. Study your target audience and observe what flavors and tastes they prefer. Finally, apply the right marketing strategies and be ready to get your business off the ground.

Reselling Keto Specialty Products

Since keto dieters are growing in number every year, the demand for keto specialty products is also rising gradually. If you live in a city with fewer stores selling these keto items, it’s best to take advantage of the business opportunity and sell keto-related unique products too. You can either rent out a physical store or operate entirely online. Start to market locally, and you’ll eventually grow your leads and increase customer retention.

Many keto products are marketable in the keto industry. You’ll be surprised to see how these items can have a fast turnover and decent profit margins, from snacks to protein shakes. The key is finding the best supplier and choosing products with many loyal consumers. If you’re willing to explore the market for selling your own homemade keto food items, you can also try and sell them to the keto market. After all, there are many food business ideas to start with low investment.

keto diet

By conducting market research, entrepreneurs can discover new food combinations that other brands haven’t thought of yet and that customers may enjoy. You can transform a baked goodie into something healthier for keto dieters so that they can consume it without guilt. Just use your creativity, and you’ll come up with unique keto specialty products to sell or distribute.

Blogging About Keto

In this modern era, content is king. While many people follow the keto diet, they are eager to find more content and blogs about it. You can turn it into a business by launching your own website or social accounts. Dieters must commit to this diet plan, which requires significant lifestyle changes. They need support and guidance on such a crucial journey. So, this is where you come in. You need to be a keto expert and share your knowledge and skills for dieters to be more confident and committed to their shift.

Once you open your own website, there are different means to make money out of it. However, your ultimate goal is to create more traffic and attract more visitors. You can apply different digital marketing strategies and focus on publishing high-quality content in text, pictures, or videos.

Be creative with your content style and offer tips, recipes, and other helpful resources. Those struggling with keto can find comfort in these blogs or content sources that help them stay committed. You should focus on helping keto dieters gain insights about this niche, and you’ll eventually rake money into your website through different means like ads, sponsorships, subscriptions, and brand merchandise.

Conclusion

The essence of the keto diet is to burn more fats by eating more of them. And for this reason, many people love to try this diet. It has become a quick favorite, and eventually, there will be more keto-related business ventures like the three listed above. You can take advantage of the marketability this year and open your own keto business too.

Jason Obrien

Jason is the Marketing Manager at a local advertising company in Australia. He moved to Australia 10 years back for his passion for advertising. Jason recently joined BFA as a volunteer writer and contributes by sharing his valuable experience and knowledge.

Filed Under: Business

6 Tips to Build your Business Leadership Pipeline

Last Updated on June 25, 2022 By Jason Obrien Leave a Comment

The leadership of any company or organization is essential to its functioning because, without their guidance, many teams would struggle to perform optimally. Management is more than checking up on employees or driving the workforce; it should also aim to inspire rather than reprimand.

Companies with experienced leaders on board are likely to have a higher productivity rate than others, and their workers tend to be satisfied or content at work. Although a good leader will have specific characteristics that can boost them up to their success, companies and current managers could contribute to developing their skills even more.

In business, there is a set pathway to take when developing a new leader, and below are the tips you can follow when looking at building the business leadership pipeline:

man tips to all people on business

Table of Contents

  • Upgrade Team Member Skills
  • Focus on Potential Leaders
  • Improve Communications
  • Provide Gradual Autonomy
  • Encourage Support to Others
  • Include them in Strategy Meetings
  • Final Words

Upgrade Team Member Skills

An artisan can’t complete a project without tools; the same goes for a company’s leadership. If leaders don’t have the necessary leadership skills, it could mean the entire team’s failure. Some potential candidates could already have what it takes to become a good leader, but perhaps, they may still be lacking the specific areas that the business needs.

When current leaders identify potential candidates, they can assess which skills or areas would need development. From there, they can send the team member for further training or have them work with professionals such as a leadership consulting firm to identify the specific needs and work on lacking areas before starting the process.

Focus on Potential Leaders

Companies can opt to focus on grooming candidates who have the best chance of succeeding as business leaders instead of the whole workforce. It’d be good to note that some team members may have more skills than others, and when they have the suitable attributes to boot, they can make the perfect candidates for a leadership role.

Focusing only on the selected few allows the current leadership to assist the developing managers adequately. Having too many in line could delay the growth of others, especially when some still need to develop more than others.

Improve Communications

Leaders have to anticipate workflow, output, unforeseen circumstances, and more. When a problem arises, they should be able to effectively communicate with their teams and the leaders of other groups in the company.

With that, communication skills are something any good leader should work on constantly, even when they have been in business for a long time. When a leader can adequately convey their message to others, there are fewer misunderstandings, encouraging others to do the same.

Provide Gradual Autonomy

Leaders expose themselves to a high level of responsibility, but they can only handle the pressure when their superiors gradually introduce them. When too much is thrown their way at once, they could buckle under the pressure, no matter how good their other skills are.

Candidates for leadership should have opportunities to practice their new responsibilities in a safe space where current managers are there to assist when needed. A sound support system should be in place so new leaders can gradually receive more autonomy as they grow into the role.

man hand holding in tab and woman look in tab

Encourage Support to Others

One of the main functions of leadership should be to lead by example. Leaders that lend a helping hand to others set the stage for others to learn from the experience. When they exhibit the correct behaviors and attitudes towards solving a problem, others could incorporate that into their skillset.

As part of the development process, companies can give candidates more and more ways to interact with and encourage their team members, supporting them along the way. Candidates who are good at appreciating their teammates’ efforts will make for supportive leaders later on when they step into their new positions.

Include them in Strategy Meetings

The best school for new leaders on matters of business strategy is to include them in actual strategy meetings or discussions. A peek into how current leaders and managers make decisions allows new leaders to see the reasoning behind each decision made for that business, which is not something they can learn from a textbook or a course.

Learning through experience is worth more than processing knowledge from a book. Current leadership can groom the candidate to deal with the company’s specific needs when involving them in the strategy sessions.

Final Words

Developing a leadership pipeline isn’t something companies should enter into lightly. They should put a lot of thought into which candidates they want and need to lead their business to new heights. Not everyone is well suited to be a leader, but with some support from current management, the right candidate will grow well in their new role.

Skills, abilities, attitudes, and characteristics could come naturally to the perfect candidate, and companies that spend time developing their innate strengths won’t regret their efforts once they move into a leadership role.

Jason Obrien

Jason is the Marketing Manager at a local advertising company in Australia. He moved to Australia 10 years back for his passion for advertising. Jason recently joined BFA as a volunteer writer and contributes by sharing his valuable experience and knowledge.

Filed Under: Business

How Managed Services Enhance Financial Performance

Last Updated on June 25, 2022 By Jason Obrien Leave a Comment

In today’s competitive business environment, organizations must focus on their core competencies and outsource the areas of their operations in which they’re weaker than their competitors. This is especially true for companies in the financial services sector.

With managed services, financial organizations can benefit from the operational efficiencies and cost savings of outsourcing these tasks. Here are seven ways managed services can enhance financial performance.

Table of Contents

  • Improved Efficiency
  • Reduced Costs
  • Improved Security
  • Greater Scalability
  • Enhanced Customer Service
  • Reduced Project Lags
  • Improved Business Continuity
  • Takeaway

Improved Efficiency

One of the most important ways managed services can help improve financial performance is to increase efficiency. When a company works with a managed service provider, it can have peace of mind knowing that its IT systems are constantly monitored and maintained.

This proactive approach can save the company both time and money by preventing problems from emerging in the first place. In addition, managed service providers often have access to tools and resources your company needs. In fact, if your business is within Raleigh, hiring an IT support Raleigh NC-based service can help address your concerns quickly.

Reduced Costs

Managed services have become increasingly popular for businesses to improve their financial performance. One of the primary benefits of managed services is that they can help reduce costs. You can achieve this in several ways.

First, managed services providers (MSPs) often utilize sophisticated software tools to automate tasks and processes. It can help reduce the need for expensive manual labor. Secondly, MSPs typically have economies of scale that allow them to purchase equipment and services at a lower cost than individual businesses.

Finally, MSPs often charge a flat monthly fee, which can provide budget certainty and help companies avoid unexpected expenses. By working with an MSP, businesses can realize significant cost savings that can enhance their financial performance.

Improved Security

Improved security is one of the most critical ways that managed services can help to enhance financial performance. In today’s business environment, data security is more important than ever. Customer information, team member records, or your company’s financial data are at risk of being hacked or stolen.

By outsourcing your IT security to a team of experts, you can rest assured that your data is safe. Managed services can also help prevent cyber-attacks by providing around-the-clock monitoring and threat detection.

In the event of an attack, managed services can quickly identify and isolate the problem, minimizing the damage and preventing sensitive data from being compromised. By investing in managed services, you can protect your data and your bottom line.

Greater Scalability

There are many ways that managed services can help to enhance financial performance. One fundamental way is through greater scalability. Managed services provide businesses with on-demand access to the resources they need.

It makes it easier to respond to changes in demand and adjust operations as required. As a result, businesses can avoid the costs of unused capacity and make more efficient use of their resources.

Meanwhile, by outsourcing non-core functions, businesses can focus on their core competencies and reduce time and money spent on activities that don’t generate revenue.

Enhanced Customer Service

Customer service is one of the most important aspects of any business, and it’s even more critical for companies that deal with sensitive financial information. That’s why managed services can be a valuable asset for businesses in the financial industry.

Managed services providers can help businesses in the finance sector improve their customer service by providing expert support and guidance. MSPs can also help businesses implement new customer service technologies, ensuring they always have the latest tools and resources at their disposal.

In addition, MSPs can provide ongoing training and support to financial organizations, helping them continually improve their customer service. Hence, managed services can play a vital role in enhancing financial performance.

Reduced Project Lags

One of the most significant benefits of managed services is reducing project lags. By outsourcing routine tasks and maintenance, businesses can free up internal resources to focus on more strategic initiatives.

man touch the managed button

Moreover, managed service providers typically have a pool of skilled resources that can be quickly deployed to address issues as they arise. As a result, businesses that utilize managed services often experience shorter project delays and fewer disruptions to business operations.

In today’s competitive business environment, every advantage counts. Managed services can give your organization the boost it needs to stay ahead of the competition.

Improved Business Continuity

Another meaningful way that managed services can help to enhance financial performance is by improving business continuity. On the other hand, disruptions to operations can significantly impact the bottom line.

By outsourcing critical functions to a team of experts, businesses can reduce the risk of costly downtime and ensure that operations run smoothly. For example, in an unexpected outage, managed services can help minimize the impact on business operations and ensure that critical functions are quickly restored.

Takeaway

Managed services can provide several benefits for businesses in the financial sector. From enhanced security and scalability to improved customer service and business continuity, managed services can help improve a company’s financial performance. When it comes to protecting your data and your bottom line, managed services are an essential investment.

Jason Obrien

Jason is the Marketing Manager at a local advertising company in Australia. He moved to Australia 10 years back for his passion for advertising. Jason recently joined BFA as a volunteer writer and contributes by sharing his valuable experience and knowledge.

Filed Under: Business, Management

How to Reduce Costs and Occurrences of Business Downtime

Last Updated on June 24, 2022 By Jason Obrien Leave a Comment

In the business world, the word ‘downtime’ is dreaded. It’s an occurrence that can cause many problems for your business that can result in considerable financial losses and damage to your reputation.

Since the business operation is halted during downtime, you’ll more likely miss essential deadlines, making clients unhappy and your business unreliable. That being said, a business owner like you must strive hard to minimize the occurrence of downtime and save it from consequential damages and costs.

Continue reading this article to learn how to reduce the costs and occurrences of your business’s operational downtime.

Table of Contents

  • Selecting High-Quality Equipment and Machinery
  • Conducting Regular Maintenance Checks
  • Developing a Continuity Plan
  • Training your Employees
  • Conducting a Risk Audit
  • Final Thoughts

Selecting High-Quality Equipment and Machinery

Whatever type of business you’re running, choosing high-quality equipment and machinery can help reduce the costs and occurrences of downtime. They’re less likely to fail during business operations and save you significant hours.

Also, having the best equipment and machinery for your business allows you to gain a healthy return on investments as you can get the most out of these items for a long time. This is an excellent strategy that could help reduce downtime for your company.

Conducting Regular Maintenance Checks

Another way of mitigating the costs associated with business downtime is to schedule regular maintenance checkups. Even if you buy high-quality equipment and machinery, they would still experience malfunctions and high wear and tear if pushed to their limits. Unfortunately, unmaintained equipment and devices fail, which can lead to downtime and disruption that leads to losses.

You can consider outsourcing maintenance of devices to a managed IT company like San Antonio IT services or other reputable providers within your region. Although having an internal IT team can do the maintenance work, it might be less costly to outsource the management and maintenance of your IT systems. The service provider will be responsible for the functionality of your equipment in exchange for a monthly fee.

To minimize the financial consequences of downtime, make sure to conduct maintenance checks regularly. A maintenance management system could be a good idea to ensure all equipment is checked on schedule. This way, you can ensure your IT system keeps running smoothly.

Developing a Continuity Plan

Even with quality equipment and regular maintenance, downtimes can still occur. Other than hardware failure issues, cyberattacks, power outages, and natural disasters can also cause downtime. Generally, dealing with any of these causes can be frustrating, but a good plan can help you minimize the costs and occurrences of downtime. This means establishing a continuity plan. This is a document outlining the strategies a business can use to handle a crisis.

Downtime

Hence, when developing a continuity plan, you might need to consider the following things:

  • List the precautions and the authorized people to contact during downtime. This is to ensure that you deal with issues and get back on your feet quickly.
  • Ensure to include the alternative resources you can utilize to mitigate the downtime’s effects while trying to fix the issue’s source. For example, you can do backups of essential documents in cloud storage or external hard drives. This alternative resource can help promote business continuity and reduce the implications of business downtime.

In addition, having a continuity plan can help your company stay reachable in the event of an issue with your main equipment or location. You’ll impress your customers by meeting the deadlines and remaining productive despite unexpected circumstances, boosting customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Training your Employees

Knowing you can’t blame downtime on natural disasters and device failure is essential. In some cases, a business downtime happens because of human errors. For example, a staff member who doesn’t know how to handle important equipment might cause some errors, resulting in a severe disruption to your business.

For that reason, implementing a training program for your teams might be an excellent option to reduce the high costs associated with repeated occurrences of business downtime. Make sure your staff members know how to operate the equipment to avoid the likelihood of human mistakes.

Conducting a Risk Audit

You can also reduce the impact of business downtime by performing a risk assessment audit. It can help inform your company about any faulty equipment, machinery, or systems that can pose a risk to your daily operations. This will help you determine whether the equipment needs to be repaired or replaced to avoid future operational problems and costly disaster recovery.

Final Thoughts

Knowing how much downtime can cost your business can be an eye-opener. It can make you understand the importance of mitigating the impact of any disruption to your business. While downtime is unavoidable, some actions can decrease their chances of occurring.

Therefore, keep the abovementioned information in mind if you want to keep your daily operations running smoothly. Doing so allows your business to cut financial losses, keep your clients happy and satisfied, enhance the company’s productivity, and protect your good reputation.

Jason Obrien

Jason is the Marketing Manager at a local advertising company in Australia. He moved to Australia 10 years back for his passion for advertising. Jason recently joined BFA as a volunteer writer and contributes by sharing his valuable experience and knowledge.

Filed Under: Business, Technology

The Financial Impact of IT Security on Small Businesses

Last Updated on June 23, 2022 By Jason Obrien Leave a Comment

Today’s digital landscape has been evolving so fast that yesterday’s trendiest app could be obsolete the next month. And with the fast-paced development of technology, cyber criminals seem to be catching up just as fast.

You can be the most extensive E-commerce business or a small mom-and-pop online store, but you can still become a target for hackers and opportunistic individuals. This is especially true since every weak gateway is a chance for them to infiltrate and take valuable data they could hold for ransom.

According to experts, the two most possible cyber-attacks in a business are theft of personal information and financial-driven cyber-attacks. But the attacks that incur the most financial loss in a company include:

  • Politically motivated hacktivists
  • Phishing and social engineering
  • Mobile device exploits
  • Viruses and trojans. 

Also included are an insider’s malicious intent and a team member’s carelessness.

With that, strengthening your business’ cybersecurity is crucial because not doing so could lead to a financial loss. If you need to fortify your business’s safety against cyber threats, you may want to check out cyber security Sacramento services or others within your locality.

To give you a better idea, here are some of the financial impacts of inferior cybersecurity on small businesses:

Table of Contents

  • Loss of Business and Damaged Reputation
  • PR Costs to Repair the Brand Damage
  • Additional Costs for Hiring Experts
  • IT Infrastructure Improvement Expenses
  • Cost of Training Staff About New Upgrades
  • Final Thoughts

Loss of Business and Damaged Reputation

Perhaps you have tried to build a good name over the years by excelling in customer service and manufacturing only the best products. But in the blink of an eye, a catastrophic data breach could damage all you have worked for. This can hurt the way your customers will perceive you.

Customers would feel hesitant or wary of providing their personal information and financial data or bank details when processing a transaction. Losing your customer’s valuable trust could also mean they’ll stop buying your products and services. In most cases, a security incident will make them look for another brand to patronize. And just like that, even your most loyal customer is balking.

With that, you’re likely to see a rapid decline in business sales and transactions, and rebuilding your brand will take a substantial effort and resources, which is the next point.

PR Costs to Repair the Brand Damage

If you’re a small business, you can’t afford to look the other way and wish for the best. The problem won’t go away even if you sleep on it. You have to deal with it the soonest that you can. It could be through pacifying irate customers by giving them freebies or offering them extra services that will cost you.

If such tactics don’t work, you may need to hire a public relations firm to handle and clean up the mess. They can help refresh your brand and give your business a good image to the public.

Public Relations is not cheap, but the cost to do this will be something that you’ll have to convince yourself that everything is charged to experience. Soon after, hopefully, transactions will return, and you’ll resume normal operations.

Cyber Attack

Additional Costs for Hiring Experts

After a data breach, of course, you would want to get to the bottom of the incident. And in most cases, you’d need to hire somebody from the outside to determine the source of the cyber-attack.

For instance, you may need to hire an IT forensic expert to investigate the matter and give you the root cause of the problem so you can create a SMART action plan and penalize or give sanctions to the culprit if they are still within the organization. This can consume a significant portion of your finances as digital forensic experts’ fees can be costly.

IT Infrastructure Improvement Expenses

After this incident, it’s only fitting that you strengthen your IT infrastructure. If you want to look at the silver lining, tell yourself that at least now you know what your weaknesses are. Now, you can employ specific strategies and courses of action to address this.

To start, you may need to invest in more sophisticated equipment, tools, apps, or software to help you in this mission. While this can be costly, consider this a sound investment that would benefit your brand in the long term.

Cost of Training Staff About New Upgrades

The most susceptible part of the organization is the employees. Cyber-attacks are usually easy to carry out because of human error. It could be due to carelessness, lack of knowledge, and malice. And with that, it would be best to ensure that your organization is updated with the various technologies to deter cyberattacks. It would also benefit you to ensure their compliance through certification by a third party.

Final Thoughts

Many companies who suffered a breach will tell you that they didn’t expect it would happen to them and thought their infrastructure was enough. But it’d be good to note that in this fast-paced modern world, it’s better to be over-prepared than unguarded.

Ensuring that your organization’s IT requirements are fulfilled can give you more peace of mind as a business owner. And more so, you and your customers can rest assured that all confidential data and information are protected. Consulting with professional IT experts can be a good start in helping you run your business successfully and safely.

Jason Obrien

Jason is the Marketing Manager at a local advertising company in Australia. He moved to Australia 10 years back for his passion for advertising. Jason recently joined BFA as a volunteer writer and contributes by sharing his valuable experience and knowledge.

Filed Under: Business, Technology

4 Creative ways to Attract More Clients to your B2B Company

Last Updated on June 22, 2022 By Ifama Leave a Comment

Running a business-to-business (B2B) firm could be one of the ways to enhance financial freedom. This business model allows you to offer and sell your products or services to other businesses like retail shops instead of directly dealing with consumers.

To start, most retail shops source their products or services in bulk. Therefore, opening a B2B can enable you to make a lot of sales and profits by working with them. It can also open more opportunities for growth and expansion. But to achieve this, it’s essential that you have strategies in place that can help attract and connect with more clients to work with you. This is especially true, considering the competition between firms with identical offerings.

With that in mind, here are some creative ways you can consider to attract more clients to your B2B company.

Table of Contents

  • Creating Rewards Programs
  • Developing a Website
  • Putting Things on Social Media
  • Promoting your Business Online
  • Final Words

Creating Rewards Programs

Developing a B2B rewards program can be one of the simplest yet effective approaches to attracting more clients to your company. After all, everyone likes rewards. Essentially, a reward program promises incentives to clients should they choose to source their products or service from your company. This can help entice them as they’ll know they can get the most out of their investment when they decide to work with you.

You can also offer rewards to your existing clients to help gain new ones. This is possible since the rewarded clients may spread the word regarding your B2B company to other business owners. And as a result, you may gain new customers through referrals.

You can consider various strategies when creating rewards programs. These include promising a discount for bulky purchases and giving attractive offers and gifts. All these may enable your B2B company to attract more customers and grow over time.

Developing a Website

As the digital world continues to evolve, more and more people are looking for ways to increase comfort and flexibility. For that reason, even business owners opt to search and avail themselves of products or services online. It, therefore, makes sense to build a website for your B2B company. Your website, as an online platform, can act as a digital profile for your business, which potential clients can conveniently check to gain information.

And perhaps, one of the reasons why you’d want to create a website is to connect with clients worldwide. In other words, a website can boost the visibility of your B2B business. This way, you get to expand your audience reach and are likely to attract more customers to your firm.

man strategy on company

However, the key here is to build a well-performing website. And among the best ways to enhance the performance of your B2B website is by implementing the best search engine optimization strategies. Some of these include enhancing the website loading time, providing a search bar, publishing relevant content on the website, utilizing keywords and meta descriptions, and more. All these can help promote the visibility of your brand. And as a result, more and more clients will likely consider working with you.

Putting Things on Social Media

In the past, people used social media only for social interactions. However, this has changed over time, with business owners utilizing them to find suppliers.

The number of business owners utilizing social media increases every day. And all signs indicate that businesses will use social media for the foreseeable future. With that in mind, being active on social media platforms to connect with potential clients can be to your advantage.

Just like a website, social media can help you connect with clients worldwide. However, you must utilize the right tool for your target audience. In addition, make sure to publish helpful and relevant content on your business social media account. This allows you to establish your credibility and attract more customers.

Promoting your Business Online

As noted earlier, business owners consider finding products and services online. For that reason, another option you can explore is digital advertising. Essentially, online promotion is a process of spreading the word regarding your B2B company over the internet. You can archive that using your smartphone, laptop, desktop computer, and other digital devices.

Online marketing enables more clients to become aware of your business’s existence. And today, there are various strategies you can implement to market your company online efficiently. These include SEO marketing, content marketing, pay-per-click marketing, affiliate marketing, and influencer marketing, among others.

Utilizing digital marketing campaigns can help your B2B business gain more visibility in the online world, therefore, enabling you to attract more clients.

Final Words

Attracting more clients to work with your B2B company isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. Aside from the high competition in the industry, you’d also have to ensure you build a credible reputation and brand for your business.

Keeping in mind the insights and creative tips outlined in this article can be a good start in helping you attract more clients and propel your B2B company towards success.

Ifama

Hi! This is Ifama. I am a student and giving my services in SEO. I have a lot of experience in digital marketing. Travelling is my hobby and I love visiting different hilly areas and doing adventures.

Filed Under: Business

7 Tips to Keep your Business HIPAA Compliant

Last Updated on June 18, 2022 By Jason Obrien Leave a Comment

Organizations in the healthcare industry should take the necessary measures to operate in full compliance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protocols. An organization may face civil or criminal penalties if it fails.

It’s crucial to stay up-to-date with HIPAA compliance protocols. All organizations in the healthcare industry must ensure that everyone involved in the protected health information (PHI) chain fully complies with the HIPAA regulations, including business associates. It might be best to consider working with trusted HIPAA consulting services to ensure a good start.

For one, HIPAA compliance has become so complex over the years that even large-scale organizations frequently encounter compliance issues. If you want to make compliance manageable, here are several useful tips to get you on the right track.

Table of Contents

  • Learn the Fundamentals of Noncompliance and Common Violations
  • Perform Regular Self-Audits and Execute Corrective Action Plans
  • Training and Education for the Workforce
  • Maintain Adequate Physical Safeguards
  • Implement Backup Protocols
  • Conduct Ongoing Risk Analysis
  • Strengthen Relationships with Business Associates
  • Final Thoughts

Learn the Fundamentals of Noncompliance and Common Violations

Any organization dealing with PHI should implement the necessary policies, procedures, and safeguards.

Violations typically occur if there’s a failure to enforce them, even when PHI hasn’t been disclosed to or accessed by an unauthorized entity. Some of the violations include lack of risk analysis, absence of employee training, inability to report breaches within the stipulated timeframe, and improper exposure of information, to name a few.

Perform Regular Self-Audits and Execute Corrective Action Plans

Routine self-audits, ideally once a year, are critical in keeping your company HIPAA compliant. The yearly audits can help assess whether any physical, administrative, or technical issues might be responsible for violations. Although the assessments are insufficient to ensure compliance, they can greatly assist in identifying potential problem areas that require immediate attention.

Note the results of each internal audit and the changes you intend to make to your policies and procedures. Once you identify any potential weak points, you must devise appropriate corrective action plans to fix them. The timely management of these issues will ensure that your organization complies with HIPAA protocols.

Training and Education for the Workforce

You should know the importance of providing your workforce with adequate training and education. Regular training will make your employees knowledgeable and aware of the HIPAA regulations. Generally, the employee training should exemplify the importance of complying with HIPAA regulations. As the employees are the first in line, they should fully understand everything about compliance more than anyone else.

Ideally, it’s best to provide training for new hires and if there are changes in the policies or procedures in the organization. The training should also be specific to the function and role of your employees. For instance, the training for the healthcare personnel will be different for those in the IT department. Although time-consuming, it’s an effective method of lowering the risk of violations and fines.

Maintain Adequate Physical Safeguards

Data protection is critical if your company wants to remain HIPAA compliant.

Make it a priority to maintain the physical safeguards. In general, these are the physical controls on all equipment in the organization that limit access to databases and hardware that store, process or transfer critical information.

Some physical safeguard tips include controlling access to physical workstations, establishing security protocols when handling data, and keeping an inventory of all hardware containing sensitive information.

Implement Backup Protocols

It’s critical to remember that one of the most important HIPAA compliance measures is data backup. Organizations should establish and implement procedures to produce and maintain retrievable copies of PHI.

Keep all backup copies of information in a location different from the source. All the backup data must undergo encryption to comply with the security measures recommended under HIPAA.

Conduct Ongoing Risk Analysis

As part of the security measures, it’s crucial to implement ongoing risk analysis. The analysis result will serve as a basis to figure out which security protocols are reasonable and effective. In most cases, risk analysis entails evaluating the potential risks to PHI, implementing appropriate security measures to deal with the risks, documenting the most recent measures, and maintaining reasonable protection.

Strengthen Relationships with Business Associates

All business associates and vendors should also comply with the HIPAA compliance protocols. Determine whether your business associates are compliant and strictly adhere to proper procedures. 

Business associates should make every effort to keep the protected health information they receive or create secure at all times. It’s preferable to require documentation that assures their compliance and encourages them to follow training and auditing procedures, preferably in the form of a contract or agreement.

Final Thoughts

Keeping your business compliant with the latest HIPAA protocols should always be a priority if you want to ensure all critical information remains safe and secure. Taking into consideration the proper preparations can help prevent costly fines, damage to your company’s reputation, and possible legal action in the future. These valuable tips will serve as your guide in ensuring your organization stays compliant with HIPAA protocols.

Jason Obrien

Jason is the Marketing Manager at a local advertising company in Australia. He moved to Australia 10 years back for his passion for advertising. Jason recently joined BFA as a volunteer writer and contributes by sharing his valuable experience and knowledge.

Filed Under: Business

Choosing a Niche for Your E-Commerce Store

Last Updated on June 16, 2022 By Ifama Leave a Comment

Starting an e-commerce store can seem like a straightforward way to make money online. However, there are potential pitfalls along the way – including choosing the wrong products to sell.

To help you budding sellers find your feet; this article looks at why finding the right product category is important and sets out the steps to choosing an e-commerce niche for your business.

Table of Contents

  • Why is Finding an E-Commerce Niche Important?
  • Steps to Choosing a Niche
    • 1. Research the Market and Current Trends
    • 2. Think about Your Passions
    • 3. Consider the Logistics
    • 4. Visualize Your Marketing Activities
    • 5. Assess the Potential for Expansion
  • Final Thoughts

Why is Finding an E-Commerce Niche Important?

Driven by the Covid-19 pandemic, the global e-commerce market is worth an estimated $7.75 trillion, and this figure is expected to rise to $20 trillion by 2028. For new online entrepreneurs, this might look like a fool-proof opportunity to make profits; no physical premises are required, so setting up an e-commerce store requires relatively low overheads, while drop-shipping means the owner of an online store doesn’t even have to find space for stock.

However, despite the opportunities, a reported nine out of ten e-commerce businesses fail during their first few months of operation. Among the reasons for failure include an inability to compete with established players (namely Amazon) and store owners finding there is no market for their products. As such, choosing the right product category or niche is one-way e-commerce entrepreneurs can help protect their businesses from failure.

Steps to Choosing a Niche

1. Research the Market and Current Trends

The obvious place to start finding your niche is by conducting research into market trends. When doing this, think about your intended geographic reach; popular products in your local area or home country might not have a viable market internationally, or vice versa.

Also, consider whether certain products might be seasonal or cyclical. For example, how many face-mask businesses that made lots of money during the peak of the pandemic are still in business in 2022 when many countries no longer have mask mandates?

2. Think about Your Passions

While it’s unwise to rush into a business based on your heart alone, setting up an e-commerce store and running it day-to-day is difficult. This is especially true in the early days when set-up costs come into play, but sales and revenue are non-existent. Still, a genuine love for your products and niche can help you keep going, as well as make you more engaged in promoting your business.

Launching an e-commerce business in a product category in which you have expertise can also make life easier. You can share your knowledge and become an authority niche retailer that customers trust, setting you apart from Amazon and other mass e-commerce giants that focus on high-volume discount sales.

3. Consider the Logistics

Think about the realities of getting your products to your customers, not just at the beginning when you have limited sales but in a future scenario when you could have hundreds of orders a day. While drop-shipping can provide a solution to selling physical products, it’s not without risks.

As a small business, reputation is vital. If you want customers to choose you over one of the larger online retailers and recommend you to other buyers, you will need to ensure you can deliver what you promise every time. Also, don’t forget that shipping physical products can pose additional logistical issues, such as age-limited items and export regulations.

4. Visualize Your Marketing Activities

Two common reasons cited for many e-commerce stores’ failures are a lack of online visibility and poor marketing. In the e-commerce world, a store that isn’t visible essentially doesn’t exist. You aren’t just selling products; you’re building a brand – and you need to get it out there so people can see it.

From blogging and podcasts to get your business’s name out there with brand merchandise from companies such as Anthem Branding, many different promotional activities can give you online and offline visibility. Ultimately, the niche you choose will partly determine the types of marketing that will be the most effective and influence the strategies you can employ consistently.

5. Assess the Potential for Expansion

Choosing a niche requires walking a fine line between picking one that’s too broad and one that’s too limiting. Generally, it’s easier to start small and become well-known in a narrow product sub-category before expanding.

Start by finding existing gaps in the wider product category. If, for example, you want to open a store in the pet niche, you might want to start with luxury dog toys before broadening your range to include related items.

If you do plan to offer other products, make sure this is reflected in your online presence. For example, if you go all-in merely with luxury dog toys and then expand into cat toys or dog food, you’ll be faced with trying to get online traction for a whole new product sub-category.

Final Thoughts

Despite what seems like a saturation of e-commerce, there are still opportunities for the committed online entrepreneur. While many internet businesses fail, this article has hopefully shown that dedicating ample time and research to choosing the right product niche can help set you up for success.

Ifama

Hi! This is Ifama. I am a student and giving my services in SEO. I have a lot of experience in digital marketing. Travelling is my hobby and I love visiting different hilly areas and doing adventures.

Filed Under: Business, Marketing & Advertising

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