Category: Tips and Tools

Every business could face unexpected issues like an office lockout, sudden need of changing locks, losing your office key and many more. When these occasions occur, the first thing that comes to mind is to call a locksmith, but the question is which one to call? How to decide if their service is reliable and if they will not damage the business property? In order to make the right decision, these are some important factors to consider:

Check Reviews

Before calling a locksmith company, it is important to know how well they serve their customers. The best way to get this information is to check the reviews on the internet. Depending on the validity of the reviews available, choose the right one for you.

Availability

While choosing the right locksmith, it is very important to check how fast they can provide you with their services. Usually professional companies need about 25-30 minutes to come to your location and solve the issue on the spot. Herewith, check if they are available 24/7 including weekends and public holidays.

Reasonable Prices

 Lots of locksmith companies have hidden fees and there is chance that they will overcharge you. Therefore, it is reasonable to choose a company, which offers you flat fees. As a result, you will have confirmed pricing before technicians arrive and commence with the task.

Auto locksmith

If you have lock related issues like locking your keys inside, losing your car key or if it does not work, the best solution is to call a specialized auto locksmith. Mobile technicians are usually available, all throughout and they come to your location to solve the problem. This can usually take from 10 to 30 minutes depending on the service you need.

Additional Assistance

It is always a great relief when you do not have to hire many different companies to handle various aspects of your office safety. Most locksmiths do not just handle door- lock issues, rekeying and lockouts but help install security systems too like CCTV security and access card entries. Most of these experts can give you the right choices suitable for your company.

Last, but not the least- make sure you always have a reliable locksmith’s number at all times, because you never know when the crisis arises!

 

If you’re like a lot of people, you’d like to ramp up your daily performance in the simplest manner possible. That’s why the Android apps we’re going to tell you about are so important. With them, you may be able to boost your productivity and efficiency in a very big way.

Apps that make it easier to write

Hunting and pecking on the tiny keyboard that comes with an Android device can be an exercise in frustration. Google Keyboard can solve that problem. In fact, this productivity-boosting Android app is superior to 99 percent of all stock and default keyboard apps out there, says Alphr magazine. With built-in swiping capability that you can turn on and off at will, Google Keyboard is a must-have for anyone who works or communicates via written text.

Evernote is another Android app worth checking out. With this handy productivity tool, users can easily share and store documents, images, audio files and notes. Evernote also provides a super simple way to schedule meetings and share notebooks with collaborators. Never miss an important business meeting again, when you download and install the Evernote app for Android.

Android apps that facilitate communication

Skype is free to use and offers a range of communication options including video conferencing, audio calls and text messaging. There are dozens of messaging apps for Android, but none of them comes close to providing the streamlined communication offered by Skype, according to apps experts at Appolicious. For a very reasonable fee, Skype users can have a real phone number that clients and customers may use for making contact, even if they don’t have a Skype account. Skype takes voicemail when you can’t answer, as well. Typically, Skype paid services are cheaper than the same services as offered by other communications vendors.

Android apps that help you get organized

If you collaborate on projects with workers at other locations, the Dropbox app for Android could be exactly the organization tool you’ve been hoping to find. If you’ve ever been frustrated when trying to send large files via email, Dropbox can be a real lifesaver. With security settings that allow the owner of the box to select who can see files and who can edit them, Dropbox provides an effective way to share information with clients, co-workers and collaborators.

Keep an eye on the time at all times with the Alarm Clock for Me app. Built for Android phones and devices, this easy-to-use app offers more than the name indicates. Yes, the app provides a great wake-up tool that can start your morning with music, but it does so much more than that. Set your favorite music to play until you fall asleep, and check the weather any time with Alarm Clock for Me. You can find and download it on Google Play.

In 2017, there’s no reason you can’t get organized and stay that way. Write easier, collaborate better and work smarter with a range of easy-to-use Android apps.

Mason Forster is a great believer in using tech to better his performance at work and at home, as he achieves more in a faster amount of time. This leaves him free time to play with the kids without stressing about what he needs to do next.

Launching a product successfully is an art that relatively few businesses master. In fact, an estimated 80 percent of product launches fail — and the costs of failure can quickly add up, especially when the average product launch costs between $100,000 to $1,500,000 over a five-year period.

Keeping costs down is a key to making sure your product launch is profitable. Here are four ways you can improve your odds of a profitable product launch.

Streamline Your Development Phase with Rapid Prototyping

Traditionally, prototyping is one of the more major expenses of a product launch due to the high cost of making molds. Traditional mold tooling can cost anywhere from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars and up, and can take months to complete.

In recent years, manufacturers have developed new ways to carry out rapid prototyping at considerably faster speeds and lower costs by using digital modeling, 3-D printing and other tech advances. For example, medical manufacturer Instrumentation Laboratory found that for designing a hemostasis testing system, digital modeling alone reduced costs by 30 percent, while combining digital modeling with 3-D printing yielded 40 percent in savings. This amounted to $600,000 in annual savings, or $7.2 million saved over the lifetime of a product with a 12-year cycle.

Comparison Shop for Cost-efficient Materials

Another way to lower the costs of your product launch is to comparison shop for less expensive materials. Companies often use materials that cost more than necessary for a number of reasons. For instance, some products are designed to endure test conditions that are more rugged than the conditions the product will face during actual performance. In this case, it may be feasible to use less rigorous materials to lower costs.

Another way to find lower-cost materials is by shopping for a different supplier. For instance, a supplier that uses 3-D printing, like Apple Rubber does to manufacture o-ring seals, can mass produce on a scale that enables them to dramatically lower costs to the end user.

Test the Market Before Scaling Up

Marketing is another major component of product launch costs. That’s because an estimated 42 percent of startups flounder because executives fail to establish a market for their product. Test marketing can help your company avoid this mistake, while cutting your marketing costs in the process. This gives your company an opportunity to identify the most appealing applications and benefits of your product as well as its optimal pricing point.

Start with a small production run and test it through an online sales vehicle, like eBay. Some other ways to test market include using a focus group, giving away free samples to industry insiders in exchange for their feedback and demonstrating your product at a trade show.

Keep Logistical Costs Low

Logistics costs, such as warehousing and shipping, can also eat up a big part of your product launch budget. In fact, these expenses now make up 8 percent of the gross domestic product, according to a 2015 CSCMP study. Automation is the key to reducing costs, and logistics software can help you with functions like:

• Automating your inventory tracking
• Organizing the most efficient warehouse picking routes
• Optimizing shipping schedules.

Robots increasingly are being used to automate shipping. The more you can rely on automation, the less payroll budget you will need to allocate for logistics.

One of the most difficult things about maintaining a good business is establishing a good working relationship between you and your staff. Not everyone has amazing social skills and not everyone is a great leader. However, you are the boss, so it’s your duty to maintain these relationships and learn new skills in order to hold your team together.

Keeping employees happy is a difficult task due to a number of considerations you need to think about, but one of the most important things to think about is giving your employees space. Not just physical space either, but space to think, grow and work on their own without feeling like their every action is being monitored. To help you get off to a good start with your staff, here are a couple of points to consider that will help seal your relationship.

Give your employees physical space

A cramped employee works inefficiently because there’s simply not enough room to stretch their legs and get their work done. If you are cramming your employees into tight areas, then consider releasing them from those cubicle prisons and renovating parts of your office for more space. There are many reasons to do this. For starters, having room to work makes your employees feel in control of their space. If there is extra room to place documents, computer equipment and other necessities, then your employees can customise their space and make it feel like they have a permanent space in your workplace. This gives them a sense of purpose and belonging in your office, which motivates them to work and makes them feel like a valued member of staff.

Give your employees mental space

Micromanaging your employees is a business sin. You do not want to get so involved with an employee that you start looking over their shoulder all the time and monitoring their work before it’s even finished. You need to give your employees some space so that they can think, breathe and work in peace without having someone peering over their shoulders. Some team performance management software is vital if you want to manage your employees from a distance and set personal goals for them to meet. This way, you aren’t invading their space and you don’t need to pick their brains with hundreds of questions about their work.

Give your employees space to grow

No employee wants to be stuck at their job for the rest of their life. They want to grow, they want more money, and they want to have a higher position on their chosen career ladder. As a result, it’s your duty as their boss to pave the way for their greatness. Give them space to grow, raise the barrier so that they have more room to stretch their legs and climb higher on the ladder. Don’t prevent their growth by locking them in a tight cubicle and giving them mundane jobs for the rest of their life until they get fed up and leave your company. Loyal employees should be rewarded, and there’s no better reward than giving them a higher position in your company.

There are more small business loan options than ever before, and consequently, even more competition for the cash. According to a survey conducted by OnDeck, 82 percent of business owners were turned down for financing from their bank. But this doesn’t mark the end of the road. Business owners should be well-versed on a myriad of loan options — not just the loan options available at the bank.

Whether you have great credit and decades of business experience or average credit and a recently-launched small business, there are several options on the market. Consider your needs and current status as a business owner, and use these points as a steering guide to choose the right type of loan for you.

SBA Loans

As a business owner, you’ve most likely heard of SBA loans, and probably even applied for one in the past. This is a classic fix for many businesses. Small business loans are not directly from the Small Business Administration, but this loan type is more attractive to lenders because it’s partially guaranteed by the government, and therefore less risky.

There are six types of SBA loans. The three most popular are the 7(a) loan, the 504 loan, and the microloan. Each have their own set of rules and regulations and benefits. Though the application process can take several weeks or months, SBA loans are better equipped to suit small businesses than traditional banks, who have more strict requirements for approval.

Equipment Loans

Equipment financing is a popular asset-based loan that provides capital for business owners to purchase equipment vital to the business. This could be anything from computers to machinery or vehicles, and the loan covers 100% of equipment value. This is an especially popular option among retailers. When you use an equipment loan to fund the purchase, you’re essentially buying to collateralize the loan. This method increases the chances of qualification and could even help you get a better rate. Think of it as a better alternative to leasing. Once the loan is repaid, you own the equipment.

Working Capital Loans

Working capital loans provide the crucial funds necessary to finance everyday operations of your business. These short term loans have a much quicker application process and less stringent eligibility requirements. These loans, like many online loans, have more flexibility than your bank. For example, some online working capital loan lenders might require business owners to have just three months in business and don’t ask for collateral, while traditional banks expect at least two years and extensive collateral is required.

With working capital financing, business owners can better bridge the gap between the cash flowing into business operations and the cash flowing out. This is especially beneficial to businesses who need to even out cash flow due to periodic or seasonal fluctuations. This ensures a smooth year-round balance. To make the most of working capital loans, you should have a thorough understanding of your business’s cash flow, be prepared to handle payments, and understand the cost of the loan.

Invoice Financing

Invoice financing is similar to equipment financing because it gets you exactly what you need to keep the business running. This type of loan comes in many shapes and sizes and the premise is simple: you get a cash advance from a lender based on the outstanding invoices the business is waiting on. Typically a lender will offer 85 percent of outstanding balance upfront, hold onto the remaining amount until the loan is paid off, and then return the 15 percent minus interest charges (around 1% per week plus a flat processing fee). This is a great option for business owners who don’t want to make a huge commitment but who need the cash flow to hold them over until customers pay.

Online Term Loans

Online term loans are similar to bank term loans, but require far less paperwork and get the cash to the recipient much quicker. This offers a decent balance between the monetary benefits of getting a loan from traditional banks and the more versatile requirements and speediness of online lenders. The concept is still the same: you borrow a certain amount of money and monthly payments against the accrued interest. This is a viable option for business owners who don’t have the time to go through the paperwork process and want more flexibility.