Business Plus Baby

The rapid growth of the experience culture in recent years means that an increasing number of consumers now care as much, if not more, about the quality of their day-to-day interactions with the companies that govern their lives as they do about the material possessions in their homes.

The companies best placed to succeed in the future are those which provide an enhanced level of customer experience that boosts levels of both loyalty and satisfaction. If you want your own business to remain competitive, you need to closely examine and, if necessary, reinvent the experience your customers have during their interactions to improve the results of your business overall.

Start at the top

The CEO of a company sets the tone for the entire enterprise. If you want to reinvent the customer experience, the driving force behind such a change must come from the very top.

Part of the reason for this that customer experience is almost always directly related to employee experience. A workforce with positive attitudes and high morale will create a far better impression in their day-to-day interactions with customers than employees who harbor negative feelings towards their bosses.

Make it personal

Traditional forms of marketing and advertising take as broad an approach as possible in order to ensure the broadest possible appeal. Today’s consumer demands a far greater level of personalization and are showing increasing intolerance for content and material that is irrelevant to them.

The vast amount of data that can now be gathered and analyzed about customer behavior make the task of leveraging an understanding of the preferences of individual companies easier than ever. Technology such as machine learning and artificial intelligence can all be used to bring a variety of strategies together to that will result in increased conversions.

For example, the Omnia product suite, available from Weaveability, runs within an organizations existing SAP landscape requiring zero integration. Omnia benefits from utilizing existing SAP processes which enables it deliver positive benefits in multiple business areas. Therefore, your customers benefit from a consistent real-time experience regardless of which channel they use to connect with your business. The result is increased customer satisfaction and engagement, both of which can have a positive effect on your bottom line.

Look outside your industry

There was a time when consumers were content to compare like with like. Weekly shopping would take place in a particular supermarket because they preferred it to another, but the factors they used to make such a choice would not spill over into other areas of their lives.

Today, with more commerce being conducted through digital channels and a combination of channels, this is no longer true. Consumers will now judge the offerings of a company against both its competitors and all the other service providers they interact with. Your company will be judged in terms of its ability to provide customer satisfaction against every other enterprise out there.

This means that if you want to find the best possible ways to make your customers happy, you need to look outside your own industry and take inspiration from elsewhere. For example, one dentist provided a whole new experience for her customers by redesigning her surgery to create a more comforting, familiar environment, more reminiscent of an upmarket sundries store than a traditional dental clinic.

Photo by Rob Bye on Unsplash

Being a great boss often means that you should invest in your staff. This can be more or less intensive depending on the strength and level of the staff in question. One of these more luxurious benefits you might allow your higher-ups to receive is a company car. This means that you provide them with the automotive and they are responsible for its good maintenance and fuel usage. This company car is a symbol of confidence, of the willingness to invest in their travel responsibilities, and the general willingness to show them they are a valued member.

Of course, we’re not here to help you out with buying strategies and what models of car to go for. Anything you deem functional and within budget should be down to your discretion. We can however help you with a few small considerations that allow you to ensure everything here is set up to the best of your ability:

Fill Contracts

The contractual obligation of an employee receiving a free car should be laid out. The extent to which you’re willing to provide ownership, the length of the company usage, what to do in the event of a necessary service or repair, and how to respond and report damages should all be taken into account before you even gift the vehicle. If you’re willing to afford a certain allowance in fuelling costs, you must embed that fact into the overall necessity of the contract.

You must also provide a method for them to notify you of any issues, and what your investment limit is with that. A small crack in the windshield might be worth you investing in to keep up morale for example, but replacement tyres and simple service work might be the responsibility of the employee in question. When you have this laid out perfectly, there will be no room for error or strange legal proceeding in the event of an odd circumstance. Have your lawyer pour through this contract many times.

Transport

Often, safe transport of the vehicle from the lot to your business or to the home of the individual can be the most pressing matter. After investing in the asset for your employee, you’ll most likely need to protect it. If you can, ensure that you use a service such as Shiply to get their vehicle where it needs to be safely. This is also important when scheduling vehicle repairs, allowing for prompt and safe travel to regular maintenance.

Insurance

It’s best to go for the most comprehensive insurance package you can. Protecting your asset is important, even if you trust your staff member. Leaving nothing to chance works well here. For example, if you notice that your staff member lives on steep or dangerous roads, or that they have points on their licence, it might be that you have them contribute to the insurance plan or that you make it more stringent.

With these tips, providing the privilege of a company car will be met with gratitude, safety, and peace of mind.

Image: Mike’s photos

You can create the best product or service in your industry, but unless you effectively make the consumer know about it, it won’t sell. That’s where marketing comes in. And since every competing business is doing all they can to rank at the top of Google’s first search engine results page (SERP), you have to be on top of your marketing game to beat them. That’s why you need all the marketing knowledge you can get.

There are a whole lot of things you can do to improve your marketing knowledge. Here are four of the best.

1. Take a marketing class

Today you can take marketing courses both offline and online – but I’d recommend the latter. This is because online marketing classes, like any internet-based studies, allow you the flexibility to run your business or continue your day job while taking your classes. Consider it the proverbial killing of two birds with one stone (the stone being your time).

Marketing classes provide you with the formal marketing knowledge that is imperative for successful interfacing with customers. You could specialize is any area of marketing such as brand management, executive-level marketing or integrated sales and marketing – or an amalgam of these. Whatever you choose will give you the grounding you need to make successful inroads into the world of marketing.

2. Read a book or more about marketing

There are lots of books, eBooks and audiobooks with rich marketing content. Thanks to the World Wide Web, a good number of these are now available online – even for free. The beautiful thing is, most books of marketing are loaded with case studies that you can learn from. They also typically contain actionable tips that can give you a good head start.

In essence, both the classics such as Marketing 101 books and newer ones have something to add to your marketing acumen – so it is best not to ignore either category.

3. Talk to fellow marketers

When two or more minds come together to share, there’s learning taking place. You can learn so much from someone who, like you, practices marketing. Start a casual talk and slowly learn what they do, and how they do it. Ask them what their thoughts are about certain things related to the industry; this approach can give you a ton of new insights. To meet such people, consider attending industry events such as conferences and organized talks.

4. Keep up with industry trends

Read blogs, follow the news; just make sure you are up to date with what’s happening in your industry. That way you’ll know what the latest customer preferences are or when Google makes a significant update that impacts your marketing strategy.

Even better, consider identifying a few leading brands and start following their marketing practices keenly. You can learn a lot from what they are doing and be able to pick something or two from their methods.

Final thoughts

Marketing is dynamic. Sometimes all you need is to pay attention to your environment. The best secret to being the best is to always keep learning, and there will be nothing to stand on your way.

Image: TeroVesalainen

Business trips can be a little gruelling. Not only might you be forced to endure a lengthy flight, but it also may mean spending many days or even weeks away from your family. Yet, business travel can be an enjoyable experience if you allow it to be. Here are five things all seasoned business travelers do on a trip.

1. They Write a Travel Checklist

It’s easy to forget essential items when packing for a business trip. For instance, you could forget toiletries, beauty products, or even your smart shoes for a meeting. Ensure you never forget one item by writing a business travel checklist to tick them off as you add them into your suitcase. So, you will not need to run to a store once you arrive at your destination.

2. They Drink Plenty of Water

Always carry a bottle of water with you on a business trip. Not only will it prevent dehydration in a hot climate, but it can also fight jetlag, as it can make you feel more refreshed. So, you’ll be full of energy once you arrive at your hotel or attend an important business meeting or conference.

3. They Explore the City

Don’t spend the whole of your business trip at meetings or cooped up inside your hotel. Take to the streets to explore the city and enjoy the experience whilst you can. This might be your only opportunity to learn more about the city, so make the most of your downtime by experiencing different landmarks or you could even attend a theatre show or sports game. Visit Ticket Sales to find great tickets for upcoming events and attractions during your business trip.

4. They Record Their Room Number

Will you be on the road for many weeks for business? If so, you should record your room number – and even the name of the hotel – so you don’t forget it. It’s easy to forget where you are staying when staying in many hotels or prepping for a meeting, conference, or exhibition, as you may have many things on your mind. So, make a note of the hotel and room number in your phone or diary to avoid stress and confusion.

5. They Try the Local Cuisine

Spending time in a city without your family and friends can be a little lonely. Yet, it’s the small things that can make a big difference to your travel experience. Many seasoned business travelers understand they need to find ways to enjoy their travel experiences, which is why you shouldn’t be afraid to try the local cuisines. This will introduce you to new dishes and flavors that will make your business trip much more fun, and you could even recreate them once you return home – so you can share a little bit of the experience with your family.

Have you got any helpful advice on how business travelers can have fun on the road? Please share your top tips in the below comment area.

Image: Gellinger