POST CATEGORY : Information Technology

People vs. Robots: When Google Translate is The Wrong Choice

As a small business owner you may have already experienced just how global business has become. Many geographical borders that previously made trade virtually impossible, have been transcended by tech and you’re probably finding yourself emailing a freelancer in Belgium, ordering supplies from Taiwan and recording data on software hosted in the US all whilst sipping your (Spanish) local barista’s single origin Guatemalan brew.

Spanish language

Most of the time you’ll manage just fine speaking only English in the Global Village. But there will be times your language arsenal needs to be extended.

For those times, there are plenty of free programs out there, such as Google or King translate.…

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Top 5 Online Invoice Generators for Small Business Management

You don’t need to pay for native invoicing apps and software programs for your mobile devices or office PC. There are tons of great online invoice generators out there, that do just as good a job as more complicated paid solutions like Intuit, Freshbooks, Oracle, etc.

Shopify online invoice generator

Most small business owners don’t need complicated accounting solutions and will have an outside private business accountant that takes care of crunching the numbers anyhow. This makes the need for a clean and simple tool for creating and downloading your receivable’s invoices a must for many SMB owners out there.

Here’s a list of the top 5 web-based generators that you can access any time, to make a quick invoice on the fly, from any device and as many times as you like – for free!…

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Features Every Multichannel Software Should Have

If you’re using more than one online marketplace, you can understand the frustration of having to log into multiple different channels to manage your orders and inventory. Perhaps it’s time to think about investing in a multichannel software. To help you, we’ve compiled this list of features every multichannel software should have.

Multi-channel software

Cloud Based

Having a cloud based software has its major advantages – firstly, you can use it on a Mac or PC, so you don’t have to worry about how compatible it is with your hardware. Secondly, being cloud based means the software is much easier to access and can work on anything with a web browser.…

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What Type of Tech Support is Best for Your Company

If your company uses any type of technology – from laptops and printers, to network routers and phone systems – then you are going to need some type of technical support. It doesn’t matter if your company only employs four people, or if your workforce is several thousand strong.

Tech support officer

However, while the size of your company won’t determine whether or not you’ll need technical support, it can play a role in the type of technical support that you use. However, the type of support that you use is not always the best choice.

Types of Tech Support

There are several tech support options available and they all have their strengths and weaknesses.…

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Analysis of the Cloud Computing Market: Trends in 2015

According to Business Insider, the price war on cloud computing rages on. Described as “the race to zero” by some tech experts, the competition seems fierce in the coming year and the market continues to be a vicious battle ground for cloud service providers. Mark Mahaney of RBC Capital published a chart to show the changes between Oct 2013 to December 2014, and this trend shows no sign of stopping.

Cloud computing trends

For small businesses looking to take the leap, this could be the ultimate year to invest in a new cloud based network. With so many vendors slashing their prices in the competitive market, affordable solutions for robust, flexible and scalable IT have never been so accessible.…

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How to Improve Multi-Channel Customer Service

Without your customers, your business wouldn’t be successful, so of course you want to treat them well and make sure that you’re addressing every one of their needs. One of the best ways to show your customers you care about them is by making sure that your customer service channels are optimized to serve your customers in a quick, efficient manner.

Multi-channel customer service

Of course, each one of your customers will have a different preferred method of contacting you, so you’ll have to make sure that each of your customer service channels is responsive and helpful, whether it’s over the phone, e-mail, social media, or text message.…

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Google Panda 4.1 Leaks Provide More Complete Picture of Corporate SEO

2014 was another year full of computer hacks and data leaks, with more and more confidential information becoming available from every corner of the internet. At a time when giants such as Sony or the United States government are able to be targeted, the internet’s own Google is no exception.

Google Panda

In addition to “Project Goliath”, Google has made the news over the course of 2014 because of other data leaks and reinterpretations of patent filings from their own organisation: The key factors which affect your business websites’ search rank have been revealed iteratively throughout a series of small leaks.

A Matter of Ethics

While some say that learning from leaked information may not be the most ethical -others will argue that Google’s role of self-proclaimed “internet hall monitor” warrants it.…

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Why your Business Could Benefit from Call Forwarding

When it comes to business, large and small, one main focus should always be on the client and the solid delivery of services for those clients. This however makes them stick to one specific area for long periods of time meaning they cannot progress in terms of size or profit. In order to make yourself freer to be able to deal with other important things, you should consider hiring a virtual receptionist to help you with your call logs.

Call forwarding

Benefits of having virtual receptionists

If you are wondering why your business could benefit from call forwarding, there are numerous ways, some of which we will list below:

Firstly, you will have a well-trained qualified receptionist at your disposal- this will help your business as they are always composed and know exactly how to talk with the clients who call.…

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Tips for Selling Retail Items Online

The world of retail is so different from what is used to be. Today, many shoppers are online – if you don’t tap into the online market, you could be missing out on a huge number of customers.

online shopping

If you are in the middle of a search for tips for selling online, here are four of many that will help you in getting started:

1. If you are selling handmade items, consider setting up an Etsy shop, even if you also have your own website

When you’re first starting out, sales are hard to come by. Buyers tend to trust Etsy sellers more than brands they randomly come across online.…

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Celebrating the 44th Anniversary of Email

This year, email celebrates its 44th anniversary. Since its creation in 1971, email has gone from being a niche method of communication to something that most Americans use on a daily basis. In honor of email’s 44th year, let’s look back at what the first 44 years have included.

Email history

Email made its official debut in 1971, when computer engineer Ray Tomlinson sent the first electronic mail message, and it was first used by a head of state in 1976 when Queen Elizabeth II sent her first electronic mail message. Two years later, the first electronically delivered advertisement was sent, over a network of government and university computers.…

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