7 Essential Considerations for Choosing a Cloud Hosting Service

You’ve probably heard that moving your business to the cloud has its advantages, but where do you start? What options do you have and what are potential pitfalls? You shouldn’t just pick any random cloud host, and preparation and careful consideration will help you avoid data loss when you move. Here are some considerations you should make before you sign a contract with any cloud host.

Cloud hosting

What Type of Reliability is Offered?

Reliability determines your uptime, which you depend on for productivity and servicing customers. If you rely on the cloud host for both public-facing apps and internal apps, any type of downtime results in revenue loss.…

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Evaluating the Potential of Extending Credit to Your Customer

There has been an ongoing debate among business owners as to whether or not extending credit to their customers is an ideal practice to consider. The reality is that you’re providing your products or services upfront, with the hopes that the customer will repay you at a later date. Of course, there are various risks involved that should be considered, but with the proper management of your cash flow and credit departments, extending credit to deserving and qualified customers can prove to be less of a risk and more of a competitive edge.

Agreeing upon credit extensions

Reality Check: Times Are Rough

Though the global economy is recuperating at a pretty steady pace, it doesn’t negate the fact that many people are still facing financial difficulties.…

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How to Improve Your Customer Service Through Efficient Process

There are two types of business in the world, there are those that rely solely on the talent of their employees, and then there are those that measure, track and report back on the work done by their talent. By far and away, the second type of business is going to have more success with your customers.

Efficient customer service

Customers don’t care if part of your business is failing; they simply want to know that they’re going to get what they’ve paid for. Businesses that rely on talent alone are unstable and unpredictable, and when there’s a problem with an aspect of the business, there aren’t the processes in place to find it, isolate it, and fix it to get the product to the customer on time.…

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5 Tips for Small Businesses Looking for a Loan

The ways in which small businesses and startup companies find the funding they need to develop their ideas and target growth has changed significantly in recent years. The process is no longer focused entirely on winning the approval of your local bank manager and there are new dynamics at play in this vital context for SMEs.

Business loans

Here are some ideas worth having in mind if you’re looking for a loan as a startup or a small business:

1. Be honest and realistic

It is vital that you believe in what you’re working on as you apply for any form of funding.…

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The Pros and Cons of Taking Your Business International

Taking your business international opens up a huge number of markets, but also invites some risks. According to Shahram Shirkhani, your small business can have greater success if you adapt to the global marketplace. Even if your local markets fail, your business can prosper in the international market.

International business growth

Advantages of International Business

You can offer a wider range of products globally than you may be able to offer locally. Even if one or more of your products fail to sell well locally, you can look for new markets where it is in demand. When you are open globally, you won’t need to dump unsold inventory for a loss.…

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Managing your Wealth: Understanding Risk and Maximising Returns

If you are investor, you will no doubt have become accustomed to strained economic climates and fluctuating returns in the wake of the Great Recession. The current economic landscape is no different, as while it will continue to cool throughout the fourth financial quarter it is likely to remain among the strongest in the developed world over the course of the next decade. More specifically, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research revealed that British economy will have grown by 3% by the end of this year, with further expansion of 2.5% forecast for 2015.

Wealth management

Risk and Return: Wealth Management in the Current Climate

These figures stack up well in terms of the global economy, and this should at least make the life of a UK investor a little easier.…

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Three Top Financial Tips for the Self-Employed

Since the financial crisis of 2008, the ranks of the self-employed have gradually been swelling, with widespread job losses prompting people to take their futures into their own hands. Around 1 in 10 people now work for themselves, but what many fail to realise is that moving from an employed position to self-employment requires some careful financial planning. If you’re newly self-employed and not sure where to start, read on to find out.

Business finance for the self-employed

Tip #1: Tax

People who work for themselves need to be extremely proficient when it comes to record keeping. If you take the time to keep accurate records of your set-up costs and ongoing expenditure, then you’ll find it much easier when it comes to drafting your accounts at the end of the year and calculating your potential tax liability.…

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5 Eco-Friendly Changes You Can Make to Your Office Space

A lot of business owners put off making eco-friendly changes to their office spaces and businesses because they believe that those changes are expensive. If we’re being totally honest, the actual implementation of those changes does usually cost money–sometimes a lot (like with the solar paneling we mentioned here). What makes that cost worth it, though, is the amount of money the change saves you over time. Many of the upgrades and changes you make really do end up paying for themselves.

Eco friendly light bulb

Here are five of those types of changes:

1. Install Eco Friendly Lighting

Did you know that CFL bulbs actually aren’t the most energy efficient bulbs out there?…

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Further Your Business with These 4 Degrees

As an entrepreneur, you know that your business takes hard work and dedication. One of the best things you can do for your business is to get a degree that will help further your knowledge and skills. There are several different types of degrees you can pursue to further your business, no matter what type of business you run.

Businessman

Public Health

While it may seem unnecessary in some cases, consider a degree in public health if your business has anything to do with the medical field. This will help keep you up to date on what is happening in the public health field.…

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The Psychology of Shopping: Shop Floor Marketing

Search the web and there’s endless information about internet marketing and digital media. It seems that business advice for online operations is readily available anywhere you turn. But when it comes to designing a shop floor or a product showroom, there’s not much information to look at it. Many businesses today operate both online and offline so a good understanding of shop floor marketing is just as important as ever.

Sales girl

Whether you trade from a bricks and mortar premises or have a customer showroom for your retail web business, it’s important to think about shopper psychology. Here are some great psychological takeaways to bear in mind.…

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