How to Get Your Business to Go Green Using Mobile Solutions

How to Get Your Business to Go Green Using Mobile Solutions

In today’s business world, many companies are becoming more concerned with being environmentally friendly. There are many different ways that your business could “go green,” depending on what you’d like to accomplish. By using mobile technology, it’s now easier than ever to make a positive impact on the environment. Here are a few strategies that you can use to go green with the help of mobile devices.

Eliminate Paper Usage

One of the ways that many businesses waste natural resources is through their paper use for everything including invoices, receipts, memos, faxes and a host of other items. If you can completely get rid of paper or greatly reduce it, that could go a long way toward helping the environment. This helps tremendously when it comes to reducing the number of trees that need to be cut down. One way that you can reduce the amount of paper you use is to go digital. With applications like FormMobi, you can create and send documents easily in a digital format. For example, if you need to do a drawing and create an invoice for a customer while you are estimating a job, you can do so from your phone or mobile device. Then, you’ll be able to send the document to a colleague or to the customer without having to print anything out.

Accept Mobile Payments

Using mobile payment applications also makes it easy for you to make your business more environmentally friendly. For example, if you can accept credit cards on the iPhone, you can take a credit or debit card payment from anywhere. Instead of having to print out a receipt for the customer, you can simply send them an email receipt. With this approach, you may also be able to reduce the number of trips back and forth for the customer. If you close a deal at their house and they want to pay by credit card, they won’t have to make a special trip into your business to make the payment. This has the potential to save time, paper and possibly some gas.

Cutting Back on Consumption

Many businesses waste a large amount of electricity every year. If you aren’t careful with how you use electricity, it could end up costing you a lot of money annually. With the help of mobile applications like Green Outlet, you can estimate how much each appliance is costing you per month. This makes it easy for you to see exactly how much money you’re throwing away on electricity. Doing this type of energy audit will make you more aware of where your money is going and how you can keep more of it.

Regardless of what decisions you make as a company, it is important to start looking at different ways to do things. If you can reduce the natural resources that you use, it could add a lot more to your bottom line, and it will help the environment as well.

Article by: Maria

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Article source: http://bx.businessweek.com/credit-card-industry/view?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.switchpay.com%2Fhow-to-get-your-business-to-go-green-using-mobile-solutions%2F

Advancements in mobile technology

In the old days, businesses only had a few choices to accept payments. Usually that involved taking cash, accepting checks, or using traditional credit card terminals. Due to the recent advancements in mobile technology, mobile payments are now easily available, and they’ve been making quite an impact on the way payments are accepted. Although there are plenty of different mobile payment platforms that you could use to accept payments, the iPad is the preferred mobile device.

According to recent data, the iPad accounted for nearly 3.6 percent of all credit card payments processed. That’s more than what processors did with iPhone  or any other mobile device. Merchants have a definite preference for mobile POS systems, and the iPad is the tool of choice for those who stay up on the latest trends in point-of-sale technology.

Which Industries Use the iPad for Payment Processing?

SwitchPay’s mobile payment platform is a great tool that can be used for any industry to grow your business. Many have simply replaced their cash register for an iPad point of sale system. For example, the food truck industry is one in particular that seems to be doing well with mobile payments as well as trade-show vendors and traveling salespeople.

Mobile Business Owners

Many mobile businesses are starting to realize the power behind the iPad and how it can be used to accept payments. When running a mobile business, utilizing iPad credit card processing is definitely something to consider. Simply attach the SwitchPay credit card reader to your iPad, swipe your customer’s card, and collect payment.

Why Accept Credit Cards With the iPad?

One of the primary reasons to accept credit cards with the iPad is because it can increase your sales. When you offer more payment options, people are more likely to buy. When you can take a payment right on the spot, you get to take advantage of impulse buyers as well!

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Article source: http://bx.businessweek.com/merchant-services/view?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.switchpay.com%2Fthe-ipad-proves-to-be-the-tool-of-choice-for-mobile-payments%2F

You'll sell more if you talk about your product using language your customer understands

You'll sell more if you talk about your product using language your customer understands.

Customers never buy because of product features. They buy because they perceive some "benefit" to those features.

Unfortunately, most sales and marketing messages talk about features and let the customers try to figure out the benefits. That's asking your customer to do your heavy lifting for you.

1. Know the difference between a benefit and a feature

2. Use vivid but plain language.

3. Avoid biz-blab and jargon.

4. Keep the list of benefits short.

5. Emphasize what's unique to you or your firm.

6. Make your benefits concrete.

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Article from http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/6-ways-to-convince-customers-to-buy.html

Don't Be Afraid To Raise Prices

An increase in price, if done correctly, can actually make your current customers feel more appreciated.

1. Have a Credible Reason

2. Provide Plenty of Warning

3. Give Existing Customers a Discount

If you've made a reasonable case for the rise in price and laid the groundwork, your existing customers will be grateful for the discount rather than irritated at the new price.

Article by: Maria

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Article Source: http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/3-smarter-ways-to-raise-prices.html

Why Retailers Shouldn’t Avoid Payment Processing Fees

Why Retailers Shouldn’t Avoid Payment Processing Fees

Most retailers these days accept credit and debit cards. However, not all retailers are happy with the fees that they have to pay each time a card is swiped. What they fail to realize is that by not accepting credit or debit cards, they are potentially driving customers away. It is never a good idea to give your competition an advantage.

Customer Service Should Be Top Priority

Accepting payment by credit or debit card is a convenience for the customer. It is rare that a customer brings cash to a store anymore. Therefore, the company could risk losing a sale by insisting that people pay with cash only. Keep in mind that an unhappy customer is going to spread the word about their experience and in the age of social media, that number could be significantly higher.

Don’t Lose Ground To The Competition

Your competition will always be more than happy to serve your customers if you are not willing or able to. Keep in mind that the market is very competitive these days and it is best not to do anything that would cause a paying customer to choose another place to do their shopping. Consider accepting credit cards as a level of customer service that your customers deserve and an opportunity to grow your business.

Expand Your Company with Credit Card Processing Technology

Did you know that your company could turn a Smartphone or tablet into a POS terminal? Imagine your local coffee shop with an employee walking around the store taking customers orders without having to wait in line. That same coffee shop could sell coffee directly to people walking down the street on their way to work. Think of how many sales could be made that are not possible for a retailer that doesn’t accept credit cards. Payment processing services make the whole process safe and easy for the retailer and for the customer.

Article by: Maria

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Article source: http://bx.businessweek.com/merchant-services/view?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.switchcommerce.com%2Fretailers-avoid-credit-card-processing-fees%2F

Things Great Bosses Do

Where employees are concerned, great leaders don't take. Great leaders give--especially these seven things:

They give a glimpse of vulnerability.

To employees, you're often not a person. You're a boss. (Kind of like when you were in school and you saw a teacher at the grocery store; it was jarring and uncomfortable because teachers weren't people. They were teachers.)

That's why showing vulnerability is a humanizing way to break down the artificial barrier that typically separates bosses from employees. One easy way to break down that barrier is to ask for help.

But don't ask the wrong way. Don't puff out your chest, assume the power-position, and in your deepest voice intone, "Listen, John, I need your help." John knows you don't really need his help. You want him to do something.

Instead ask the right way. Imagine you've traveled to an unfamiliar place, you only know a few words of the language, and you're both lost and a little scared.

How would you ask for help? You would be humble. You would be real. You'd cringe a little and dip your head slightly and say, "Can you help me?" Asked that way, John would know you truly needed help. You've lowered your guard. You're vulnerable. And you're not afraid to show it.

By showing vulnerability, you lift the other person. You implicitly recognize her skills while extending trust.

And you set a great example: Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness.

It's a sign of strength.

They give a nudge.

From the employee's point of view the best ideas are never your ideas. The best ideas are their ideas, and rightly so. So don't spell out what you want done. Leave room for initiative. Leave room for ownership.

When you describe what you want to be done, paint with a broad brush. Give employees room to take your ideas and make them their own.

They'll do more than you imagined possible--and they'll feel a sense of satisfaction and gratification that simply following instructions can never provide.

They give unexpected attention.

Everyone loves attention. Unfortunately you don't have unlimited time to devote to each employee.

So make the most of the time you do have. Don't just comment on the big stuff, the stuff you're supposed to focus on.

Notice a small detail. Praise a particular phrase she used to smooth the transition from customer conflict to problem resolution. Praise how he swung by another employee's desk to grab paperwork he could deliver on his way to another office. Pick something small, something positive, something helpful--something unexpected--to show you really pay attention.

Pick out details and employees know you're watching--in a good way--and not only will they work harder, more importantly they will feel better about themselves.

They give employees a break.

He messed up. Badly. Not only are you a little pissed, this is a teachable moment. You feel compelled to talk about it, possibly at length.

Don't. For a good employee, the lesson is already learned. Catch his eye, nod, let it go, and help him fix the problem.

Once in a while employees can all use a break. When they get one they never forget it. And they try really hard to show they deserved that break--and to make sure they never need another one.

They give a peek inside.

My boss was nearly yelling at a supplier who hadn't met a key timeline. It wasn't ugly but it was close. In the middle of their "discussion," when the supplier glanced away, he turned and winked at me.

My boss was signaling that his emotional display was partly for effect, that he had a plan in mind and that I was in on things. I was an insider. We were partners.

We were in it together.

It's easy, as an employee, not to feel like you and your boss are in it together. Make sure your employees do. Give them occasional peeks inside.

They give an undeserved compliment.

Compliments don't always have to be earned. Sometimes a compliment can be like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

When you see something in employees that they don't see--at least not yet--they often try hard to fulfill the belief you have in them.

That happened to me. I went out for wrestling in ninth grade and was nervous, scared, intimidated--pick any fearful adjective. It fit. A week or so into practices I heard the coach talking to one of the seniors. "That kid there," he said, referring to me, "will be a state champion by the time he's a senior."

He was wrong. It turned out I wasn't. But I immediately felt more confident, more self-assured, and incredibly motivated. Those feelings lasted for a long time.

He believed in me.

And I started to believe in myself.

They give a hat rack.

Employees who need something--whether it's a day off, a favor, a break, a chance--often come to you with hat in hand.

They're vulnerable because they need.

Take their hat and hang it up for them. You may not be able to provide what they want, but you can work through their issue with compassion and generosity and grace.

Never let an employee stand with hat in hand. It's one of the worst feelings possible--and one you can make instantly disappear.

Article by: Maria

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Article source: http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/7-unusual-things-great-bosses-do.html?nav=pop

Marketing Your Auto Repair Shop

Marketing Your Auto Repair Shop

Auto repair is not foreseeable. Every week we know we will need to go grocery shopping, we may even plan when we go clothes shopping by season, but, just like we don’t plan to get sick, we don’t plan to have car problems. Because of this, it is difficult for auto repair shops to target customers through traditional marketing channels. You could advertise your location, to local residents, but chances are high that you are not the only auto body shop in the area and that by the time the person needs service, they may have forgotten about the promotional material you sent them.

Ok, so you can’t predict when customers will need your service, however, just like we know most people will get sick, you know that most cars will need to go to an auto repair shop. As an auto repair shop owner, the main thing you should do is spread brand awareness. Make sure people know you exist. More importantly, make sure people are prompting you to their friends and family. As is the case for most service providing small businesses, your customers are an important marketing tool.

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Article Source: http://smallbusiness.uprinting.com/auto-repair-marketing/

Basics for running a limo service

Limousines

Obviously, your limo business requires limousines. Still, before you go out and purchase a fleet, you have to determine how your limo business will operate. If you intend on subcontracting your business to another limo company that already has vehicles in place, you may not need any limousines. However, if you intend on securing limousines for your company, you should take great consideration into the transaction. Quality limousines are expected to be new and in pristine condition. You should purchase your limousines rather than leasing, to avoid mileage restrictions and fees. Your limousine selections should include a Lincoln Town Car and a 10-passenger stretch variety, as recommended by Bill Goerl, as these vehicles are commonly requested by clients.

Insurance

Business insurance is essential for your limousine business, regardless of how it operates. For full protection, you should select a general business insurance policy, as well as a for-hire livery insurance policy. The general business insurance policy will cover your business in business contracts, liquor liabilities, business interruptions and workers compensation. The livery insurance provides specialized protection for your fleet of limousines. It also provides coverage for the drivers and passengers of your fleet, as well as protect for potential damages and injuries that may occur as a result of the driver’s fault. Livery insurance can difficult to secure and often take several months to put in place. Therefore, before your purchase your fleet, you should secure your insurance so that it is effective at the time of your limo purchase.

Business Cards And Marketing

The limousine business comes with seasonal fluctuations, with the highest sales occurring during the prom and wedding seasons. To maintain a successful limo business, however, your business must have steady, year-round clientele. In this, your business cards and marketing strategies become essential. It is important that you have marketing materials in place to promote your business. Whether you scout clientele from corporate businesses for airport transportation or market to wedding planners and funeral homes, your business must maintain consistent marketing to maintain consistent income.

Legal

Your limousine business will require a federal tax identification number, issued by the Internal Revenue Service. This number is required by the IRS to report tax payments and to complete your year-end tax filing for your limo business. If you intend on establishing credit and securing financing for your limo business, you will also require a DUNS number that is issued by Dun & Bradstreet. This unique number is used to by lenders and institutions to report your credit activity and payment history.

Banking

Your limo business will require a business banking account to process client payments and operation expenses. It is important that you have the ability to accept credit card payments, as this is the standard payment method in the industry. Credit card payments serve as guaranteed payments for your company and provide the client with protection, if services are disputed.

Parking

Parking is an aspect of the limo business that should not be forgotten. The success of your limo business is greatly dependent upon the perfect condition of your vehicles. Your limo storage should be spacious enough to park the vehicles without scratching or denting them. It is also ideal to store the limos in a garage or covered area to protect them from weather damage.

Considerations

Many considerations come with a successful limousine business. Along with the aforementioned items, you should consider business tax deductions, state-specific livery regulations and customer service. Rather than wait until you find the need for these aspect, you should address them before they occur. A business mentor will experience in the limo business can serve as an excellent resource. If you do not have a mentor available, use SCORE’s free mentor services for guidance and assistance.

Article by: Maria

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Article source: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/need-start-limo-business-2261.html

Cash Advance to the rescue

Every now and then small businesses run into phases or seasons where sales are not picking up, customer interest is waning or you may find yourself with a business credit record that’s less than ideal. As a business owner, it is up to you to find as many resources as possible to help pull your business out of this rut.

Explore your options now – before you find yourself in a need of money.What about a business cash advance? Ever heard of it? An alternative to more traditional forms of financing, a business cash advance provides financing based on the credit card side of your business. Although business owners may think business cash advances are mainly for emergencies, they’re not. They’re also great for any kind of financing need—working capital, expansion, remodeling, day-to-day expenses.

Small businesses all over the U.S. and beyond – from restaurants and beauty salons to retail businesses and professional services providers like dentists and veterinarians—say they are growing and thriving today thanks to a business cash advance.

Article by: Maria

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