Business Travel Etiquette While Ill

You may be excited for your long-distance business trip, but by the time you get on the plane, you have come down with an awful cold. Your appointments were scheduled months in advance and it is not possible to re-schedule your trip. What can you do to minimize other people’s disgust at your condition?

  • If you are coughing and sneezing, you must cover your mouth and nose while you’re having an outburst. Since you will spread your infection faster by using your hands for various tasks after coughing on them, try to cough into your elbow. Aim away from other people to the extent that you can.
  • Pick up a nighttime cold medicine at the airport and take it after you get on board. It should knock you out and let you rest and will also minimize how much you cough and sneeze on other people while in flight.
  • Drink plenty of fluids. It can be difficult to get adequate access to restrooms while traveling, but make sure you drink a lot of water and hot tea to clear out your head. Sit in the aisle seat if needed.
  • Pick up wet wipes or a small hand sanitizer to wipe your hands after you cough into them.
  • Do not use public facilities at your motel such as the workout room or the dining room if you are symptomatic.
  • Tell your hosts that you have a cold when you meet with them and try to avoid physical contact. Use a medicine that will minimize your symptoms but not leave you completely messed up during your meeting.

Top Ways to Send Large Files for Business

ZIP (file format)

Image via Wikipedia

In some instances, it may be necessary for a business to send very large files over the Internet When this happens, many companies resort to using file sending programs that make uploading and delivery on their end and downloading and access on the receiver’s end much easier.

Oftentimes, large files are compressed; that is, they are downsized so that they do not take up as much computer space as they normally would. However, even compressed files (Zip files) can present a problem when being sent to others because their size may be so limited that it takes two or more processes to send the entire file.

In such instances, file compression and archiving programs such as 7Zip may be a better option. It is considered one of the best programs to use because of its ease of use as well as its ability to hold larger amounts of material.

However, no matter which file compression and archiving program is used, it is practically useless if the file sending program won’t support it. Fortunately, there are several file sending programs available that do have this capability, such as Pando and YouSendIt.

Pando

The Pando file sending program is available through Pando Networks. This program supports 7Zip as well as other file compression and archiving programs, but it allows for delivery of large media files at a lower cost.This file sending program is constantly being reviewed, and updates are made as staff members feel it is necessary. These updates assure that the program can work with current Internet protocols, thus ensuring that the program will always stay current with other programs.

YouSendIt

YouSendIt is another file sending program. This program can be used for free; however, file size on the free application is limited to 1 GB and only a certain number of recipients.For a fee, though, you can upgrade to higher services that allow you to send larger files to multiple recipients. This service would allow you to send files stored in 7Zip without having to worry about doing it over and over or losing any valuable information.

Another good thing about YouSendIt is that it can be used for both personal and business purposes. For instance, if you work from home, and the files you send are smaller than 1 GB, and you only have a few recipients, you can use the free version. Even the next step up is affordable, though, starting at approximately $10 per month or a little over $100 for an entire year.

Security is, of course, a concern when sending files through the computer. Both Pando and YouSendIt have good security measures in place to protect your files from corruption or hacking. While you still want to be careful of the types of identifying or sensitive information you send, you can use these programs with confidence.As mentioned earlier, there are other file sending programs available. However, the two mentioned above work very well, both for large and small businesses, and both support 7Zip.

The Code For Avoiding Bad Hotels on Business Trips

An 8 Bedroom Vacation Rental

The summer looms before you, an unhappy season. It’s meant to offer endless shores and hot mornings, the slow greets of waves; but instead it promises tedium. The only thing there is to look forward to are business trips to fun (or, as fun as can be) locations.

No business trip should be defined by the limitations of poor lodgings. All should instead be embraced as ideal. Rental homes allow that to happen, providing a wealth of advantages that cannot be ignored- freedom, space for meetings, the ability to put more than one person in a room which saves money, NOT TO MENTION… free internet that’s probably a lot faster than what’s provided in the hotel. Choose a vacation home over a hotel and check out these tips:

Pennies Saved, Rewards Earned

Budgeting is such an ugly notion. It demands too much and its effects rarely satisfy, force you to bear the confines of a hotel. But the refusal of luxury still requires dollars and, often, you can’t even spend a week on your trip. The cost is too high. Rental homes, however, provide relief. These massive lodgings enable a company to allow their employees peaceful coexistence together and reduce expenses. Their rates favor wisdom, not excess; and they even offer such values as the ability to cook meals (rather than ordering penny stealing room service).

Money is saved.

Peace and Privacy

It’s the shriek of children, the slam of doors, the shove of luggage against the wall: hotels rattle with unfortunate sounds, force you to suffer echoes. There’s no quiet to be found. There’s no seclusion to seek. There’s only the thin walls and cheap plaster, with all noises creeping between. Rentals avoid this, however. All homes provide peace — with no crowds to battle or conversations to share. They’re separated from all distractions, enabling you to focus on yourself and any kind of work you need to get done- presentations, meetings, conference calls,etc.

Luxury Squared

The world is defined to tiny corners, the small pathways beside a bed. A hotel is stuffed with endless rooms, has shoved them in inelegantly — sacrificing comfort for extra lodgings. And the burden belongs now to you. You can’t move. You can’t breathe. Instead you’re trapped on the sheets, claiming what little space you can, refusing to surrender it anyone else staying with you.

This isn’t the purpose of a business trip ; it’s merely the effect. Rentals allow you to find comfort, however. All homes are large, affording easy floor-plans and extra footage. There’s no longer a struggle for elegance. It’s instead experienced in every inch.

Clean Sheets, Friendly Spaces

It’s a suspicious stain. You stare at it, uncertain of its origin, unwilling to reach out and guess the texture. It’s sprawled across a bed, was hidden beneath the covers (discovered only as you pulled them back, went searching for spiders. You saw one nesting in the corner earlier.

You’ve been fretting ever since). And you try to curl yourself around it, avoiding the splatter. It’s a reflection of the room itself — the dirty walls and questionable carpets. A hotel is… filthy. Vacation rentals, however, are not. These are homes and are treated as such. They’re meant to please: offering clean spaces and well-maintained furnishings. The intention isn’t to let customer after customer ruin the decor. It’s instead to ensure those customers are offered an experience they’ll enjoy.

Redefine your business trips.

Escape the terrors of hotels.

It’s time for something better — rent your pleasure.

Cloud Computing Q&A for First-Time Users

If you’re new to cloud computing and you’ve never used it before, you probably have a lot of questions. That’s understandable, but you don’t have to feel lost and confused about how to work within the cloud and whether you need it for your business or personal work.

http://www.securitycatalyst.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/cloud_comp.jpg

You’re not alone, and there are plenty of people who are in the same position you are; they really want to use cloud computing, or at least they think they do, but they aren’t sure how to go about it or what they should do to get started. Here are some questions and answers common to first-time cloud computing users.

  • What is cloud computing, really? Cloud computing has different definitions, depending on who you ask. Some people think that it’s the entire Internet and just about anything you can do on it. Other people think that it’s only applications that are used for business. The truth is likely somewhere in the middle. It does encompass business applications, but it also does more than that – and doesn’t involve everything that can be done online.
  • How do I get started in cloud computing? There are several ways to get involved in cloud computing, since there are plenty of applications and vendors out there. Before you take the plunge, you should know what you want cloud computing to do for you and what kinds of applications you’re looking for.

You should also know how much you want to spend and stick to your budget. That way you won’t end up in trouble when you pay too much and still don’t get what you want.

  • Do I need cloud computing? If you don’t own a business and you don’t need applications that run online instead of on your computer, you might not really need the cloud. A lot of people use it, but some of them are just doing so because they feel they’re supposed to, not because they actually need it.

Be sure that you assess your business or personal needs very carefully before you decide that cloud computing is or is not for you. That way, you won’t make a mistake that you’ll end up regretting.

There are more questions to be answered, of course. It’s not possible to address them all here, but it’s important to consider the most pressing ones – what cloud computing is, whether you need it, and how you should get started if you decide you want it.

Don’t just base your choice on these questions, though. Make sure that you get more in-depth and really consider your options before making a final decision. You should do your research and make sure that you’re clear on what you’re getting and what you’re paying before you make a choice about cloud computing vendors.

Not everyone needs to use the cloud, so don’t waste money and time if you aren’t really going to be using what’s offered to you. If you need it, though, the cloud can give you a lot of options that you wouldn’t have otherwise.

How to Attract Customers

Someone who is thinking about or just starting out with a new business wants to know will I get enough consumers to keep my business open. It is really about the customer, right? If you can give the consumer what they want and it is convenient for them, you will profit. And the customer will keep coming back.

Choose a location where there is high traffic but easy to get into the store. You do not want your business to be situated in a spot that can not be accessed from both sides of the road. Customer’s may love your store and your products but be hesitant to come back if it is hard to get to.

Host a grand opening. Have door prizes, brochures, coupons, and sales items. Invite other business owner’s to check it out as well. This will give you some idea as to how many people are interested in what your business has to offer, as well as meeting your competition.

A first impression is everything. When people walk in to your store, everything from cleanliness, stocked neat shelves and friendly knowledgeable employee’s is reflection of you. If your business smells bad, is dirty with rude employee’s, you will not be in business long.

Prices should be competitive. Maybe even a little lower if you are offering more merchandise. Adding an extra dollar or two to your product over what your competition has, will certainly put you out of business. Most people have no problem driving a little further down the road if they are going to save a couple of dollars at your store versus your competition.

Starting a business is hard work. It will take determination and a lot of headaches. In order for you to offer people what they want and need, you will need to conduct research on a daily basis. You can do this by implementing customer surveys, using CRM software, or by checking out your competitors. With good service and genuine friendliness, your business should have no problem succeeding.

How to Include all Your Business Partners

In the world of business, it has sometimes been acceptable to invite business partners to socialize through weekend golf excursions or even to go out drinking or to a strip club. In an increasingly diverse world, it is important to consider the interests, gender, religion, and culture of your business partners before suggesting a social activity that may alienate some people and leave out important potential partners in commerce. This is not mere political correctness, it is important for your survival in a competitive business world that will penalize you for rude behavior towards others. When you have an idea for a social activity, here are some important considerations to take into account:

  • Is it considered inappropriate to take part in this activity by the cultural or religious groups of any of the partners?
  • Does this activity potentially objectify one of my potential partners? Is it insulting to the race or gender of people you intend to engage in business?
  • Will everyone be able to physically take part in the activity?
  • Will anyone be more than moderately bored?

If you cannot come up with an activity for which ‘no’ is always the answer to these questions, here are some suggestions:

  • Host a catered meal with lots of dietary options in an elegant setting. Everyone has to eat, but you can make it an occasion that includes everyone.
  • Charter a tour of a scenic location. Sightseeing at a non-offensive natural setting is relaxing and is accessible for everyone, regardless of their physical limitations.
  • Engage a knowledgable speaker about your business. Have an expert in your field present an informative talk about their work. This will involve everyone and require nothing that will make your guests uncomfortable.

Staff Make the First Impression

When you walk into a business, what is one of the first people you deal with? Usually it is not the manager or owner.

If you are one of the supervisors or a boss, taking this in to account will help you understand the importance of recruiting well-polished staff. Often the first person a customer encounters is a front desk receptionist or a sales person.

Be sure this person is friendly, polite, and well-versed with the store or the business. If you have a new employee, consider having a second person with them to train and coach them through the sales process or helping the customer get checked in.

Friendliness is essential. Customers, even if they are having a bad day, have higher expectations for receptionists. They expect them to smile, ask polite questions, and present a feeling of welcome and warmth.

This also carries over to answering phones. Bad phone skills are actually a huge turn-off. If your customer’s first encounter with you and your business is through a phone call, make that call count. If the customers speak another language, than be sure that your receptionist can speak that language. This is very appealing to foreign customers since they know right off that they will have someone with whom they can communicate with when they come to your business. This will be a positive draw for them to come do business with you rather than others who may not have the necessary language skills.

Be sure your business staff knows how to deal politely with foreign customers and can properly display appropriate culture etiquette. Often times other cultures do business over meals or a sign of hospitality is offering food or drinks. Understand what will make your specified customers feel the most welcome in your business.

While it may seem over the top to bend over backwards for just a brief encounter, lasting impressions can be made. Even if one particular customer does not buy, if they like what they see in your business, they will recommend it to their friends, neighbors, and family.

Businesses Benefit from the Internet

Starting a business can be a difficult task if you are not well armed with the right tools and utilities to make it possible. You really need to have some basic knowledge and understanding about starting a business in order for your company to be successful. Another consideration is that you need to be prepared to build an online presence for your business, because it is very uncommon for a business to be capable of surviving without some kind of web presence.

One of the most beneficial parts of having a business on the Internet is that you can utilize the customer service and customer feedback benefits that the Internet offers to you. There are numerous tools available on the Internet that facilitate the conversation and collaboration between customers and company owners, and this makes it possible for you to learn more about what your company needs to do in order to keep your customers satisfied. If you care what your customers are thinking, then find out what they are saying and use this feedback to your advantage by integrating it into your growth strategy.

There are a number of other tools that you can benefit from when you have a web presence online. Search engine optimization, or SEO, is a technique that will make it easier for your website to be found on the Internet. Social networking allows you to join in on conversations that your customers are having using websites like Digg, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. When you have a sturdy, conversational web presence online and you join the conversations that your customers are having, your business is surely going to benefit. All it takes is a little bit of forethought and planning for you to develop a web presence while you are developing your company. The results will be profoundly positive as you will learn what your customers think of your business once and for all.

How to Offer the Best Customer Service as an Entrepreneur

Customer Service Centre
Image by xcode via Flickr

Any established business owner will tell you that an essential part of success lies in customer service. An entrepreneur can have the most useful product or service available but if the support is terrible, the business suffers. Integrating quality customer service into your business plan will keep your customers happy and coming back for more. The following tips will help you optimize your customer service and, ultimately, increase your bottom line.

Smile

Smiling is one of the simplest and most effective customer service techniques. Smiling makes customers feel welcome, understood and valued. Anytime you are dealing with customers, make the effort to smile. Customers can hear a smile in your voice, so smile on the phone, too.

Mind your manners

Saying “please” and “thank you” is an important part of making customers feel appreciated. Remember to apologize for any mistakes, regardless of who is at fault.

Keep things personal

Instead of making your customers feel like nothing more than a potential sale, keep it personal. Address your customers by their name, send handwritten thank-you notes occasionally, and avoid canned email responses.

Encourage customer feedback

Customer feedback provides valuable insight into exactly what customers want. Mail out postage-paid feedback cards to customers and add a personal note to each card to encourage customers to return them. Use online survey software for your website to garner feedback. Just remember to keep the cards and surveys quick and easy.

Guarantee customer satisfaction

Offering satisfaction guarantees tells customers that you believe in the product or service you provide. Your confidence will gain their confidence.

Answer the phone

Customers avoid automated answering systems. If you are available, answer the phone. If necessary, hire someone to answer the phone for you. If an automated system is required, make it easy to understand.

Validate customer needs

When your customer is talking to you, repeat what they say back to them. This shows the customer that you listen and understand what they need.

Exceed the expectations

Instead of promising your customers the moon, promise them what you can reasonably deliver in a timely manner. Then, exceed their expectations by delivering early and/or delivering more than they expected.

Teach your employees

Make certain your employees understand the importance of customer service. Teach them everything you know about keeping customers happy. Insist on the highest level of customer service possible.

Be fast, friendly and efficient

Customers do not like to wait any longer than necessary. On the phone, avoid putting customers on hold unless necessary. Then, keep hold time under 30 seconds. In person, wait on each customer immediately. If you are busy with another customer, acknowledge their presence so they know you will assist them soon.

If you provide high-quality customer service, you will increase your number of returning customers. Customers enjoy doing business with places that operate with kindness, respect and professionalism. One of the best forms of advertisement is word-of-mouth. Keep your level of customer service high and watch your customer base grow as your satisfied customers spread the word.

Ditch Telemarketing and Cold Calling

Technology has changed and it has changed the way companies market and conduct business. Many traditional marketing methods are no longer effective and some are just irritating. Consumers have become less tolerant of traditional marketing methods. Americans are under stress and worried about the economy, the last thing they want is a telemarketing call.

Telemarketing and cold calling is not as effective today as it was in the past. Many Americans register their phone numbers on the National Do Not Call list. In addition, many Americans do not have landlines and only have a cell phone. Nothing irritates a person more than a company that uses up precious cell phone minutes.

Even if the person has a landline, he or she probably has Caller ID and will not answer the phone if the number is not familiar. You can leave messages on a person’s answering machine; however, you are unlikely to get a call back. The moment a person realizes you are making a sales call, he or she is likely to become annoyed and will simply hang up the phone. People do not appreciate sales calls in the evening when they are relaxing after a hard day at work. Especially if you are interrupting the person’s favorite show on TV.

Americans no longer appreciate sales calls and would prefer you not waste their time. It is unlikely you will get a sufficient amount of new customers using these old marketing tools. Many companies still use these methods and a few may experience some success, however, most companies experience little success.

There are new marketing tools that are quickly replacing many of the traditional marketing methods. Reaching potential customers on social media sites has become an effective marketing tool that many businesses are using for their benefit. As technology changes, marketing tools need to change as well.