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Coronavirus Crisis Will Stress-Test Your Business Continuity Plan

admin April 6, 2020

Ah, the novel coronavirus that has millions of people around the world staying home, wearing masks, and finding a new sense of normalcy. It’s brought some unfortunate circumstances for businesses around the globe. With the majority of individuals required to stay home, businesses may be left unattended.

For business owners, the impact of this virus can be incredibly damaging. That is unless you were prepared! Wait – you are probably wondering how in the world you were supposed to know that things would get this bad, aren’t you? The world today is surely unlike any other time we have ever known.

Even if you had a plan in place for things like a natural disaster or a simple power outage, it likely didn’t cover you for the vast extent of the current situation. In other words, there’s a good chance your business continuity plan was not designed to handle the coronavirus crisis.

What Is a Business Continuity Plan (BCP)?

Before we move on, we should take a moment to discuss what it is. In short, a business continuity plan is put in place to keep business running in the event that it gets disrupted. A formal procedure with detailed instructions is created for a business to follow during certain instances where the course of normal business cannot be followed.

So, why do you need one? Because emergencies happen. Unexpected events happen. Nature happens. And, well, the coronavirus happens! Anytime something occurs that can change the way your business operates, it will have an impact on your business.

However, if you have a business continuity plan in place, then you know the steps that need to be taken to continue working and ensure the success of your business despite adversity. Keep in mind, though, the level of success you reach is dependent on how prepared you are.

Key Factors of a Business Continuity Plan

A business continuity plan won’t be much of a plan if you don’t include the key factors that will get you through:

Impact

Take the time to determine how a disaster (or international health crisis) may impact your business. These will include the financial as well as the operational impacts. Analyze where these impacts may affect your business so that you can know the areas you’ll need to address in your plan.

Recovery

What steps will you be able to take to keep your business running if the above areas are impacted?

Organization

It won’t do any good if you do all the planning and analysis, but don’t keep any organizational structure to it. Think about it – your business has an organizational structure for its daily operations. Who will handle the emergency plan? In what capacity? Develop a team and have it ready to roll should you need it.

Practice

If you solidify your business continuity plan and put it aside until it is needed, it may be sitting dormant for many years. Then, what happens? A crisis like the one we are facing today arises and your company scrambles to try to put it into place. You need to create your plan and practice it. That way, when the need arises, you are ready to move forward without delay.

Test the Plan, Plan the Test

Knowing you have a solid business continuity plan in place should you need it can greatly reduce stress in moments of crises – especially if that plan is ready to go with a moment’s notice. When you test your continuity plan, you are looking:

For the strong ability to be able to reduce operational downtime. Your plan should allow you to smoothly move from regular operation to emergency without any hiccups.
To retain the competitive advantage. When your customers can’t reach you, they will go elsewhere. Be prepared and be available no matter what.
For the best, most updated methods available. Seek expert advice if needed. Remember, technology is always changing so your plan should, too.

When Disaster Strikes: The Coronavirus Crisis

All of this brings us to today – to the incredible impact that the coronavirus crisis is having on our economy. Has your business been affected? Were you prepared? Most business owners have a plan. It may not have all the key aspects and it may not have been set in stone and practiced regularly. But, it is a plan.

As our normal operations have been completely uprooted, the key is to discover just how well your plan is going to suit your company – and how minimal the damage will be when all is said and done. And, well, honestly – if you find yourself in a sticky situation because the demands of this worldwide crisis were too strong for your continuity plan, it may not be too late.

Importance of Stress-Testing Your BCP

If your business doesn’t initially pass the stress-test, don’t fret. There may still be something you can do. Sure, being prepared from the get-go can reduce impact, but when it comes to saving your business, it’s better to be late than never:

If your employees are not set up to operate from home, don’t leave your work completely untouched. Reach out to a virtual assistant company who is set up to work from home and can assist with a variety of tasks.
Make sure all of your calls are answered. Even if your production line is down – be there for your customers when they call. If you can’t do this, hire a virtual receptionist.
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Our online world has a fully functional backup system for you – and this is what will help your business pass the stress-test. Our country will get back to work – and things will come together soon enough. If you have faced this coronavirus without a business continuity plan, you may have taken a hard hit.

But, here’s the good news: now you know the importance of having a plan and will be better prepared for anything that may come your way in the future, right? In fact, it is not too late to take steps now to protect your business.

Can a Missed Call Really Hurt Your Business?

admin March 20, 2020

You’re in a meeting, you have another client waiting, your desk is piled with paperwork, and your phone is ringing off the hook. Naturally, you brush everything aside and focus your attention on the person sitting directly in front of you. After all, that is the polite and proper thing to do, right?

You simply cannot do it all so you have to let some things go. You tell yourself that once your meetings are over, you will organize the paperwork on your desk and check your voicemail – giving yourself some time to return all those calls.

Ah, just another day at the office.

Well, truth be told, as important as it is for you to stay engaged in your in-person meeting, all those calls you let just land in voicemail can really hurt your business.

The Importance of Phone Calls

As much as our society loves to text and email these days, the telephone is one of the fastest ways to get things done. You dial a number, someone answers, and you take care of business. That is until someone doesn’t answer.

Nearly all businesses have set business hours. And, during that time, your customers count on being able to reach you. Perhaps it is a new potential customer calling to learn information about your product. Maybe it is someone who is currently a customer, but he or she is having a problem with your product or service. Then again, maybe this person has been faithful to your company and has referred many to you, as well.

Whatever the reason, this goes to show you that phone calls are one important way in which business is handled. So, when you don’t answer, you don’t handle your business. Overtime, the result could lead to devastation for your business.

Why Missed Calls Happen

Rarely do individuals intentionally miss phone calls. Rather, there are other obligations and activities that pull our focus in one direction or another. For instance, you may miss business calls in situations such as these:

▶ Not placing the proper emphasis on your phone calls. In a list of priorities, you may have other items ahead of telephone calls, such as emails. However, answering your telephone when it rings should be a priority.
▶ Deciding to rely on your voicemail since you have it, rather than taking care of the calls yourself. Customers don’t like receiving voicemail and many will choose not to leave a message if they receive it. You may have to consider those calls lost.
▶ Handling business away from your desk, resulting in missed calls.
▶ Packing your schedule too tight that you just don’t have the time. Or, maybe you just need a mental break from all the chaos so you simply ignore the call.

Do one of these scenarios explain why you find yourself not answering every call? Then again, it could be one of the many other unmentioned reasons so many business calls go unanswered every day.

Missed Calls Cost You – Literally

Let’s think about something for a moment. If you have a showroom and it was full of customers, would you walk away and do something else? Would you let your customers wander alone and never be available should they want to buy something?

No way, right? You could potentially miss out on a lot of sales with this approach!

Well, here’s the thing – when you don’t answer your phone, you are, in a way, doing the same thing. You are missing out on potential sales and happy customers. And, well, we all know the value of a happy and satisfied customer, don’t we? Believe it or not, a large percentage of those individuals who call you and don’t get the response they are looking for will often move on to one of your competitors!

You may be telling yourself that it only happens occasionally, but that one missed call among hundreds can cost you. Do it very often, and you will start to feel the pain.

Unanswered Calls Can Have a Long-Term Impact

Your lack of concern over answering every one of your calls can lead to some negative long-term impacts for your business. Having good customer service is hard to beat – and it is not hard to provide. Your customers want to feel important. Unfortunately, when you don’t answer their calls, well – you aren’t doing a very good job of showing them they are valued.

When you lack proper customer service, here’s what often results:

▶ Your company will gain a poor reputation with your customers.
▶ The lifetime value of your customers will decrease.
▶ It will become more difficult to convert leads.
▶ Negative word-of-mouth advertising, as well as poor online reviews and posts, can be detrimental.

Successful businesses value their customers – and they make it known. When your customer is happy and satisfied, they can quickly become a walking billboard for your company. But, watch out – when you aren’t there for them via telephone when they need you – those same individuals can cause you a lot of distress.

What You Can Do About It

You could get technical and analyze all your calls that come in as well as your existing ways of doing business. Of course, you could go out and purchase portable devices so that no matter where you are – in the office or out – you have a phone readily available so that you may stop what you are doing and answer.

Or, you could leave the phone answering up to someone else without having to hire any new employees. That’s right – hiring a virtual receptionist means that you always have someone to answer your call – live – so that your customers know you have their back.

A virtual receptionist will answer your calls and route them as you wish – and you can continue working just as you have been without any fear of missing another call again. Not only does this allow you to better maintain your focus, but it is also a great way to nurture your current customers and convert future customers!

Remember – it only takes one missed call to start causing damage. Don’t put the success of your business at risk.

Excellent Customer Service Means Happy Customers

admin March 9, 2020

You can do absolutely everything right in your business – you could have the best service or product, the best logistics team, the most streamlined process, and the greatest warranty – but if you don’t have excellent customer service, then you can’t be the best. And you won’t have happy customers.

Sure, if you’ve got something others want, you will have customers. You will be able to convert leads. And, you will make some money. But, here’s where the importance of customer service comes in – those first-time buyers that you have can quickly become invaluable, one-time buyers if you don’t have the ability to nurture them and retain them.

How do you do that? Well, with great customer service, of course!

Benefits of Excellent Customer Service

We are going to take a look at all the ways you can provide excellent customer service. But, before we do, it is important that you understand why. You need to understand the benefits of ensuring your customer service is top-notch.

▶ Acquiring new customers costs more than retaining current customers. The reason for this is because current happy customers are more likely to purchase again from you. Whereas new customers need to be sought out, convinced, and so forth.
▶ This is your direct line of support for your customers. Your customer service team will set the tone for your company – how they speak and care for your customers will determine how well your true mission, values, and image comes across.
▶ Satisfied customers are likely to refer others – which means new buyers without any extra work on your part.
▶ Customers are often willing to pay more if they know they are backed by great customer service.
▶ Delight customers and entice them to purchase new products or services. When the customer feels good and confident about a company (thanks to the customer service), this can be prime time for new marketing techniques.

Imagine all of these benefits because you provided something that should automatically come standard for companies – healthy, solid customer service.

Now, let’s take a look at how you can actually implement it.

Be Friendly and Welcoming

It does not matter how bad of a day customer service reps are having – when it comes to communication with the customer, it needs to be friendly and approachable. Remember, these individuals are often the first contact buyers will have with your company.

You want them to feel heard and feel good. You want them to be treated like they matter. And, you want your customers to know that you stand behind your product or service – and that you are willing to do what it takes to make it right.

This is the tone that needs to be on the line when a customer calls.

Be Polite and Respectful

Working in customer service can be a very trying and emotional job. While there are some customers who will contact your representatives for simple questions or comments, often there is a lot of frustration and aggravation involved.

You need customer service representatives that can meet the demands in an effective and resolute manner while remaining polite and respectful. It takes a certain type of person to answer a call with an irate individual and end the call with a happy customer.

Losing manners or being disrespectful should never be tolerated – and is a quick way to lose customers.

Properly Train Your Customer Service Representatives

You should never allow someone to interact with your customers without being properly trained. And, this should be a formal process. Your customer service representatives should be able to fully understand your products and services – how they can benefit the consumer, what they are used for, and so on.

That’s not all, though. Your representatives are representing you and your company. Therefore, they should be trained in what you stand for – and what feeling you are trying to get across to your customers. They should know the proper way to interact, things that should or should not be said, and how they should assist customers.

Your training should aim to have a consistent approach toward customer service. It shouldn’t matter who the customer receives on the other end of the line – the level of service should remain the same every time.

Listen to Your Customers

Listening is something that often gets overlooked. It is easy to do but is not always done. Customers call in and have a problem – they are looking for someone to listen and solve it.

Ideally, your customer service representatives should be able to listen verbally and non-verbally to the needs of customers. Listening for things that may signal that he or she is not pleased with the product or service. And determine how or why. Then, be able to take steps that will allow you to offer a solution without necessarily having to be asked.

Careful listening and picking up on clues is a great way to impress – and retain happy customers.

Offer Appropriate Solutions

When customers call in, they often have a problem, a question, or a concern about your product or service. They want reassurance that they made the right choice – and they want a solution to their situation.

Many times, these customers are not necessarily going to be very happy. This means that the customer service representative needs to be ready with an appropriate solution that will turn that disappointment into gratitude.

The Bottom Line

Customer service is your front line. And, it always needs to be available. Whether you hire your own employees or you seek a virtual receptionist, you need to do what it takes to make sure that every time your customer calls your line – a friendly, welcoming individual with solid knowledge and a solution is on the other end.

The level of customer service you provide will set you apart from all the others in your industry. And, the best part is that it can have the power to make this happen for your company. Yes, really! All you need is the right individual to meet your customers where they are – then turn them into loyal, happy customers.

How a Virtual Receptionist Strengthens Customer Relations

admin February 28, 2020

Your customers are at the heart of your business. After all, if you didn’t have customers, you wouldn’t have a very successful business, right? In a world where options are plentiful, running a business becomes less about the product or service you are selling and more about the good feelings your customers walk away with.

But, sure, we know that you would love to give your customers the attention they deserve, right? Except, how will you get work done if you spend all your time dealing with customers? Well, good news – there is a solution. Hire a virtual receptionist – someone who is professionally trained to provide the utmost assistance and care to your customers.

This allows you the ability to focus on the rest of your business without worrying about your customer relations. Need more convincing? Here’s how a virtual receptionist strengthens your customer relations.

Increase Customer Satisfaction

Happy customers are return customers. Therefore, you want them to walk away completely satisfied. When a customer calls your office, he or she needs to be met with the voice of someone who is approachable and caring – someone who will provide a listening ear and offer a very acceptable solution to any need.

Customers call for all sorts of reasons. They may be unhappy with your product or service. Or, perhaps they are calling for clarification on a product. Maybe the customer is looking to make a new purchase.

Whatever the reason, someone professional – and helpful – needs to answer the phone when the customer calls. If not? There is a good chance you will end up with an unsatisfied customer which can cost you in the long run, especially if this is a regular occurrence.

Develop Competitive Advantage

Not every business makes the smart decision to hire a virtual receptionist. In fact, some just simply let the phone ring – if they are nearby and not busy, great. If not, voicemail can answer and they will return the calls.

If you want to stand out from others and make sure your business gets a good reputation, then you need to make sure you are going above and beyond. Don’t make your customers call into your voicemail! Instead, give them exactly what they are looking for – a live, helpful person.

This type of customer response leaves a very good last impression. If you want to stand out and be different from others in your industry, then you need to allow a virtual receptionist to make it happen.

Build Brand Loyalty

With the click of a button, customers can let thousands upon thousands of individuals know just how they feel about your business. They can write reviews all over the Internet – and there is really not much you can do about it. Well, there is one thing – you can give them great customer service.

Over time, this builds your brand loyalty. This has customers advocating for you. When someone is looking for a recommendation or asking for the best services in your community, these are the customers that give your name. You may have a product or service that many others have – but your customer service will set you apart.

Enhance Customer Experience With UX

Nobody – and we mean nobody – wants to call your office and go through a series of prompts to try to speak to a live person. Constantly having to repeat, “representative,” or hitting the “0” button over and over in an attempt to hear a real voice is aggravating and downright frustrating. It is enough to make some customers dread to even have to pick up the phone to call you.

While you may think you have a well-designed, organized phone system, the user may think otherwise. You should want your customers to be happy – don’t subject them to an automated phone system. Instead, make contacting your company easy by having a live virtual receptionist answer your call.

Strengthen Customer Relationships

Creating a personable relationship with your customers is not always possible, is it? You are busy and, well, you have a business to run. Nobody disputes this. But, if you want your business to do well – and make it last, then you have to build relationships with your customers. So, when you can’t be the one to build it, you need to hire someone who can. This is the best chance you have to create brand loyalty.

A virtual receptionist will give your customers the attention, acknowledgment, and real-life communication needed to make a difference. In addition, this communication with your customers allows you to gain a deeper understanding of their likes, dislikes, needs, and so forth. Which, in turn, can help you with your business.

Improve Lead Response Time

If you are like most growing businesses, you have likely invested in lead generating services. Or, perhaps you have a lead magnet on your website. However you get your leads, the next important step is to respond to them within a reasonable time-frame.

While you are focusing on everything else you have to do while running your business, there is a good chance you don’t respond to leads right away. Be honest with yourself – how often does this happen? Here’s the thing – when you don’t respond to generated leads, your competitors may. This instantly gives them an advantage.

When you hire a virtual receptionist, those leads can be responded to immediately every time. Customers like a quick response. They like a company they can count on. And, when they are ready to move –you are the first one to respond, increasing your odds of conversion.

Your business can only reach its highest success when you have thoroughly satisfied customers. But, let’s face it – you have a business to run and cannot honestly provide the level of customer service that will set you apart from others in your industry.

Hiring a virtual receptionist can be a game-changer for your company. It can leave you with happy customers, build brand loyalty, help you gain insights, and convert leads at a much higher rate. So, what does all of this mean? If you want to strengthen your customer relations, then you need a virtual receptionist.

Time Management Strategies for Business Owners

admin February 26, 2020

Every day you wake up, you have precisely 1,440 minutes with which is use as you see fit. Here’s the catch though – if you choose to waste them, you don’t get a do-over. In fact, time is the one resource we encounter every day of our lives that we will never get back. Once it is gone – it is gone.

So, what steps do you take to manage your time? As a business owner, time management strategies are crucial. Too much time spent on one project, not enough on another, can leave you feeling overwhelmed and unproductive.

It is imperative that you know the best way to make the most of your time so that you can effectively and efficiently run your business straight down the path to success. Implement some (or all) of these time management strategies and watch your business begin to transform.

Practicing Time Management Strategies by Setting Goals

Before you do anything in life, whether personal or professional, you always want to set goals. These goals will help improve work-life balance – use way to monitor your progress – and make sure that you are heading in the right direction.

Your major goal should have stepping stones so that you can monitor your progress along the way. Setting time management strategies with having business goals in mind is a great way to put the focus on what you need to do – and when you need to do it. The key is to stick to your schedule.

Being Possessive of Your Time

As a business owner, there is a good chance that you have quite a network. And, if so, then you likely have lunch, dinner, or drink invitations regularly, as well as requests to attend conferences, webinars, and the like. Sound familiar?

Each time you say yes to one of these things, you are taking time away from work. If you feel you need to go, then go. But, it is ok to say no. Sometimes you have to get possessive of your time. Remember, you only have 1,440 minutes each day so how you spend it will ultimately lead to the success or demise of your business.

Learning to Delegate

Delegating is not always as simple as it sounds. In fact, some people struggle with it, choosing to micro-manage their business. Sadly, this is not the way to encounter the wisest of business practices. Many business owners who struggle with delegating often end up miserable – and their business never reaches its fullest potential.

It is important to note that delegating does not mean hiring more employees. Instead, you could outsource some of your tasks to a virtual assistant. Whether answering and transferring your calls, data entry, bookkeeping, finagling logistics, marketing, or something else – you don’t have to worry about these tasks because there is someone else who can do them for you.

Hiring a virtual assistant means that you can focus on the key parts of your business that need your attention while allowing everything else to be handled by a professional and trained assistant.

Mastering the Art of Self-Care

Believe it or not, some people forget to care for themselves. It is easy to get wrapped up into all that you need to do for your business that you forget the most important thing – the person that runs it! You!

Self-care is a term we hear a lot lately – and for good reason. After all, if you are in a good place physically and mentally, then how are you going to successfully meet your needs at the office?

Schedule a small block of time every day to practice self-care. This could mean going for a 30-minute walk or closing your eyes in meditation for 5 minutes. Even the smallest amount of time is better than none at all. Practicing self-care can give you the drive, focus, and strength to use the rest of your day productively.

Maintaining Your Focus

Daydreaming can be fun and relaxing, but it is not going to get the work done for you. The more you sit back and daydream, the less productive you will be. And, remember – you don’t get your wasted time back ever.

Get rid of distractions as much as possible and consider breaking your workday down into segments. Push distractions aside until the specific time at which you will address them. This will allow you to better maintain your focus in the current moment.

Taking 5 Minutes to Plan Your Day

What are you going to be doing tomorrow? Do you know? Have you thought about it? Walking into a room not knowing what to expect can throw you off a bit at first, right?

After you are there for a few minutes, you slowly begin to find your groove. The same thing happens when you walk into a new day. So, to keep yourself from teeter-tottering around until you get grounded for the day, walk into it prepared and ready to go.

Take 5 minutes each night to prepare for the following day. Take a look at your calendar, at your workload, etc., and know what the day ahead is going to look like – and how you will accomplish the most. This simple planning tool can give you the confidence to face your new day with ease – and save you time in the morning.

Automating Business Processes

It is important to streamline your business. With so many software programs and apps available today, there is no reason why you should still be handling the minuscule, day-to-day tasks.

To reach success with your business, it needs to flow smoothly from one step to the next – without someone standing there to make sure it does. Take the time to discover ways in which you can automate your business to reduce your need for spending time on certain tasks.

Time management strategies are one of the most important tools for business owners to have. Create a plan, set your schedule, and be productive. Invest in a virtual assistant to handle the rest. You may be surprised at just how much you can accomplish in the success of your business when you manage your time right.

Your Everything Guide to Virtual Assistant Services

admin February 26, 2020

Virtual assistants are incredibly helpful in all sorts of scenarios. Perhaps that is why people from all types of industries and backgrounds hire them. But, why? What can a virtual assistant do? And, why would someone choose to hire one? Let’s say that there is something you greatly dislike doing.

For instance, what if you have new accounts to enter into your system and you just don’t like the monotony? A virtual assistant can help. You may be incredibly smart when it comes to the services you provide, but you are terrible when it comes to knowing how to promote your service. Virtual assistants can help here, too.

And, maybe you are just well-rounded and great at everything, but time is not on your side. You are overflowing with work and you need help. Guess what? A virtual assistant can help you reduce the burden. Of course, these are just a few of the reasons why someone may hire a virtual assistant.

To get the full benefit of all they have to offer, it is important to understand the types of virtual assistant services available.

Answering and Routing Incoming Calls

How can you get work done if you are holding the phone all day? Not to mention that if you are involved in work, every time the phone rings, you are facing a distraction. This will decrease your efficient workflow and productivity. Besides, who wants to always be tethered to the phone? Sure, you have the choice to not answer the phone, but what does that say about you and your business?

One of the most common services that virtual assistants perform is answering calls and routing them appropriately. This is a simple task that can be done remotely – and the caller will never suspect that your receptionist is not sitting right outside of your office! It gives your business a professional appearance and allows you to stay off the phone and focused on what you do best.

Perform Outbound Calls

Phones work both ways, though, don’t they? That means many businesses have the need to perform outbound calls, too. Your business may have the need for someone to make sales calls. You could provide a script or simply have the virtual assistant make the initial contact with a potential buyer before transferring the call to you to secure the sale. This is a great way to sort out the real leads from those that will just waste your time.

Or, maybe you need someone to reach out to clients and schedule appointments – or even remind them of an already-existing appointment. Maintaining calendars and schedules, sending reminders to both you and clients – these are the tasks that virtual assistants are great at. And, believe it or not, they can keep you on track!

Bookkeeping Services

Large corporations often have finance departments loaded with bookkeepers. But, when you are just starting out or are a smaller company, hiring a full-time bookkeeper can be costly and unnecessary. Though, the other option of trying to handle it yourself can be frustrating – and take you away from what you really want and need to be doing. After all, you are not a bookkeeper.

Thankfully, you can hire a virtual assistant to handle your bookkeeping for you. With this option, you have someone who is skilled in the field handling your numbers for you when you need them, whether a couple of hours per week or a few hours each day.

Various Marketing Needs

Many business owners get stuck – they know they have a great product or service that other businesses or consumers would love, but they don’t know how to get the word out there. To reap the benefits of proper marketing, you have to know how to market. This includes things such as website building, content writing, social media management, and more.

There is a good chance these may not be your strong suit – and an even better chance that you don’t have the time or desire to consistently maintain them. But, guess who does. That’s right, a virtual assistant. Get your business known with a consistent, thorough marketing plan handled by your virtual assistant while you focus on your business.

Data Entry Services

Nearly every business has some form of data entry. Monotonous, repetitive keystrokes that can make you fall asleep fast. Maybe you get bored easily or maybe you just don’t type fast – or well. A virtual assistant can typically get your data entry completed in less time, allowing you to get your projects moving through the pipeline quicker while you get the freedom from the task. Sound enticing? We thought so.

Miscellaneous Other Receptionist Duties

Virtual assistants come from all backgrounds and all walks of life. So, what does that mean for you? It means that you are sure to find someone capable of handling exactly what you need to be done. Virtual assistants don’t just stop with data entry, marketing, bookkeeping, or telephones.

No, no. They possess an eclectic set of skills that allow you to benefit in many different ways. Many virtual assistants can handle a wide range of receptionist and executive assistant duties, including things such as:

▶ Planning and booking travel arrangements.
▶ Organizing and scheduling meetings between any number of parties.
▶ Assisting you in preparation for a presentation (both audibly and visually).
▶ Organize and prepare mass mailings.
▶ Event planning.
▶ Producing graphs, reports, and other items within spreadsheets.
▶ Responding to inquiry emails.
▶ Maintaining your social media presence across various platforms.

With all the possible skills available, there is no end to what a virtual assistant can do for your business.

The Bottom Line

Outsourcing work to virtual assistants can make better use of your current employees and free up your time, too. This allows you to get things done while making the best use of everyone’s time. In doing so, you are only benefiting the business in the long run. Higher efficiency leads to greater rewards.

And, well, virtual assistants can give you the opportunity to soar high. What could you use a virtual assistant for?

Online Reviews 101 for the Smart Small Business Owner (Part 2)

Nehal Parikh April 12, 2018

Thanks to technology and social media, the written word has become more common than ever. And in the words of J.K. Rowling via Dumbledore:

“Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.”

In our previous blog post, we discussed about negative and positive reviews that our business can get and how they could impact sales growth or otherwise.

More importantly, following the sensibility of prevention being better than cure, we touched on what we can do to avoid getting unpleasant feedback in general.

But should you get a mixture of the good, the bad, and the ugly, what do you do?

Turning negative reviews around

You cannot please everyone. But you can take into account what they’re saying and do your best to turn that into something beneficial for your business in more ways than one.

Respond quick and respond well

Timing is key, as they say. The soonest you can respond to negative feedback, the better. And the simple reason is, it shows that you care.

A faster response time can help subside anger or disappointment, especially when paired with genuine sympathy and concern.

While knowing what the customer needs early on by asking generally applies, it is here when the right questions and responses prove crucial.

Please avoid asking provoking questions and making assuming statements that may make matters worse. Train your support staff to ask first when in doubt.

Be it live chat, email, or phone support, it’s about knowing why your client or customer is contacting you and giving them the resolution best you can.

The important thing is to make them return again, which brings us to our next item.

Offer a special coupon or discount

If restaurants have their “We’re sorry we messed something up,” coupon ready, you can have one for your negative reviews.

It’s one way of showing that you’re concerned about your customer’s experience, and that the untoward incident was the exception and not the norm.

Just be sure to put certain measures in place to protect you from frauders who didn’t really buy anything or experienced anything yet and just want to get a discount.

But the goal here is clear: To make them come back and essentially give you a second chance. If you’re successful, there’s be a third, fourth, fifth, nth.

Make customers feel you welcome feedback

In your store or office, it could be a suggestion box on the counter, a slogan on the wall, having both, or more.

Online, you can do the same by having a section on the homepage and links on different pages on your website that lead to the Contact Us page.

Turn feedback into improvement

While a few may be just rants from irascible customers, even those, consider. Yes, you cannot please everybody, but the important result of a negative feedback is improvement.

Take it as a chance to see your service or product from a different angle, especially if the one who gave the review has used other similar products or services.

Getting more out of positive reviews

If you shouldn’t let negative reviews just hanging around because they can impact sales, you should do the same when it comes to positive feedback.

Turn positive comments into reviews

“You did a great job!” and indeed you have if a customer has left a similar positive note on your social media page or website.

In fact, they were so satisfied that they took the time and made the effort to just let you know that.

That being said, make sure you let them know you appreciate it and that the thing that they were pleased with is part of what makes you tick as a company.

Then ask them if they could rate you or leave a quick review. Just make the process as easy as you can, because that would mean their extra time and effort.

Turn comments into testimonials

Why not take comments up a notch and turn them into testimonials featured on your website?

If they took the time to email you a positive note, then reply back and at the end of your conversation, you can ask them if you can use their feedback as a testimonial for posting on your social media site.

These will be great in proving the quality of service that you have, especially, if it’s another service or company that commends your good work.

(Note: Just be sure to have a screenshot of it and record the time and date for records purposes.)

Offer a subscription to your newsletter

Why not ask your satisfied customer to subscribe to your newsletter? “Why not?” indeed.

Getting your customer’s email address gets you on a more personal relationship with them.

But what will they get out of it? Latest discount or promo announcements delivered in a timely manner? Whatever they may be, be sure to include them in your invitation for subscription.

When they say nothing at all

Remember that bad publicity is still publicity. But having no publicity can be just as bad. So what do you do to help put your product on the online map?

Ask family and friends

Your family has been supporting you with the extra time you need for your business and other things. Leaving a short review or giving a rating shouldn’t be so hard, especially when you explain how it could help your business move forward. Then, there are your friends and neighbors who have tried your product or service to leave a short review or rating online. As advised before, make it easy. Provide the link to where they can leave reviews. And especially since they’re your friends, throw in a little something extra as a reward the next time they come by your store or acquire your service.

Advertise on social media

Having a social media page is useless if no one ever hears about it. While sharing it to family and friends helps, there’s another way to effectively boost it to people who are already consumers of a similar product or service.

With just a few bucks, you can advertise on social media. Just be sure to specify the settings so that it will target the particular demographics of consumers who are most likely to buy from you.

Of course, you didn’t just go through all the trouble you did of setting up your business because you had something mediocre to share to the public.

You have a good product or service. But good can become better and better can become best, if you understand how to handle feedback — online or offline — well enough for a (literally and figuratively) profitable experience.

The Go-To Site for Your Small Business Branding Needs

Nehal Parikh January 5, 2018

Thinking of what your brand or service stands for is one thing. Getting it successfully across your intended audience through good design and copywriting can take a village of creative staff. Or does it?

Thanks (again) to the internet you don’t need to hire a designer for your product to have a professional-looking logo or newsletter.

Enter Canva.com where you can find many good design templates for just about any marketing material that your business may need for free. All you need is a computer, good internet connection and you’re all set.

The site has a paid version where you can gain access to various design elements and photos, but the free version works great. It even comes with two folders for organizing your designs online.

No Logo? No Problem.

As mentioned, the site offers dozens of logo templates that you can tweak and tinker with. Round, square, hexagonal or whatever shape you feel speaks about your service the most, it’s there.

What’s good is that there are templates that come with their corresponding font styles. So you won’t have to problem what goes with your design or brand well. Just change the text to your product’s name, and there you go.

Should you have the urge to be creative to stray from the templates and mix and match shapes and fonts yourself, design away. (Caution of concern though: It might get addictive and take hours from your time.)

Neat Newsletters

Ever fancied that newsletter you received from a company you liked? You can make a similar one yourself.

Canva also has templates for inviting newsletter images to include in your email announcements to your clients.

Whether it’s about an event you’re having soon or a sale with awesome discounts, the website has different designs to suit each purpose.

Tip: Your company social media page can garner lots of likes and spread awareness of your brand, but email newsletters (from subscription to your website) speaks directly to your potential customers.

Other Documents

From company memos to presentation slides to attention-grabbing posters, Canva.com can turn otherwise ordinary documents into more eye-friendly pieces.

Good design serves its purpose: Whether it’s to communicate better a simple message or your brand’s identity, what it’s really about.

Multi-national companies can cash out hundreds or even thousands of dollars to rebrand their product. They do this to get the product’s name and look the right feel it deserves, in the hopes of reaching better their target demographics.

You may not have millions, but so did all the other startups that made their way through hard work, skills, and some creative help online.

Ten Tips on How to Handle Negative Comments Online

admin March 20, 2017

By Pol Arellano

It’s not always sunny and rose-colored in the comment section of your social media pages. Yes, from time to time, you’ll encounter Negative Nancies making their appearance on a post or two — complaining about a poor service experience or a product flaw.

Today, negative comments have become easier to make. Within seconds, anyone can post a negative feedback online, for the world to see. It’s easy to get carried away and respond instinctively — which is defensively — but everyone knows that it’s not the right route to take.

Essentially, these Negative Nancies are reaching out to you and they want their voice to be heard. And you, as a business owner, understand that. But how can you effectively handle all the negativity?

Here are ten tips on how to handle negative comments online:

Work fast. But not too fast.

Responding too late will give your audience the impression that you don’t care about their feedback, but reacting too fast may not give you enough time to process the comment fully and figure out the best plan of action. Also, if you’re too hasty on your responses, you may not be able to control your emotions and respond in a not-so-accommodating tone — which is the last thing you’d want to do.

It’s a good idea to wait an hour or two to mull the comment over and strategize. But don’t let it go unanswered too long. A timely response is a good way to let everyone know that you’re dedicated to your community.

Acceptance is key.

Accept the comment. Even if you find the comment to be minor, faulty, imprecise and even downright strange and kooky, you have to take it as constructive nuggets of wisdom that you can use to your business’s advantage.

Accept and appreciate the effort people put in to make you know what it is exactly that they need help with, or an experience that wasn’t too pleasant — that you can consider to improve. People want to be heard, and sometimes all it takes is for them to know that you’ve listened to their concerns.

Which leads us to the next tip.

Listen.

A negative feedback is not necessarily bad feedback. You would just have to listen to what the criticism is about because this is the bedrock of a sound response. Listen to each comment and determine whether it is factual or opinion-based.

And while you’re listening to the feedback, mute out the coarse manner in which it is delivered (the callousness and harshness, among many others), and focus on whether it is correct or otherwise. It’s best to train yourself to focus on the advantageous information you could use to respond properly and use to propel your business or product forward. The comment may not come from an absolute saint, but that doesn’t mean that it’s automatically of no merit.

Check the source.

Sometimes it’s hard to differentiate between Negative Nancies and plain ol’ bullies. Evaluate the comment. If the comment is not factual, and after determining that you cannot extract any useful information from it, then you can just ignore the comment. However, it’s not a bad idea to keep tabs on the commenter. Sometimes you would just have no other option but to pick your battles and shake off the illegitimate negativity.

Be respectful.

No matter how awful a comment is, resist the urge to attack a commenter. Always take the high road and remain respectful. Don’t get defensive when you read negative comments. Even if you can prove a commenter wrong (and oh boy, is it temmmppppttttttiiiiinnnnng), it’s not the best to do that immediately.

Instead, respectfully ask useful questions about their experience to direct them into communicating their concerns better.

And don’t forget an important part of your end of the dialogue:

Say sorry. (But don’t go overboard).

A sincere apology — that’s what you should give anyone who’s commented negatively about your brand or company. It won’t help your business if you’re being lukewarm or unconcerned with your responses.

Remember, a negative comment made online is a dialogue that’s open for the world to see. And fighting with a commenter is not the most strategic move. Plus, apologizing will put you in good light with your audience. They’ll see that you’re a responsible business and that you’re trying your best to address all concerns.

React Online, then Offline.

Always keep in mind that you’re not just responding to a negative comment seen just by one pair of eyes– but possibly thousands. Or hundreds of thousands. So it’s important to make sure that you respond in the same channel the negative feedback was made. This will show not just the commenter that you’re taking their concern seriously, but whoever else will stumble upon the comment as well.

Once you’ve done that, take the conversation privately. This is where you can ask more specific questions to find out more about the concern and figure out the best way to act.

Promise to help and deliver.

Once you’ve identified the legitimate constructive point underneath a negative feedback, promise to take action and actually do it. Focus on what needs to be corrected, actively communicate with the client, and act on it.

Not all concerns can be remedied with a flick of a switch or a push of a button, so don’t be afraid to ask for more time if you need it. Be transparent with your time frames and save yourself from further online negativity.

Go easy on the freebies.

Yes, you’d want to be on your angry client’s good side. But pace yourself with the freebies with the goal of appeasing your clients. First thing’s first — get to know what the real issue is and do your best to resolve it. It’s not that it’s something that’s totally discouraged (because from time to time, it is warranted) but don’t get carried away with rewarding clients with free stuff.

Be better.

With every negative comment you receive, your goal is to not only respond properly and solve issues, but to ultimately, be a better company.

There will always be negative comments to sift through so you can find chunks of constructive criticism that will help propel your company be the best that it can be. In a world where negative feedback is in constant supply, keep an open mind and ear, and strive to raise the bar. Keep going forward and work hard to be better — not just in the eyes of one Negative Nancy, but the world.

5 Tips to Making Money That You Can Do When You’re Not Tied to the Phone

admin February 24, 2017

By now, you as an entrepreneur know just how important phone calls are to your business. Curious callers dial your number to inquire about your services, and you’d cheerfully entertain their questions, and encourage them to try your company out.

This is exactly how curious callers become faithful patrons.

But you as an entrepreneur, know too that you can’t just sit on the desk to answer or make phone calls. You have to go out and meet people, deal with your employees’ concerns, hire the right staff, set short- and long-term goals — basically, duties that will help expand your business.

So while you delegate call screening, phone answering, outbound calling, and accurate message taking to the right people i.e. great and affordable virtual receptionists, you’ll have some time to make use of productively and profitably. It’s a win-win situation.

Here are five tips to making money that you can do when you’re not tied to the phone:

1. Explore your business’ online and offline marketing strategies

When was the last time you checked your brochures? Do your calling cards need a facelift? Are the information and services there up to date? Do you give free stuff away to promote your brand? Have you redesigned your website in the last 5 years? Is it mobile-friendly? Do you have a Facebook page? Do you participate in trade fairs or expos?

It’s a great idea to make sure that your online and offline marketing strategies are not only updated but are on point, cohesive and well connected. For an example, if you are going to have a booth at a trade show, come up with a marketing plan that would:

Use your social media channels to tell your people that you’ll be at the trade show, and give them a heads up if you’re giving away free stuff there.

Blog about the event, and invite industry bloggers to be part of the event as well.

Give a special incentive to your social media followers if they stop by the event.

Set up a fun activity that would encourage your event attendees to share their experiences on social media, preferably with a fun hashtag, too.

These will all work together to connect you to a larger audience and will lead to a bigger profit.

2. Attend seminars, symposia, and conferences

Attending seminars and conferences will give you access to helpful knowledge that will help better your business in key aspects, such as sales development, getting the most out of technology for your company, and best practices, to name a few. This will lead to productivity and profitability when properly applied.

And if garnering skills and know-how aren’t enough, you’ll also get the chance to meet and build relationships with insightful and experienced speakers and industry leaders. Plus, such events are teeming with entrepreneurs like yourself — which means you’ll get to expand your network and maybe even spark up mutually beneficial partnerships. This is a great place to put your new calling cards to good use.

Waiting a few weeks before the next interesting seminar? Consider watching a few interesting Ted talks about businesses to make for a more productive (and fruitful) wait.

3. Focus on your team

With a few extra hours of solace in the office, you’ll get the chance to focus on the valuable assets that are your employees. Studies (and experience) show that happy employees are more productive, hence, it’s important to keep everyone on your team joyfully contented.

Do you delegate responsibilities to capable employees? Are there opportunities for growth in the company? Are employees’ skills matched well to the tasks they’re assigned to? Are hours spent in the office properly optimized? Do you have regular programs that aim to boost employee morale? Do you regularly give incentives or a sincere pat on the back for a job well done? Assess these key points and see where you can make reasonable adjustments.

When employees are happy, there is a reduced absence and staff turnover rate, so keep them smiling!

4. Don’t Forget About Yourself

During the time you’re making sure that you’re keeping others happy, add one important person to the list — yourself! Only 20% of adults in the U.S. are meeting the government’s physical activity recommendations, which is at least 2 ½ hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or 1 hour and 15 minutes of high-intensity aerobic activity.

Make sure that you’re part of the healthy statistic. After all, a fit, energetic entrepreneur makes sound business decisions.

When was the last time you exercised? Being in top physical health will give you a daily boost of energy and laser-like focus that will help you constantly make creative, intelligent judgments. Do you have a routine? Successful people adhere to strict daily routines that keep them productive and at the top of their industries. Waking up early (say, around 5 or 6 a.m. every day) will help enhance your willpower and of course, keeping hydrated will keep you energized. Keep healthy snacks such as nuts and fruits at arms’ length and take breaks to stand up and stretch.

Make keeping active a priority, and you and your business will reap the benefits.

5. Check your systems, processes

While a phone is not cradled between your shoulder and chin, you’ll have time to check how your operations work, and if the systems and processes involved can be tweaked or improved. Efficient processes not only save time and money but also help boost profits in the long run.

Are all the steps in the current system absolutely necessary or is there a faster, more logical way of getting things done? Are you going over budget? Do your employees tend to over-service? Is there a better way of delivering your products? Is there a way to make your process more customized or buyer-centric? How long does the process usually take?

Sit down and observe how your current systems and processes are, identify pain points and list down possible solutions for each one. Implement, observe, and measure outcomes.
So make the most out of your hours away from the phone and apply these 5 action items. Silence is truly golden when it’s used for your business’s profit.