Updating The Appearance Of Your Online Business

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. In today’s digital world, you online presence is your new store in many cases. As such, it’s important to periodically update you site so that it’s appealing your potential customers. The following contributed post is thus entitled, Updating The Appearance Of Your Online Business.

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In the competitive world that is business, having an online business has really come to the forefront, and now many companies are opting to turn digital, to follow the trend of technology and the internet. So if you have an online business yourself, it’s important to keep updating it so that you remain ahead of your competition and grow your company. Here are a few tips to get you started!

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Reassess Your Goals

It’s something you don’t need to do online, but it’s important to bring your focus back to your goals for the business. Whether that’s long-term or short-term, it’s always good to come back to them and see if you might want to change them or create new ones. A lot can happen in the space of a few months, so it’s pretty easy to forget about your initial objectives.

And if you haven’t already, think about what you want to achieve a year or so down the line. Dream big and don’t be afraid to challenge yourself.

Give Your Website A Refresh

You should have a website for your online business, and if you don’t, then you really do need to get one. A website puts you on the map and gives you a little space in the big world wide web. This is the platform where you’ll probably attract new potential customers and clients, so it needs to be professional. Therefore, you want to give your site a refresh every now and again just like updating the interiors of your home. Apps like https://setapp.com/apps/typeface are great for changing up your font, and you should invest in a good template for your web page.

If you’re digital skills only stretch so far, there’s plenty of freelancers or companies out there who will be more than willing to keep your site looking top notch.

Get Social Media Savvy

If you’re not already, you should be spreading the word about your business through social media. A website is great but you want to reach the masses, and only social media platforms will have that. So it’s useful to have a profile on as many platforms as possible and start or continue to reach out to new customers, creating great campaigns that will sell your brand to those who need it.

Make Communication Easy

There’s nothing more frustrating than customers not being able to communicate with a business. Whether that’s finding a phone number, email or any form of contact details. And it’s so simple to do but a lot of online businesses will keep themselves anonymous, and this can put customers off. People like to see the face of a brand or organization, so don’t be afraid to open up communication fully because it’ll certainly benefit you in the long run.

It can certainly feel like a rat race in this ever-changing world, but with hard work and dedication, your online business can be just as successful as those that inspired you to start yours in the first place. So what are you waiting for?

4 Benefits and Dangers of Technology

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“The world we all live in today is completely dominated by technology, to an extent that would have been considered all but unthinkable even a few short years ago.”

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A key focus of my blog is Technology. While the many inventions in our new digital world have made our lives easier and more pleasurable, they’ve also created numerous dangers. What are these? The following contributed post is entitled, 4 Benefits and Dangers of Technology.

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The world we all live in today is completely dominated by technology, to an extent that would have been considered all but unthinkable even a few short years ago. We work at our computers, we arrive home and recline in front of our flat screen TV’s to indulge in a Netflix binge, and when it’s time to pick up groceries, we likely as not order them online, too.

Technology is by no means all good or all bad. It brings with it both tremendous benefits and potential downsides. The specific technology in question, and the context of its use, determine whether it’s ultimately positive or negative.

Here are a couple of benefits and dangers of technology, just to get you thinking about this issue more deeply.

Benefit: increased safety

Certain technologies undoubtedly lead to a safer world for the majority of people. Medical devices can detect potentially fatal conditions in the early stages and result in them being successfully treated. And even reviews of products and companies can prevent us from being exploited.

Then, of course, there are inventions like the police speed gun, used to prevent dangerous behaviour on the road, and catch people who flagrantly violate speed laws.

Not only are there broad social benefits to these kinds of technologies, but even on a personal level, you may benefit immensely from certain safety-oriented tools and devices.

That’s where organizations like Genesis Reference Laboratories are becoming so critical. These institutions are used by private businesses and governments to explore the effects of specific technologies further and to understand them more before rolling them out to the general population. Given the power of today’s innovations, it is no longer appropriate to move forward and break things in the name of speed. Things have to be done properly.

Danger: the risk of being lost in an artificial world that plays on our psychological weak spots

It’s no secret that the creators of the world’s leading social media platforms, not to mention videogames, employ a variety of psychological tricks and mechanisms in order to exploit our basic human impulses to keep us invested in the services or products they’re offering.

This becomes a danger, especially when we’re unaware of the fundamentally addictive — and often intentionally manipulative — nature of these platforms and tools.

Author Adam Alter, writing in his book “Irresistible”, describes many instances of people whose real-world lives have been negatively impacted, often to an extreme degree, by their inability to escape the more instantly gratifying artificial world of technology.

Benefit: new ways to communicate ideas and seek knowledge from around the world

Virtually yesterday, historically speaking, the internet didn’t exist — and even for years after its creation, it was nowhere near the kind of all-encompassing encyclopedic resource that it is today.

With the development of the internet has come a previously unprecedented opportunity for the average person to communicate ideas and seek knowledge from around the world.

Personal blogs and videos bypass the need for traditional media and publishing gatekeepers. Tools like Wikipedia render a virtually limitless pool of facts and trivia accessible to all.

Danger: a more shallow and distracted kind of awareness

“The Shallows” is a book by author Nicholas Carr, in which the author underlines some of the evidence for the fact that the internet has made us all more shallow and distracted than ever before.

This is an idea that’s been corroborated by various findings and theories, for years now. Simply put — with the internet, we have a pool of information as wide as the ocean to play in. But it’s as deep as a paddling pool, and means we have a broad but shallow, and distracted, awareness of many topics.

Reading books and doing traditional studying, on the other hand, theoretically helps to create a deeper and more focused kind of awareness.

Importance of Technology In Business

hree of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. In today’s digital world, technology has infiltrated and affected pretty much every aspect of life and the business world is the same. Falling behind these advancements can be very, very costly. The following contributed post is thus entitled; Importance of Technology In Business.

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More and more we are seeing businesses turn to technology for all manner of things. The importance of tech in the modern world cannot be overstated and yet some companies continue to lag behind. To make sure you are not one of those businesses, we are going to discuss here so of the important things to remember when it comes to technology and your operations.

Equipment

Firstly, it is important to remember that technology is not just referencing the modern day use of computers. We will come on the value of the computer era shortly, but it is worth bearing in mind that if you are a manufacturer, then there may be equipment out there like CNC Machining Centres that will help you make your product quicker and possibly better. Researching the impact of the tech landscape for the industry you are working in before pushing ahead is critical to your success, so make sure you’re addressing any technological pitfalls in your business quickly.

Computers must also be discussed when it comes to the equipment being used in business, and more importantly what they are used for. Every office around the country has a computer of some kind at this point of the 21st century, but the important thing is are they using it for all they can. A lot of employees will know how to use the basics from documents to spreadsheets, but there are advantages with computers that can make your operations more efficient. You should consider applications that focus their attention on productivity like Asana so that your company can operate at a higher level than your competitors.

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Security

Technology and security have had a fractious relationship over the years. It is fair to say that the rise of different software and hardware has created criminal activity that was unthought of just a few decades ago. However, there are pros as well thanks to the ability to track your systems remotely, protect your company’s important documents and keep track of your premises.

Running a business, cybercrime is never going be too far away from your thoughts due to all the sensitive data that you will be handling. For this, however, some solutions are relatively straightforward, and that also open up other opportunities for you. A virtual private server (VPS), for example, is a remote server accessible only by the user, meaning that you can install software away from your main operations and be confident in its security. Companies like HostGator and BlueHost both offer you the chance to explore this technology not just for protection, but also so that you can have a dedicated server for your website or software. What that means is that rather than splitting server power across lots of different parts of your business, you can direct one sole server to the most important bit.

Technology and business should go hand in hand. It’s just about finding what is best for you.

Steadying The Stream Of Business Information

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. Operating businesses has changed considerably in this new Information Age. A major part of this is properly managing large sums data both efficiently and responsibly – something many organizations have excelled at while others have struggled. The following contributed post is thus entitled, Steadying The Stream Of Business Information.

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Business has changed a lot over the last couple of decades, with loads of new technology entering the world which can make the lives of companies far easier. Some have been able to embrace this change, while others have struggled to keep up with it, and the different adoption times of each business have created a mess of different information which you have to be able to process. To make this easier for you, this post will be exploring some of the best ways to steady the stream of content coming into your company.

File Management

Keeping file systems clean and tidy is a job which most people find very hard. Much like keeping aspects of your life in order, achieving this sort of goal when you don’t know much about the machines you’re using can be a real challenge. To overcome this, a lot of companies have started to give their teams file management courses. While this sort of effort will cost you money, it will be worth it once your teams are all using the same methods to keep their machines clean, as this will save loads of time.

Make A Copy

When you first receive a document, the first step you need to take will be to create a copy which anyone can use. This should always be digital, and should be in a format which is widely used, but this can be achieved using a simple scanner and software like Office 365, making it nice and easy to get started with. Having all of your documents in the same format is a great way to make it easier for your team to use them.

Secure It

As your handling data for your business throughout this process, the work you are doing is likely to be subject to data protection laws. To make sure that you’re compliant, any sensitive documents need to be secure, as this will help to prevent prying eyes from seeing what is inside. Both Windows and macOS have the ability to handle this natively, making it nice and easy to get started with your existing files.

Put It Somewhere Safe

Once you have your documents copied and securely formatted, it will be time to leave them with someone who can be trusted. Document management services provide you with an easy way to keep you data safe from criminals, while also enabling you to find what you need with incredible ease, and this is something which can’t be said for a lot of other options. Taking storage out of your own hands is an easy way to improve this whole process.

With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to get started on the time you put into the information which comes into your business. A lot of people struggle with this sort of work, finding it hard to know what they need to do to keep their information in order. In reality, though, you already have the tools you need, and simply need to get started.

What You Should Know About Business Automation

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. There is a lot of talk these about the increased role of automation in the business world. There are some important considerations to think about in terms of incorporating automation into your operations. The following contributed post is thus entitled, What You Should Know About Business Automation.

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You can’t turn a corner in today’s business world without hearing about automation. By utilizing automation, you can increase the speed, efficiency, and accuracy of your business processes. Things like marketing, recruiting, and time saving can become a breeze, and you and your team will be able to focus on more important work.

Here, you’ll find what you need to know about business automation so you can do it effectively. Take a look and see what you can learn below:

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Ensure You Understand The Processes That You’re Automating
If you don’t fully understand the process you’re supposed to be automating, you won’t be able to do it effectively. Make sure you evaluate the process and change it where necessary.

Let Your Team Test Out Solutions
Assign a team to your automation solutions, allowing them to experiment to find the best tools and then test and implement them gradually. Remember to help your team adopt these new automation processes, too. An automation process will only work as well as the team who uses it. Most people don’t like change, and it can be hard. Remember to build in change management and training to any workflow automation you introduce. By clicking here your team can begin their exploration of processes that can introduce reduced costs and time savings.

Calculate Your ROI
Although automation can make things much easier when you have it up and running, it’s not always going to be simple. You need to make sure you estimate the time/cost savings that the automaton process will give you, compared to the time and costs it will take to automate the process. Is the amount of time it takes to recoup that investment acceptable?

Consider Security Risks
Anything that is automated and digitized can also be hacked. Automation makes things so much faster for you, but it can also make things much faster for an attacker. Make sure you think about security in advance and plan for it.

Go Slowly And Prioritize
Automating your workflow takes a lot of upfront time and resources, but if you go about automation the right way you will recoup this. However, there are learning curves involved, so going slowly and prioritizing is key. Make a list of what will have the biggest impact on your company and how much work/effort/rich is involved as you implement each one.

Keep It Simple To Begin With
You can’t always predict the issues you’ll run into with automation, so it’s best to start with something simple. You’ll avoid wasting time and resources and you’ll even learn things you didn’t know about your organization. You can carry these lessons forward when you start off simple and it’ll help you to prepare for bigger things will maximizing your productivity gains.

Ensure You Have Super High Quality Control Standards
Automation will have bugs just like any other computer system. These bugs mean you must have a degree of quality control so you can monitor and measure effectiveness and ensure each process is working as expected.

The Future of Fuel

One of the major focuses of my blog is Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). An area that has long been of great interest globally is energy. Fossil Fuels have been the chief energy source for our planet’s ‘First World’ countries, but with increasing world populations there is concern that we will exhaust our natural global supplies. What are our options going forward? The following contributed post is entitled; The Future of Fuel.

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Image Credit: Unsplash

Whether you believe in climate change or you are one of the <1% of people who remains unconvinced, what is clear is that our fossils are running out. With the USA now considering expanding the search for oil to the Arctic, it is obvious that at some point we are going to stop finding reserves that have taken millions of years to appear.

If science fiction is to be trusted, we need to find alternative energy solutions if we want to continue to develop incredible technologies.

Clean energy sources such as wind turbines, solar panels and other methods are all idea for producing electricity. The downside of this is that for technologies not connected to the grid, large batteries will be required to store the energy while disconnected. This means that all types of transport will have to balance being weighed down with the distance they are able to cover.

Why is Clean Energy for Travel So Important?

At the moment, the aviation industry contributes around 2.5% of carbon emissions each year and this is set to rise to around 22% by 2050. This is an enormous problem because while global demands for fast air travel increase, the threat to the environment is significantly raised.

A similar problem is presented in ocean travel. Ships crossing the seas take passengers and goods around the world but every trip introduces pollutants to the water. While you might be able to use oil water separators to limit pollution the amount of oil that escapes, the fact is that the risk of any oil spillage is still very much present.

Even short car journeys are ever more problematic as the air quality of large cities deteriorates as more and more people choose to drive themselves rather than take a bus or train. There have already been rapid advances in electric car technology but much more research is required if we are to achieve the infrastructure necessary for a full transition.

What Are Our Options?

More investment into methods to create clean electricity is already underway, especially in China where a capacity of around 130 GW has already been installed, knocking their already ambitious targets out of the water. This is great news as it means that greener technologies such as electric cars, buses and trains are much more likely to succeed.

But what about air travel?

Well, the research may be in its infancy but there are some promising results coming from experiments into what is being termed ‘ionic wind technology’. With this theory, it could be possible to launch and fly planes long distances in a carbon neutral way and, crucially, with no moving parts. Rather than a combustion engine, the plane uses long thin stems of wire to pass an electric current. This current ionizes atmospheric nitrogen which, when it collides with “normal” neutral air generates thrust.

We may be not be looking at warp drives or ion drives just yet but with the ideas that are floating around at the moment, Science Fiction may not be so unbelievable after all.

The 4 Rules Of Business Data

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“Companies have a digital liability to honor for their employees and clients by following an explicit data management strategy.”

Buffer

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. Most businesses today manage enormous amounts of data and this comes with numerous considerations as it must be handled both efficiently and safely. The following contributed discusses four rules for this and is entitled, The 4 Rules Of Business Data.

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Businesses work with data every day. Whether they collect, analyze, transfer or interpret, enterprises rely on data at every single step of their processes. With million sensitive pieces of information being stored and used as part of business activities, no company can afford to fail behind data management standards. Indeed, with the acquisition of confidential and sensitive data comes the responsibility of using these judiciously and safely.

Companies have a digital liability to honor for their employees and clients by following an explicit data management strategy. Admittedly, while every company is free to design their policy, you can find an overarching guideline to help you navigate through the troubled waters of data management. Typically, businesses are expected to respect four data rules:

Cloud computing offers excellent data accessibility

Make them compliant

Since May 2018 and the launch of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by the EU, the words data compliance have been on every mouth. In reality, data compliance refers to the need for a company to comply with the legal requirements in force regarding their data processes. For citizens from the EU zone, GDPR is the main data compliance body. However, you’ll find that your business needs to obey a variety of legal requirements depending on the kind of data you use. Medical data, for instance, respond to the HIPAA compliance – which you can ensure using the managed compliance services from NAHS for example. Schools and other education institutions need to comply with a different set of requirements. Banks also rely on specific data compliance bodies. In other words, your data need to be processed accordingly to the specifications in your sector.

Protect them from accidental loss and damage

Your data are precious. Losing them doesn’t only affect your day-to-day activities, but it also damages your credibility. Consequently, companies need to protect themselves from data disasters as best as they can. Every business need to deploy an effective and secure backup solution to recover everything that is vital to your business survival. Keeping a copy – physically or digitally, or even both – is primordial.

Data backup

Make them safely accessible to your team

Data management requires sharing, collaborating and research within the data collection. While holding physical data backups can be helpful in the case of loss or damage; it’s a waste of time when it comes to encouraging your teams to work together. Making your data accessible through a secure digital interface, such as cloud computing, employees with the ability to access the information they need in a click. However, the key focus about cloud solution is their security; your data should be only accessible to your coworkers.

Ensure they are correct at all times

Last; but not least, most confidential people data are deemed to evolve through time. People, indeed, can change their address, name, specific data preferences, and so on. As part of the GDPR regulations, users are allowed to request access to their information, for correction or removal purposes. Similarly, you need to maintain your customer data accurate even outside of the GDPR zone, which implies providing customers with the opportunity to correct the information.

Every business that works with data needs to follow the 4 rules of data management: Compliance, protection, accessibility, and correctness. With Professional NetSuite ERP consulting you can make certain to structure your data management in a sustainable measure. Failure to respect these rules can lead to a loss in reputation, revenues, and competitiveness.

What Should You Do When You Don’t Know What Your IT Needs Are

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. Most business enterprises today have Information Technology IT needs and its important to know what they are so you can make sure they’re met. The following contributed post is thus entitled; What Should You Do When You Don’t Know What Your IT Needs Are.

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Image Credit: Unsplash

Every business is reliant on IT in some way. IT is what allows us to store, analyze and manipulate information to refine processes and improve results. In other words, IT is the system we use to track the number of sales a business makes and figure out a strategy for improving that number.

But the only problem is, most entrepreneurs aren’t IT specialists. This means that while you probably already know that you need some form of IT system, you may not know which system is best for you, or even if you would be better off designing your own.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to work out what you need and make sure that you get it. And, once you have your IT sorted out, computer support and network maintenance will certainly follow naturally.

Define the Problem You Want to Solve

The first step is to define the problem you want your IT system to solve. In many cases, this is simply about figuring out which existing system is the best fit. For example, if you are running a shop, you will want to track your stock, know exactly what is selling and be able to monitor your profits. You won’t need to get a specialist to design this for you as most shops work in pretty much the same way and have the same requirements.

However, if you are a more unique business operating system, your IT needs aren’t likely to be covered by something off the shelf, you may need to design your own. In this case, you should try to write down exactly what you want the software to do. For example, you may require clients to fill out a form which takes them to different pages according to their answers.

The simplest way to approach this kind of design is to start by asking questions. What you do want the person using the system to be able to do and what is the best route for them to take? We all rely on our intuition to guide us through life and technology is no different. Don’t try to be clever or over complicate things; create something that a child could navigate and you won’t go far wrong!

Find the Right Solution For Your Needs

Any designer should be able to work out an intuitive solution based on the problems that you present. When everything is set up and running exactly as you envisioned, you will see a major benefit so it is important that you get the details right early on. However, don’t be afraid to develop your idea as you go along. While Version One might be just fine, Version Two could perfect the system. And, it would be wise to know now that your business is likely to change over the coming years and build in that flexibility from the start!

Finding IT solutions doesn’t require a degree in computer science, you just need to be able to articulate a problem and then get help working towards a good solution. You might feel daunted now, but once you are in the thick of it, you will see just how powerful IT can be.

Taking Care of Your Small Business’ IT

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. Most businesses today utilize some form of Information Technology (IT) and it’s thus critical to manage that component of your organization. The following contributed post is thus entitled; Taking Care of Your Small Business’ IT.

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As a society we are making more and more use of technology in our day to day lives. We use smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers to undertake a whole variety of tasks – from conducting research to watching shows and films, shopping, socialising, and more. So, it’s not all too surprising that small businesses are following suit. Technology makes our working lives easier and more convenient in the same way that it does our personal lives. However, when you begin to incorporate more technology into the workplace, you’re going to have to do more in order to maintain it and keep everything up and running. Here are a few steps that you can take to achieve this!

IT Support

Seeing as small businesses are becoming increasingly reliant on the use of technology, having some sort of IT support is now a necessity. IT support provided by reliable companies like Dyrand Systems will ensure that there are plenty of adequately trained individuals at hand who can monitor your small business’ tech (preventing problems from occurring in the first place) and can help to rectify any problems that may manage to develop down the line. This is much better than the reactive approach that many small business owners tend to take towards software issues – you don’t want to wait until something has already gone wrong before finding someone to fix it. Generally speaking, outsourcing is best for small businesses. It’s not until you begin to expand into a much larger company that you should give serious thought to developing an in-house IT department.

Upgrade Your Devices

It’s pretty common for individuals working for small businesses to become frustrated with their devices. Older devices, no matter how well they are maintained, simply succumb to the test of time eventually. Whether this is physically (as they begin to require more regular repairs and part replacements) or in terms of falling behind in comparison to new innovations in the tech world. It’s generally best to upgrade every once in awhile when your tech becomes outdated. This will ensure that you and staff are working with up to date devices and can be as productive as possible.

Upgrade Your Software

A cheaper option than upgrading your devices, and an option that you need to engage with much more regularly, is to upgrade your software. The majority of us tend to click “ignore” or “remind me later” when offered software updates. This is an understandable bad habit – when we log on, we tend to have something to do and will postpone delays. However, it’s important to upgrade your software when you get a spare moment. This will, again, keep everything up to date and current, maximising your potential productivity.

These are just a few different steps that you might want to take into consideration when it comes to keeping all of your tech up and running. Following them can really simplify multiple areas of your life!

Why Appointment Reminders Can Be Beneficial Can Be Beneficial For Your Business

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. When running any business enterprise, keeping appointments and deadlines with staff and partners is key. The following contributed post is thus entitled; Why Appointment Reminders Can Be Beneficial Can Be Beneficial For Your Business.

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With people leading busier lives than ever, it’s really easy for things to fall through the cracks, and for your clients, that might mean a forgotten appointment or two. This not only wastes your time, but it stops other people who might have needed that appointment accessing your services, and will more than likely cost you money that you are unlikely to recuperate. It is beneficial to both you and your clients that you have appointment reminder systems in place.

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1. You can redeploy resources

When you send out confirmations and reminders of appointments and don’t receive a reply, or you receive a response stating that the client will not be coming to the scheduled appointment, you can plan ahead and make the most of the time and resources. Perhaps you have a waiting list and are able to offer the time slot to someone else who needs it? If not, you can direct your staff to other tasks that need doing, or rearrange their working hours for that day. Knowing in advance means less sitting about waiting and more action.

2. You can decrease waiting times

If a client turns up even a few minutes late for an appointment, it can have a knock-on effect for the rest of the day. The next person is delayed, and the next person and so on, and before you know it, that five minutes delay has turned into an hour. No one likes waiting, and it is a sure fire way to annoy your customers. Sending an appointment reminder means they are more likely to turn up on time, and you can even customise them to request that they turn up a few minutes early, if required.

3. People like to be reminded

Studies have shown that people prefer to receive some type of digital reminder regarding their scheduled appointments. A text message is a perfect way of doing this – most of us carry our mobile phones around with us and check them regularly. It means that their day is not disrupted by phone calls from you. They also prefer the ability to reschedule their appointments if they are not able to make them. It is also perfectly safe to send reminders via text, as long as they do not contain any confidential or sensitive information.

4. You can understand your customers better

If you have a customer who repeatedly misses appointments or cancels them at the very last minute, you can keep a record of this. With this information, you can begin to build a picture and try to understand why this happens, and what you can do to prevent it. Are you booking appointments too far in advance? Are you reminding them at the right time?

Digital reminders are an excellent resource for businesses who are focused on customer service. By making the most of your time, documenting appointment habits and building a relationship with your clients, you and your staff will be able to focus on growing your business and maximizing profit.