Device Pitstop is Good for Small Businesses

Check out this article from inc.com, which highlights Device Pitstop as a great option for supplying small businesses with high-quality, affordable electronics. Check it out:

Device Pitstop employees working around table

10 Overlooked Budget Hacks for Starting a Business

Starting a business can be costly, but you can do it on a budget and still get the same results.

By Adam Heitzman

Let’s be real, getting a business off the ground is hard. Balancing employee management with everyday operations with promotions and PR with new client outreach with current customer satisfaction…yikes, that can get overwhelming and expensive.

Aside from your standard penny pinching accounting and budgeting tips, there are plenty of ways to stretch your business budget. By employing some of these overlooked budget hacks, you can shave hundreds off your operating costs and watch your profits soar.

  1. Locally optimize your website for more foot traffic.

The majority of mobile searches usually end up in a purchase from a local business. Think about mobile users who search on the fly: they might Google “Mexican restaurants near me,” read some reviews, and then select a nearby restaurant to eat at. For free or nearly free, you can optimize your website through reviews, citations, listings, and more to make sure you’re directing as much foot traffic into your store from the internet at possible.

  1. Maximize free resources.

Just about every business owner knows the importance of having a social media presence, especially since it’s free. But what many businesses overlook are the associations, groups, and networks that can be used to their entrepreneurial advantage. Customers like businesses that are part of associations and broader professional networks because it increases the trustworthiness of the brand. It’s also a great way to meet other business owners and develop mutually beneficial, professional relationships you can learn from.

  1. Negotiate with your suppliers.

And by negotiate, I mean haggle. When it comes to product suppliers and vendors, treat their asking prices as more of a starting point than the actual price you’ll be paying. Wifi, cable, office supplies-many of these things can be negotiated through your account manager, especially if your business has been a long-time customer. Shaving a few bucks off of bills here and there can add up to savings of hundreds of dollars.

  1. Barter your business with other businesses.

Back up to the mutually beneficial, professional relationships idea. You can barter the services you offer with the services of other businesses to achieve mutual goals. Let’s say you own a small PR firm and your office is in dire need of a professional paint job. Find a locally owned painting business and offer to do some PR work for them in exchange for some of their services.

  1. Outsource.

Election season has made “outsource” a dirty word, but you don’t have to outsource every last business function to another country. Freelancers and contracts can often be hired for much less than a full time employee. If there’s something you’d normally hire a position for, such as website design, writing, social media, etc., consider hiring an independent worker. More often than not, they can get the work you need done for a fraction of the cost.

  1. Cut employee costs.

If you don’t want to outsource any jobs and want to keep employees, you can always try cutting down the costs accumulated by employees. If you’ve been catering lunches once every week for years and the cost is getting to be a bit much, reduce it to just monthly catered lunches. Some businesses have even found a four day work week to be a better fit for their employees, who work hard to enjoy their extra day off, and their costs, which are reduced by not having a fifth day of office operations (think: water, electricity, etc.).

  1. Embrace inexperienced hires.

Experienced employees are awesome, but also expensive. Unless you’re in a business that absolutely requires a certain level of experience, such as a private medical practice or law firm, be more open to inexperienced employees. Recent grads are often willing to accept a much lower salary than someone with 5 years of experience, and with a little guidance, an inexperienced but bright employee can do just as good a job.

8. Buy used electronics/sell old electronics.

Electronics are one of the most necessary and expensive parts of owning a business. Computers, phones, laptops, upgrading outdated technology-it adds up quickly, but most businesses and offices can’t operate without them. The good news is that the prevalence and necessity of technology has made attaining it much easier. Try going through a reputable refurbished electronics store for your tech needs, such as Device Pitstop. You can buy your business’s electronics at a discounted rate, sell your older gadgets without biting too much of the cost, or even trade when it’s time for an upgrade.

  1. Buy discounted office furniture.

Much like electronics, another costly but necessary piece of office equipment is office furniture. Desks, chairs, and conference room tables are deceptively expensive. Discount furniture companies offer cost-effective solutions for getting your office the right look. You can rent office furniture or buy from a clearance selection for discounted pieces that are good as new. Taking the discounted route on the expensive stuff like electronics and furniture can save your business thousands of dollars.

  1. Promote partnerships with charities.

As the giving season approaches, advertising tends to get more expensive. A great way to maximize your brand’s exposure on a business is by partnering with a charity. Not only does it attract loyal customers and draw attention from a wider audience, but it also gets you tons of free marketing and publicity through your charity of choice. Team up with a local nonprofit this holiday season to save on marketing and outreach.

Click here to see more from inc.com.

CLOTHES MENTOR: 6 Ways To Treat Your True Customers Well

NTY Franchise Company graphic with title of article

Clothes Mentor franchisee Kate Paynter wrote this helpful article for the Women On Business website. Read the article below or check it out on womenonbusiness.com.

Every year, I make a point to set a new goal for my business. Not just for me, but for all the men and women I’m proud to call team members. The goal becomes a theme that we will build on throughout the year, affecting everyone from the CEO to the front line employees. Or as I like to refer to them, my “true” customers.

Prioritizing customer service for the end customer or final consumer is nothing new. But when you are a multi-unit business owner with several layers of management, you probably don’t spend much time engaged in traditional customer service. You do have customers, however; you just may not have thought of them that way.

In 2016, I’m making it a priority to treat my true customers well. Those would be the district managers I interact with on a daily basis and count on to help the business succeed. In turn, I’ll encourage them to treat their “true” customers, the store managers, well. It’s a mission I want to trickle all the way down to our front line employees whose true customer is the final consumer.

Whether you are a business owner or manager, chances are you are providing a work experience for somebody. That somebody is a customer. Employees pay with something much more valuable than money. They pay with their time, their skills, and their effort. Supervisors that expect their teams to treat customers like royalty have an obligation to do the same for their staff.

Here are some ways to get it done:

1. Solicit Regular Feedback

Whether you use anonymous surveys, open discussions, or exit interviews, putting mechanisms in place to generate specific feedback from employees is a critical starting point.

What is the best part about working here? What is the worst part? What would you do differently if you were in charge? Where are we missing opportunities?

2. Schedule Time to Review Feedback Regularly

Weekly, monthly, quarterly — whatever time you select, have a plan for how it will be discussed. I like to review everything before the meeting, then offer my managers a summary of what we will be discussing.

Remember not to spend the entire time on what needs to improve. Dedicate some time to what the employees say is being done well. Not only is that an opportunity to offer praise for good achievement, it’s a chance for your team members to hear what’s working and see how they can implement it, as well.

3. Finish Each Meeting with an Implementation Plan and Make Good on It

Nothing will undercut your efforts to generate regular feedback than a collective sense from your employees that they aren’t being heard. This doesn’t mean you have to solve every problem, but letting people know that their concern was discussed goes a long way.

Compile your meeting notes into a summary email and distribute it to all team members. Begin with what’s going to be a top priority, followed by midterm fixes, long-term fixes, and tabled issues. Finish with anything that won’t be addressed again but offer a detailed explanation why.

4. Be Nice

I’ve been a business owner for more than 20 years and know the pressure women feel to prove that they have the toughness to succeed in business. However, a perpetual scowl and grumpy demeanor will do far more harm than good. It’s difficult to expect your front line employees to wear a smile when dealing with customers if they are regularly greeted with their supervisor’s frown.

Being nice isn’t a weakness, being afraid to be nice is. If you show confidence in your mission and consistency in your operation, there is no reason you can’t be respected while still being nice.

5. Use Your Business to Inspire Your Employees

Would your employees consider their positions to be their jobs, their careers, or their callings? Some would say that answer has more to do with the work than the organization providing it, but I believe a company’s management team has a lot to do with how meaningful they make the work.

As a resale store owner, I don’t describe our team members as selling used clothes. We’re putting cash in local women’s pockets for their gently used items. We’re helping people look like a million bucks for pennies on the dollar. We are selling confidence through clothing without busting the family budget. That’s important work that we can all rally behind.

6. Measure Results

At regular points throughout the year, we’ll take stock of how our efforts are coming. We will look deeply at our retention rates, compare employee satisfaction levels, and review where we are succeeding and where we need improvement.

Don’t make the mistake of waiting until the end of the year to check in on your progress. If your goal is to improve or maintain a high level of “true” customer satisfaction, there is no sense in waiting until December to find out that what you’re doing isn’t working. Analyze results. Develop what’s working. Scrap what isn’t.

For me, success looks like this piece of feedback from one of my most trusted managers. She is one of my true customers whom I am proud to serve.

“Continued support from such a great family/company to work for is making my experience here one to cherish. ‘Take care of the employees and they will take care of the customers’ greatly describes the way you run this “family,” and it truly makes me enjoy going to work everyday. I couldn’t be happier!”

About the Author
Kate Paynter is a pioneer in the $12 billion resale industry. She and her mother, Becky, own and operate several resale franchise units in Cincinnati, Ohio, including upscale women’s resale clothing store, Clothes Mentor.