1. Comfort

Your customers should feel relaxed and comfortable while hanging out in the lobby, since a less-comfortable facility might cause more impatience. Start with the seating arrangement. Are the chairs comfortable and clean? Would couches be a cozier alternative? Spend some time in the lobby yourself to try to gauge how the customer might feel in this situation. Place a rug over hard flooring and play soft, soothing music to help customers relax.

2. Information Accessibility

Fill your lobby with plenty of reading material that details the products and services your business offers. This will encourage visitors to learn more about your business while waiting around. Include alternative reading materials, such as magazines and books directed toward diverse audiences. Avoid the stereotype of having out-of-date reading material by continually updating your supply.

3. Customer Safety

Safety should be a top priority for business owners, which would ideally be enforced from the moment your customers walk in the door. Entryway matting can protect your flooring while preventing potential slips and falls. If your location experiences a significant amount of rain or snow each year, matting becomes even more necessary. If children visit your lobby often, avoid tables with sharp corners and choose round or oval-shaped furniture instead.

4. Convenience

We live in a busy, modern age where customers expect convenience and accommodation wherever they go. One way you can accommodate your customers’ digital dependency is by offering free Wi-Fi in your lobby so they can stay connected while waiting. Have plenty of outlets for charging electronic devices and offer tech tools like tablets to fill out surveys, request future appointments and even for playing games.

5. Something Extra

Having goody bowls around the lobby can make customers feel like they are truly appreciated. Not to mention, a bowl of candy or other treats can make the wait time a lot more bearable. Although a bowl of candy or mints is always a great classic choice, feel free to get creative and personalize. For example, you can offer mini toothpaste samples at a dentist’s office or mini Constitution booklets at a lawyer’s office.

The negative feeling of impatience can create an equally negative impression of your business, which is why making a more customer-friendly lobby is valuable for your professional reputation. In addition to making these changes, ask your customers what they want by providing a suggestion box and asking survey questions specifically about lobby experiences.

Presented By California Bank and Trust, Business Banking

June, also known as National Safety Month, is quickly approaching. If you own or manage a business, now is the time to start planning safety training sessions, equipment upgrades and employee education classes to make your office a safer place. Read on for a breakdown of the month’s four weekly themes and some ideas about how to implement each of them in your workplace.

Week one: preventing slips, trips and falls

Falling may seem like an unusual workplace occurrence, but falls account for both the majority of general industry accidents and 15 percent of all accidental deaths. Hold an employee education session in which you review the risk factors for falls and the strategies for staying safe. The major factors in most falls are: poor shoes or surfaces, human error and environmental factors, such as bad lighting or slippery floors. Of course, additional fall risks are present if your employees work at 4 feet above the ground in general industry or 6 feet above the ground in construction. Ensure these workers have received the most updated training and that their fall protection products are in good working condition.

Week two: employee wellness

Spend this week encouraging your employees to live healthy lives. Strike a deal with a local gym and sponsor your staff’s memberships there. Appoint a wellness coordinator to post healthy recipes and exercise routines on a community bulletin board. Start a wellness library with workout DVDs, vegetarian cookbooks, pedometers and heart rate monitors and encourage employees to use these resources regularly. Create a culture of wellness by making this week the kick-off for a contest that rewards staff members for logging the most steps per day or the most minutes of exercise per week.

Week three: emergency preparedness

Start this week by posting updated emergency exit maps in multiple places throughout your office space and have employees practice evacuating the building. Next, ensure your office heating, cooling and ventilation systems are in ideal conditions and are able to successfully filter contaminants. If you don’t already know how, learn to shut down these systems in the event of an emergency. Finally, be prepared for any eventuality, such as severe flooding, a blizzard or a tornado, that would force your employees to stay at work overnight. Buy a crank-powered radio and flashlight, bottled water and nonperishable food. Show your staff where these emergency supplies are stored and ask for a volunteer to update the goods every few months, throwing out any expired foods.

Week four: ergonomics

You and your employees spend at least 40 hours a week in the office, so it’s important that your workspace contributes to your health. Inspect your office and ensure it’s ergonomically designed. Desks should be situated so that everything is within reach. Employees should never have to twist, turn or stretch to type or use the phone. Rearrange furniture or change the layout of your office to reduce your employees’ physical strain. If your staff spends a significant amount of time on the phone, train them to use headsets in order to avoid neck and upper back strain.

National Safety Month is just around the corner, so it’s crucial you begin developing ideas and training sessions now. Spend each week focusing on the appropriate theme, from preventing slips, trips and falls to creating an ergonomic workspace. Soon, you’ll be working in a safer office with employees who appreciate your investment in their health and wellness.

wwfsd? – watch the watchers (Photo credit: finishing-school)

If you have a privately owned business, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to protect that business, and one of the best ways to do that is through the use of spy and security cameras. With them you can keep an eye on your employees to make sure that they’re working when they should be, keep an eye on who’s coming and going and you can avoid burglary and theft. But before you go out and buy the best spy camera, you’ll want to lean about the cons as well as the pros of workplace surveillance.

Benefits of Workplace Surveillance

Installing a well-placed security camera in your business will always cut down on the possibility of theft and other crimes. If a workers compensation claim is ever filed, you can go back and look over the footage to obtain evidence of the accident you can show to your insurance company. Security cameras can even get you a discount on your insurance premiums.

Disadvantages of Workplace Surveillance

One of the biggest drawbacks of having security cameras in the workplace is that they present the potential for a lawsuit if someone feels that their privacy is being invaded by the presence of the cameras. A labor relations board once ruled that employers have to negotiate the use of a hidden camera with a union collective bargaining agreement. The only time it would be okay for a hidden camera to be used would be in an area where there’s no expectation of privacy, such as in a room that contains a safe or vault.

Costs Associated with Workplace Surveillance

Think about how much money you’ll be spending if you decide to install surveillance cameras on the premises of your business. Black and white cameras are available for less than $100. If you want a multiple camera system with a bank of monitors, you’ll probably have to pay $3,000, which doesn’t include the cost of cables and computers. Installing several cameras might not be worth it if the product you sell isn’t very expensive. On the other hand, a multiple camera system could pay for itself if you sell an expensive product, like smartphones or jewelry.

Things to Think about Before Installing Cameras

If you don’t have enough security to protect your store, even most honest people will at least think about taking something since the chances of them getting caught are so low. While they may not act on their thought of stealing, the idea could creep into their mind simply because they know they aren’t being watched. A report showed that in 2002 US citizens stole $4.7 billion in merchandise, but only roughly 2 percent of that amount was recovered. Simply having a few visible cameras installed in your store will keep people in line, the camera doesn’t have to be connected to anything or recording anything.

You should also consider the legal implications of using a hidden camera since a majority of courts consider them to be a violation of privacy if they’re placed in such areas as bathrooms, locker rooms, dressing rooms and anywhere else where there’s an expected level of privacy. The only time a person’s privacy wouldn’t be considered to be violated would be if there’s recorded consent to the presence of cameras.

Successful business owners understand that investing in the job satisfaction of their employees is the same thing as investing in their business. When employees feel content at work, they perform better, have less absenteeism and develop a sense of loyalty to the company.

What kind of extras does it take to keep employees happy? Obviously, a raise in pay helps, but you can also offer benefits that boost morale without cutting into your profits.

Be flexible

In a survey conducted by CareerBuilder, 59 percent of those who participated reported that they would appreciate a flexible schedule over other perks like academic reimbursement or a company car. Aside from salary increases, a flexible schedule was the main factor survey participants believed would increase employee retention.

Allowing employees to work from home or take an occasional afternoon off makes workers feel like their employer understands the importance of a work-life balance – a perk that’s especially important for parents. Any costs related to a flexible schedule are generally outweighed by the positive benefits of increased productivity and employee retention.

Show you care

To feel valued, employees need to believe you care about them as individuals. As your business grows and you employ more people, the personal touch is more difficult to achieve, but no matter how large the payroll gets there are still several easy and cost-effective actions you can take:

·         Keep work areas stocked with personal care products like tissues, hand sanitizer and hand lotion, to show you care about their comfort.

·         Offer a holiday bonus. Your employees know that times are tough and the days of giant year-end bonuses are gone for now, but giving even a small amount or a gift card to a popular store may increase loyalty.

·         Start a tradition of “Doughnut Mondays” or “Pizza Fridays.” A free meal makes everyone feel more collegial and is a great way for the boss to collectively thank employees she may not see on a regular basis.

·         Offer a free gym membership to your employees and encourage them to use it. Physical activity is good for peoples’ mood and makes employees healthier and less likely to miss work. Post sign-up sheets for work-out buddies in the break room and lead by example.

·         Allow your employees to take an extra 10-minute break “off the clock” each day. Set up a ping-pong table, a social media center where workers can check their personal email or Facebook or designate a “quiet room” where employees can go to meditate for a few moments. A mere 10 minutes of change in activity can recharge the brain and help employees focus on difficult tasks

·         Send greeting cards. In this era of electronic communication, sending a traditional paper card is something of a grand gesture. Remember employees on their birthdays or work anniversaries.

Implementing at least a few of these ideas can go a long way to increasing employee satisfaction and increasing revenue. Workers have different expectations of their jobs than they once did; today few people are willing to stay with one employer just for the sake of stability. Show employees you care about their well-being, and you will be rewarded in terms of better retention and productivity.

While proper use of protective equipment and compliance with safety regulations can prevent most accidents on the job, sometimes the challenge lies in motivating employees to follow proper safety procedures and look out for their own best interests.

Lead by example

If managers enter hazardous areas without wearing safety gear, or if employers ignore safety procedures in an effort to increase production, employees get the message that maintaining a safe work environment isn’t a priority. If the boss doesn’t follow regulations, why should employees? Make sure all of your employees understand that safety is your number one concern.

• Provide a written health and safety policy and require all new hires to read it and sign-off on it.

• Start meetings by discussing a health or safety topic.

• Respond to every report or concern about unhealthy or unsafe conditions in your workplace.

• Go above and beyond government regulations to keep your workplace safe; address all possible hazards.

• Follow safety procedures as they’re written and require all managers to do the same.

• If an accident does occur, be thorough as you fill out an accident report.

Get employees involved

Involving your employees in the establishment of regulations and safety inspections will empower them to care not only about their own well-being or the well-being of their coworkers, but the overall health of your business.

• Create a safety committee comprised of employees. Rotate membership to involve as many people as possible.

• Value the feedback provided by your employees. Those who work on the floor are often more aware of hazards than managers are. Survey key employees about trends in noncompliance or safety-related complaints. When employees express concerns about safety, listen, respond and make improvements.

• Keep employees in the safety loop. Inform everyone about the result of safety inspections or changes in safety issues.

• Make sure employees know that following safe work practices is a factor that affects their monthly or quarterly performance evaluations.

• Set safety goals for each employee and establish an anonymous system for reporting hazards.

• Establish a “Safety Award of the Month,” or similar recognition for employees who go above and beyond to keep the workplace safe.

• Award employees with free lunches or other motivators each time a new safety milestone is reached.

• Provide workers with the protective equipment they need and inspect it periodically to make sure it’s in good condition.

Most employees sincerely care about the safety of their workplace, but unfortunately the “it will never happen to me” attitude is all too common. If an accident does occur, don’t try to cover it up. Look at each accident as a learning opportunity and immediately address any underlying causes.

Leading by example, involving your employees and offering positive recognition will boost morale, increase production and motivate your employees to follow all of the safety procedures needed to maintain a safe and healthy work environment.

Image: www.flickr.com

The Weapons of Digital Marketing

The main weapons used in any digital marketing project are the electronic devices that make it possible to engage the public without face-to-face contact. These would include computers, tablets, cellphones, smartphones, game consoles, and digital billboards. Of course, these are all nothing when not powered by the Internet.

As compared to traditional marketing which often requires personal and real live interaction with consumers, digital marketing efforts can be done “en masse” and in the swiftest possible time without any of the marketing group having to leave the workplace. Here lies its power. The capacity and capability of a brand to exercise authority, relevance, and influence is what measures its worth in the end.

How Does Digital Marketing Work

Digital marketing works on two basic precepts . It either pulls the attention of the consumers or pushes itself into their consciousness. When digital marketing efforts try to pull consumers, it does so with marketing content that will be sought by consumers themselves. It utilizes ways to bring consumers into a website, blog, or whatever form of streaming media related to the brand being promoted. Optimization of sites for searchability is a major component of this strategy.

When digital marketing pushes itself right smack into the view of consumers, this is often done through unsolicited and welcome messages through emails, text messages, or web feeds. Spamming falls into this category. It can be effective when used on a specific target market .

Digital Marketing Challenges Specific to Asia

Asia has recently proven that it will not sit by and watch others in this digital age. Statistics would show that Asians now comprise a big chunk of active online participants. As digital marketing trends get dominated by personalization, Asian brands and consumers have manifested their readiness in the use of social media and mobile technologies.

Like in other critical areas for digital marketing consideration, the challenge of effective collection and appropriate interpretation of data exists in Asia. Although numbers seem to be part of the Asian influence at this time, there is a corresponding challenge in handling the voluminous amount of data that can be useful to digital marketing efforts. Understanding the language can be the first step. Efforts to learn Thai for example can lead to the better understanding of Thai consumers.

Companies are slowly shifting from training courses and seminars into using training videos to train new employees, or to update current employees on new products and information about the company.  The problem with this method is that without the interaction between the trainer and the trainees, videos can quickly become boring and lose the attention of those who most need to pay attention.  You can increase the entertainment value each time you create training videos when you use the following tips.

Edit, Edit, And Edit Again

Nothing says that a presentation was quickly thrown together than having mistakes in grammar or in the information that is being presented.  Avoid including too many concepts in one video, as the attention of your attendees will quickly wane.  With too many concepts and ideas, it becomes too difficult for viewers to focus on what you want them to learn most.

Most adults only have an attention span of about eight seconds to twenty minutes.  This fact seriously limits the time you have to share your information, and cramming your presentation too full only dilutes the effectiveness of the video.  Edit your script, and then read it aloud to check the flow.  You should expect to rewrite your script and outline several times before you are ready to start recording your video.

Other quick tips for making an interesting video include:

• Saying things in the most simple way
• Only use situations that apply to all employees in the training session
• Skip sharing large amounts of information about the company during your training videos
• Use an enterprise online video player service, A social service such as youtube or viddler detracts from credibility

Try It In A Series

Break your training videos into smaller chunks rather than trying to cram all your information into one longer video.  Unless every piece of information in a long video applies to every single person at the training, you will quickly lose the attention of your viewers.  Rather than one hour long video, try breaking them up into three 20 minutes sections that can be viewed at different times.  Only require employees to watch training videos that apply to their particular job and function within the company.

Hire A Presenter

A professional presenter or actor will be much more likely to catch and keep the attention of your employees than you will.  Choose someone who is comfortable and natural in front of a camera, and someone who avoids using a monotone voice.

Include Your Employees

Your staff is more likely to be interested in your videos if those they know are participating in the video.  Although you don’t want your employees to narrate and share the entire video, have them make small appearances throughout in ways that are entertaining and informative.  For example, when speaking about safety issues, try interviewing a worker on the floor, or someone in your safety-training department.  Use employees as fillers if you need to fill space, asking them any questions that are relevant to your video.

Keep It Upbeat

Every training video should be upbeat.  Nothing depresses your employees more than a training that is focused on all the things they do wrong.  Work to keep the tone of the training upbeat, even if you are changing problem areas.  Any specific problems with particular employees should be addressed privately, and not through a video training.  Reinforce good behaviors through your training videos, and you will get more of them from your employees.

As businesses realize the benefits of using business videos for everything from customer testimonials to product launches, video-training meetings will become more and more common.  Creating an effective training video that is interesting and informative can ensure that you keep the attention of your staff, and share the information that they really need to know.

Owning a business is more than a job; it’s a way of life. All day, every day, you’re tasked with finding answers to complex questions, from how to reduce marketing costs to how to streamline manufacturing. The next time one of these problems comes across your desk, consider today’s most promising and efficient business solution—process automation.

Marketing

Computer programs, such as ZohoCRM, allow you to automate basic marketing tasks, including lead generation, sales cycle analysis, sales projections and quota tracking. Many of these software packages also let you create detailed, shareable libraries of marketing materials and statistics. Automating these simple tasks allows your salespeople to spend their time on the high-level projects that will make your company profitable, such as designing new ads and converting leads.

Social media

Free and low-cost applications, including HootSuite, Buffer and IFTTT, can almost completely automate your business’ social media presence. You can write status updates in advance and program them for release at specific times. HootSuite allows you to monitor up to 5 of your social media profiles from the same application. Using IFTT, you can pre-design your responses to customers’ posts on your page. Automating your social media allows your business to interact with customers on all platforms, all the time, keeping your brand fresh and relevant.

Machinery

If you’re building or assembling parts on a manual or cycle stop set-up, it may be time to consider upgrading to a programmable logic controller system. A PLC system determines your machinery’s output based on a programmed input. So, if your manufacturing facility has robotic arms that lift and turn parts, a sensor will first check for the part. If the part is present, the PLC will instruct the robotic arm to lift and turn. If the part has been dropped, the PLC will ask the arm to pause. You won’t have to wait through a full cycle of wasteful and potentially damaging production to reintroduce a dropped part. Instead, you’ll be able to resume manufacturing immediately. Automating production prevents damage to your machinery and factory floor while maximizing your time and resources.

Finances

Programs like Quicken, Mint and TurboTax offer financial planning tools for home and business money management. If you’re a small business owner hoping to easily sort your personal expenses from your business costs, these types of financial programs are ideal. You can automatically download online banking transactions and categorize expenses. Set up the proper parameters and you can even split a single expense between your business and personal accounts. Automating these basic financial tasks will give you a clear picture of your company’s fiscal position, without spending hours poring over the checkbook or scanning online bank statements.

Process automation is a modern, efficient solution to many of the problems your business faces on a daily basis. Everything, from your machinery to your social media presence, can be at least partially automated. This automation is crucial to your success because it reduces the time and money your company spends on simple tasks, allowing you to focus on the more nuanced and productive aspects of building your business.

Wireless Network Design (Photo credit: securedgenet)

Getting a tech start-up off the ground is an involved process with lots of moving parts to juggle, from loans to occupancy to employees. But one of the most important pieces to get right is your start-up’s level of technological health and readiness.

After all, an office replete with a comprehensive technological infrastructure improves employees’ productivity and working environment, mitigates move-in and start-up costs and l

everages the latest technology. It also sends a clear message to employees, clients and potential customers alike: We’re here, and we’re ready.

How do you know if your business is fully equipped for…well, business? These checklists will help you get your company up and running.

Wiring and Cables

Computer and phone wiring and cables are essential to your business’ success, but they’re often overlooked when opening a new office or relocating. Without the proper data and phone cables, a tech start-up definitely won’t get off the ground.

Ask these questions:

1. Does cabling for phones and computers already exist?
2. How extensively is the space wired?
3. Are existing wiring and network cabling compatible with your tech equipment and needs?
4. Is the new server room centralized so as to avoid Ethernet length limits?

Power Systems

To ensure your tech start-up runs smoothly, you need safe, reliable power supplies. The power needs of electrical equipment varies from item to item, so choosing the correct power supplies is essential.

1. Does the building offer adequate power to meet your technological needs?
2. Will you need DC power suppliers?
3. Are phase converters necessary?
4. Do you have any equipment that requires adjustable DC power sources?
5. Servers tend to heat up. Does the space offer adequate ventilation and cooling to keep them running safely?
6. Is a back-up generator available if the power goes out?

Communications Service Provider

Your technology systems depend on a reliable communications service provider, or CSP. Find out:

1. Which communications service providers serve the building?
2. Do they offer adequate service to meet your company’s technology needs?
3. Do you need fiber optic connectivity?
4. Can you use a T-1 line?

Wireless

Today’s businesses rely on wireless networking. Unfortunately, not all office buildings have caught up with the times quite yet. Things to find out include:

1. Does the office offer wireless connectivity?
2. If so, does the building or area have a high density of users?
3. What network security measures are available?

Security

Speaking of security, you need the peace of mind that comes with knowing your physical equipment is protected. Ask:

1. Is an Internet Protocol—or IP—security system available?
2. Does the building security system allow for online control and include video surveillance?

With a bit of planning, your new tech start-up will be fully loaded and ready to go. Using checklists will help keep you organized and ensure that you don’t overlook any essential items or steps. Choosing the right equipment, and vetting and planning out your new space will help put you—and your new business—on the path to success.