Making the Most of Your Accounting Software

What is Accounting Software? Accounting software is computer software that records and processes accounting transactions within functional applications. These functional applications are different sections of the software dealing with particular areas of accounting such as Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Budgeting, Cash Management, General Ledger, Inventory Control, Payroll, Purchase Order, Report Writer and Sales Analysis. What…

Protecting Yourself Against Fraud

There’s a lot to look out for when it comes to the protection of your business. And, the truth is that you can’t necessarily protect yourself against every eventuality. There is a lot you can do to avoid falling victim to corrupt fraudsters. You just need to spend some time implementing processes that will safeguard your business and customers.

Shipping for Success and Profit

Once the sale is made, customers expect to receive their purchases as quickly and smoothly as possible – the source of the #1 customer complaint. All major shippers offer good service, so shop around to select what works best for you and the types of products you are shipping. Use good packing materials and methods to ensure safe delivery. Make sure addresses are complete and include your return address. And give the customer a break when it comes to cost – they don’t like to pay shipping charges!

Hiring Smart in Today’s Challenging Economy

Bringing quality people into your organization can be tricky, and there are many issues to consider. By deciding what skills, abilities, and traits are important to you, you know who to look for and how to begin interviewing them. Good paperwork practices aid the process, whether it’s the employment application, or the interview form, or the many new hire forms that must be completed. Being ready goes a long way in making the process successful for you and your new hire.

Sourcing Your Start-Up Money

Sobering Statistics The statistics are sobering; half of all small businesses fail within their first four years.  The number one reason:  underestimating financial needs.  You are well aware of the need for cash to get your business launched, but you must also take into account what may be happening with your business in 6 months,…

Understanding the Basics of Customer Service

Your customers are your partners in business and taking their wants and needs into account is your primary concern. Use each contact as an opportunity to win your customer’s trust and loyalty. Make good on your mistakes, quickly and with a positive attitude. Be sure your smile is heard when handling inquiries and complaints, whether through e-mail or over the phone. Make full use of technology to gather, analyze, and use customer data in such a way that it helps you better serve them.

Understanding Basic Business Legalities

There are many legal issues facing businesses, and though they may seem overwhelming at first, most business owners manage to navigate the sea of them and survive. Attorneys and accountants can prove invaluable, but there is also a multitude of information and assistance available online and through software applications. One of the most crucial decisions, with long-term implications, is how to structure the company, which affects many of the tax and liability issues. Weighing all the options before making the decision sets a wise course.

Uncapping Your Creative Potential

Nothing changes until someone changes their own thinking, and then that of others. Since our minds prefer order and stability, we have to shake up their status quo if we want to produce a creative idea. We can do this by using some simple but effective methods that make our brains build new associations, and then work over those ideas to make them solid enough to stand on.

Writing an Effective Business Plan

Planning out your business on paper first gives you long-term benefits with potential investors, employees, vendors, and suppliers. The business plan becomes your roadmap to success, with pertinent data that shapes the course of your business start-up and lets you adjust your journey as contingencies arise. Business planning templates are readily available and data sources abound at your fingertips. You will achieve a solid understanding of your business as you work through each section of your plan.