Are You Getting The Most Out Of Your Database?

Imagine how much simpler your life would be if you had all your business contacts together in one place. One click of your mouse would reveal how effective your latest marketing campaign has been. Know at a glance which of your products/services is the most profitable.

Your custom-designed database will put this information right at your fingertips. Today, I'd like to share with you my tips for ensuring that your database gives you the business information you need, when you need it!

What is a database?
A database is a collection of information relating to a particular topic kept together in one place, for you to access whenever you need. You can use a database to simplify your:

MARKETING CAMPAIGN--set up a database to plan your marketing  campaign; track results of your marketing campaign; or analyse trends in your marketing campaign.

CLIENT & CONTACT MANAGEMENT--set up a database to keep track of your clients and contacts; analyse your business--which products/services are the most profitable; or see which clients are buying which product/service.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT--set up a database to keep track of your spending; manage your invoices to clients; or monitor overdue invoices.

MEMBERSHIP ORGANISATIONS--set up a database to keep track of members; send out membership renewal letters; or monitor subscriptions.

Your list for database uses will likely be much longer--just brainstorm a list of all the places where consolidated information would make your life easier!

The secret's in the planning
You want to get the most out of your database, right? Then make sure to plan it right from the start.

Before you go running off to set up your database you need to ask yourself these important questions:

::What do you want to use your database for?
::What data do you want to keep track of?
::Who will be collecting the data?
::How much data is there to collect--50 records or 500 records?
::Who will be doing the updates?
::What reports do you want your database to generate?

You may find it easiest to map this out on a piece of paper first. Work out how your database is going to fit together. How will each category relate to the others?

Get the maximum use out of your database:
By now, you've invested a lot of time in your database plans, design, and  setup. Don't miss this important step: getting the most out of your creation.

First, you'll want to make the database as easy to use as possible. Create  one-click touches to produce the information you need. Set up shortcuts so you can create the most important reports quickly. And make sure you really consider the easiest way to enter new data.

By applying this advice in your own database, yours will be easy to use AND  have the maximum use value to you!

Answering Service, What Every Small Business Needs!

An answering service is what every small business needs. Anyone who has ever worked for a small business, or has owned a small business knows that the answering service is a true God send. Every time you are not able to answer the phone, you take the risk of losing business. With an answering service, you don’t worry about missing important calls. Whether its an emergency or just an important client that needs a fire put out, answering services can meet your need.

Think about a day with and without an answering service. You are taking a much needed day off and your secretary calls in sick. Your staff is out in the field doing whatever it is they do and your phone is MIA. Your biggest client needs a fire put out and needs it taken care of immediately. If you didn’t have an answering service what would be your options. Cancel your much needed day off and answering the phone yourself. Or, let your answering service handle all the calls and only notify you in an emergency or if a big client calls. Now you can enjoy your day off with the piece of mind knowing that if anything comes up, you’ll be the first to be notified by your very own answering service.

If you don’t currently have an answering service in your bag of tricks, maybe its time to investigate what an answering service can do for you. Believe it or not, answering services are relatively inexpensive. Considering how much money they can either make you by routing important calls to you from prospective new clients or save you by letting you know your number one client needs something done ASAP. Get an answering service today and grow your business with the piece of mind knowing that your answering service will keep you adequately informed of any important incoming calls.

An overview of Indian Market

Nowadays, outsourcing has become one of the most reliable alternatives for foreign firms to delegate their tasks to other nations in order to meet their goals of fulfilling their tasks in the field of either IT, generating software’s, or passing their companies information to customers. It is an act of providing the services in the cheapest way by means of assigning their work to countries which are economically low and hence have lower costs. But as for outsourcing, it also generates some pros and cons, specifically, outsourcing to India.

The very first benefit as they see is how much money they can save by outsourcing. India tends to provide its services in possibly one of the cheapest costs in the world. They are more knowledgeable in the fields of networking, IT and overall in the field of computers as compared to other counties. However, they are paid much less than the employees in Western countries which can make their work done in much discount whereas India can make its mark globally and economically around the world. Many workers are much more knowledgeable that their western counter-parts in mathematics, science and technology, as it helps in doing the work much effectively. Also, this helps in building the bridge in communication between the two countries in order to achieve the same purpose.. Also, foreign countries can get much more opinions and suggestions from their outsourcing team. Getting access to better technologies at the cheaper cost means that productivity increases.

However, the disadvantages of outsourcing to nations like India also should be put into consideration where the risk involves getting proof whether the company will stick with the work outsourced to them, and whether they perform their task effectively till the end of the project.

Communication barriers can also play their part in creating misunderstandings of the task. Also, cultural barriers need to be put into consideration before outsourcing work to countries with different cultures. Although, outsourcing to the country like India can be seen as a win/win situation but these misunderstanding can rift in the working relation .also, time difference plays a vital role in the miscommunication and this can lead to the work to be perform in an ineffective way. It is also much more necessary to check out the company to whom you’re outsourcing data and to see whether the company is motivated and capable in performing the task.

Usually, the business is spread in an international basis and a large number of information is communicated between the two companies situated far away though networking, so the possibility occurs where an unauthorized person can gain access to the computer and the basic information can be stolen and also chances of the data to be copied and can be sale out to your competitors.

Hackers who are much more knowledgeable in getting and knowing how to enter the basic data and gaining the companies information, can possibly make your company a victim and your information through networking can possibly be mishandled and can be hacked , These basics disadvantages can put you down from outsourcing to India ,where they can also seen as a barriers in achieving the tasks , and company have to think twice before outsourcing to India.

However ,outsourcing to the nation like India have their pros and cons and usually can be seen as a positive step , but some Basics tips should also be considered for a safety measures . Before the work to be outsource, your company should have a vast research for the appropriate company which can perform the task in the appropriate way and to see whether the company is reliable in performing their task.. India is a great place to find incredibly reasonable programmers and web services provider. Where as, dealing people in India, you have to be polite and just not avoid small talks to find whether they are up to their mark. You have to be firm without being rude until u get your entire question to be answered. Be clear about your project and explain what you need from them.

Usually most of the companies wants the foreign firms to do everything with them, so to be on the save side don’t do everything with one company and should have a necessary backup plans , don’t put all your eggs in the same basket. People in India are far more eager to work in many cases who go through many of the struggles and triumphs that’s why foreign countries find India as a better option to outsource the work.

An Easy Way To Make Your Small Business More Visible-For Free

No two small businesses are alike, but most want to be like their larger counterparts in some key respects. For example, even if you own a company with only a few really great customers, you want to be visible enough to attract new customers, boost your odds of securing repeat business and do all you can to improve customer satisfaction.

The key, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), is having a business Web site. The SBA's own Web site notes that the Web "levels the playing field between small business and big business" because it is such a dynamic, inexpensive medium for advertising and customer service. "The Internet is making it possible for small- to medium-sized businesses to compete with the big guys," the SBA said.

Conventional wisdom says that any business without a Web presence these days is at a distinct disadvantage, but the latest International Data Corporation (IDC) small-business research exposes a surprising gap. The IDC research found that of the 6.8 million businesses in the United States with fewer than 10 employees, only 3.8 million have a Web site. "That means 3 million U.S. small businesses-or 44 percent of the total-aren't using the Internet to promote themselves online or engage customers and prospects," said Ray Boggs, vice president of Small/ Medium Business and Home Office Research at IDC. "In today's connected world, companies that take that step generally find that having their own Web site can deliver a significant opportunity to grow their business, especially if the site is updated regularly."

Clearly, small businesses (and many of their customers) are online, yet more than half aren't exploiting the full power of what the Internet can do to help build their business. That power includes creating a dynamic Web site to attract and retain customers, taking advantage of search engines to heighten awareness of a company in today's global marketplace, and communicating with customers around the clock or at their convenience.

What stops small businesses from stepping up to this level? For many, the barriers are cost, complexity and inconvenience. By its nature, a small business typically has a small budget and an equally small staff. Unlike the larger companies it competes with, a small business generally can't afford to spend thousands of dollars to buy a server, create a complicated infrastructure and hire an IT technician to keep it all running smoothly.

The good news is that some new offerings are cropping up that allow you to establish a Web presence without heavy-duty in-house technical resources and a big cash outlay. For example, Microsoft Corp. has a new Internet-based service called Microsoft Office Live, which at the most basic level provides a small business with a domain name, e-mail accounts and a Web site for free.* It's one of the quickest and easiest ways today to get your business on the Internet. And, because it's supported by advertising revenue, and the advertising is designed to be unobtrusive and not appear in the customer's public-facing Web sites, the basic offering is free. Yes, it's free, and you can sign up to test-drive the service.

"I need an attractive, easy-to-navigate Web site that I can update frequently and efficiently. With Office Live, I can create a slide show of a sailboat race and have it online before the boats even get back to the dock," said Elizabeth T. Becker, a freelance writer and photographer and owner of Seaport Photography. "That means I get to spend less time in front of my computer and more time behind my camera. It's smooth sailing."

With such an all-in-one solution, a small-business Web site really is a no-brainer. Look at it this way: In a day and age when the majority of Americans use the Internet regularly, it's highly likely that a large percentage of your customers do, too.

All-in-one folder production companies effective for businesses: big or small

Working in an office environment makes the effectiveness of proper office supplies important. Whether a business is large or small, printing folders for presentations can be done in a cost effective manner. However, most companies make large quantities price cuts, which often has smaller businesses buying less so to stay on budget. While working for myself, the need for small runs of professional looking products is vital to my success.

When shopping for a printing company, I discovered that most often these other printers produce folders on low-quality stock that creases easily, leaving them looking non-professional. Some companies even have you doing some do it yourself assembly, which adds to the overall time frame of the work. However, one company seems to fit the mold to avoid all of these disadvantages for companies and offers an added bonus --- free business cards.

With their help, cost-effective projects are completed, which promote the products and services of your company. They often are the proper solution for your printing problems, while being printed on 350gsm silk stock. In addition, all the assembly is done when you receive the job. Each folder includes a spot to place your business card, which adds to the overall professionalism involved with the folders.

The quantity you need will be printed --- no minimum quantity orders are processed. Designs are also available to be created in case you do not have in-house designers or just don’t have the time to put into it. A team of creative, talented and professional designers will create a design to fit your professional needs. Often times, printing projects are a stressful task for businesses. By leaving it to the printing company to design, print and assembly, businesses can relieve themselves of the stress involved with this work.

Most wonder how one company can work this way while others require minimum runs that most often discourage small businesses from doing business with them. However, with this work ethic, maximum efficiency occurs and overall customer satisfaction occurs. With professional presses, high quality prints are created even on low runs and leaves me satisfied with every order.

Overall customer satisfaction is important. When ordering because of their PDF workflow ethic, I was able to receive proofs of my design before it was printed. This added to my overall satisfaction with the company. Overall, with keeping all businesses in mind, the future success of their work will be continued to supply professional looking products for its customers – big or small.

Advantages of Inventory reconciliation Management

Inventory management refers to the procedure of organization the stocks of finished products and supplies by a compact. Inventory management, if done accurately, can transport down expenses and increase the profits of a compact. Not a substance what the business size it must administer many fixed assets, types of assets, quickly changing asset bases, many locations, and ever-changing tax laws and requirements. Fixed asset inventory software can also reduce encumber of fixed asset reduction calculations for financial and tax exposure, asset inventory tracking and reconciliation services, and private property tax filings. Inventory management software has an amplified business on the web, following the importunate increase and achievement of e-commerce. Inventory management software helps administer inventory from any location in the world. Inventory management software is perfect for business. Inventory management software correspondences are designed for inventory control. The software makes easy the making of an account, and inventory control, stock balance management, goods item direction. Our Accounting Services, a company leader in this area of specialty, can provide to the demanding supplies of global customers in Inventory management. Inventory management software solution packages:

• QuickBooks
• Peachtree
• Sage Line 50
• Quicken
• MYOB
• IRIS
• La Certe
• Pro Tax

Inventory software can create the assignment of fixed asset managing easier from achievement through removal. Software such as this eliminates superfluous data entry, enhances accurateness, and reduces costs over handbook tracking of fixed assets. There is inventory software accessible from the essential system of normal barcodes to the more complicated long range asset management. Some business offer inventory software on the internet. As well there are businesses for appoint that will approach. Using complicated devices for gathering of data, our inventory management team captures asset attributes professionally at the point of entry. This ensures benefit information in detail, and accurateness.

Advantages and Disadvantages of doing Data Entry versus OCR

Want a digital format of the hard copy of any document? OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology can be the right option. Changes are taking place in the field of Data Entry service with the improvement of modern technology. Apparently, you may think OCR service as a substitute of data entry service, however, OCR services come with both advantages and disadvantages.

Overview of OCR

Optical Character Recognition is a modern technology for digital replication. OCR technology comes with software, hardware and an additional circuit in the computer to execute conversion process. OCR software can not only read the fonts but also recognize line breaks in a document. The process of OCR is quite simple and easy to manage. The entire process of converting hard copy of a document into electronic document may take only a few seconds.

Advantages of OCR

If you are looking for only converting any document into editable digital format then there is nothing better than OCR services. Optical Character Recognition process saves the time and effort of developing a digital replica of any document. No need to type characters manually on a digital file. Just place the hard copy of the document inside a scanner and get the digital format of that document with the help of OCR software.

With OCR process you can convert a document in several electronic formats like – Microsoft Word, Excel, HTML, PDF, Text or Rich Text formats.

Documents, which are converted through OCR process, are editable and allow the user to modify the content. Compared to manual data entry service the cost of OCR service is quite less for developing electronic replica of any document. OCR service proved better than data entry service for the organizations, which are engaged in developing electronic copy of printed books.

Disadvantages of OCR Service

There are several disadvantages of OCR service regarding the cost as well as the process of recognizing the characters. Initially, the cost of developing replica through OCR process may seem lucrative but if you consider the cost of entire OCR system life cycle, the cost will be much higher than data entry service. Correcting OCR errors counts more cost than preparing a digital format of the document.

High accuracy OCR software can read more than 400 characters/second, approximately, and generates less number of OCR errors compared to any ordinary OCR software. Therefore, if you are looking for OCR process you have to maintain a separate workstation for correcting OCR errors.

OCR software is not efficient in recognizing the handwriting and the fonts, which are quite similar to handwriting. In such cases manual typing plays better role than OCR process.

How efficient is Data Entry Service  than OCR?

Compared to ordinary OCR process, conversion life cycle cost is less in data entry service and it provides complete flexibility to data entry operators preparing digital documents from multiple formats like hard copy or audio files. Consider the service of medical transcription where you need to prepare digital documents from audio files. OCR cannot prepare digital document by scanning any audio files. In such services, data entry can prove better than OCR.

It has been found that for services like mailing list conversion or data extraction from the Internet, manual data entry services are still widely accepted across the industry. Data entry service comes with several levels – staring from inserting raw data in a document to an error free document. OCR is efficient during the initial level of data entry service but cannot be a substitute of data entry service. However, the selection of a right service (Data Entry or OCR) depends on requirements of the job.