There has always been something of a paradox in the area of customer service. It is a cost center, not a revenue generator, so companies want to do get it done while spending as little as possible. But everyone knows that customer relations are absolutely vital to future sales and maintaining long-term relationships with buyers, so it needs to be done as well as possible.

While these dual objectives may seem at odds, modern solutions are helping to make them align. Technology has cut out a lot of the waste we saw with traditional operations, and hybrid call center implementation has brought new levels of both quality and efficiency into the landscape.

To show just how well this can all work, the following represent merely a few of the big-time cost benefits that can be achieved through call centers. [Read more…]

If you’re going to start a business, then you are probably going to need some money to make it all happen. Perhaps you are lucky enough to be able to self-fund your idea or borrow the money from a trusted friend or family member, but if you’re like most new entrepreneurs, you’re probably going to need to apply for business finance from a bank, investor, or another business lender. Getting funding for your business is no easy task, so before you get started with filling out your application, here are some factors to keep in mind. [Read more…]

Many companies have suffered spectacularly due to scandals. Enron. Arthur Andersen. Tyco. Union Carbide. Bear Sterns. The list of organizations to go bust due to incompetence and negligence is large enough to fill an entire ocean.

Very few people feel any empathy for these firms after they fail. Nor should they! These companies and the executives in charge brought their fate on themselves.

Unfortunately, the public instinct to form a mob to go after a company can sometimes be very unfair. Some companies have done little — or even nothing — wrong only to find themselves embroiled in controversy and facing extreme public backlash. Usually, the record can be corrected and the full story does reveal itself in time. All is forgiven.

Yet, in some cases, persistent damage remains and the company has to continue fighting to clean the mud off of its name for years — or even decades. The following represent some of the worst myths that nearly destroyed big brands and how they were able to right the ship to save their reputation. [Read more…]

Bankruptcy is somewhat of a dirty word in the financial world. While bankruptcy has certainly been stigmatized to some degree, it’s fairly common. Just under 770,000 individuals filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. in 2017.

However, just because other people are doing something doesn’t mean you should as well. Bankruptcy is best avoided. This is why exploring all your options before bankruptcy is the right move.

[Read more…]

Entrepreneurs will need to inject much blood, sweat and tears into their restaurant each day. It will not only require much of their time and effort, but it could also cost a significant sum to get started.

For this reason, you must take the steps to protect your investment to ensure its longevity. [Read more…]

It’s not hard to see why more and more people today are choosing to take the entrepreneurial route. After all, not only does running a business give us more freedom with our work, but it can also offer higher rewards too. However, achieving success is by no means an easy task. It requires a lot of careful planning and hard work. So to increase your chances of getting the desired results, here are a few things you should do before starting a small business. [Read more…]

Living on the edge, just one paycheck away from certain poverty is not a lifestyle that anyone enjoys. Yet, the vast majority of the American population (approximately 75%) live this way. Unfortunately, it’s a scenario doomed from the start, wherein any situation that presents itself that requires money, will unravel your delicate financial state. The good news is that there are many ways to turn your life around and enjoy a bright financial future. [Read more…]

When you hear the word gambling what kind of image does it conjure up? An exasperated person desperately trying to win back their life savings having just lost them all? Someone sitting at a slot machine for hours trying to hit the jackpot? Or even the image we’ve been given by a number of hit films; criminals attempting to rob a casino and being chased out by the gangster casino owners and security? In reality, gambling is a lot less dramatic and many people take part in it as a casual, fun hobby. Gambling has a bad reputation but when played responsibly there are actually a lot of benefits to taking part. [Read more…]