Could conversational marketing speak to your business?
Businesses have long been advised to engage in active dialogues with their customers and prospects. The problem was, historically, these interactions tended to take a long time. Maybe you sent out a customer survey and waited weeks or months to gather the data. Or perhaps you launched a product or service and then waited anxiously […]
Why some businesses choose to execute a pivot strategy
When you encounter the word “pivot,” you may think of a politician changing course on a certain issue or perhaps a group of friends trying to move a couch down a steep flight of stairs. But businesses sometimes choose to pivot, too. Under a formal pivot strategy, a company consciously changes its strategic focus in a […]
Empower your sellers with sales enablement
The driving revenue force of just about every kind of business is sales. But all too often, once a sales team is up and running, it’s left to its own devices to maintain its strengths, develop new skills and upgrade its technology. This can produce mixed results — some sales departments are remarkably self-sufficient while […]
B2B businesses need a cohesive strategy for collections
If your company operates in the business-to-business (B2B) marketplace, you’ve probably experienced some collections challenges. Every company, whether buyer or seller, is trying to manage cash flow. That means customers will often push off payments as long as possible to retain those dollars. Meanwhile, your business, as the seller, needs the money to meet its […]
Businesses must face the reality of cyberattacks and continue fighting back
With each passing year, as networked technology becomes more and more integral to how companies do business, a simple yet grim reality comes further into focus: The cyberattacks will continue. In fact, many experts are now urging business owners and their leadership teams to view malicious cyberactivity as more of a certainty than a possibility. […]
8 key features of a customer dispute resolution process for businesses
No matter how carefully and congenially you run your business, customer disputes will likely happen from time to time. Some of the complaints may be people looking to negotiate a discount, “game the system” or even outright defraud you. But others could be legitimate complaints arising from mistakes on your company’s part, technological glitches or, perhaps […]
Health care self-insurance and stop-loss coverage: What business owners need to know
For businesses, cost-effectively sponsoring a health insurance plan for employees is an ongoing battle. In the broadest sense, you have two options: fully insured or self-funded. Health care self-insurance is something to know more about. A fully insured plan is simply one you buy from an insurer. Doing so limits your financial risk while offering […]
A general look at generative AI for businesses
If you follow the news, you’ve probably heard a lot about artificial intelligence (AI) and how it’s slowly and steadily expanding into various aspects of our lives. One widely cited example is ChatGPT, an AI “chatbot” that can engage in conversations with users and create coherently written articles, as well as other content, when prompted. […]
7 common payroll risks for small to midsize businesses
If your company has been in business for a while, you may not pay much attention to your payroll system so long as it’s running smoothly. But don’t get too complacent. Major payroll errors can pop up unexpectedly — creating huge disruptions costing time and money to fix, and, perhaps worst of all, compromising the […]
Business owners, your financial statements are trying to tell you something
Business owners are commonly and rightfully urged to regularly generate financial statements in compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). One reason why is external users of financial statements, such as lenders and investors, place greater trust in financial reporting done under the rigorous standards of GAAP. But that’s not the only reason. GAAP-compliant financial statements […]
