Archives for July 2012

Why Customer Relationship Management is Important for a Business

July 31, 2012 by

When people start a new business they often times focus on employee hiring, income tax filings, tax estimators, payroll issues etc.  This is understandable since these are the necessary tools to doing business day to day.  However, these aren’t the only tools to doing business.  You need a customer base, and a happy one at that, if you expect to survive beyond day one.  Smalls businesses often fail within the first five years, and it’s not because of a lack of start up capital, or available talent pool, rather it’s a lack of decreasing or non-existent revenue coming in.  Rule number one of doing business, keep your customers happy!

Customer relationship management is an often overlooked business avenue.  CRM is the integration and interaction of a system to communicate with one’s client base, as well as potential customers.  This communication typically manifests itself into sales activities and support, but it can involve human resources, customer service, and overall relationship management with the company and client(s).  The benefits are almost endless.  You can experience a decrease in overheard costs for both you and your customer, improve effectiveness across the board, and heighten overall customer satisfaction.  The first step in effectively implementing customer relationship management at your company is to find reliable software to make the process easier.  Quality CRM software is essential to establishing a good relationship between the client and customer.  In the end the best measurements are the tangible ones, such as increasing sales, retaining customers, and saving you money in the process.

Filed Under: Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Miscellaneous

Insight And Inspiration For Handling Your Personal Finances

July 31, 2012 by

Is debt about to overwhelm you? Has your spending gotten out of your control? No matter what money issues plague you, the key is to take the reins promptly and get back on track. Read on to see how changing your financial approach will place you in control of your finances.

Use market trends in your Forex analysis. You want to buy low then sell high so always keep yourself informed. Don’t sell on a downswing or an upswing ever. If you don’t ride out a trend fully, you need to be really clear on your goals.

Try using the automatic withdrawal plan at your bank so that you will automatically have money transferred into your savings account at regular intervals. This is an excellent strategy which helps you to manage your money much better each month. It can also be useful for when you are trying to save enough money for a major event, such as a cruise or a wedding.

Financial issues can come up suddenly, without warning, so it’s always good to be prepared. Know what your late fees cost and how many days you can pay past the due date. Make sure you know all of your options before you sign a lease.

Young people who want to take care of their future finances should discover how compound interest works. Make an account just for savings, and automatically put a certain percentage of your earnings into it.

If you have a good month where you finally get ahead, this is your cue to actually start saving, not to start spending more. Try sticking to your budget and not allowing harm to come to your finances again.

Protect your finances by ensuring you have the proper medical insurance policy. Everybody is going to get sick sometimes. Therefore, it is important to have good health insurance. Hospital bills can be more than 20K for a few days! This can ruin you financially if you don’t possess insurance.

Your expenses are important, so take a little time to look at the different types of spending you do. Put your mortgage or rent in the “fixed expenses” category and put other expenses into a “variable” category. This is helpful in making a budget you can live with. Being keenly aware of what costs what at all times will aid you on the path of success.

If you haven’t opened an FSA yet, do so now. This money will be tax free so it ends up saving some money.

Save up those extra dollars. Try collecting them in a money jar, and if you have any money to spare, try buying one lottery ticket once a month. Only purchase one though, as purchasing more can lead to the loss of the money you just saved.

Make sure you have a checking account that works for you. Lots of people remain with their checking account they’ve used for many years, even if they are being charged large monthly fees. Review the current fee structure that applies to your account. Take the time to shop around and see if you can’t find an account that will let you hang onto more of your money.

Stop wasting money on get rich quick schemes that promise you a fortune. Internet marketers tend to fall for these schemes. Spend some time learning, but remember that the most important thing is to use that knowledge productively.

Of course, you will feel lost if your personal finances are not doing well. But with just a little hard work, you can get your financial situation back on track. Use the ideas contained in this piece and begin making wise financial moves today. Before long, your money problems will be a thing of the past.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous

Economic Advice To Help You Stay On Top Of Your Financial Matters

July 24, 2012 by

If you have been wanting to learn more about personal finances, this article can give you useful information that you ought to know. Here you will see techniques and tips that will help you maintain good credit and how to create a budget.

Allow yourself a weekly cash allowance to prevent splurging your savings wastefully. The cash can be used for treats like coffee with friends, new music, books or a new pair of shoes, but once it’s spent, you’re done until the next allowance. It will help you stay on your budget and still enjoy the little things.

With each paycheck that you receive, make sure you set aside some money intended for saving first. Leaving this money aside will keep you from spending it. Knowing this money is put aside for savings, it helps you to create a budget and avoids the temptation to spend it.

Always read letters sent to you by credit card companies, even if they are tediously long and boring. They are required by law to contact you 45 days prior to any changes taking effect on your account. Look into the changes made and decide if the account is worth keeping. If they are not, then close it!

The night before you get paid, make out your weekend budget. On payday, don’t touch your money. This will allow the money for bills to still be available on Monday.

Have you considered signing up for a credit card that offers a rewards program? If you are one of those people that always manages to pay off your credit card bills on time, you should definitely try getting a rewards card. You can get cash back, airline miles or other rewards every time you make a purchase using a rewards card. Carefully study different reward cards, and find the card that offers the best rewards.

If you don’t want to neglect some of your financial responsibilities in a moment of weakness, then you should limit how much alcohol you drink. In order to maintain good financial sense, it’s a good idea to avoid drinking alcoholic beverages when you go out to eat.

A lot of people frequently spend over $20 a week on lottery tickets in the hope that one day they will win the jackpot. However, you would be better off investing that money in a high-interest savings account that is sure to bring you benefits instead. This is a better option because it will grow over time versus being wasted on a gamble.

Have some money automatically deducted into a savings account every payday to create an emergency fund. Automatic deduction frees you from the responsibility of remembering to save all the time, and the money you save could be a lifesaver in the case of unexpected unemployment, medical expenses, disaster or other crises.

Look at all of the costs in detail when deciding if it makes sense to rent or buy. While you will certainly have a mortgage payment to make in addition to other expenses, down the road, you will own the property outright. Renting is just a money pit. After years of renting, you will still have no equity to show for it.

We have covered many things regarding the basics on how to handle personal finances. You learned ways that you can save money and manage your finances more efficiently. If you want to attain financial security, you must seriously identify the steps to take. Do all of the work now, so that you can enjoy the benefits later. Use the information in this article to achieve success with your finances.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous

Saving Money Via Your Bank Accounts

July 18, 2012 by

Very few people ever think to look at their actual bank accounts as a source of money waste. The fact is that there are a lot of costs incurred when using certain types of accounts that, depending on your bank, might be avoidable. If you haven’t taken the time to really take a look at your accounts you should, as you probably will be surprised at the amount of money you’re spending in the very location where you actually should be earning and saving.

First you need to focus on your actual banking needs. There may be certain fees that you can avoid and certain types of accounts that can save you money, but if you don’t have a good idea of what you actually need you won’t know where to find them or what to look for.

A few of these needs would be how frequently you withdraw or transfer funds, write checks and make payments. Also take a look at what specialized services you use, what the bank’s ATM fees are and how much they charge per check to record them.

Bank fees can eat up your money, so know what they are and what services use the most. Some accounts, for example, charge for every transaction you make while some have a flat fee. Some actually will charge nothing if you keep a specified minimum balance in your account.

Shopping around for the best bank is a great idea and one that deserves a bit of consideration. Customer service is important, no doubt, but saving money trumps a pretty smile any day in my book.  If you find a bank with lower fees change banks.

Remember that a bank is a business and a business wants to make money. If they do a good job for you letting them have a little of your money is OK but there’s no need to give them more than that. Do your due diligence and make sure you’re not paying too much.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous

Becoming Financially Stable

July 7, 2012 by

Basic personal finance management doesn’t require advanced expertise. With just a moderate amount of logical thinking and some smart money management ideas, you can simultaneously stay within budget and add to your wealth.

Although you may not realize it at first glance, there are considerable potential savings involved in buying a home. If you buy, you need to pay for a mortgage, maintenance, property taxes and insurance each month, but you will own the property. In renting, you are paying a monthly bill for something that never becomes yours.

It is a good idea to add some type of foreign intrigue to one of your investments. No load mutual funds greatly reduce the expense involved in buying individual foreign stocks.

Make sure you have adequate health insurance coverage. Everyone gets sick eventually. This is why it is imperative to make sure you have quality health insurance. Doctor, hospital and prescription medication costs can total thousands upon thousands of dollars. Bills of this nature can ruin you financially without health insurance.

When you need to improve your credit, clear up debt first. The best way to be debt free is by paying off your credit cards and any loans, and you will need to do some cutting back. Prepare meals at home and limit expensive entertainment outside the house. Packing your lunch can save you big bucks. If you want to get out of debt, you’ll need to reduce the amount you spend.

Some people spend $20 to $30 each week in lottery drawings hoping to ‘win it big.’ Instead, invest that same amount of money in a savings account. This is a better option because it will grow over time versus being wasted on a gamble.

Allow your profits to run in Forex. Be careful not to let them run too much, however, as this can be a risky strategy. It is important not to push it too far and know when it is best to take your profits and stop trading.

To get a better idea of what will happen to the markets you invest in, keep track of international news. Many Americans don’t pay attention to news outside of the United States, but this can be a mistake if you trade currencies or have significant investments. The more you know about the world around you, the better prepared you will be to make informed decisions regarding investments and the market.

Rewards credit cards can serve many different benefits. This particular applies if you are great with paying off your monthly balance. Rewards cards offer incentives like cash back, airline miles, and other perks when you use it. Make a short list of cards with rewards you like and compare them in terms of reward points per dollar spent.

Make sure you stay on top of your credit score. It is terribly important to maintain a high credit score in order to get low interest loans and credit cards. If your credit score checks out to be low, you could be at risk for being denied housing or cell phone plans. Be wise when using your credit in order to maintain a high credit score.

Consider changing to a checking account which is free, or one which carries no service fees. Check out the banks in your community, and don’t forget to also look for free accounts available online or through credit unions.

As this article has shown, you have the capability of raising your net worth, living within your means, and achieving a healthy and enjoyable financial state. If you combine your common sense with the beneficial financial advice presented in this article, you can devise a budget that’s easy to maintain, decrease or eliminate your debt, develop a savings plan, and gain control of your personal finances before they gain control of you.

Filed Under: Blogging, Miscellaneous

Setting Up a New Business

July 5, 2012 by

There are many good reasons to set up your own business, including becoming your own boss and moving into a career that you are passionate about. With that in mind, there is no wonder that the number of people setting up new companies is on the rise – with 396,000 being formed in the year to March 2011. This figure marks an increase of 9.4 per cent year on year and is the highest amount since the beginning of the recession.

If you want to start up your own business, you’ve probably already had your genius idea and are wondering what to do next. There are many things you need to consider when you start a business – from hiring a company such as XLN Telecom to set up your business phone lines and internet to registering with HMRC. However, don’t let the list of things to do put you off, just work through them one by one and see it as an exciting start to your new venture.

Firstly, make sure you register with HMRC for tax and national insurance purposes – making sure you do this right away will ensure you do not receive any fines further down the line. If you are setting up as a sole trader, you will need to register as self-employed and if you are starting a company, you must register for corporation tax. If you are unsure which applies to you, HMRC will be only too happy to help. If you expect your sales to exceed £77,000 during your first 12 months, then you may have to register for VAT too. If you are not sure, you can wait until you have been trading for a year and register then.

If you are setting up a limited company, then you must also register your new venture at Companies House and you can find out more information about this at www.companieshouse.gov.uk. There is plenty of guidance on this site to help you complete this process. Meanwhile, you should find suitable business premises for your new company. If you except customers and clients to visit you, then choose a convenient location that they can reach easily. You will also need to furbish your premises with office or shop furniture and be sure that these comply with the relevant safety standards.

So you and your staff can contact customers and carry out your work, you will also need to set up telephone lines and an internet connection. Companies such as XLN Telecom cater specifically for businesses and will be able to offer better deals than BT and because starting a new business can be costly, every penny saved is a huge help. Now all you need to do is start marketing your business and making it a success.

Filed Under: Starting a Business

Some Tips on How to Make Some Money

July 1, 2012 by

If you are interested in improving your personal finances than you will probably want to read this article. It contains a boatload of tips for a variety of financial issues.

Invest in foreign currency. No-load mutual funds are a great way to buy foreign investments without a lot of the complications that can come from investigating foreign stocks.

Always look for things that you can cut from your current budget. A great example is dining out. You will more than likely not be able to eat at home forever. You will want to eat out eventually. By eating out half as many times in a month as you normally would, you will save money while still getting to go out.

Try saving on bedding by buying pillows, covers, and sheets at a nearby bargain store. You can purchase well made items at a lower cost and save yourself valuable time as well. By purchasing your bedding at bargain stores, you can save money.

If there is no reason to get a credit card or get a personal loan, then avoid doing it. It’s best to not have any debt and save your money for those bigger purchases that inevitably arise. It’s inevitable that you will have to take out a loan for a big ticket item such as a car or a house.

If you have kids and want them to attend college, you should start saving right after their birth. As college costs keep rising, it’s not going to be possible to pay for their education if you wait until they are teens to start saving up.

If an item that is too expensive benefits the whole family, then it is a good idea to try and get the money together as a team effort. Pooling resources to make a purchase for the entire family, can help everyone save some cash.

Save a set amount from each check you receive. If you wait until you have paid bills to save money, it is far less likely to happen, as your next round of bills will be approaching shortly. If you know you the money is in savings, you will be less likely to try to spend it versus having the money in your account with the intention to save it and being unable to avoid the temptation.

Even if you are employed already, you may want to get another job. Try applying at a nearby restaurant, department store or other place that may be offering viable part-time employment. The extra money you make will go a long way in improving your overall financial health.

Keep detailed records of your monthly expenditures, then use those figures to come up with a budget. Look for areas in your budget where you are spending too much. If you can get a handle on unnecessary expenditures, then you are doomed to always be broke. Personal finance software can make the process less stressful and even interesting. When you find you excess money, you may be tempted to celebrate. It is more effective to use left over money to pay down existing debt or make a saving account deposit rather than a night out on the town.

You want a credit score of 740 if you are trying to get a mortgage. IF you can achieve a score this high you will be able to get a better rate. Improve the credit score before applying for a loan if possible. You should avoid applying for a mortgage if your credit score is still low, unless you absolutely have to.

If you are prepared to handle your finances more responsibly, you will find that discussing money can be far less stressful than you might think. You will have to work hard but getting control of your finances is not an impossible task. You can do it!

Filed Under: Entrepreneurship, Miscellaneous