With the growth of mass production and the advent of online ordering, supply chain management has become more complex than ever. It has also made customers expect rapid product delivery. As a result, warehouses have become the backbone of many businesses. Good warehouse management can help businesses fulfill orders with overwhelming accuracy and a short turnaround time. So, to ensure seamless business functioning, streamlining the warehousing process and ironing out any bottlenecks is important. 1. Poor planning Planning is a non-negotiable part of running a business. One of the biggest mistakes companies make here is not taking this step seriously or following age-old practices that could be slowing the business down. To avoid this, companies must focus their efforts on ensuring that all processes are updated regularly. To do so, they can set up a schedule to meet with stakeholders once or twice a year at least to discuss what competitors are doing, evaluate current processes, and lay down the foundation for new, more efficient warehouse operations. 2. Lapses in inventory tracking Another common mistake warehouses make is keeping an inaccurate record of inventory or not keeping one at all. This could result in major losses for the business! One can steer clear of this issue by implementing a warehouse management system (WMS) at the location.

Businesses that rely heavily on shipping must steer clear of shipping mistakes as much as possible. Just a minor slip-up can cost a company a lot of money, cause it to lose customers, and lead to unnecessary problems. There are many common shipping mistakes, and since most of these are irreversible, it is best to double-check whether they have been avoided before the load has been sent to the customer’s address. Not using pallets A pallet is the best tool businesses can use when shipping goods to different places around town. It is a flat wooden piece that stores multiple shipping packages. So, when it is time to move the packages, one only has to move the pallet. This significantly reduces the risk of anything getting damaged during the trip. It is also simpler to move a pallet than using a forklift or a pallet jack to move individual packages. Moreover, palletizing the goods prevents them from colliding with each other and getting damaged. Giving an incorrect address Dealing with numerous packages is difficult, especially during crunch time. In such moments, one may make the simple mistake of listing an incorrect address on a box, which can cost the business significantly. If the product goes to the incorrect address, the customer who was meant to receive it will get it much later, causing the business to lose that contact.

In today’s globalized world, phone and video calls are indispensable means of business communication. However, many make communication errors that can affect their reputation and professional relationships. In addition to paying attention and responding politely, you should try to master the skills required for handling client concerns on calls. If you want your calls with clients and colleagues to be smooth and productive, here are a few common errors to avoid during business calls.  Being unprepared Not preparing before answering or making a call is one of the most serious mistakes to avoid. Looking up the company or individual, you are calling, gathering relevant data, and making a list of key points to discuss are crucial steps in making business phone calls. Not doing your due diligence could make you seem less confident and unable to effectively convey your message. Not introducing yourself Failing to introduce yourself can confuse people and make them uncomfortable continuing the conversation. So, mention your and the organization’s name at the start of the conversation to ensure everyone on the call knows who is on the other end. Not focusing on the discussion Talking too often, zoning out, and not paying attention to the conversation are signs of ineffective communication.

During the pandemic, the government issued multiple orders that directed certain businesses to shut down or required employees to work from home. Even partial curfews and restricted travel or movement directives directly affected the functioning of a business. That is why the government also introduced the Employee Retention Credit or ERC to eligible businesses impacted by the scale of these orders. The tax credit provides businesses much-needed leverage to survive and recover operations post-pandemic. Who can avail of the credit? Changes in regulations and policies could significantly impact travel, business operations, meetings, and other activities that a company relies on to remain profitable. Employers can apply for employee retention credit regardless of the organization’s size or tax exemption status. This credit incentivizes employers to keep their employees on payroll and receive a tax refund in return for retaining their workforce. The credit amount is 50% of $10,000 in the wages paid to the employee for eligible quarters in 2020. This works out to $5,000 per employee per quarter. For 2021, the credit amount is 70% of the $10,000 in wages paid to the employee for eligible quarters in 2020. This works out to $7,000 per employee per quarter. Businesses can claim tax credits per quarter to offset slow business or losses incurred due to government orders.

Technology has changed how organizations function, even when it comes to human resource-related tasks. Traditionally, HR employees would have to invest hours for processes like onboarding, payroll, benefits enrollment, and time tracking. But with the introduction of HR software, personnel can improve their efficiency by automating such activities. However, companies may overspend or get an unfinished or outdated product when looking for suitable software. So, here are a few errors to avoid when buying HR software:  Disregarding business requirements Not considering the requirements of the business may result in buying inefficient or poor technology. So the HR team must draw up a plan and understand the team, business, and automation requirements before spending money on software. They should also set a budget based on the company finances and allocation for such resources to avoid overspending on unnecessary features. The budget will also need to be approved by the business heads before a deal is finalized with a vendor. Trying to cut costs Everyone looks for the best price when purchasing HR software. While the HR department would set a budget before opting for the right software, the team should avoid prioritizing buying cheaper tools that do not meet their needs.

Many businesses these days operate on a membership model that creates a win-win scenario for them and the customer. The company that offers a membership plan gains by attracting new clients who use their services for the long term. They also earn a few extra bucks through membership fees. As for the members, they enjoy several exclusive services, special deals and discounts, and attractive perks that other customers cannot access. Access to exclusive services One can enjoy exclusive services by signing up for a membership. For example, content streaming services offer their members the opportunity to view blockbuster movies and TV series, immerse themselves in interesting podcasts, listen to songs, or get a sneak peek into exclusive Behind-The-Scenes (BTS) footage of megaevents, all from the comfort of their homes or on their smartphones. People outside the membership circle cannot access this content. Exclusive access makes everyone want to become a member just to experience the benefits on offer. Besides streaming services, movie theaters and other media businesses offer viewership subscriptions to their members to spoil them with great content as soon as it is released. Discounts and savings Most businesses offer member-only deals. For instance, they roll out discounts or special price cuts on their products and services, which only subscribers can enjoy.

E-commerce is an eternally evolving and growing market. So, it’s better to track all the logistics and supply chain operations through automation rather than manually. In that sense, using shipping software is no longer a luxury for supply chain players but a necessity. Businesses can choose from various options depending on what they need. With their efficient operation and elimination of human errors, these automation-driven tools reduce commonly seen shipping errors in multiple ways. Verifying addresses to avoid shipping errors A large percentage of failed deliveries happen due to incorrect or incomplete addresses and a lack of address verification. Address verification systems (AVS) are sub-tools in many shipping software. These systems ensure shippers get an accurate delivery address from customers when they check out and make payments on online e-commerce portals. Every e-commerce store can use AVS cart plugin software. This software compares the address a customer enters with the other addresses they have registered at major shipping carriers. Whenever such systems detect a discrepancy between the addresses in the two databases, they prompt customers to identify which address they want to use to receive shipping deliveries. In this way, all their future shipments will automatically and unerringly be delivered to that address.

Over the last decade, many people have moved to shopping online, emphasizing the need for businesses to work on creating a quality digital customer experience. This includes building a strategy to manage social media, analytics, data, IT, innovation, and cloud services to offer customers the best possible interaction. So, here are five ways companies can improve their digital customer experience to increase sales and build better relationships with new and existing buyers. Understanding who the customers are The first step in any digital strategy must be to identify exactly who is buying the products and services. To do this, start by creating a customer persona that picks out certain characteristics for certain segments. For instance, for a fashion boutique that specializes in sundresses, this persona could be a 27-year-old woman named Allison, who loves summers, treks, and all things nature. Using a persona such as this one can help customers recognize and associate with the brand. It can also help brands build personalized marketing campaigns in the future. Using analytics to understand what customers like One of the best ways to improve customer experience online is to understand what users like to do. This can be done by looking at and analyzing available data to see when the app is opened, what prompts work, and the actions taken.

Businesses acquire many clients as they grow and sell their products and services. But apart from acquiring new clients, continued support from existing ones is necessary for long-term success.  Luckily, achieving that is  not as complicated as  one may think.  Something as simple as acknowledging feedback could go a long way in improving client loyalty. That said, for effective client management and retention, a business should also have a solid strategy in place. Understanding client management Some organizations hire a client manager to manage the clientele. The individual communicates and works with clients to ensure their needs and the needs of the business are met. A few tasks a client manager may perform include: Discovering opportunities for new work Acting as the primary connection between the organization and the client Building relationships with clients and their staff Watching and analyzing trends in the client’s industry Collecting data from client satisfaction surveys Benefits of client management Client management is essential for preserving and maintaining healthy relationships with clients. When confident in a business, clients deliver quality products or services. They also help bring in more clients for the organization. For instance, someone impressed by the business’s functioning might refer it to others in their network, improving brand recognition.

A company or a brand requires its official website. If one wants their business to succeed, one needs a well-functioning website to help expand their business. Moreover, the website’s design also plays a major role in attracting the right customers. So, if one makes mistakes while designing their website, it can easily derail even the best of their efforts. Furthermore, these mistakes can make the company lose credibility and even its customer base. Top 4 website designing mistakes to avoid Skipping intuitive navigation and accessibility Brainstorming, sitemap, and wireframing are essential steps that should not be skipped. Furthermore, a poor navigation layout can also create problems. It can drive away visitors and create problems in the expansion of business. As a website needs multiple pages, arranging their categories appropriately is suggested, enabling the visitors to navigate the website easily. Not having a clear call to action Visitors need clear instructions to guide them through the website when they visit the website. A clear call to action keeps the visitors focused. Further, a good call to action uses compelling words or phrases to prompt the action. Also, one must ensure that the language is clear, succinct, and simple. Not having a design-thinking approach A common mistake designers make is not realizing the importance of design thinking and putting it down on paper.