Thinking Aloud
Six Ways To Hardwire Your Culture To Surprise And Delight Customers
The customer's default setting is (sad to say) cynicism. They are resigned to hearing no. If you can infuse your culture with the desire and the know-how to consistently surprise the customer with yes, you'll be way ahead of the game. Consultant Joseph Michelli, who worked with Mercedes-Benz USA to transform its customer experience, has a few insights.
Shipping And Return Shipping Policies Drive Online Purchase Decisions
To survive and thrive in the coming years, individual online retailers will need to give consumers what they want: consistent savings; easy, convenient shopping experiences; free shipping; and hassle-free return policies, says Tom Caporaso, CEO of Clarus Commerce.
Why Humility Is The #1 Characteristic To Develop In 2016
We're all hardwired for ego-based thinking... yet, in the 21st century ideas economy, success depends on how well we can listen, learn, and collaborate with others. Professor Edward D. Hess explains why humility is the new key to success and why you shouldn't wait another year — or even another month! — to start taming your ego.
Making Friends With Millennials: Evolving The Customer Service Story
Being successful in business today is intrinsically linked to having a firm grasp of what makes the millennial tick. If you don’t, then your business is missing out on tapping into arguably the most influential set of consumers the world has seen since post-war Baby Boomers, argues Simon Tate, Area Vice President for Commercial Business – Asia, Salesforce.
There Is No Silver Medal In Sales
By Dan Streeter and Tim Brown, co-authors of “Old School with New Tools“
In the 2008 Olympics, Michael Phelps won the Gold Medal in the...
Smart Policies That Make It Easier For Asian Business To Expand
Is it unrealistic for us to expect small business to go global from day one? Not if we have the right policies in place, says Dr. Karen M. Reddington, president, FedEx Express Asia Pacific.
Your Job In 2016 And Beyond: The “Human In The Loop” Future Of Work...
Despite some individuals’ resistance, the balance between job conservation and technological progress is emerging as a robust, efficient, profitable business model resulting in overall economic growth, says Richard Milam, the Founder and CEO of EnableSoft Incorporated.
7 Ways To Stay Steady In Constant Change
No matter where you work, it may seem that you face demands that are always changing. Beverly Jones MBA, JD, PCC, author of "Think Like an Entrepreneur, Act Like a CEO" shares some strategies to become more comfortable with all the tumult, and to position yourself to bounce back when the next wave of change comes along.
How To Rise Above Guilt As A Woman In Tech
Many women feel the pressure to always be available to their work, and — although it may come as a surprise — this demand doesn’t change once you decide to settle down. Tricia Sciortino, President of eaHELP shares five tips she's learned to help her have a thriving career and family life without the guilt.
How Social Networks Impact Buying Decisions And The Modern Consumer Society
Gone are the days of just seeing a product in a store and buying it. Now, we want to only buy the best products based on reviews and recommendations. Companies have to incorporate social strategies into their marketing efforts in order to compete, argues Kishore Kumar, CEO of AllThingsMine.
Welcome To The Year Of The Customer
Enterprises need to recognize the increasing role technology plays in their business or risk becoming laggards when connecting to today’s tech-savvy customers. Simon Tate, Area Vice President for Commercial Business – Asia, Salesforce shares some of the latest trends that businesses need to take note of in the coming year to engage with their customers.
Three Questions To Help SMBs Embrace Mobility And The Cloud In 2016
Implementing a mobile and cloud strategy can be a daunting task, especially for SMBs without a dedicated IT manager. Eugenio Ferrante, General Manager of Parallels Asia Pacific shares his experience working with SMBs through his role at Parallels, and identifies three questions as typically a good starting point to help SMBs identify their specific challenges and evaluate the mobility and cloud-based tools they may need to overcome them.
Grocery’s True Competition
While grocery retailers used to maintain a secure front through their physical location, that’s not all it comes down to anymore. Needs must now be met outside of the store, as well. Gerry Hays, DinnerCall Founder and CEO looks at how the field has changed.
Humility Trumps Arrogance: The Donald’s Missing Piece
Kevin McHugh, author of The Honest Executive, says the lack of humility will be the downfall of Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy and open the door for one of his competitors to lead the country back to its previous levels of prominence, prosperity and competitiveness.
Dude, You Got Fired. Now What?
Whether it’s downsizing, rightsizing, restructuring, or a bad fit come to an end, being let go is hard and it’s personal. But take the moment and direct your energies in a way that will allow find a next thing that matters to you and will help you get more out of life, says Todd Putman, co-author of "Be More: Find your truth, tell your story, and get what you want out of life".
SMB Predictions For 2016
2015 has been a great year for SMBs with a strong US economy, relatively easy access to capital and a seemingly endless demand for new technology, apps, devices, medicines and innovative services. Will Reynolds, CEO of SecureDocs shares some broad predictions to consider as you navigate your SMB business into the new year.
Top 5 Tips For Staying Inspired During The Holiday Season
Great inventors typically don’t just have one or two terrific ideas — they are always thinking of new and better products. Nicole Lininger, Director of Corporate Communications at InventHelp shares some tips to help you make sure your holiday season is filled with new ideas.
Factors To Consider When Creating An Acquisition Strategy As A Tech Startup
While many businesses are aware of the importance of importance of acquisitions as a growth strategy few get it right when making acquisitions. Cameron JOhnson discusses four tips that may help tech startups that hope to use acquisitions as their growth strategy carry them out in a more effective way.
How To Successfully Transition From CMO To CEO
CEO of Leadspace Doug Bewsher shares that each of his previous CMO experiences helped shape his skillset and who he is as a leader, and believes his background as CMO ultimately prepared him to be a better, more effective CEO.
What REI Can Teach You About Building A Better Business
REI’s announcement that it would close and give employees a paid holiday on Black Friday was a dramatic example of why knowing your company’s core values and sticking to them are essential today, says Scott Ford, author of “Financial Jiu-Jitsu: A Fighter’s Guide to Conquering Your Finances“.
The Entrepreneur’s Wish List – What One Founder Is Eyeing For The Holidays
You won’t find any wearables or Uber credits on his holiday list, says Stephen Tanenbaum, co-founder and president of UGallery.com. Instead his holiday wish list is a mix of unique services and experiences that you can’t fit in a stocking. If you’re looking for giftspiration, here is his top 10 places to start.
The Baby Boomer Seller Tsunami: Why 2016 Is The Year To Sell
Thinking of selling your business in the next five years? Don’t wait, advises Al Fialkovich. The Managing Director, Founder and Co-Owner of Transworld Business Advisors of Denver points out no one can argue that the impending baby boomer’s retirement will affect how business markets operate currently.
How To Make Life Easier For Yourself
The more efficient you are, the more the business – and you – benefit. Ian Cowley, managing director of www.cartridgesave.co.uk shares five tips on how to increase your productivity.
4 Ways To Solve The Employee Engagement Problem With Mobile
Solving the engagement problem doesn’t happen overnight, and it certainly takes more than the CEO to drive a solution, says Santiago Jaramillo, CEO and founder of Bluebridge Digital. He believes that engaging employees by meeting them where they are, on their mobile device, will be key to employee engagement for years to come.
Be A Master Of One: Laser Focus In Business
In today’s competitive environment, any business that takes a Jack-of-all-trades approach will inevitably take on the master-of-none characteristic, eventually forcing them into irrelevancy, says Gerry Hays of DinnerCall.
5 Companies That Could Become The Next Apple
Lewis Robinson looks at the five companies he believes are expected to become the next Apple in the near future.
10 Ways For Students To Save Money
Being a student, living off your loan and (if you’re lucky) financial help from your parents, can be difficult, stressful, and require some resourcefulness. Joe Levi, founder of Student Money Saver shares 10 top tips to save cash on everyday shopping and bills.
What Is Leadership?
John Vrionis of Lightspeed Venture Partners asks Don Faul about leadership and what he has learned in his career as a Special Forces marine, and senior executive at Google, Facebook, Pinterest and Athos.
Smaller-Sized Service Businesses: What They Bring To the Table For Big Brands
While large businesses are still booming, the need for small to mid-size businesses that fit niche roles, is growing. Lindsey Groepper, president of BLASTmedia, looks at what small businesses can bring to the table.
How To Find A Great Keynote Speaker For Your Event
The key to making your event stand out is a great keynote speaker. A speaker with compelling expertise and experiences to share, who will deliver a presentation that can’t be found elsewhere, is the single-greatest draw to an event. Sarah Lang of Ticketleap shares five tips for finding a great keynote speaker.