Welcome to the CX Blog

Guest Blog by LeShante Horton and Brian Clay
Executive virtual assistants of LongDistanceAssistants.com

As a business owner, your main goal is to create a successful business, providing a great product or service to satisfied and loyal customers. In the journey towards doing so, it is imperative that you think smartly in the way you spend your money and your time. Deciding on final decisions in these two areas of your business can sometimes lead to stress and anxiety, with the fear of having to change so many things. However, there are ways that you can do so without pulling all of your hair out.

Saving money and time is crucial for every business owner, especially in today’s economy, but actually identifying the problem areas can be a bit daunting for some. So, to help, here are a few ideas. (more…)

Guest Blog by Allan Pratt
MBA Technology, Infosecurity and Cybersecurity Strategist

Ask any 10 people what apps they recommend, and you’ll probably get 20 different answers. This is because everyone has favorite apps and different uses for their smartphones or tablets. So, go ahead and use your document share apps, your travel apps and your shopping apps, but when you need some tech news or product advice, check out these tech apps. (more…)

Guest blog by Joanie Simon
General Manager at Copperstate Restaurant Technologies

I spend a lot of time in restaurants. I dine out frequently, but more often, I am behind the scenes, in the “BOH” (Back of House), helping restaurants solve their business problems. Great food is important, but effective management is paramount. A fantastic steak is only enjoyable if it is cooked to your liking, with the sides you requested, is attractively garnished, and is delivered by a friendly server. Every one of those elements can only be achieved if the people running the place know how to orchestrate a positive dining experience.

So many things can go wrong. The oven could be on the fritz and burn the steak. The chef could be distracted by a personal problem and over-salt the potatoes. It might be the server’s first night on the job, and she might be completely overwhelmed by the number of tables she has been assigned, delaying the order-taking process.

The same can be said for most small businesses. For my business, a programmer could incorrectly program the price for a bottle of champagne, resulting in losses to the restaurant when that item is purchased. My accounts receivable team member could attempt to collect the wrong amount, infuriating the customer. A salesperson could overpromise on a delivery timeline. Just like the restaurants we serve, we do everything we can to ensure our customers are happy. We want them to return and to tell their friends about us. (more…)

Guest blog by Joe Manna
Senior Content Strategist at Infusionsoft

There are few words that sound like nails on the chalkboard to a small business owner such as “CRM.” CRM is an acronym for “Customer Relationship Management.” At its core, a CRM tool is a database that contains customer and prospect (lead-generation) information. CRM’s can range from basic contact managers, all the way up to a sophisticated tool for operating a business. Yesterday’s CRM’s were often installed and hosted “on-site,” and today’s CRM solutions are often hosted through a third-party. Salespeople are often the primary beneficiaries of a CRM, in addition to people who function in a marketing role for a company. Though the name might be boring, I want to share several reasons why more entrepreneurs are using a CRM tool within their businesses to get organized and thrive.

1. CRM is for “closers.” Salespeople love to stay in touch with their leads. As technology has evolved and infiltrated nearly every industry, salespeople use a CRM tool to leave notes and help progress leads into customers. No longer do leads have to be handed out by sales managers. When a person demonstrates an interest in a product, they can be automatically qualified and distributed to salespeople for follow-up. The purpose of doing this is to only send warm leads to your salespeople — they want to close more – and CRM is one of the tools they need to sell more effectively. (more…)

Guest Blog by Allan Pratt
MBA Technology, Infosecurity and Cybersecurity Strategist

There are many hot button topics in the realm of technology that, depending on how you move forward, could impact your business in a positive or negative manner. Here’s a cheat sheet of technology trends to be aware of to help you and your business get ready for the new year. (more…)