Tag Archive for: 2016

7 Reasons Why You Need To Upgrade Your Accounting Software

If you want your business to work faster and harder as it grows, you have to keep the tools you’re using up-to-date. A good place to start is upgrading your accounting software. Especially if your business has just gone through a growth spurt.

Your accounting software shouldn’t be a pain to use and it certainly shouldn’t result in unhappy customers, falling behind the competition, or lost sales. Even worse, if you have yet to think about updating to cloud accounting software, it could be costing your business time and money.

Do you need some incentive to start pushing for your company to upgrade its software? We’ve got 7 reasons why you should upgrade your accounting software right now ready to go.  If anything on this list sounds familiar, quit wasting time and upgrade already!

  • You’re jealous of anyone who can run their business from their smartphone. Do you still have to call someone in the office for help when you’re trying to answer customer questions? Did you know you can easily resolve this problem by upgrading to cloud-based accounting software?

    Using cloud-based accounting software gives you complete mobility. You can stay connected with your data on any device with an internet connection, respond to new opportunities, and exceed customer expectations. It’s a win-win for everyone. Added bonus: cloud-based accounting software is often much more cost effective and it’s 10x easier to use. There’s no need to stay within arms reach of a desktop anymore. Oh, and it’s also one of the most secure ways to store information nowadays. You’re lagging behind if you’re not using some mobile-friendly software. It’s 2016. There’s no reason you shouldn’t be using accounting software that’s mobile-friendly and allows you to provide the customer service clients have come to expect in the digital age.
  • You’ve uttered the phrase, “I think we might have that product somewhere in the warehouse.” If your system can’t tell you what’s in stock or what’s been distributed to a customer, you aren’t alone.It’s surprising, but there’s a lot of businesses out there that operate without a firm understanding of their inventory. But why? There are so many great options out there  just waiting for you to take advantage of them!Your accounting software should provide you with any and all information about your inventory with the easy tapping motion of fingertips on a screen. So, if you constantly find yourself playing the “maybe” game, don’t you think it’s time you start thinking about an upgrade?
  • You’re losing sales to competitors whose products don’t hold a candle to yours. You can be the best of the best but if you don’t provide visibility into account information, available stock, or self-service options, your customer service, and sales will fall flat.There’s no good reason why you should be losing sales to competitors with inferior products. Especially if that reason comes back to your accounting software. Mainly because that’s an easy problem to fix.How? You guessed it: upgrade your system.
  • Your accounting software is older than the college sophomores applying for internships at your company. If you can still talk to me about how you Y2K-proofed your current accounting system, we’ve got a problem.Your accounting system has seen better days when it starts limiting functionality. Things move fast in the world of tech and software and if you haven’t made any changes over the last two decades, it’s safe to say that you’re missing out.Don’t hold your business back by hanging on to old, outdated systems and processes. Change is good. Embrace it. Keep moving forward and upgrade that accounting software.
  • You don’t have a comprehensive view of where you’re spending and earning.  How many details about expenses and accounts do you have in one-off spreadsheets?Lacking an accurate and comprehensive view of where you’re spending and earning is going to catch up with you and hurt you in the long run. The ability to operate cost-effectively relies on your ability to utilize information like payroll and other expenses.You have to know when and where to cut costs and adjust budgets if you plan on continuing to grow. Analyzing your costs and earnings should be easy if the accounting software you’re using is up-to-date and it’s the right fit for your company.
  • Your current software is no longer benefiting your business. This should be a no-brainer and practically encompasses everything we’ve discussed this far anyway but it’s worth going over again.Does your current system provide you with automatic updates? Is it multi-user accessible and collaboration-friendly? Do you have a clear overview of your financial position in real-time? Has it reduced upfront business costs like version upgrades, maintenance, and system admin costs? Has it prevented you from worrying about server failures?If you can’t answer yes to all of the above questions, here’s your sign. It’s time to upgrade your system.
  • Your accountant recommends an upgrade. Your accountant’s job is to help you with your business accounting, right? They understand how things work and how your accounting software might be holding you back.If you’re not sure that it’s time to upgrade your accounting software, talk to your accountant. They’re a great resource for making decisions like this and can probably recommend what you should be looking for in order to improve the accounting process.Your accountant knows you and your business. They’re an expert at what they do. So if they’re recommending it’s time to upgrade it might be worth your time to listen. What do you think?

Commercient Is A Top 250 Microsoft Partner For Inbound Marketing

We are delighted to announce we’ve made the Top 250 Microsoft Partners for Inbound Marketing Excellence in 2016

According to Demand Metric, inbound content marketing generates 3 times as many leads as traditional outbound marketing but costs 62% less. And, inbound campaigns achieve higher ROI than outbound. At Commercient, we really see the value of inbound marketing as a way of reaching new audiences and helping customers find out about the services we provide.

We were excited to hear that Commercient has been featured in Fifty Five and Five’s 2016 Inbound Marketing Excellence Report.

Developing and maintaining a sustainable marketing plan isn’t easy, and the report highlights and celebrates the marketing efforts made by suppliers within the Microsoft Partner network.

Fifty Five and Five analyzed the websites, blogs, and social media efforts of thousands of Microsoft Partner companies using a number of independent tools like Maya, Kred, and Sitebeam.

What is Inbound Marketing?

“Inbound marketing focuses on creating quality content that pulls people toward your company and product, where they naturally want to be” – HubSpot.

It’s out with the old, and in with the new. Gone are the days where you’d buy email lists, blow your budget on a magazine advert, and pray for leads. Today, sharing is caring and inbound is all about creating and sharing that content with your customers – both B2B and B2C. With over 3.4 billion internet users worldwide, inbound marketing is more important than ever before. It’s all about attracting, delighting and converting those customers, making it incredibly easy for them to find you.

Although there are so many useful tools out there, there are three crucial elements to any inbound marketing strategy

  • A blog that features engaging content that is designed to inform and educate readers.
  • A solid website that serves as the foundation of your inbound marketing plans, offering a good level of information about what you do and links to other channels.
  • Social media profiles on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google+ that allow customers to find out more about you.

Get your hands on a copy of the report! You can register for your free paper or digital copy on Fifty Five and Five’s website. The report also features insights and contributions from industry experts including:

  • Foreword from David Meerman Scott, author of the New Rules of Marketing and PR
  • Kim Albrecht, Marketing Executive at Nintex
  • Karl Redenbach, CEO of LiveTiles

The Report also includes analysis of Twitter usage within the Microsoft Partner network, and a “get fit” marketing plan – to get your inbound marketing strategy fit for the summer!

7 Customer Service Trends To Watch In 2016

What does customer service look like in 2016?

Before we can answer this question, we need to reflect momentarily on the past. If you want to take a guess at where customer service and experience is heading, just look at what’s been trending over the last 12 months – and try applying it to your business in the coming year. Just don’t overlook the cutting edge stuff while you’re at it.

Here are 7 customer service trends we think are worth watching in 2016:

 

  • Mobile dominates…again. As crazy as it seems, smartphones are getting even smarter. Customers can connect with your company in countless ways – it’s most likely the device they’re using to browse your website and products, write reviews, interact with you on social media, and more. Optimize your websites and business to be mobile friendly in 2016 or you’re going to get left behind.
  • Customer experience becomes the new marketing.  When your customer has a great experience, they’re going to share it. Hopefully, they’re going to share it on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ and pique the interest of their friends. This can have a powerful impact on your company, so be so amazing that your customers want all of their followers to know about it.
  • Video remains hot. Video has been hot for the last couple of years but experts are predicting it to take a seat front and center in 2016. Customers like videos because they’re often short, sweet, and to the point of whatever they’re looking for. Post valuable video content and you’ll enhance customer experience by giving the people exactly what they want.
  • Customers knowing what to expect. Customers are smarter than ever, and they’ve set the bar high for companies who want to meet the standard of providing quality customer service and experiences. Over the past year, your marketing efforts have helped customers learn what they can and should expect from you, and they’re not afraid to compare you to others inside and outside of your industry. Make sure you deliver.
  • Your millennial customer base will get bigger. Millennials, born between 1928 and 2004, make up nearly 25% of the population. They’re tech savvy, they’re less patient than the baby boomer generation, and they’re more open to new and different forms of communication. Keep these differences in mind when interacting with your customer base this year.
  • Targeted advertising gets bigger. Thanks to data tracking, you can learn everything about when your customers are shopping for your product down to the time of day and temperature outside. So if you know I like to grab a cup of coffee on cold weekday mornings before work, don’t send me a coupon for coffee on a Saturday morning in July.
  • Customers will expect more appreciation. And they should. They always have, but companies who take the time to make sure their customers know they are appreciated will always stand out from the pack. Continue to make them feel appreciated and valued and your business will continue to grow.

 

What customer service and customer experience trends will you be watching and following in 2016?