How COVID-19 Has Impacted The Security Needs of Small Businesses

2020 has been the most unexpected of years in recent history. I think that once the dust has cleared and we all look back on it, the world will stop and think about just how much changed in the course of a few short months. So many people became sick, so many people lost their jobs, and so many businesses had to close their doors. Something that started as a public health issue quickly morphed into a political debate, and business owners often found themselves at the center of it. From staffing to health safety issues, no business has escaped the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Because many businesses have cut back on their staff or close their doors entirely, their security needs have changed as a result.

Security Concerns Before and After

Compared to your multinational conglomerates, a small business is going to feel the effects of any product lost or property damaged far more severely. Their business is their livelihood, so it’s of the utmost importance that a small business owner can protect their goods. Before the pandemic, it wasn’t terribly difficult. Outside of holidays and maybe one day out of the week, their store would be regularly staffed. Anyone looking to steal or damage property would immediately be faced by the store owner or another staff member.

Of course, most businesses have interior recording devices, just for safety and record-keeping, but these devices often record to a physical hard drive stored within the property. Once the pandemic hit, many stores couldn’t afford to stay open or risk the health of their employees. So, without on-premise staff to act as guardians or to check security footage, many small businesses have felt less secure than before.

These are hard times after all, and many people are finding it hard to get by without work. Small business owners are no different. If they are going to make it through, they cannot sacrifice their business’s physical safety. So, what are some of the ways that small business owners work around the limitations of the pandemic?

Securing Their Perimeters

Because many store owners have not been able to stay in their business as before, they have taken to securing the exteriors of their stores rather than the interiors. This can be seen in a couple of different ways. There is the securing of material possessions such as ladders, dumpsters, mop buckets, and signs; new and stronger locks; rolling metal shutters for door fronts, and new external surveillance equipment. Of course, this has cost some business owners more than they would have liked. Fortunately, the government has provided some financial backing, but business owners are still struggling to make it by.

Exterior Security

As business are closing their doors and leaving their stores empty, and their focus has turned outward, let’s look into a few of the more popular security options for the outside of a business. Number one is good lighting. Burglars are less tempted to break into a store that is well lit. If passersby can easily see what is happening, it doesn’t make sense for a robber to attempt a break-in. Therefore, many small business owners have upgraded their exterior lighting. One popular option is motion-activated lighting. This saves on electricity and also has the added benefit of startling any would-be thief.

Another popular external security option is a new video camera. Before the virus, many business owners felt that it was unnecessary to put external recording devices up because they could watch the outside of their building. Video cameras are also prone to the environment and can be easily tampered with if out of sight. However, there is now a growing market for tamper-proof and weather-proof video cameras. Putting these up outside your store and setting them to record to an off-sight device shows potential robbers that you are always watching.

Interior Security

Although having a strong first line of defense has become many small business owners’ main priority, it’s still important for them to keep their store interiors safe as well. Whereas before, small business owners may have felt safe to leave their display cabinets out in the open, they can no longer remain on the premises as often, and many have opted to hide away their goods and lock up anything valuable or stored in the register. After all, if there are no customers, it doesn’t make much sense to leave valuables on display where a potential thief could case them.

Interior alarms have also become a priority for many small business owners. If a break-in does occur, the alarm with not only alert the owner and the authorities, but it could also scare off the burglar before they make off with something valuable.  Most stores already have an alarm system, but if you haven’t checked on it in a while, it’s smart to do so now. Check the batteries and that all connections are still secure and functioning. An alarm can save your business quite a lot in losses.

Making It Through the Pandemic

I think we can all agree that this year has been nothing but difficult. Most people have stuck together and agreed to fight through these tough times, but don’t let your feelings of shared comradery trick you into thinking that everything is fine and dandy. Small business owners know that burglars take advantage of these sorts of situations. To stay ahead of opportunists, they have had to rethink how they approach security. Many have shifted their focus to external security systems rather than guarding their stores.

But I like to think that that same sense of shared comradery is what will pull us all through. There is something to be said about shared trauma, and no one has fully escaped this pandemic. Like I said at the start, I think when we all look back on 2020, we will be shocked at how much changed—yes, some for the worst, but also some for the better.

About The Author

Avner is the owner of Security Camera NY, a locally-owned security & surveillance systems company that has been serving clients in the NYC Tri-State area since 2004.

Avner’s and his team bring together years of experience and expertise providing security solutions for residential and commercial properties.

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source https://tweakyourbiz.com/business/security/covid-19-impact

How to Leverage Data for Better Hiring

Modern technology is changing the way people in the recruiting business do their job. The whole Human Resource sector is now more about predictive analysis and software tools than about the human aspect. Obviously, the recruiter has the final word and in many cases, it’s based on a hunch – which of the shortlisted candidates is most suitable for the job, but everything up to that point can be done online, from identifying the best candidates for a job opening to conducting background security checks. Here is how to leverage data to hire highly skilled people for your organization.

Learn How to Gather Relevant Data

Using a data-driven recruitment process allows a company to speed up the whole process, while rapidly identifying candidates that sound ideal for the job.

Many companies have already embraced this new hiring model and use software tools that collect a wide range of data. Having such a database at their disposal allows them to streamline the process and find suitable candidates for a job vacancy.

Among the data such tools store and use are candidate source and location, as well as the cost per hire. At the same time, data-driven recruiting offers relevant information about the quality of hire and the retention rate. 

How to Analyze Data Correctly

Most of the modern recruiting process is automated, at least as far as data collection is concerned. However, we’re still far away from the time when hiring will rely solely on AI. For now, it is the job of a skilled HR manager to sift through the tons of data collected and use them to improve the company’s hiring strategy.

Examining the data allows an HR manager to detect the weak points in the hiring policy and also get an idea of how the competition is conducting the same job. 

In a candidate-driven job market, there’s stiff competition to attract the most talented people to your organization and an HR manager with a keen eye can use data to discover ways to beat the competition to it.

Cast a Wider Net

Remote working and modern technology allow companies access to a large pool of talents. They no longer have to content themselves with local talents as in many jobs it’s totally feasible to hire someone living in a different city, state, or even country. 

Whenever a company has a job opening it’s extremely easy to use data gathered with modern recruiting tools to identify a person with the best qualification for that job and get in contact, even if they live hundreds of miles away. The beauty of it is that the HR department won’t have to bother with relocation arrangements if the new employee can work online.

However, even when using software tools to streamline the company’s hiring process, recruiting personnel should not forget the importance of background security checks, which can be easily done using a reputable online platform like the Australian National Character Check. 

Online background checks can be completed for a particular state like a national police check qld for Queensland, or at a national scale for all of Australia. The results on a state-based police check certificate is essentially the same as a national police check.

Sometimes, recruiting personnel tend to ignore the necessity of a proper police check when an employee is hired to work remotely, not actually interacting with the other employees. However, remote working allows people access to the company’s computer network and its database, which can be even more dangerous.

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source https://tweakyourbiz.com/business/hr-and-recruitment/data-driven-recruiting

4 Brilliant Ways to Increase Your Credit Score

Your credit score is the first thing most lenders see when you apply for new credit. It’s what tells lenders ‘yes, let’s move forward’ or ‘no, you are too much of a risk.’ According to Experian, the average credit score is 703, which often secures borrowers good interest rates and terms. To help you put it into perspective, there is a 1.5 percent difference in APRs offered to borrowers with a 760 credit score and a 620 credit score.

Are you worried that your credit score isn’t high enough? Try these four ways to increase it.

 

Try Out a Credit Repair Company

If your credit report has inaccuracies, they won’t go away until you address them. Many issues are so complex that consumers just leave the issue, letting it ruin their credit score. A credit repair company specializes in handling the disputes and inaccuracies. They know your rights, and the process needed to remove or repair the issues on your credit report. 

Unfortunately, most consumers do not know about the credit repair process and that it is a legal way to increase their credit score. Especially with the negative view towards this relatively small and quiet industry. However, more and more financial companies are implementing credit repair teams within their organization and are beginning to service thousands of consumers. 

 

Consider a Purchasing a Tradeline

If you need your credit score increased quickly, consider buying access to someone else’s account. You don’t buy permission to use their credit card or loan account, but you buy access to their tradeline. Borrowers with great credit sell access to their top tradelines, making you an authorized user on the account. This puts a ‘good’ tradeline on your credit report temporarily, increasing your credit score. 

 

Make Your Payments on Time

This option is free! Just get current on your payments. Don’t assume your credit is beyond help once you make payments late. Consistency and dedication help your credit score. Bringing your accounts current may have a small immediate effect on your credit score, but as you continue making your payments on time, your score will increase regularly.

 

Give Reputable Credit Repair Software a Try

If you’d rather handle your credit repair yourself, consider downloading reputable credit repair software. Each program has different features, but overall, they pull your credit reports, review them, and tell you the necessary steps to fix your credit. Most programs don’t do the work for you, but many provide templates, logs, and encouragement to help you keep disputing and fixing your credit.

Benefits of Having Good Credit

Good credit is essential for almost anything you want to do. Whether applying for new credit, refinancing your student loans, applying for a new job, or new insurance, your credit score plays a role. It could mean the difference between loan approval and denial or even getting a job or not getting a job.

Not only that, but you’ll get the best interest rates and terms on loans, get better insurance rates and have fewer security deposit requirements on utilities, renting apartments, and even buying a new cellphone. 

The Bottom Line

Everyone needs good or at least decent credit and it’s only possible with regular credit monitoring and maintenance. Catching errors or fraudulent activity right away is crucial, as is paying your bills on time, and not overextending your credit. 

Take care of your credit and it will take care of you when you need it most.

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source https://tweakyourbiz.com/growth/personal-growth/improving-credit-score

Who Should File an ISF Form?

The Importer Security Filing or ISF form 10 is required for a large percentage of the items imported by the United States. The ISF is a United States Customs and Border Protection form that is separate from any other trade and import forms required to bring in your cargo. However, the ISF form will be compared to other documents you submit to determine the security risk your cargo poses to the country. But who should file an ISF form? 

You’re Importing Things via Cargo Ship

An ISF filling must be done if you’re cargo is arriving via ship instead of air or rail. The form will include things such as the importer’s name, vendor contact information and a general description of the cargo. The ISF must be filed within 24 hours of the cargo ship setting sail. It must be received by the customer’s broker within 72 hours. Earlier is better. 

The importer of record is responsible for filing the form. This is why you should verify it was done by your shipping service or freight broker. You can even file the form yourself. This can be done online. However, it can be time consuming. 

An ISF is not required when you’re importing things via other modes of transportation. If it is an air shipment or arriving by truck, different forms are required. 

You’re a Freight Forwarder In or Moving through the United States

All in-bound ocean shipments to the United States must be registered with the United States Customs and Department of Homeland Security via the ISF filing. If you’re receiving shipments as a freight forwarder that will be sent on to destinations in the United States and Canada, you will have to fill out the ISF form. Licensed customs brokers can file ISF forms on behalf of their clients.

Shipments that will remain on the cargo ship docking in the US can file an ISF 5 form with information like the booking party, foreign port of unlading, place of delivery, destination or ship to party, and the HTS number. 

You’re Working in a Foreign Trade Zone

A foreign trade zone or FTZ is considered outside of the standard US borders and customs regulation. FTZs are always geographically defined areas with strict limits on what can go in and out. However, the process of shipping to and from an FTZ is typically easier than moving it from the FTZ to the United States or shipping it abroad.

You only have to fill out an ISF 10 form if you’re importing something to an American foreign trade zone via ship. You can use the foreign trade zone applicant identification number in place of the importer of record number. The destination address should be within an FTZ. Other fields remain unchanged. For example, the consignee number, country of origin information and HS codes are the same whether being delivered to an FTZ or Nebraska. Information on the buyers, sellers and manufacturers must be included. The carrier must still provide a vessel stow plan and container status information.

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source https://tweakyourbiz.com/business/international-trade/isf-forms

Screendragon – Ways of Working Infographic

The working world as we know it is changing. The 9-5 office life, that many have grown accustomed too for so long, is adapting and changing for working life post Covid. Screendragon, a leading provider of marketing project management software, conducted an industry-wide survey of more than 100 marketers to assess their Ways of Working 2020.

The infographic highlights a selection of the interesting findings from the survey. It is clear from Screendragon’s research that the perception of remote working is generally very positive. More than half of marketers said they found it easier to concentrate had over 50% said they saw an improvement in mood. Is this related to the observation that 60% find it easier to concentrate when working from home? Prior to the pandemic, more than 30% of marketers had never worked remotely but in the future almost 85% would like to work from home at least once a week. Does this mean office life will become a thing of the past?

In addition to surveying the state of work, marketers were asked to envisage the future of work from their perspective. Many feel that a remote working world will be the new normal and that life will become easier as a result. Commutes will no longer impose on people’s time and working in the comfort of your home could mean more determination to get things done. Several marketers have already begun celebrating the ‘death of the office’ and are looking forward to the benefits of a healthier working environment and working with more flexible employers; “Companies that previously said working from home wasn’t possible due to a variety of factors will now have to admit that it is an effective option”.

To read more about remote working for marketers and the future then check out the full infographic below. You can also read the full report ‘Ways of Working 2020’ from Screendragon by clicking here.

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source https://tweakyourbiz.com/business/software/screendragon

How TrueDialog Provides Customer Convenience Through Texting

Today, companies all around the world are looking for ways to deliver the best customer service experience possible. Many organizations have ultimately failed due to the fact that they didn’t truly understand customer expectations. Other businesses have missed out on a tremendous amount of revenue because they didn’t understand the importance of providing convenience to enhance the customer experience. 

It’s no secret that customer service can be extremely frustrating at times. With more and more companies fighting to gain the attention of a fickle, volatile target, it comes as no surprise that businesses are all trying to find new ways to improve their customer experiences. If you consider that 90 percent of Americans will use customer service as a factor in deciding whether to do business with a company, you begin to realize that customer convenience should be much more than just an afterthought. 

When it comes to providing convenience, there’s no better way than through text messaging. For customers, text messaging requires minimal effort to communicate and can be exchanged regardless of phone type or service carrier. Texting also enables customer support agents to be more efficient and resolve issues faster by serving multiple customers simultaneously instead of one at a time with phone calls and emails.

TrueDialog is a unique business SMS text messaging solution that allows customer service teams to remain personalized, even on a mass scale. The tool offers advantages such as CRM integrations to automated messages, mass text notifications/reminders as well as two-way team-based texting capabilities that allow multiple agents to chime into the same conversation thread to help answer questions quicker.

Why Text Messaging Works

Although text messaging has been around for almost two decades, the demand from consumers might surprise you. A study from Pew Research Center showed that 78% of consumers wished they could text a business, but most businesses don’t have this option available. According to Twilio, only 48% of business are equipped to handle messaging.

Additionally, text messages have a 98 percent open rate and cell phone users open 90 percent of their messages within three seconds. These statistics prove that the framework is already in place for a text messaging communication strategy to thrive. Therefore, your business can use text messaging to connect with customers by applying minimal effort and with very little barrier to entry.

The increasing need to remain connected with customers has led text messaging to occupy a central place as a means of customer communication. As businesses understand the need to engage their customers through multiple channels (a concept known as the “omnichannel experience”), text messaging has become an effective way to keep customers updated on promotions, engaged with customer service, or made aware of appointment times. We all know that customer service is crucial to long-term success, so why not utilize every tool at your disposal?

How Texting Changes the Customer Convenience Norm

Most businesses simply don’t understand how to engage meaningfully with consumers. It might be that they haven’t updated their website to make the mobile experience more seamless, or perhaps their design might be confusing to anyone who is genuinely interested in purchasing their products or services. Also, when they have to wait days to get a response back on a question about a recently purchased product, it’s easy to see how a consumer can get extremely frustrated.

Even if they do receive a response, your company might have had an issue regarding the training process. If your customer service representative isn’t friendly or knowledgeable, it doesn’t really help that they respond quickly. This is why it’s important to not jump into text messaging without a well planned strategy and established processes. By having proper procedures in place, your staff knows exactly what to do and can handle any situation in an efficient and consistent manner.

The existing customer convenience methods leveraged by businesses are not meeting the expectations of today’s consumers. For instance, businesses commonly offer a phone number where customers can call in to express their concerns. Alternatively, they might offer a support email address, but it might take days or weeks for customers to receive a response. In providing these ineffective methods of communication, businesses open up the door for their customers to seek quicker and more efficient alternatives. When customers have an issue, they want it to be resolved quickly and without much effort, and text messaging is the best way to meet those expectations and drive customer loyalty.

It’s easy to see how TrueDialog can provide a whole new level of convenience for the customer. Imagine a frustrated customer trying to get through to a customer service representative, only to stay on the phone for a half hour. Once they finally do reach a customer service representative, that agent might not fully understand the issue or even put them on hold even longer. 

TrueDialog enables businesses to provide instant customer service through two-way texting. The ability for customer support agents to see text message conversation history allows any agent to chime in without much delay. The team-based texting feature also ensures a seamless customer experience and leaves no questions unanswered.

Customers today want immediate satisfaction, which is why businesses need to adapt to the preferences of today’s mobile-centric consumers and resolve issues through the fastest and simplest way possible. Texting enables customer service teams to provide a better experience to build trust and lifetime loyalty.

About TrueDialog

TrueDialog serves thousands of customers who send hundreds of millions of text messages each year. TrueDialog’s Five-Star Rated SMS Texting Solution is built for big business, yet made easy for small business. With direct carrier connections, an ISO 9001 cloud-database, and 99.9% uptime, it is the perfect business texting solution for businesses serious about personalized customer engagement at scale.

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source https://tweakyourbiz.com/business/technology-trends/sms-customer-service

Top Reasons Why Every Agile Practitioner Must Get Certified In Agile ScrumMaster

 

Does your work profile involve project management or software development? Then, there’s no doubt that you should pursue the Agile ScrumMaster certification. This is because executing the Agile methodology has proven highly beneficial for almost every type of company to get work done quickly, yet effectively. A survey published by PMI states that nearly 1 in 4 of the highest performing companies surveyed completed projects with Agile or a hybrid approach.

Hence, by being a certified professional on Agile methodologies, you will be able to accelerate your career considerably. Moreover, an Agile Certified professional can enhance productivity and team performance in an organization, thereby ensuring they have a lot of job offers and growth opportunities.

A Brief Summary On Agile

The concept of Agile is focused on adopting methodologies and approaches that promote efficient project management and software development. These methods are based on the various concepts, primarily cross-functional, collaborative, and self-organized teams.

The main aim of Agile tactics is to attain advanced efficiency and team performance. Moreover, Agile methods also help organizations cater to and respond to the ever-changing requirement of customers.

Additionally, Agile methodologies are highly sought after as it helps business reduce risks, solve challenges caused due to changing markets, and increase Return on Investment (ROI) by focusing on what’s most valuable for the customer.

Types of Agile Methodologies

There are different types of Agile methodologies and approaches that are most efficient for different situations. By pursuing a certification in Agile, you will be able to determine which methodology is best suited for your requirement and the way the company functions. There are six main methodologies, which are as follows:

• Scrum
• DSDM
• Lean
• XP
• Kanban
• TDD

In this article, we will cover the benefits of pursuing one of the six methodologies; Scrum.

Top 5 Reasons to Get Certified in Agile ScrumMaster

Harness Your Teamwork Skills

By becoming a scrum master, you won’t just enhance your technical knowledge; instead, it will also help you harness your communication and teamwork skills. These skills are even extremely useful in organizations that haven’t adopted agile practices yet.

Moreover, if your team members are well-versed with Agile methodologies too, the benefits are further enhanced as you will have a common language and set of tools you can refer to, thereby skyrocketing your productivity.

Be Part of A Community

After you successfully complete the Agile ScrumMaster certification, you will find a place in one of the most thriving communities of scrum experts. In fact, an entire directory of all scrum practitioners is available on scrum.org, with whom you can network and share opportunities. You can also seek the support of your community to improve your understanding of scrum and other Agile methodologies.

Moreover, the learning process doesn’t end by getting the certification. Similar to other practices, Agile is constantly evolving and improving. Hence, staying in touch with peers and other professionals who are well-versed with scrum can help you always stay up-to-date.

A Plethora of Opportunities

Due to the results it provides, scrum methodologies are in high demand, and will only gain popularity in the years to come. Hence, qualified and certified scrum masters have a plethora of opportunities to choose from and can demand competitive pay and positions with renowned companies.

Moreover, with many companies yet to adopt this methodology or in the initial stages of adopting Agile, the need for scrum masters will keep growing.

Expanded Knowledge

As mentioned previously, the Agile industry is constantly changing and evolving; hence, it requires flexibility and the ability to learn constantly. To survive in this industry and stay ahead of the competition, you need to advance and stay up-to-date with all the developments in this niche.

Completing the ScrumMaster certification needs to be the first step to being an expert in the industry as you won’t be able to keep up with the trends without having a strong base knowledge. Moreover, you will get the knowledge required to aid your career and prevent you from facing unexpected challenges that may arise due to the lack of it.

On the other hand, if you don’t pursue the certification, you will not be able to perform or deliver your job requirements as you won’t have sufficient knowledge to complete the task. This might lead to you either losing your job or missing out on a promotion.

Build Credibility

Many people can claim that they’re experts in various practices and methodologies; however, their credibility increases tenfold when they have the credentials to back their claims.

Similar to Agile, it will always be beneficial to have a certificate to determine your expertise, especially considering other people may not be aware of Agile and hence cannot judge your knowledge.

Moreover,  you will get the opportunity to build a better relationship with your team by eradicating any sense of doubt or question of your authority.

Final Thought

While there’s no doubt that completing the ScrumMaster certification is essential, you need to be prepared to ace the test as it won’t be easy. So, start your Agile journey today!

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source https://tweakyourbiz.com/business/training/agile-scrum-certification