Tag: business

Dicas de Gestão

7 Financial Mistakes That Harm Your Business

To err is human and it is very likely that a manager, throughout his career, make some mistakes. However, there are financial mistakes that can be very detrimental to running a business and can even lead a business to failure. In today’s article we address the 7 financial mistakes that hurt your business!

Lack of constant analysis

It is essential these days to continuously analyze your business, because only then can you find problems before they materialize. Managers can no longer survive just with Excel sheets and reports with a few days. It is essential that the business is analyzed at the minute, because only in this way will be able to be always ahead of the competition. Business monitoring software like Multipeers is a growing need in today’s business because it allows you to analyze in a simple way everything that is happening now with your business.

Spend what you (still) don’t have

Hiring a debt with money that has not yet gone into the box is a very common mistake and should be avoided to the fullest. There is no guarantee that the customer will not be late in paying or if an unforeseen event will happen and you will need to invest in something more urgent.

Do not make a balance sheet

As companies grow, various investments are made and the company’s assets are growing over time. However, there is often no concern about knowing what one possesses at a given moment, eventually continuing to invest in disorderly ways. Having knowledge of the balance sheet helps the company whether it needs to continue to invest or whether, on the contrary, it should reduce its investments.

Lack of automation

Performing tasks manually that could be automated is a very common mistake. Using an ERP helps you optimize all processes, reducing costs and increasing productivity by reducing human error. The information of a company must be integrated, so that all the data is updated so that it is easier to make decisions.

Do not have KPIs

The financial area is one of the most relevant in any business and the use of indicators becomes essential. Using business metrics enables you to measure the outcome and verify that the stated goals are being met. Working without indicators is like being lost in a complex labyrinth without a map to guide you.

Mixing personal expenses with company expenses

It is a very common mistake among business owners, who usually use the company account to pay for personal expenses. This mistake is very detrimental to business as it completely changes the fixed costs of the organization and distorts its financial reality.

Focus only on sales

Sales are the ultimate goal of every business, but if you don’t pay attention to the other areas of the business, you may compromise your entire business. Administrative and human resource management are examples of areas that deserve to be treated with care. Good management of all departments of a company will reflect the financial results in the medium and long term.

Tecnologia e Gestão

Top 5: Technology Myths You Need to Eliminate Right Now

Over time, many misconceptions are fixed in our thinking. The world of technology is one of the richest in myths. It’s time to eliminate preconceived ideas that are false and that disrupt your relationship with technology! In today’s article, we cover the top 5 technology myths you need to eliminate right now!

“MacBooks are immune to virus attacks”

For a long time, Apple pretended that its computers, unlike the machines of Microsoft, were immune to viruses. However, in 2012, a malware like Trojan affected thousands of Mac computers, throwing away the (very useful) myth of Apple. There are still many people who believe that Mac is completely immune to virus attacks, but that’s a myth!

“Charging the electronic devices many times destroy the battery”

This myth was real until a few years ago. However, modern lithium-ion batteries are smarter, knowing when they are 100 percent charged and no longer charging when they reach the maximum battery. It is advised that charging 20% ​​of computers, tablets and mobile phones is ideal for the longevity of the device.

“You should not invest in management systems in times of crisis”

This is one of the most dangerous myths for business survival. Moments of crisis force companies to have greater control over their finances. As a rule, in these periods there is a decrease in the number of employees, which will cause people to be overloaded and the management systems can be very useful in these phases. The adoption of a management system in times of economic recession is essential to ensure greater control over spending and budgets and allows streamlining processes, increasing the productivity of the company. Investing in a management system can be the first (and the most important) step to get out of a less good situation.

“The more tools you use, the more productive you will be”

Sometimes, less is more and in the case of companies and management tools this applies. Many managers believe that using multiple tools simultaneously will be more productive, but what happens is just the opposite, because the focus is dispersed across multiple programs and data sources. At the data analysis level, it is advisable to use a BAM tool such as Multipeers, because the manager will be able to know what is going on in his organization through a single dashboard that collects information from the various data sources of the company. This way, the manager doesn’t need to consult 3 or 4 programs, which avoids wasting time and increases productivity.

“Just keep the system up to date is enough to be protected”

Unfortunately, protecting your system from computer attacks is not that easy. Updating the system already puts the company at risk, so it is critical not to have the automatic updates. It is essential to analyze all the risks of the update, to see if after being updated the system becomes more vulnerable. While keeping your programs and systems up-to-date is important, but it is not enough to prevent attacks. It is important that you train your employees to behave correctly when it comes to data security, as this is a responsibility of all members of an organization.

Dicas de Gestão

5 Essential Tips for Winning Customers in 2018

Conquering customers is a must-have goal every year and in every business. At a time when there is so much information coming from the most diverse channels, it becomes difficult to capture the attention of the target audience, so it is imperative to use the best techniques to attract new customers. We know that each business has its own specifics, but there are tricks that cross all areas and in today’s article we present the 5 essential tips to win customers in 2018.

Get to know your audience

It is essential that you get to know your target audience more than ever. The current consumer is very demanding, so it becomes increasingly difficult to please him. So, you should collect as much information as possible about it: preferences, social media he uses, media you prefer, among other things that are relevant to your business. The market studies are very important here, because it is a great way to better know the desires and characteristics of the audience you want to achieve and in this way you will be able to win customers.

Listen more and talk less

Customers like to talk and feel that they are attentive to their needs and desires. Many sellers fall into the error of talking too much because they want to show in a short time all the benefits of the product or service they have to offer. However, today’s consumers are looking for quick fixes and will be bored if they hear a standardized speech. Therefore, it is very important that you first listen to everything the client has to tell you and then present the possible solutions in a practical and very objective way.

Avoid clichés

There are phrases that immediately refer us to the insistent and boring sellers who just want to sell and who do not care about what we really need. Even if you consider that your product is the best in the world, you should avoid trying to sell it through this argument as it will sound false and overkill. Also avoid talking badly about the competition and never, but never, ever lie to the customer. Nowadays, the consumer is very informed and the information spreads at an amazing speed, so the probability of your lie being discovered is very great and in this case, besides not winning customers, you risk losing the current ones!

Follow the results

It is not enough to launch marketing actions and campaigns and not monitor their results. It is very important that you define indicators and analyze all the results of your actions. Only in this way you will be able to promote continuous improvement, which will certainly also have an effect on the number of clients raised. The current market is very dynamic and must ensure that your product or service does not stay static.

Use a content strategy

Digital marketing is increasingly present in corporate strategies and many brands use a content strategy in which they write articles and case studies about their area of ​​expertise. This will make potential customers look to the company as a reference entity and this will increase the confidence and likelihood of opting for your products and services.

Internet e Marketing

Google Trends and real-time information

Google Trends is a free platform that shows us the evolution of a given search over time. When searching for a word, the tool shows you a chart that lists the number of searches over time. This search can be filtered by category, location, and specific time period. In today’s article, we’ll cover the relationship between Google Trends, real-time information and benefits of using this tool for your business!

Real-time information

Increasingly, people are looking for up-to-the-minute information and are no longer content to read the news of yesterday in this morning: they seek to know, at every moment, what is happening in the World. Due to this greater requirement of users, Google Trends has expanded its search and provides a filter in real time. Google collects data from numerous sources, including searches on YouTube and Google News. You can follow the search for a particular keyword in real time and by geography, which gives us a lot of information about the interest of each country in a given topic.

How does Google Trends help my business?

Nowadays, all businesses need to have a strong online presence to win and it is essential that you know how to optimize your website and social media for search engines, otherwise it will not be found by your target audience. Google Trends gives us insight into what people are looking for right now. If your website has a blog where you create content about your area of ​​expertise, using Google Trends is almost mandatory. This tool will help you realize which of the most popular themes of the moment and then just find a way to relate it to your business to create relevant content at that time.

Google Trends lets you compare terms. If you have a sports clothing store, for example, you can compare different terms to find out what you should bet on in your digital marketing strategy. The tool will help you see if people in your country are looking for more about “Nike sportswear,” “Adidas sportswear,” or “New Balance sportswear.” This will allow you to use the most searched term and this will be reflected in the visits to your website.

The fact that you can search by region is also very important, as it allows you to target your target audience wisely. If you know that in the North of your country people are mostly searching for “Nike sportswear,” you’ll be able to create a more focused and better-performing campaign.

 

It is increasingly important to keep pace with the changing needs of consumers and their interests, since only in this way you will be able to produce quality and relevant content. The information generated by the minute on the web is practically immeasurable, so it is necessary to be attentive to everything to respond as quickly as possible to the desires of your target audience and thus stand out from the competition.

Real-time information is part of the business. Download our Business Activity Monitoring e-book and find how real-time management will help you achieve your goals!

Definição de métricas de negócio

Everything you need to know about ROI

All companies aim to make a profit and reduce expenses. Throughout a year of work, several investments are made with the purpose of obtaining financial gains. However, when it comes to investing in some stock, we are not sure if we will get the desired return, so there is always a risk associated with all the decisions. ROI – return on investment – is a very important concept for companies and in today’s article we’ll cover everything you need to know about ROI!

What is ROI?

ROI is the acronym for return on investment. This value represents the profit obtained after a certain investment and is commonly used in the evaluation of operational investments, such as acquisition of equipment, computer equipment, participation in events and marketing actions.

How to calculate ROI?

The formula for calculating ROI is very simple:

ROI = ((Revenue – Costs) / Costs) * 100

When calculating a return on investment, only costs and income related to the investment should be included, not the overall results of the company. The following example shows us how ROI applies in practice: a company will participate in a marketing event that costs € 10,000. During the event, they will generate leads that will become customers and in the next 5 years these customers will make a profit of € 20,000 to the company. The return in this case is 100%.

Advantages of calculating ROI

One of the main advantages of this calculation is the reduction of expenses and the increase of profit. It is essential to calculate the return on all actions performed, because only then managers can realize what actions result and which do not add value to the company. Thus, the company will be able to eliminate the investments that generate only expense. However, it must be borne in mind that some investments generate profit only after a considerable period of time. The manager must evaluate all the repercussions of the investment not only in the immediate but also in the long term.

The calculation of the ROI allows to improve progressively, because the company is able to follow the evolution of the investments, identifying standards and allowing to improve its performance. More than identifying the importance of each investment, the calculation of ROI also contributes to a positive evolution of the business.

Calculating this figure allows managers to make decisions faster because they often follow the status of the company and its investments. In this way, when choosing a particular investment, they will know the history of past actions and feel safer to decide.

It is increasingly important to keep track of the state of the business in real time as the markets are increasingly competitive. Multipeers is a BAM tool that allows you to track everything that goes on in your business through the connection to the information systems you use. Through a simple and intuitive dashboard, you’ll be able to instantly see what’s happening so you can make the best decisions for the future of your business!

Dicas de Gestão

5 Essential Tips to Make Your Business More Productive

New Year New Life! If in 2018 you want to make your company more productive, you should continue reading this article. Over the years, the way we work has changed a lot, especially due to technology. However, more and more we are “bombarded” with constant requests, which continually interrupt our work pace and diminish our productivity. In today’s article, we leave you 5 essential tips to make your business more productive in the new year!

Centralize information

One of the main problems of companies and especially of decision makers is to have the information spread through various software. This takes a long time to find the necessary data, which delays the operational decisions and undermines the good functioning of the companies. Softwares such as Multipeers allow you to centralize in a single platform all the information coming from the various systems of the company, showing it in a graphically clean and interactive way, which contributes to better decisions, since all the information can be consulted in real time.

Delegate tasks

It is not always easy for managers to be able to delegate important tasks to their team, but without realizing this is one of the main productivity problems. No one is a super hero to be able to carry the company on the back, so knowing trust in the team is fundamental to being able to dedicate to tasks that really cannot be done by anyone else. Surrounding yourself with qualified and responsible professionals will help you to know how to delegate some tasks.

Defining Daily Goals

We all have monthly and annual goals to fulfill, but if we think very generically we will not be able to perform daily the tasks that will contribute to this achievement of objectives. It is essential to set daily goals to make your business more productive. You should be realistic in setting goals for your day, otherwise you will not be able to accomplish all the tasks and this will lead you to a feeling of frustration.

Establish times to consult the email

The constant arrival of emails distracts us from the task we are currently undertaking. You should turn off incoming e-mail notifications on your Desktop and establish (and meet) e-mail query and response times. In this way, your day-to-day life will be much more organized and you will achieve higher levels of productivity.

Gather only if it is essential

Most companies live in a culture of meetings. Each and every subject is discussed around a meeting table and hardly the schedule and established plan are actually fulfilled. It has been proven that most of the issues discussed at business meetings could easily be solved by sending an email or a phone call. Therefore, you should meet only if the matter is delicate and require the input of various elements of your team. Otherwise, you can opt for quick and standing conversations so that employees realize that it will be a quick “meeting” and really focus on the matter to be resolved.

Dicas de Gestão

Find the main aspects of Lean IT

The software industry is constantly evolving. Being a very competitive market, it is essential that the solutions provided by companies solve problems quickly and be flexible. It is critical that this area innovates and creates a new software development culture. Lean IT adapts the original concepts of the Lean philosophy and Toyota’s IT system. The goal is to adapt to the business in order to create value for customers by changing the way companies work and improving their business culture. In today’s article, we will cover the main aspects of Lean IT.

Origin of the term

Lean IT is an extension of the industrial Lean, which had its origins in 1950 in the Toyota factory. At this point, the world was going through an economic crisis and it was essential to reduce costs and optimize performance levels. Through the Lean method, companies minimize waste and produce with high quality, which increases customer value and makes processes more efficient. This work method uses optimization processes such as Just in time and continuous improvement.

More efficient processes

Dealing with information technology environments means having to constantly update them to anticipate and avoid problems and instabilities and promote continuous improvement (according to Kaizen methodology). Managing an IT environment is a complex process and this methodology seeks to create more functional systems that are able to integrate all processes, making them more secure and reliable.

Standardization of processes

This is one of the main features of this method. Standardization is the easiest and safest way to perform a task without fail. Lean IT suggests the following processes to streamline tasks: 5S standards application checklist, clear operation instructions, process parameter definition, setup parameter pattern, and problem escalation pattern.

Faster production

One of the main focuses of this methodology is the increase of the speed of the processes, which in turn increases the productivity and the profit. Well delineated and flawless processes make the company more productive and this will make the financial results are higher.

Greater Involvement

The Lean IT methodology involves the entire organization in the production process, not applying to only one sector of the company, but to all hierarchies. This method involves all employees so that success is achieved in the end easier.

Dicas de Gestão

Top 5 trends in data visualization

Data is increasingly important to companies and knowing how to interpret them correctly and quickly is a constant challenge. The current business world is very fast, so it is no longer possible for companies to survive only at the expense of lengthy reports. Business Intelligence, artificial intelligence and the need for real-time information are changing the way we view data. In today’s article, we present the key trends in data visualization!

Location-based data analysis and visualization

Mobile applications and social networks are increasingly using geo-referencing. In this way, it is possible to know where a customer is located and to send personalized and useful information at the moment, in order to stimulate a purchase. This trend will be well present in the future, where applications will begin to integrate more analysis based on geotags.

Data visualization for all

The tendency is for all employees in a company to have access to data that is important for the performance of their obligations. If the data were previously only available to top managers and decision makers, in the future it is expected that there will be a democratization of data access so that all employees are better informed and better able to perform their tasks.

Interactive Dashboards

The large volume and complexity of data requires new ways of analyzing information. Interactive dashboards are going to be a big trend next year. Softwares such as Multipeers allow the creation of an interactive dashboard with information from several data sources, which makes the analysis faster and, consequently, the decision making is faster and efficient.

Presence on multiple platforms

Companies should be present on various platforms (social media, blog, website) and thus collect data from various sources. This information can be used to better understand customers and their needs and desires. In this way, business portfolio can be adapted to the real needs of consumers, which will make them more loyal to the brand.

Data Scientists

This will be one of the most important professions in the future. A data scientist is an analytical professional who has the technical capabilities to solve complex problems and has come up to deal with the huge amount of unstructured data that companies have to deal with on a daily basis. This professional creates algorithms to extract insights from the data generated by the diverse sources of information and presents them in a practical and simple format to analyze by the decision makers, who will be able to define strategies and decide the best way for the company.

Uncategorized

Crisis Management: Preventive Measures to Save Your Business

All companies fear going through periods of crisis. However, they do not always worry about having crisis management plans, because their thinking is “only happens to others.” In fact, all businesses are predisposed to to going through more troubled financial times and it is essential that they have a crisis management plan to eliminate the problem as quickly as possible or to minimize its effects. In today’s article, we introduce preventative actions to save your business!

Analyze data and identify problems

The first step is to recognize that there is a problem that needs to be spoken. It is essential to assess its severity since only this we can determine the urgency of corrective actions. Managers need to constantly analyze available data in order to detect management failures, need to change strategy, diversion of production, and other problems that can lead to a crisis. Identifying mistakes made in the past allows us to avoid the same mistakes in the future.

Have a crisis manual

When a company goes through a period of crisis, it needs to make quick decisions. It is very important that you have a written communication plan that is nothing more than the crisis manual. This document informs about the vulnerabilities of the company, explains how to act and who is the responsible person to communicate in this period. The crisis manual should include releases so that communication in times of trouble is faster.

Do not ignore the situation

If you detect any sign that something is wrong, you must act immediately. Ignoring the situation will only complicate it, which will have more serious consequences in the future. It is necessary to make an early diagnosis and investigate the origin of the problem, because the faster the measures are implemented, the more likely the company has to exit the crisis without great consequences.

Eliminate Unnecessary Spending

It is fundamental that companies are always attentive to all expenses, but at the moment of crisis this attention must be redoubled. Identify the highest and most unnecessary expenditures, the least productive employees, general expenses, travel expenses, among others. Eliminating these expenses in a healthy time of the company will allow crisis situations to be delayed or even eliminated. However, you should also be careful not to eliminate spending that are necessary for the proper functioning of the company, as this can pose an even bigger problem.

Get real-time information

Bad decisions can destroy a business, so it is vital that managers have reliable and up-to-date information. Real-time business monitoring software like Multipeers is increasingly a necessity in business. Only with updated information managers are able to make assertive and effective decisions for the proper functioning of the company. Lack of information is often the biggest responsible for less good times in companies, so it is essential to choose a good business monitoring system.

 

Analyzing data in real time is increasingly a reality in companies around the world. Business happens at a very fast pace and it is essential that you know what is happening in your company to make the most appropriate decisions for your business. Download our e-book and learn how a BAM tool can help you manage!

Dicas de Gestão

Find the 7 Deadly Sins of the Digital Age

Digital transformation is one of the themes of the moment and it is impossible for a company to go alongside this revolution. Companies are continually looking for digital solutions that facilitate their business processes and that are capable of responding to all their needs. However, it is not always easy to adapt a company’s work to a digital reality and there are many errors that complicate business performance. In today’s article, let’s talk about the 7 deadly sins of the digital age and give tips to avoid in your business!

Don’t plan the implementation of technologies

Before starting to implement a digital strategy it is essential to assess the needs of the company and the main objectives that the company intends to achieve with the change. Digital transformation is not the cure for all business problems, but if implemented correctly it will help improve performance and increase success. Often companies make the mistake of adopting all the technologies they find without effectively planning the digital path they want to go through.

Complicate all processes

Most companies complicate the way they work. The digital transformation brings with it the agile methodology, which intends to increase the quality of service to the Customer. The chosen software should be intuitive and fairly easy to update, so that users can use it without having to resort to specialized technicians. When choosing software, effectiveness and simplicity should be the most important factors to consider.

Don’t involve all employees

Often, employees resist change and this is because they feel they are not involved in the whole process of digital transformation. It is important to show the whole team the advantages of change, especially advantages directly related to the work of each one. Communication is essential if digital transformation is well implemented.

Don’t integrate digital transformation into global strategy

This transformation should be part of the company‘s overall strategy, because only then it will succeed. It is essential to know where the company intends to go, design a transformation process and integrate that plan into the company’s overall strategy. Teams should work together towards modernizing processes

Don’t rely on the CEO’s support

It is important to have the support of the leadership and their commitment to the implementation of the digital strategy. Leadership must be committed to increasing the knowledge of its employees and actively participating in the dissemination of the new culture. It is only through good examples that employees will feel committed and willing to adopt a new philosophy of work.

Don’t equip the team with new skills

Digital transformation has brought the need to train employees to new skills. It is very important that teams are formed for this new way of working because otherwise they will feel frustrated that they are not able to embrace the new challenges of the industry.

Don’t elect a responsible person for the transformation

The responsible person for digital transformation must work towards implementing this new philosophy of work in a continuous and consistent manner. Although this process is common to the entire organization, it is important that there is a person responsible for digital transformation that coordinates all activities and involves all people.