Posts Tagged ‘money saving tips’
Using Web-Based Services to Save Your Company Thousands!
Wednesday, February 6th, 2008
Looking to cut costs for your business? Then, you may want to consider using web-based services with no or low monthly fees - instead of expensive software or an even more expensive server.
As more and more business owners are finding out about the goldmine of web-based services available, there has been a noticeable surge in the industry. In 2007, about 27 percent of small and medium-sized businesses used at least one web-based service - that’s up from 9 percent in 2006.
The benefits of using web-based services
Cost - Because of the shear number of web services available, most are available either for free or for a low monthly cost.
Storage - With web-based services, your business can avoid the astronomical cost of having its own web server because your information will be stored on their server.
Selection - It seems that there are hundreds of new web-based services popping up each and every day. If you’re thinking about buying an expensive piece of software, first take a look online for a similar web-based service. Chances are that it exists and is much cheaper than the software version.
The drawbacks of using web-based services
Security - Some people worry about the security of their company’s information since it’s stored on another company’s servers and not theirs. For any web-based service you decide to use, be sure to check the company’s security certificates before uploading any sensitive information.
Online - Most web-based services only work if you are connected to the internet, which may be a problem if you or your employees are frequent travelers. In that case, you may want to go with a web-based service that allows you to download documents so that you can work on them offline.
Fewer options - Not always, but sometimes web-based services offer less choices than their software counterparts. If you are looking for a specific feature on an application, be sure to ask if it’s included.
If you think using a web-based service might be right for your company, then you may want to consider some of these small business favorites:
All things Google - Google is known for having some of the best web apps out there - Google Docs, Gmail, Maps, Calendar, Notebook, etc. They are all simple to use and set up - once you start using them you’ll wonder why you never took advantage of them before!
SplendidCRM - Businesses can easily spend thousands on customer relationship management (CRM) software, but with this web app there’s no reason to! Keep track of all your contacts, customers and potential customers in one easy place.
Zoho - This company offers a wide variety of web-based services - wiki, CRM, writer, spreadsheets, planners, etc. You’ll be amazed at how useful all of these programs are.
Yapta - This web-based service can actually save you money. Just enter your flight information and Yapta will alert you when the price of your plane ticket drops and you’re eligible for money back from the airlines.
Quickbooks Online - Just like the expensive accounting software - except all your files are stored on the site’s server, instead of yours.
Constant Contact - One of the best ways to create and send out an email campaign from your business. There are plenty of options to choose from to customize your mailing with logos, fonts and pictures.
Packetel - A web-based service that allows you to have a digital fax machine. When a fax comes in you can either retrieve it online or you can have it emailed to you.
There are literally thousands of other web-based services available, so if there’s a service or software you need, you can bet you’ll find a web application for it. Be sure to test a service out before committing to it - you might find that you prefer one service over another.
Tags: Carrie Hinkel, E-Commerce and E-Business, money saving tips, saving money, security, web-based services
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6 Money-Saving Tips for Purchasing Business Equipment
Friday, December 7th, 2007
Overhead is one of the main detractors from the bottom line of any business, and one big chunk of overhead calculations lies in the type of business equipment that you buy.
It’s important to keep your costs down by making some smart and economical decisions when you are purchasing the equipment that’s so necessary to running your business.
Here are some ideas for saving money on equipment purchases.
* Buy combination equipment where possible. These days, almost everything that you need can be added just to your office computers. That will make for an expensive office computer, of course, but it will also mean that you cut down on costs of separate purchases. You will also save a little bit of money on things like power strips and even on your electrical bill, since fewer items need to be plugged in.
There are lot of different equipment combinations to choose from, apart from computers. Consider phone/fax/printer/scanner combinations, among other things.
* Plan to purchase! One of the good things about office equipment is that it is seldom an emergency buy. You know about when you will need to replace those electronics, so plan accordingly.
It’s not the holidays that are the best time to make those purchases, either; lots of office equipment will go on sale early in the new year in order to make room for newer models.
* When you are shopping, inquire about display models. Office equipment used as displays is often cheaper than that right out of the box. Of course the upshot of this is that other people will have been all over that equipment, although this usually won’t compromise the quality.
* Buy second-hand. You always do have the choice of going second hand with your office equipment. If you know people in any kind of business that uses office equipment, ask how often they switch over.
The frequency may surprise you, and you can find some good deals from some surprising sources (churches, for example, may turn over their equipment every two years or so).
* Buy a lot at once. If a retailer knows that you want to make a few purchases at once, they will be more likely to give you discounts on some items. Don’t be shy; make sure to let the salesperson know that you are going to be buying multiple pieces of equipment.
If they don’t offer you a deal, ask for one. If they still don’t, walk away. Someone will eventually, and even if you are out of luck you can always come back.
* Renting vs. Buying. While you might be tempted to rent office equipment because the initial expense seems lower, it’s advisable to do your research first. The first thing you’ll need to do is determine the length of time you’ll be requiring the equipment. If you only need it temporarily, then rental might be the best option for you. However, for equipment that you’ll need for longer periods of time, you may want to consider buying. When you weigh the cost of buying outright against a monthly rental cost, you might be surprised to find it’s cheaper to buy.
Tags: advice, business equipment, Leeia Ladipoh, money, money saving tips, purchasing business equipment, tips
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