Greater Jordan-Elbridge Chamber of Commerce  

Post Office Box 298, Elbridge, NY  13060

Onondaga County, Central New York State                                                                  

Zip Codes:   Elbridge 13060, Jordan 13080, Memphis 13112

GPS Coordinates

Elbridge - 43.034266, -76.443282                                        Jordan - 43.069027,  -76.466416                     Memphis - 43.082779, -76.377502

 
 

Business Tip of the Week

August 20, 2008

How Accessible are You?
 

Customer service is a key element in the success of your business. That’s not news to anyone. But a crucial element of customer service, that business owners often overlook, is being readily accessible to your clientèle. That can be a challenge, but technology lends a hand in making it possible.

E-Mail
First of all, be sure that you provide your e-mail address to your clients. If at all possible, provide them with a personal e-mail address, such as Bob@mybusiness.com rather than the generic support@ or info@. This gives the client a feeling that you are personally catering to their questions and needs, rather than just any Joe-Shmoe getting their e-mail. Of course, if you’re a one person shop, then make them aware that you check all of the e-mail accounts yourself.

Be sure to check those e-mail accounts at least once a day. If you can do so more often, that is recommended, but if time doesn’t allow for you to check the business e-mail two or three times a day, be sure you do so at least once. Some clients may be trying to contact you with a pressing question, so you want to be sure you get to them as soon as possible.

Additionally, be sure that you have an e-mail signature on all of your outgoing e-mail messages. Most e-mail programs provide in the options menu for you to add the content of an e-mail signature that will automatically tag on the end of all outgoing e-mails. Be sure that this signature includes your name, your e-mail address, the company’s name, the company’s mailing address, telephone and fax and any other pertinent information a client can use to get a hold of you.

Another way to stay connected and accessible to your clients through e-mail is to send out an e-newsletter. Be sure that it is sent out consistently, at the same time each month. Sending a weekly newsletter can clutter your client’s inbox, so don’t overdo it. Use the newsletter to keep clients informed of upcoming events and sales, and to answer frequently asked questions. 

Phone
Though many businesses are small and may not have a lot of people, it is still important that you have a voicemail system installed and a voicemail box for each employee. Though hand written messages are okay, when you have a voicemail you can change the outgoing message each day (and you should) to reflect your availability and when you will be able to return calls. Nearly every telephone service company provides some sort of voicemail system. And, again, if you’re just a one person shop, have an answering machine at the very least.

One of the most important ways to be accessible to your clients is to provide them with your cell phone number. This gives provides the impression that you can be reached at any time. If you fear that, by giving out your cell number, your phone will be ringing constantly, then limit the hand out of the number to those clients who are your most loyal and most crucial to your business. And, of course, update the outgoing message each day, just like with regular voicemail.

Though being accessible to your clients can be a handful and a bit overwhelming at times (especially when you have that client that worries about every little detail or can never be pleased), but, for the most part, being available to your clients gives your business the advantage of trust and reliability. And that’s what keeps the clients coming back!

August 12, 2008

To Fax or not to Fax?

Most office environments are swimming in paper and faxes continue to contribute much to the mess. With many companies committed to reducing paper handling and moving to electronic work flows, the office fax machine is high on the list of products to replace.

The traditional fax process is time-consuming and requires individuals to go to a fax room not only once, to send documents, but again, to see if the fax went though—and if necessary, repeat the process if the receiving fax line was busy or not operating.

Offices should move away from fax to scan-to-e-mail software that delivers PDF documents as attachments using a company's existing e-mail system. In doing so, you will quickly see three process improvements:

a. Scan-to-e-mail produces better quality documents than fax machines.

b. Distributing documents will be more confidential because you can utilize the security capabilities inherent in your e-mail system.

c. Scanned documents are easier to save and forward to others electronically.

If you still find a need to send faxes, then move from a standalone fax to a computer-based fax system that allows users to share scanned documents from their copiers. This is the next best thing to scan-to-e-mail.

Edward Schmid
President and CEO
eCopy
Nashua, N.H.

Scroll down for previous tips

 

 

 July 07, 2008

Sprucing up a tired image &

low-cost Marketing

5 Tips for Sprucing Up a Tired Image
  1. Identify who your customers and other stakeholders are and what they want from you. Through interviews or questionnaires, have them help you evaluate your image.
  2. Pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses of your current image. What misconceptions or negative perceptions need to be corrected?
  3. Devise a strategy. It could include changing your company’s name and logo, changing your product mix, or even dropping some customers and courting others.
  4. Get expert help. Image makeovers usually call for professionals who can help you devise and implement a new concept.
  5. Follow up to make sure the makeover is doing its job. Are sales up? Are you attracting the customers you want?

5 Tips for Low-Cost Marketing
Make yourself stand out. Nancy Michaels, owner of a marketing communications firm in Concord, MA, sends greetings and gifts at odd holidays, like Chinese New Year and the Fourth of July, instead of at Christmas and Hanukkah.

Create a memorable title for yourself. The business cards of one husband-and-wife team refer to them as “Dad” and “Mom” because their furniture store is named after their children.

Write educational articles for trade journals, newspapers, and other publications that reach your audience. They’ll get your name before the public and add to your credibility.

Don’t underestimate the market value of your name. By using their names over and over to promote their talents, Oprah Winfrey and Martha Stewart have turned small businesses into enormous enterprises.

Make sure the name of your company is legible. Some logos use such fancy lettering that the company name is unreadable.

 

Brought to you by SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business."


 

July 01, 2008  Rules of Overtime Pay

In good times and bad, employees at millions of small business nationwide are working overtime. But many small business owners may not be totally informed on the issue of overtime pay. The consequences of failing to pay overtime when required, or paying it improperly, can be severe.

 According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD), hourly employees must be paid overtime at time-and-a-half for working more than 40 hours in a workweek. Overtime pay may not be waived by any agreement between you and your workers.

And over the past several years, the federal government has been stepping up enforcement of wage and hour laws regarding overtime. Particular scrutiny falls on thousands of what the Department of Labor (DOL) considers “low-wage” businesses, such as day care centers, restaurants, janitorial services, health care facilities, motels and temp services.

Yet among small businesses, there remains a great deal of confusion about the rules of overtime pay. In general, federal wage and hour rules apply to any business with at least two employees and $500,000 in revenues. But there are exceptions as well as state guidelines that may also apply.

One potential pitfall involves salaries for workweeks more than 40 hours. According to DOL, a fixed salary for a regular workweek longer than 40 hours does not eliminate an employer’s obligation to pay overtime. Under Federal rules, however, employers can exempt certain positions from overtime regulations.

These “white collar” exemptions include executives and professionals who spend at least 80 percent of their time on duties involving their own independent discretion and not structured work. Federal law does not require extra pay for weekend or night work. Nor is there any provision for double-time pay. Both are matters of agreement between you and your employees.

As officials at Paxchex, a payroll firm, note, “Classifying your employees as either exempt or non-exempt is neither exact or easy.” The decision shouldn’t be based merely on job title or whether someone is hourly or salaried. Instead, use job duties as the main factor.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division Web site, www.wagehour.dol.gov, has detailed information on federal requirements for overtime, minimum wages, family and medical leave and related topics critical to small business. Look for the “Overtime Pay” section and also the FAQ section that answers questions about when overtime is due, how many hours per day or week employees can work, and what’s considered full- or part-time employment. State requirements and contacts are also listed.

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