Business

If you currently use the SAP suite of applications to run your business, you’re no stranger to the powerful tools available to you when you use this platform. SAP’s products and tools are used in numerous industries, including, but not limited to areas such as the world of finance, energy and natural resources, healthcare, automotive, and banking. From software solutions that help you harness customer data to supply chain management, ERP, payroll, and analytics, there are hundreds of uses for these business technology platforms and applications.

Even with all of that power, however, it’s important to keep your SAP applications up-to-date. As such, you may find yourself eying the new SAP S/4HANA system as a way to boost your functionality and add new features. Indeed, for anyone looking for the latest and greatest in cloud-based tech would do well to upgrade to 4HANA sooner than later. That being said, making the switch to HANA likely means that you’ll need to migrate your existing applications from one system to the next. This process can be a bit tedious and comes with some risk (as do all data migration and system upgrades), so it’s best to know what you’re getting into prior to starting the process. Learn more about SAP migration and the other benefits cloud-based technologies offer your business and its workflow below.

What do you need to know about SAP migration?

When it comes to SAP migration, there are a lot of steps to get right in order to ensure that you don’t jeopardize your data or your ability to do the tasks that are integral to your business. Keep in mind that if something goes wrong during the migration process, even for a day, it can really impact your company’s performance and ability to create an ideal customer experience. As such it’s not a bad idea to take advantage of reading and following an SAP migration guide as you work to switch to HANA.

As you prepare to make the switch from an earlier version of SAP such as R3 ERP to S/4HANA ERP, you’ll want to take a hard look at your company’s end-to-end processes. This includes auditing the sorts of tasks you use this application for regularly as well as which other applications are integrated with your existing system. Data migration and moving over user settings will need to be done for each of these components, so you need to make sure you can manage migrating these items as a bare minimum. You also should plan on what additional features you plan on using to ensure that these software solutions are set up appropriately at the time of migration as you expand your functionality.

The benefits of cloud-based software.

One of the biggest benefits of migrating to S/4HANA ERP is the ability to integrate your existing SAP tasks with other cloud-based software solutions. For example, if you use SAP’s CRM platform, you’ll probably want to link this data with your call center software to optimize the customer experience. An omni channel call center works so well, in part, because of how it streamlines communication between live agents and customers by letting them talk to each other via SMS, phone, live web chat, email, and even social media platforms.

That being said, the true way that personalization can occur because cloud-based call center software is through letting your call center agents harness CRM data to provide important context to all interactions, no matter what complex issue defines the customers’ needs. CRM integrations not only make it easier for your contact center agents to stay productive, but it also ensures that your customers feel valued and taken care of by contact center reps, and this seamless experience can play a role in keeping them satisfied. Without the cloud and APIs, this kind of integration is less streamlined.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Business category

A project portfolio management software is a tool which is designed to take care of the various products, projects or programs displaying the various details of the projects as they progress. The various updates include the resource allocation, the demands as well as the performance and even the dates when projects are supposed to be bid for. This is a formal approach adopted by an organization to orchestrate the various components of a project as well as prioritizing them to reap the highest benefits from each project. A PPM tool helps an organization examine the available resources, an idea about the risks and rewards giving them a fair idea of the duration of a project and what can be expected. Similar to Agile architecture PPM is a flexible and easy structure of processes that help build an organization.

The difference between Project Portfolio management and Project management.

The one major difference between the two is the number of projects, while project management focuses on a single project at a time PPM considers every project that helps meet the overall business goals. This is where the two differ on a basic level, while one focuses on the completion and the road of a single project the other ensures that every project is taken into consideration so that the overall business succeeds.

The main objective of PPM is to prioritize projects and allocate required resources most efficiently along with keeping the parties up-to-date about the status of the projects and any other information of the projects. Its job is also to monitor the various ongoing projects following a top-down approach.

Certain approaches guarantee more success to a business that include some key elements some of which are mentioned below:

The first key element required to be successful with PPM is having common procedures, applications and training that help distribute relevant info that helps with easy portfolio analysis and decision making.

Setting goals with prioritizing projects and also information about the available resources which can be designated to various projects or also the consumed resources in the various projects of a business.

What does a PPM include?

• Streamlining and prioritizing projects.
• A robust reporting system that provides executives and managers with a perspective which allows them to predict the requirements of a project and highlight circumstances that may act as impediments to the overall goal of the organization.
• Maintaining communication with the parties involved.
• Allocation of available resources while having a firm idea of the capacity of the resources. When it comes to human resources, managing, planning and staffing them accordingly in terms of projects and keeping up with the skills of employees.
• Monitoring the evaluation of different projects.
• The budgeting and forecasting with the analysis of the risks and the rewards with a project.
• Helps organizations see the potential impact of overbudget projects on the whole organization.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Business category

A slab leak is a kind of leak that has developed in the water lines running below the foundation of your home. Slab leaks differ from pinhole leaks in that the latter happens above the ground, in the wall or ceiling.

What are some of the causes of slab leaks?

• Pre-damaged and poor installation

When building a home, some materials may get a little banged up, therefore affecting the pipes. When they are interfered with, you may need to consider the services of a Dallas slab leak detection company as they can prevent further slab leaks from taking place. If the pipes are installed incorrectly from the word go, they will not be able to function best once there’s a whole house sitting on top of them.

• Foundation shifts

Other times, slab leaks may occur when your house shifts on its foundation. When the ground accommodating your home begins to shift, your pipes may experience pressure. Too much pressure on these pipes can cause leakage.

• Abrasion

When pipes rub against each other, they could wear down. You need to call in a Dallas slab leak detection expert to counter this.

• Corrosion

When pipes come into contact with the soil on the ground, corrosion may happen. This is a common phenomenon in home plumbing systems where copper pipes are in use.

Signs you have a slab leak

Below are eight signs that you are experiencing a slab leak in your home:

• Sudden spikes in your bills related to water
• Huge sounds of running water when pipes are not in use
• Moisture under carpeting
• Standing water around your house
• Unusually low water pressure
• Cracks on the walls
• Warm or dump floors
• Mold problems

To get a Dallas slab leak detection expert, here is what you need to consider:

1. Location of the expert

Choosing a Dallas slab leak detection expert who lives near your home is a plus. You will not only be able to save money but also your time. Also, a locally-based Dallas slab detection expert is most likely to have relationships with local suppliers and can bargain on supplies you need for solving slab leaks.

2. Experience

The other significant factor you need to look into is the experience of the Dallas slab leak repairer. Be sure to ask how many years of experience they have regarding slab detection. Experienced ones will give you quality work and have a lot of skills and knowledge on slab leaks. By looking at their portfolio, you can ascertain the number of successful projects they have handled and any that they failed. This will give you the go-ahead as to whether you should consult their services or not.

3. Choice of tools

Last but not least, the type of tools the Dallas slab leak detection expert uses should be a huge concern. Check to see if they use the latest tools when it comes to technology and tools that are in good condition. When a Dallas slab leak detection expert uses the best tools, it is most likely that they will complete their project successfully and on time.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Business category

There are more ways to skin a cat than you can count, and thus as a marketer you need to know your options with Pay Per click.

The first thing to know is why do pay per click at all, and that’s easy. It can take you three or four years organically to build a webpage and coax it pasts Google’s algorithm, using everything possible to optimize your site.

Or… you can pay with pay per click and vault right to the top of the Google algorithm to get attention…and customers now.

And what’s the best way to win in the Pay per Click battle? Here is an experienced company such as our Las Vegas PPC agency to guide you through the ropes.

But can you learn PPC yourself? Yes, if you are very patient and detail orientated. So, our number #1 action way you can learn PPC like a pro?

You can for example, follow Lynda.com, owned by LinkedIn, which offers hundreds of courses on PPA for around $20 a month.

You can also follow Google’s AdWords courses, which are completely free, and as you know, Google AdWords is the king of PPC.

Bing Ads offers similar courses, as well as Udemy, which has great courses on PPC.

#2. Read the book

There are of course lots of books on Pay Per Click marketing, the number one book possibly being “The Ultimate Guide to PPC Advertising” by PPC guru Richard Stoakes. For $20,00 you can almost get a master’s degree in PPC.

#3. Develop Target landing pages for your PPC campaign.

Target landing pages are a key to PPC success, and unbounce Academy can show you exactly how to master the art of the landing page for PPC. Just their blog alone is filled with PPC advise you can rarely find in other places on the web.

#4. Know the key places you can place PPC ads

Of course, Googles AdWords is the 500-pound gorilla in the Pay Per Click sphere but there are many more available, and you should seriously consider exploring them.

Kinsta. com at https://kinsta.com/blog/adsense-alternatives/ lists 21 alternatives to Google AdWords, many of them we are sure you have never even heard of.

#5. Learn to Budget your money for PPC

Many media companies such as our Las Vegas PPC agency stress that you won’t get much done spending $50 or $100. $1,000 to $10,000 per month is more like the target you should want to shoot for. The bigger the budget, the more likely you will achieve success.

#6. Try to get as big a bang as possible for your PPC

Experience shows that if you have $12,000 to invest, you might be better spending the $12,000 over a single quarter rather than spreading it out over the entire year.

#7. Always be testing

Always be testing and analyzing the results of your ads. This is another reason why people turn to PPC agencies. They have the analytics to evaluate your ads properly.

#8. Really have a complete PPC campaign in mind.

Another reason for a professional PPC agency is focus. Many people dabble here and dabble there in PPC and don’t really achieve the results they want.

#9. Present compelling copy

Your ads are only as good as your copy. By all means, hire a professional to make it as compelling as possible. It’s an art not everybody has mastered.

#10 Stay focused

Instant success rarely happens in PPC. You need to test ads, to adjust, to find different places to advertise. Stay focused and you will likely find great results.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Business category

I would never have overthought about places like Hawaii or other remotely desolate regions of the world that rely on the constant movement of supply chains. The commentary provided by Victor Restis, president of Enterprises Shipping & Trading S.A., is fascinating and eye-opening.

Yes, Hawaii is isolated, sitting in the middle of the North Pacific Ocean, about 2,500 miles from the nearest port, which would be in California. But Hawaii, I would argue, is exceptionally fortunate by its status as a state of the United States of America, and its unique location. It sits between the continental United States and Asian nations, including Japan, Taiwan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and so on. This not only makes it a vital port that undoubtedly imports and exports on both sides, but also serves a midway destination for trade between the U.S. and those Asian countries.

The article points out that Hawaii operates 10 commercial harbors across the six major islands, which means that it is one busy state in the global supply chain system. Great to know that it was not affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, at least in terms of shipping and receiving.

Mr. Restis points out that the overall shipping market was affected, but it seems like the industry was able to address any challenges that the global pandemic presented. And, thankfully! Imagine if supply chains around the world shut down because of COVID-19?

This article makes me wonder about other isolated locations and what they experienced or are still experiencing because of COVID-19. What about Iceland, New Zealand, Tasmania, or American Samoa?

In Tasmania, which sits just south of Australia, there are reports that lobster and abalone export markets are currently at risk of crashing. The article states, “The Seafood Trade Advisory Group, a coalition of fresh seafood exporters and researchers in Australia, confirmed the local government had closed wholesale markets, which process imported and local seafood, meats, and horticultural products, and were frequented by thousands of people a day.”

It looks as if one of Tasmania’s leading trading partner, China, has placed a hold on these products as it tests produce for coronavirus. This creates a massive backlog for Tasmania as the fishers are still reeling in the product with no place to export them. It seems that for now, several fishers are driving around rural country towns selling the lobster (and chips) from a food van. Oh, how I would love to visit that food truck!

To read more on topics like this, check out the Business category

Being a team leader can be challenging. A team leader role can be complicated, as you are managing a group of people and this can’t always be a smooth ride. Whilst it is hard to prepare for any issues that may arise, you can better yourself and improve the way you perform within your role. Recently we were lucky enough to enjoy a great webinar with the extremely successful Hermin Salak and managed to take away some great tips on becoming a good team leader. Included below are the tips that will benefit you in your role and lead you to success.

Motivational Team Management

It is so important within your role to motivate your team to good results. There are many ways to motivate your team but the best way to start is to rule out anything that demotivates them. The main way to demotivate your team is by complaining to them about mistakes. When someone makes a mistake it is important to discuss it with them, but you need to manage it the right way. If you consistently complain or focus on the negative, you will demotivate your staff. When mistakes happen try to focus on the positives first. What did they do right? What good work have they been doing? Speak to your team on a human level, praise them, then address the mistake and what they can do to avoid it in the future. Not only will this help to motivate them, but it will make you approachable when something does go wrong. Always try to remain positive and this will make your team respond in a positive way.

Listening

A lot of your time within a team leading role will be talking to your team about performance or tasks. Whilst this is something you have to do within your role, you need to make sure you also listen to your team. A good way of doing this is by holding regular team meetings, either once a week or once a month. This will create a great chance for you to listen to your team. Try to ask them if they have any ideas to improve the work or if there is any questions that they need answering. You also need to remember that some people don’t feel comfortable in group sessions, if this is the case organize one to one sessions. Again this will allow your team to feel comfortable with you, let them know that your door is always open to discuss things work or personal.

Achievable and Clear Goals

Setting goals for your team is something that comes hand in hand with your role. When setting goals you need to set clear guidelines of how you need your team to perform. It is so important that the goals you set are clear and understandable. Never try to overcomplicate them or put unachievable goals to your team. The last thing your team will need is overcomplicated instructions or a workload they physically can’t achieve. This will lead your team to unnecessary stress and instantly demotivate them.

This is how you can be a great team leader.

To read more on topics like this, check out the Business category

Software which offer supply chain solutions is a big business and that is because supply chain management is so important. Every step of the supply chain has to be running at its most efficient level because if it does not, there is a knock on effect that can take place. Despite the ability of a great piece of software to help ensure that the supply chain is operating as it should be, there is still a large number of companies who are using outdated tech or simply refusing to use solutions-based options, and that is a mistake. These are the reasons as to why supply chain solutions should be something which every business operating within the supply chain should have.

Cost Saving

The most obvious, and the most compelling reason as to why you should be investing in supply chain solutions is that the return is simply too good to turn down. There are massive amounts of cost savings to be made with this software and failure to use it could be costing you untold amount of money. Speeding up the supply chain through smarter management of resources, healthier relationships with partners and clients owing to the additional precision and speed of doing business, reductions in costs associated with IT, invoicing and increased efficiency. There is a great deal of money to be saved here.

Efficiency

This leads us nicely onto the second most important reason why software solutions are so important for the supply chain, as they are able to drastically increase efficiency. There are, as mentioned, bug savings to be made ere with relation to efficiency but a well oiled machine is much more than that. An efficient cog in the supply chain is one which keeps its customers happy, which has better relationships with its collaborators and which is able to keep up with demand and deal with issues which arise. Supply chain solutions are not going to instant fix efficiency issues, but not having it will ensure that they always remain, slowing down the business and increasing the operational costs.

Decision Making

High performing software solutions for supply chain management are able to offer a broad number of metrics and information to management which enable smart and fast decision making. There is no need to have to collate enormous amounts of data before making an improvement or a change because it will all be available at the click of a button through the software suite. This is a wonderful tool for the management of the business, the management of those within the business, as well as providing the right data for any decisions which need to be made. This saves time and increases the accuracy and the ability to mitigate risk in the decision making process.

No company should be working inside the supply chain without integrating supply chain solutions into their operations, it is the best way to run a better business, and to be a more efficient cog in the wheel.

 

If you are sitting on liquid cash during this pandemic then you are going to be in a fine position to start looking into real estate investment properties which could see you really put that money to work and bring solid gains. The idea of looking to profit from a crisis sounds far worse than it is in reality because unfortunately it is just the way that life goes, opportunities present themselves for some when other have difficulties. Given the way in which the world has had to react to the pandemic there is going to be some serious changes once all of this is over and that is going to present chances to the who do have cash, to make some great profits.

Paying Back

There are many governments around the world who are stepping up and supporting individuals who have not been able to work, businesses who have not been able to pay rent or trade and many more organizations and individuals who have not been able to operate. Unfortunately however there is no magic money tree and these loans and this support will have to be paid back. This will result in a great deal of austerity around the world which will mean less money, and lower prices.

Losing Jobs

Sadly there will be many who lose their jobs or their businesses as a result of the pandemic and that will have a big impact on where they can live. We will see many looking to sell their homes, and many of those people could very well be desperate and as such there will be heavy discounts added to the price of many properties. If you are cash rich then this is going to offer you a wealth of opportunity.

Evictions

We are seeing a great number of evictions because people cannot pay their rent and this could enable you to buy some lower cost properties and count on there buying enough people who would be looking to downsize and rent them out. In this regard you could actually be helping people and making money at the same time, which is surely the best of both worlds.

Real Estate Prices

After almost every recession in the last 50 years we have seen house prices crash greatly and it is generally expected that this will be the same situation. Once again this is going to provide anyone who has capital on hand with an enormous opportunity to get a heavy discount on an investment property, perhaps even giving them the chance to purchase a property which they previously wouldn’t have been able to afford. As the prices fall there will be many a bargain to be had, the key will be to keep an eye on the real estate markets all over the country in order to get the very best deal.

This is a tough time which we are going through but there will be winners and losers at the end of it.

 

The tech sector has never been more popular and it looks like that won’t stop any time soon. Of course, for the aspiring entrepreneur, breaking into a tech-oriented business has a great amount of appeal. From the general stability to the near-unprecedented potential for growth, it’s a great field to be in.

Running your own salon can be a rewarding experience, but one that comes with fierce competition from other local salons and other beauty shops. As such, it is important to know exactly how to stand out from your competitors and draw as much positive attention to your salon as possible. If you want to increase foot traffic and interest to your establishment, let’s take a look at three popular marketing tactics for your salon that will help you boost your business!