Fit To Lead: Traits Of Successful Business Leaders

Most of the times, a company’s success (or failure) is dictated by its leadership. While fervent investors can “run” the company, committed leaders do not just stop on gaining money for the business. They go beyond earning a profit. Here’s a list of what successful business leaders have in common.

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They bravely face bad news

Running a business does not always mean receiving only good news. While a lot of business leaders dislike hearing bad news, effective and successful leaders face them as it is. They do not worry about looking weak in front of their employees, but instead, they make conscious efforts to assess problems and quickly resolve them.

They do not lose their perspective

Many business founders and leaders are passionate about gaining more income, but successful business leaders never forget why they started in the first place. They might make wrong choices in life, but they never lose their positive perspective.

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They lead with courage

Innovative business leaders are confident and proactive, no matter what the situation. They are never intimidated by intelligent conversations, and they do not avoid conflicts because they know they will learn something along the way.

Eddie O’Brien, currently serves as the CEO of the Americas at Arvato Bertelsmann. Prior to that, he spent years working for Microsoft. Visit this blog for similar articles.

Optimizing Business Efficiency: Recommended SCM Solutions

A business owner or manager must know everything going on in his company, and should have easy access to pertinent information. He or she should get a good look at environments both internal and external to the business. That is where supply chain management comes in, since it mainly involves the oversight of materials, information, logistics, and finances upon which entire operations and production rests. SCM traces the path of such materials from the supplier to the business, from wholesaler to retailer, and finally, the consumer.

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The entire concept is simple, but in practice, it is mired in details and a surfeit of information. CEOs often struggle with handling supply chain methods. Furthermore, they are not always equipped with the necessary information to compute increasing profitability within the supply chain. For this reason, supply chain management software has been created and developed.

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There are numerous supply chain management software in the market for SMEs, but among them, the most recommended would be Oracle, Blue Ridge, and GAINsystems. Oracle offers an impressive and comprehensive repertoire, with over 420,000 customers and deployments in more than 145 countries. Included in their package is the E-Business Suite, ERP, and retail offerings.

Blue Ridge, meanwhile, is a cloud-based planning platform, making it a favorite among retailers and distributors. They determine customer demand forecasts with the bonus of creating a precise plan of meeting demands. GAINSystems uses an advanced planning and profit optimization method with their technology which will allow businesses to identify improvements and adopt these, with room for adjustments and transitions.

Edmund O' Brien is the CEO of the Americas at Arvato Bertelsmann. He oversees the multibillion-dollar BPO services (including SCM, CRM, financial and IT solutions) provider's operations in several countries. For similar articles, visit this page.

Developing a Good CRM Strategy

A critical part of financial success is customer relationship management or CRM. This applies to all industries. Many economists emphasize the importance of developing a good CRM strategy. Below are a few suggestions.

Understanding the target market: The first and most important step in any strategy is to know who it is being made for. As the name suggests, CRM requires building a solid relationship with customers. This can only be done when there is at least a basic understanding of one’s target market. Different industries have different markets. Businessmen should carefully understand who they are selling to and those that actually buy their specific product or service.

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Maintain adaptability through KPIs and KRAs: CRM solutions are often associated with the development of the business’ KRAs (key result areas) and KPIs (key performance indicators). The relationship implies that CRM strategies have to be adaptable. Entrepreneurs have to continually review their performances and how well they are managing their customers. Policies and procedures that are no longer helpful should be revised or removed immediately.

Think integration: Industries should consider optimizing technologies. Today’s society runs on speed and information. It is critical for clients to feel that their concerns are being handled immediately. Thus, businesses should be able to address issues as soon as they are received. This can only be done with the proper IT solutions. Companies should not only think big; they should think wide.

One good suggestion would be to seek the assistance of an expert in these kinds of procedures. Then an effective and customized CRM strategy can be formulated.

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Eddie O’Brien worked at Microsoft for more than a decade as part of its executive team. He is now the CEO of Americas of Arvato Bertelsmann, handling many areas of business success, including developing CRM solutions. To learn more, follow this Twitter account.

The Accountant's Toolbox: Apps For Working Efficiently

Back in the day, an accountant's bosom companion was his ledger and a calculator. That still meant long hours poring over numbers until they were swimming before one's eyes. Even when accounting software started becoming the standard, it still took some skill to learn and master these. Nowadays, thanks to technological advancements, accountants have better tools for accomplishing their tasks more quickly, accurately, and efficiently. 

One such example is Freshbooks, a cloud-based accounting app that makes expense management, invoicing, and the like easier because of feature automation and collaboration capabilities. Freshbooks can be used risk-free for 30-days before one has to pay a monthly fee. 

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Another one that's worth looking at is the online bookkeeping app Xero. This positively-reviewed accounting tool allows users to follow their cash flow in real time, thereby allowing the users to conduct their business anywhere they can connect to the Internet. Like the previously mentioned Freshbooks, Xero can be used free for a month but will come with a monthly fee thereafter. 

For those who prefer free accounting software, Wave is one of the most popular options. While many "freemium" apps limit what their users can do unless they pay for features, Wave comes with a number of useful abilities for free such as being able to import transaction data securely and automatically generate professional-looking reports. And it can do all of these without a cap on the number of customers or reports. 

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Of course, along with all these, one shouldn't neglect the tool that's been around for so long and remains to be the industry standard, Microsoft Excel. This is the tool by which most accountants cut their teeth, and it's still widely used today because of its stability and usefulness. And like its younger brethren, Excel can also be used in newer gadgets like tablets and mobile phones. 

Eddie O'Brien is a certified public accountant who earned his degree at the University of Cork. Follow this Google+ page for updates about accounting and working for multinational companies.

The Key Takeaways From a Multinational Corporation Career

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Working for a multinational company is a privilege. There’s a reason the very process of getting into one seems to be so rigid. It’s probably the only process that filters out the best talent there is in the world, only to turn them into much better individuals.

Many who have earned their stripes in multinational corporations have chosen to take the independent route and build companies of their own. They are equally successful, thanks to some key takeaways from their careers.

It is typical of this individual to have a widened range in shifting from micro to macro perspectives. Working for a company that engages the market from the local, regional, and continental spheres allows one to make sense of certain events as opportunities for growth. They can make quick decisions that are based on solid understanding.

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It has been observed from among those with a multinational background to have a high acumen for problem-solving. It would appear that such an environment rests an amount of pressure on the individual for him to develop creative approaches to predicaments out there in the field.

Those who have come from multinational corporations bring with them a certain amount of credibility. When they speak up, people listen to them intently, and when they direct, people follow. They are essentially the charioteers of today’s modern economies.

Edmund O’Brien is the CEO of the Americas at Arvato Bertelsmann. He is the successful overseer of a multibillion-dollar BPO enterprise, with much thanks to his experience in the global arena. To learn more about him, follow this LinkedIn page.

Looking Up: How Cloud Computing Helps Businesses Thrive

For most businesses, efficiency is the name of the game. Achieving goals while minimizing costs and waste is a general directive. The advent of technological solutions to manage businesses has boosted both operational and cost efficiency among businesses.

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Cloud computing has taken the business world by storm recently. Through the Internet, a network of remote servers can be used to manage information, which benefits companies through the following:

Collaboration

Human capital is as important as any resource in an organization. Providing a system that increases and encourages team work will increase productivity and aid towards hitting targets. Communication, file sharing, and workflow are all undertaken in real time and with more transparency.

Business continuity

Cloud computing has curbed data disasters resulting from natural calamities, power crises, and security breaches. With important data safely backed up and protected in the cloud, downtime and loss of productivity can be minimized.

Cost reduction

Managing and maintaining IT systems, which are now a necessity in most business models, now has a viable and affordable alternative. Operating and capital expenditures can be reduced thanks to the elimination of expensive system hardware or software upgrades, expert personnel, excess energy consumption, and cost of time delays.

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Edmund O’Brien is currently the CEO of the Americas at Arvato Bertelsmann after having worked in multiple countries for many international corporations, including Coca-Cola and Microsoft, among others. Learn more about technological and business strategies when you visit this website.

Why Small Businesses Should Consider Outsourcing

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Many beginner entrepreneurs are looking for wise ways to save money while getting the work done. Lack of manpower is always an issue when it comes to startups, but a lot of business owners impulsively hire people they won’t be needing in the long run. Thanks to business process outsourcing (BPO) providers, a lot of small businesses operate without having too many staff members through outsourcing.

Outsourcing is the practice of hiring contractors (outside firms) to handle work that is usually done within a company. Many small businesses outsource services like accounting, computer or software support, payroll processing, and even marketing. Below are reasons small to medium-sized companies turn to outsourcing services.

Businesses can control capital costs

Outsourcing is an excellent choice for businesses since they can allocate their capital to other investments. It also allows businesses to avoid large spending in its early stages.

Staff members can work with efficiency

Because companies do not have to rely on staff members to do work that they do not specialize in, the organization as a whole becomes efficient. Companies can leave marketing, research, accounting, and other services to those who specialize in these tasks without having to micromanage. This can give the company a competitive advantage.

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Risks are reduced

Outsourcing providers will manage certain risks like marketing, financial conditions, and technology issues for the business owner. They are also better at deciding on how to avoid these from happening since they are the experts.

Learn more about the BPO services industry when you follow this Edmund O’Brien blog.