BRUSH UP YOUR SECURITY

There is only one place to begin, and this is with cyber security. After all, we have all heard the dreaded stories in the news about companies like British Airways and TalkTalk suffering serious data breaches. Cyber criminals do not only target these big corporations - they target small companies too. Therefore, now is a great time to evaluate your approach to security. You should make sure you have all of the basic security methods in place, this includes firewalls, two-factor authentication, and secure VPNs. You also need to make sure your employees receive training on cyber security so that they are all operating in the correct manner. After all, the vast majority of data breaches happen because of an employee error.

IMPLEMENT A CORPORATE CLOTHING POLICY

Every business decision made needs to be done so with a high level of deliberation. Whether your employees should wear a corporate uniform or not is no different. Through investigating deeper you will discover that there are many benefits to be had via instilling a company uniform. These are advantages that will not only be of aid to your business, but they will also be beneficial to your employees and your customers too.

Benefits to your company

Corporate uniforms present a fantastic branding opportunity. Whenever you make a business decision you need to think about how you can move your company forward. Uniforms ensure that all of your staff members are wearing your business’s logo. This presents mass advertisement opportunities. Your employees will be marketing your brand whilst on the way to work, whilst taking their lunch break, and even while they are at the doctors or the dentist. Work uniforms are a highly effective way of strengthening brand image and recognition. This can work to heightened effect when at marketing events, such as trade shows. Aside from the branding potential, you should also take into account how much more professional it looks when all of your employees are wearing the same clothing. Your staff will look a lot more sophisticated and this will only enhance your reputation.

Benefits for your employees

Work uniforms create a sense of camaraderie between all of your employees. You only have to look at sports teams to see this aptly displayed. There is no greater advert of team spirit and solidarity than a sports team, and one of their best displays of unity is through the matching uniform they all wear. Corporate uniforms also create a feeling of equality. Everybody feels as if they are on the same level and this is crucial when creating a happy and positive working environment. Despite being adults, a lot of people feel under pressure to have the nicest clothes or look the best. They thus spend a lot of money on making sure they stand out whilst at work every day. Uniforms eradicate this pressure. And let’s not ignore the fact that corporate clothing makes life a lot easier. Cast your mind back to when you were at school. You knew what you were wearing every single day and therefore the morning procedure became a lot easier. You’ll probably find that your employees arrive to work earlier and looking a lot less rushed. All of these benefits to your employees are advantages to you too. After all, happy staff translates to more productive staff.

Benefits for your customers

And finally, corporate uniforms make life a lot easier for your customers too. If they have a query or need to speak to a member of staff they will have little trouble identifying someone. Nobody wants to experience that awkward moment when they say “excuse me” only to be met with the response of “sorry, I don’t work here”. Business uniforms guarantee that this will never happen.

Corporate uniforms give you the opportunity to strengthen and increase the recognition of your brand. You can also create a sense of camaraderie between your employees whilst making life a lot easier for your customers too. It’s evident to see that there are a lot of benefits to be gained. If your business does not implement a company uniform at present then you should seriously think about doing so in 2019.

REDUCE YOUR TRAVEL FOOTPRINT

In the current day and age, all businesses have a duty to act more responsibly when it comes to looking after the planet. There is more emphasis being placed on this than ever before. All companies are responsible for negative environmental impacts to a certain degree. One activity that results in pollution and is carried out by most companies is travel.

Firstly, it is imperative to acknowledge how important corporate travel is nowadays. Business is becoming increasingly global. Companies need to tap into international markets, oversee operations they have in different countries, meet up with potential clients and so on and so forth. Therefore, no one is suggesting you abort such plans, as this will be extremely detrimental to the success of your company. Nonetheless, you should look for ways you can reduce the carbon emissions you are responsible for when travelling.

A leading travel management company can help you to do so. The best travel managers have features, such as carbon calculators, available for you to take advantage of. Essentially these will calculate how much carbon you will emit on the journey you are planning to take. If there are more environmentally friendly travel options available they will present them to you as an alternative. Thus, you will be able to get to your desired destination whilst causing less harm to the planet than you otherwise would of. It is also worth opting for a travel management business that supports different policies that help the environment, as this also represents another way you can do your bit for the planet.

Not only are the carbon reduction services that are offered by travel managers beneficial for the environment, but they will also do wonders for your reputation and brand image as well. Moreover, do not ignore the other advantages that are to be gained if you opt to use the services of a travel management company. You will gain access to the best deals and you will be able to plan your travel commitments more efficiently.

IMPRESS AT A TRADE SHOW WITH A CUSTOM EXHIBITION STAND

The majority of businesses in Australia see the value of attending exhibitions and trade shows, like a gift fair. This is an excellent way to find new clients and increase your brand’s recognition. Nonetheless, you will struggle to do this effectively if you do not have an impressive exhibition stand. Keeping that in mind, read on to discover how you can find the best company for exhibition stand design to ensure your attendance at such an event is a success…

There is only one place to begin and this is with the level of experience that is provided by the company. When it comes to exhibition stand design you can’t afford to take risks. You need to hire designers with a considerable amount of experience. Not only do they need to have several years in their locker, but you should make sure they have provided their services across a diverse array of industries. By doing this, you can be confident they have the knowledge and expertise to deal with any type of exhibition stand request that is thrown their way.

Aside from this, it is highly recommended that you take a look at some pictures of the exhibition stands the company has created so far. Most good exhibition stand design companies have a section on their website dedicated to this. It will usually be labelled as their portfolio. You will be able to take a look at some of the work they have produced. This is the best way to gain an insight into the level of quality and innovation they provide. You will instantly get a feel for whether this is a company you wish to hire or not. The best portfolios are undoubtedly those that are diverse. Don’t use a company that tends to opt for the same sort of design for each client. If the company in question does not have a portfolio page on their website, ask them to send you some examples.

In addition to the points that have already been suggested, you should make the effort to read reviews that have been left by previous clients. Were they happy with their exhibition stand design? Was the company easy to work with? Did they deliver the project by the deadline set in place? This is the only way you are going to receive an honest insight into the company in question. If the company you are considering has a bad reputation, this is something you should be able to pick up on, as a wealth of unsatisfied customers will have taken to the internet to express their frustration.

So there you have it: some tips to help your business get ahead in 2019! Good luck!