Information Technology

By Michael Jabbara
Director, Global Product & Market Enablement, Visa

Last week, I had the opportunity to present at the Annual America’s SBDC Conference in Nashville about the digital trends that are changing the commerce landscape and their potential impact on small businesses. Although digital commerce is not a new trend, the ways it is continually evolving consumer behavior can present both challenges and opportunities for small business owners. From virtual reality to voice activated assistants, I presented about how digital technology isn’t just altering the way people shop but what commerce can mean. Mobile and desktop channels made the shopping journey less linear. Now, emerging platforms are poised to transform entirely the way consumers interact and transact with their merchants.

According to an IBM study on digital platforms and commerce, 80 percent of companies are implementing Internet of Things (IoT) initiatives, 70 percent are developing voice command services and 50 percent are exploring augmented or virtual reality.ⁱ These initiatives are especially appealing to millennials and affluent consumers in the U.S., two segments that quickly adopt innovative solutions that make their lives more convenient and seamless.  (more…)

Radhika Devidas
Product Marketing Associate | Zoho CRM

Small businesses offer a personal touch to their services that chain stores are unable to replicate. They have more latitude to help their customers and provide an experience unlike any other. It goes without saying that behind every successful small business is a lot of hard work and many long hours. Nothing will make being a business owner “easy,” but what if there were a product that could help a small business scale quickly through a system of customer centricity, process streamlining, and acute sales focus?

Customer Relations Management (CRM) software does exactly that. It’s why 65% of businesses opt to use a CRM system within the first five years of starting up. The evidence is abundant: CRM is a must-have software for every small business.  (more…)

If you are a freelancer or independent contractor in any field, QuickBooks Self-Employed can help you stay prepared for tax time throughout the year. With your input, and by eventually understanding your way of doing business, QuickBooks Self-Employed will help you separate business and personal expenses as well as identify Schedule C deductions. If you need more guidance, or have loyalties to a tax preparer, you can invite them to sign-in to your account so their job becomes easier as well!

What makes it so special? Along with the tax readiness, QuickBooks Self-Employed offers tools that help you find and maximize deductions so you can focus on doing what you love. Yep, that means more money back in your pocket and more time to do what you do best.

On average, QuickBooks Self-Employed subscribers identify $4,340 in potential tax savings per year.*

But how does it work? QuickBooks Self-Employed customers get these where-have-you-been-all-my-life features:

1) Easily track your expenses. Once you connect a bank account, expense tracking helps you separate your personal and business spending with just the swipe of a screen. (more…)

By RuthAnn Hogue

You know you need a website, but you’re not sure whether you want to take the next step to make it capable of accepting payments online. After all, potential customers can fill out your contact form. Then you can call them back or send an email with a link or any other number of options other than closing the sale by collecting immediately.

Such an arrangement would never fly in a brick-and-mortar store. Intuitively, you know this is not the best option in the virtual world. In an era of instant gratification, businesses need to be able to serve up what’s on the menu before customers leave your store.

True enough, but doesn’t one need a merchant account to take online payments?

The all-in-one option

Let’s say you sell tech-related gadgets such as cell phones, chargers and accessories. They come in various brands, models, colors and sizes. Posting an information-only catalogue detailing what’s trendy and for sale can certainly pique consumer interest, but it can’t provide immediate results. For that, you’ll need to add a payment gateway.

Fortunately, many ready-made online store options are available, including GoDaddy’s Online Store. In addition to providing an online space to promote your gadgets, it will allow you to immediately close the sale by collecting online payment with PayPal and all major credits cards. By using this type of all-in-one eCommerce solution, you get a seamless way to collect payment. The funds you collect are transferred directly into your designated bank account.  (more…)