Sage Blog

If you’re into social media or cloud computing, you’ll have felt right at home on our blog recently. We’ve tackled both subjects on a number of occasion, and given the popularity of those blogs, I thought it was about time we addressed one of the more feared topics is this area – security.

In the first part of this two part series, I’m going to look at passwords. I know the topic has been done to death everywhere from Lifehacker to AccountancyAge but it’s important so, here we go again!

Almost everything you do online and in the Cloud, will need a password. Passwords are the lock and key that keeps us secure from a shady underworld of identity thieves and internet highway men.  We construct complex and difficult to crack passwords to secure our on-line lives.

Or maybe we don’t.

The top 25 passwords

SplashData has revealed the top 25 passwords of the year, taken from a list of millions of stolen passwords posted online by hacking groups, selected password “highlights” are below:

1. password
2. 123456
3. 12345678
4. qwerty
5. abc123

Complex and difficult to crack I’m sure you’ll agree.

Given the amount of information we’re compelled to give when we sign up to websites, it seems some people aren’t doing a great job of “securing” their personal details. Incidentally, if you are using 123456 as one of your passwords, can you change it please? For me.

Password formulas

The holy grail is surely a password that you can easily recall and that is hard to crack. More often than not, people tend to opt for the “easy to recall” part and don’t really bother with the “hard to crack” part.

With so many passwords to remember I can see the temptation to use the same password for everything (hint: This is never a good idea). A suggestion put to me to address the problem was to use a password rule. A way of generating long complicated passwords that are easy to remember regardless of how infrequently you visit a website.

Had I found the holy grail?

Maybe, maybe not.

It works like this: You devise a single rule that you will use for every password, then append part of the website address to it to make it unique. My password rule might be this:

The first 4 letters of the website name (capitalised)  + Underscore + Head office postcode + the % sign + the head office dialling code

Therefore, if I had a myspace account, my password for would be MYSP_ne139aa%0191 (it isn’t by the way). If I were to sign up to e.g. knights.co.uk I would use KNIG_ne139aa%0191. I only need to remember my rule and I can remember the password for each and every site I visit.

Easy enough to remember once you have created your “rule”. Given the length and variety of characters involved it’s going to be pretty difficult to crack. The main problem I see with this method is, if one of my passwords became compromised, my secret is out and all my accounts are at risk. It’s surely better than 123456 though.

No matter which way you look at it, the best thing to do is create passwords unique to every account you have, long complex passwords.

Password management

They’ll be difficult to remember though, so take a look at some of the password management tools that are out there. Lastpass.com and Keepass are two that spring to mind – but please, do your own research and pick the best solution for you. Heck, it’s even OK to write them down as long as you keep them somewhere secure.

Have a password audit for 2012, think about what you are securing online and if your passwords are good enough, if they aren’t consider changing them. You’ll feel better for it.

Mark Knights, Accountants Team

Although our head office is in the UK, Sage ERP X3 (as a global product) is part of an international community that collaborates on product development, with an international team to aid global product deployment and after sales support through shared knowledge, skills and resources.

Our global conference

This month the Sage France team played host the Sage ERP X3 Global Sales conference, inviting over 500 Sage ERP X3 staff and business partners from 17 countries around the world over to Paris, making it the largest Sage ERP X3 event held to date. This event is billed as a conference, but the underlying raison d’être (picking up the lingo already!) is networking.

A networking natural?

Now, some people thrive in a ‘networking environment’ – effortlessly floating between colleagues old and new, picking up business cards and drinks like this event is their single purpose in life. Managing to juggle nibbles, a glass of champagne and picking their next victim in one easy swoop.

Other people find networking awkward and unnatural, struggling with the notion of polite ‘chit-chat’ and are just not comfortable working a room. Networking takes a lot of effort and a certain degree of practice, and we have all been guilty of standing in the corner with our colleagues rather than meeting new people.

But does networking, really work?

Business networking is an effective low-cost marketing method for developing sales opportunities and contacts, based on referrals and introductions – either face-to-face at meetings and gatherings, or by other contact methods such as phone, email, and increasingly social and business networking websites.

Social media has, in part, taken away the personal aspect of day-to-day networking, and enables us to meet contacts at a distance, but surely online networking can’t replace the value that face to face contact brings? And one would assume that the quality of relationships would be diminished through the lack of the human contact and rapport building.

Social networking can bring us closer to people and communities that we would never have the opportunity to meet in the ‘real world’ but in actuality it  doesn’t replace a face-to-face conversation, but more acts as a soft introduction.

Working for a larger business, with a wider social ecosystem the need to network face to face becomes more necessary. The key here is identifying the reason, or a goal for being at the networking event and stick to it – do you want to meet your counterpart from a similar organisation? Track down the supplier that messed up your order? Or perhaps find new job opportunities?

Networking can bring us better deals, higher value service, invites to more social events and new Linkedin contacts, but in my opinion the most important thing it brings us is trust. Trust that our colleagues, suppliers, partners are on the same path as us and are looking to achieve a common goal.

Julia Commons, Sage ERP X3 team

When was the last time you said ‘thank you’? Sometimes it’s a thing we take for granted, yet the impact of saying it can be huge.

Here at Sage, saying thank you is a big part of our culture and we have great policies and incentives in place that encourage a happy workplace. We have a great employee recognition scheme in place whereby you can nominate a colleague for a ‘Guiding Principle’ award, acknowledging them for a job well done. There are many ways to say thank you though and sometimes it can be as simple as saying those two words. So why say it?

Motivation

Saying thank you to the people you work with motivates them to do a better job. If you’re motivated, your levels of productivity naturally increase and you’re more likely to repeat the behaviour.

Happy customers

If your staff are happy, your customers are happy. Think about a time that when you had a great customer experience and what impact that had on your future dealings with the company. Did it make you more or less likely to use that company again?

Repeat business and word of mouth

When an experience leaves you feeling great you’ll want that experience again, leading to repeat business. You’re also more likely to tell others about it generating business through word of mouth.

Here in the Sage One team in UK and Ireland we recently launched a great new payroll service to the market along with our brand new website. This involved a lot of hard work and extra hours from the team so when our first birthday came around last week it gave us a great opportunity to say thank you to the team. We headed out for a few drinks and nibbles after work and, although our heads were slightly foggy the next day, we all returned to the office feeling motivated and ready to work hard and spread the feel good factor!

So once again I’d like to say a big THANK YOU to my colleagues across Sage for a great team effort in delivering a great service to our Sage One customers.  And channelling my inner Kate Winslet I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my family for making me who I am today, my friends for their support over the years, the family dog for being such an inspiration in my life, the postman for delivering my mail, GHD’s for giving me straight hair, the city of Newcastle for giving me The Forth (best drinking hole ever!), Friday’s for giving me the weekend……..

Abby Goode, Sage One

Tips for an easy self assessment

Like it or not, tax season is just around the corner. And as a small or medium UK business owner, this means that if you haven’t got your accounts in order, now is most definitely the time. We’ve created a guide to having a successful tax return season but I’ve covered some of our top tips here to help you.

Company accounts for the year 5 April 2011 must be prepared and filed online by midnight on 31 January. The first installment of your tax liability must also be paid by the same deadline.

Update: HMRC have announced the following The SA deadline remains midnight on 31 January. But HMRC will treat all returns that come in by midnight on 2 February as though they were submitted by 31 January. No customer will have to pay interest on payments due on 31 January that are paid on 1 or 2 February. Full details are available on the HMRC website.

This means it can be a tricky time for any small or medium UK business; tracking back over old invoices, getting paper work in order and paying tax liabilities.

Now, this may seem obvious coming from us but using an accounts software package throughout the year can often take away that last minute strain for you or your accountant.  However, whether you use an accounts software package or not, there are some key considerations and tax changes that you must be aware of to ensure a successful tax return season.

Effective tax planning strategies

We may be too far into this year’s tax season to put this into place now, but something to remember for the next financial year is how important it is to know your profits and therefore your tax liability. It will give you the opportunity to view what you might owe and allow you to put money aside throughout the year to ensure cash-flow doesn’t become an issue. An effective tax planning strategy might just be the difference in keeping your business afloat or actually allowing your business to grow!

Types on income and financial information needed

Regardless of whether you run your business as a sole trader or a shareholder/director of a limited company, to complete your self assessment tax return generally you will need details of the following types of income:

• Interest income from banks and building societies
• Dividend income received during the year from UK and/or foreign equities, or from shares in your own company
• Details of any capital gains made in the year through the sale of assets, such as shares or investment property;
• Property income, such as rental income
• Income received from gilts or bonds (excluding premium bonds)
• Income from a pension
• Income from a trust, settlement or from a deceased person’s estate
• Income from any employment , self-employment or a partnership

Payroll software to help with your income details

Your business’ payroll software should also come in handy for filing your tax return. The payroll should give you details such as employment income – salary, benefits, bonuses, income tax and national insurance already paid and, so on. Shareholder directors should also make sure they have up-to-date information in their systems of any dividends paid from the company to themselves.

Changes to the tax return penalty system: don’t be late!

Making it more important than ever to get your tax return in on time, the new penalty system means that an automatic fine of £100 applies if your tax return is filed after the end of January. And the longer you leave your tax return, the more severe the penalty becomes – meaning a very unhealthy start to the year ahead if your tax return isn’t filed on time!

The top tip for successful self assessment tax return is to really treat it with respect. After all, it is a legal document on which you are declaring your income for the year to HMRC. Proper record keeping and effective accounts management should see you successfully complete correctly and on time!

If you’d like to know more about filing your tax return online then download our white paper for having a successful tax return season

Nicole Matues,  Small Business Team

Our SageCover members get a long list of benefits from technical support to business advice. They also get Solutions Magazine (log in to see your copy if you’re a member); packed with business tips and expert advice. The SageCover team have kindly let me reproduce one of their articles for our blog so we can all enjoy it!

From emailing more effectively to understanding your business priorities, Laura Dixon looks at how you can find time you never knew you had…

Time for a new start

Poor time management means that the average company of any size, in any sector, loses 20 days of work per person, per year. Getting in control of time saves money, increases productivity and directly contributes to a better bottom line. With that in mind, we asked an expert panel: What can you do to make more time in the day?

1) Find your focus

Clare Evans: You should spend at least 10 minutes at the start of each day planning what you will do – not checking emails and getting sucked into answering them. Planning is crucial if you want to have an effective day’s work. Always keep your business plan and main objectives at the forefront of your mind. Look at your short and long-term goals, and ask yourself: what do I need to do today to achieve them?

The thing I’ve found with small business owners is that they are trying to do everything, and the volume of tasks often overshadows their true work objectives. I tell them to start by thinking about what’s important and focus on what makes the biggest difference.

Leo Babauta: Most small business owners are incredibly busy, but they don’t fill their days with the most important work possible. Of course, that work will be different for every person, but the most important thing you can do is figure out the top three most important tasks to get done each day, and focus on those.

2) Avoid distractions

Dr Monica Seeley: Switch off email alerts. Wean yourself off constantly checking them, so you can focus on the tasks in hand.

Leo Babauta: Disconnect from the internet and your phone for a period of time each day. Even if it’s for just an hour, that time is still vitally important, because otherwise you’re constantly being interrupted, distracted and sucked in.

3) Know how much your time is worth

Clare Evans: Every hour you lose has a value. Work out how much your time is worth financially, and use that to frame what you do during the day. For instance, if you don’t like doing accounts and spend a lot of time putting it off, hire a bookkeeper to do it. You can then spend that time doing the tasks that only you can do.

4) Fine-tune your emails

Dr Monica Seeley: Make sure you make the most of your email features. Use rules and filters to set priorities, so what you see first in your inbox is the most important. This way, you won’t miss key mail from your important clients. Use expiry dates on ephemeral emails, so you don’t unnecessarily clutter up other people’s inboxes too.

Also, if you get your own emails right first time, you can avoid a lot of email pingpong. Start with a clear concise subject line that sums up the email. Use a professional greeting and make your request clear and concise. Include a time frame and the exact action required. Sign off with your phone number and put ‘Thanks in advance’, so no follow up emails will be needed.

And think about attachments. Ask yourself whether you really need to send the same attachment to six people – would it be easier to put it on a shared space instead? You can cut how long it takes to complete tasks by eliminating time spent on downloading information and deleting it afterwards because it overwhelms email storage space.

5) Don’t be afraid to draw the line

Leo Babauta: Reduce commitments to create space to get important work done – start saying ‘no’ so you can say ‘yes’ to this work. Set lower limits on how long you work each day, and you’ll force yourself to do the higher impact tasks during that time instead of filling your days with unimportant jobs. Clare Evan S: Don’t work until the task is finished, otherwise you will be working long hours. Have a cut-off point. Set expectations with other people too – make sure they know how busy you are and what is reasonable to expect from you.

Clare Evans: Don’t work until the task is finished, otherwise you will be working long hours. Have a cut-off point. Set expectations with other people too – make sure they know how busy you are and what is reasonable to expect from you.

Laura Dixon writes for a range of titles including The Independent, The Guardian and Business Life.

Our first guest blogger of 2012 is Jonathan Hirst, Partner at networking and security specialist ITogether . Jonathan talks about the most important resolution for small business owners in 2012

We’ve all made the traditional New Years’ Resolutions pledging to get fit (always sign up to this!), drink less alcohol (I’ve never signed up to this!) and to travel more. According to research conducted by Oxfam at the start of last year 34 million Brits set out to make New Years’ Resolutions this year, and if past trends continue we’ll all  fail to keep them in under a month!

One of the biggest issues facing SME’s every year is the rising threats to their businesses of poor IT security. While many are set to repeat last years’ resolutions to improve their health, SME owners have to set network security at the top of the priority list and it’s not a resolution you can afford to ignore.  Here’s why.

ITogether recently commissioned research that showed that more than half (59%) of employees use their own personal mobile devices such as Android phones and iPads for work, with 61 per cent connecting them to their employers IT systems.

During the last few years we’ve seen a rapid increase in the number of people using social media, and it is now a fixture of our everyday work and personal lives.  Today, social networks connect people to the world around them and employees expect to be able to access their personal online accounts in the workplace.   What is alarming is that, despite this, few companies have established formal processes for handling social networking tools in the workplace leading to an increased risk in cyber attacks and security breaches.

Why not use the New Year to kick start a prioritisation of your businesses IT security? Embrace the consumerisation of technology and use it as a business enabler for your staff. I have devised some top tips below to increase network security, taken from the research findings:

1)      Don’t rattle the cage – Only block access to offensive or illegal content. One in four employers continue to block personal online accounts and social networking sites such as twitter and facebook – this is difficult to control and potentially leaves your staff disgruntled and demotivated.

2)      You won’t beat them, so join them – 91% of respondents reported using social media at work whether agreed by their employer or not. Consider sites like facebook, twitter and blogs as a means of building bridges with employees, but do this in a controlled way.

3)      Be street wise about security – The research found that 40% of employers actively encourage use of personal accounts and social networking sites in the workplace, without ensuring that their network is secure. Put a policy in place and get some simple network monitoring tools in place too that will help you to enforce the policy.

4)      Say goodbye to miscommunication – Having a security policy is useless if it is not socialised and enforced across your organisation. Be open with your staff and use social media to spread the word of what is and what isn’t OK? Create a group on Facebook or LinkedIn that is private to your staff where you can share news.

5)      Grab the bull by the horns – Smart use of devices and online media can vastly benefit your business. Harnessing the enthusiasm your employees show in this space could unlock hidden potential and get them working more effectively!

Jonathan Hirst, Partner at networking and security specialist ITogether

I did it, the final cut of the grass before winter.  It’s always touch and go in October whether it’s going to be dry enough in Newcastle to mow the lawn one last time.  It got me thinking about what sorts of things small businesses might be up to in preparation for the coming season.

If you ask a person involved in accounting about stuff to do before the winter I guess it will depend on the industry. For retailers hopefully it will be one of the busiest times of year so they will be looking at getting their stocks and products right, but for barbeque distributors it’s likely to be time to either hibernate happy, or reflect and plan.  We’ve spoken to a number of UK businesses recently and here are some ideas on what to check before the coming winter…..

Image from miggslives/flickr

1.       Data storage

“Backups are done sporadically “ noted the MD at a timber merchant.  Maybe it’s a good time to tighten up on procedures – you don’t want to spend Christmas Day typing in last year’s accounts. A good example of an online backup service is Dropbox, which lets you save your files and documents in the cloud. You can set up your PC to sync certain files with your Dropbox account, which is a quick and easy way to automate your back-ups.  A simple online accounts service, such as our Sage One, will also take this pain away, as your data will automatically sit in a secure online location, accessible from anywhere.

2.       New income opportunities

An accountant we spoke to noted that “as a result of the recession customers are increasingly trying to have a number of income streams”.  This sounds similar to a recent Sage blog on how businesses could approach identifying new opportunities. A good source for some ideas is springwise.

3.       Remote working

If the snow causes as much chaos as it did last year, working from remote locations is going to be handy for business owners that never stop.  This is when running your business online (in the Cloud) with accounts software like Sage One, or keeping an eye on things with Sage 50 Mobile, will come in handy.

4.       The best deal

“Customers do haggle and our Reception have fixed prices they can discount down to, but no further”.  Speaking to a hotelier was a good reminder to always ask for a discount this season – the worst that can happen is the person says no.  “Shy bairns get nowt” as we say in Newcastle.  Learning how to negotiate is a useful skill for life generally.

5.       Clear, common team goals

A music venue we spoke to said that “every day we have a 15 minute ops meeting – all key people there – what is on today, complaints etc. Never more than 15 minutes.” A simple way of making sure that everyone knows what is their role in making it a successful day becomes even more important when mother nature makes life difficult.

6.       Collect the cash

A farmer we spoke to said that “cashflow is the biggest challenge – businesses are taking longer to pay”.   This isn’t the most original of tips in these tough times, but it’s worth saying again.  Look at your list of unpaid sales invoices today and pick one to call.  Letting the grass grow under your feet is less of a problem in winter, but keeping a close eye on who owes you money is necessary all year round.

Chris Stonehouse, The Sage One team

Having worked at Sage for over two years now, I’m acutely aware of the importance of culture, and also the physical environment I work in.

Admittedly, in previous roles before I joined Sage, I had an assumption that culture was an abstract ingredient that just existed. If there was any attempt to shape culture, it was usually handed down from senior people in the business, who tended to be very far away from me personally.

Probably not the best conditions to ensure success I’m sure you’ll agree.

An innovative approach to business

Something that is very clear from working at Sage, is that there is a very ‘flat’ structure to our culture. In other words, everyone from the CEO, to executives, to support lines and sales will afford you the time and opportunity to voice your ideas and contribute. The result is that ideas can come from anywhere, and this leads to a truly innovative approach to business, particularly important in a technology company.

Accountability

A culture like this doesn’t happen overnight though. It is bred over time, by empowering people, and giving them accountability. This is the hallmark of a business with a strong culture. However the intangible aspects (behaviours, impulses and decisions) are only part of the story.

A prevalent trend at the moment is to brand office spaces with the desired characteristics for employees to exhibit. This is something we’ve recently undertaken in Sage Accountants’ Division.

Aside from communicating desired behaviours, branding office space can also influence processes and how we communicate. For example, communal areas where people can talk mean that business can be conducted in a calm and relaxed manner. TV screens on each floor allow us to instantly feedback comments from our customers.

Innovative offices

A great example of a branded office space is Google offices, particularly the Googleplex in California. Walls are painted with bright primary colours reflecting the Google logo and fun, vibrant brand. Live searches that are being conducted around the world are beamed straight into the communal areas, highlighting global trends, and informing product development. There’s even a slide and a fireman’s poll! Evidence if any were needed that Google is a fun and innovative place to work. This also reflects a culture of innovation, where developers spend 30% of their time working on anything they like. Complete responsibility and accountability in action, and this results in a constant stream of new products like Gmail, Chrome, Wave and Circles. Granted, not all of them have been a resounding success, but they are prime examples of a brave and innovative approach to business.

Boosting creativity

You might not have Google’s budget but here are a few cheap and cheerful things you could do in your office to boost creativity:

• Always focus on the desired characteristics of the brand – Are you repositioning the brand, or simply maintaining what you already exhibit? This should form the essence of the branding in your office space.
• Involve your employees – There will be certain degree of control needed, but always ensure that you encourage content and ideas from your employees. It’s where they will be working after all.
• Refresh your content – Try and stay on top of refreshing the messaging in your office. Strategic plans have defined stages, so ensure you have the right message at the right time.
• Be brave and innovative – It’s not just customers who like innovation, employees thrive on it too. Try and incorporate original ideas and media into your office. It’ll get high levels of engagement.”

What is clear from all of these activities is that they are the starting point for delivering exceptional customer service. If you focus on and take care of your staff, they will be in the best position possible to offer customers superior service, and also extoll the virtues of the brand.

Having empowered our staff in Accountants’ Division, we’re starting to see results, like winning the Customer Service Training Award this year, and also signing up our 10,000^th Sage Accountants’ Club member, so long may this process continue.

Daniel Duran, Sage Accountants’ Team

Last night the final episode of The Apprentice, series seven was broadcast. The show saw the remaining four candidates interviewed mercilessly and their planning skills scrutinised. Planning is a fundamental aspect of business success – without foresight, attention to detail and relevant research, you can’t expect to achieve your best results.

Getting started

Novelist Mark Twain said “The secret of getting ahead is getting started” and never is this truer than in business. By starting out from an informed position, prepared for every eventuality, you can dramatically increase your chances of success. Strong business plans operate to long-term goals, not quick fixes. So, when Lord Sugar made his final, suspense-filled decisions, he was selecting an individual with a credible, well thought through plan that would hold water in a changing business world.

Work to your strengths

One candidate described his business plan as “amazingly brilliant.” While the plan may have shown creative flair, the judges were looking for something more meaningful – a practical, considered approach. Another stumbling block highlighted in The Apprentice was that candidates failed to stick to what they knew. If you have experience in a particular area, or specialised knowledge of a subject, use it! Work to your strengths wherever possible. One candidate who bucked this trend was Susan Ma who, as well as proving herself capable of picking out winning products and grasping complex concepts, also stuck with what she knew for her business plan. Multi-millionaire businessman Lord Sugar admired Susan’s approach and expressed disappointment that another candidate, Helen Milligan, who had experience in the baked goods sector, had written a business plan that strayed so far from her field of expertise.

Writing a business plan

Our Sage Planning for Business software will help guide you through the trickier areas of creating a winning business plan. But if you’re currently putting together your own business plan, here are a few vital points to help you get started.

• The audience – who are you speaking to? Whether you’re communicating with the bank, investors, potential partners or buyers, you need to consider the language they’re accustomed to reading, the information that will hold most significance and the details that could sway their decisions.
• The executive summary – this should be a concise, easy-to-digest overview of your plan.
• Your business, its products and services – don’t forget the basics. Spell out exactly what your business will offer.
• Your markets and competitors – use this area to show that you’ve conducted thorough research. A strong understanding of your markets and competitors will make your plan far more viable.
• Marketing and sales – a key planning area. However outstanding your products and services are, you need to communicate clearly how you’re going sell and promote them.
• Financial forecasts – this section will be the bottom line for your audience so invest some time in getting it right.
• Presenting your business plan- keep it short and to the point, have a trusted acquaintance read it through and avoid distracting design features.

Jason Sullock, Small Business Team

We recently exhibited at the Business Start Up Show at Excel, in London.  It was a great show.  It always is.  We had an unusually large stand this year – one with a drinks and food bar at its centre.

This bar has always been a bone of contention with me; yes, it brings customers to the stand, but are they really interested in ‘us’?  And why can’t they clean up after themselves?  It’s not like there’s not a bin provided!

I was pondering this as I collected the umpteenth empty cup from a computer pod, and whilst heading across the stand to the bin, grumbling about untidiness, I was stopped by a lady who was sat nearby who was ‘people watching’.

She said “It’s a great stand you’ve got here, you know?”

To which I replied “thank you”, and took a seat next to her, asking her name and what she liked about the stand.

Her answer was so unusual it prompted me to write this blog post.

What Laura said was “Your stand is so open and welcoming.  It’s almost a ‘destination’ stand… and you know” looking at the rubbish in my hand, “a Mother’s love is unconditional.”

Looking slightly confused I asked her what she meant.

“Well… your stand and your team are doing such a good job of being open, friendly and helpful, that despite the fact some people leave litter, people are flocking to your demos and you’re creating a hugely positive impression of caring for your audience.

So – a mother’s love is unconditional – you’re giving your ‘love’ unconditionally to your customers, and you’re being rewarded for it.  Despite a bit of mess, you’ll be better thought of by everyone using your stand – whether they’re buying today or not.”

Now isn’t that an interesting way to look at marketing?  And, with a bit of lateral thought, I’d like to bet that applies to Social Media too.

So, here are five of my observations and learnings that you might want to consider when doing anything ’social’, and that includes networking, events, and online:

1.      When you’re talking to your customers, you must always ‘give’.  You will get some people who take advantage, but the vast majority will respect you for it.

2.      You will always have detractors.  You will always have evangelists.  Your job is to make sure that the evangelists outnumber the detractors at any one time.

3.      Always do what you say you will do, even if it costs you time or money.  The fact that you do ‘it’ despite it costing you, builds trust and integrity in your customer’s mind.

4.      Give the customer an ‘experience’.  Make sure they will take away a positive view of you.  Even if they don’t buy there and then, they will become your advocates.

5.      If you find you cannot fulfil your end of the bargain, apologise, and tell them the real reason why you cannot do what you said you would do.

What would you add to this list?

Jason Sullock, Small Business Team

Jason and his team are busy organising Sage World, a free business event.  Register for your Sage World ticket today.