Top Tips on Increasing your Trip Advisor Rating

In today�s increasingly digital world, your Trip Advisor rating has never been so important.

Word of mouth has always played a vital role in spreading the word about hotels and guesthouses, but today, whether your guests have had a positive or a negative experience, they can instantly share their feedback with people around the world.

This means a string of negative reviews can be incredibly detrimental to your business.

Here are our top tips for generating positive reviews and increasing your Trip Advisor rating�

 

Set Realistic Expectations

The key to making your guests happy and generating positive reviews, is to ensure that their expectations are realistic from the start.

To do this, equip your guests with as much information about your hotel as possible, including details about your services and key amenities, your location, and your pricing. You should also provide images of your guestrooms and communal areas to give an accurate representation of your establishment, and it�s always a good idea to share reviews from previous guests.

It�s all about removing any ambiguity and guesswork � the more your guests know about you before they book, the less likely they are to make incorrect assumptions about your accommodation, meaning they are less likely to be disappointed or surprised when they arrive.

Meet and Exceed Those Expectations

Once you�ve set realistic expectations, you need to work hard to exceed them. As the saying goes, �under-promise and over-deliver.�

Adding a few little extras and finishing touches will allow you to surpass your guests� expectations and leave a lasting impression.

Finishing touches such as luxurious bathrobes and slippers, warm, cosy blankets, and gifts to take home will all make a difference. And why not create a pillow menu so that your visitors can choose their ideal hotel pillow?

These little touches will all help to make a great impression and encourage your guests to keep coming back to your establishment. In addition to this, if your visitors feel as though you�ve gone above and beyond to make their stay extra special, they are more likely to leave you a great Trip Advisor rating and tell everyone about their fantastic experience.

Address Negative Reviews

No matter how hard you work to generate positive online reviews, it�s almost impossible to avoid negative reviews altogether so it�s important that you deal with them in the most appropriate way.

Firstly, never ignore or delete a negative review � your guests and potential guests will see right through this approach and it will create the impression that you don�t care whether or not your guests have had a positive experience at your establishment.

Instead, take the time to respond to the negative review and explain what you�re going to do to address the issues raised. This will show your commitment to good customer service and make your guests feel as though their opinions truly count.

It�s also worth pointing out that negative reviews can help you to grow and expand your business. So make sure you pay close attention to the negative reviews as well as the positive ones � what have your guests been unhappy about? Are there any trends forming?

If you notice that your guests report finding your beds uncomfortable, for example, it might be time to start replacing them. Trip advisor provides plenty of scope for customer insight and will open up a whole host of opportunities for you to understand how you can improve your guests� experience.

By making just a few simple changes you can ensure that you generate more positive reviews online and in-turn encourage more online reservations.

5 Steps to Preparing an Agenda for an IT Team Meeting

Traditional meetings have a bad reputation. They often are seen as a waste of time. Maybe one or two people dominate the conversation while everyone else politely listens. Today, participation in meeting is even more difficult obtain.

Video conferences are part of everyday business, nowadays. It�s pretty easy to play Farmville 2 on a laptop while a video conference plays out on a small window in the corner of the screen. Leaders face a tremendous challenge to execute effective meetings because of continual technological disruptions.

Why is this Meeting Important?

Before setting an agenda, determine the need for the meeting. Successful businesses revolve around goals. They give the company and the employees a direction and help them focus.

Meeting leaders should be able to envision the end result of the meeting. If there is a problem to be solved then leaders should set up the necessary steps needed to solve the problem. A big part of successful meetings is organization.

The leader of the meeting should have a list of topics to cover during the meeting in addition to the agenda. The list can help the leader move the meeting along and keep it on track. The list might even have time limits set for each topic.

It is probably best to address the most important topic first. That way everyone is fresh, and there is less chance someone will miss out because he has to leave early.

Invite the Right People

If the subject of the meeting is a broad IT issue then there probably will be many players involved in the project. Not all of them need to be in every meeting. Target those players who have direct input in the specific aspect of the project that will be covered at the meeting.

This goes back to the idea of not wasting people�s time and maintaining focus on achieving the goals of the meeting. There is no point in having a meeting, if the key players can�t make it. It�s better to reschedule.

Often the main purpose of an IT team meeting is not to update everyone on the status of the project but to get everyone moving in the right direction, says Michael Sisco of Tech Republic. A good project manager should know what the status of the project is before the meeting.

In planning the agenda, the meeting leader should identify the blockers to completing individual tasks. It�s best to formulate a plan to eliminate the blockers before the meeting and clarify what needs to be done during the meeting.

Logistics Are Part of the Agenda

Not all conference rooms are the same. During agenda preparation, the leader should take into account the size of the group and find a room that is suitable.

Not all video conferencing vendors are created equally in their accommodations. Even if the meeting leader has run meetings a 100 times, it�s good to check the equipment before the meeting and work out any bugs.

It would be pretty embarrassing to host a meeting with IT employees and have to delay because the projector does not work correctly or the Wi-Fi is down. Collaboration is easier today thanks to communications technology.

With the right equipment and proper operation of such equipment, companies can accelerate innovation. Connecting with external partners is critical, says Brian L. Heckler of KPMG.

Call on Everyone

If the invitees are indeed relevant to the meeting then it makes sense to contact them during the agenda planning stage. This will help make sure the proper terminology is present in the slide deck at least.

Another advantage to involving players in agenda planning is to clear up misunderstandings about technical capabilities. This will help avoid surprises and disappointments during the meeting. If all participants know what is expected up them before the meeting, they will be more likely to show up prepared.

By giving everyone advanced notice of the status and expectations of his specific task, the meeting participants will be ready to give answers. There won�t be a lot of time wasted because people won�t have to try to come up with solutions on the spot.

Find out What�s Been Done

Hopefully, there are minutes or notes from previous meetings on the project or similar subjects. This is good information to research so the agenda for the meeting will not repeat ground previously covered.

Hopefully, the meeting leader can summarize the problems to be solved and give background information to participants in the agenda text and distribute it to the participants at least a day before the meeting.

IT team meetings can be productive and go quickly, if the leader plans the agenda properly and engages with the participants before the gathering.

Going Back to School: Benefits of Online Courses for Entrepreneurs

In recent years, more and more business owners and entrepreneurs have gone back to school to pursue a higher degree. Some of them seek an online business administration degree, while others pursue master�s degrees in various fields. The presence of online programs is one of the many reasons why entrepreneurs are going back to school. There are also a lot of added benefits to be gained from available online courses.

It�s Easier Than Ever

There is no reason why you can�t find an online course that suits you perfectly and start pursuing a degree today. Top names such as Arizona State University are opening up their distance learning programs and offering accredited degrees to more students.

Unlike offline courses, where you have to attend classes and allocate so much time for course-related activities, online courses are far more flexible. You can study at your own time. You can even allocate as little as an hour every day for studying without having to stretch the course beyond its normal curriculum.

There are also accelerated programs designed specifically for entrepreneurs, professionals and business owners. Through these accelerated programs, you can get a degree of your choice in as little as 12 months.

Back to Basics

While experience and analysis are key skills every entrepreneur should have � and should sharpen continually � there are basic theories and business-related skills that are best learnt through formal channels. This is where an online bachelor�s in business program comes in handy. By going back to school, you can master all of the necessary basics and be an even better entrepreneur.

Skills such as accounting and financial management, for instance, are best acquired in class. The online business programs available today connect you to the best lecturers who are not only skilled, but who are also experienced in handling real businesses and a wide range of scenarios.

You can learn first-hand, practical skills while mastering the basics and theories from the course by asking questions and connecting with the lecturers directly. You can even expand your network and have industry experts just one email away.

A Better Core

According to a survey by The Huffington Post, more than 80% of today�s best startups have at least one founding member with a business degree. As you learn more about the basics of business and management, connect with the best lecturers and expand your network, you will also be finding new ways to shape your company or your business better.

Mike Campbell, CEO of Iron Lot, once said that going back to school also presented an opportunity for him to rebuild his company. If your business is facing difficulties that you just can�t solve or you�re in the process of building a new business, strengthening your core knowledge of the industry and preparing yourself for the challenges to come will certainly increase your chances of success.

There are still so much to be gained from going back to school, even when you have multiple businesses already off the ground. The presence of distance learning courses and online business programs simply make the process much easier.

Keeping The Records

When you think about being in court, you might think about the criminals who are on trial and the various cases that are heard on a daily basis. While you might not ever step foot in a court room in your life, a court reporter must be there every time a case is heard. court reporters orange county ca offices use to record what is said during a trial have to be available so that every detail of the trial is filed. Details are important as judges will go back to look at sentences that were given, attorneys will look at testimonies and what clients said during the trial, and other court officials can use the notes that are recorded to verify any information that is needed in the future.

One of the benefits of being a court reporter is that the job is pretty flexible. You can sometimes set your own schedule if there is more than one reporter who works with you as there is only one needed in the court room. Being a court reporter is a successful career. Starting pay is usually about $50,000 with experienced reporters making about $70,000 a year. This amount will vary depending on the type of court setting you work in and the city where you work as larger cities that have more trials will be in demand of a professional reporter who knows how to keep accurate records as quickly as possible. Those who work in New York or California often make the most as these are areas that see the most trials, and some of the biggest trials, in the country.

When you get into court reporting as a career, you should be prepared to get comfortable. It looks as though there will be a significant increase in demand for reporters in the future, providing job security for those who are interested in the criminal justice field without the stress of being an attorney or a judge. You do need to have the proper degree or certification required to work as a reporter. Computer skills are a must with this job as well as a few criminal justice classes.

Warehouse stock management software

Companies with high volumes of stock need a system that helps them maintain control. It is important to know what is available � and what is not � to ensure customer demand is met. The best way to do this is with a warehouse stock management software program.This advanced technology works alongside the warehouse system to keep the process moving as needed. Managers and employees are aware of product levels to know when it is time to restock.Why Warehouses Should Have a Management SystemOrganization and performance are two critical characteristics that any business should have for success. Warehouse activities that are carried out in an orderly fashion involves making sure all activities align with business goals.If a customer calls and needs a large delivery in three days, standard operating procedures should already be in place to fill the customer’s order. A stock management system, when kept up-to-date, will let managers know in advance when it is time to order more items. Checks and balances in place also help to ensure warehouses do not carry too much surplus at any given time. Such practices lead to waste and inefficiencies.What a Successful Management System Looks LikeTypically, a successful warehouse management system relies on electronic as well as some manual processes. Too often, store inventory systems indicate certain items are in stock. However, when customers need those items, none can be found. Although management systems can keep track of what is in stock, it does require the skill of warehouse workers and managers to regularly update stock levels.With the use of barcode scanners and mobile computers feeding information into the main database, there is never a question of what is really available at any given moment.Trend Setting DemandAll warehouse businesses should demand excellence in performance and tracking of inventory. After all, these products are what keep the doors open � fulfilling customer request in a timely manner.A solid management software system gives companies an advantage over others. The system tracks storage levels and every movement products make from the shelf until they reach the end-user. Storing, picking and inventory of stock has taken on a new dimension for an industry that was previously ran with manual processes only.Warehouses that have not already implemented this type of software may lose out on business opportunities. If they cannot fulfill a customer’s request, that customer will find a company that can.

Operating A Mall Kiosk

When you go to a mall, you probably see the small carts and booths that are set up in the aisles. They seem to sell a little bit of everything and sometimes seem to move throughout the mall at different times of the year. Operating mall kiosks is rather simple. All you need is a vision of the items that you want to sell and the proper permits that are required by the mall in order to set up in the building.

After setting up your kiosk, you want to display your products in a way that is attractive to those who walk by so that you sell what you have. Try to set out a few of each item that you offer, even if you have to display several colors of the same thing so that customers have a chance to see what is for sale. If you keep things hidden, then you won’t make money. One way to make sure you have plenty of room for all of the items that you offer is to have a small cabinet behind the kiosk. You can keep extras inside and out of the view of customers so that the overall appearance is professional and enticing.

When it comes to advertising, you want to use brighter colors that tend to stand out in the center of the aisle. While people are walking in a mall, they sometimes become mesmerized by the lights on the front of the larger stores. This is because malls usually have the lighting in the aisles a bit dimmer so that these displays can stand out. If you have your kiosk a little brighter than other stores surrounding you, then customers will be likely be drawn to see what you have.

Your strategy for getting people to stop when they want to keep walking should be that of friendliness and professionalism. Offer an incentive for those who buy products, or offer free samples if you are selling beverages or foods. Don’t push people to buy something, but if you see that a customer is on the fence about an item, try to meet their needs so that you get the sale.

How can translation services help your business?

There is a clearly visible trend in the business today, especially amongst small and medium sized businesses, to approach international markets via digital means. Indeed, with the growth and developments in technology and internet, it is now easier than ever for small businesses to reach out to entirely new, foreign markets and take a slice for themselves. Yet, although this is now easier than ever, it is still not an easy task at all and such expansion requires not only a great deal of preparation and planning, but also the use of professional translation services.

Translate your website

The very fundamental step which any business owner simply must take in order to be successful when approaching a foreign market is translating the business website so that it is available in the market�s native language. A study conducted recently shows that over 25% of European customers purchase goods from online stores based abroad regularly, nevertheless, as much as 90% of such customers feel more inclined to finalise a purchase if information about the product/service is available to them in their mother language.

As you can see, these are very significant numbers and must be taken into account when planning on expanding into foreign markets. In order to translate a website, the business owner has several ways of conducing the process. There are a number of free tools available online, such as Google translate, which although instant and free, can often cause a headache when it comes to accuracy and consequently the professional image of your business. Another option is asking a friend/family member who happens to speak your target language to translate the content for you. Although it may seem like a good idea at first, it�s important to remember that just because someone is able of speaking a foreign language, doesn�t necessary mean they can translate. Indeed, translation, especially for marketing purposes, is much more than simply conveying words for words literally. Another option, and perhaps most advisable, is working with a professional translation agency which guarantees not only accuracy and reliability, but also ensures localisation, which in the case of a business website can be extremely important.

Localise your message

Localising your website content for the target market can often make the difference between success and failure. Just because something worked perfectly fine in your home market, does not automatically mean it will be successful abroad. An expert translation agency will be able to advise you on whether such service is necessary and if so, conduct the research and complete the translation and localisation processes smoothly. Often, simply conveying words in your material isn�t enough and so a translation agency will advise you to carefully localise your website for the market you want to address. This includes ensuring that details such as dates, currency, colours etc. are appropriate, suitable and easily understood by the visitors in your target market.

The legal stuff

Apart from professionally translating your website and other marketing material, it is important to remember that all of your legal material, such as contracts, T&Cs or agreements should also be carefully translated. In many cases a customer would refer to the small print on your website before finalising a purchase, especially knowing that you are based abroad. Returns, delivery options etc. should all be clearly and accurately translated in order to give your customers assurance in your business. Often, being able to fully understand the terms & conditions can convince the consumer to trust your business and buy your products and services. Also, from a legal point of view, in case of any disputes, it is important to be able to prove that the information was in fact available to the customer in their native language to read.

Be visible

Many small and medium sized UK businesses compete on the home market with the help of search engines and organic visits to their website. This, if planned and executed correctly, can also be a very fruitful strategy abroad. Again, working with an agency specialising in providing translation services can be very useful in such situation. The company will not only translate and localise your website content, but could also prepare an in-depth research, highlighting keywords searches, opportunities etc. in the country and language you want to target. Often, a literal translation of a keyword can lose its original meaning or value. Let�s take the word �translation agency� as an example. Although in the United Kingdom this would be a natural search, in countries such as Germany or Poland people would search for a �Translation Bureau� instead.

As you can see, translating your website as well as marketing and legal material can significantly increase your chances for success when approaching new, foreign markets. Although this is the most expensive option, working with a professional translation agency is perhaps your best bet in order to maintain a professional image of your company and ensure that all of your material is translated and localised accurately and therefore is suitable for the target audience.