What to Look for in a Payroll Service

 Not all payroll providers offer the same level of service. Here are some specific things businesses should look for from a payroll provider, including:

Features. Besides payroll processing and the handling of all tax obligations, you should also consider whether the service offers multiple pay options, like direct deposit, paper check or prepaid debit card. You’ll also want to see if the provider offers multiple wage rates,  paid-time-off management, workers’ compensation administration, Batch Payment posting,Batch Transaction Editor and detailed payroll reports.

User Friendly. The payroll service should not be too complex to understand. It should have a clean and easy-to-use interface that allows you to run your payroll and add employees into the system in a matter of minutes.

Cost. Businesses want to find a service that they can afford. In addition to cost, you also need to determine if a contract is required. Many services operate on a month-to-month basis with no long-term contracts, while others require yearly commitments.

Reputation. Find a provider with an established track record, so you can feel secure knowing the company has dealt with the payroll issues you may face.

Integrations. Whether they are built in or able to be created via an open API, you want a payroll service that integrates with the programs you are already using, like leave management, time and attendance systems and accounting software.

Support. Look for a payroll service that provides help when you need it. You should inquire about whether you will have a dedicated support representative who will always be your main point of contact.

Outages. Online payroll services are cloud-based, which puts businesses at the mercy of the payroll provider to keep it up and running. Be sure to ask whether the provider has many outages and how often it is down for maintenance.

Employee self-service. Your payroll service should allow employees to log in on their own to view digital pay stubs and year-end tax forms.

Software flexibility. Some payroll providers offer a variety of additional services, such as benefits and retirement plan administration.

Data Backup: Safety of data is a very important element when choosing a a payroll software.You should the provider whether there is a backup option and whether it is reliable.

Other questions to consider when choosing a payroll service include:

• How often are their tax tables updated for compliance?
• Do they have other clients in your industry?
• Can they integrate with your employee benefits offerings?
• How will they handle your business as your company grows?
• What type of security measures are in place to keep your company’s payroll data secure?

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FOUR LESSONS – IT IS BY GIVING THAT YOU THEN CAN START RECEIVING; A MAJOR FACTOR IN GROWING YOUR BUSINESS

 One lesson that has taken almost a decade to learn is this one, especially from a business perspective. It is understandable when one puts a religious perspective and gives tithe or supports a needy person but in business it takes a whole new dimension that is difficult to apply. First and foremost is the constant watch on your budget each day so you only want to spend on what is absolutely necessary and where there is a low cost option you run for it, where you can do without an expense you do without it. In short it can be absolutely confusing trying to apply this concept in business. So how did I learn my four lessons.

One day decided not to look for the cheapest design agency to do our branding, I mean it bordered almost on extravagance considering the shoe string options I had used in the past but I did it. I needed to do it for the business, I needed to give it a fresh spark of something and I knew this company would nail the job. The outcome was everything, the new design stood out, it commanded respect on its own, it spoke for you before anything else. It exuded confidence on your behalf. With this new found confidence it was a lot easier to raise the profile of client we were targeting. The more I gave others business the more they gave back to me. The trick is start small where you are and widen the circle and increase the depth.

I have always believed in paying for licenses and taxes as demanded but at times you can let some of this things slide by and you are not as timely as before especially during a dip in cash-flow over a long period of time. I once let this slide by for several months. And with this our confidence took a dip as well. We shied away from pursuing work that demanded, statutory paper work, it is only when we got back on track again that I noticed this confidence dip because as soon as we were back on track we once again started the chasing the bigger accounts.

Treating people well from the gate man/woman to the person who serves you at the bank even when things are not going as you had planned, and by this I do not mean bribing to get work but keeping you cool, remembering everyone is human and they can also be having a bad day, and just being a blessing to everyone you encounter and just bringing some sunshine into their lives in the best what you know how. Some ways I bring sunshine into someone’s life is just remembering they have a family or children, calling them up and finding out how they are doing and many more. Even when times are hard one can learn to give their time in different ways.

Passing business opportunities to your customers and suppliers and looking out for them, until you are alive to this it is difficult to pass on opportunities for others. You always feel you must pursue every opportunity even those that are out of your scope and in the process of thinking how to deliver such the opportunity passes by and no one wins. Also there is also the other side of the coin where you never see opportunities for anyone but yourself. It is a habit you form, a frequency you tune to. Everyone you touch this way will in turn start looking out for you.

Start practicing little acts of giving your supplier and customers more and see how this will have a positive impact in your business. Remember it is so easy to feel incapable or so lacking to give. When this feeling comes, work on yourself till the point you are free to give more.

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MOVING YOUR BUSINESS TO THE ONLINE SPACE

 Here are some factors that should be considered before starting your online business:

1. An appropriate domain name. It is by a domain name that we are identified on the Net. So, choose one that is short, easy to spell, and represents the business accurately.

2. An easy to navigate website. The design should be easy to navigate, with a good search function.
Choosing the right web host. A good host is what your business needs.

3. Reliable banking. Choose a prompt method to accept credit cards and take orders.
Complete database. It is used to find out what your customers are doing on the site and what more they would like to see.

4. Complete information. An online business should offer FAQs and other important information regarding the products, services, queries, shipping, etc.

6. Good marketing strategies. Find the best strategies to bring visitors on the website and ones that guarantee good customer responses.

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While the barriers for starting such a business are low, the majority of people fail largely due to some obvious mistakes, such as overestimating profits and not listening the customers. Here are some of the biggest mistakes made when starting an online business:

1. Not starting at all. Don’t be one of those who talk about starting a business and never does anything about it. Every start is difficult, as it takes guts, time and money, but you will get better over time only if you decide to start.

2. Confusing “blog” with “business”. A blog is a platform for sharing your ideas, growing a big audience and connecting with people, but is not a business. The same is true for YouTubing, podcasting and any other place you are allowed to publish content for free. They can be tools for building influence. So make a more direct plan for earning an income if you want your blog or podcast to pay off.

3. Waiting too long to launch a product/service. When you start your online business you can easily get stuck on the content for months without offering something new for sale. If you are building a business, you need to address the biggest risks you may face in near future. Plus, you need to practice at building and launching products – the first product is not always that good – but don’t give up. The sooner you get something valuable out there, the closer you get to revenue.

4. Going it alone. The only reason why the largest online businesses exist today is because other entrepreneur minds believed in those ideas and didn’t let the founders to quit. No one can survive alone. You need customers, suppliers and service providers. You also need the support from your family and friends, as well as from other entrepreneurs.

5. Starting with wrong expectations. If you are running a huge business, you probably won’t have much time for traveling. Overnight success doesn’t exist and you may have to re-write your original plan several times.
Spending too much time thinking and not enough doing. Entrepreneurs have two modes – worker-bee mode and CEO mode. If you want to be successful, you have to be both.

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A TRADE MARK FOR YOUR DOMAIN NAME?

 When it comes to protecting your brand, a registered trade mark is a powerful option. Whether you need to register your trade mark and licence your domain name will depend on your circumstances.

A trade mark is used to differentiate your business from your competitors. The owner of a registered trade mark has the exclusive right to use the trade mark in relation to the goods and / or services for which the trade mark was registered.

This does not include use as a domain name. Licensing of domain names is carried out by companies on behalf of  KENIC on a first in, first served basis. Having a trade mark application or registration does not automatically entitle you to the domain name licence.

If someone has licensed a domain name the same as or similar to your trade mark, you need to lodge a complaint with KENIC This only applies to the .ke country code – it doesn’t extend to other countries, nor generic top-level domains such as .com or .org regulated by other bodies.

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WHY SHOULD I KEEP MY DOMAIN NAME REGISTERED?

 If you lose your domain name you can easily lose your whole online identity.

Because you can only register a domain name for a year or so, you will need to make sure that you renew it before the expiry date. Once your domain name expires, you will no longer own that domain name. Your Registrar will then own it and be able to sell your domain name to the highest bidder. To make sure you don’t lose your domain name you will need to make sure you renew your domain name at least two weeks before it expires.

Also make sure that your information is registered properly, especially if you didn’t register your domain name yourself. Ensure that your information is displayed as the registrant, administrative and billing contacts; most importantly make sure that the email addresses for these contacts are ACTIVE. When you receive any information about your domain name, such as renewals, price changes, an email will be sent to this email address. If you can’t receive any mail from the email addresses listed under the domain names contact then you are at risk of not receiving important notifications about your domain names, which could result in losing your domain name.

People often miss the importance of having their own unique domain name for their websites. A domain name represents you, your company and your online presence; as does a business card. If you don’t have your own domain name you won’t be able to promote your own online identity and website on the World Wide Web.

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WHY ONLINE MARKETING WORKS FOR SOME BUSINESSES AND NOT OTHERS

Online marketing is simply the use of web technologies to achieve marketing goals. This is the part that we all need to understand. It is a means to achieving certain, laid down business goals. Different businesses have different goals and that’s because they have different products and different markets. This means that their typical customers will vary even between one business and their competitor. While it might be fairly easy to sell green groceries online to residents of an upmarket area, it might be difficult to do the same in a middle-class estate as consumer behavior and purchasing powers are different among other things.

At Softlink Options, we understand that there is no one-size-fits-all business thus we present you with a tailor-made and goal-oriented approach to your website, and all your online marketing campaigns. Online marketing is a wide field that is fast-changing, it is important to work with a leader who has expertise in running campaigns for e-commerce leaders. We can plan with you to grow your business gradually so that your customers experience growth and new milestones with you. Make the first step by registering your business online

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