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How to Land Your First Tech Job

Posted: 04 Jun 2019 12:00 PM PDT

According to statistics from Cyberstates, in 2018 there were 3.7 million job postings for tech occupations. But, because tech jobs are so popular and sought after, there's a lot of competition. With no work experience, you might be wondering how you can impress a prospective employer or even have your resume chosen for an interview. If you don't have any previous tech experience to list on your resume, it doesn't mean you can't impress the tech employer of your dreams.

No experience? No problem. Here's how to land your first tech job.

1. Network online and offline.

If you want to get noticed by potential employers and make some connections in the tech industry, you need to put yourself out there. Meeting people who are already in the tech industry is a great way to build up a name for yourself and get leads on tech jobs before they're posted online.

First, spruce up your LinkedIn profile. Recruiters are often on LinkedIn, so make sure your profile stands out and includes relevant skills for the job you want. Next, build an online portfolio on a site like GitHub, where you can show off your skills and interact with others in the industry. You could also make a website of your own and start blogging to drive traffic (including potential employers) to your site.

Get out from behind your computer screen once in a while by attending IRL (in real life) networking events. Search for upcoming tech meetups, conferences, and hackathons in your area. If you can make meaningful connections with industry peers and professionals, the job will come to you.

2. Boost your skills with online courses.

Just because you've finished your studies, doesn't mean you should stop learning. If you want to land your first tech job and be successful in the future, you need to make lifelong learning a priority. Especially in tech where everything is changing all the time, it's important to keep up by learning new things constantly.

Keep up-to-date with industry news and trends by following popular blogs and publications. You can also take a look at job boards to find out which skills employers are looking for. If you don't have one of the skills they list as a requirement, spend some time learning how to master it. Using the internet, you can find information on any skill you want to learn. Look up the topic on tech forums, search for YouTube videos about it and find out if there are free online courses you can take to boost your skills. If you spend time learning and practicing new skills, you're bound to stand out from the other junior tech candidates that are applying for the same position.

3. Build your own projects.

If you want to impress potential employers you can't just talk about what you know, you have to show them what you can do. Displaying your work instead of just talking about the skills you have will put you ahead of the competition. You can start by contributing to open source projects, or you can take it a step further by building your own projects.

The projects don't need to be complicated. For instance, you could build a simple, free mini-app and try to get it on Product Hunt to create a buzz and get it noticed. An example of someone who did this successfully is Jon Chan, who got his first salaried job as a developer by building his own projects, including Bento. He's now a principal developer at Stack Overflow. Treat your own projects like jobs and you're sure to impress potential employers.

4. Take on freelance tasks.

A great way to get a bit of real-life experience before landing your first tech job is by taking on small freelance tasks. This will give you some insight into what you need to succeed in your future tech position, and will also allow you to make a little extra cash on the side. Plus, it will give you the chance to work with someone else instead of working independently all the time, which is beneficial since teamwork is an important soft skill in the tech industry.

You can check out freelance platforms like Upwork or Guru to get started or offer your freelance services to your network connections or even former employers. Once you tackle a few small freelance tasks, you can move on to more complicated ones to really build up your experience.

Rock your next tech interview.

Don't let your lack of job experience hold you back from your dream job. You have the ability to take things into your own hands and become the star candidate that tech employers are looking for. Using these tips for how to land your first tech job, you'll have the expertise you need to rock your next interview and secure the tech position you want.

Most Consumers Want Sustainable Products and Packaging

Posted: 04 Jun 2019 11:14 AM PDT

  • More than 80% of survey participants said they felt it was "important or extremely important" for companies to design environmentally conscious products.
  • Given nine industries to select from, 1 in 4 respondents said they felt the chemical industry is the least concerned about the environment.
  • 77% of respondents said plastic was the least environmentally responsible type of packaging. Paper was deemed the most environmentally safe material.

Scientists around the world agree that the planet's climate requires immediate action to avert catastrophe. Recently, the Breakthrough National Centre for Climate Restoration in Melbourne, Australia, estimated that a "near- to mid-term existential threat to human civilization" could take place in the next 30 years if the issue isn't addressed. According to a recent survey from Accenture, consumers have already started becoming more environmentally conscious with their purchases in an effort to do their part.

Throughout the month of April, researchers surveyed 6,000 consumers in North America, Europe and Asia about their purchasing and consumption habits of products packaged in different kinds of materials. Participants were also asked about how they recycled and reused those materials.

According to the data, which was previewed at the American Chemistry Council (ACC) Annual Meeting earlier today, a growing number of consumers consider the recyclability of a product along with its quality and price. Approximately 83% of respondents said they felt it was "important or extremely important" that companies design their products to be more environmentally friendly.

Along with price and quality, consumers consider products' environmental impact

While the data suggests that more consumers are paying attention to a product's environmental impact, researchers were quick to point out that affordability and quality were still the main driving factors behind a vast majority of purchases.

Among respondents, 89% said they cared the most about the quality of a product when choosing a product to buy, with price coming in at 84%. While consumers are right to consider the financial impact of a product, researchers said 49% cited health and safety and 37% cited environmental impact as factors they consider before purchase.

Furthermore, researchers said 72% of respondents reported that they were actively buying more environmentally friendly products than they did five years ago, while 81% said they expected to buy even more over the next five years.

"The shift in consumer buying, with more consumers willing to pay extra for environmentally friendly products, reinforces the need for companies to increase their commitments to responsible business practices," said Jessica Long, a managing director at Accenture Strategy. "Companies across industries have started to lead with purpose, including embracing the circular economy as a greater opportunity to drive growth and competitive agility."

Consumers worry about environmental impact of chemicals and plastics

In addition to consumers' growing awareness of how their products are packaged, the survey's findings show that people are paying attention to the supposed culprits behind the global climate crisis.

Approximately 1 in 4 respondents (26%) said they believe that, of the nine industries included in the survey, the chemical industry is the least worried about its environmental impact. Participants also ranked the chemical industry lowest in terms of communicating how its products affect the environment, with 72% stating they were "not very confident or not confident at all."

The chemical industry is considered a major driver of recycled and reusable materials around the world. Plastics, widely thought to be a major global pollutant, are manufactured by some of the chemical industry's biggest companies.

"While some of the survey results are encouraging, there are also implications for chemical companies, including the need to overcome negative consumer sentiment and to produce sustainable materials at a competitive price," said Rachael Bartels, a senior managing director at Accenture who leads its chemicals and natural resources practice. "The chemical industry is a critical enabler to the circular economy and can speed up its adoption, and the reality is the industry must get in front of this now, or risk being left behind."

Asked which of the packaging materials widely used today is the least environmentally friendly, 77% of respondents said plastic. Paper was considered the most environmentally friendly by 55% of participants.

If the chemical industry can rise to the challenge, ACC officials estimates that the recyclable nature of plastics could create 38,500 new jobs and add billions of dollars to the U.S. economy. It could do that, officials said, by "expanding the use of pyrolysis and other advanced plastic recycling technologies."

6 Ideas to Help You Brand your Business App Like a Pro

Posted: 04 Jun 2019 10:00 AM PDT

It didn't happen on its own though. The brains behind this app put in the effort to make us dependent on it. According to Kevin Systrom, a co-founder of the photo-sharing platform, the app took only eight weeks to build, but it was the result of over a year of work. The developers wanted the app to stand out from other apps, so they focused on one thing: communicating through photos. Subsequently, they named the app to complement its purpose. The name Instagram is the amalgamation of two words: instant and telegram.

The reason for sharing the story of this famous app is to emphasize the importance of branding an app. Whether it's a social media app such as Instagram or a simple game app (we're all addicted to Candy Crush, aren't we?), the packaging is important.

According to Statista, there are around 2.1 million apps for Android users and 1.8 million for Apple users. If you don't want to be just another app on someone's smartphone, you need to work on branding. The logo, content, user experience, and how you keep your users engaged all form a part of your brand. Here are six things that you can do to make sure your app is a success:

1. Choose a name and logo that make a great first impression.

Before you start thinking up branding ideas, you need to answer some basic questions such as, "What is the unique selling point of your app?" and "Who will be using it?"

Once you're clear about your target audience and the benefit your app will provide them, come up with a name that strikes a chord; make sure you don't miss making a great first impression in the overcrowded app stores.

To come up with a catchy name, you need to keep in mind the functionality of your app. If you choose a confusing name, chances are good that your app will get overlooked by your target audience when they're searching for an app with that functionality. 

Research shows that 63% of apps are discovered through the app store. For this reason, it would be wise to incorporate keywords into the name. For example, the app "Live Auction" clearly states what it is about. But, you also need to make sure the name is unique. If you try to be a copycat, you'll definitely get lost among your competition.

The first impression also includes the logo, which is a cue that helps your target audience remember you. Your logo can be a simple symbol, like Instagram's camera logo, or you can write the app name in a unique font.

2. Create a good user experience.

A brand isn't just a logo and a name. It's also about the experience you create for your app users. People remember how you make them feel. Good user experience means guaranteeing customer satisfaction.

To create a memorable user experience, you need to focus on the usefulness of your app. Cramming your app with features that users don't need or deleting features without considering feedback from users are bad strategies. Nike made this mistake with its Nike+ Running app. The app had a loyal user base until it axed the features that made users stay with the app. This led to a backlash on social media and many people deleted the app.

3. Build a landing page.

A landing page is where your customers arrive when they click on your app. It should have a clear picture of your app and describe its best features, so people don't have to search your website to figure out what your app does. Add a newsletter signup field to the page. This will help you update interested customers in new developments and build a database for future email marketing campaigns.

Also consider building a pre-launch landing page to generate curiosity and hype among interested parties, which may include users, industry experts and other app developers. 

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4. Share an explainer video.

Videos are your gateway to new customers. In a recent survey, 48% of consumers said that they purchased a product because they saw a video about it on Instagram. According to LinkedIn, video content receives 20 times more shares than written content. Also, LinkedIn video ads have 50% more views. Airbnb has a good example of an effective explainer video. It tells users how the app works and addresses apprehensions its customers may have.

If you don't want to miss out on an opportunity to reach users, make sure that you have a good explainer video ready for your app. Place it on the landing page of your website or on the app store, and you'll see your conversion rates shoot up. 

5. Get brand ambassadors.

Brand ambassadors are influential people from the community who are loyal to your app. They play a vital role in attracting customers as 74% of consumers rely on word of mouth recommendations before making a purchase.

Apart from spreading the word about your app, brand ambassadors give potential users proof that your app is being used by real people. They can also be an excellent source for feedback about your app.

6. Leverage social media.

Existing businesses don't have much trouble attracting users when they launch an app because they already have a well-known brand name that they can leverage. However, new businesses need to build brand equity, and social media is the best platform to do that. Don't wait till your app is ready for launch; start a pre-launch marketing campaign to generate hype.

Once the app is launched, use sponsored ads on social media to promote your app. You can also work with social media influencers to reach your target audience. Encourage your top users to write reviews and then promote them on social media as proof that your app is making a difference in someone's life.

SAP Certification Guide: Overview and Career Paths

Posted: 04 Jun 2019 09:43 AM PDT

SAP is a global company that specializes in enterprise business software, including customer relationship management, enterprise resource planning, supplier relationship management and much more. SAP started out in Waldorf, Germany, in 1972, headed up by five former IBM engineers who wanted to provide standardized software to integrate business processes. Today, SAP has more than 437,000 customers and more than 96,600 employees.

SAP reports that 92% of Ford Global 2,000 companies, along with 98% of the 100 most valued brands, use SAP solutions. In addition, 100% of the top-scoring sustainability companies, as reported by Dow Jones, also use SAP. To accommodate the business need for qualified professionals, SAP manages a large certification program to ensure outstanding product and client support and to narrow the IT skills gap. Currently, SAP's certification program is home to more than 350,000 certified SAP professionals worldwide.

SAP certification program overview

SAP offers almost 130 certifications, each targeted at some specific SAP product. You can explore SAP certifications on the company's website by product, solution category, or delivery method and location. Certifications are generally found at the associate, specialist or professional levels, which may be understood as follows:

  • Associate certifications: These are designed for people who are new to SAP solutions and may have learned about SAP technologies from manuals or training courses.
  • Specialist certifications: These build on the associate-level credentials and recognize professionals with skills in specific components or roles.
  • Professional certifications: These recognize individuals with deep knowledge of SAP solutions and hands-on experience.

No prerequisite skills, training or other certifications are required for the associate- and professional-level credentials. To obtain a specialist designation, candidates must possess an associate-level credential.

In addition, SAP certifications do not require recertification. However, to ensure skills remain up to date, SAP monitors your credentials and notifies you when one or more of your credentials become outdated. The company develops Delta exams when an SAP solution is released that has undergone significant changes. Certification holders must take one or more Delta exams within six months to keep their skills, knowledge and certifications current.

SAP certification exams

Associate- and professional-level certifications require a single exam. Specialty certifications require candidates to pass both the specialty and associate-level exam. You can purchase an exam voucher through the SAP website and then take the exam at an SAP Training Center, through Pearson VUE, or in the cloud.

In April, SAP announced that all of its Global Certification exams will now be made available online in the cloud as a service through the SAP Certification in the Cloud program. By June 2019, all certification exams should be available through the Certification in the Cloud program. According to SAP, more than half of all certifications issued in 2018 were obtained through online certification exams.

For an annual subscription fee of $571, candidates may take up to six exams in a 12-month period. (To understand the significance of this deal, the Certification in the Cloud fee is roughly equivalent to the cost of one exam when taken at a physical testing center.) For those seeking multiple certs, a Certification in the Cloud subscription is a clear winner.

Stay current program

A new initiative, the "stay current" program is designed to help certification holders maintain skill currency. At present, the new program is geared to cloud solutions and is available for SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Success Factors and Ariba Solutions.  Managed through the SAP Learning Hub, credential holders have access to tutorials, webinars, videos and additional materials designed to provide information about new technologies introduced with each quarterly product release. Candidates then need only take a Delta exam on the new technology.

Learning journeys

Designed to promote an atmosphere of lifelong career learning, SAP Learning Journeys are interactive, visual guides that provide an easy-to-use and understand roadmap for each learning path. I have to confess that I fell in love with this feature. Not only is recommended training clearly defined, but there is no question as to what courses should be taken and in what order.

Another great feature of the Learning Journey guide is that it is an absolute information smorgasbord! Here, you'll not only find recommended training, but the different learning options available to obtain the knowledge (e-Book, classroom, e-Learning, for example), as well as a time estimate to complete. You'll also find links for practice opportunities, along with self-assessment info and any other tools available to help you master that skill. This one-stop-shopping aspect is a real plus. In addition, the Learning Journey paths can be downloaded in PDF format so you can easily refer back to them. An SAP Learning Hub subscription is required to access eLearning, eBooks and assessments.

All Learning Journey training is recommended training only, so you're free to choose to engage with the tasks that meet your learning needs. Each SAP Learning Journey contains four different learning scenarios:

  • Scenario 1 - Overview: Targeting newcomers, this section provides recommended training suggestions for those who are just beginning their SAP journey and possess little knowledge.
  • Scenario 2 - Become Competent: The main section of the learning journey, the Become Competent scenario is designed to provide the learner with in-depth knowledge of the subject matter. The opportunity to take certification exams is offered at the end of the Become Competent section.
  • Scenario 3 - Stay Current: Geared to maintaining skill currency, this scenario contains information on keeping skills up to date and current with the latest SAP releases.
  • Scenario 4 - Expand Your Skills: Here, learners will find training recommendations designed to deepen and broaden their skills set, along with training leading to expert-level certifications (when available).

SAP currently maintains 195 Learning Journeys. Learning Journeys focus on two areas: job roles and product categories.  There are Learning Journeys available for nine product categories:

  • ERP and Digital Core
  • Digital Supply Chain
  • Network and Spend Management
  • HR and People Engagement
  • Digital Platform
  • CRM and Customer Experience
  • Industry Applications
  • Analytics
  • Intelligent Technologies

Job roles include consultant, developer, architect, administrator, business user or data analyst.

SAP's training certifications are widely recognized and demonstrate that candidates have honed their skills through rigorous study and hands-on experience in their chosen fields. SAP offers certification programs based around specific areas of focus and skill levels to SAP partners, customers and end users.

SAP programs

With more than 120 certifications and 195 Learning Journeys, it would be impossible to describe all of them in this article. However, below you'll find a sampling of some of the programs that SAP offers.

SAP NetWeaver

SAP NetWeaver is a popular platform. To find out what NetWeaver certs are available, simply plug in the keyword "NetWeaver" on the Learning Journey web page. Here, you'll find six different Learning Journeys available geared to the professionals working in developer, consultant, and administrator roles across multiple product solutions.

SAP NetWeaver

SAP NetWeaver is a popular platform; you'll find SAP NetWeaver certifications focused on administering SAP applications such as ERP, CRM, Java and ABAP, as well as business warehouse, portal, integration technologies and development. Available certifications vary depending on the category, but here are some examples of these current certifications:

Developer

ABAP Programming

SAP Certified Development Associate ABAP with SAP NetWeaver 7.50

Developer

ABAP Programming: Creating Forms

No certifications

Consultant

Business Planning

SAP Certified Application Associate: SAP Business Planning and Consolidation 10.1 and 11.0

Consultant, Administrator

S/4HANA-Technical Implantation and Operations

SAP Certified Technology Associate – SAP System Administration with SAP NetWeaver 7.5 (Delta)

SAP Certified Technology Associate – SAP System Administration (SAP HAHA as a database) with SAP NetWeaver 7.5 (Delta)

Consultant, Developer, Administrator

  System Security

SAP Certified Technology Professional – SAP System Security Architect
 Administrator  Operating System and Database Migration  SAP Certified Technology Associate – OS/DB Migration for SAP NetWeaver 7.52

SAP provides numerous NetWeaver training opportunities, too, including project team training.

SAP Solution Manager

When you think of distributed systems and technical support, think SAP Solution Manager. SAP Solution Manager enables professionals to manage complete SAP-based solution environments, including selection and implementation, daily operations and ensuring system reliability.

SAP offers training opportunities and certs to prepare professionals to work with SAP Solution Manager. Training is classified into several subcategories, including general solution overviews, project management, end-to-end solutions, how to configure and how to use. The easiest way to view all recommended training at a glance is to check out the SAP Solution Manager Learning Journey.

SAP offers various certs to professionals responsible for implementing and maintaining systems with Solution Manager, including two Certified Technology Associate credentials with concentrations in Landscape Transformation 2.0 and Solution Manager Mandatory and Managed System Configuration (7.2 SPS3).

SAP Ariba

SAP Ariba is a popular e-procurement and supply chain cloud solution that enables companies to digitally transform all aspects of their procurement and supply chain processes from source to payments.

SAP offers 10 different Learning Journeys for SAP Ariba. All Ariba Learning Journeys are geared to business users and consultants. Solution categories include Ariba Contracts, Integration, Procurement, Snap, Source, Spend Analysis, Supplier Enablement (Buy and Sell Side), Supplier Management and Supply Chain Collaboration.

Related jobs, training and resources

SAP certifications touch on nearly every business process across every major industry. A quick search of online job sites offers a glimpse of the breadth of jobs available for SAP-certified individuals. A food and beverage manufacturer in Massachusetts is seeking a SAP functional lead to manage inventory to delivery. A leading manufacturer seeks a SAP HANA database administrator to support all HANA environment lifecycle phases. An aircraft manufacturer is looking for a SAP Cloud Application Studio Developer to develop custom solutions, integrate external systems and build data sources to optimize Aurora's ERP system.

Whether you're a business analyst, business process owner, developer, IT administrator, team lead, trainer, power user or executive and work with SAP products, you'll find a breadth of career opportunities available. SAP offers instructor-led classroom training at its SAP Training Centers around the world. Virtual live classroom training is also available, which is taught by SAP experts and includes access to live SAP systems for immersive learning. You can also take interactive e-learning courses that complement classroom training by signing up for a single course or subscribing to multiple courses.

The SAP E-Academy offers training to help you learn about specific SAP solution areas and to prepare you for certification exams. You receive one to five months of access to self-paced courses. SAP e-Learning offers single course access for those interested in pursuing a single training course at a time. Candidates seeking to sharpen their skills can sign up for Live Access, which allows candidates to practice existing skills in a supported SAP environment. If none of those learning options works for you, check out the SAP Learning Hub. Here you'll find round-the-clock access to all the training you want.

Finally, SAP provides sample questions, formerly actual questions on previous live exams, for most cert exams. You can view sample questions by clicking the sample question PDF link on an exam's webpage.

Learn more about SAP training delivery options at training.sap.com.

 

Talking Shop: How to Build a Sustainable Digital Media Company

Posted: 04 Jun 2019 06:00 AM PDT

The digital media industry is a crowded field, with new players joining the market on what seems like a daily basis. However, while launching a digital media venture may be easier than ever, building a company that has long-term sustainability isn't so simple. Whether it is developing non-ad-related revenue streams or finding ways to ensure Google algorithm changes don't sink your business, there are significant challenges that digital media companies have to overcome to be successful.

Doug Llewellyn

As the CEO of business.com, Doug Llewellyn knows firsthand what it takes to succeed in this hypercompetitive industry. Llewellyn has been in the digital media industry for nearly two decades. Prior to his current role at business.com, Llewellyn served as president and chief operating officer at Purch and vice president of corporate and business development and digital media sales for the SMB community platform Manta Media.

Before that, he spent 12 years with CBS Interactive/CNET Networks, where he held a variety of roles, including vice president and general manager of the B2B portfolio of properties that included ZDNet, TechRepublic and SmartPlanet.

We recently sat down with Llewellyn to talk about what it takes to build a sustainable digital media business, the challenges in this industry and what business.com is doing to separate itself from the crowd. Plus, we got his insights into the technology he finds essential and the most useful career advice he has received over the years.

Challenges in building a sustainable digital media business

Q: Print media companies are struggling because of their reliance on advertising revenue. Do digital media companies face this same challenge? Can you explain your approach to advertising versus other revenue streams?

A: Print media has an enormous number of struggles, and they aren't just tied to ad revenue. On the print side, the way content is consumed has shifted massively. Over the last 15 years, more and more people have been consuming content on their mobile devices. This has made scrolling through a Twitter feed, LinkedIn, or Facebook to get and read news much more efficient than waiting for something to show up in your mailbox or at the newsstand.

The biggest challenge in the advertising world is twofold. On the digital side, there's an enormous amount of inventory. There is an endless supply of impressions across big publishers, small publishers, micropublishers and everything in between.

Then you add in Google, Facebook, Twitter, Walmart and Amazon. They are building a $1 billion ad business. Targeting on Google and Facebook, and the intent-shopping targeting that you can do on Amazon and Walmart, has shown us what we've known for years – advertising is inefficient. It's really disrupted what I would call digital media 1.0 and 2.0.

A lot of publishers, such as the branded publishers that are trying to be the next Conde Nasts of the world, have tried to go into native content, and that's just not scalable. They're doing custom publishing, in combination with an advertising model. You can get paid good money for it, but it's cumbersome and labor-intensive.

So, as business.com looks at how marketers are trying to reach customers, we think about it from a performance perspective. We're building a marketplace that attracts the buyer side. In our case, we're speaking directly to small business owners who are keenly interested in understanding what kind of products and services can help them run their business, and then attracting the vendors that want to sell to those businesses.

We connect them through what we call outcome marketing products. We focus on the types of customer delivery outcome the business.com marketing platform can give to software vendors, service vendors, and anybody who's trying to reach the small business owners that are part of our community.

We are very performance-driven. Whether we are delivering a qualified lead, delivering somebody who's downloaded a whitepaper or listened to a webcast, or delivering a qualified click, our model is very performance-based. We feel like we've got a very long-term sustainable business model around that, because it matches what's working in the market, and we understand our customers so well that we can play in that market, above and beyond just Google, Facebook and the others.

Q: So, do you feel that this is the biggest challenge digital media companies face, figuring out these revenue streams and how to make money? Is that what you have seen as the biggest challenge over the last decade?

A: Oh, absolutely. The interesting dynamic in the marketplace is that it's been incredibly easy to become a publisher. Whether it's through WordPress or Medium or any other way that anybody can start writing, you can quickly have a published result. However, it's becoming harder and harder to capture consumers' and advertisers' attention.

So much of the advertising market has gone programmatic, and that's being run by machines, as opposed to Madison Avenue and salespeople. You've got a different dynamic on both the consumer consumption side of the house as well as the advertiser side. I think it's been a huge challenge in the publishing industry for everyone involved, including digital publishers. It's not just a print challenge anymore.

Trends and the future of digital media

Q: Do you view paywalls as a viable revenue option for digital media?

A: I think it depends on the value proposition. If you look at The New York Times, they've obviously been very successful with their paywall endeavors. I think a lot of it is for the crossword puzzle, but it doesn't mean people aren't also paying for the news. The New York Times has done a very good job of gaining paid subscribers.

I also think Axios has an interesting model. I was a little skeptical at the beginning. But the marketplace, especially in the politically charged atmosphere of the last three years, has helped paywalls become more successful. People are now willing to pay because they believe there isn't fake news on the other side of that paywall.

That doesn't mean new publishing models can't be successful without paywalls. If you look at Skift, the travel industry publication site event company that Rafat Ali started a few years ago, they've been very successful at being laser-focused on a B2B vertical market.

Q: Do you believe paywalls will become more common moving forward? Do you think, as people get more accustomed to possibly paying for this, that it's going to be easier for them to stomach paying for more and more?

A: I don't see a tipping point, because I'm not sure how many different subscriptions people are willing to pay for. I think the big guys who have paywalls will get bigger. I don't see a time where everyone adopts this type of business model and consumers are all willing to pay for it.

I'm not a great predictor of the future, though. I remember I had an analyst once ask me if Yahoo/Go2 was going to beat Google, I said, "Absolutely, I don't think Google has a chance." So, I was wrong on that one.

Q: How do you measure success in the digital media industry? Is it revenue/profit? Brand recognition? Page views and engagement? All of the above?

A: I think it's all of the above. But at the end of the day, if you don't have the profit, the rest doesn't matter.

In the last year, we've seen the fall, or at least the slipping, of the darling media brands of three years ago. If you think about BuzzFeed, Refinery29, Vice and Vox, there's been a lot written about how those guys got huge valuations predicated on them building their brands and hyper revenue growth. Now a little bit of the rubber is meeting the road. Without profitability, they're having to consolidate and lay people off to try to build themselves into those big investing valuations.

Today, the profitability has to be there. Three years ago, it didn't. The reality is you want revenue growth and you want a brand that people know, because there's value there. But if you don't have profit, eventually the music stops.

Q: Many digital media companies rely heavily on Google to steer readers to their sites. Do you see any way to combat this? Or is part of the challenge of being in this industry being flexible enough to adapt to Google's constantly changing algorithm?

A: It's flexibility. The one thing is you should think about is how you can participate and get the most out of Google without being 100% reliant on it. If you have a business that is going to blow with the Google wind and the way Google changes direction, it can hurt you. If you can leverage Google as just one channel for your audience, traffic and revenue, you're in a better place.

We feel really good about our business.com business model because our organic Google traffic is one of three primary channels. We also spend money on Google and Facebook and other online channels where we acquire traffic, and we have a large network of publishing partners where we derive audience and revenue.

To have those three legs of the stool makes me feel a lot more comfortable that if a Google algorithm hits us, our business doesn't go away. It gets hurt, but it doesn't go away.

You saw this phenomenon with Facebook too. A lot of companies over the last few years came up by playing the Facebook algorithm, and when they changed it, that traffic went away. It had serious consequences.

Q: What impact do you think artificial intelligence and machine learning might have on digital media? We've seen some of it in terms of AI-written stories. I've seen it in sports where outlets are using AI to write stories with no reporters involved. 

A: It's interesting. Not too much of that has blown up like we thought. We thought there'd be sports score updates, like you talked about, and small snippets around earnings released from AI.

I look at it a little differently, away from text. Voice is going to be really, really big – whether you call that AI or not. I don't think it's there yet, but when voice can be utilitarian to the business world – more than what I would call infotainment for news, weather, traffic in the home world – I think it's going to be a big thing.

Q: How does business.com stand out in the digital media space?

A: From a business model, we practice what we preach. We give what I would call high-utility value, pragmatic business advice, to the small business owners who are using our service and reading our professional journalists who are writing business advice articles, product reviews, etc., to interacting on the Q&A platform.

We focus on providing a high-utility service to our customers – what I would call our user customers, the small business owner, as well as our marketing customers, software vendors, tech vendors and service providers. If we provide high-utility value to both of those, we have a strong and growing business.

When we think about the revenue growth we have and the profit we have, we take a much different approach. We try to think like how a scrappy small business would, and that's how we run the business. That's what will set us apart from a lot of what I call these darling media brands who need to wake up and see the reality of the numbers in front of them.

Rapid-fire questions

Q: What piece of technology could you not live without?

A: My phone, because it's not just a phone. It's sort of a mini work device. I can read email. I can look at presentations. I can read about the competition. I can use Slack. It allows me to have an office anywhere I am. It allows for extreme flexibility, and it would be hard not to have it.

Q: What is the best piece of career advice you have ever been given?

A: To prioritize the people in the company first. When I think about the three constituents, it's people first. If I invest and treat the people well, the customers will be treated well. If the customers are treated well, they'll treat us well, which makes our investors happy. So, it's sort of one, two, three: employees, customers and investors.

Q: What's the best book or blog you've recently read?

A: The best one I've read is The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz. It's really good. My overall thought on business books is that the first couple chapters are good, and the summary chapter is good, and everything in between is kind of repetitive and a waste of time. This one is not.

Q: What's the biggest risk you've taken professionally? Did it pay off?

A: I spent 15 years living in the valley and working in San Francisco. I think leaving there probably limited opportunities from a career diversification and growth prospect – or seemingly it could have on paper. But it allowed me to come work for Purch, and subsequently business.com, in a more flexible manner and really understand how to put a business together in a way that wasn't just the San Francisco, Silicon Valley thinking kind of way. I actually think it's benefited me to do that. It was risky when I did it, but I think it actually turned out to be a benefit.

Q: What do you do to achieve work-life balance?

A: I don't call it work-life balance; I call it work-life blend. It's really hard to separate them and to say I'm going to work 55 or 60 hours a week and then I'm going to be off. I'm going to work as hard as I can and get the stuff I need to get done when I need to get it done. When I have downtime, I'm going to enjoy that time with my family or myself or my friends and try to be as present as possible. The phone allows me to be connected. It doesn't always allow me to be present in that downtime, so it's hard. I can't get stressed about work-life balance; I just have to figure out a good work-life blend.

Seasonal Business Guide to Credit Card Processing

Posted: 04 Jun 2019 06:00 AM PDT

Choosing the right merchant account provider can be a daunting task for any business owner. Providers may charge additional fees for processing credit cards online, closing an account early or even using a lower subscription plan. Businesses that operate seasonally often face larger credit card processing fees than those that operate year-round. Finding the right provider for your seasonal business can help you lower maintenance costs and avoid extra fees.

What is a merchant account provider?

The first thing you need to know is that a merchant account is a separate account that holds all the money you receive when customers' payments go through. A merchant account provider will set you up with a merchant account, allow you to process all credit and debit card sales through it, and then transfer the money into a designated business account for you to access those sales.

Editor's note: Looking for a credit card processor for your business? If you're looking for information to help you choose the one that's right for you, use the questionnaire below to have our vendors partners contact you:

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Payment service providers (PSPs)

Smaller businesses don't necessarily need their own merchant account to process credit or debit cards, which is why you may consider a payment service provider if you are a seasonal business. With PSPs, your business account is "aggregated together with accounts from other merchants" instead of getting its own merchant ID. The fees of an individual account can pile up if you aren't careful and cost you more money than you process from credit and debit cards.

PSPs allow businesses to pay month by month instead of annually, which can lower maintenance fees. However, accounts through PSPs are more vulnerable and run the risk of being terminated or frozen due to fraud. This can be a serious problem if your business relies on customers using credit or debit cards to purchase items or services.

Traditional merchant accounts

Your business will receive its own merchant ID if you choose to use a traditional merchant account. This will identify your individual business to banks and credit card associations instead of being grouped with other merchants. According to Merchant Maverick, merchant account providers "offer a host of ancillary services, including PCI security scans, customizable payment gateways for online payments, support for ACH (eCheck) payments, and many others." This allows your account to monitor and reduce fraudulent activity. The only downside for businesses interested in traditional accounts is the higher fees. Larger businesses or those that receive more card payments than cash would benefit from these types of accounts due to the security that reduces the risk of losing the account. [Interested in a credit card processor for your small business? Check out our best picks and reviews.]

Features to consider

Seasonal businesses can cut the cost of account maintenance by checking for hidden fees, and by finding a provider that allows a choice in what services a business can receive and has multiple plans available. If you are a seasonal business, here are some things you'll want to look for in an account provider.

Pricing plans

Most merchant account providers only offer one plan, which can be tough on seasonal businesses because of all the extra fees. Most of these providers will charge extra for closing an account or keeping it open during off months. This can cause seasonal businesses to rack up maintenance fees they can't afford. It's important to look for a provider that offers a variety of plans and is transparent about what fees you'll need to pay and what services come in the plan. Seasonal businesses often don't need all of the services in the larger plans, which is something else you'll want to be wary of.

Some providers, such as Fattmerchant, charge a flat rate each month for all the credit card processing your business does. Fattmerchant has several pricing packages available, depending on your business's needs and how much money you process each year, which makes it a great choice for seasonal businesses. There are packages with flat fees for all processing done, but there are also packages with a monthly fee and a fixed transaction fee. Fattmerchant is transparent and gives you a say in what plans, fees, and services you receive.

Seasonal businesses that are low-volume accounts may want to consider a provider with flat-rate plans. Those that are higher-volume accounts may want to consider providers with an interchange-plus payment option, which allows you to pay the interchange fee set by the credit card companies with a small markup on top of the interchange.

Fees

It's difficult for account providers to simply turn accounts on or off. Providers often regard seasonal merchants as unreliable sources. Thus, providers often charge hefty fees to keep the account open while you are not receiving payments or an even larger fee if you close the account early. Seasonal businesses that want to close an account during the offseason should consider a provider that does not have an early termination fee.

There are other types of fees that a merchant account provider can charge. When using a provider, your business will pay for the service, whether that is monthly, annually, biannually or a flat fee determined by the provider. You will also be charged interchange fees, which are determined by credit card companies. Businesses processing credit or debit cards will need to pay interchange fees, and these vary by card type. Typically, debit cards have lower interchange rates than those of credit cards.

If you go with a traditional merchant account provider, you will be charged an extra fee on top of the interchange, which is a processing fee. Payline features a processing fee calculator on its website that asks you to enter your method for accepting credit cards, the average transaction amount, and your monthly processing volume. It provides an estimated monthly charge for processing, an average based on all card brand fees, monthly fees and markups Payline has assessed.

In person and online

Most merchant account providers offer both in-person and online card processing. It's important to be clear about how you want to accept payment. Most providers charge more for keyed-in or online payments than swiped cards. Providers such as Square charge 2.75% for a swiped credit or debit card and 3.5% for a keyed-in credit or debit card. Payline charges a low rate of 0.25% for swiped and keyed-in debit cards, and 1.71% to 1.9% for swiped and keyed-in credit cards. To cut costs, you'll want to assess these rates, especially since they vary between providers.

If you are based in a brick-and-mortar store, you'll want to look for a provider that includes a POS system or terminal. These can get expensive to buy or update if they are separate costs. Some providers charge extra fees for purchasing, replacing or returning terminals. CDG Commerce includes a POS terminal within in its plans of either $39 per month plus transaction fees or $79 per month with equipment replacement protection.

If you are an e-commerce or online merchant, you'll want a provider that supports your business with a POS system and payment gateway. Shopify is primarily for online businesses, with a POS app that can process cards through a swiper that easily attaches to a mobile device or tablet. It also has access to your online store. Shopify is perfect for seasonal merchants who want to accept payments in their store on a smart device and/or online. Shopify's payment gateway is Shopify Payments. If you choose to use an external payment gateway, however, Shopify charges additional transaction fees.

PCI compliance

According to Otava, "a PCI compliant hosting provider should provide multiple layers of defense and a secure data protection model that combines physical and virtual security methods. Virtual security includes authorization, authentication, passwords, etc. Physical includes restricted access and server, storage and networking cabinet locks." If you want more secure data and transactions, you will need to find a PCI-compliant merchant account. If the provider is PCI compliant, it should be creating a secure network, protecting customer card data, maintaining a safe network with antivirus software, and keeping a policy about information security.

Customer service

One of the most important things you'll want in a provider is access to customer service. Seasonal businesses need a provider that is available 24/7 to answer any questions, provide solutions to issues, and instruct them on how to open or close their account.

Fattmerchant, CDG Commerce and Shopify all provide 24/7 technical support. CDG Commerce is a family-owned provider, which allows it to focus on taking care of its clients and bettering its services to meet their needs. The company promises transparency, control, security and a dedicated staff to help you grow your business. Shopify advertises its variety of support channels – phone, email and live chat – while Fattmerchant prides itself on real human communication over the phone.

Best Handwriting Recognition Apps

Posted: 03 Jun 2019 03:38 PM PDT

If you take notes by hand on your mobile device – either with your finger or a stylus – you know there's no substitute for a solid handwriting recognition app to make all your scribbles legible. Handwriting recognition has been around for decades, starting with the PalmPilot and the Newton MessagePad from the 1990. These popular PDAs recognized character input with a stylus. You had to write legibly for the Newton to recognize lettering, and you had to learn the Graffiti language for the Palm to do the same.

Many mobile apps let you draw letters, strokes, and shapes onscreen with iOS and Android devices, but only a few recognize, translate or digitize that input. The following apps can automatically recognize and digitize your handwriting.

Some of the apps are free, some operate with integrated keyboards, while others have in-app purchases or fees, or rely on the MyScript AI handwriting recognition and digital ink management engine.

MetaMoJi Note ($7.99)

Source: MetaMoji Corporation

This colorful notebook, sketchbook and scrapbook app supports voice input, PDF annotation and handwriting-to-text conversion with the Mazec helper app. The app offers a large assortment of pens, calligraphy pens, and inks, graphics and layouts for writing and sketching. You can edit and tag voice memos to visuals or documents, or import a PDF file, mark it up and save it back out as a PDF. You can share notes via email, Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr, or store and share files with Google Drive, Evernote and Dropbox. You can sync all folders to the MetaMoJi Cloud, which saves and manages up to 2GB documents for free and password-protect your notes.

A Gold Service for $29.99 per year or $4.99 per month gives you additional flexible features, including a shared drive for co-editing documents, interval-based auto sync for backing up notes, more cloud storage, access to additional inks and papers, and the ability to customize the navigation bar.

Notes Plus ($9.99)

Source: Viet Tran

Notes Plus is a gesture-based writing app for iPhone and iPad that supports more than 50 languages and delivers fluid handwriting capabilities, complete with ink effects, palm rejection, shape recognition and a close-up writing mode. The interface is stylish, fun and responsive, with plenty of options to scale or move elements around the page – and it offers variable ink styles, colors, thicknesses and writing implements.

Combined with the MyScript engine, Notes Plus translates your scribble into text, accepts text input and export notes as PDF or images to email, Dropbox, Google Drive and Evernote. You can import PDF and Word documents, and insert images from the photos or camera app. Audio input lets you record notes. The app is compatible with styluses from Wacom, Adonit and Apple Pencil. A recent update supports the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil 2 and iOS 12. Available on iTunes. 

Google Handwriting Input (free)

Source: Google LLC

Google Handwriting Input, an Android-only app, translates your scribbles directly onscreen as you write. Upon installing the app, you get a few setup panes where you can choose your language and an optional keyboard, which lets you use the utility with other text input apps. In addition to supporting over 100 languages, it allows easy input of ideographic lettering and voice, and recognizes emoji-style drawings.

This app understands the sloppiest scrawl quite well and offers predictive text at the top of the window to let you tweak its interpretation, or you can correct spelling directly on the text output. An online feature sends information to Google to decipher your handwriting to improve the recognition engine, but you can opt out of this in favor of more private local device translation. While there is no specific iOS version, you can enable Google Handwrite in mobile Safari or Chrome to search with finger or stylus. 

MyScript Nebo ($7.99)

Source: MyScript

MyScript Nemo is specifically designed for use with the Apple iPad Pro and Pencil or the latest versions of Android with an active stylus, like the S Pen or a Wacom pen. The app is now compatible with the iPad Pro 2018 and the second-generation Apple Pencil. Nebo uses its interactive ink tech to facilitate writing, drawing and formatting notes, and converting text into shareable documents. New updates facilitate better performance with math objects as well as overall improvements to note management. A new library lets you view notebooks and collections in a side panel, which allows for rearranging documents via drag and drop. An enhanced search engine covers your whole library.

In addition to editing and formatting in 65 languages, the app lets you sketch, annotate images, create editable equations, adjust type size and device orientation, organize notes in pages, notebooks and folders, and search, store or sync with Dropbox. You can export documents as text, Word, PDF or HTML. You can also copy, paste and edit diagrams to PowerPoint.

WritePad for iPad ($4.99)

Source: PhatWare Corp

If you prefer to write longhand, but need to see your text in digital format, consider WritePad for iPad. You can configure a host of options to recognize input forms and predefined commands, or you can input lettering with your finger or a stylus. When you're done with a word, the app automatically converts your scrawl to text. The app learns your writing style to cut down on mistakes. Gestures let you select, cut, copy, paste and insert special characters. Four recognition modes let you enter cursive, print, numeric text for phone numbers, and internet language for email addresses and URLs. Updates include a new invert toolbar colors option and better integration with the file manager. It is now optimized for iOS 12 and the third generation iPad Pro.

The Android or iOS app supports a dozen languages and can translate back and forth between them. It also has a spell-checker with a custom dictionary, a context analyzer, auto-corrector, and a shorthand editor that accepts frequently used words and phrases. It syncs with Evernote, Box, Dropbox, iCloud, Google Drive and iTunes. You can even tweet or post Facebook updates directly from the app. 

Mazec ($12.99)

Source: MetaMoJi Corporatio

Mazec is a keyboard app that provides handwriting conversion to text in a variety of apps like email, notes and social posts. Semantic databases combine with the MyScript engine so you can search, browse the web and complete online forms. You can choose font size, autoscroll area width, word spacing and more. Updates improve the built-in dictionaries and streamline Apple Pencil usability.

As you begin to write, Mazec displays predictive suggestions and phrases to choose from so you usually don't have to write out an entire word before the app completes it. Mazec intelligently detects your choices, learns specific phrases and even offers emojis – if you write "emoji" or a recognized emoji category name. Mazec supports 12 languages, but you must buy a language pack if you want to use any other than the one you signed in with. It works on Android or iOS.

GoodNotes 5 ($7.99)

Source: Time Base Technology Limited

If you seek a powerful notetaking and PDF annotation app with handwriting recognition, check out the updated GoodNotes 5 for searchable notebook and document creation.

The app's pen tool offers a choice of letter colors and thicknesses. Shape recognition automatically creates recognizable shapes from freehand drawings. Work with text boxes and images, and move items around as well as zoom, scroll and turn pages. An intelligent palm rejection algorithm avoids bothersome artifacts.

Version 5 adds features like horizontal and vertical flexible scrolling, the ability to create an unlimited number of folders and subfolders, and search capabilities via handwritten notes, typed text, or document and folder titles. The new version also features shortcuts to various pages, documents or folders, a QuickNotes feature that gets your notes started quickly, and an option to display documents as lists. An improved ink algorithm eases the writing experience. Updated brush pen and shape tools offer more colorful and creative notes while a new template library offers distinctive covers and pages. GoodNotes now supports the new iPad Pro and the second-generation Apple Pencil. With iCloud, you can sync your notebooks across all your iOS devices.

Pen to Print (free)

Source: Serendi Ltd

In a variation on the handwriting recognition concept, Pen to Print reads scanned, handwritten documents and converts them into editable, searchable digital text that can be stored on your device or within a cloud service. The app's handwriting OCR (optical character recognition) engine extracts text from paper documents like letters, school notes, meeting notes and grocery lists, allowing those who prefer to write in longhand the freedom to continue. The handwriting recognition system works with block letters, cursive and script.

A premium monthly and yearly subscription plans let you save your text to a file, copy, email, add to Notes, or share on Message, WhatsApp, Hangout, WeChat, Messenger and Telegram. You can transfer the text to word processors like Microsoft Word or Google Docs, or export to Evernote, OneNote or Google Keep. The app works with iOS 9 or later and Android 4.4 and later in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Available on iTunes
Available on Google Play

How to Choose a Customer Service Call Center for Your Business

Posted: 03 Jun 2019 02:00 PM PDT

Customer service is a critical aspect of any business, but sometimes managing the phones can become a burden that undercuts daily operations. When answering phones, email messages and customer inquiries becomes a hindrance to operations, it might be time to partner with a call center or answering service. These services enable businesses to outsource their communications management for a fraction of the cost of hiring additional staff.

Call centers and answering services often do more than just answer phone calls; in fact, many are rebranding as "contact centers" to reflect this evolution. Many of these services manage every communication channel, including phone lines, email, social media and live web chat. Many will also manage customer orders and engage in advanced services like customer retention and loyalty programs or market research. This guide will help you understand the variety of call center services available and determine which one is right for your business in 2019.buerbey

Answering Services vs. Call Center Services

While they sound similar, there are significant differences between call center services and answering services. Knowing the differences will help you choose the right type of company for your business. Note that some companies maintain both answering and call center services.

Already know everything you need to know about call center services? Visit Business News Daily's best picks page to see our recommendations and take a look at our call center service reviews.

Call center services are broad and general. They usually maintain a large number of employees and tend to field a higher volume of calls. They can serve almost any industry, compiling orders, offering customer support and sending the relevant information back to their clients. These services can typically function with a general script and basic information about the client's business. Call center services usually archive orders and interactions, and then send the information as part of a report to the client. One example of a business that might employ a call center is a retailer. 

Answering services, on the other hand, are usually much smaller and often handle complex, specialized tasks. They generally serve specific vertical markets that require a more intimate knowledge of the inner workings of the client's business. Answering services are best equipped to deal with specific industries that might require critical thinking and decision-making. Sometimes, answering services engage in time-sensitive or highly personalized functions. Oftentimes, they immediately relay individual calls to the client. An example of a business that might employ an answering service is a medical practice. 

Why Employ a Call Center Service?

Businesses might employ a call center for a variety of reasons. Perhaps they are unable to deliver quality customer service over the phone due to a growing volume of calls, or maybe manning the phone lines is diminishing the quality of employees' other projects. In other cases, call centers can simply do more to help grow a business than in-house staff can manage.

The ultimate benefit of hiring a call center service is to free up your staff members so they can focus on your business's productivity rather than fielding calls. Many call centers are available 24/7 if necessary, allowing your customers to get in touch the moment any issue arises. A call center service can add a level of professionalism to your small business's brand without the costly creation of your own customer service team. Finally, call center services often offer lead generation and sales services that can help a growing business thrive while its full-time employees focus on the day-to-day operations.

When you hire a call center service, you'll usually be asked to provide the company with a script and as much information as you deem necessary for its representatives to best serve your customers. Some services record phone calls so you can review them for quality assurance. Other services even provide you with daily reports detailing how many calls were fielded and which issues they involved. When you're selecting a service, it's important to find out how well and how often the service intends to keep you in the loop, as you will want to monitor the company's performance closely.

What to Look for in a Call Center Service

Call center services might seem similar on the surface, but the details of each company's offerings can vary quite widely. Once you start asking specific questions, the differences among the companies will become more apparent. To find out which vendor is right for your business, here are a few questions to ask yourself and features to look for in a call center service.

International vs. U.S.-Based Call Centers

Where your call center service company is headquartered, as well as where its agents are located, is one of the first things you should identify. Offshore call centers are typically more cost-effective, but they offer fewer services and their agents typically have heavy accents that some of your customers might have a hard time understanding.

Domestic call centers tend to offer more complete services (for example, lead generation for building a larger customer base), but their native English-speaking agents and software-centric models often mean their prices are higher.

For some companies, an offshore call center might be appropriate, but many prefer domestic call centers. For that reason, we've focused on domestic call centers in our review. However, if your needs are rather basic and you're unconcerned about accents, an offshore call center could be a good way to keep costs down.

Inbound and Outbound Services

A major function of call center services is to answer customers' questions about your business's products or services. Call centers can often provide information or technical support, as well as take orders and process payments over the phone. Many will also dispatch calls to you in the event a customer needs to speak directly with someone inside the company. All of these services fall under the umbrella of inbound services.

Some call centers also offer outbound services, which include lead generation, such as cold calling and compiling survey data. These services can also include follow-ups with previous customers to ensure their satisfaction or to further encourage a successful conversion. Some call centers conduct feedback surveys or engage in customer win-back attempts when you've lost someone's business. Traditionally, call centers were viewed as a necessary expense to preserve existing relationships, but when you consider these additional functions, call centers can actually broaden your customer base, forge new relationships and bring in more money.    

Not every business needs both inbound and outbound services, so consider your business's requirements. Once you know exactly what you need, ask each call center service which inbound and outbound services it offers.

Dedicated and/or Shared Agents?

The best call center services offer both dedicated and shared agents. Dedicated agents are assigned only to your account, giving your company their full time and attention. This is best for businesses with specific, detailed needs that demand familiarity and consistency from their agents.

For companies with more general needs, a shared agent might be more appropriate. These agents handle multiple clients of the call center and don't necessarily answer your business's calls 100% of the time. These services are often cheaper and still effective for companies that don't require specific attention day in and day out.

Some companies offer a semi-dedicated model, which blends cost-effectiveness with specialized attention. These agents usually handle one or two accounts in addition to yours, instead of a full slate. This means that, while they are not solely focused on your company, their attention is less divided. These agents are often cheaper than dedicated agents but more expensive than shared agents. This model is relatively rare, but it offers a great balance between cost and quality.

Reporting

A call center will be dealing directly with your customers, meaning it could have great influence over how they perceive your business. Reports offer you a window into the day-to-day operations of the call center service you've hired.

But not all reporting is created equal. Some companies only offer basic summaries of how many calls they made or received in a given time period, while others give you access to real-time data analytics and even record the audio of calls for review in case something goes wrong. Before you sign up with a call center service, it's important to know how transparent and forthcoming it will be and what you can expect from the company's self-reporting.

Call Center Availability

Another important question to ask is how often agents at the call center are available. Good services have 24/7/365 availability for your customers. Some call centers even offer disaster recovery services, meaning they can take over completely if your own phone lines go down in an emergency. Selecting a service that is always available and very reliable should be a major focus for your business.

Minimum Monthly Call Volume

Some call center services require a minimum call volume. These services might not be suitable for a small company that doesn't expect many customer service calls or intend to make many outbound calls. For a larger company or one that relies heavily on phone contact with customers, these services might make more sense. Try to accurately gauge your call volume and estimate how many agents you might need before searching for a call center service. This is especially important for pricing, since some call centers charge for a package of minutes rather than by the month.

How the Company Handles Outages

Call centers are an integral component of many businesses. Downtime can seriously harm your business if your customers can't get through to the call center. You'll want to partner with a call center that is dependable, with reliable redundancy and a solid disaster-recovery plan so that an outage doesn't cripple your productivity.

Multilingual Services

Particularly if your business has an international audience, you'll want to partner with a call center that has fluent speakers of multiple languages on staff. Many call centers offer Spanish-speaking services, and others even offer a wide array of languages. If you need a multilingual service, be sure to ask upfront which languages or translation services the call center can provide for you. Ask if these services cost extra; sometimes Spanish but no other language support will be included in the package, for example.

Ready to choose a call center service? Here's a breakdown of our complete coverage:

Editor's note: If you're looking for information to help you choose the call center that's right for you, use the questionnaire below to have our vendor partners provide you with free information.

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