5 Ways to Succeed in a Small Family Business

Family owned businesses are a big part of our culture. With technology changing so drastically over the last few years it may seem as if these types of small business are disappearing, but they aren't. With the current state of the economy, people are bringing family members and friends into their business ventures even more. It can be difficult to keep your business and personal relationships separate due to the delicate dynamics of the familiar relationship. Here are a few ways to protect your business and personal relationships with relatives and friends. 

1. Establish expectations. From the very start of your business venture you should define roles and responsibilities for each family member. A lack of clarity fuels conflict and can lead to disaster. Each person should have a specific job description, just as any employee would, and they should understand what the boundaries are in the work environment.
2. Create a conflict resolution plan. Despite your best efforts, there are bound to be conflicts in the business. Because personal emotions will ultimately be involved, determine in advance a way to resolve disagreements. You need a process to work through conflicts to protect the integrity of the work environment as well as your relationship.
3. Put everything writing. Even if you are going into business with your dear beloved mother, get everything in writing.  Remember, this is business. People have short memories, and a disagreement about ownership interests, money allocations, or even vacation time can cause tempers to flare.
4. Manage fair- and-square.  As you add other employees to your business, make sure you manage equitably.  Family members should not be given added perks and privileges other team members don’t receive.  And the same thing is true when it comes to rewarding performance.  Every team member should be evaluated and treated fairly.
5. Keep personal baggage at home. Don’t bring personal battles into the workplace.  It’s unprofessional and can ruin relationships with customers and clients who don’t want to be caught in the middle.

We hope these tips were helpful. For more information about Datavo visit our website at www.datavo.com

10 Quotes to Get Inspired With

Here at Datavo we know waking up in the morning can be hard sometimes so here's a list of our favorite quotes to start your day.

• I had to make my own living and my own opportunity! But I made it! Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them! – C.J. Walker

• The enemy of the truth is very often not the lie – deliberate, contrived, and dishonest – but the myth-persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic. – John F. Kennedy

• The important thing is not being afraid to take a chance. Remember, the greatest failure is to not try. Once you find something you love to do, be the best at doing it. – Debbi Fields

• Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming. – Richard Branson

• I like thinking big. If you’re going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big. – Donald Trump

• Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. – Bill Gates

• I feel that luck is preparation meeting opportunity. – Oprah Winfrey

• Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly and get on with improving your other innovations. – Steve Jobs

• Success in business requires training and discipline and hard work. But if you’re not frightened by these things, the opportunities are just as great today as they ever were. – David Rockefeller

• In all realms of life it takes courage to stretch your limits, express your power, and fulfill your potential. It’s no different in the financial realm. – Suze Orman

Feel free to leave any of your favorite quotes in the comments.

Get Higher Productivity with Google Chrome Apps

Google Chrome is one of those things that amazes people once they find out how much functionality it really has.

My favorite part about it is the apps. There are so many available in the web store and most are free. No matter what you need to do, most likely you can find an app that can help you with it. Today, I want to review six of the ones that will help most with your productivity during the day.

1. Hootsuite - This app allows you to control all of your social media in one simple dashboard. It also allows you to track traffic, schedule messages and monitor conversations using the app.

2. Awesome Screenshot - With this app you can grab a still from any page you are searching in your browser. It is easy to use and is more transferable than notes or copy & paste. (I used this app for the screenshots in this blog)

3. Large Document - This app allows you to share large documents over 10mb that would usually bounce back to you due to size. It is much simpler than any of the external sharing sites such as Dropbox or YouSendIt. It actually converts your file to a url so there is not login info required.

4. Stay Focused - If you are an Internet browsing addict this app is for you. It allows you to set times for certain websites so that you do not spend too much time browsing. You can put a cap on the sites you select so you can limit the amount of time you waste during the day.

5. Docs PDF/PowerPoint Viewer - This allows you to view any PDF or PowerPoint file by just clicking on the link. No need to download large files or launch any other applications to view them.

6. Google Calendar Checker - This apps shows a countdown until your next engagement on our calendar. It is easy to use and you can link any of your calendars together so that you are never late or miss a meeting.

Datavo loves to hear your feedback feel free to leave any apps that you may know of in the comments.

How to Provide Better Customer Service

Your Customer Service department is the front line for your company. They are the image that your customers see and hear. Datavo put together a list of 10 tips that every customer service department can use to be better and keep their customers loyal.

1. Smile and Posture. Always make sure to sit up and smile when taking any calls.

2. Be Authentic. If you have a script that you read, make sure to not sound like you are reading. Make sure you are listening and responding properly.

3. Be Gracious. Always thank your customers for calling, especially if they have a complaint. You may be able to fix the problem and gain their loyalty.

4. Listen and Repeat. Make sure to confirm what the customer has told you so that you are sure you clearly understand their needs. This will also make the customer more confident in your ability to handle their problem.

5.  Stay Confident. The person that is the most certainty leads the conversation. Make sure you give off the feeling that everything will be okay and you are in control.

6. Put in Extra Effort. Customers will appreciate and be loyal to you if they feel you have gone above and beyond what the expected.

7. Own the Call. When it is possible try not to transfer the customer to anyone else, people don't like having to repeat what they have just went over with you.

8. Stay Honest. If you do not know something, don't lie. Tell them you are not sure but you will be following up on it and will have an answer for them shortly. Make sure to follow through and provide them with the answer. 

9. Train Properly. Make sure all of your employees that have customer interactions have basic communication skills.

10. Apologize, Fix It and Move On. Make sure to always apologize when something goes wrong then fix it. Customers tend to remain loyal and be forgiving when you are able to fix their problems quickly.

Feel free to leave any tips in the comments that we may have left out.