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When you first register a Limited company with Companies House, Companies house will send you an authentication code to your registered office address. Normally this can be from 4 days to 4 weeks from our personal experience, if you are using our registered office address this will be sent out same day 1st class.

What to do when you have lost your companies authentication code

If you are unable to locate the letter that contains the authentication code you will be able to log on via the Companies House website. If we have formed the company for you, we will be happy to do this on your behalf, otherwise if you have formed this yourself you just log onto the WebFiling factily provided by Companies House. If its your first time of using the online WebFiling facility you will need to register your details. Using this method is quick and efficient and can save you valuable time.

Can I change my authentication code?

Yes you can change your authentication code by writing to Companies House and request that you would like to change this. You will need to write the request on official headed paper and it will need to include the following details:

• The name of the company
• The registered office address
• The company number
• The current authentication code
• The new authentication code you would like to use
• The full name of the director and shareholder

Why do I need the company authentication code?

The code is very important, it is used for on-line filing via the Companies House website. The authentication code will allow you to file annual returns online, file annual accounts, change and update the companies details such as directors, shareholders and secretary`s. You will need to keep the code safe as anyone who has access to this code will be able to logon and edit the information easily.

Additional insight: Companies House Company Authentication Code for Webfiling

Your Virtual Office London are the original company formation agents

We have been helping business owners form companies for over over 40 years. Our team is one of the most experienced in the country, from historic company searches to simple partnership formation we are able to help your business. Whatever your question please don't hesitate to get in touch with the team, we look forward to hearing from you.

What Is a Confirmation Statement?

It is an annual statutory filing requirement for UK private limited companies and LLPs, which verifies that your business particulars held by Companies House are correct at a specific date. You must file at least one confirmation statement at least once a year.

By complying with the requirement, companies uphold transparency and guarantee the accuracy of corporate information within the public domain.

What Information Is Included in a Confirmation Statement?

Before submitting your confirmation statement, search for your company in the public register to review the information Companies House has on record for your company.

Examine it and identify any incorrect or out of date info.

Based on what you find, prepare and submit your confirmation statement to “confirm” the accuracy of your company details or make any required amendments.

The company data to assess in the register which is what you’ll be confirming as accurate in your statement includes —

How to File Your Confirmation Statement With Companies House Online and Make Changes to Your Company Information

To hand in your confirmation statement and update your company details online with Companies House every 12 months, follow these steps:

Please note that the following changes are reported through other Companies House forms. 

• Company name;
• Registered office addresses;
• Constitutions; 
• Director or secretary;
• Changes in the address where statutory registers are kept or
• PSCs information.

For a more detailed guide, refer to the comprehensive information provided in this GOV.UK guide.

To file your statement follow the steps below –

If there is any detail that does not reflect a recent filing, you are required to complete the relevant form and ensure that the details are reflected before filing the confirmation statement to Companies House.

Once you confirm everything is correct, click on the ‘confirm’ check box and submit. 

When Is My Confirmation Statement Due?

You need to file a confirmation statement within 14 days of every 12 months from the date of incorporation. After the first year, subsequent statements should be filed every 12 months from the last confirmation statement date.

The period between the first statement and the date when the next one is due is, known as the review period. For instance, if your company files a confirmation statement on 30 September 2024. Your next review period starts on 1 October 2024 and ends on 30 September 2025.

Remember, all limited companies and limited liability partnerships, even those with no changes to report, are required to verify their company information is correct and up to date.

FAQs

What steps should I take if my company has been struck off and my business bank account is frozen due to failing to submit a Confirmation Statement?

When a company no longer trades or fails multiple times to comply with legal requirements, Companies House marks it for Compulsory strike-off to remove it from the official register so that it ceases to exist as a distinct business entity. 

Before starting the strike-off process, Companies House typically issues at least two warning notices. These notices inform directors about the impending strike-off and explain its reasons.

Several factors can lead to an involuntary strike-off, including —

• Failure to file confirmation statements;
• Neglecting to submit accounts;
• All directors resigning or being removed without replacement;
• Failture to inform Companies House about a change of registered address; and
• Ceasing trading without filing for dormancy.

Companies House can commence the compulsory strike-off process if any of the above circumstances arise.

You’ll have at least two months to comply with the requirements mentioned in the warning notice. Seek professional advice or engage Companies House directly to help navigate the situation and explore possible remedies.

Upon receiving a compulsory strike-off notice, address the reasons cited by informing Companies House of your operational status and promptly filing any necessary documents.

After compliance, redirect your attention to addressing frozen accounts by following these steps:

• Settle the winding up petition by clearing any outstanding debt using your private funds.
• Seek a validation order to authorise specific transactions into and out of your bank account during this period.
• Negotiate a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA), including a formal repayment plan.
• If necessary, explore the option of closing the company voluntarily through a Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation (CVL).

These strategic steps can help navigate the complexities associated with a compulsory strike-off, allowing you to address immediate concerns and potentially find a resolution that aligns with your company's circumstances.

How much does it cost to file a confirmation statement?

It costs £34 to file your confirmation statement online via WebFiling, and £62 to send your Companies House form CS01 by post. While this method involves traditional mail, it remains a valid option for those who prefer or require a non-digital submission.

It's crucial to consider the mode of filing that best suits your preferences and circumstances. Online filing is generally faster and may offer real-time confirmation, while postal submissions may take longer due to the manual processing involved. Ensure you factor in these costs and choose the method that aligns with your company's needs and timeline.

See also: How to Use the Companies House WebFiling.

What happens when I forget to file my confirmation statement? 

Even if you have a company secretary or accountant, the director is ultimately responsible for meeting company filing requirements, like confirmation statements. If you miss the filing deadline, there could be consequences such as late filing penalties, legal implications, and potential damage to your company's good standing. It's essential to prioritize these filings to avoid complications and ensure compliance with regulatory obligations. Since you can file as many confirmation statements as you want during a review period, consider filing as soon as a reportable change occurs.

What is a Company Authentication Code / WebFiling Authentication Code?

The authentication code is a six-digit alphanumeric code issued by Companies House to limited companies. It serves as a company’s official digital signature and indicates authorisation to file online on behalf of a business.

Businesses use it to file on the following Companies House platforms —

• Companies House using WebFiling
• Find and update company information
• third-party software by a company formation agent

How do you get an authentication code sent to your company's registered office address?

To get your code, register for WebFiling and follow the steps below.

• Sign in to WebFiling.
• Select either 'Your companies' or 'File for a company'.
• Enter the company number and select where the company was registered.
• Select 'Help with authentication code', then 'I do not have an authentication code'.

Companies House will post to your company’s registered office and take about 5 working days to arrive. For privacy and security reasons, Companies House will not send your code to an email ID or tell it to you over the phone.

However, if you incorporated your company through a formation agent, you’ll most likely have the code immediately after incorporation through their online client account.

How do you request an authentication code from Companies House to be sent to a director’s home address?

In response to the impact of COVID-19, Companies House set up a service that allowed company directors to request authentication codes to be sent to their home address instead of the registered office.

To use the service, all you have to provide is —

• the company number
• to sign in to or create a Companies House account, which is different from a WebFiling account

You cannot use this service if the company:

• has filed a document online in the last 30 days
• is not based in the UK
• is not a limited company or limited liability partnership (LLP)
• is dissolved

It takes around 5 working days for an officer to receive an authentication code at their home address.

How to use your code to file online using the webfiling service

You need your Companies House authentication code for all electronic filings through the WebFiling service, including —

• Notice of change of company name
• Change of company details, including confirmation statements and return of allotment of shares
• Appoint a new director or company secretary, or termination.
• Change of registered office and SAIL address
• Annual account filings include changes in accounting reference dates and dormant accounts.

To file, change, or update your company information online, you'll need your:

• email address
• password
• company registration number
• authentication code

It's faster and cheaper to file online since paper form filing fees are higher, and it can take weeks before you get an acknowledgement that a document has been received and approved. However, the online filing process has built-in checks to decrease errors and associated rejections.

You’ll need the code for any of the following official electronic filing channels —

• Companies House WebFiling
• Find and update company information
• third-party software filing service courtesy of an accountant or the agent who formed your company.

To use third-party software, you’ll need to set up an online filing account to get a presenter ID and presenter authentication code.

See also: How to File a Confirmation Statement With Companies House.

How to change your code

You can change the company authentication code as many times as needed to something more memorable but not obvious.

If you suspect an authorised person might know the code or if your company management structure has changed, follow the steps below.

Please note the change will take effect immediately. Therefore, it is important to notify anyone who files on your behalf.

How to cancel your code

To cancel your code, log in to the web filing service and follow the steps to change the code. Once you get to step 6, click to tick the box "I wish to cancel the company authentication code."

As soon as you cancel the authentication code, you can no longer file documents electronically with Companies House. You will have to submit paper filings instead.

If you wish to resume electronic filing, you will need to request a new authentication code from Companies House, which will be sent to your company's registered office address.

What to do when you have lost your company authentication code

If you find yourself in the situation of having lost your company authentication code, follow these steps to request a new one:

• Sign in to WebFiling.
• Select either 'Your companies' or 'File for a company'.
• Enter the company number and select where the company was registered.
• Select 'Help with authentication code', then 'I do not have an authentication code'.

It's important to note that if you previously had an authentication code, Companies House will send you a reminder rather than issuing a new code.

How to protect your authentication code and company details

To protect your company authentication code and other company’s details, it is essential you do not disclose it to any unauthorised person. Consider the following tips for enhancing the overall security of your company.

• Keep people on a need—to—know basis—Access to your company's sensitive information, including the authentication code, should be on a need-to-know basis. If you are working with an agent, ensure they also have a strict disclosure policy governing how they’ll handle your code. 
• Do not disclose your code through unsecured channels. Avoid responding to telephone or email requests for your code from unauthorised persons. There are reported cases of fraudsters posing as Companies House and requesting the code through the phone or email. Ignore such requests. 
• ‍Change it regularly — Over time, your company’s authentication code may become vulnerable due to breaches or leaks. Therefore, it is essential to maintain a consistent schedule of changing the code to reduce the risk of unauthorised access.

What is Companies House Webfiling

Webfiling service is a free online portal that enables business owners to submit statutory documents directly to the government in compliance with their filing requirements.  

You can use it to file the following documents (GOV.UK links) —

With the multiple filing requirements, the advantage of using the online platform is that it's quicker than filing out paper forms. Submitting is instant, and built-in checks help users avoid errors and rejection.

How do I create my Company Webfiling Account?

To create your Companies House online profile, follow these steps —

How do I use the Company Authentication Code for Online Filing and Update Company Details?

The authentication code is a 6-digit alphanumeric code issued to each company. The code is used to file information online and is the equivalent of a company officer’s signature.

You’ll need an authentication code to file your information online via webfiling or a third-party software.

See also: Companies House Company Authentication Code for Webfiling

How to get your company authentication code

To request your code, create an account or sign in to Companies House WebFiling and follow the instructions. Your code will be sent by post to your company’s registered office - it can take up to 5 days to arrive. If your company already has a code, they’ll send you a reminder.

How to use the WebFiling and Protected Online Filing (PROOF) Service

PROOF is a free service designed to protect your company from unauthorised changes by preventing the filing of certain paper forms changing the following details —

• changes to your registered address
• changes to your officers (appointments, resignations, or personal information)
• changes to your company name by special resolution

According to Companies House, there are about 50 to 100 cases of corporate identity fraud every month, which include fraudsters hijacking companies by changing the details of their directors and registered offices.

How to Sign Up for Email Reminders for key filing deadlines

The Companies House e-mail reminder service sends you alerts whenever your company's annual accounts and confirmation statements are due. 

As you subscribe for the alerts you can — 

• choose up to 4 people to receive a notification (including an accountant, formations, or company secretarial agent)
• file your document immediately from a link within the alert
• receive reminders more conveniently
• avoid late filing penalties by filing your accounts on time
• use less paper, contributing to saving the environment

To set up, follow the steps below 

1. sign into your online service account: https://idam-ui.company-information.service.gov.uk/ 
2. Select ‘Activate e reminders’ from your company overview screen.
3. Select ‘Add an e mail address’.
4.  Enter your e mail address (a maximum of 4 for each company).
5.  Follow the link in the email from Companies House to validate your e mail address.

How to File Your Company's Confirmation Statement and Other Forms or Documents

Your statement must be submitted to Companies House within 14 days of your due date.

Once you’ve logged into your online filing account, click on the “file confirmation statement” on your company overview screen. 

On the screen that loads up next, you can change the date of your next statement and report if your company has admitted to trading on a market. 

Click on “next” after you’ve made the necessary adjustments. On this page, you can now verify that the information Companies House holds about your business is correct and up to date.  

See also: How to File a Confirmation Statement With Companies House

How to Use the Find and Update Service for Company Filings

In addition to the Web Filing, you can also use the Find and Update Company Information Service accessible through https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/

As the name suggests, it is a portal for finding information and uploading certain information to the Companies House register.

Using the platform, you can search for a company by name, registration number, or officer. By selecting the link to a company of interest, you should be able to access information such as 

• the registered address
• current and resigned officers
• date of incorporation

You’ll also be able to view the filing history and download accounts and confirmation statements if available.

Once you surface a company name, you’ll get the option for filing for that particular company. To access your Find and Update Company Information account, you cannot use your webfiling credentials. Instead, you must sign in with a Companies House email ID and password. 

To sign up, you’ll need to register with an e mail address, where an activation mail will be sent.

A limited company can only file abridged or full accounts and a change to a registered office using the find and update company information service. There are plans to add filings for — 

• other types of accounts
• confirmation statements
• officer appointments
• changes to the company details

Your business idea has been conceived. A business address has been finalised. And now your business plan is put into practise. Throughout all these stages, the most important, and constant, body/organisation you’ll be dealing with is Companies House.

Companies House in a Nutshell

Quite simply, Companies House is the registry of limited companies in the UK, and operates as an executive agency of Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy.

The main remit of Companies House is to incorporate/register and dissolve limited companies (this includes limited liability partnerships) in accordance with the Companies Act 2006 in England & Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. This legislation governs all company registration issues in the UK.

According to their domain on GOV.UK., Companies House states the following:

           “We incorporate and dissolve limited companies. We register company information and make it available to the public.”

Companies House has the responsibility for the storage and monitoring of company information as well as existing as the platform through which to update you company’s information. Tasks such as filing annual accounts and confirmation statements are done through Companies House.

Companies House makes this information publicly available and has the power to remove non-compliant companies from the register as well as relevantly penalising company directors.

Where Is Companies House Based?

Companies House is a relatively large organisation that employs approximately 1,000 staff across its UK-wide offices.

Since the UK has three separate legal systems (England & Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland) Companies House houses three different registrar branches, each of which exercises its remit with companies registered in that specific jurisdiction. Notably, London houses the fourth location but serves only as a data and information unit; documents are delivered and filed here as well as search services on UK-registered limited companies.

Companies House Locations:

• Companies House Belfast Office, 2nd Floor The Linenhall, 32-38 Linenhall St, Belfast, BT2 8BG (responsible for companies registered in Northern Ireland, which are subject to Northern Irish law).
• Companies House Cardiff Office, Crown Way, Cardiff, CF14 3UZ (responsible for companies registered in England and Wales, which are subject to English Law).
• Companies House Edinburgh Office, 4th Floor, 2 Edinburgh Quay, 139 Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, EH3 9FF (responsible for companies registered in Scotland, which are subject to Scots Law).

The location of your company’s service address will determine which of the above Companies House “bases” handles your company incorporation and subsequent management of company documentation:

• If your company has a registered office address in either England or Wales, then it will be incorporated by Companies House Cardiff

• If your company has a registered office address in Scotland, then it will be incorporated by Companies House Edinburgh

• If your company has a registered office address in Northern Ireland, then it will be incorporated by Companies House Belfast

Note: UK limited companies can operate throughout, and anywhere, in the UK even if it means you practise your trade in a number of UK jurisdictions. However, a company’s registered office address has to remain in the country of incorporation throughout its lifetime.

What Company Information Is Stored at Companies House?

Company information and data is viewable and used by the public, public bodies, other companies, and government. Companies House strongly advocates a culture of corporate transparency and therefore requires regularly reliable company information on its register. It endeavours to store comprehensive company data and information to ensure this transparency is maintained.

Upon completion of your company’s registration (whether it’s directly with Companies House or with the help of a company formations team) your company must provide a number of details for the Companies House register, including:  

• Company name and registration number
• Date of company registration
• Type of company (for example, limited by shares, limited by guarantee, or limited liability partnership)
• The UK jurisdiction of company incorporation
• Your company’s registered office address
• Details of the following: directors, company secretaries, shareholders or guarantors, people with significant control (PSCs), and LLP members (including other past or present company appointments held by each individual)
• Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes
• Any amendments made to company details and appointments
• Annual accounts and confirmation statements
• Notices of late or missed filing of statutory documents
• Information of mortgage charges
• Information of insolvency
• Compulsory or voluntary strike-off instances
• Directors who are disqualified
• Details of any dissolved companies

The public, as well as organisations such as the police and crime agencies, as well as HMRC, utilise the above information to prevent and monitor important actions. Comprehensive statistical data is also made available by Companies House that enables the following:

• Government can determine the possible impact of policy changes and analyse the economic impact on businesses.
• Banks get an understanding of their corporate customer base.
• Businesses can research and understand their market share in order to devise appropriate marketing strategies.
• International business owners can make decisions on potential UK locations for their business.
• Help academic institutions with their curriculum and business research.
• Public service organisations can evaluate business-related policies.

Read also: Company Registration Number

What Digital Services Does Companies House Provide?

Companies House provides a number of digital services in order to manage your company online and access information. On the Government website, Companies House lists the following services, as well as a link to a customer charter that outlines the standards of services they provide:

• File documents online using the Companies House Service:

Find company information free of charge and search for disqualified directors using the Companies House Service.

• File company information online using WebFiling:

WebFiling ensures secure digital delivery of accounts, confirmation statements, notices of changes to company details, and registration of charges. Additionally, you can sign up for email reminders with WebFiling.

• Find company information online using WebCHeck:

WebCHeck enables access to company information without a need to set up an account; most documents are available as images to download and view within minutes.

• Find company information on our mobile app:

On the mobile app, you can store your most visited company searches as favourites and then organise them by various filters. Some helpful features include coloured icons to help you determine when a document is due be filed or when one is overdue.

• Download company data with our data products:

The company data product is a free monthly snapshot of information for live companies on the public register.

Remember...

With over 4 million limited companies registered in the UK and over 500,000 new companies incorporated each year, it’s vital that there is a transparent and comprehensive “centre” to access the vast amount of company information.

Companies House Service’s recent “report it now” facility enables customers to inform Companies House of any issues related to the information held on the register, as well as suspicious company activity. Since its launch, over 58,000 reports have been made and you can take comfort in the knowledge that you have a platform in which you can rectify criminal company activity, yet also ensure you keep your house in order and provide up-to-date information when required.

For more information on the above, or for any related assistance, contact our friendly team and you can begin setting up your business address, today.

In this digital age, businesses that leverage cutting-edge applications and technologies enhance their operational efficiency and rise to the top. That's why we carefully curated this compilation of top apps for business owners and professionals looking for solutions to various business needs across domains such as organisational management, financial tracking, customer engagement and more. 

Check out these 21 small business management apps, presented in categories, to help you discover innovative solutions that can revolutionise how you organise, operate, and propel your business towards success.

Best Scheduling Apps for Small Business Owners 

One notable advantage of scheduling apps is their ability to mitigate the impact of external meeting demands on business owners. By allowing individuals to set their availability times, these apps empower prospects, clients, and teams to schedule meetings in alignment with the entrepreneur's predefined availability. 

The applications also help eliminate scheduling conflicts and overlapping appointments by centralising availability information and automating the scheduling process. 

Top scheduling applications for small business entrepreneurs in the UK include —

Calendly 

Calendly is a scheduling automation platform designed to streamline the process of scheduling, preparing for, and following up on internal and external meetings. Users can create a personalised scheduling link and booking page according to their availability, which they then share with others, allowing them to book a meeting easily at a mutually convenient time. 

It offers the flexibility of setting meeting rules, such as 15-minute or 30-minute increments, enabling participants to optimise their time efficiently during these interactions.

Pros 

• Simple and intuitive 
• Enhances the professional image of the user
• Has an automatic time zone conversion that removes meeting time confusion for international teams 

Cons

• Limited branding options for scheduling pages 

Platforms: iOS, Android, Chrome and Firefox extension 

Pricing: Offers a free forever plan with the standard plan starting at $10 per monthly seat.

Website: https://calendly.com/ 

Appoint.ly

Appoint.ly is a scheduling application for individuals and businesses. Users create a calendar, set their availability and share with clients and coworkers for bookings. It seamlessly integrates with Google Calendar, Microsoft Office, or iCal and automatically syncs appointments while addressing time zone differences. 

Pros

• Free plan available
• Simple, intuitive and functional interface
• Minimises confusion due to timezone differences

Cons

• No mobile app
• Limited functionality compared to other tools

Platforms: Cloud-based 

Pricing: Free basic plan with the pro version starting at $10 per seat per month

Website: https://appoint.ly/ 

Best Project Management Apps

To meet the demands of a dynamic market, companies often rely on multiple teams overseen by either the founder or a designated manager responsible for setting timeframes and objectives. Project management applications are pivotal in facilitating adequate supervision from home, the office, or while on the move. These applications streamline workflows across teams and ensure meticulous attention to detail, mitigating challenges that impede project success.

Techopedia reports a remarkable 92% success rate in meeting project objectives for organisations consistently utilising project admin apps, highlighting the transformative impact of employing the right tools. 

On the other hand, the State of Project Management Report 2021 highlights the most significant challenges in project and portfolio management: benefits management, resource management, and project prioritization. 

With the above in mind, let's dive into the top 2 project management applications for small enterprises in the UK. 

Trello

Trello is a user-friendly project management software for organising projects into Kanban boards. At a glance, a manager can tell the main task, the individual handling it, and its status. With a generous free plan that accommodates up to 10 boards and unlimited users, it's a versatile tool accessible to all. Small teams, freelancers, and solo entrepreneurs use Trello for individual assignment planning or comprehensive project workflows.

Pros 

• Easy to manage tasks (to-do lists) with an intuitive drag-and-drop system; 
• Leaders can assign tasks with due dates and role-specific access privileges; 
• Users can share images and documents from other apps like Google Drive; and
• It's super versatile, with multiple templates to get new users started. 

Cons

• The process of integrating with third-party plugins is clunky;
• Some basic features are only available through power-ups; and
• The free plan has limited features.

Platforms: Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android

Pricing: Offers free plan with paid plan starting at $5 per user per month.

Website: https://trello.com/home

Freedcamp 

Freedcamp's free version is considered one of the best apps to help organise. It offers unlimited tasks, users, projects, and storage, an excellent choice for SMBs seeking efficient project management software. Their paid plans, including the business and enterprise packages, provide exceptional value compared to rival platforms. The well-crafted native desktop and mobile apps facilitate convenient project administration beyond web browsers and while on the go.

Pros 

• It is easy to use and has excellent support;
• Supports French, German, Croatian, and Russian;
• Has a time-tracking feature that’s connected to tasks;
• Inexpensive with the free option including unlimited users, assignments, projects, and storage; and
• Kanban view allows users to mark tasks as No Progress, In Progress, and Completed.

Cons

• Few native integrations; 
• Dull and basic user interface; and
• Complex integration with third-party applications like Outlook.

Platforms: Web, macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS 

Pricing: Free pro package starts at $1.49 monthly per user. 

Website: https://freedcamp.com/

Small Business App for Communication 

Communication is essential for Small and Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs). However, most cost-effective project administration tools are intentionally designed without a built-in communication or team chat feature. Consequently, businesses find it necessary to explore standalone chat or messaging apps offering unlimited chat history, private and public channels, and video and voice calls. Among the popular choices for this purpose are

Slack

Slack has become a leading messaging app in business communication. Its intuitive and user-friendly interface sets it apart, providing teams with an efficient platform for streamlining communication. The distinctive feature of Slack lies in its channel organisation system, allowing teams to work with designated spaces for different topics, projects, or teams, fostering a more organised and focused communication environment within the application.

Pros 

• Has a fair, free plan; 
• User-friendly interface;
• It's quick and easy to send messages to individuals or groups;
• Customisation options for individual users; and
• Advanced search functionality.

Cons

• Relatively higher costs for the paid plans;
• The free plan restricts the number of historical messages accessible, making it susceptible to losing crucial information easily.
• The free plan limits the number of participants in a huddle to two, affecting team collaboration.

Platforms: Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS

Pricing: Free plan with the pro plan starting at £5.75 per active user per month paid annually. 

Website: https://slack.com/intl/en-gb/ 

Flock

Flock is a messaging and collaboration tool that offers direct and channel messaging, video conferencing, screen and file sharing, and unlimited chat history. Users can create multiple teams and both public and private channels for communication. It is designed for businesses of all sizes and operates on a freemium pricing model, with additional features available in paid plans. The app is known for its fast and reliable communication, making it a popular choice for collaboration and coordination.

Pros 

• Ideal for instant messaging;
• Free mobile app for on-the-go communication;
• In-built to-do list feature for task assignment and progress monitoring; and
• Users can send themselves messages for safekeeping or access from other devices.

Cons

• Some users report poor audio and video quality; and
• Users can delete unread messages without a trace. 

Platforms: Web, Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android phones. 

Pricing: Freemium with the pro plan starting at $4.50 /user/month

Website: https://www.flock.com/

Microsoft Teams 

Microsoft Teams is a unified communication and collaboration platform that seamlessly integrates workplace chat, video meetings, file storage, and application integration. Its user-friendly interface enables easy connections, communication, and collaboration, rendering it a favoured choice for businesses and organisations across different scales.

Pros 

• The centralised document storage and communication system helps boost productivity.
• Easy collaboration with internal and external contacts
• Enables access to previous meeting notes and recordings
• Can hold meetings or webinars with up to 10,000 attendees
• Has a robust free version for personal use. 
• Integration with the Microsoft ecosystem
• Comes with end-to-end security

Cons

• Not built for phone use
• Its online meeting experience isn’t as intuitive as with other apps

Platforms: Web, Windows, MacOS, Android and iOS,

Pricing: Business packages start at £3.30/user/month, paid annually

Website: https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/microsoft-teams/group-chat-software

The Best Business Apps for Time Tracking 

With time-tracking tools, companies save time, maximise productivity, identify potential areas of improvement, and monitor performance remotely. For the employee, a time tracking app helps them make the most of their workday and manage distractions.

Some of the best small business apps for time tracking include -

Toggl Track 

For the web app, toggl track facilitates accurate invoicing by enabling real-time or manual mode tracking of the amount of time spent on an activity, which can be connected to a specific client, project or task. It also has a calendar view that shows weekly time entries in a colour-coded grid format, with which everyone can see the project that dominates an employee's/freelancer's time.  

Toggl has a free forever plan with limited features for up to 5 users and a premium plan for $18 for those who want additional features like fixed fee projects and integrations with third-party applications like Jira or Salesforce. 

Pros

• User-friendly and versatile;
• Ideal for individuals, freelancers, and teams of any size;
• Provides in-depth reports and productivity analytics;
• Promotes employer and employee acceptance with its anti-surveillance feature; and
• Effortlessly integrates with a variety of third-party project administration and collaboration tools.

Cons

• Few native integrations;
• Users find it difficult to fix time-tracking mistakes; and
• The desktop application is cumbersome compared to the Chrome extension and mobile app. 

Platforms: Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android

Pricing: Free plan for up to 5 users, starter $ 9 per user per month and $18 for the premium package. 

Website: https://toggl.com/track/

HourStack 

Hour Stack is a premium time management application suitable for individuals, starting at $12 per month and $ 15/member/month for large teams. It has over 15 native integrations, with an additional 1,500 through Zapier. The tool helps teams create projects, set budgets and timelines, schedule tasks, balance workloads across teams, track time, pull weekly and monthly reports and customise according to their unique workflow. 

Pros 

• Intuitive interface;
• Users can plan for an entire week, both tasks and meetings; 
• The reporting feature enables users to view time estimates vs actual time spent on a project; and
• Easily integrates with third-party applications like Asana and Google Calendar. 

Cons 

• Mobile device applications sometimes don’t work as expected; and
• The integration with Asana can be unreliable.

Platform: Web

Pricing: No free trial, $12 per month for the personal and $15 for the team package

Website: https://hourstack.com/ 

Best Payroll & Employee Management Apps for Small Business or Remote Teams 

According to the UK Parliament post, fully remote or hybrid arrangements enhance employee wellbeing, but the impact on productivity is uncertain. Yet, business owners report that a remote workforce provides an opportunity to embrace a lean model and tap into a cost-effective offshore talent.

If you are leaning towards going remote or hybrid, here are some of the best HR apps for small ventures — 

Deel 

Deel is one of the preferred solutions for distributed workforce management applications with free and pay-as-you-go plans starting at $49 per active contract/month and a footprint in over 150 countries. With their employer-on-record product, Deel helps businesses undertake background checks, hire, offer employees localised benefits, and comply with complex local regulatory requirements. 

Pros 

• Completely free for contractors and employees;
• Intuitive and user-friendly interface for ease of use;
• Streamlined payroll automation feature for efficient processing; and
• The payment system provides clear tax and compliance requirements guidance, ensuring smooth financial operations. 

Cons 

• Customer support may, at times, be unreliable; and
• No mobile application. 

Platform: Cloud-based

Pricing: Free for HR automation, $49 for contractors and $599 for Employer on Record (EOR)

Website: https://www.deel.com/

Motivosity 

Motivosity is a business software solution for those seeking to manage employee recognition, motivation and engagement designed to help companies build a positive workplace culture. Through the app, staff members get a sense of community and belonging. With the option to give regular coaching-oriented feedback, teammates feel they have a positive relationship with their boss and managers. 

Its premium plans start at $2, allowing businesses to use it to motivate their workforce as among the strategies underscore success and get insights that help enhance productivity and retention. 

Pros  

• Intuitive interface that works like a social media page; and
• Makes it easy for co-workers to compliment and recognise each other efforts, building a positive company culture.

Cons

• Limited native integration with third-party tools. 

Platform: Cloud-based

Pricing: Starts from $2

Website: https://www.motivosity.com/

3. Goco

GoCo is a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) business application starting at $5/employee/month that handles onboarding, benefits, time tracking, payroll administration and compliance. 

Pros 

• Automates all aspects of hiring - from sourcing to onboarding
• Handles HR, including benefits and payroll management
• Ideal for small enterprises and large enterprises with remote teams

Cons

• Difficulty mastering advanced features
• Available on the web with no mobile application on-the-go access

Platform: Cloud-based

Pricing: Starts from $ 5 per employee per month

Website: https://www.goco.io/

Best Credit Card, Inventory Management, POS System, & Payment Apps for E-commerce 

E-commerce enterprises depend on efficient and secure payment solutions to ensure a seamless shopping experience, significantly contributing to customer satisfaction and trust. Top payment applications for e-commerce companies include — 

PayPal Express Checkout

PayPal is one of the earliest and most popular online payment solutions. To access the service, you only need to sign up for the express checkout and add it to your website. You can add the checkout through a partner or build your custom integration for your website. Paypal charges 2.90% + £0.30 per transaction. See more details on the UK fees page.

Website: https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/get-started-express-checkout

Square

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Square is a free stock management and payment processing app for small enterprises. It enables small and medium-sized businesses to accept credit card payments using smartphones or tablets as point-of-sale system registers. It has the following features 

Pros 

• Clean and intuitive interface
• Free basic plan with robust features
• Wide range of hardware to choose from
• Real-time sales tracking

Cons 

• Cluncky hardware design

Platforms: iOS and Android. 

Pricing: Free for small businesses with the plus plan starting at £49 per month, per location

Website: https://squareup.com/us/en

Best Small Business Apps for Accounting & Invoice Management

The best accounting software for small and medium businesses is affordable and easy to use, recognising that most small and medium business owners are not professional accountants. These tools enable companies to manage their finances and record expenses, profit, and losses. Some of the best tools include —- 

Zoho 

Unlike Freshbooks, Zoho is a free accounting invoicing software for small business owners, solopreneurs and freelancers. 

Pros 

• Simple and intuitive; and
• Multiple customisation options available.

Cons

• Free version is limited to 1,000 invoices per year.

Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows

Pricing: Offers a free version with enterprise quotations available on request. 

Website: https://www.zoho.com/invoice/

Xero

Xero is tailored for medium-sized businesses that need high-level accounting software for sending invoices, accepting payments, managing contracts, and more. Its pricing starts at £15 to £55 per month. 

Pros 

• Cost-effective; 
• Unlimited users and plans;
• Enables collaboration with accountants or business advisors;
• Cloud-based and accessible anywhere with an internet connection;

Cons

• Steep learning curve for new users;
• It takes a long for customer service teams to respond to people; 

Platforms: Cloud-based

Pricing: £15 for the starter package

Website: https://www.xero.com/uk/accounting-software/

Quickbooks Online

QuickBooks is an online business accounting software specifically crafted to simplify cash flow management. It boasts robust features, including automated expense tracking, efficient invoice creation, integrated payroll services, and insightful financial reporting. 

Pros 

• It's easy to use and learn;
• Integrates well with third-party applications
• It is cloud-based, enabling users to access real-time data anytime, anywhere;
• Tools suitable for various business types, including accountants, sole traders and limited companies. 

Cons

• Lacks industry-specific features
• Experiences regular system crashes
• Limited to accounting-specific reporting

Platforms: Cloud-based, iOS, Android, iPad, Tablet, MacOS and Windows

Pricing: $29.90/user/month

Website: https://quickbooks.intuit.com/uk/ 

Best Marketing Apps Or CRM Software

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) refers to business development, systems or strategies to promote client acquisition and retention. A comprehensive solution gathers customer information from all the contact points with the business, such as the website, social media, phone line, email, and marketing content. It uses this data to equip the relevant staff with in-depth customer insights such as purchasing history, preferences and prospects' challenges. 

Nimble

Nimble is primarily considered a collaborative CRM that integrates seamlessly with Google Workspace, Office 365, and multiple third-party applications. 

It emphasises organisational communication and cooperation to improve customer interactions and relationships. Additional features include —

• Marketing automation;
• Lead and pipeline management;
• Task management; and
• Analytics and dashboards. 

Pros 

• Neat, user-friendly interface;
• Connect on the go with its mobile application;
• Best CRM for Microsoft Office, including Microsoft 365 apps, Microsoft Teams and Outlook. 

Cons

• Reporting and analytics are not as robust;

Platforms: iOS, Android and Windows

Pricing: $29.90/user/month

Website: https://www.nimble.com/

Zen‍Desk

Zendesk is a cloud-based operational CRM that automates customer support ticket management, helping users track, prioritise, personalise and solve email support interactions. Its suite plans start from $49/per month for up to 5 agents. 

Pros

• Workflow automation;
• Feature-rich interface; and
• Multi-channel support (chat, email, social media) on a unified platform;
• Integrates with multiple third-party solutions for comprehensive reporting and analytics. 

Cons

• It’s unintuitive and takes a long time to understand the platform;

Platform: Web

Pricing: Starts at £45 per agent per month. 

Website: https://www.zendesk.co.uk/

Copper Google Workspace CRM

One of the best CRM software for small businesses tailored for G Suite applications, Copper empowers sales teams by effectively managing their leads, contacts, and communication from a unified platform.

Pros 

• Cost effective 
• Simple and easy to use, since the interface is similar to most Google applications
• Effortlessly extract leads from Gmail, enhancing contact and lead management.
• Workflow automaton for repetitive tasks
• track and log email chains, meetings, and files from Gmail using the Chrome extension.

Cons

• May issue unnecessary notifications

Platform: Web, iOS and Android Apps

Pricing: The basic plan starts at $23 monthly per user, paid annually.

Website: https://www.copper.com/

Final Word.

When selecting the best app for your business, choose one that will address the most significant bottleneck. For instance, if you are not making the most out of your existing customer database - you’ll need an analytical CRM to gather insights from client interactions with your business for targeted marketing campaigns and product recommendations. 

Key features you should look out for in a business application should include — 

• Ease of use — The applications should be intuitive and easy to use. However, you may need software with elaborate features and functionalities. In such cases, consider if the software company offers product walkthroughs, onboarding sessions, and reviews comments from past clients on their customer support culture. 
• Integrations — You’ll find that many business processes are interdependent. For instance, an order management system may need to communicate with an accounting app. Your email marketing software may require integration with a lead generation tool. Therefore, consider how easily your app of choice connects to third-party applications. 
• Cost — Determine if the software is the most cost-effective for your business needs. In addition to the monthly charges and price per seat, consider if you’ll have to pay extra to integrate with a non-native application. 

The economy of the United Kingdom is a highly developed mixed economy, which is the sixth-largest national economy in the world. It is the second-largest economy in the European Union (EU) and the third-largest in the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). The United Kingdom has a strong and diverse economy supported by various industries, including finance, professional and scientific services, manufacturing, and tourism.

The financial services industry, which is centered in London, is a major contributor to the UK economy, as are the manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and automotive industries. The UK is also a major exporter of oil and gas. Despite its strong economic performance, it has faced a number of economic challenges in recent years. These include Brexit, which has had a significant impact on the country's trade and economic relationships, as well as the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to significant economic disruption and job losses. The UK government has implemented a number of measures to support the economy during these challenging times, including fiscal stimulus, support for businesses, and temporary changes to employment regulations.

The country's economy has been affected by the global economic slowdown, as well as by domestic factors such as rising inflation and declining productivity. Despite these challenges, the UK's economy remains a key player on the global stage, and it is expected to continue to grow and adapt to changing economic conditions in the future.

The lockdown measures put in place to contain the spread of the virus have resulted in widespread job losses and a significant contraction of the economy. In the first quarter of 2020, the UK economy experienced its largest contraction, with GDP falling by 2% compared to the previous quarter. The services sector, which accounts for around 80% of the UK economy, was particularly hard hit, with businesses in the retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors being forced to close or significantly reduce their operations. The UK government has implemented a number of measures to support businesses and protect jobs, including the suspension of workers, which has helped to prevent widespread unemployment. However, the long-term economic impact of the pandemic is still uncertain, and it is likely that the UK will continue to face significant economic challenges in the coming years. Even though the UK has implemented measures such as lockdowns and social distancing restrictions to try to slow the spread of the virus, these measures have also had a negative impact on the economy.

The government implemented various measures to try to support the economy, including loans, grants for businesses, and increased welfare payments but the result of a pandemic on the economy is still uncertain and will depend on the success of efforts to control the virus and stimulate economic recovery so the government has outlined a roadmap for easing lockdown restrictions, but it remains to be seen how this will impact the economy.

The UK economy experienced its worst recession on record, with GDP falling by 9.9%. The country has also seen high levels of unemployment, with the unemployment rate rising to 5.1% in the third quarter of 2020.

There is a range of measures that governments and individuals can take to help mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. These can be grouped into three main categories: public health measures, economic measures, and social measures.

Public health measures:

• Implementing and enforcing measures such as social distancing, mask-wearing, and quarantine to reduce the spread of the virus

• Testing and tracing to identify and isolate cases of the virus

• Vaccinating the population to reduce the number of cases and deaths from the virus

Economic measures:

• Providing financial support to individuals and businesses affected by the pandemic, such as through furlough schemes, business grants, and loans

• Implementing measures to stabilize financial markets and prevent a financial crisis

Social measures:

• Providing support to vulnerable individuals, such as the elderly or those with underlying health conditions

• Implementing measures to reduce the social and economic impact of the pandemic, such as through remote working or online education

Fast forward to today, the UK has demonstrated resilience in the face of the pandemic in a number of ways. One factor contributing to the UK's resilience has been the strong response from the government and central bank. The government has implemented a range of measures to support businesses and individuals affected by the pandemic, The Bank of England has also taken steps to support the economy, including cutting interest rates and providing additional funding to banks.

Another factor contributing to the UK's resilience has been the adaptability and strength of its businesses. Many businesses have been able to pivot and adapt to the changing circumstances brought about by the pandemic, such as moving to online sales or offering delivery services.

The UK has also benefited from its strong healthcare system and scientific community, which have played a key role in responding to the pandemic. The country has a well-established infrastructure for public health and research and has been at the forefront of efforts to develop and distribute vaccines.

Overall, while the pandemic has had a significant impact on the UK, it has shown resilience in the face of challenges through the actions of its government, businesses, and scientific community. It is difficult to draw a definitive conclusion about the overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the UK economy at this time. The pandemic has had a severe impact on many sectors of the economy, leading to a recession in 2020 and a rise in unemployment. However, the government has implemented a range of measures to support businesses and individuals during the pandemic, and it is likely that some of the changes brought about by the pandemic, such as the shift to remote working, will have lasting effects.

Looking ahead, the UK economy is expected to continue to recover in the coming years, although the pace of recovery is uncertain and will depend on the evolution of the pandemic and the success of vaccination efforts. It is also expected that the economic recovery will be uneven, with some sectors recovering faster than others.

The United Kingdom has a fiercely autonomous, advanced, and global trade economy that was at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. The 1990s saw economic growth rates that were competitive with those of other major industrialized nations. After the United States, China, Japan, Germany, and India, the United Kingdom has the sixth-largest economy, with a gross domestic product (GDP) of $2.83 trillion in 2019 and a population of over 66 million.  It is known for having a great overall quality of life and a somewhat diverse economy. The majority of the U.K.'s GDP is comprised of services, manufacturing, construction, and tourism; one of its unique regulations is the free asset ratio.

According to the U.K. Office for National Statistics (ONS), the services sector makes up the majority of the UK economy and contributes to more than three-quarters of GDP. United Kingdom's service includes a variety of sectors, such as finance and business services, as well as consumer-oriented sectors like retail, food and beverage, and entertainment. Agriculture contributes about 0.60% of the GDP, and manufacturing and production contribute less than 21 percent.

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Table of Contents

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• A Bulwark of European Economy

• Trading

• Tourism

• BREXIT

• Health & Medical Sources

• Conclusion

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A Bulwark of European Economy

The United Kingdom, notably London, has long been a center for finance. The banking, insurance, London Stock Exchange, shipping, and commodity markets all underwent substantial changes as a result of the sector's extensive restructuring and deregulation in the 1980s and 1990s. Over time, certain clearly defined boundaries between financial institutions have blurred. Around the turn of the century, the financial services industry employed over a million people and accounted for around one-twelfth of the GDP. While the financial services industry has seen significant expansion in certain medium-sized cities, notably Leeds and Edinburgh, London has maintained its position as the industry leader and has grown in both size and effect as a hub for international financial operations.

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Trading

Trading in foreign exchange and securities has increased along with capital movements. Engineering, food, drinks (including alcoholic beverages), and tobacco, chemicals, paper, printing, and publishing, metals and minerals, textiles, apparel, footwear, and leather, are the most significant industrial industries in terms of their proportionate contribution to the GDP. Chemicals and electrical engineering have seen the fastest growth. The chemical industry has seen the biggest increases in pharmaceuticals and specialty goods. Within the engineering industry, electronics products have seen the quickest growth, followed by electrical and instrument engineering, transport engineering, which includes motor vehicles, and aerospace products.

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Tourism

Another significant source of revenue for the UK is tourism. According to the ONS, foreign nationals spent £28.4 billion, or $35.9 billion, on travel and tourism in the UK in 2019. In June 2019, which is the busiest month for travel, there were 9% more visitors than the previous year. According to Visit Britain, foreign tourists spent £2.34 billion, up 13% from the prior year.

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BREXIT

Brexit, which stands for "British exit," the U.K.'s decision to leave the European Union (EU), became official on January 31, 2020. Since the vote, a wide range of governmental and nongovernmental organizations have predicted that the uncertainty surrounding the ongoing Brexit negotiations has had a negative impact on the U.K. economy. However, this could represent a better opportunity for the nation.

A 100-page report titled "The Benefits of Brexit" was released by the UK government to commemorate two years since the country's withdrawal from the EU. This lays out a range of benefits in many areas of spending, policy, and regulation in an enthusiastic, upbeat manner. A few days later, Jacob Rees-Mogg was named to the Cabinet as the Brexit Opportunities Minister to oversee this initiative.

Brexit has changed astonishingly little in many aspects of health and care, despite the fact that the UK's health industry has already felt the effects of trade and migration. This is because there isn't a clear, widely accepted strategy for life after the single market. The UK has stagnated in a number of areas as the EU advances.

Each of the health-related "benefits" can be broken down to reveal a recurring pattern. Many of these are either places where the UK has a real chance of doing something new and different or where the UK must make a crucial decision between going it alone and attempting to stay close to larger markets.

The document's first section emphasizes the UK's capacity to "manage its own money" and avoid making contributions to the EU. Following that is a bullet point that states that healthcare spending will increase by £57 billion in 2024–2025 compared to the year of the EU referendum.

The report avoids explicitly stating any sort of causal relationship. The Office for Budget Responsibility, which oversees public finances for the UK government, predicts that the net result of Brexit will be less rather than more money available due to a slowdown in economic growth.

Instead, the UK is funding the entire recovery effort through its own accounts. It is using this to invest in health in a way that is somewhat similar to what we see in the EU. The NHS is receiving additional funding to reduce waiting lists, and thanks to a spending review based on higher borrowing, its capital budget is expected to increase to its highest level in many years. This, however, has been packaged with a strong emphasis on new hospital building investment and meeting targets rather than investing in new care models or pandemic preparedness. In addition, rather than using the EU's seven-year timeframe, the UK has restricted its spending horizons to its typical spending review period. This doesn't seem to be a completely new direction at all.

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Health & Medical Sources

Regarding medications, the new minister has said that "we can use our freedom to approve life-saving drugs faster and at better prices than ever before." The recent rapid approval of vaccines and new methods combining the approval of medicines with value-for-money checks have all been done in accordance with retained EU law, indicating a lack of concrete plans. According to reports, a strategy of general alignment and fast tracks for specific innovative projects has been proposed. The logic is sound, but the details will be challenging, just like with medical devices.

Despite the fact that many international processes are still in their very early stages, the document's sections on trade once again emphasize a high level of general ambition. There is a lot of discussion about diplomatic and trade promotion initiatives that are independent of Brexit.

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Conclusion

The probability of the UK joining the Pacific Trade bloc CPTPP is a major topic of discussion. As we have noted, while this is advantageous for industries subject to tariffs, it is typically not the case for goods related to health. The agreement could reduce the UK's latitude in food and drink regulation and introduce Investor-State Dispute Settlement systems, which are sometimes linked to legal action against public health measures by large corporations.

They say that by removing a portion that made you heavy, you will move more quickly. Will this be applicable across the board?

Ever since Facebook and Twitter became a fad of the modern generation businesses of all sizes realized their potential and immediately created business pages on the top 10 percent social media sites in the world. Their goal is to attract new customers, build their brand and engage a wider audience. But how do you use the different social media channels to your advantage? Where do you start? And what do the professionals recommend?

In this article, we are going to talk about the 7 best social media marketing tricks to catapult your business into success.

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Table of Contents

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• Understanding your Audience

• Take Advantage of the Strengths of Each Channel

• Interact with your Audience

• Show There’s a Human Behind the Brand

• Ensure your Senior Executives are Authentic

• Use the Right Tools

• Put the Effort in to Gain Value

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1. Understanding your Audience

The first thing you need to do is to understand your audience and why they particularly chose to be in that specific social media channel that you plan to market your business on. The manner in which they use social media should also be looked into. For example, certain users prefer to be on Facebook and Instagram because it allows them to post more texts, photos, videos and create “MyDay” video and picture tidbits of your day and Instagram stories. By comparison, on Twitter they can only post up to 280 characters of texts (which includes links to other sites).

What does this tell you as a marketer? It shows you that one group of users prefer to be more bold and want to build their social media profiles more prominently, while the other group prefers the minimalist style of exposing themselves to the world. Some are just there to become amateur journalists and if we take Elon Musk’s statements about Twitter users being fake bots at face value, then some are there just to become spammers. This tells you to cater your ads to your audience differently in order to capture their interests.

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2. Take Advantage of the Strengths of Each Channel

How users engage in ads on different social media channels will determine how your sales output will perform. It would be a very good thing if you did a feasibility studies about this, so you can do effective social media marketing on each social media sites and succeed. Every channel has different strengths. Many businesses use Facebook as a shop window displaying lots of key information such as their location, website and opening hours, so it helps connect with the brand.

Twitter’s strength is based on delivering information straight to the point in 280 characters or less and you make sure your ads are squeezed into these parameters. On the other hand, Linkedin is slightly more formal in tone but has some great tools for engagement like groups and polls, so use this tools to market your business. Now TikTok is the most unique of them all! On TikTok users are allowed to upload videos on a myriad of topics that range from 10 seconds – 3 minutes. But we also know that people nowadays have very short attention span, so you make TikTok video ads that are short but will include all the key points about your business for people to engage.

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3. Interact with your Audience

The best thing that social media created is a place where businesses and their customer base can interact on a personal level. It also gives more power to the paying customer and demand more from the businesses that they patronize. A good example of this is PayPal. A good friend of mine told me that his financial issue on PayPal was resolved faster on Facebook or Twitter than by calling them over the phone. Back in the 1990s this would’ve taken someone a week to get resolved and this is not counting the communication between banks and the fintech third party business like PayPal. This is also true on various other businesses and their customer base.

You can also hire professionals on job boards like Upwork, Fiverr and ClousPeeps to handle all the customer service for your business on social media via chat. This means that you’ll also save money on hiring employees and put them on freelance work, instead of hiring people the traditional way and adhere to government mandated salary and benefits and so forth. Some of these contractors go above and beyond to please your customers, which not only makes them happy doing business with you but they keep coming back for more and become repeat customers.

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4. Show There’s a Human Behind the Brand

It’s crucial for your business to survive by engaging with your audience in not just a professional way, but also being genuine and human. As a rule of thumb, it is recommended that you drive a friendly conversation with your audience on social media, preferably with a relaxed tone and letting that human side shine through; although there may be some exceptions, especially with what type of business brand you’re marketing.

Allowing the ‘human side’ to flow unrestrained when you’re a B2B brand means that you come as an honest person rather than a business entity in the eyes of your clients. When you’re a B2B company, you are not appealing to the other company/brand, you’re actually talking to the shareholders and employees working in that company. They are a different kind of customers that you’re trying to reach out to and it’s kind of like a B2B2C. That human side that we’re referring to is absolutely critical once your clients/customers calls in to complain about your products or services – it helps reassure them that their concerns are being seriously considered when they know there is a real person behind the account that they’re communicating with.

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5. Ensure your Senior Executives are Authentic

Remind your company execs that despite you respect their personal space and private lives, when they post on social media they’re like politicians and any untoward or negative post or comment or even an emoji reaction can deeply affect the company, therefore they should be careful with what they post on social media. Make sure that you tell your executives to make their interactions on social media to be relatable to the customers in general in order to resonate with their audience.

Basically just tell them to be as authentic as possible as most people can detect their insincerity, which can hurt your company’s reputation. You may call for a meeting with your executives and discuss how they should post on social media; however, try not to takeover their accounts as you could be fighting yourself in that case and you may lose that authenticity that you’re trying so hard to implement among your subordinates.

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You may also want to read "How to Setup a Limited Company Online"

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6. Use the Right Tools

There are more than 133 social media sites operating on the web as of August 2022 and normally experts recommend that you only market your business on the top 20 of these sites. But managing even with just a fraction of these sites can be time-consuming and exhausting, and you will need tools that can help you manage your social media pages efficiently. Perfectly timed social media posts gets the greatest audience share according to experts, therefore you should use a scheduling tool to help you post important updates on the different time zones in the US and make sure that you post mostly in the morning at around 9 – 10am local time. There are quite a few on the market such as Loomly, Hootsuite and Meltwater. These allow you to spend a couple of hours scheduling all your content for the week ahead.

A sentiment analysis tool like Clarabridge or Onalytica may also be helpful in you calibrating your social media interactions and improve your business transactions with your customers based what people are saying about you on social media. Positive responses from your audience means that you’re on the right track and you ought to keep doing what you’ve been doing. However, if you receive negative feedback from customers and the general public, then this indicates that you need to step up your game in appeasing them. Come up with a sound strategy to win back the hearts and minds of the people to your brand and outmaneuver your competitors.

Lastly, keep track of each social media analytics as this can tell you your KPIs (key performance indicators), which areas are doing well and which areas needs your attention and improvement. If you pay attention to the tiniest of details and keep your ears to the ground, then you’ll do just fine with your social media marketing efforts and be on top of your competitors. Having said that, be creative in engaging with your audience and make your competitors stumble in keeping up with you, instead of the other way around.

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7. Put the Effort in to Gain Value

Doing social media marketing and managing your social media pages requires a longterm commitment. You can’t expect to make a big splash in the water by just dipping your toes into it, the same way, you cannot expect to see great results with a few days’ worth of effort. It’s ironic isn’t it? Everything now is digital and can be accomplished with a push of a button or a few clicks of the mouse, and yet still, it takes months and sometimes even years to establish a strong business brand on social media while battling it out with your competitors.

Consistency and perseverance will definitely produce amazing results for your social media marketing efforts and you’ll be very happy after a year or two of doing this, because you will have reaped the benefits of your labor.

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Who do you contact if you have a question regarding a product return policy? Booking a clinic or business appointment? Cleaning services, maybe? You make a call, right? Telephone answering services have significantly increased both locally and internationally over the past few years. Particularly for small businesses, services like call answering are increasingly pretty common.

Many people remain doubtful about the advantages a phone answering service delivers to small and large enterprises despite all the success and growth observed after using such a service.  Humans prefer to speak to humans. Clients, consumers, and patients often become irritated and hang up when they receive a voicemail or an auto-attendant.  

Do you know that missed or unanswered calls result in reduced revenue and even worse overall client satisfaction? In fact, according to surveys, one out of every three business calls is missed. That amounts to a third of your customers' unanswered calls, which can affect your company's reputation, brand, and sales.

With this basis, a phone answering service that accepts incoming calls on your account is an essential tool for improving communications, streamlining processes, and boosting revenue. You're missing out on great opportunities to build relationships with consumers and clients and expand your business if you use an automated system to handle phone calls.

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Table of Contents

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• What Example Industries Utilize an Answering Service?

• Captures more Business Opportunities

• Boost Productivity

• 24/7 Support

• Make a Positive Impression

• Reduce Business Expenses

• Maintain a Professional Image

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What Example Industries Utilize an Answering Service?

Answering services are used by businesses of various shapes and sizes, from little startups with a few staff members to large corporations with thousands of employees. It exists in even one-person offices.

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• Product manufacturers

• Realtors

• Event planners

• Physicians

• Dentists

• Veterinarians

• Churches and other religious-based groups

• Legal consultants

• Electricians

• Janitorial/Cleaning services

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Think about the following six business perks of live call answering:

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Captures more Business Opportunities

You will get a call by working with a phone answering service. Anyone in business is aware that sometimes it takes one phone call to close the deal you've been waiting to make or to delight a loyal client who might become your biggest supporter.

If someone attempts to call your company and no one picks up, it's detrimental to your brand and can suggest that you don't value customer business. On the other hand, it speaks highly of your company if a call is answered by a highly professional, competent receptionist who has years of experience and relevant industry knowledge. You won't ever have to worry about disappointing a customer since you can work in the confidence that a professional receptionist is available to answer your calls.

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Boost Productivity

Every call is an opportunity to provide excellent customer service and boost sales, but sometimes picking up the phone can be an unpleasant distraction that you just don't have time for. And interruptions may be a serious challenge for a small business owner or a solopreneur, especially when you're in the middle of a meeting or working on a big project.

A phone answering service takes messages when you're not available, and prevents unpleasant sales calls. This allows you and your team to concentrate on the essential tasks at hand while still meeting the needs of your customers and clients.

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24/7 Support

Any business has to provide excellent customer service as it is critical for company growth. Additionally, offering excellent customer service might provide you with a significant competitive advantage.

Keeping a dedicated team of customer service representatives available around the clock can help you provide the customized experience that both new and returning customers so greatly value.

Being accessible outside usual business hours is also very beneficial to your clients. Despite the growing trend of working shifts, many people find it more convenient to get in touch with a company in the evenings or on the weekends.

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Make a Positive Impression

Live call answering promotes both word-of-mouth marketing and excellent customer service. Most of the customers say they will tell others about the good customer service they received. The number of potential prospects contacting your company increases for each caller who interacts with a helpful, knowledgeable business person.

Of course, there's a good chance that if someone has a bad experience contacting your business—if they can't get through or get an unhelpful machine—they'll also tell their friends, family, and coworkers about it.

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Reduce Business Expenses

You might think that using a live phone answering service will increase your small business's expenses. But in fact, it can enable you to make financial savings. You can save money by not paying for missed calls and lost business by having someone answer your calls. Additionally, you can save money by not paying for additional employees to take care of your phone calls.

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Maintain a Professional Image

One of the first things potential clients will take into consideration when choosing you is your business image. You want them to have the best image of your business possible whether they are calling to ask about your services or to place an order. By making sure that every caller is warmly welcomed and instantly assisted, a live phone answering service may assist you in creating a professional image. You can also include details about your company in your greeting, including your operating hours or a brief description of what you do.

The bottom line is that it's important to remember that calls are also an extension of the business. There are millions of people who want to speak with someone in charge, but they're not getting through. You need to demonstrate that you're ready to take care of them and make them feel valued the same way that you build confidence in managing your business well from calls to strategy, operations, and customer service.

Hopefully, this article has helped you decide if a live call answering service is the right choice for your small business if you're still undecided. There are plenty of advantages to using one of these services, and with the market's increasing competitiveness, it's more vital than ever to deliver good customer service if you want to maintain a competitive advantage.

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