Dealing with Angry Customers: How to Keep Them Calm and Happy

Building meaningful customer experiences is what every business strives for. Putting them first and keeping them happy is important, but it’s never easy. In the digital age, customer expectations are higher than ever. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try to keep them happy, many things can happen when customers order online.

From delayed deliveries, complaints, and damaged products, these are just some things retailers face when running an online business.

Whatever industry you’re in, chances are, you have encountered a handful of irate customers. Their high expectations make them simply hard to deal with. This happens if a customer wants to return a product after a perceived issue.

To make the return process easy, companies turn to reverse logistics systems, such as a FedEx return manager, to promote a convenient return shipping experience both for the company and customers.

Customer complaints aren’t a bad thing. They offer the opportunity to learn and turn a bad situation into something positive, especially if you know how to provide a meaningful customer experience. With this in mind, we’ll talk about ways to deal with angry customers and the best practices to keep them satisfied.

Employ reflective listening

Nothing feels better when you hear someone say “I understand” when you feel upset. The same goes for when dealing with customers. Sometimes agents tend to be defensive once the customer begins to rant about their frustrations.

While it’s understandable that your first reaction is to defend your business, taking the defensive side immediately is a sure way to spark an even bigger argument. In this case, it’s important to practice active listening to understand what the customer is saying by studying their words and body language.

From there, this will help you craft a more meaningful response, depending on the feelings and thoughts you heard from the customer.

After you have completely understood their point of view, move forward. Otherwise, ask them to further explain what happened to understand their situation better and determine the right response to the issue. In other words, your goal is to make them feel valued and heard.

According to the Harvard Business Review, customers prefer to feel understood and heard when dealing with front-line employees. What fuels their rage is when they spend so much time discussing their issue and getting no assistance in return. Thus, it’s important to train agents to allow customers to air their grievances before solving the problem.

Stay calm at all times

The saying “The customer is always right” might still ring true. The profitability and reputation of your business still lie to your customers. That’s why there are many things to lose if you choose to stoop down to their level. Treating them with disrespect and disdain will reflect not only on the agent but also the company.

When talking to an angry customer, we may feel tempted to match the level of their tone. But high tensions and snappy comments make someone look defensive. To avoid this, reverse the situation by encouraging the customer to mirror your action by staying calm. This promotes a more meaningful conversation if you choose to maintain a calmer tone.

In psychological terms, people tend to mirror someone’s emotional signals. If you’re talking to the customer over the phone, smiling will reflect on the tone of voice, even if they cannot see you. Keeping your tone at a moderate level will also encourage the person to lower their volume and pitch as well.

Appeal to them by building trust

An angry customer’s trust in the business has likely been severely damaged, so it’s important to restore that trust as you move forward. The good thing is, it’s never too late to repair that relationship. The secret lies in showing you care and truly understand their frustration.

Be transparent and honest with the client. Take responsibility and completely own that fault. Another great tip is to add personality to show how you empathize with the customer. Use positive scripting, such as “definitely,” “certainly,” and “absolutely,” to let the customer know how you’re willing to help them solve the problem.

Positive phrases will also prevent the customer and the agent from responding aggressively. For example, tell them how the company will respond to their problem and offer helpful suggestions. Offering feasible solutions will help the customer and agent arrive at a meaningful agreement.

Dealing with angry clients isn’t always the worst thing. There are plenty of ways to turn the situation around and leave them feeling satisfied.

The key is to listen to them and treat them with empathy, patient, and respect. But if the situation is becoming abusive, always think of your employees’ well-being and help manage their emotions when talking to difficult customers. 

Meta title: Three Ways to Deal with Angry and Difficult Customers
meta desc: Dealing with angry customers isn’t always a bad thing for a business. Learn ways of taking control of the situation without ruining the company’s reputation.

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6 Ways to Become a Successful Entrepreneur

Since the COVID-19 global pandemic, more individuals have lost their jobs and had to start thinking outside of the box. They’ve turned their passions and hobbies into full-time jobs or have looked into alternative investment strategies to finally become their own boss.

If you want to thrive as a successful entrepreneur, here are six ways to get started.

Invest In Real Estate

Real estate has become one of the most lucrative means of making passive income while working to become your own boss. You can very easily become an entrepreneur by investing in rental properties or commercial real estate.

Whether you are looking to put your money to work or are wanting to start your own Airbnb, there are a plethora of real estate options that could easily be lucrative. If you are ready to take the plunge, it would be worth speaking with a commercial property management company or a realtor for residential properties to provide you with the best path to achieving the highest profits.

Use Your Experience As a Content Writer

Regardless of what field you have worked in, there is a space for you as a content writer. Companies around the world are looking for people who have knowledge in various areas to be able to share their wisdom with their audience.

If you have previous experience working in the world of insurance, there are businesses that need someone to generate content for their website, social media, and email campaigns to tailor to their audience. Maybe you have worked in the field of marketing or public relations. Without a doubt, there are companies out there looking to have your advice and expertise shared with their audience.

Dial-In On a Craft

Do you have a craft or side hobby that you thoroughly enjoy doing? Chances are, there’s a market for it where you could start your own business. Especially during the pandemic where people had more time on their hands, people spent more time on their woodworking, soap making, or quilting.

You may not have considered your hobby to be a lucrative means of starting your own company or becoming a successful entrepreneur. But with the right business plan and strategy, you would be pleasantly surprised at how successful you could be. This is especially true if you are able to sell your products online.

Put Your Car To Work

Becoming your own boss doesn’t necessarily mean you have to start your own business entirely. If you have a car and smartphone, you could very well become a driver for one of the popular rideshare options like Lyft or Uber. You are able to set your own hours and can make as little or as much money as you want.

If you don’t want to be a driver, you can still put your car to work without ever having to get behind the wheel. Apps such as Turo allow you to rent your car to anyone who uses the app. It’s a great alternative for people who want to rent cars but aren’t wanting to pay the price of a major rental company. Plus, it puts extra money in your pocket.

Become a Consultant

Just like sharing your expertise through content writing, you can also take your knowledge towards the route of consulting. Starting your own consulting business could allow you to work with other businesses and individuals that are in need of the experience you already have.

For example, if you have several years of being a manager of a large team, you could offer leadership training to businesses around the country. Or perhaps you have previous social media knowledge. You could offer consulting services to small businesses or other entrepreneurs looking to reach a larger audience and generate more sales.

Try Stock Imagery and Videography

Did you know that you can be paid for your photography and videography skills? Maybe you aren’t wanting to start your own photography business, but you can still take the content you have created and have it start making cash flow.

Stock websites allow you to upload your content and get paid every time someone downloads one of your photos or videos. The more downloads, the more money you make. This type of work depends on how much content you are uploading along with how often you are adding to your stock imagery or video portfolio. But if you have a plethora of photos sitting on your desktop, it might be worth seeing how much passive income you could be making.

Summary

Becoming your own boss isn’t an easy task. It requires time, patience, and sometimes a monetary investment to get started. But once you have narrowed down your niche, you can start making a plan and taking action towards a life of financial freedom as an entrepreneur.

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How to Prepare for an Attic Renovation

There are many good reasons to consider renovating an attic. You might be interested in adding an extra bedroom to your home, creating a playroom for the kids, improving the resale value of your property, or just enjoying some extra space. There’s plenty of room for creativity in attic renovations, so the only limit is your own imagination.

However, if you want your attic renovation to go smoothly, and you want the upgrade to be cost efficient, you’ll need to appropriately prepare.

Evaluate Your Goals

Before you do anything else, take the time to evaluate your goals. Most people renovating an attic are looking for some combination of the following:

• More living space. Nearly all attic renovations will be designed to give the property more living space. You can use that living space in a variety of ways, but the point is, people will be occupying the space frequently.
• A segmented living area. Some people want to create a totally segmented living area, possibly complete with a bathroom and mini kitchen. This is especially valuable if you’re creating a separate apartment or unit to rent.
• Niche utility. You may have specific plans for your attic, such as using it as a game room or a playroom. If this is the case, you’ll have specific goals in mind throughout the renovation process.
• Higher resale value. Renovating the attic can have a decent return on investment (ROI). You won’t add more value to your home than you spend on the renovation (in most cases), but under the right conditions, you can make most of your money back.
• A low barrier to entry. You might also be looking for a low barrier to entry. For example, you might want to renovate the attic while spending as little as possible, or investing the fewest hours possible.

Which of these goals is most important to you? Where do your priorities fall? Once you have a better idea, you’ll be equipped to make better decisions throughout the attic renovation process.

Understand Laws, Codes, and Safety

Next, it’s important to understand any laws or codes that apply to your living area. Your friend with a bit of handyman experience may have the skill necessary to install an electrical outlet – but they may not be familiar with local codes that dictate how those outlets must be installed.

Safety should be one of your top priorities, especially if you and your family are going to be using this space regularly. Accordingly, you shouldn’t cut corners or ignore regulations just because it’s cheap or convenient.

Make Plans for Insulation

One of the biggest problems with unfinished attics is that they tend to be poorly insulated, and therefore more vulnerable to extreme temperatures. Bright sunlight in summer can turn an attic into a veritable greenhouse, baking whoever has the misfortune of occupying it. You can combat this while finishing the attic by investing in the best insulation you can afford. Sealing gaps and spraying insulation can instantly make the environment more habitable.

Plan for Space Efficiency

Some attics have peculiar shapes that make them difficult to use as living spaces. For example, if you have a gable roof (shaped as an inverted V), you’re going to have a sloped interior ceiling. This can make it difficult to walk around and make full use of the space that’s available. Some attic renovators take advantage of this by closing off the corners and turning the areas with low ceilings into storage areas. Shelves, cupboards, and other additions can help you maximize the value of the space – without interfering with the high-ceiling, maneuverable areas.

Estimate Costs Conservatively

No matter how you choose to execute the renovation, it’s easy for costs to spiral out of control. Unexpected developments, mistakes, and new ideas can all increase the scope of your work and cause your costs to skyrocket. Accordingly, it’s in your best interest to estimate costs conservatively. Plan to spend more than you think you’ll need – and be prepared for some surprises as your attic renovation unfolds.

Hire the Best

Finally, hire the best people you can afford to do the work. If you’re qualified and experienced, you may be able to do the work yourself. But for most people, it’s a better idea to hire a professional contractor who has specific experience in attic renovations. Because they can do the work efficiently and make fewer mistakes, they can help you save money in the long run.

At this point, most of your preliminary work will be over. You can start cleaning and decluttering the attic in anticipation of your renovation and start making more detailed plans for how you want the space to look when you’re finished. It’s an exciting project – and one that can really pay off if you’re prepared.

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3 Questions to Ask Before Launching Your New Startup

It’s never been easier for ambitious individuals to pursue their dream of launching a new startup. The growth of the digital world means you need very little initial investment to begin building a company in some cases. You can even start putting a brand together while you’re still working in your 9-to-5 job, provided you’ve got the dedication and an internet connection.

Of course, just because the barrier to entry to entrepreneurship isn’t as high as it used to be, doesn’t mean everyone will automatically be cut out for running a startup.

Since failing to run a successful business can leave you out of money and confidence, it pays to do your research and ask the right questions before diving in head-first. Here are some of the questions you should always ask before you launch your startup business.

Do You Have a Valuable Idea?

When you’ve got a business idea you’re passionate about, it’s difficult to believe it could be anything other than a massive success. Unfortunately, too many would-be startup owners make the mistake of diving into business development, without really testing the value of their business concept. Examining viability will save you from a lot of heartache and loss in the future.

To determine whether you’ve got a good business idea in mind or not, start by doing your research. Look at your target market and ask yourself whether there’s a demand for the product you’re selling.

How well are your competitors doing, and what are you going to do differently so you can outperform them? Is the interest in your idea going up, or trailing off (common with short-term trends)?

Testing your idea for viability will show you whether you should really be focusing your attention in that area. It’s also a great way to make sure you’re prepared for when you need to present your business to potential investors.

Good research will give you some handy figures to share, like how much of a profit you can expect to make, and how much you need to earn to break even.

Are You Prepared to Do the Work?

Being an entrepreneur behind the next big startup isn’t all about amazing business meals with investors and incredible brainstorming sessions. There’s a lot of work involved in bringing a new idea to life, and you’re going to need to be prepared for the stress.

Many of the world’s leading startup owners started out working insane hours, every day of the week. You should get some tips for stress-free success from other entrepreneurs under your belt so you can reach for them when you are feeling stretched especially thin.

You may need to compromise on other areas of your life to make your dream a reality, including your personal life. There will also be moments when it’s much harder to stay motivated and focused on your goal. In these moments, you need to have the determination to keep pushing forward.

Ask yourself how invested you really are in this new business concept? What’s going to keep you from giving up when things get tough and you’re struggling to make any money? You can’t just be prepared to keep working to keep the lights on each day either.

You’ll need to be committed to constantly improving and working on your business. This could mean taking courses in your spare time to improve your skills or working endlessly on tasks you don’t enjoy.

Are You Financially Prepared?

Aside from being mentally, emotionally, and academically prepared to survive in your new business environment, you’ll also need to ensure you have the right financial resources. It’s easy for people who are new to building businesses to forget about all the expenses actually involved in running a startup.

You’ll need to pay for everything from real estate to technology, software, programs, marketing, and even staff members.

Although you can start your business on a relatively lean budget these days, you’ll have to spend something to bring your company to life. With that in mind, it’s worth planning exactly how much it’s going to cost to start your company and keep it running for the first few years.

You’ll also need to be prepared to barely take any cash out of your business to pay yourself for a while, this means ensuring you have the right amount of savings.

Sorting out your own personal finances can be a great way to prepare for the challenge. A personal loan from a private lender can lower your monthly payments if you use it to consolidate debt, which means you can free up money for the business. You can also look into better budgeting practices, and living frugally by searching for savings wherever you can.

Launching Your Own Startup

Launching a new startup can be a terrifying and exciting concept at the same time. On the one hand, you’ll have an opportunity to pursue a career building something you genuinely care about. Even Elon Musk had to start somewhere.

On the other hand, you’ll be exposing yourself to a number of challenges most average people don’t face. Make sure you’re prepared to handle the work involved with launching a startup before you jump in.

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Can You Work and Start a Business at the Same Time?

The idea of every entrepreneur working day and night to bring their vision to life is inspiring, but it’s also pretty unrealistic. Most people aren’t so financially independent that they can quit their jobs to dedicate their time to launch a business.

Although creating your own company from the ground up is as demanding as a full-time job, most of the entrepreneurial process doesn’t come with a paycheck. So, you may feel like you can never start your business because of your necessary job.

That’s not true. It may require some creativity and extra hours after your shift ends, but you can still achieve your goals without missing a paycheck. Here’s how to do it.

Start Your Business as a Part-Time Operation

Rather than trying to immediately take the leap from employee to self-employed, you might want to scale back. When you work part-time in your company, the startup costs and stress drop significantly. You also still get to have the peace of mind that stems from a stable job with a salary and all its benefits.

If you don’t have the savings to supplement your income for several months, then you shouldn’t be handing in your resignation letter just yet. A company is more likely to succeed when its founder has stability and security in their own life. Just imagine trying to juggle all the stress of launching a company with the added anxiety of unpaid bills and housing insecurity.

Don’t Work on Your Company at Work

Using a work computer to work on your business could violate your contract. In most cases, anything that is developed on-site and on company time falls under intellectual property.

This means you could lose ownership of your own creations if you spent your time building them instead of doing your job. When you’re at work, be present and perform your duties to the best of your ability. Leave your entrepreneurial genius for after-hours.

Time management will become your best friend. You may decide to wake up one or two hours earlier, which means going to sleep sooner if you don’t want to be a zombie all day.

You don’t have to sacrifice your health to become a business owner. However, you should be willing to put your hobbies and leisure on the backburner for a while. Between getting jobs done, running a household, and working on your company, there won’t be a lot of free time for Netflix.

Find Ways to Get Capital

Beyond your own savings, look for opportunities to get capital. The more money you have, the sooner you’ll be able to say goodbye to the 9-to-5 hustle. In addition to applying for a personal loan or home equity loan, you might want to sell your life insurance policy.

When you settle your life insurance policy through a life settlement, you can get four times more than when you surrender to the insurer. Read more about the process of choosing a private buyer and getting the most for your policy in this guide. Don’t qualify for any of the above? That’s okay. Consider opening a high-yield savings account or asking friends and family to contribute to your business fund.

Keep Working Until Your Business Is Sustainable

You don’t need to quit right away because you’re earning money from your company. Even if you manage to get sales or clients, most businesses go through stages. The lifecycle of a new business can pick up rapidly and collapse just as suddenly.

You don’t want to put all your hopes and means of survival into one source of income yet. Play it safe, save as much as you can, and wait it out until you’re certain you can keep your success going.

There are some lines of work that require you to go all-in, though, which can make the balancing act moot. For example, if you dream of opening a bakery, then you can’t put in 40 hours at a desk job and still get your food establishment to take off. There will have to be trade-offs, but you should only take calculated risks when it comes to your financial security.

In some cases, you may not need to quit your job, but you will have to be available at any time. Clients won’t want to wait four to six hours to get a response to an email, and customers won’t be happy if you don’t ship their order for days at a stretch. You have to build your business around your current life, not contrary to it.

Be an Employee at Work, Not an Entrepreneur

You do not have to forget the importance of entrepreneurship in your life, just find a way to compartmentalize it and be an employee while at work. Sharing your ideas and plans with colleagues could come back to haunt you. Someone may decide to let your employer know that you’re working on something, and this could give the impression that you plan to leave soon.

If the company suspects you aren’t fully committed to the position you’re in, it can create tension and possibly even threaten your career. Make sure you also avoid utilizing any company resources to build your own brand. This means no suppliers, vendors, or other professionals you have access to for your job should be made aware of your personal professional ambitions.

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What to Know About the Disruption in the D2C Food & Beverage Industry

The food and beverage industry has changed since the world went through a global pandemic that left people terrified they would one day head to the grocery store and find nothing but empty stretches of shelves in sparse-looking aisles.

This was a reality for many shoppers during the height of the Covid-19 outbreak and added with the desire to avoid high contact surfaces and close proximity to other shoppers, consumers were glad to turn their sights to others options for their groceries. 

E-commerce food and beverage companies capitalized on this preference and society collectively stepped into the new wave of food distribution known as the direct-to-consumer model. Rather than supporting third-party distributors or middlemen through in-store shopping, D2C businesses are selling their products straight to the customers. 

Perhaps you are most familiar with this new business model from meal subscription boxes that are delivered straight to a person’s doorstep on a weekly, monthly, or even semi-weekly basis. Meal kit boxes like Blue Apron, Green Chef, Nature Box, and Hello Fresh have risen in popularity in the last year.

Hello Fresh now owns the top spot for meal kit subscriptions, as it is currently the #1 meal kit company in the world. 

Hello Fresh Founder and CEO Dominik Richter have spoken out about the way the Covid-19 pandemic radically accelerated the success of D2C meal subscription boxes, and he doesn’t anticipate that high to disappear any time soon.

“As consumers considered new ways to get their food, social distancing needs led many to experiment with digital food retail channels for the first time. While grocery store shelf shortages were resolved in a couple of weeks, they set in motion lasting changes,” said Hello Fresh Founder and CEO Dominik Richter.

“Increased cooking at home is here to stay – it is not a pandemic-era fad that will simply drop off after six months…[the forward momentum of remote work] points to more occasions for consumers to cook at home – and more demand for products and services to fill that need.”

The success of the D2C food and beverage industry is that it is built around a need that will never disappear: the need to fuel your body. And with priorities shifting to time spent at home with loved ones, the act of spending time cooking with others has become a focal point for families. D2C products sent straight to one’s house in various states of preparation save time.

“D2C meal kits are in such high demand because of how convenient they are,” says Jacques-Edouard Sabatier, Co-Founder, and CEO of JOW. “People have realized they want to spend as much time with their loved ones as possible, so any unnecessary routines, such as physically going out to the store to complete the shopping, can be cut.

Meal delivery saves time in so many ways: planning meals, shopping, prepping, and cooking–the time of the whole process is significantly reduced when a meal delivery service is used.

At JOW, we recommend a personalized menu based on your individual details like household size and dietary restrictions and provide meal options that once selected lead you to the choice of simply adding the correct amount of each ingredient to your online cart. Then, your order is delivered directly to you. It’s the simplicity that sells these days.”

People love D2C meal delivery because of the way it removes the barrier of not knowing what to shop for and how much to buy. For anyone who has ever aimlessly wandered around a grocery store, searching for inspiration about what to make for dinner, the meal delivery method is an appealing change.

“The beauty of D2C food and beverage delivery is the way it teaches customers: teaching them how to eat right as far as portion sizes, healthy meals, eating enough nutrients from the various food groups, and showing the importance of high-quality ingredients.

People have made it known that they not only want to avoid in-store shopping without purpose, but they also want to be taught how to eat to fuel their bodies,” says Seb Evans, Co-Founder of Banquist.

Direct-to-consumer food delivery also caters to unique food sensitivities and needs. Consumers who follow diverse lifestyles such as veganism, the keto diet, an organic diet, or a paleolithic diet, can be overwhelmed with finding ingredients and meals they can eat.

Rather than spending hours examining the nutrition guide on various products in-store, D2C businesses tailoring to unique food needs remove the hassle entirely by creating meal plans suited for even the most restrictive diet.

“At Uprising Food we offer superfoods that are low carb/keto, paleo-approved, gluten-free, preservative-free, dairy-free, and added sugar-free because we understand that people want to feed their bodies only the best ingredients,” says William Schumacher, Founder, and CEO of Uprising Food.

“We understand that people desire to eat healthily but that this looks like more than just getting enough vitamins and nutrients. D2C food offerings such as ours are a lifesaver for anyone who’s looking for products that allow them to fall back in love with their favorite foods.”

Jeremy King, CEO, and Founder of consumer research website Attest have surveyed the research in order to understand the widespread impact of the direct-to-consumer food and beverage industry. 

“D2C makes [consumerism] something that you control yourself and gives you huge advantages, particularly when you add large datasets,” said Jeremy King, CEO, and Founder of Attest state…“

There are lots of people doing interesting things here but the main themes are: taking away awkwardly; adding sustainability; adding customization and choice where you never had a choice before; jobs to be done; the simplest form of marketing; crazy new stuff; just making it easy to try new things.

The traits are the interesting things to copy, not the business model. The traits make these brands distinctive and I think that’s the fun part of them.”

His mention of the sustainability aspect is a huge selling feature considering that the target audience for food and beverage subscriptions is millennials. This generation has outlined that a top concern of theirs is sustainability.

However, many millennials will admit that they don’t know how to meet the requirements of total sustainability in their eating on their own. They are pleased with the concept of allowing experts to take care of this for them.  

“D2C food distribution options are not the same as going to the supermarket and buying the same ingredients; D2C companies offer novelty products and this is a huge part of their appeal.

You’re shopping for meals and ingredients online and suddenly you’re supporting a more environmentally friendly alternative, and being sent the right portion sizes to allow for no food waste, plus you’re caring for yourself in addition to the planet because you’re receiving fresh, responsibly sourced ingredients,” says Charlie McKenna, Chef & Founder of Lillie’s Q.

Sustainability also looks like shopping in a way that is more environmentally friendly. Removing all the unnecessary non-eco-friendly inclusions of shopping such as packaging is a major appeal of subscription boxes in particular, along with any D2C company invested in the planet.

Subscription boxes that pack produce straight into cardboard, biodegradable boxes skip unnecessary packaging and plastics, which consumers notice and appreciate.

“At JOI we care deeply about our environmental footprint. Every action taken today will impact the future of the planet, but as a majority, we decide if it will be in a positive or negative way. At JOI we take pride in the measures we follow in order to be a sustainable food source, but we also feel it is the least we, and any company, can do.

We have created products with reduced packaging waste, less food waste due to the long shelf life of our powder-form plant milk, and a reduced carbon footprint from not shipping heavy water weight due to our add-water formula,” says Hector Gutierrez, CEO of JOI.

And of course, sustainability includes striving for less food waste. The United States Department of Agriculture has estimated that 30-40% of food is wasted per year. Millennials are a generation dedicated to doing their part to cut back on waste, and one easy way they know of that provides this change is D2C food companies that focus specifically on this mission.

Subscription boxes like Misfits Market, Imperfect Foods, Perfectly Imperfect Produce, and The Rotten Fruit Box make it their goal to cut back on food waste by salvaging and selling the produce that doesn’t look uniform enough for grocery stores and is therefore thrown out, perfectly fresh and usable. 

“The younger generations, in particular, starting with millennials, are concerned about statistics surrounding food waste. They are dedicated to making the differences needed in the world by purchasing products that should never be discarded in the first place,” says Nicholas Vasiliou, CEO of BioHealth.

Millennials and the generations following are also not enamored with sugary, processed foods, and are willing to put their funds into purchasing healthier options of their favorite sweet treats from childhood. 

“There is a lot of necessary research and information today regarding the damaging effects of too much sugar, sodium, and saturated fats in your body,” says Melanie Bedwell, E-commerce Manager of OLIPOP. “That doesn’t mean people are boycotting the foods they grew up eating, but rather that they’re seeking healthier alternatives.

OLIPOP is a new kind of soda that tastes the same as your childhood favorites but with only 2-5 grams of sugar, with the inclusion of 9 grams of fiber and microbiome and digestive health support. We know your body can’t always handle treats the same as when you were younger. Our solution is to offer better-for-you alternatives, and believe me when I say there is a high demand for this.”

Although there is a desire for healthier versions of the foods they love, consumers don’t always know how to shop for this healthier lifestyle, and often appreciate guidance from brands they trust.

“People are in a sense looking for someone to tell them how to eat to live a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. They want to know what to eat but also what specific products to purchase that will fit into their goals. Subscriptions that offer a variety of different healthy products are the perfect way for small brands to spread the word of their products.

When people are purchasing subscriptions of their favorite products, they are expressing commitment to a lifestyle and to the brands they love and trust to care for their bodies,” says Ben Teicher, President, and CEO of Healthy Directions. 

There’s no way around it, direct-to-consumer companies are more convenient for the customers than putting their time towards shopping, meal prepping, and recipe researching. This is one aspect that D2C companies capitalize on.

“With the offering of products shipped or delivered straight to a person’s residence, businesses are selling ease as much as they are selling their actual products,” says Chris Vaughn, Founder, and CEO of Saucey. “Saucey offers alcohol delivery in 30 minutes or less, with an extensive collection of brands and products available.

Our customers love how their drinks are delivered directly to them, and they don’t have to worry if they’ve already had a few drinks when they order because they never have to leave their house.”

With delivery comes an added benefit of not needing to shop around for a particular brand or product.

“If the customer wants to find JuneShine Hard Kombucha, rather than searching all over at multiple stores they simply have to go to the “Find Us” link on our website and we locate a store that has our products in stock.

It’s the most convenient way to shop, and lets customers know where they can find us since our products might not be sold in the particular local grocery chain where they regularly shop,” says Justin Chan, Growth Manager of JuneShine.

There you have it, the wide expansion of offerings that the direct-to-consumer food and beverage industry offers. Based on the current climate and the success of D2C food companies, our projection for the industry’s future is rapid, steady growth for this business model and structure.

As long as companies keep listening to their audience’s desires for sustainability and healthy options, and continue to make the process of ordering and delivery simple and easy, the D2C model will be the growing future of food.

The post What to Know About the Disruption in the D2C Food & Beverage Industry first appeared on Feedster.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/business/what-to-know-about-the-disruption-in-the-d2c-food-beverage-industry/

Top Tips To Succeed In Launching Your Business Internationally

The idea of successfully launching a business internationally may seem daunting and overwhelming. While it certainly has its challenges, it also has enormous rewards and benefits. This is because it allows you to diversify your investments, explore new markets, and generate more revenue and profits. 

At the current rate of technological advancement, rapid innovation, and fast-paced globalization, starting a profitable business abroad has become increasingly achievable. With the right strategy and research, you can take advantage of countries that have a business-friendly environment and kickstart your entrepreneurial journey. 

To help you achieve this, we have highlighted some of the top tips that are essential to launching a successful business internationally. 

Get The Right Documents

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Regardless of where you wish to launch your business, it is important to get the right documentation by checking the requisite visa requirements. 

For instance, if you plan on starting a business in the US, you may have to apply for a temporary business visa, also known as the B-1, unless you qualify for the Visa Waiver Program which allows citizens from certain countries to visit the US on a business trip for 90 days.

Similarly, if you wish to start a business in the UK, you will have to choose between an innovator visa, investor visa, or start-up visa.

Generally speaking, expect to pay a visa processing fee and allow at least a month for your visa to be processed. Additionally, when applying to an English-speaking country, it is helpful to have your important documents translated.

Consider professional and certified services that provide authentic birth certificate translation or education transcript translation. This can help contribute to a successful visa application. 

Focus On Your Business Plan

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Developing a business plan can help you narrow down your goals, business offerings, marketing plans, operational factors, and financial needs. It is essentially the make-or-break feature of starting a successful business. 

As the blueprint of any profitable business, your business plan should be properly structured, well-researched, and address both investor needs and customer requirements. This can help you secure finances and identify target audiences. You may also benefit from quantifying your evidence to clarify the rationale behind entering a particular market. 

As a rule of thumb, consider your business plan as a strategy document that lays the foundation of your business objectives, future milestones, and business operations. Once you have this figured out, you will automatically be able to think of innovative ways to disrupt the market. 

Get To Know The Market

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Starting a business abroad means that you have to familiarise yourself with the market. This requires a deep dive into customer preferences, understanding demographics, and recognizing cultural differences. 

Conducting market research will enable you to better understand local trends, needs, demands, and perceptions, enabling you to tailor your market strategy to customer preferences. It will also allow you to better serve the customers so that you are able to get a larger market share and increase your overall revenue.

Consider hiring a market research firm to determine the viability of your product or service based on macro-segmentation and micro-segmentation. This can allow you to fully and accurately obtain the relevant data in order to make smart business decisions. 

Familiarise Yourself With Business Rules And Regulations

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As you begin your business journey abroad, you have to be mindful of the fact that there may be specific laws, rules, and regulations that you will have to follow. 

As a first step, you will have to register your business by obtaining a physical address, choosing the most appropriate legal structure, and fulfilling all tax obligations on any earnings. For instance, in the US, you can register your company as a limited liability company or C-Corp, while in the UK, you can set up your business in seven different ways, depending on your business structure and needs. 

At times, you may need to review industry-specific regulations, get the appropriate licenses and permits, and ensure strict compliance to be successfully operational. You can consider hiring a lawyer to walk you through these requirements so that you don’t have to incur any liabilities. 

Final Thoughts

Starting your overseas business is an exciting experience that can contribute to your personal and professional growth. It can help you become more agile and resilient by enabling you to adapt to rapidly changing environments and building your business acumen. 

With the right kind of proactive planning, you can successfully develop these qualities and set yourself up for success. Just remember to carefully analyze all the important and relevant factors before entering into the international market.

Good luck launching your international business!

The post Top Tips To Succeed In Launching Your Business Internationally first appeared on Feedster.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/business/top-tips-to-succeed-in-launching-your-business-internationally/