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When and How to Write Off Uncollectable Debt
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try to collect a debt, it eventually becomes clear the debtor is not going to pay. When this happens, you generally have the ability to write off the bad debt. Here’s...
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In the Trenches: Testing a New Business Practice
Since Cranky Concierge started more than five years ago, the process for flight monitoring has been pretty much the same. Someone signs up and we assign a concierge to monitor that flight. It has...
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6 Tips for Improving Vendor Relationships
A thriving small business cultivates strong, healthy relationships with both customers and employees. Sometimes, however, small business owners overlook the value of maintaining positive relationships...
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In the Trenches: Managing Volume With Cross Training
I wrote last week about how we were testing a new business practice here at Cranky Concierge. While this might be good in a lot of ways, one thing that has really been of interest to me is the...
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In the Trenches: When to Stand Firm With a Customer
The old saying, “the customer is always right,” is one that I’ve always had trouble agreeing with 100 percent of the time. Frankly, there are times when the customer is wrong, even in a high-touch...
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The Basics of Nondisclosure Agreements
Sometimes you have to share confidential information about your business with others, but when those occasions arise, you should do all you can to protect it so the other party can’t use it to make a...
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A Small Business Guide to Offering Paid Time Off
In today’s competitive market, small-business owners have to do all they can to attract quality employees to their business, and one way to do that is to offer perks like paid sick leave and vacation...
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In the Trenches: Fixing Our Website
As with any business, the Cranky Concierge website is important. For some clients, it’s the first interaction they have with us. Yet our site hasn’t changed all that much since we launched back in...
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5 Ways to Spend Less Time on Administrative and Accounting Tasks
Handling your business administrative and accounting needs can be overwhelming and time consuming. This is one area of your business where it pays to work smarter, not harder. Make the most of banking...
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In the Trenches: When a Long-Time Part of the Team Leaves
I wrote last month that the concierge who handles the most clients for us was going on vacation for three weeks. It turns out, he’s not coming back. That’s always tough for an organization to handle,...
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How to Consistently Generate Sales Leads
Keeping your sales pipeline full is one of the easiest ways to ensure a consistent stream of new business. However, filling that pipeline with quality leads can become its own impossible full-time...
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In the Trenches: Creative Work Arrangements
Cranky Concierge has always been a 24/7/365 kind of business. If there are airplanes flying (as there always are), then someone needs to be available. This wouldn’t be as challenging if we didn’t need...
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5 Tips for Selecting and Implementing the Best Platform for Remote Workers
Through online collaboration, it’s easier than ever for small businesses to expand by adding remote workers rather than renting expensive office space. Without the benefit of face-to-face meetings,...
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How to Establish a Refund Policy for Your Business
If you’re in business long enough, it’s bound to happen: A customer wants to return a product or cancel a service and get a refund, sometimes for a product that is perfectly fine. When this happens,...
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In the Trenches: Building a Management Team
To say we’ve had a flat organizational structure at Cranky Concierge is an understatement. In the six-year history of the company, every single person has reported to me directly. That’s fine when...
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6 Business Policies You Should Put in Writing (and Why)
One way to keep your business financially sound is to do all you can to mitigate risks. You can protect your business by putting certain policies in writing. Here are six policies that every...
View ArticleIn the Trenches: Insights from Doing Someone Else’s Job
It’s remarkable how much you can learn by doing someone else’s job for a few days. I did just that at Cranky Concierge recently and didn’t expect it to be such a valuable experience. Sure enough, I...
View Article7 Signs You Need to Fire Your Accountant
Having an effective accountant is a critical part of any small business. Unfortunately, hiring one is one of the most hastily-made decisions that small business owners make. Too many times, they choose...
View Article12 Different Ways to Fund Your New Business
As a startup, your business faces many challenges, but none are as big as finding money to get everything off the ground. From renting office or production space to buying goods and hiring staff,...
View ArticleSocial Media Trends That Can Boost Your Marketing
Social media is becoming an increasingly important piece of the modern marketing toolkit. Not only does social engagement let marketers connect with customers, but it also serves as an amplifier for...
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