Customer intelligence (CI) is the process of gathering and analyzing data from various customer interactions to generate actionable insights. It helps businesses understand their customers’ behavior, allowing them to personalize or adjust selling strategies. Customer intelligence data comes from customer relationship management (CRM) analytics, customer service data, purchase history, and web activities. Customer intelligence can…
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How to Do Payroll in Japan: Ultimate Guide
Doing payroll in Japan isn’t as hard as in some other countries, but you will need to pay close attention to some specific rules and nuances you don’t face domestically. Because running international payroll means you have to abide by another country’s laws that you may not be familiar with, you must take your time…
California Paid Sick Leave Law: What Businesses Need To Know
Employers in California must provide paid sick leave to all employees working in California for 30+ days per year. In addition to state law, some localities also have leave requirements. As a small business, you’ll need to ensure compliance with California paid sick leave law and budget accordingly. How California Sick Leave Works There are…
What Is a Sales Commission Structure: 10 Types (+ Calculators)
A sales commission structure is a system that outlines how a company compensates its sales reps for the sales they make. It also helps motivate sales professionals to maintain or improve their overall performance. Commissions can be paid out weekly, biweekly, or monthly. The first step in developing a sales compensation plan is choosing the…
How Much Does It Cost to Open a Retail Store?
The cost of opening a retail store varies greatly—you should budget anywhere from $10,000 to a few hundred thousand dollars. It all depends on where you’re located and what your vision is. As retail continues its upward trajectory in a post-pandemic world, the time has never been better to start a retail business. Let’s break…
What Is Involuntary Termination + Reasons & Impacts
Involuntary termination occurs when a company (as opposed to an employee) initiates the termination of an employment relationship. It is often the result of cost-cutting measures such as downsizing or poor work performance or inappropriate workplace behavior by the employee. Below we will dive deeper into the reasons your company might use involuntary termination and…
What Is Customer Service Software? A Small Business Guide
Customer service software is a centralized platform that helps businesses manage their customer communication touchpoints. Designed to deliver excellent customer support, it typically requires an omnichannel approach that includes shared inboxes, live chat, in-app phone features, and ticketing tools. This article answers the question—what is customer service—and explores how it works, customer service tool types,…
9 Sales Pipeline Stages Every Team Should Create
Sales pipeline stages are the steps within a sales cycle that identify the internal activities needed to move a prospect from initial contact to buying your products or services. These include tasks like prospecting, lead qualification, and product delivery—all of which can be tracked using customer relationship management (CRM) software. There are nine common stages…