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Why Information Security is Important When You Outsource

Investing in information security is costly, but one data breach can cost you millions.

The average total cost of data breach around the world is $3.62 million per day/month/year?. Data breaches are also costly in the US and Canada, with the US having an average per capita cost of $225 and Canada $190. The average organizational cost of data breach in the US was s $7.35 million and there is a 5% increase in the total cost of data breach from the previous year.

These are the results of Ponemon Institute’s 2017 Cost of Data Breach Study conducted last June. The research wanted to observe the global trends and costs of data breaches worldwide.

This study highlights the importance of having a strict information security policy when working with people or organizations both inside and outside of the four walls of your office. This is especially true for businesses that outsource their tasks to third-party service providers.

The main goal of outsourcing business processes is cost reduction, without compromising quality and delivery. If there are no information security guidelines in place, security issues are sure to pop up. As much as saving money is important, the security of your data is paramount.

So how do you know if your data is safe and protected when outsourcing?

The first thing you have to look for when choosing an outsourcing partner is their ISO 27001:2013 certification. It is the latest and best known information security management system (ISMS) standard that focuses on the data and information security. Working with an ISO 27001:2013 certified outsourcing partner means that there are several layers of control being implemented to protect the security of your data.

Global Strategic Business Process Solutions is a Philippine-based ISO 27001:2013 –certified outsourcing company that caters to businesses all over the world. We implement a wide range of information security controls to ensure that our client’s data is protected throughout all levels of the outsourcing process.

Working with an ISO-certified third-party service provider like Global Strategic allows you to:

  • Provide information security guarantees to your customers, clients, investors or stakeholders.
  • Reduce the risk of incidents and the costs involved with unauthorized data access and information loss.
  • Ensure safe management and processing of information resources.
  • Increase your overall efficiency.

As a whole, any trustworthy outsourcing company should have an effectively implemented information management system, tight security policy and efficient process control in place. This means that all of the company’s internal processes and departments have been audited- both internally and externally- to ensure that they are providing quality service and are utilizing the highest security measures at all stages of the outsourcing process.

Most importantly, get everything in writing. The contract should specify exactly what is expected of the outsourcing company, how the data will be processed and what will happen if there is a breach. The contract should also outline the information security guidelines that will be implemented during your cooperation.

Outsourcing doesn’t have to be risky. If you want to know more about Global Strategic’s outsourcing services without having to worry about your sensitive data, contact us at [email protected] or call (02) 638-3816.

Are Your Employees Overworked?

If you think your business is gaining benefits because your employees are working long hours, think again.

According to a study conducted by Erin Reid, a professor at Questrom School of Business at Boston University, managers were not able to tell the difference between employees who actually worked 80 hours a week and those employees who just pretended to. The study was not able to find proof that employees who worked less than 80 hours accomplished less, or that those who worked 80 hours accomplished more.

Instead of offering benefits, overworking causes stress and a lot of health problems like impaired sleep, depression, heavy drinking, diabetes, impaired memory, and heart disease. Aside from health issues, heavy workload also has a negative impact on the well-being of employees, stability of family relationships, as well as their relationship with co-workers.

These are problematic enough individually, but these issues also greatly affect your company’s bottom-line. You’ll notice problems like absenteeism, tardiness, missed deadlines and increasing health insurance costs are popping up one after another. Employees also find it hard to focus and make sound judgment calls when they log crazy hours.

So how do you keep your employees healthy and happy without compromising your business goals?

1. Set realistic deadlines. One of the reasons why employees work very long hours is to meet deadlines. Avoid delegating tasks and asking your employees to submit them as soon as possible. Remember, your employees are working on other tasks too.

2. Get your priorities straight. Create a list of tasks that need immediate attention and put non-critical tasks at the end.

3. Say thank you. Do you acknowledge and show gratitude to your employees when they accomplish a task? Saying “thank you” is only a small gesture but it means a lot to your people. It can help boost engagement, satisfaction, self-confidence and productivity.

4. Review workload. Are you giving too much work to your employees? Can they handle the work and finish everything within regular work hours? If not, then maybe you have to consider hiring another employee to help out. Remember, having overworked employees is more costly than hiring an extra hand.

5. Outsource some tasks. Outsourcing has become a popular trend because of the many benefits it provides to businesses –regardless of size and industry. You can outsource your business’ time consuming tasks so your in-house employees can focus on your core processes. Some of the tasks you can outsource include data entry, cold calling, customer service, content writing, digital marketing, bookkeeping and graphics design.

6. Enforce vacations. Everyone deserves a break. Taking a break from work has a huge effect on your employees’ health and state of mind. So if you feel your employees are working too much, it is imperative that you enforce your vacation policies. The time spent away from the office will help them recharge and be more productive when they come back.

Employee burn out is not just a possibility; it’s a reality. Keeping your employees healthy and happy will also benefit your company in the long run.

10 Common Outsourcing Pitfalls Businesses Should Avoid

Outsourcing has been embraced by many businesses across the globe, spanning every industry type and company size. Most benefits of outsourcing are well known and include (but aren’t limited to) cost savings, improved efficiency and productivity increases. Business process outsourcing has been proven to be a valuable consideration in the modern workplace and has assisted many companies in achieving their goals.

10 Common Outsourcing Pitfalls Businesses Should Avoid

However, this doesn’t stop us from hearing outsourcing horror stories from those who tried and failed. These stories range from missed deadlines to poor quality to losing a client altogether. Instead of saving costs, outsourcing mistakes can lead to loss of profits and even business failure.

So before you start your outsourcing journey, consider these common mistakes that every business owner should avoid at all cost.

  • Too much excitement. Some businesses are too eager to offload their work to their outsourcing partner without first understanding the intricacies of the relationship. Jumping in too quickly could lead to a disaster so take it slow before entrusting the whole project to a third party without having the appropriate requirements gathering and process mapping with your outsourcing partner first.
  • Failing to provide guidance. You want to hire an outsourcing partner who has experience and the technical skills to get the work done. But you can’t just dump the work without explaining what you want done or what your goals are. Take the time to create guidelines, procedures and rules to be implemented for any outsourced work. And don’t forget to put them into writing. Much like anything else in life- the better quality of input, the higher value of output.
  • Dealing with your customers.  Don’t let people who are not familiar with your business handle the sensitive task of resolving complaints or dealing with customer problems without first providing the appropriate knowledge and training. Your customers expect and deserve a personal touch from people who know about the business. If you expect to outsource client communication, you need to ensure that you have worked with your partner to build and familiarize them on your appropriate operating procedure and escalation channels.
  • Working with non-English speakers. Imagine having a non-English speaker transcribe a video or an audio in English. You can only expect errors and misspellings due to the gap in communication. Outsourcing in the Philippines has become popular because aside from having a diverse range of skill sets, Filipinos are also good English speakers.
  • Overestimating cost savings. Outsourcing solutions do save you some expenses and free up most of your hours but not on an exaggerated level. Remember you also have to invest in monitoring the project and spend time measuring the performance. Ideally, outsourcing can provide you 50% to 70% cost savings.
  • You get what you pay for. Going for the lowest bid is a huge mistake because quality is generally associated with the price. If you get lucky and you get quality work for the lowest price, then good for you. But that’s not usually the case. Don’t be afraid to pay a little extra if that means you’ll get exactly what you want.
  • Not measuring performance. Outsourcing means taking processes out of your sight and you have no idea how your project is proceeding. Although trust is an important factor in an outsourcing relationship, it doesn’t hurt to implement measurement standards to ensure the quality of the output. If clear expectations are defined and agreed upon prior to engaging a provider, your chances of success will greatly improve.
  • Outsourcing everything. Although outsourcing has a lot of benefits, it is not good to offload everything that comes to your desk. Remember that some core processes should stay in-house.
  • No improvement strategy. Do you have a concrete plan for every “what if” situation? What would you do if your standards have not been met or the outsourcing hasn’t been what you expected? You should have a solid improvement strategy when things are not going as planned and need to be remedied.

Smart outsourcing means spending more time on the business rather than in the business. By knowing these mistakes, you will be more confident in offloading your work and maximizing the benefits outsourcing has to offer.

5 Ways Seat Lease Can Boost Work Productivity and Efficiency

 

Remote work is dead, they say.

In the latter part of 2017, IBM called their remote-working employees back to office and IBM isn’t alone. Other companies like Reddit, Best Buy and Bank of America have started moving away from the remote office setup.

Why? Because of productivity.

5 Ways Seat Lease Can Boost Work Productivity and Efficiency

According to Ed Lovely, VP of IBM, “Togetherness breeds production. We found that the most productive time was when people sit together.”

However, not all companies can afford a complete office because they are:

  • just starting up
  • handling teams located all over the world
  • limited in funds
  • completing project-based work
  • in the middle of expansion

For small companies or teams like these, the best option is to find a seat lease provider. This provides them with an office space where they can do their work without having to worry about maintenance and other office management problems.

Working in an office space for lease boosts productivity and efficiency among employees in several ways.

  1. No distractions. Compared to a home-based set up, employees can focus on their tasks because there are no kids or pets running around. They don’t have to get up to prepare food or do chores in the middle of their shift so you can be sure that all 8 hours are used efficiently.
  2. The best equipment. Third service providers that offer office space for rent usually provide the equipment and technology needed for work. Aside from office tables, computers and chairs, most seat rental packages include internet connect, VOIP, use of meeting room and other facilities. You don’t have to worry about setting up this equipment because they are made ready for you. A great working environment plus top of the line facilities is the formula for success at work.
  3. Better team management. It is easier for the manager or team leader to delegate tasks and monitor each team member’s performance when they are located in the same space. The team leader can see what each team member is doing and can provide guidance on the spot. Compared to working remotely, having the team in one place allows employees to work together easily and smoothly.
  4. Improved communication. One of the most important factors in any working environment is communication. The manager or team leader should be able to relay messages and instructions clearly, smoothly and quickly. The best way to communicate is face to face- and talking with the person next to you is so much easier than talking over the phone or Skype. Personal communication minimizes misunderstanding and allows for smooth collaboration. An article from Huffington Post says:

“Effective teams are built by maximizing team productivity, not individual productivity. And, the single best form of communication that benefits team productivity is in-person communication.”

We all agree that remote work has its advantages but for businesses, nothing beats traditional office set up when it comes to productivity.

If you’re looking for a seat rental in Metro Manila, contact Global Strategic at (phone number and email) to learn more about our seat lease packages.

Global Strategic PH Story: Athena Dayrit

“I’ll bet most of the companies that are in life-or-death battles got into that kind of trouble because they didn’t pay enough attention to developing their leaders.” – D. Wayne Calloway

global strategic ph story

A company is only as strong as its employees and Global Strategic consistently proves how true this is, especially in a very competitive industry.

Having most of the leaders home grown is one of Global Strategic’s ways to maintain a great culture and exceptional team performance.  This has proven to be an effective way to not only to provide the employees with career opportunities but also preserve the company’s family oriented environment.

Athena Dayrit or “Athens” is one of Global Strategic’s Legal and Business Support Supervisors.  She started as one of the fresh new faces with no work experience and a very long list of things to improve on.  Now, she is one of the company’s trainers and subject matter experts.

Staying or leaving a company is not an easy decision, so we asked Athens some of the most common questions we ask ourselves when determining how to drive our careers.

How long have you been working at Global Strategic?

I’ve been with Global Strategic for 7 years now. I started working with the company straight out of college.  I had no idea what kind of job was waiting for me back then, but the team made me feel accepted and was very patient with me.

What makes you stay this long?

Global Strategic’s fun and stress-free environment is definitely my main reason to stay.  Being with Global Strategic not only helped me improve professionally but also socially as it exposed me to a corporate environment with a family-oriented culture.

Did you expect you would stay this long?

I was not expecting I’d be here for a long time.  There were lots of opportunities for the company to get rid of me but my leaders chose to trust me and train me with different tasks.  There was never a reason to leave, so I’m still here.

What do you like most about working at Global Strategic?

The best thing about working in Global Strategic is the people.  Whether it’s the big boss or the newbies, everyone seems to get along well most of the time.  No matter how hard the workload becomes, I’m confident that I can rely on my team to help me carry the load.

What has given you the most sense of accomplishment while working in Global Strategic?

I have been with a lot of teams with different areas of expertise. I started with the Legal Support Services team and eventually was transferred to lead a team that handles Customer Service and Digital Marketing.  It always gives me a huge sense of accomplishment every time I get to contribute something for the department I am part of.  But the best feeling is seeing the people I have trained move up the ranks and get promoted as well.

How would you describe Global Strategic and its role in your professional development?

Global Strategic has a huge impact on my development not only professionally but also personally.  I started working here with too much confidence and very little skill.  My leaders here never gave up on me and helped me develop a lot of skills that equipped me to be a more effective agent and eventually, a better leader.

Any thoughts you would like to share about working at Global Strategic?

Working at Global Strategic provides its employees with a lot of opportunities for career growth and a great company culture.   I am so blessed to be part of this very #StrategicallyAwesome family.

Ultimately, the strongest drive on one’s career is satisfaction and having a healthy sense of accomplishment.  #GlobalStrategicPH makes sure its work force achieves these key ingredients for a healthy corporate life.

Athens is one of Global Strategic’s competitive and highly trained individuals.  If you are looking for someone trustworthy and flexible to handle your outsourcing needs, Global Strategic is here to help you.

9 Benefits of Outsourcing to the Philippines

The Philippines is known for many things- including a vibrant culture, friendly people, exceptional white sand beaches, boxing legend Manny Pacquiao and the best English language skills in Asia. With the boom of the outsourcing industry, the country has become one of the most sought-after service providers of companies in the US, UK, AU and the rest of the world. With a population of more than one hundred million, there is no doubt that world-class skills can be found in the country.

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Different BPO companies keep popping up like mushrooms, not only in Metro Manila but also other cities all over Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Big companies from around the world have seen the potential in investing and outsourcing staff in the Philippines.

The Philippines is one of the most popular options when it comes to outsourcing. With its diverse people and proficient workers, outsourcing to the Philippines makes a lot of sense.

Here are 9 reasons that make the Philippines the top choice when it comes to outsourcing.

  1. Cost Effectiveness – One of the top reasons companies choose to outsource is to save on cost. It is understandable that a business would go with a company that offers the same quality of work with the lowest price. Outsourcing to the Philippines is economical and this is considerably the main reason to outsource in the country. The cost of labor in the Philippines is surprisingly low and the quality of work is high. The cost of office space, seat rentals, and labor in the Philippines is very affordable.
  1. Communication Skills – English proficiency is a competitive edge of Filipinos compared to other counterparts. English is one of the official languages of the Philippines and it used as the primary medium of instruction in the country’s education system. Filipinos are trained to speak with a neutral accent and have a better command of the language compared to other non-English speaking countries.  This is a great advantage, especially in the Customer Service industry.
  1. Diversity and Flexibility – The Philippines is a culturally diverse country. Filipinos have been exposed to different cultures and traditions that greatly influenced their ways of thinking and living. This diversity drives a positive impact on productivity in a workplace. Filipinos are also flexible when it comes to time schedules and rest days. Employees are willing to work on different time schedules to cater to clients’ needs.
  1. Talented Workforce – Filipinos are born resourceful. They have the talent to find the easiest ways to carry out their tasks with minimal supervision. They are also fast learners and can easily understand and adapt to new technologies and innovation. They have the passion and willingness to work in the most diverse settings.
  2. Immediate Labor Pool Availability – Because the majority of the population in the Philippines is the new graduate and above age group, it makes the country an ideal place to outsource work for a range of industries, including Legal and Business support, Accounting, Information Technology and of course, Customer Support services. Recruitment is easily done as Filipinos are always eager to learn and are prepared to discover new opportunities in the outsourcing industry.
  1. Innovative Technology – Technological advances have shown continuous growth in the Philippines and this has contributed to the economic success of the BPO industry in the country. Telecommunication companies, internet service providers, health care technologies, and airline companies are pushing their limits to attain the newest technology available in the market to align with the investor’s needs in putting up their business in the country.
  1. Infrastructure – Central business areas, high-end buildings, office leases, and seat rentals are readily available in the Philippines. Office spaces that are highly accessible throughout the metro are towering in every corner. Investors have the chance to choose where to put up their business because of a wealth of sites available.
  1. Lifestyle – The Philippines has adopted not only much of western culture but western lifestyle as well. Filipinos effectively converse with their foreign counterparts in the industry because there is no language barrier and the topics of interest are similar between both sides. Whether it is sports, politics, pop-culture, television and movies, Filipinos have very similar tastes to westerners. The Philippines’ preference to the western way of life has proven to be advantageous especially in the customer service field.  Being able to relate to the customers and hold a conversation with them makes it easier to build rapport and create effective business transactions.
  1. Work Ethic – Filipinos are naturally respectful and this is evident in their interactions with their colleagues, superiors and of course, their clients. Working under pressure is not a problem as they are patient and calm even in the most stressful situations. Filipino workers are well known for their sense of concern and ownership for their work.  These positive working attitudes are what make Filipino manpower in demand not only in the outsourcing industry but in other fields as well.

The BPO industry in the Philippines is rapidly advancing and has not shown any sign of slowing down.  Learn more about how outsourcing can help with your current business needs and future business growth.

Global Strategic PH Story: Aceson Chan

“If you take care of your employees they will take care of your customers and your business will take care of itself.” – J.W. Marriot

The BPO Industry in the Philippines is always associated with customer service, back office work and a whole lot of never ending possibilities.  What it is seldom paired with however, is having long tenured employees.

With the rapidly evolving demands in services and hiring needs, job seekers tend to explore more opportunities by jumping from one company to another.  Staff members that stay and grow with the same company are now rare gems to find.

This is what Global Strategic has been perfecting for the past 11 years.  The company believes that taking care of their staff equates to them taking care of their clients, and it has proven effective so far.

This year, Global Strategic celebrates a decade of working with one of their trailblazers.  His loyalty and outstanding dedication cannot be left unnoticed so we had a little chat with him to impart his #StrategicallyAwesome wisdom with the new generation of agents in the Business Process Outsourcing industry in the Philippines.

Aceson Chan or “Ace” to his colleagues is currently one of the Operations Managers of the Global Strategic family.  He is one of the pioneers of the Legal Support Services team when Global Strategic started.  It seems only yesterday that they would be working in a small rented office with the entire staff in one long table, and now a decade later, he is overseeing operations of over 150 employees that handle a wide array of business process solutions like Virtual Assistance, Recruitment, Accounting and Real Estate services.

So what does it take to make a bright young mind with a lot of potential decide to stay in a small to medium sized company instead of checking if the grass is greener on the other side?  It is the right combination of challenges, motivation and passion!

“The challenges I face and the pursuit to overcome them motivate me to work every day. I believe that the length of my tenure isn’t important anymore – I’m going more for what I can contribute to the development of my fellow employees.”

But 10 years?  For most young people, that is way too long of a commitment to a workplace! Feeling at home and at the same time having constant challenges is a different story though.  When asked if he expected to stay this long, without hesitation, his answer was “Yes!”

“…I’d also say that I grew more and more connected with the company and its people as I stayed longer. The years go by quickly because I feel right at home.”

An incredible work atmosphere, amazing co-workers, and challenging projects, what else is there to love? Apparently, there is more!

“There are many things to like and love about Global Strategic. My business skills have improved and the company has also helped develop my personality.”

But does it not grow old? What else can give you a sense of accomplishment while working in the same office when you have learned the ins and outs of the tasks and have met every single new employee? It is the fact that now it is your turn to impart the wisdom.

“I’d like to think that I am a positive agent of Global Strategic’s vision to give endless opportunities to everyone. I take pride in the fact that we provide people with livelihood to help their families and also prepare them for greater things.”

So how does a company contribute to someone’s professional development? It is by providing adequate training and opportunities for growth, paired with constant support and trust on the staff.  After all, a satisfied workforce provides top notch performance.

“Global Strategic definitely is a big factor in my professional development. I also recognize this as a challenge to develop more leaders in the company and to guide them as they grow.”

So in this day and age where there are countless BPO companies that offer even the most basic services to clients around the world, what makes Global Strategic Business Process Solutions stand out? It is the agents working on their assigned outsourced tasks and that they are not only well trained experts but also passionate in their endeavor with a strong sense of ownership on their work output.

“I give all my trust to everyone I work with at Global Strategic. I believe that this mind-set is what we all need to continue to grow and to endure anything that the future will bring.”

Ace is just one of the members of Global Strategic’s ever growing family of efficiently trained and highly motivated individuals.  Thinking about outsourcing but still looking for the best fit for your business’ needs?  Let us help you!

5 Essential Reasons to Hire Virtual Assistants

 

“Virtual Assistance” is a rather new concept in the outsourcing industry, but it is gaining more attention due to its personalized approach.  Imagine someone informing you of the weather forecast for the week, reminding you of your appointment with a new client, locating and booking your favorite restaurants in the metro and giving you directions while driving out of town.  It is like having your own personal assistant, except that you are probably thousands of miles away.

Alarms, reminders and appointment setting are some digital virtual assistance features that our smart phones offer. While helpful to most people in their day-to-day lives, they are limited and a business owner requires much more in order to get through their busy days. Imagine if your phone could speak to clients, write emails, update your databases, contact suppliers and you can see why people choose to outsource virtual assistants.  If you have not heard of the concept or know very little about virtual assistants, read on and find out how they can be the resource your business needs.

Virtual assistants are highly trained employees who take on the tasks you provide and accomplish them in their totality, freeing you to focus on more important items and core operations. The best thing about a virtual assistant is that you do not need to manage them like you would do so with in-office employees.

 

Why hire a virtual assistant at all?

Lessen Operational Costs

New companies in the corporate world benefit from hiring virtual assistants due to their cost effectivity. Capital is one of the primary factors in starting up a business so you may want to minimize your expenses in starting your venture. Hiring virtual assistants will effectively help lessen your expenses as you will not have to worry about additional working space, equipment, salary, benefits, and other costs related to employing in-house.

Increase Productivity

Specific business tasks like email management, content creation, follow-up and daily reminders are some of the recurring tasks that can be outsourced to virtual assistants so that you can have your staff focus on other tasks. Virtual assistants also do not need to follow a regular 9-5-work schedule, so turn around time for work assignments can be shorter depending on when you schedule them.

Concentrate on Core Operations

Working on repetitive tasks or an excessive workload can cause one to have less focus or time on core business operations. Employing a virtual assistant is an option for an organization to ensure that all tasks will be completed and allows their in-house staff to stay focused on more important items. Repetitive tasks can be easy to do, but they can eat a lot of time that could be spent on other matters. With virtual assistants, you can keep these tasks current and avoid falling behind.

Employ Subject Matter Experts

Handling tasks based on an employer’s specifications can require extensive knowledge in a specific industry. This is another area where virtual assistants provide an advantage. Outsourcing tasks like social media marketing, website maintenance, graphic design, accounting, bookkeeping and other administrative support work is becoming more practical as these are being handled by experts in their respective field and have the flexibility to learn even more complicated tasks.

Balance your Professional and Personal Growth

Business owners often have to handle multiple tasks at once. Although this is expected, it can hurt your productivity and efficiency, which may result in rendering more hours to some tasks than intended- often at the expense of your personal life. A virtual assistant is a helping hand or extra support to decrease workload so that you can have the time off that you deserve. Your life should not be deprived because of your business; you should enjoy working as well as enjoy your personal life.

Virtual assistants can make your professional (and personal!) life easier and help create a stress free work set-up.  This creates more opportunities for development and growth for your business.

Global Strategic provides efficient virtual assistants in different specializations and industries. We offer full-time service assistants who will make your life easier.

If you have not considered hiring a virtual assistant or still have questions, visit http://www.globalstrategic.com/virtual-assistants/ for more details.

Global Strategic PH Story: Marlon Mico

“You know, as most entrepreneurs do, that a company is only as good as its people. The hard part is actually building the team that will embody your company culture and propel you forward. “- Kathryn Minshew

This quote is especially true for BPO companies as employees only tend to stay for a year or two before looking for greener pastures elsewhere. This is why at Global Strategic, we value and enrich good company culture.

When it comes to loyalty, there’s no doubt that our very own Marlon Mico is on the top of the list. He’s been with the company for 7 years (and counting…), continuously providing stellar work ethic and upholding the company’s #StrategicallyAwesome culture.

“Initially, I planned on staying for only 2 years and during that time, I thought that was long already!”

Straight out of College, Marlon was hired as a Legal Support Specialist in #GlobalStrategicPH in early 2009. Of course, 2 years proved to be not nearly enough to satisfy this young man who is out to prove his worth in the corporate world. He handled different tasks from Mortgage Servicing to Customer Service. Eventually, his hard work paid off and he has been promoted to be a Team Lead handling various accounts.

“It’s how everyone is treating each other. We treat each other like a family. No one is treated like a stranger. Also, the management lets me do one of the things that I love which is dancing.”

With optimism and an array of talents, Marlon has contributed to the already rich culture of the Global Strategic family. He gathered co-workers that share the same passion for dancing and formed the Global Strategic Dance Crew. The group has grown bigger and better since.

“The relationship that we build with our co-workers is what makes me like to work harder at Global Strategic.”

But it’s not just the dancing and camaraderie that makes the company unique and enjoyable. It’s the work attitude of every processor, agent and leader. The team spirit is very much alive and it is always very encouraging to work with a competent crew.

“It gives me a renewed sense of accomplishment when I got the chance to train people with Foreclosure and I see them being disseminated to different teams. Also, when someone I trained is being considered for promotion.”

Marlon embodies what it means to be a leader, a team player and a role model of Global Strategic core values. Now as a part of the leadership team, he has a new set of goals and a higher sense of accomplishments to keep him motivated and striving for excellence.

“Working at Global Strategic is fun and challenging. Fun, because you get to work with your friends. You won’t feel too much pressure getting the work done for your team has each other’s backs. You know that whenever you are uncertain about some things, the people around you are there for support. Challenging in a sense that it can bring out the best in you. You will just realize that you have done something that you thought you couldn’t.”

But what exactly is the best thing about being part of Global Strategic? For Marlon, it’s growing and maturing with the company, developing his talents and discovering new things about himself with the help of his co-workers. What better way to challenge yourself than trying new things!

“Global Strategic is like a home to me. It helped me to be more confident, in believing that I can lead a team, and to be a good influence to others. Being exposed to different clients broadened my knowledge about the industry and made me more flexible. Also, Global Strategic enhanced my abilities to take on any task given to us. Most of the things that I know, I learned here.”

Work and personal life is sometimes difficult to balance. But if you’re part of a #StrategicallyAwesome working environment like Marlon, you’ll discover that learning, and having fun while making a living is totally achievable! We just have to make the leap!

We wish you the best in your career, Marlon! Continue to inspire people and always share your best practice to everyone in need and surely, great things will come out of it!

Marlon is one of many highly trained and experienced staff members at Global Strategic. Looking for someone like Marlon to help with your Legal Support, Mortgage Servicing, Customer Service or another outsourced task?

Importance of Social Media Marketing

Social Media has taken over the world!

The daily news, latest trends and connecting with other people from any part of the world are all made more accessible by several social media platforms. Social media has become ingrained in our personal lives, but is it really important when it comes to business? The answer is yes, and there are several reasons why!

The term ‘Social Media’ itself refers to websites and applications that enable us to create and share content or to participate in social networking. In every sense of the word, social media is a web community where we can interact, communicate and exchange information in many different ways. A possibility of worldwide exposure is at the tip of your fingers!

What are some of the features of a social media platform?

User Accounts: a location on a network server used to store username, password, and other information. Sharing information or interacting with others is usually limited or forbidden without a user account.

Personalized Profile: his is a summary page which offers a sample of your overall account and showcases your different assets. This can include information about the user, profile picture, your brief bio, websites, recent posts, suggestions, trending topics and more.

Content sharing: this allows members to upload messages, pictures, audio and video files for free. Content can also be tagged, shared and used to start a thread of information exchange that interests and engages a group.

Chat: account holders are allowed to send instant messages to other members in real time. Communication is fast and easy.

Customized pages: members are able to create their pages where they can post articles and photographs related to a profile (personal or business) and create content based on specific needs. These pages can also be used to effectively promote businesses.

Real-time update: users will be able to see real-time updates and trending topics worldwide and in specific places.

A wealth of features is one major reason why social media has become an effective tool in marketing a business, big or small. If you are curious about how social media can benefit your business, here are some examples of how any business can be effectively boosted utilizing social media.

  1. Increase customer insights – Social media will introduce a company or their services to a new audience. In a matter of clicks, your message will be shown to a large number of people and share content to a wide variety of spectators.
  2. Learn your audience – Social media will provide a deeper understanding into what your audience is interested in. Getting to know the audience can help the company find creative ways to reach people via social media marketing and provide products or services that they are interested in. Take advantage of creating meaningful posts, which will gain customer interest and create useful dialogue.
  3. Share content – Social media is one of the best mediums to use for sharing content and is a fast and easy method in getting a message out to an audience. With lots of users, sharing of content is achieved without great effort.
  4. Provide service – Customers will make use of social media as their method of communication when they have interest in a company or its products and services.
  5. Receive feedback – Social media allows real-time feedback coming from customers. This helps a company urgently respond to different queries and resolve issues in a swift manner.
  6. Build relationships – Social media isn’t a one-sided communication tool; it’s a two-way channel. It assists in building relationships where a business can interact with customers. It connects the dots between different types of customers and creates an interconnected network.
  7. Open new opportunities – Every social media post opens a new door of opportunities. As an online community, there is always a chance that a post you make will lead to new customers. Images, videos, and events you share are available for everyone to react and give comments that may lead to a site visit and conversion.
  8. Cost effectiveness – Social media marketing is considered as one of the most cost-efficient advertising strategies. Almost all platforms are free to sign-up. Being cost-effective is an advantage because you can see a greater return on investment and can allocate your resources to other marketing and business expenses. Time, effort and creativity are the only investment required for it to be more successful.
  9. Increase traffic going to the website – With high visibility, the business has an opportunity to increase traffic on the biggest internet search engines. Social media content shares, comments, and threads will help push your ranking higher.
  10. Leads and sales – Effectively applying these key points can provide leads and sales. If everything is done properly, leads will eventually turn into sales, which ultimately is the goal of any business.

What are you waiting for? Effective social media can be a big advantage in a competitive marketplace!

Is your business not utilizing social media yet? It is likely that your competition already is. Global Strategic offers Social Media Management services, allowing you to focus on your business’ core competencies and letting us take care of the digital marketing side. Our highly trained and experienced staff can help push your marketing efforts and business exposure to new levels.

Visit http://www.globalstrategic.com/virtual-assistants/ for more details.