Author - Kristin Louis

Digital transformation strategy in technology is everything in 2022. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is in full swing, turning every industry in Dallas, TX, and elsewhere inside out, from real estate to trade. The COVID-19 pandemic has only sped up this change: 70 percent of organizations worldwide have a digital transformation strategy, reports Zippia.

Your small or mid-sized business (SMB) must follow suit – not only is it in keeping with the times, but it’s also the only way to keep up with modern-day market conditions and customer expectations.

Here, Multi Business Solutions offers powerful digital upgrades you could make to your SMB to help it grow:

Create a mobile app for 3D walkthroughs, listings, and branding

Depending on your business niche and type, you can offer your products or services directly through mobile apps. Real estate companies in Dallas, TX, for instance, can use 3D imaging and Augmented Reality (AR) to take customers on virtual tours of local listings online. It’s convenient for customers to do business with you through their phones, and it’s easier to personalize every customer’s journey this way. You can release targeted customer loyalty and engagement campaigns through your app.

Integrate project and time-management tools into your processes for more productivity

Project-management tools are designed to make it easier for you to manage disparate teams and processes. They give you an overview of what’s happening, what needs to happen, and who is working on what. Time-management tools, on the other hand, allow you to document your time-spending better. When you leverage both effectively, you can expect more productivity and less waste.

Use cloud-based document signers and editors for faster turnaround times

Typically, businesses deal with countless paper-based documents on a day-to-day basis, from forms to receipts and everything in between. Many of these documents need to be stored, signed, and shared with internal and external stakeholders. You can use cloud-based document editing, signing, and collaboration solutions to digitize documents and then share them with multiple people. It’s more convenient, legally binding, and can cut down turnaround times by days or weeks.

Use electronic email invoicing to get paid on time

A common pain point for Dallas-based businesses is that they don’t get paid on time, which can lead to cash flow problems and, possibly, blocked operations. Email invoicing solutions can speed up the payment process and, with automated reminders, encourage customers or clients to pay on time. The best online invoice template makers allow you to choose pre-made templates and add text, photos, your logo, and more. You get notified when clients receive invoices. Also, they let you save invoices in your preferred format.

Utilize a CRM solution for smoother customer relationships

Customer relationship management (CRM) solutions simplify customer-side interactions. They offer a host of useful features: customer data collection, automated messaging, data visualization, enhanced collaboration, and more, says Nutshell.  A CRM solution makes life easier for customer-facing teams. Notes never get lost, valuable information is always easy to find, and teams can “remember” customers better.

Facilitate digital transformation with business process management (BPM)

Digital transformation technologies are many and could potentially all add value to your business. Some examples are big data analysis, cloud-based technology, the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, and machine learning. You can apply these technologies to several areas of your business – like product development, logistics, and sales. AT&T, the biggest company in Dallas, TX, is using data and AI to good effect.

You’ll have an easier time identifying areas to improve through BPM – as well as making your improvements work better. BPM automates and optimizes your workflows to facilitate digital transformation. It works by streamlining and improving labor-intensive business operations. Incidentally, it also secures employee buy-in (by reducing their workload). When creating a BPM framework, you need to monitor its effectiveness and then act on the info to improve the process and output. 

Conclusion

Every digital transformation strategy upgrade you make – be it a business process management (BPM) framework or an electronic invoicing solution – will have a cost. You should calculate the return on investment (ROI) carefully before you proceed. Not every technological solution is an upgrade. Look for maintainability, convenience, results, and, most importantly, long-term viability.

Skilled professionals complement powerful technology. Work with Multi Business Solutions experts to take your business to the next level in International Business Trade, Real Estate Investment, or Commercial Construction.

House Flipping Business for Seniors

House flipping business for seniors has become very popular over the last few years, and many seniors have been looking into how they can get involved. Fortunately, most of them have found that there are great opportunities out there, even if you're starting late in life. Here are some things you need to consider before getting started.

Buying the Ideal Property

When you’re just starting out, it’s important to start small. An inexpensive property or one that hasn't been renovated is ideal because it allows you to learn on a low-risk venture before graduating to more expensive properties.

Getting a Mortgage for Your Property

When you’re purchasing an investment home to renovate and flip, you might have to get a mortgage to finance your purchase. The best financing option will depend on your financial situation. Contact multiple lenders to shop around for the best rates and fees. You can also reduce the interest rate by making a larger down payment. There are several types of property investment loans including:

• Conventional financing
• Hard money loans
• Federal Housing Authority mortgages
• VA mortgages
• Home equity lines of credit
• Fix-and-flip loans
• Private money loans

Return on Investment

If you’re buying a fixer-upper, do your research to see what types of renovations will increase its resale value. Some projects like adding more bathrooms—are safer bets than others, like adding a master suite. There are online tools that can help you predict home values in different areas. You can also talk to local contractors about how much your project might cost and how it will affect overall value.

A common investment when flipping a house is renovating the kitchen. This can include updating the cabinets and hardware, the sink, backsplashes, appliances, the range hood, and countertops. Not every renovation will include all of these updates, but they are things to keep in mind.

If you're planning to flip houses for a living, be sure to choose properties with good resale value in neighborhoods that are already growing in popularity. Asking around for referrals can help you find reliable contractors—and potential customers. Before buying a house to flip, sit down and figure out what it will take to make your home stand out from other similar homes that may be on sale in your area.

Selling Your Property After Renovations

The best way to sell your fixer-upper property after renovations is through a real estate agent. An agent can help you sell quickly by using their professional network to find prospective buyers, saving you time and hassle. To help, you can use an infographic template to design graphics to educate prospective buyers about the property and its improvements. It’s always best to work with an agent when selling your home because they are knowledgeable about all aspects of selling a house. An agent will also ensure that your interests are protected during negotiations.

Be Cautious When Buying a Fixer-Upper to Flip

Make sure you do some thorough research before closing on your purchase. Buying a fixer-upper can be financially risky. While you might want to save money by buying an inexpensive house that needs repairs, you could wind up losing money instead. Ideally, you should add 20 percent to your overall estimate, especially if there is major work involving electrical wiring, HVAC, foundations, or the need to remove mold or asbestos.

A Successful Project

Contractors are expensive, but they’re necessary—and finding one that works within your budget and gives you confidence in their ability is key for a successful project. Turn to Multi Business Solutions for more information about real estate investment strategies.

If you’re an employer looking to attract the best talent, you have to offer a compensation package that’s better than the competition. But, this doesn’t always mean a higher salary. Sometimes, employees want more than just a paycheck. MBS Multi Business Solution invites you to take a look at a few traditional and innovative perks that will help you land and retain the best candidates.

Direct Deposit

Obviously, you have to pay your employees. But if you’re still writing paper checks each Friday, you are doing yourself and your employees a disservice. Instead, plan for paycheck direct deposit. Forget the pen — all you have to do is enter hours and schedule what day everyone gets paid. Their bank accounts see a deposit on that day, and you won’t have to worry about making last-minute adjustments or rewriting checks that got washed in the laundry. As an added benefit to you, you are fully in control of when everyone gets paid, which is great for workers who are paid on commission per sale.

Education

Encourage your employees to go back to school by offering to reimburse their tuition fees. Not only will this help your employees improve their skills, but it will also show that you are invested in their success. There are many affordable online universities that offer courses and programs on a wide variety of subjects. Who knows? Your employee’s master’s degree could help your business in ways you never thought possible.

Career Coaching

Individuals can always seek career support on their own. However, you will show your employees how much you care by helping them discover their greatest talents and desires. Career coaching will help them understand what they’re best at and how they can use skills to benefit themselves and, hopefully, your company.

Health and Nutrition

Health and nutrition are big business, and helping your employees stay healthy is good for your business. Give your employees benefits, such as free gym memberships and online nutrition counseling, so that they can learn how to make better decisions for their health.

Game Tickets

Chances are, many of your employees are workaholics like yourself. Give them the push they need to get out, let loose, and relax with their families by offering free tickets to local sports games, art exhibits, or concerts.

Catered Lunches

Everybody loves a free lunch, and your employees are no exception. Whether you bring in a food truck each Friday or cater a black-tie-worthy lunch once a month, feeding people is one way to show that you care. Keep in mind that no two caterers are alike and you want to put some thoughts to the hiring process. Social Tables suggests asking about food preparation methods and confirming how many staff they will have on-site, no matter what style of dining option (buffet, sit down, etc.) you choose.

Mental Health Services

Mental health services are a great option for employees in high-stress careers, which can be anything from food prep to the C-suite. Let your employees know you care about their emotional and mental well-being by offering time off for counseling appointments or prepaid online therapy services.

Schedule Flexibility

Offering a flexible schedule gives your employees more opportunities to balance their personal and professional lives. HR solutions company Insperity asserts that having a flexible schedule may even reduce employee turnover. If possible, you can also offer your employees the opportunity to work from home when they need to to handle issues, such as sick children or unexpected travel.

Pet Health Insurance

If you’re looking for one of the top five unconventional job benefits that help you keep the best workers, pet insurance makes the list. It’s no wonder that one-third of all Fortune 500 companies offer pet insurance as a benefit for their employees. 

In today’s competitive job market, talent is hard to find and harder to keep. And because you can’t always afford a premium salary, you may have to find other ways to keep your staff happy. Flexible schedules, quick payments, and free meals are just a few ideas to help you retain the employees that your competition is trying to steal. Plus, happy employees are better for business. It’s a win/win for everyone. 

MBS Multi Business Solution specializes in international business and trade, real estate investments, and commercial construction. You can learn more about the services we provide by calling 214-666-6029 or emailing info@multibs.com.

Image via Pexels

DIY Home Renovation

DIY home renovation can be challenging if you know what you are doing. While there are plenty of home projects you can complete on your own if you have the right tools for the job, some tasks may require you to hire a professional. You might think doing these projects yourself will save you money, but if you don’t have the right tools or expertise, trying to do the work without a professional might end up costing you more. With this in mind, you should hire a professional if you need to paint your home’s exterior, add concrete, repair or replace electrical wiring, or refinish your wood floors.

Painting Your Home’s Exterior

From the high cost of purchasing the paint supplies to the dangers of standing on a ladder for hours at a time, it’s best to save this extensive job for a pro. Plus, many older homes were painted with lead-based paint—making this already challenging job a hazard to your health as well. 

If you choose to hire a professional to paint your home’s exterior, NerdWallet explains that you can expect to pay $4,000 or so. However, actual costs vary depending on the size of your home, the type of paint you choose for the job, and when the home was last painted. 

Adding Concrete

If you’re planning on adding a patio or walkway to your home, there’s significant work involved, and you’ll typically need the expertise and experience of concrete contractors. These professionals have the proper tools and materials and can make precise calculations about how much concrete you need.

Before discussing your needs with concrete contractors, look over customer ratings and feedback online. If you’re concerned about affordability, you can also determine if any contractors are currently offering credits or discounts on concrete projects. 

Refinishing Wood Floors

Not only are hardwood floors a durable and highly sought-after flooring option, but they are relatively low maintenance, easy to clean, and they add instant warmth to a room. Like most things, however, wood flooring has its drawbacks—especially when it comes time to repair any major scratches or stains that have appeared over the years. After years of use, your floors may need:

• Polishing to maintain and preserve the flooring’s existing finish.
• Recoating to remove debris and add a protective layer of finish to the existing flooring. 
• Refinishing to completely sand down the existing layer of finish before adding a new protective layer.

Before making any repairs to your hardwood floors, it’s important to analyze the situation to determine whether you need to polish, recoat or refinish your floors. In most cases, refinishing may be necessary if your floors are full of large scratches, gray or black spots, or damages from water or sun. 

If you do need to refinish your floors, consider hiring a professional to complete the job, as this project is usually messy, time-consuming, and hazardous to those with asthma, allergies, and other chronic breathing problems. Plus, refinishing just 100 square feet of flooring could take an entire weekend to complete, and you’ll need to purchase or rent different power tools, supplies, brushes, and stains. 

When hiring a pro to work on your wood floors, factors such as the size of the flooring, the area where you live, and the skill level of the professional will affect your total repair costs. 

Repairing Electrical Wiring

In most cases, you can safely perform basic electrical repairs around your home if the project is less than 50 volts. For higher-voltage projects, however, it’s best to call an electrician to avoid harming yourself and the structure of your home. 

According to Vivint, you can expect a small, simple rewiring job to run about $1,500, where rewiring a larger home will cost $20,000 to $30,000. In addition to the size of the home, other factors that may affect your total cost including the construction and age of the home.

Knowing when to hire a contractor isn’t always as straightforward as it may seem. It’s best to hire a pro whenever you need to have dangerous or complex jobs done. By doing so, you’ll protect yourself, your home, and your loved ones from harm—and you’ll get the job done correctly.  A DIY home renovation is not an easy task to undertake.

Interested in investing in real estate? Multi Business Solutions can help you find the perfect property and negotiate a fair price. 214-666-6029 ext.1

Moving to Dallas and what you need to consider along with other helpful tips and resources. If your recent home purchase has brought you to Dallas, TX, you are in luck. This bustling city has all of the charm and fun needed to feel right at home. Before you feel like a real Dallas local though, you may need some help getting the lay of the land and figuring out where to go for assistance. That’s where this all-inclusive guide to Dallas will come in handy as you settle into your new life in this amazing city.

How to Move Your Limited Liability Company to Another State

How to properly announce your business move?

Registering an official Limited Liability Company in Texas.

Domesticating your business in another state.

Get in touch with Multi Business Solutions for trade, real estate, or commercial construction

Easing The Move for Pets

Unpacking and getting organized.

New home checklist.

Self-storage in Dallas.

Finding Local Parks for Families

Attractive parks in Dallas.

Best dog parks in Dallas.

Locating Schools & Doctors for Children

School district information.

Pediatricians in Dallas.

Adjusting to a new city and a new house after a move can be stressful. But it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming for your family. Just keep these resources available as you plan and process the last steps while moving to Dallas and give yourself some peace of mind.

Photo Credit: Unsplash

Multi Business Solutions helps businesses thrive by offering product sourcing, real estate investment, and commercial construction services.

15 Tips for Finding Success With Your First Vacation Rental Purchase

Are you contemplating your very first vacation rental purchase but aren’t sure where to begin? Now is a terrific time to purchase investment properties, so snag the opportunity to dive in! Read on for tips and resources to ensure your entry into vacation rentals is a smooth and successful one.

Ready Your Finances

Preparing your finances ensures that you start out on the right path. With a sound budget, you proceed confidently towards choosing a great property.

• Multi Business Solutions can assist you in all your vacation property inquiries.
• Mortgage rates are especially low right now, so it’s a great time to buy.
• Qualifying for financing is more challenging when you’re purchasing a property you won’t live in.
• If you have mistakes in your past, spruce up your credit score before you go too far.
• Calculate a general budget for your purchase.
• Before shopping too seriously, explore how location affects the success of a vacation rental.
• Determine how much you can charge for renting out your space.

Safeguard Your Investment

Once you find that perfect place, you want to make sure your investment is well-protected. There are a few key ways to do this.

• Verify the credit and criminal history of any prospective renters. 
• Consider having a security system installed at the property.
• Outdoor lighting can also improve security.

Be Smart About Marketing

After going to the trouble of finding the perfect place and installing a measure of protection, you need to draw renters to your place. Ensure you attract the cream of the crop, and keep them coming back.

• Offer amenities that guests are looking for.
• Just like with home sales, curb appeal matters when you’re marketing a rental.
• Weigh whether you will manage the property yourself or hire a pro.
• Get high-quality photos to show off your rental’s best traits.
• Choose popular platforms for getting the word out about your vacation rental.

It’s a terrific time to purchase a vacation rental property. Frame up a strong financial picture, and when you find “the one,” safeguard and market your investment well. You’ll be set up for success, thanks to your proper planning and preparation.