Learn More about Cost Saving Strategies as a Small Business Entrepreneur

Mark Buikema, Trispective, LLC, shared ideas with 3 Degrees Connected Women's network on Thursday evening, October 15th. His advice was to keep things simple and build your Information Technology system as your business grows. He noted that he has worked with clients who felt it was necessary to spend large sums of money on fancy computer technology systems, but who had failed to build their customer base with the same gusto.


Mark has worked with small business entrepreneurs from 1 to 5 employees as well as clients who have 75 to 100 employees. He said that each client is unique in their needs and one size does not fit all. As he was giving advice on how to set up a system that works for your company, he indicated that it would be necessary to look at your specific needs rather than try to recommend a universal system based solely on the size of your company or number of employees. In this discussion he also talked about clients who felt that they had outgrown their current communication (phone) system only to be relieved when he shared the news that their current system could be modified to more closely match with their current needs. He has saved clients as much as $500 a month.


As small businesses, we are often constrained by income. We must closely evaluate what we spend our money on. Mark's message echoed that same philosophy having experience operating his own business for the past 15 years. One thing he recommended is that we periodically look at what we are spending our money on to determine if it is matching with the current needs of our businesses. We should call our cable, Internet, and telephone provider and renegotiate the terms of service, and often times due to competition, the provider will give you a better price. He recommends that we do this as often as every six months.


Mark talked about using a virtual phone system. We need to think outside of traditional means of communication through a phone system which may also include a fax machine. Many services are available over the Internet and many are reasonably priced. Mark talked about his own phone service; for as little as $30 a month, he can run his business without being constrained to an office. Whether he is at Starbucks talking with a client, or driving his car, his customer calls can be forwarded to him without knowledge of his whereabouts. He can also forward calls to several other employees who allow them to work without a specified schedule or location restrictions. Fax machines may also be an option that you can live without. Using a virtual phone system will allow a PDF file to be forwarded through email, the same as a traditional fax machine would have been delivered in printable form to your office. Even a hardcopy document can be scanned into your computer system and sent via email or through your 800-number service.


Women, or really any small business entrepreneur who might be working from home, may find it difficult to shut their business down at the end of the day. Mark indicated that the typical 8 to 5 job that once existed is no longer the norm for businesses today. Using a virtual phone system which you program according to your specific needs can allow you the flexibility of communicating with your customers after normal business hours. When you decide to end your normal workday, your customers can be routed to "live" operators to take your calls. These are all very important things to consider as a small entrepreneur so that your work does not create an unstoppable work environment which doesn't allow you to enjoy an evening with your family.


Thank you to Mark who provided valuable information to us all. Mark can be reached either by phone at 888 825-2001, or through his website which is found on the attached link: Trispective, LLC

Try out his "click to call" method found on his website to learn about one of the available features he has created through a virtual phone system. Mark is married to his wife, Sonya, and a father to two children who have taught him to "keep things simple and have fun."