It’s the age of the Internet. From a needle to a jumbo jet, one can find anything and everything online. If you have a business, be it of any kind or size, chances are you have a beautifully designed to showcase and market your products. It acts as your storefront for prospective consumers. Now imagine having a store which is almost always inaccessible because of construction, repairs, maintenance, etc. It doesn’t bode well for your business. Does it?

A web hosting service provider can help you keep your website up and running. They work round the clock to protect your website from any disaster and aid you in running your business smoothly.

Benefits of Web Hosting Services

A good web host is a much-needed investment and one that comes with many benefits.

Dependability and higher uptime

These two factors combined tell you about the running time of your website. As a thumb rule, website hosting services across the board promise 99.9 percent uptime. This means that you will rarely face an issue where your website is inaccessible due to some technical issues or maintenance problems.

Constant downtime can turn your users towards your potential competitor and result in revenue loss. Therefore, before signing a contract with a service provider, do go through their policy and guidelines and check if they offer any guarantee for unexpected or more than regular downtime.

Storage and bandwidth

If you are running a business online, chances are you will need unlimited space and bandwidth to support your expansion. Some WordPress website hosting service providers offer both under dedicated hosting plans. However, shared hosting plans and VPS offers you limited storage and can only handle a fixed volume of traffic. Any more than that and you will be able to notice a drop in your website’s performance.

Robust customer support

This is something that ranks lowest on anyone’s priority list when choosing a WordPress hosting company in India. Probably because no one thinks they will have a use for it. Its requirement becomes quite evident when you find yourself in a puddle right before a major event.

That is why you must do a test run to check if the service provider’s customer support is responsive and their turnaround time. It is to ensure that your issues are dealt with quickly, and you do not face excessive downtime.

Domain Management

It is quite possible that when you started your business, you had just one registered domain to your name. As such, you chose a web hosting plan that was good for a single domain. However, gradually as your business evolves and expands, you may need to own more domains or subdomains to support your main website.

Therefore, it will be best to opt for a service provider that offers you a plan with the possibility to host multiple domains at once. They must also be equipped with domain management tools for effective managing.

To run your business in the digital era, it’s important to hire the right website hosting service provider. Thorough research of all options is critical to making a sound decision.

In any organization, one function that is highly underrated is the Human Resources [HR] department. There is a misconception that the HR department is only responsible for executing formalities related to ‘joining & relieving’ of employees. Contrary to popular belief, the HR department plays a pivotal role in ensuring that qualified & talented candidates are on-boarded so that company hiring goals & objectives are met. The HR team is normally the one who is responsible for screening of resumes & shortlisting the right candidates. However, that is a very difficult task as the team has to scan through a number of resumes.

The other challenge is that the HR team needs to co-work with the technical teams from different divisions since multiple projects execute in parallel and each team has its unique set of requirements. Irrespective of the size of the organization, the HR department should operate on a ‘lean model’ so that the team can be empowered and in the process, your organization can also save costs. As an organization, you should always look for mechanisms through which the HR function can be optimized and one manner in which the optimization can be done is by forging a partnership with leading a placement company.

An experienced placement company adds experience and expertise to the HR function since the team in a reputed placement agency has experience with candidate screening, candidate selection, different types of interviews, etc. Placement agencies are much better when compared to direct recruitment agencies since they have a vast amount of experience that can complement the capabilities of your in-house HR team. They co-work as a team to fulfill your hiring objectives.

Let’s assume that your branch in Bangalore has vacancies in the IT department and you need someone who can look into IT recruitment. As a good placement agency has local teams in major cities of India, the local hiring requirement can be looked into by the team located in that city. This also reduces the amount of time your team in Bangalore spends on hiring. Once an employee is on-boarded, (s)he has to undergo orientation so that they know about the nitty-gritty of the organization. The placement agency can be instrumental in executing the orientation program since they work very closely with the resident HR team.

The placement agency can also collect valuable feedback from employees on a timely basis so that they can circulate the feedback to the management team. Such a feedback loop can help the organization in improving the processes and keeps the employee motivated on the job. Quality temporary staffing is used by organizations when they require staff for a project for a certain duration and do not intend to hire due to multiple reasons associated with the project.

As placement agencies have a good database of candidates with various skills & experience, they can support the HR team for temporary staffing requirements. When you are looking for a placement agency, you should opt for an agency that can provide end to end resource management services, Recruitment Process Outsourcing [RPO], Leadership training, temporary staffing solutions, etc. Such kind of placement agency can be an ideal partner for your organization as you can engage with them on a long-term basis.

Shopping online for office supplies has many advantages over brick and mortar stores. The prices are competitive, and there is continued support for a full customer satisfaction experience. In some cases, you will get better support online than you would in person. Office supplies are a special niche, catering to home and professional businesses.

From small things like staplers to larger pieces of equipment like copiers, there are plenty of reasons to prefer online shopping.

1. Reviews Will Change Your Mind

Reading reviews about office supplies you are interested in is a lot better than hearing about it from a random person. Consumers that leave reviews for products can key you into a lot of the pros and cons that you may have missed. Small things like requiring a firmware update for a copier can change a buying decision. Before you make a purchase on office supplies, look at the reviews to make sure it’s the correct choice. For bulk supplies, this is especially important since there are a larger amount of money exchanging hands.

2. Shop Without Any Pressure

Pushy salesmen are not helping when you are trying to get specific products. Most shoppers have a good idea of what they want and only reach out for help when needed. Online shopping for office supplies respects the intelligence of a customer by staying in the background while they shop. If help is needed, it is a few mouse clicks away. You’re under no pressure to make a purchase, so it is unlikely you’ll have buyers regret when getting office supplies.

3. It’s Easier To Compare Prices

You can cross prices for office supplies from multiple sources without leaving your home. This is the biggest benefit of buying the products online. Buyers also gain access to valuable sale, clearance and liquidation information. This is the simplest way to find out if you’re overpaying for office supplies. And if time isn’t a factor, wait it out for an upcoming sale that may be online only. Using all of these smart buying practices will get you the best deal possible when making a purchase online.

4. Bulk Shopping Is Your Friend

Businesses of all sizes benefit from bulk shopping. You get a discount for buying products in bulk, a process that can help with the completion of time-sensitive projects. When you are trying to get everything done quickly, the last thing you want to deal with is delays with ordered products. It can be catastrophic for businesses if their supplies come from multiple sources with different delays. Keep it all in one package and get the benefit of a discount for ordering in bulk.

Wrap Up

A larger selection will always be available online, so you will always get a better variety of choices. Shopping for office equipment does not have to be a complicated project. Keep it simple by getting the best equipment available online and saving in other areas where it matters the most.

HDFC Capital Advisors, the real estate-focused fund management arm of HDFC Ltd, and new-age developer Tribeca have announced a platform to develop premium mid-income housing projects in Mumbai and Delhi NCR.  The platform will invest Rs. 500 crore through a combination of debt and equity into projects that Tribeca will develop.

This platform will leverage Tribeca’s asset light model of acquiring projects from existing developers through ‘Joint Venture’ and ‘Development Management’ structures, and seeks to benefit from the consolidation underway in the Indian residential sector. 

HDFC Capital has already invested Rs. 135 crore towards the first project in this platform, a 1 million sqft. residential project in Gurugram, to be developed by Tribeca. This project will feature an innovative master plan consisting of 600 homes in low-rise and mid-rise blocks around a 4-acre central forest.

Deepak Parekh, Chairman, HDFC said

Housing remains a crucial need in India and the demand for housing is expected to grow substantially with increased urbanization. HDFC’s endeavour is to participate in the huge opportunity of mid income and affordable housing in the country. We are committed to partnering with developers who are aligned with our vision and values.

We are happy to announce this investment with Tribeca, a new generation developer. This association will help address the demand-supply gap in affordable housing and will ensure that flexible financing is provided to quality developers.

Kalpesh Mehta, Founder of Tribeca Developers, said

We are excited to have HDFC’s support at this opportune time when India’s residential sector is witnessing significant consolidation. This partnership helps us materially scale up our business and gets us closer to our vision of building a product and customer centric residential brand.

Vipul Roongta, Managing Director and CEO of HDFC Capital Advisors, added

Tribeca is a new age developer that is bringing a fresh perspective to this industry. We are looking forward to back them to create what we believe will become a scalable platform.

For start-up owners, one of the last things you want to get bogged down on is furnishing your office. With a myriad of things to think about, most business owners simply want a functional office space, with practical furnishings that don’t break the bank.

However, creating an office space that both engages employees and impresses clients on a tight budget isn’t always straightforward. Here are seven clever tricks to furnish your office and create a practical and cool looking space on the cheap.

Rent Furniture

Office furniture on rent is a popular alternative to purchasing expensive new furniture. Start-up owners are increasingly turning to rented furniture for several reasons. Firstly, it is inexpensive. Rented chairs and desks are far cheaper than buying your own. Also, for businesses that are looking to expand quickly and may not be in the space for long, rented furniture is ideal because you don’t have to pay for removal costs.

Rental solutions can also help make your office space more comfortable. It is possible to pick up an AC on rent just for the warmer months. That way, you aren’t footing an expensive bill only to have the system sit idle when the weather cools.

Buy Second-Hand

A quirky, vintage piece can always lift an office space, particularly for clients. Pick up second-hand furniture pieces by trawling the classified ads. You will likely have to pay for transportation yourself but will save yourself some cash by not buying from an antique store.

Use Table Lamps for Lighting

Not only is overhead fluorescent lighting expensive, it is also unattractive and draining. Instead, light the office with more compact lighting solutions to create a warmer, more inviting workspace at a fraction of the price.

Invest in a Coffee Machine

Yes, you need it. It may be an extra expense, but it is worth it in what it provides your company in the form of increased productivity and employee satisfaction.

Chalk Board Paint

Covering a small wall in chalkboard paint and leaving chalk around is a fun, cheap alternative to a whiteboard and pens. It creates a striking look and provides a creative outlet for your employees, who can use the space to draw and write notes. Alternatively, it can be used for displaying important notices to the office. The black makes a nice break with the traditional corporate whiteboard and makes an office feel less formal.

Ditch the Art in Favor of Photography

Every office needs some design to break up the monochrome of a wall. But instead of investing in expensive office art, download a digital photo and have it printed and framed. Add your own custom effects for a more intricate design. Some office favorites are a close up of a flower or a leaf.

Keep it Clean

The best way to save money on office furniture is by increasing the longevity of the furniture you have. Keeping the office clean and tidy and looking after the items in your office will help them last longer, which means forking out on furniture replacements less often. Look after the furniture, and the furniture will look after your pocket.