Thinking of expanding or renovating your business? Perhaps buying that much-needed new equipment or making the necessary repairs to your store? Are you in need of new inventory or are you looking to higher new staff? And by the way, are you thinking of maybe moving forward on any of these methods of growing your business over the next 30 to 60 days?

Most business owners aren’t so sure about how to answer any of the above questions. Our experience has shown us here at Synergy Merchant Services, that the majority of entrepreneurs would like to go ahead and grow their businesses but simply cannot secure the extra working capital needed to do so.

As both our blog and the mainstream media made abundantly clear last week, going the traditional bank loan route is equivalent to travelling on a rocky road that ends with a road block. Simply put, it is becoming increasingly difficult for small to medium-sized businesses in Canada to get approval for these loans.

That’s where we come in. Our licensed funding specialists take great pride in providing business owners with the information they need to discover just how much money may be available to them without the hassle of putting up collateral. Avoiding the standard credit check in addition to supplying the litany of other documents, our approval process is literally the quickest way in which a Canadian business owner can get cash.

One of the reasons we are so curious to know if you are looking for cash over the next couple of months is because our ability to get you that cash is so efficient. Within just five business days, our clients are provided with their merchant cash advances as direct deposits into their business bank accounts.

Many of these same clients report that just finding out if they were approved or not by their local bank took about the same number of weeks. They also happily declare that getting approved for a merchant cash advance was among one of the most effortless experiences of their working careers.

A simple review of last year’s monthly merchant statements is all it takes to get a quote. Synergy can provide a business with up to 110% of their average monthly debit and credit sales volume. So consider what your approximate average is and you already have somewhat of an idea about how much money we can get to you before the week is out.

So if you can answer just one of the questions that were asked off the top of today’s blog, you know it’s time to contact one of our reps for the information you need to secure the working capital you need to grow your business.

For most of last year and even the past few months, all of the talk about the nation’s financial status has revolved around the recession and Canada’s recovery from it. While exchange of good and bad news took Canadians on somewhat of an economic roller coaster, it seems as if the ride has become a bit smoother as of late.

Thankfully, Anne-Marie Tobin of The Canadian Press had some more good news for Canadians as she reported earlier today that a certain group has increasingly grown its ability to become more dominant in a number of professions. That very special group is known as…women.

Says Tobin, “Women are making greater inroads in non-traditional occupations and fields of study, says a new study released Thursday by Statistics Canada on women in the workforce.” The study, which focuses on the ten-year period between 1996 and 2006 found that women went from being the minority to the majority in several fields.

Those fields include “human resources, as administrative services managers, machine operators in textiles, as managers in art, culture, recreation and sport, and in insurance and real estate sales.” Most impressive is the fact that women have made significant gains in occupations that are considered somewhat non-traditional. Tobin reports that the police force and firefighters have each increased their female population by 5%.

Kathryn McMullen, the co-author of the study had this to offer: “Certainly one of the major drivers, I think, has been the rising educational attainment of women, and changes in their fields of study at the university level. Beyond that, too, I think there’s been strong efforts in some fields, and I am thinking specifically now of police officers and firefighters, to actively recruit women into those occupations.”

And that’s not all. StatsCan also revealed that more women are being represented in the architecture, sales and the physical sciences fields. In fact, in the ten-year span that was studied, the number of female architects, urban planners and land surveyors grew from 17% to 25%.

As well, during the same period, the number of female sales, marketing and advertising managers grew from 25% to 34%. Physical science professionals went from being 24% female to 31%.

Said McMullen: “We know that women traditionally have been often in the retail sector, but now we see that they’re moving to the managerial level within that sector…They (women) have always dominated in the health fields and that’s largely because of nursing, but if we look at the post-secondary level in recent graduates, for example in 2007 … 60% of graduates from medicine — MDs, so largely family practitioners — were women compared to 43% in 1992.”

One of the most popular excuses for employees who arrive late to work is “the bus was running late”. And while no employer likes to ever hear an excuse, this one seems to be among the most legitimate reasons people show up at their jobs behind schedule. At least that is the case according to numerous frustrated TTC riders in Toronto.

The Toronto Star‘s Transportation Reporter, Tess Kalinowski reported earlier today that for the first time ever, TTC riders were given the opportunity to vent their frustrations about the services provided by “The Better Way” directly to the customer service advisory panel, face-to-face.

According to Kalinowski, the most popular complaints that riders aired out today at Bloor subway station were “dirty washrooms, drivers who take breaks while riders cool their heels, bunching on bus routes and drivers who fail to open the door at some stops.”

Among the seven panelists was Steve O’Brien, a hotelier and chair of the volunteer committee for TTC. Facing angered customers who have yet to forget about such incidents as the sleeping subway collector that made headlines not long ago, O’Brien summarized that communication is the largest issue in improving the transit experience on the TTC.

Said O’Brien: “Some of the systems the TTC has to communicate with are somewhat antiquated, and I know the TTC is working on upgrading systems. But it’s communication all the way around, and if you want to change the culture you’ve got to improve the communication.”

Kalinowski notes that the findings of today’s in-person panelist dicussion will be revealed in June. There were many constructive ideas presented at this unique meeting. One suggestion was for the TTC to place signs on buses when they are too full to carry more passengers. Many a rider have experienced very tiresome and agitating rides to work in the morning due to the many jam-packed buses that have surprisingly passed them by.

Another major complaint was aimed at bus drivers who pretend to not notice customers who are running to catch their ride. This is especially annoying during the winter season or periods of the year when there is bad weather. It is not uncommon to see some would-be passengers slip and fall on their hurried way to the bus, only to have it indifferently drive off without them on board.

As well, many riders are angered at the idea of a bus driver taking a break while riders are forced to sit and wait for the ride to continue at the driver’s convenience. Dufferin bus rider, Sharon Susin voiced her frustration with this situation.

Said Susin: “I’m sitting in the bus and I’ve got to get to work and another bus passes us while we’re still waiting for the bus driver to come from getting his coffee. That makes us passengers angry — rightly so. I do understand they need their coffee breaks but it should be done in a way that’s not inconveniencing passengers.”

The hope, of course, is that the Toronto Transit Commission will improve their services by addressing the many concerns brought up by the public at today’s meeting. After all, employers all over the city would love nothing more than to never again hear the “bus was running late” excuse.

When the Canadian dollar reached parity with the American greenback earlier this month, it sparked widespread concern that Canada’s exports would face a tougher time selling to foreign markets. With the stronger dollar came the impression that the increased cost of Canadian goods would make them a harder sell. However, Stefania Moretti of QMI Agency reports today that the opposite may be true.

According to her latest article on The Toronto Sun website, “goods and services will surge by 11% this year but earnings will still fall short of levels seen 10 years ago, according to Export Development Canada’s latest forecast.” The report insists that the global economy, Canada included, is not yet in recovery, but instead is in a “critical zone” that is on its way back to prosperity.

In his report, EDC Chief Economist Peter Hall exclaimed that “If recovery means a return to a reasonable level of economic activity, then multiple indicators suggest we are still well shy of the mark.” Even still, the EDC predicts that the global economy will experience a rise of 3.7% in 2010, which is a significant improvement from the 1.9% contraction of last year. A 4.2% expansion is expected for next year as well.

According to Hall, one of the reason’s that Canadian exports will rebound by 11% is the increased demand for goods from the United States. In addition, while not many economists agree with him, Hall also believes that the loonie will fall below parity by as much as 10 cents by the end of 2010.

Speaking a to a group representing Ontario’s recession-hit manufacturing sector at Toronto’s Sutton Place Hotel earlier today, Hall remarked that, “the dollar has been eating away at bottom lines in this province.” Evidently, the loonie’s rise to parity is not helping Canadian exporters beat the recession.

Nevertheless, Moretti reveals that Canada’s fertilizer, forestry, energy and metals sectors are all expected to post strong gains in 2010 helping to pave the way for recovery. She writes: “Energy exporting provinces will come in above the national average thanks to higher prices. New Brunswick, Alberta, Ontario, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador will all see growth of between 18% and 14% over the next 12 months, the EDC estimates.”

Clearly, Canada’s ability to export its goods and services will weigh heavily in the nation’s recovery process. It goes without saying that Canadians, along with the rest of the world, have had enough of the world’s economic crisis. For most everyday citizens, a return to a strong financial status means the creation of more job opportunities.

As usual, the Synergy Merchant Services Blog will keep watch of the nation’s economic recovery. We share the hopes of all Canadians as we look forward to a prosperous financial future for the nation.

With all of the talk in the mainstream media lately about the reluctance of Canada’s big banks to lend money to small businesses in the country, it’s only a matter of time before they are no longer considered the primary option for business owners.

For the past several years, Synergy Merchant Services has continued to grow by offering small to mid-sized Canadian business owners the extra capital required to help develop and expand their own companies.

We have been successful in doing so, by the way, without putting the owner through the long drawn-out process which is generally the norm at traditional banking insitutions. We proudly are able to fund our clients with merchant cash advances within five days of having their businesses approved. Quite often, when speaking to these clients, we discover that it took several weeks and sometimes even months for them to discover whether or not the bank would even approve their applications.

As the Financial Post made abundantly clear last week, more often than ever before, these applications are being turned down. Now, not only are we known for providing Canadian entrepreneurs with the quickest and most convenient way to get money that they will ever experience, but we also put business owners at far less risk than the big banks do.

Unlike the banks, we do not request any collateral or liens. So, of course, there is nothing for an owner to put on the line to potentially lose in the event of a default payment. As well, with our merchant cash advance program, there is no such thing as going in default as “late” payments are non-existent.

Upon first hearing of these major differences between the process of applying for a bank loan and trying to secure a merchant cash advance, most clients ask that all-too-familar question: “So, what’s the catch?”. We believe strongly that a “catch” is something that is hidden. And quite frankly, we have nothing to hide.

There is, obviously, a cost for the cash advance. Known as our “discount fee”, we tell our clients upfront the exact cost of the cash advance. That way, they know exactly how much they will have to pay back before even receiving their working capital five days later. There is no fixed repayment schedule, and as a result, there are no due dates that a business owner could possibly miss.

One thing we never do is call a business owner and make the proclamation that our program is “better” than a bank. We would never be so bold as to make such a statement. We want our clients to form their own opinions about which option they feel is better for themselves.

We feel that, with all fairness, if they actually have options to weigh against each other, they will be better equipped to decide what will work best for their businesses. One thing is for sure though.

Synergy Merchant Services is not in the business of declining business owners at the rate the banks do. It starts with you speaking to one of our licensed funding specialists who will review your Visa, MasterCard and Interac sales at no cost to you in order to provide you with the quote you need to make the decision that could change your business forever.

Just last week, the Synergy Merchant Services Blog visited the topic of city retailers fighting to stay open during the holidays, in an effort to cash in on potentially large sales days. And just yesterday, Urban Affairs Bureau Chief, David Rider reported in The Toronto Star that Toronto stores may have just gotten their wish.

Writes Rider: “The economic development committee voted 5-1 Thursday in favour of removing an oft-flouted rule that makes it illegal for most Toronto stores to open on New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, Easter Sunday and Family Day.”

Committee chair Kyle Rae noted that with Toronto’s multi-cultural population, not all of these nine holidays are observed by everyone. In fairness, he feels that residents deserve to make their own choices on how they would like to spend these days, and where they would like to spend them. Rae, who represents Ward 27, Toronto Centre-Rosedale, added that he generally celebrates Christmas Day by going to the movies.

Howard Moscoe of Ward 15, Eglinton-Lawrence, once opposed the concept of shopping on Sundays. Now, Moscoe intends on figuratively waving “the white flag of surrender”. He plans on voting in favour of holiday shopping when it goes to a vote in May, remarking that “it’s the right thing to do.” Moscoe acknowledges that his vote will respect and accommodate the differences and traditions of the people of Toronto.

Said Moscoe: “Society in Toronto has become that kind of civil society that we didn’t have when I grew up in Toronto as a kid. I think most employers will take their employees into account” if they exercise their legal right to refuse work on a holiday.”

Case Ootes of Ward 29, Toronto-Danforth, on the other hand, believes that Torontonians already have enough opportunities to go shopping throughout the rest of the year. “It’s only nine days a year,” he said, citing the difficulty in getting his entire family together for dinners on Sundays due to conflicting work schedules as a reason to vote against holiday shopping. “That doesn’t happen on these nine days,” he insisted.

John Kiru, the executive director of the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas, believes that opening up stores during the holidays is only fair. The ethnic diversity of the city, he believes, speaks to the fact that all citizens must be taken into account when passing laws meant for the city to follow.

To date, so-called “tourist zones” including Vaughan Mills and Pacific Mall, which both resignate just outside of Toronto’s borders, have allowed Torontonians to shop during the holidays. This, some argue, has provided an unfair advantage to some retailers.

However, in just a few more weeks, the rest of the city’s shops may have the playing field levelled. Things are a-changing. And it seems as if shopping in Toronto will be allowed on holidays after all.

Earlier this week, the Financial Post had a lot to say about the current state of banks and their lending policies to small business owners in Canada. And it’s bad. Business owners are finding it increasingly difficult to secure money through business loans as banks are seemingly taking less risk than they ever have before.

And while the Synergy Merchant Services Blog has visited this issue a number of times before, it is becoming more and more noticeable that the mainstream media is catching on to this trend.

In addition to John Greenwood’s “Stifled Growth” article from this past Monday’s edition of the Financial Post, Dan Kelly, the senior vice-president of legislative affairs for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, weighted in through his “Banks Taking Risk Less Often” article.

He comments upon the glaring reality that businesses with less than 50 employees are especially finding it difficult to gain financing through banks. Writes Kelly: “It appears the smaller the business, the wider the moat that separates it from the financial institutions upon which it depends to help create jobs and stimulate economic growth. This raises the question of how good or bad Canadian banks are at serving the needs of small business.”

As we previously reported, the CFIB recently conducted a survey of over 12,000 owners of Canadian small and medium-sized businesses. In a report entitled “Banking On Better Service”, the group evaluates the experiences of these owners to gauge the lending practices of banks for micro (0 to 4 employees), small (5 to 49 employees) and mid-sized (50 to 499 employees) businesses.

The results convincingly revealed that the big banks are not as reliable as they were once thought to be. Says Kelly: “As anyone with a rudimentary understanding of business knows, without sufficient access to financing, the staying power of a given business, not to mention its potential for growth, becomes jeopardized.”

Loan applications from small and mid-sized businesses are being rejected at the highest rate since 2000, he continues. In fact, one in five applications are being turned down. Clearly, this is not promising news to Canadian business owners who are considering getting some extra capital for renovations, expansion, new inventory or equipment and advertising.

The growth of small businesses in Canada, evidently, is not being well-supported by the nation’s big banks. As a result, two of them – CIBC and Royal Bank – have lost a large amount of their market shares. As Kelly notes, this indicates that “they have been neglecting their small business clientele.”

In his Financial Post article “Stifled Growth” from earlier this week, John Greenwood describes how banks are showing less and less faith in Canadian businesses and are therefore making their lending policies increasingly tight.

Greenwood writes that “a study by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business shows across Canada small and mid-sized businesses are a driving force in the economy, creating jobs and driving activity, yet the banks are often reluctant to extend the credit they need to flourish.”

The CFIB notes that an “alarmingly high” number of requests for lines of credit or loans from independent businesses are being turned down. In fact, the twenty-year period between 1989 and 2009 saw banks such as CIBC lose nearly half of its market share. This is a drop so big that according to the director of research at CFIB, Doug Bruce, “it raises serious questions about whether they’re doing it intentionally or because of competition.”

Bruce believes that the big banks are making it increasingly difficult for small business owners to develop relationships with their bank managers. This is often a key in getting loans approved. Says Bruce: “We advise our members to develop a relationship with the account manager and to keep an eye on the services the banks are providing and the fees they’re charging.”

As Greenwood explains, however, this relationship is not necessarily such an important key to have anymore. The centralization of decision making at financial institutions make it so that the funding request is often reviewed by someone who may never have even met the person applying for the loan.

One of the most startling revelations to come from the CFIB study is the fact that the highest rate of loan rejection is suffered by “micro-businesses” that employ up to four employees. About a quarter of applications from these businesses are turned down. Meanwhile, companies with five to 49 employees see a 16% rejection rate.

Overwhelming evidence shows that banks are simply saying “no” to business owners. Clearly, financial institutions such as CIBC and Scotiabank feel that lending to small to mid-sized businesses in Canada is too great a risk.

The time for Canadian owners of such businesses to look into the possibility of securing a merchant cash advance has never been so appropriate. Without the extra working capital needed to fund renovations, expansion, advertising and the purchase of new equipment and inventory, small and medium-sized businesses will not be able to assist the Canadian economy the way they have been known to in the past.

Says the CFIB study: “To lead Canada on a path to a healthy economic recovery in 2010 and future years, Canada’s small and medium-sized enterprises must not be hindered in their ability to focus on jobs and growth.”

We would like to touch further on our “Banks Not Servicing Small Businesses” blog from last week. As we mentioned, upon first hearing about Synergy Merchant Services’ cash advance program, many Canadian business owners reply that they can simply “go to the bank” if ever they are in need for money. This common misconception, we have come to understand, is based solely on the familiarity that people have with associating banks with money and nothing more.

The truth of the matter is, a small business owner in Canada cannot simply “go to the bank” for money anymore. In the small business section of yesterday’s Financial Post, John Greenwood unveils the glaring realities of today’s funding policies practiced by banks. In his article “Stifled Growth”, Greenwood outlines just how difficult it is for entrepreneurs to grow their businesses with the help of a bank.

One of the many things that our licenced funding specialists encourage our clients to use their cash advances for is renovations. Greenwood presents the story of Mark and Christina Bridgren, the owners of a three year-old sports and gardening equipment store who recently decided to do just that.

Like most small business owners in Canada, the Bridgrens figured that they could just “go to the bank” to secure a bank loan in order to grow their business, which had been enjoying increased success through the sales of their much sought-after inventory. Thinking that a loan of $25,000 would be just about right for their renovations, the Bridgrens had their sights set on taking their business to the next level.

The mid-40s couple was told by their local bank, however, that they had not been in business long enough. They tried another bank, only to be told that Mr. Bridgren’s credit rating was not up to snuff. Apparently, a late credit card payment from four years prior was enough to do the Bridgrens in. That is, of course, unless the couple was willing to put up their family cottage as collateral.

Mr. Bridgren’s response says it all: “I told them to go fly a kite. It’s so frustrating. Our customer base is soaring and we have the opportunity to grow, but you need a little capital to make it all come together, but the banks won’t help you.”

Sadly, many other Canadian business owners are finding themselves in the same boat as the Bridgrens. Their trusted banks, with whom they have maintained long-standing relationships, are continually shutting them down when seeking the necessary assistance to grow their businesses.

Meanwhile, Synergy Merchant Services stands steadfast behind its policy to require no collateral, liens or credit checks for the purpose of approval for our merchant cash advance program. With so many entrepreneurs in need of extra working capital to help their businesses grow, it appears as if going the traditional bank route is only cause for stifling that growth.

With April in full swing, many people are already basking in the sunshine and thinking about the summer ahead. For some, it feels as if the fresh spring air is symbolic of a fresh start. So, of course, one of the most popular activities to partake in, at this time of year, is “spring cleaning”. Getting set for the summer by getting rid of the clutter can help invigorate you and feel renewed.

For businesses, this is especially an important task as it prepares companies to start a brand new season of opportunity. As Alyssa Gregory pointed out earlier this month on SitePoint.com, when businesses partake in spring cleaning, it helps to “shake off the winter woes and get a renewed enthusiasm for the season of growth and new beginnings.”

Many believe that when you unclutter your physical surroundings, it helps to clarify your goals and better prepare you for your next step. Organization is key to running a successful business. Gregory lists a number of steps that can be taken so that your business can utilize the concept of spring cleaning to clear a path to a brighter future.

“Clean of your desk”, she writes. The simple task of having a neat and tidy workstation will ensure that your assignments are completed free of distraction. Sometimes, employees get caught up in what feels like an overwhelming number of different projects simply because they cannot remember just how many they have to complete. Unkept files and miscealleaneous documents strewn all over a desk is only cause for confusion.

Ensuring that you are organized will help you stick to a schedule that will allow time for all of your tasks to be completed. Gregory writes that workers should “get rid of ‘rolling’ tasks by getting them done, delegating the work or removing them from your list entirely.” Procrastination, evidently, is an example of clutter and disorganization.

Gregory also recommends that you “freshen up your business card, website and other marketing materials”. Your business can appear out of date, behind the times and even off the market (to use a few catch phrases) when things do not look updated. It is also a good idea to “review client agreements, and act on any revisions/renewals that need to be made.”

Keeping your contact list up to date, sometimes means making contact with those on the list. “Touching base” helps your clients remember that you haven’t forgotten them. This encourages loyalty in addition to potentially re-opening doors for further business with these clients.

“Schedule a meeting with a colleague, or even competitor, to explore a collaborative effort,” says Gregory. Sometimes the creation of a new project or joint venture is just what is needed to provide that extra boost to your company during the advent of a new season.

Of course, there are many ways that businesses can being their own spring cleaning regiments. If you haven’t begun yours yet, you might want to get to it. You may just find that it will help for your upcoming summer to be your most successful season yet.

Yesterday, the Synergy Merchant Services Blog visited the concept of keeping your phone manner as pleasant as possible for the benefit of your business. A courteous and professional approach to answering your business line is a surefire way to make a good impression. Considering that the way in which your phone is answered is the first impression you can give of your company, it is imperative to make sure that it is done properly.

To be honest, this topic drew our interest when a staff member commented on a number of outdated voice messages he received when calling certain businesses. Susan Ward of About.com agrees that keeping your phone greetings (be they live or recorded) accurate and attentive is of great importance to the success of a company’s image.

Revisiting some of the many useful tips that she provides business owners, Ward also advises that the taking of telephone messages should be done in a complete and concise way. The only way to make a favourable impression when returning a call is make sure that you know exactly who you are calling and what the nature of the call is.

She writes that if there is something you do not understand and can’t spell – important things such as someone’s last name – you ask the caller to repeat or spell it so that the right message gets to its intended recipient. It is also a good idea to return phone calls within one business day.

Writes Ward: “I can’t emphasize this one enough. Remember the early bird? The early caller can get the contract, the sale, the problem solved… and reinforce the favorable impression of your business that you want to circulate.”

Another great suggestion that so many businesses tend to forget is to ask the caller if it is okay to put him or her on hold. Simply saying, “please hold” can be taken as rude and abrupt, not to mention, annoying. Also, be sure to not keep the caller on hold for too long. If necessary, return every 30 to 45 seconds, simply to offer choices such as, “He is still on the other line, would you like me to have him call you back?”. This courtesy will be much appreciated.

Avoid the speaker phone, if possible, says Ward. They give callers the impression that they do not have your full attention. It also implies that the call is not private and may make the person who is on speaker uncomfortable. A speaker phone should only be used when more than one person needs to take part in the conversation on one end and all parties are aware that the feature is being used.

Finally, all of the tips from today and yesterday’s blog would not be useful if everyone in your company who answers the phone wasn’t trained to adhere to them. You may even want to call your own business yourself just to make sure the phone is being answered in the professional manner that you trained. Following these tips will keep the impression of your company a top-notch one for years to come.

Today is Thursday, April 15th, 2010. So what impression would you get of a business if you called one today and received the following voice greeting?: “Hello. I will be out of the office until March 31st , so please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as I return.”

Or how about this one?: “It’s Monday, April 5th, and I’m not my desk at the moment. Leave a message at the tone and I’ll return your call when I’m back. Have a good day.” Why is it that some people who own businesses do not complete the simple task of updating their voice greetings on their business lines? An outdated outgoing message immediately leaves the impression that your business does not necessarily function all that well.

Susan Ward of About.com discusses the various ways in which proper phone etiquette can be maintained to keep the impression of your business a great one. She writes that “phone answering skills are critical for businesses” as the telephone still represents a company’s “primary point of contact with customers.”

How you answer the telephone is the first impression given of your business. So, naturally, this is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Ward insists that following a number of her tips will help prove that you run a “winning business.”

The first tip is to answer all incoming phone calls before the third ring. This helps to provide the impression that you are on the ball and not neglectful of your customer base. You want to provide service that is dependable and efficient. Ward also advises that you answer the phone in a warm and enthusiastic manner.

Welcome callers in a courteous way while identifying yourself and your business, she insists. Your greeting should make it so that no one ever has to question if he or she has contacted the right place.

“Enunciate clearly,” writes Ward, “keep your voice volume moderate, and speak slowly and clearly when answering the phone, so your caller can understand you easily.” It’s frustrating for customers who are seeking information or assistance when they are greeted by someone who appears as if they will be of no service.

In addition to making yourself understandable and clear, you should also refrain from using any slang or jargon. Ward believes that one should maintain a business-appropriate vocabulary that also sounds positive and upbeat. Do your best to highlight what your company can do as opposed to what it cannot. So, for example, use phrases like “I’d be happy to find out about that for you” instead of “I don’t know”.

Remembering that the ways in which you answer your business line represent the first impression that your business gives, it is important to not only update your outgoing message but ensure that you update your approach to your own personal greeting. We will continue to visit this topic in tomorrow’s blog. Thanks for calling!

Earlier this month, many people celebrated the Easter weekend by spending time with their families and friends. Some enjoyed big meals and large gatherings while others took time off to relax. And whether it was time to celebrate the occasion or not, most people revelled in the fact that they got an extra day off from work.

For most people, statutory holidays are welcomed times of the year that translate into long weekends. For others, it provides the ideal time to go shopping. Or at least it would be if stores were actually open on these holidays. Yesterday, Paul Moloney of the Urban Affairs Bureau reported on The Toronto Star‘s website that retailers are now pushing for the City of Toronto to allow them to stay open during the nine holidays throughout the year.

Including such days as Christmas and New Year’s Day, these holidays are traditionally days when nearly all stores are closed for business. And while many would not even consider shopping on these days, many others would find it ideal. Whether or not there will be a change in the forseeable future is anyone’s guess at this point.

Representing the retailers who are petitioning city hall for the law change that would allow for holiday shopping is John Kiru. Kiru is the executive director of the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas, representing some 27,000 businesses in the city.

“People want the choice, that’s the real issue,” said Kiru, who will bring his debate to the economic development committee next week to then go on to council for a final decision in May.

As Moloney informs us: “City council gained control over store hours when the City of Toronto Act came into effect in 2006. However, councillors decided to leave things as they had been, with holiday openings only for the Eaton Centre, Yonge St. strip, Yorkville, Harbourfront and the Distillery District.”

Kiru points out, however, that there has been neither enforcement nor any charges laid against retailers outside of the aforementioned areas. Added Kiru: “The situation has been very ambiguous. A week before any of these holidays, I’ll be getting hundreds of calls from people asking, ‘Can I stay open, why can’t I stay open?’ People have felt like criminals in trying to stay open during tough economic times when they felt they could make a few bucks.”

It is perhaps this building-of-the-economy argument that may make for Kiru’s strongest case on behalf of retailers across Toronto. Malls that are just outside of Toronto such as Vaughan Mills and Pacific Mall are granted the “tourist designation” allowing them to remain open during the holidays.

According to Councillor Kyle Rae who chairs the economic development committee, this steals business from malls in Toronto. Said Rae: “Members of council are not leading on this one. When it comes to this issue, for some reason members of council don’t want to make any change. But the city’s changing and the neighbourhoods are changing.”

Many of our clients have admitted that they did, at one time, trust their banks to support their businesses if and when the time called for it. Business owners all across Canada most often reply that they can simply “go to the bank for money” if it is needed for their businesses. However, following the global-wide recession, more and more business owners are finding that their banks are not so dependable after all.

It’s no secret that securing a business loan is not the easiest task in the world for entrepreneurs. Having to put collateral on the line, going through a credit check and offering up a detailed business plan are all pieces of the puzzle that must be put in place in order to simply get the ball rolling. The risk is greater on the side of the borrower, as the lender does everything in its power to ensure that it does not lose on the deal.

Even still, banks are growingly hesitant to lend money to businesses. This is especially true for small businesses which are often heraled as the backbone of the national economy. Today, the QMI Agency reports that a survey conducted by the Confederation of Independent Business found that Canada’s largest banks are failing to serve the needs of small businesses in the country.

According to the report, the “Banking On Better Service” survey polled 12,124 Canadian business owners to assess “the banks on financing, fees and services across three categories of business, micro, small and mid-sized.”

Said CFIB President, Catherine Swift: “When you consider that micro size businesses alone account for over three-quarters of the businesses in Canada, you would think that it would be in a bank’s best interest to serve them well, especially considering their role in job creation and economic growth.”

Of all banks, CIBC was revealed to be the worst when it came to servicing micro and small businesses. Ironically, however, it placed first in servicing medium-sized companies with between 50 and 499 employees. Given an overall rating of 0.9, CIBC lost out to credit unions and Scotiabank which scored 7.5 and 5.5 respectively.

In addition, the survey revealed that the nation’s biggest banks have been losing market share in the small business sector in favour of credit unions. RBC, National Bank and CIBC have all seen their shares of the small business market drop significantly over the past two decades, while Scotiabank and credit unions have doubled their share.

And while we have always believed this, Synergy Merchant Services is confident that there couldn’t be a better time than the present for small to medium-sized business owners across Canada to look into the merchant cash advance as an option for extra working capital.

With far less hassle to experience during the application process and much less risk placed on the business owner, the merchant cash advance is a funding option that will only continue to get more popular over the next several years.

This morning, Synergy Vice President of Marketing, John Meloche rallied the troops and offered up to his staff some of the best advice an office manager could give. Speaking to the fact that it was a Monday morning, the seemingly always-lively John shared his method of ensuring that every morning, he is energetically prepared for his day of work.

We know that no matter where you work, Monday morning isn’t exactly the easiest time of the week. After either a relaxing or party-filled weekend, most people don’t get overly excited about waking up on Monday to prepare themselves for the first day of the work week. This doesn’t apply to John, however. In addition to loving his job, John also has managed to develop a failsafe regiment that always puts him in the best physical and emotional mood.

Firstly, John shared with his team the sound of his wake-up alarm. And it’s not what you would generally expect. Instead of the often-irritating noisy alarm sound that awakes most people from their slumbers, John’s wake-up call is a single peaceful strum of a harp. We’re not kidding. And it actually wakes him up!

John’s insistence that this is the perfect sound to wake up to lies in the fact that the harmonic and graceful tone sets the mood for his entire day. He doesn’t wake up agitated or annoyed but instead, is at peace and happy about the day ahead. John is a big believer that moods – like colds – are contagious. Therefore, he does his best to ensure that he walks into the Synergy offices each morning with a smile on his face and an exuberant approach to his interactions with his employees.

This way, believes John, his mood will catch on with the rest of his team, providing a joyful atmosphere for all to work in. This, of course, fosters a more productive work day from everybody. Perhaps, it is this productivity that inspires John to get to work early each day.

Ehow.com agrees that “to overcome the Monday blues” one should plan ahead and set a goal for the very reason to get out of bed on Monday morning. When you have developed an incentive to get out of bed, it will help with the wake-up process.

It may sound cliché, but breakfast is the most important meal of the day. John insists that you make it a hot breakfast as well. This gets the body going and the blood flowing, he says. The energy derived from a good, hot breakfast is also a requirement to get you through the day.

John also loves to discuss what the members of his team did over the weekend. Think about starting your Monday morning meetings with this topic in an effort to put your staff at ease. In Ehow.com’s steps to overcoming the dreariness of a Monday morning, it also suggests sharing exciting news with your friends and co-workers to help get you get in the mood for your Monday morning.

Most important, perhaps, is the site’s advice to “embrace the day (and) remember that it is not going to last forever. If you keep a positive attitude throughout the day, it will go much faster and you won’t have to endure the Monday blues.”