Reputation.com Review: Best Reputation Management Service for Business

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After conducting extensive research and analysis of reputation management services, we recommend Reputation.com as the best reputation management service for businesses.

Why Reputation.com?

Ease of use

Some of the qualities that were very important to us when narrowing down reputation management services were the simplicity of navigating each company's website, and the transparency about the capabilities and prices of the services offered. We found that most companies don't explain their methodology or list any of their pricing information, and when they do, it's difficult to find. 

Reputation.com, on the other hand, is incredibly easy to navigate. There is a wealth of information about the company's reputation management process available on the website, and everything is laid out in a clear and streamlined manner. The company offers a learning center that explains what reputation management is and why it's important, along with webinars and a free download of its business reputation "success guide."

The only problem we had with Reputation.com was that not all of the pricing information was clearly outlined. However, most of this information was available, and the company was quick to give us detailed information about its pricing when we called. Weighed against the rest of the website's pros and our experience with other companies, we did not consider this to be a major downside. For more on choosing a reputation management service, see our 2015 Buyer's Guide.

Services offered

Reputation.com offers two different services for businesses: a general reputation management platform, and ReputationDefender, a service that focuses mainly on fixing negative search results. Both options have different features and different prices. 

If you are already dealing with a reputation disaster, ReputationDefender is the service you need. This service helps suppress negative search results, including newspaper articles, images and videos, private legal or financial information, blog posts and other website content. With ReputationDefender, you'll work with a reputation adviser to strategize and map out your goals. You will discuss and agree on a content strategy, which Reputation.com will then develop, publish and optimize with your approval. Over time, the addition and optimization of positive content should push down the negative content, making it less visible to people searching for information about your business. The amount of content required to effectively hide your negative search results depends on the severity of the problem, and pricing adjusts accordingly.

For new businesses or those looking to build up their reputation and prevent a crisis, Reputation.com's overall reputation management platform is the way to go. This service covers all of the major reputation management tactics, including online-review management, SEO and social media management. Reputation.com uses SEO to make sure your accurate business information is available on all of the top business listing sites and even scores your reputation against that of your local competitors, so you can see how you compare. You're given access to a dashboard where all of your online reviews and top social media profiles (Facebook, Twitter, and Google+) are available, and you'll get customizable email alerts when new reviews are posted or if anything changes. 

With the reputation management platform, Reputation.com also offers fully managed campaigns for reviews and social media that includes responding to reviews, reaching out to customers to gain more reviews, optimizing and posting to social media, and responding to users on social media. Everything in the platform is cloud-based, so you can access your information from anywhere. The platform also has a mobile app for even easier access on the go.

It's also worth noting that Reputation.com also offers reputation management services for individuals; you can read more about those services on the company's website. 

Unique features

Along with all of the typical reputation management services listed above, Reputation.com has solutions tailored to different business industries. Although the core features offered are the same, your reputation advisers will work to make sure your business's specific niche needs are met. The industries covered include automotive, dental, health care, hospitality, property management, restaurants and retail, but the company's services will work for any business. These tailored services were hard to find at most other reputation management companies.

One unique aspect of Reputation.com is its review "kiosk" feature. When using the reputation management service, clients are given a customized tablet kiosk to use on-site at their business. The tablets help businesses collect reviews from customers before they leave the business, as opposed to waiting for customers to potentially post to Yelp or other review sites at a later time. The interface is easy to use — it's one simple screen that asks for a rating, review and some basic information about the customer. If a customer enters a negative review, it's sent to your Reputation.com management team, and if the customer enters a positive review, the customer is prompted to post it online. Reviews entered into the kiosk can also be posted on your website, Facebook page and other sites. This is a great way to quickly boost your online reviews and ratings, and yet another stand-out feature that we couldn't find anywhere else.

Customer service

We were impressed by Reputation.com's customer service — both online and over the phone. Reputation.com has a great live-chat feature on its website that you can open by clicking the link under the phone number on the top-right corner of any page. This is the perfect way to ask basic questions about the website (for example, if you can't find the information you're looking for) or the services offered, without making a phone call. If the agent you're chatting with can't help you directly, he or she will direct you to someone who can help you over the phone. When we tested out the live-chat feature, the response time was quick, and the wait time was less than a minute.

Alternatively, you can call to speak to an agent directly, and getting through to a representative is fairly simple. The phone-system menu is short, with only a few options, and thus is easy to navigate. When we called, it took only a minute or two to be connected with a representative. Initially, we spoke to a representative who asked us what we were looking for, and then we were connected with another representative who was better suited to answer our questions. The second representative we spoke with was thoughtful and thorough in answering questions about how the reputation management process works, and gave detailed explanations of the company's services, pricing and more. What impressed us most was that, at the end of the call, the representative offered to send over an email summary of everything we discussed, and the information was in our inbox by the time we got off the call. 

Pricing

Compared to other online review management companies, Reputation.com's pricing was reasonable, with its base package starting at $2,500 for one year. Pricing depends on which service you use (ReputationDefender or the company's reputation management platform) and the severity of any reputation issues you may be facing. All prices are annual, with the exception of the review kiosk fee. Here's a breakdown of Reputation.com's pricing:

ReputationDefender

With ReputationDefender, there are five different prices, ranging from $3,000 to $15,000 per year, depending on the plan you select:

• Defender 3000: For moderately high severity, this comes with 30 commercial website postings, four customized websites and 10 content refreshes. Cost: $3,000 per year.
• Defender 5000: For issues with high severity, this level comes with 40 commercial website postings, six customized websites and 20 content refreshes. Cost: $5,000 per year.
• Defender 7500: For very high severity, this package comes with 40 commercial website postings, eight customized websites and 20 content refreshes. Cost: $7,500 per year.
• Defender 10000: For extremely high severity, this includes 50 commercial website postings, 10 customized websites and 30 content refreshes. Cost: $10,000 per year.
• Defender 15000: Also for extremely high severity, this package comes with 60 commercial website postings, 12 customized websites and 30 content refreshes. Cost: $15,000 per year.

Each service comes with a tailored content strategy, a dedicated reputation advisory team and regular progress reporting. 

Reputation management platform

For Reputation.com's reputation management platform, there are two subscription levels: Gold and Platinum. The Gold level costs $2,500 per year, and Platinum costs $4,500 per year. Both offer essentially the same major features and services, but there are some major differences between the two packages.

With the Gold package, Reputation.com won't respond to negative reviews on your behalf, and the company won't post or build up your social media presence for you or respond to social posts on your behalf. (You will still be able to access and manage your social media accounts from the dashboard.) With the Platinum package, all of these tasks are covered. In addition, clients that use the Gold package will have their business info populated in 10 different online business listings, whereas the Platinum package includes 20 listings. 

For both packages, there is also a onetime setup fee of $199 for use of the review kiosks, in addition to the annual costs.

Other things to consider

While researching Reputation.com, we did come across some negative reviews about the company on various websites, like Ripoff Report and the Better Business Bureau. However, many of these negative reviews are a few years old, and several of them did not make substantial claims about what went wrong. Some clients seemed to complain of minor billing issues, while others didn't like that not all of their negative search results were effectively hidden or removed, or that it would take more time or cost more to effectively solve this problem. In these cases, it is important to note that each reputation management situation is different, and companies that use legal, white-hat tactics cannot always hide or remove negative search results. This is a risk that any client using an online reputation management service takes. 

Finding negative reviews was concerning, and it is something that potential customers should be aware of. However, we still recommend Reputation.com as the best online reputation management service for businesses, due to the nature of the reviews, as well as all of the good features it offers, including its great customer service, reasonable prices and unique services, like customized review kiosks. 

Runner-up: Reputation X

If you're looking for an option that starts at a lower price*, we recommend Reputation X. The company offers many of the same services as Reputation.com to help you build and grow your brand online while also preventing (or handling the aftermath of) reputation management disasters. Reputation X's website is easy to navigate, clearly spells out the company's methodology and ethics concerns, and lists prices for each service it offers and how difficult your situation is to manage. We also like that Reputation X offers a free analysis tool on its website. Prospective clients can sign up for this service — no credit card required — to score their online reputation. We tested this tool, and it's quick to set up and easy to use. 

However, although Reputation X offers many of the same great features as Reputation.com and more, it may not be the best choice if customer service is of high importance to you. We tried several times to get a representative on the phone but were directed to voicemail each time. 

*It's important to note that Reputation X is not necessarily less expensive than Reputation.com, as it depends on the type of service you require. Prices range from a onetime fee of $499 for the most basic plan (much less expensive than Reputation.com's most basic business plan) to monthly fees of more than $10,000 per month for the most challenging cases (much more expensive than Reputation.com's price-range estimates). 

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Is This the Right Job For You? 7 Questions to Ask

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It takes much more than the right skills to be successful with a new employer. Making sure you mesh with the company culture is also a huge factor.

More than 60 percent of human resources managers have misjudged a candidate's fit with their company's work environment, while two-thirds said their organizations have lost an employee because he or she was not suited to the company culture, according to a study from the staffing firm OfficeTeam.

"Employers often focus on ensuring a skills fit when recruiting, but a corporate culture fit is equally important and more challenging to gauge," Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam, said in a statement. "Both hiring managers and candidates can ask questions during the interview to check that their values align."

To help job seekers, OfficeTeam outlines seven questions they should consider when assessing their fit with an employer's corporate culture:

1. What principles do you value? It will be hard to fit in if the company's values differ from your own. Check out the employer's website to learn more about its vision, philanthropic activities and awards. You can also ask the hiring manager about the employer's values.
2. Do you like working in teams? If you like collaborating with others, there is a good chance you'll enjoy working for a company that emphasizes teamwork. To get a better feel for how the company operates, ask questions during the interview about how often projects are finished as a group versus independently.
3. Are you a risk taker? If you're big on trying new ideas, a conservative organization might not be a good fit. Learn about the employer's recent initiatives to get an appreciation of its direction. Also, during your interview ask how much the company encourages employees to test out new concepts and practices.
4. What kind of environment do you work best in? Some employees prefer working in a quiet, closed office over one that has an open work environment. Be sure to check out the office setup when you're there for your interview.
5. Do you like socializing with co-workers? Ask if there are any fun company traditions and how milestones are celebrated to get a better sense of the company culture.
6. What perks are important to you? Since it's best to hold off on asking about perks until an employer actually offers you the job, try learning about what the company offers, such as flexible schedules or on-site services, by reviewing its job postings and website.
7. What are your long-term goals? Before working for a new employer, you want to make sure it is a good fit for your career objectives. Be sure to inquire about advancement opportunities, professional development and training options.

The study was based on telephone interviews with more than 300 HR managers at U.S. companies with 20 or more employees.

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6 Things Older Workers Can Do to Find a Job Faster

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While finding a new job is a difficult task for nearly everyone who has been unemployed, it's especially tough on older workers, new research finds.

Half of those between the ages of 45 and 70 who've been unemployed during the past five years are still out of work, according to a study from AARP. Specifically, 38 percent remained unemployed, while 12 percent decided to stop working.

"As the economy continues to recover and the unemployment rate falls, there are still far too many people struggling," Debra Whitman, AARP's chief public policy officer, said in a statement. "Many Americans want to work as long as possible, but our survey confirms that, once unemployed, it can take a long time for older workers to find a quality job."

Overall, 45 percent of jobseekers over the age of 55 were out of work for at least 27 weeks. The research revealed several strategies that could be contributing to the success of those who have been able to find new jobs.  

The reemployed were more likely than the unemployed to contact employers directly and to reach out to their networks of contacts to find jobs. By comparison, the reemployed were less likely to rely on relatives and friends to find out about job opportunities.

Other strategies that were effective for those who found work included:

• Using a headhunter
• Consulting professional associations
• Checking online job boards
• Using online social networks
• Visiting a public employment agency

When searching for new jobs, older workers need to be prepared to find a position in a new field. Occupational change was a common occurrence among the reemployed, with more than half having a job different from the one they had before becoming unemployed.

"Some of those 'occupational transitions' may have been the result of a decision to do work that was more personally rewarding and interesting," the study's authors wrote. "In most cases, however, the change was probably necessary to find a job."

Finding new jobs, however, didn't always translate into a return to normalcy for older workers.Among those who did find work, 48 percent were earning less money than in their previous jobs. The study revealed that the longer they were out of work, the larger the impact it had on their earning power. Nearly 60 percent of the reemployed who suffered a long-term spell of unemployment were earning less in their current job, compared with 41 percent who had been among the short-term unemployed.

While they may have suffered financially, not everything about their new jobs was a step backward for older workers.

Nearly half had better working conditions, while nearly 40 percent said the number of hours they worked and their shift were better. The study also discovered that roughly one-third of the reemployed said their current jobs provided more use of their experience, education and skills, more autonomy and more responsibility than their old jobs.

"As the results of this study indicate, the unemployment experiences of older workers are varied and their outcomes uncertain," the study's authors wrote. "More detailed analyses of the data are needed to help us better understand the plight of the older unemployed, even as the economy recovers, and to develop meaningful policies and programs to help them."

The study was based on surveys of 2,492 people between the ages of 45 and 70 who had been unemployed at some time during the past five years.

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The Best Graduate Schools for the Career You Want

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If you plan to continue your education after college, some schools will give you a better chance at future success than others, new research finds.

After analyzing the employment pattern of its nearly 350 million members, LinkedIn uncovered which graduate schools are the best at launching their students into successful careers at desirable companies.

For example, in order to find the best universities for software developers, LinkedIn identified the top companies where software developers choose to work and then found LinkedIn members who work as software developers. LinkedIn then checked where these members went to graduate school. Finally, for each graduate school, researchers discovered the percentage of alumni who've landed software development jobs at these top companies and then compared the percentages to come up with the list.

"These rankings are based not on what happens before or during school, but the career outcomes that follow graduation," Itamar Orgad, a product lead for higher education at LinkedIn, wrote on the social network's blog.

Here are the top three graduate schools for each of the nine professions analyzed:

Accounting professionals

• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• University of Texas at Austin
• University of Wisconsin-Madison

Designers

• Carnegie Mellon University
• University of Michigan
• San Jose State University

Finance professionals

• New York University- Leonard N. Stern School of Business
• Cornell University – Johnson Graduate School of Management
• Duke University - The Fuqua School of Business

Investment bankers

• New York University- Leonard N. Stern School of Business
• Yale University – Yale School of Management
• Georgetown University – The McDonough School of Business

Management consultants

• Harvard Business School
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Sloan School of Management
• Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management

Marketers

• Duke University - The Fuqua School of Business
• University of Michigan – The Stephen M. Ross School of Business
• University of North Carolina - Kenan–Flagler Business School

Media professionals

• Columbia University in the City of New York
• University of California, Berkeley
• Northwestern University

Sales professionals

• University of Michigan – The Stephen M. Ross School of Business
• University of Texas at Austin – Red McCombs School of Business
• Duke University - The Fuqua School of Business

Software developers

• Brown University
• Cornell University
• University of Washington

Software developers at startups

• Stanford University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Carnegie Mellon University

A more thorough list of schools for each profession is available on the LinkedIn website.

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Amazon Launches Unlimited Cloud Storage

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If you're looking for a cloud storage solution, Amazon is offering a couple of sweet deals for businesses.

Amazon announced that it is now expanding its Amazon Cloud Drive service by offering unlimited storage at a very affordable, small business-friendly price. These new unlimited plans allow businesses to securely store and automatically upload all the documents, multimedia and other files they could ever need, without worrying about storage limits.

Here's how Amazon's new unlimited cloud storage works and how your business can sign up.

Amazon is offering unlimited cloud storage by giving businesses a choice between two low-cost plans: the Unlimited Photos Plan or Unlimited Everything Plan. Both plans come with a free trial for three months, followed by a flat annual fee.

• Unlimited Photos Plan: Store and back up photo collections and free up space on phones, tablets, cameras, computers and other devices. Features include automatic uploads of future photos, as well as 5 GB of storage for other files, such as videos and documents. This plan costs $11.99 per year.
• Unlimited Everything Plan: Store and back up all types of files, from documents to photos, videos, movies, music and other content. This plan will set you back $59.99 per month

"With the two new plans we are introducing today, customers don't need to worry about storage space — they now have an affordable, secure solution to store unlimited amounts of photos, videos, movies, music and files in one convenient place," Josh Petersen, director of Amazon Cloud Drive, said in a statement.

Additionally, businesses that already use Amazon Cloud Drive can switch to one of the unlimited plans by logging into their accounts. Members of Amazon Prime and users of Fire devices who already have unlimited photo storage can also take advantage of the Unlimited Everything Plan to store content beyond just photos.

For more information about Amazon's new unlimited cloud storage plans and to sign up your business, visit amazon.com/clouddrive.

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The Best CRM Software for 2015

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Looking for a better way to manage and grow your small business? Customer relationship management (CRM) software can make all the difference. Whether you're looking for a robust CRM software solution, a simple one designed for very small businesses or a free version to fit your budget, there's a CRM software choice for you. Our staff researched and reviewed an extensive collection of CRM software products and picked out what we believe are the best for different types of small businesses.

Here is a roundup of our best picks and how we chose them.

Ready to choose a CRM software? Here's a breakdown of our complete coverage:

• CRM Software Buyer's Guide
• REVIEW: Best CRM Software for Small Business
• REVIEW: Best CRM Software for Very Small Business
• REVIEW: Best Free CRM Software

Best CRM Software for Small Business: Salesforce

Salesforce is an all-in-one, cloud-based solution that has everything you need in a CRM software. Although this software is typically associated with larger businesses and enterprises, Salesforce's small business edition lets you take advantage of the product's robust set of CRM tools and resources at an affordable, small-business-friendly price. Part of Salesforce Small Business Solutions, the platform is very easy to use and includes key features like lead generation, contact and opportunity management, sales forecasting, workflow automation, and much more. 

 

Best CRM Software for Very Small Business: Insightly

Insightly is a simple, but feature-rich CRM software fits the bill for microbusinesses. It has all the basic capabilities that really small businesses need in a CRM software, but is also highly scalable as your business grows. Additionally, Insightly is one of the most affordable CRM solutions available; there's a free version to help you get started, and paid plans start at a fraction of the price of comparable CRM software. 

Best Free CRM Software: Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM is powerful CRM software that doesn't compromise on capabilities just because you're not paying for it. Unlike other free CRM, Zoho CRM offers all the core functionalities of CRM software and lets you onboard up to 10 users at no extra cost. You'll also have access to your data anytime, anywhere using Zoho CRM's mobile app, without having to purchase a plan. 

Our methodology

To find the best CRM software for small business, we started by asking small business owners what CRM software they used, what their likes and dislikes were, and what they think makes the "perfect" CRM software. 

Next, we looked at CRM software that appeared on review sites, business websites and other reputable online sources. We also considered popular CRM software that we were familiar with or have heard about. 

The last steps of our research involved testing our top picks ourselves. This process included signing up for business accounts, trying out software demos, downloading mobile apps, watching videos and contacting vendors with questions as business owners. 

In total, we ended up with more than 50 CRM software products. Our top picks are Salesforce, Insightly and Zoho CRM. Those that made it to our short list include Infusionsoft, SugarCRM, Microsoft Dynamics, Nutshell, NetSuite, Act!, TeamWox and Highrise.

Here are the criteria we used to evaluate each software:

• Cost
• Ease of use
• Contact-management features
• Lead-generation tools
• Sales and marketing tools
• Employee-tracking capabilities
• Customization options
• Automation capabilities
• Third-party integration
• Reporting and analytics 
• Mobile access
• Service limitations
• Customer service

Here is a full list of CRM software and a summary of what each company claims to offer. This alphabetical list also includes our best picks.

Act! Cloud— Act! Cloud, by Swiftpage, marries contact management with e-marketing to help you get organized, convert new customers and get more from existing customers. The software takes the guesswork out of choosing where to focus time and resources by offering you intelligent, prioritized recommendations based on the level of engagement of customers and prospects. cloud.act.com

AllProWebTools— If you're looking for a simpler way to acquire leads and maintain customer relationships, AllProWebTools' CRM software is a unique integrated solution. This CRM tool is part of a business suite that also includes email, Web and e-commerce hosting, marketing, task management, and timecards.  Having all these tools available from one dashboard keeps you organized and saves you time.  AllProWebTools.com

Apptivo CRM — Apptivo CRM combines contact and lead management with project management and marketing software to help your business connect better with customers. Apptivo CRM is part of Apptivo's suite of business solutions. apptivo.com/crm

Avidian/Prophet — Use Outlook as your CRM software with Avidian. The company's own Prophet CRM turns your inbox into a full-featured, mobile-friendly CRM solution. From contacts to emails, tasks, notes, appointments and meetings, Avidian also syncs all your data in a familiar platform you likely already use every day. avidian.com

Base — Called an "intelligent productivity platform," Base is all about using data to help your business make wiser, more informed sales decisions. It closely monitors your sales pipeline, sales rep activities, goals and quotas to make sure your team is productive and succeeding. getbase.com

Bluenose — Bluenose combines big data analytics with powerful technology for customer-success management. Known as a "Customer Success" platform, the software empowers software-as-a-service (SaaS) businesses to proactively manage and engage their customers through its insight-driven toolkit, built-in playbooks and more. bluenose.com

BoomTown! — Do you own a real estate business? BoomTown's predictive CRM software is designed specifically for agents, teams, brokerage firms and other real estate professionals. Services include lead generation, a website builder, success management and the ability to manage multiple offices. boomtownroi.com

bpm'online — Get end-to-end process management, from lead generation to ordering to customer service. More than your traditional CRM software, bmp'online combines sales, marketing and help desk functions so you can be there for customers every step of the sales journey. bpmonline.com/crm

Bullhorn — Own a service-oriented business? Bullhorn CRM is specifically built to help service providers strengthen relationships with customers while improving sales productivity and driving growth. There are also dedicated CRM software offerings for niche businesses, such as staffing and recruitment firms and PR agencies. bullhorn.com/products/crm/

CampaignerCRM — Campaigner offers two types of CRM software. One is for businesses that deal with shorter, simpler sales processes, and the other combines CRM with sales-process management to help companies with longer, more complex sales processes. The latter option offers more advanced functionalities, such as reporting, customization, a sales process API and more. campaignercrm.com

Capsule — Capsule aims to make CRM as simple as possible by offering six core capabilities to help you run your business: managing relationships, managing the sales pipeline, organizing emails, saving contact histories, performing task management and completing customization. capsulecrm.com

Commence — Specifically designed for small to midsize businesses, Commence is a Web-based CRM software that's both powerful and affordable. It's also designed for fast deployment, meaning it's easy to implement and you can get started right away. commence.com

Contactually — Contactually is all about getting the most out of your CRM investment. It is built to help businesses convert existing leads into closed sales, build relationships for long sales cycles, stay on top of revenue opportunities and get more prospects down the sales funnel. contactually.com

GoldMine — Need a premise-based CRM software? Unlike cloud-based CRM software, GoldMine is installed on your own servers and infrastructure to give you more control over your software. In addition to its many CRM features, the company also offers one of the best customer support systems, so you can get help right when you need it. goldmine.com

GreenRope — GreenRope combines the best of CRM with robust marketing automation to help you save time and dedicate more resources to closing sales. Additional features include project management, collaboration tools, e-commerce, event management and more. greenrope.com

Hatchbuck — One of our runner-ups, Hatchbuck is all-in-one sales and marketing tool built with small businesses in mind. It focuses on simplicity, ease of use and affordability, while giving you all the tools you need to organize data and automate marketing processes. hatchbuck.com

Highrise — Also a top contender on our list of best CRM software, Highrise focuses on helping you manage three key areas of your business: contacts, tasks and communications. You can maintain and share contacts with your team, create tasks and set reminders, and keep track of emails, notes and other forms of correspondence. highrisehq.com

Hubspot CRM — A popular inbound marketing and sales platform, Hubspot's CRM software streamlines your sales process across multiple channels in your organization. It works in the background to save you from wasting time manually performing repetitive sales and marketing tasks. The software also specializes in automatically logging and syncing data from different sources of communication, such as your website, phone calls, emails, social media and more. hubspot.com/products/crm

Infusionsoft — Infusionsoft is a favorite amongst small business owners we talked to, because of its ease of use and because it offers a comprehensive set of CRM tools at a small-business-friendly price. Users particularly liked its automation features, ability to nurture leads all the way to closing the sales and extras like email marketing, billing and project management. infusionsoft.com

*Insightly — Our pick for the best CRM software for very small businesses, Insightly is a simple, scalable solution that grows with your business. It offers both basic and advanced capabilities, so you can start with a free or super-affordable standard plan, then upgrade as your business expands. Read our full review here.

iSEEit — Focus on sales. iSEEit offers an intuitive way for sales people to manage all their daily sales activities. This iPad and Web-based CRM solution makes it easy to focus on the right steps to move deals through your pipeline by letting you better qualify leads, tasks, and opportunities; manage deals via milestones and qualifiers; and coordinate and collaborate with customers and colleagues, all from a single, consistent source. now.iseeit.com

LeadMaster — If you're looking for a simple way to gather, manage and convert leads, LeadMaster can help. First, the software aims to save you hours spent looking for high-quality leads by automating your marketing system. Next, its sales lead-management tools helps you turn those leads into sales by making it easy to track, analyze and communicate with those prospects. leadmastercrm.com

Maximizer — Need more flexibility in your CRM software? Maximizer is an all-in-one CRM solution that is completely customizable to cater to your business's unique needs. In addition to offering three robust CRM tools — sales management, marketing automation and customer service — the software also gives you a choice of using the cloud-based version of the software or an on-premise version hosted on your own servers. maximizer.com

Method:CRM — Do you use QuickBooks as your accounting software? Intuit-approved Method works with QuickBooks to integrate your customer data with your financial data. This software links and syncs everything from contact information to invoices, purchase histories and much more to give you a complete view of customers in one, easily accessible place. method.me

Microsoft Dynamics CRM — Microsoft Dynamics CRM takes a different approach to CRM. The software uses social insights, business intelligence and campaign management to help your business strengthen relationships with customers, improve marketing campaigns and, ultimately, boost sales. It is available in the cloud, on premise or a combination of both, and you can integrate the software with Office 365 for even more productivity. microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics/crm.aspx

NetSuite CRM — NetSuite CRM lets you track leads through each step of the customer lifecycle, from lead generation to prospect nurturing, sales ordering, fulfilment and support. It also shows you opportunities for up- and cross-selling, as well as renewals to boost sales and maintain customer loyalty. Other features include order management, commission management, sales forecasting and e-commerce. netsuite.com/portal/products/netsuite/crm.shtml

Nimble — Does your business rely heavily on social media marketing? Known as an Intelligent Relationship Platform, Nimble automatically syncs all types of contact data across multiple channels, including social media. It uses "social listening" to filter contacts and prospects on sites like Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn to help you find and close high-value opportunities. The software also syncs emails, direct messages and @mentions, making them easily accessible straight from your dashboard. nimble.com

Nutshell — Specially built for small businesses, Nutshell helps you close sales fast. In addition to standard CRM features like contact and lead management, Nutshell also offers collaboration tools, custom reporting and third-party integrations. You're also in luck if you use Google Apps; the software automatically imports Gmail messages and events and meetings into Google Calendar. It promises fast deployment, too, so you can get started in no time. nutshell.com

Odoo — Odoo is an open-source software that focuses on tracking leads, closing opportunities and generating accurate forecasts. And because it's open source, it lets you customize the software to your exact needs and add on a wide range of apps. Supported apps include marketing, project management, e-commerce, Website building, billing, accounting and even human resources. Odoo is a little on the pricier side, however. It requires a monthly per-user fee in addition to a monthly per-app fee, though you get two free users to start. You can also use the software on multiple companies for an additional fee.  odoo.com/page/crm

OnContact — OnContact combines CRM with marketing automation, giving you a complete sales and marketing solution in one. Unlike many CRM solutions, however, OnContact comes with powerful customer-service features, such as contact center capabilities and incident tracking, so you can be there for your customers whenever they need you. OnContact is available as a cloud-based or on-premise software. oncontact.com

Pipedrive — Small business owners like Pipedrive because it is simple and easy to use. It's also a highly visual platform, making it easy to quickly navigate the dashboard and get the data you need at a glance. There is also no training required, and setup takes less than two minutes, so you and your team can get started right away. pipedrive.com

PipelineDeals — PipelineDeals doesn't just help you boost sales; it also helps you and your staff be more productive. What makes it stand out from other CRM software is that it goes the extra mile. For instance, it can send snapshots of your pipeline to your inbox every morning so you know exactly how your business is doing before you even open the software. Plans also come with premium support, so you can reach a real, live PipelineDeals representative any time to help resolve any issues.  pipelinedeals.com

Pipeliner — If you're a visual person, you'll like Pipeliner. This CRM software presents all your data in an intuitive, visual way, so you don't have to go through multiple steps to get the data you need. For instance, when you go to the Pipeline section of the software, you'll be greeted with charts showing you who is in which stage of your pipeline. This way, you don't have to open each stage or contact separately to get this information. Pipeliner also offers an all-inclusive pricing model, so you get all the features for just one monthly price. pipelinersales.com

Podio — Podio aims to cut through the noise of CRM and deliver a clutter-free CRM solution. It is a very lightweight software that lets you customize features, so you get all the capabilities you need without all the fuss. With this product's simple interface, you can easily get where you need to go without getting lost in extra steps navigating the software. podio.com/site/use-cases/crm

Sage CRM — Sage CRM is an all-in-one solution that lets you do more with your CRM. In addition to contact and lead management, Sage CRM offers targeted marketing, email marketing, social CRM and more. It also comes with a built-in customer-service portal to help you deliver excellent customer support. And if you use Sage ERP, Sage CRM integrates seamlessly for even better sales acceleration. sagecrm.com

*Salesforce — Our top pick for the best CRM software for small business, Salesforce has everything you need in a cloud-based CRM software. It's affordable and easy to use, and offers a ton of features at a small business price point. It also comes with top-notch customer support, so you can get help any time you need it. Read our full review here.

Salesnet — Salesnet takes CRM to the next level by pairing it with Microsoft Office. Besides Salesnet's native CRM features, the software integrates with Outlook to automatically sync contacts, meetings and tasks; Excel to view and edit reports; and Word to merge data and attach files to the software. salesnet.com

SalesNexus — SalesNexus isn't just another CRM software; it combines CRM with email marketing to help you better target leads, connect with them and convert them to loyal customers. You won't even need a separate email-marketing solution to get the job done. SalesNexus' lead-generation tool also lets you find leads using a wide range of specific categories, such as by industry, title, company revenue, location, social media profiles and more. Each plan comes with 500 leads and 25,000 emails per month. salesnexus.com

Snapforce — If you want a truly comprehensive CRM solution, check out Snapforce. This CRM software eliminates the need to use multiple tools to manage your business. In addition to core CRM features, Snapforce offers cloud-based file storage, calendars and event management, email syncing with your email client, and case management via a ticket system. It also comes with a complete call center software, so customers can reach you with a simple phone call. snapforce.com

SugarCRM — Another favorite amongst small business owners, SugarCRM is powerful CRM software that integrates sales, marketing and employee tracking. The base plan comes with a robust set of features, such as sales automation and forecasting, lead management, call-center automation, reporting, unlimited customizations and unlimited online support. SugarCRM is available as a cloud-based or on-premise software. sugarcrm.com

TeamWox — Need a more advanced CRM software? More of an enterprise management system, TeamWox brings big business tools to small businesses. In addition to CRM, it also helps you manage teams, tasks, service desks and other areas of your business. But if you're looking for a ready-to-use, cloud-based solution, look elsewhere — you'll need to download TeamWox, then install it in your own systems. TeamWox is also on the pricy side. It's free for up to five users, but it will set you back several hundred dollars if you need more than that. teamwox.com

Vtiger — Vtiger is a one-stop shop for all your sales, marketing and customer-support needs. It features a bevy of built-in CRM solutions, including email marketing, project management, calendar and task management, reporting, document management, and more. It also has a customer portal where customers can access their accounts and submit help tickets. vtiger.com

Workbooks — Known for its high level of customer satisfaction, Workbooks is one of our runner-ups for the best CRM software for small business. It focus on four core areas of CRM: sales to boost your business's growth, highly targeted marketing to help you get the most ROI, order fulfilment to streamline your sales processing and customer support to keep your customers happy. A free version is available for up to two users; it also comes with free online support. workbooks.com

*Zoho CRM — Our top pick for the best free CRM software, Zoho CRM is packed with features, despite its free price tag. Unlike other free CRM software, Zoho CRM offers a ton of premium capabilities and lets you add up to 10 users at no extra cost. Read our full review here.

Are you a CRM software provider who would like to be added to this list and possibly considered for our next round of reviews? Please feel free to contact Sara Angeles at sangeles@purch.com.

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The Changing Face of Today's Workforce

Credit: RawPixel/Shutterstock

The U.S. workforce looks significantly different than it did a decade ago, research shows.

Women, minorities and all workers over the age of 55 have seen their employment grow considerably since 2001, according to a new report from CareerBuilder.

Overall, women now make up a greater share of the workforce. There are nearly 5 million more female workers since 2001 compared with just 2.2 million additional male workers.

The study did reveal that despite the gains made by women, men are now working in a wider variety of jobs. Men saw their share of employment increase in 72 percent of all occupations, including many that are primarily dominated by women, such as those for pharmacists, credit analysts and physical therapists.

"We need to move beyond the simplistic, antiquated notions of pink-collar, blue-collar and white-collar jobs and focus on bringing the best people, regardless of gender, into the roles required of a healthy economy," Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources officer for CareerBuilder, said in a statement. "Men are contributing in a wider variety of occupations than at the turn of the century, and as women continue to make up a larger share of the workforce, we must ensure they have the same access and opportunity for success in all professions."

The research discovered that, while women increased their share of jobs in terms of numbers, women have actually taken a step back in terms of the best-paying ones. Since 2001, women lost ground in 48 out of the 50 highest-paying jobs, including surgeons, chief executives and software developers.

In addition to women, minorities also increased their share of the jobs. Hispanic, Latino and Asian workers make up a greater share of the workforce now than in 2001. The report shows that the share of Hispanic and Latino workers increased in 96 percent of all occupations, in 90 percent for Asians and in 22 percent for African-American employees. In addition, the percentage of African-American workers rose in 44 percent of the 50 highest-paying jobs.

Alex Green, general counsel of CareerBuilder, said just like the population as a whole, the U.S. workplace is becoming more racially and ethnically diverse.

"A diverse organization is more innovative, more inclusive and better-positioned to capitalize on an ever-changing consumer marketplace," Green said. "Any momentum achieved since 2001 must be sustained by increasing access to effective, affordable education so that young people, regardless of race or ethnicity, are exposed to the full spectrum of vocations and career paths."

The most dramatic demographic shift in workforce composition has been in the age of employees. The teenage workforce is 33 percent smaller than in 2001, while the number of employees age 55 and over grew by 40 percent, which amounts to 8.3 million people.

The increase in the age of the workforceis being seen in virtually all occupations.Specifically, workers 55 and older now make up 25 percent of the workforce in 210 occupations, up from just 86 such fields in 2001.

Matt Ferguson, chief executive officer of CareerBuilder, said employers should consider the implications of an aging workforce.

"When employment growth projections and replacement needs are taken into account, millions of high- and middle-skill occupations will be available in the next decade," Ferguson said. "This will require workforce planners and talent acquisition executives to evaluate succession plans and candidate supply chains."

The study was is based on data from Economic Modeling Specialists Intl. (EMSI), CareerBuilder's labor market analysis arm, which pulls information from more than 90 government and private sector resources.

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Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 with Windows (10-inch): Is It Good for Business?

The Yoga Tablet 2 with Windows earns 4 stars out of 5. Credit: Jeremy Lips

The Windows version of Lenovo's 10-inch Yoga Tablet 2 is a solid tablet with a few great productivity features, including a handy kickstand, a snap-on keyboard and epic battery life. I wouldn't recommend using it as your primary work laptop, but it's a lot better for business than your typical tablet.

 

Unfortunately, the keyboard has a few big flaws that keep this tablet from meeting its potential as a lightweight work machine. But if you want a portable device for basic productivity on the go, the Yoga Tablet 2 with Windows 8.1 is a decent option.

Design

 

With or without the keyboard attached, the Yoga Tablet 2 is an eye-catching device. That's mostly due to the big battery cylinder along one edge, which reveals a flip-out kickstand when rotated. The textured plastic back feels good and is easy to grip, while the metal hinge and edging give the tablet a lot of premium appeal.

The kickstand is the Yoga Tablet 2's real killer feature. It goes a very long way toward making what would otherwise be an entertainment device into a viable work machine, since it lets you prop your tablet up while you're typing.

The asymmetrical design can feel a bit awkward, but it has some perks. The battery cylinder props the tablet up slightly on one edge, giving you a better viewing angle when the tablet is laid on a desk, and providing a more natural angle for typing with the on-screen virtual keyboard. You can also extend the kickstand while the tablet is laid down for a steeper angle. Additionally, the battery gives you something to grab onto when holding the device in portrait mode.

The big, round power button on one end of the cylinder is easy to press. Maybe a bit too easy, actually. I found myself accidentally pressing it while adjusting the kickstand, which turns off the display.

While the Android version of the Yoga Tablet 2 comes in a shiny silver, the Windows version is black. Personally, I think the minimalist black color lends the Windows slate a more toned-down, professional appearance. That makes sense, since the keyboard-equipped Windows version is clearly intended to be the more productive of the two.

The Yoga Tablet 2's big battery adds a bit of bulk to the device. Without the keyboard, the tablet weighs 1.39 lbs., which is noticeably heavier than your typical 10-inch tablet; the LG G Pad 10.1, for instance, weighs 1.15 lbs. On the other hand, the 11.6-inch Transformer Book T200 tips the scales at 1.76 lbs. Regardless, Lenovo's slate is more than light enough to carry on your daily commute.

Keyboard

 

The keyboard that comes in the box alongside the Yoga Tablet 2 is decent, but it's too small and cramped to do any serious work on. I found myself committing uncharacteristic typos on a regular basis as my fingers reached past the keys I wanted to press. Users with large hands will have an even tougher time. 

But it's a lot better than a touch screen for firing off quick emails. Plus, the keyboard is attractive and has a solid feel. I especially like the handsome metal trim around the edges. The deck, meanwhile, has a matte-plastic finish that looks good and is easy on the wrists.

 

The touchpad is small but mostly responsive. Mousing around feels good, but gestures like two-finger scrolling can be a bit finicky. The small size of the touchpad is also an issue; it's annoying to have to lift your finger over and over to move from the top of the screen to the bottom. 

Still, the keyboard stacks up favorably among competing products. It has a high-quality look and feel, and it's very light, so it doesn't add much extra weight. It has to be charged separately, though.

Unfortunately, the design of the tablet's kickstand can make the keyboard hard to use. While the 13-inch Yoga Tablet 2 lets you open the kickstand with the press of a button, the 10-inch model requires you to grip the cylinder and twist with your palm. 

It's not the easiest thing to do when using the tablet alone, but attaching the keyboard makes opening the kickstand nearly impossible, since the accessory latches magnetically to the same part of the tablet you're supposed to be twisting. Get used to putting the keyboard aside momentarily while you set the Yoga Tablet 2 up on your desk. 

Once the tablet is standing, folding the keyboard down can also be tricky, since the magnetic connection is so weak. Sometimes, prying my fingers between the keyboard and tablet caused the keyboard to detach and slide awkwardly onto the desk, keys down. The weak connection also causes the keyboard to occasionally slide out of alignment with the screen.

Lapability

I don't recommend trying to balance this hybrid on your lap, either. The small kickstand, while rock solid on a desk, just doesn't provide enough stability to make the Yoga Tablet 2 a reliable laptop replacement. 

Think about it this way: With a typical laptop computer, most of the weight is centered in the keyboard, which provides a firm base for the display. With the Yoga Tablet 2, the superlight keyboard does almost nothing to support the tablet; the small kickstand takes full responsibility for that, and it's just not big enough to be completely stable on an irregular surface like your lap.

When testing the device in my lap, I constantly feared that the tablet was about to detach from the keyboard and tumble to the floor. In my opinion, frequently using this device like a laptop is just asking for an accident. 

The Transformer Book T200 has a better keyboard dock that doesn't rely on a kickstand to prop up the tablet, but it costs $100 more than the Yoga Tablet 2.

Display

 

The Yoga Tablet 2 has a sharp, 10.1-inch display that's roomy enough for basic productivity tasks. Split-screen multitasking feels extremely cramped, but that's always going to be the case on a screen this small. Otherwise, the 1,920 x 1,200-pixel panel produces bright, rich colors and sharp text.

It's bright, too, putting out 366 nits of brightness at its highest setting. That beats the tablet average (279 nits) and the Transformer Book T200 (235 nits), which is good news if you want to use the device outdoors or in direct sunlight.

Performance

 

The Yoga Tablet 2 is more than powerful enough to handle everyday business tasks like creating documents and editing spreadsheets. The slate is equipped with a 1.33-GHz Intel Atom processor, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of flash storage, giving it enough oomph for basic mobile productivity. The slate felt zippy during my testing time, and I didn't encounter any slowdown while streaming a video and editing a large document with nearly a dozen tabs open in Firefox. 

On the Geekbench 3 test, which measures overall performance, the $350 Yoga Tablet 2 scored 2,524, which puts it between the $170 Nextbook 10.1 (2.114) and the $450 Transformer Book T200.

Meanwhile, Lenovo's slate completed our OpenOffice test, which tasked the device with matching 20,000 names in an OpenOffice spreadsheet, in 20 minutes and 59 seconds. That's just a half-minute faster than the Nextbook 10.1, and nearly five minutes slower than the Transformer Book T200.

Videoconferencing

If you want to use your tablet for meeting remotely with colleagues or clients, via a videoconferencing app like Skype, a good front-facing camera is a nice perk. Unfortunately, the Yoga Tablet 2's design makes its camera placement rather awkward. The front-facing camera is positioned in the middle of the left edge. If you're using the device with the kickstand extended, the person on the other end of your call is going to see a low, off-center image of you. Otherwise, the camera offers average image quality; video appeared colorful and not too grainy. On the bright side, the speakers are loud (maxing out at 90 decibels, compared to the 87-decible tablet average), so you'll have no trouble hearing the person on the other end of your call.

Battery life

 

The big, cylindrical battery attached to the Yoga Tablet 2 isn't just for show; it gives the device some truly impressive longevity. The slate ran for an epic 12 hours and 3 minutes in our battery test, which involves continuous Web browsing over Wi-Fi at 100 nits of brightness. Outside of the Yoga line, the only slate that can top that is the LG G Pad 10.1, which ran for 13:55. No other 10-inch hybrid comes close. For example, the Nextbook 10.1 lasted just 7:01, while the Asus Transformer Book T200 ran for a 6:27 minutes.

Software

The Yoga Tablet 2 comes with Windows 8.1, which is a big perk for business users since it means the machine can run most of the software you probably use at the office. Any Windows application can be installed, though heavy-duty 3D and photo-editing apps will chug. Lenovo also sells an Android version of the Yoga Tablet 2, but I personally think that Windows is the more versatile productivity platform. Also note that the Android model doesn't come with a keyboard.

You also get a handful of useful apps that come preloaded on the Yoga Tablet 2. Business users will especially appreciate that the device comes with a free one-year subscription to Microsoft's Office 365 productivity suite, which includes Word, PowerPoint and Excel. You also get 1 TB of cloud storage via OneDrive, Microsoft's cloud storage platform, which is handy for keeping your documents and files backed up and accessible from anywhere. Skype, a solid videoconferencing application, also comes installed.

Conclusion

 

The Yoga Tablet 2 with Windows is a solid productivity device for the price. At $350, it offers good performance, nearly unbeatable battery life and a seriously useful kickstand, all for $100 less than the Transformer Book T200. The Yoga's keyboard isn't as good as the one that comes with the Transformer, but the fact that it comes with a decent keyboard out of the box instantly makes the Yoga Tablet 2 better for work than most competing slates.

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ASUS Transformer Book T300 Chi Review: Is It Good for Business?

The Asus Transformer Book T300 Chi earns 3 out of 5 stars.

Asus says its new Transformer Book T300 Chi is good for both work and play, but its lack of connectivity options might turn away business users. On the bright side, the Chi is a striking 2-in-1 laptop with a superslim design, a gorgeous 12.5-inch display, a detachable keyboard dock and a clamshell design that makes it more practical overall than the Surface Pro 3. It's a great value, too, starting at just $699.

On the other hand, its sparse selection of ports makes it a questionable choice as a work laptop. It also has weak battery life, and the lack of a pressure-sensitive display means it's not as good for digital note-taking as hybrids like the Surface Pro 3.

But maybe you're really committed to the idea of detaching your work laptop's screen — for Netflix sessions before bed, perhaps? If so, read on to see how the Transformer Book T300 Chi stacks up to the competition. 

Design

There are plenty of potential pitfalls in detachable hybrid notebook designs, and the T300 Chi manages to avoid most of them with ease.

For starters, most hybrids are top-heavy, since all of the components have to be crammed into the display instead of under the keyboard. That means that, in order to stay upright, they usually rely on a kickstand (as the Surface Pro 3 does), or they don't let you tip the display back far enough (like the Dell Venue 11 Pro).

The T300 Chi has neither of these issues. Once you snap the tablet onto the keyboard dock, it tilts back far enough to provide a generous viewing angle, with no kickstand required. That means it's as comfortable to use in your lap as any other laptop computer — something that can't be said for the Surface Pro 3, which uses a kickstand that can be awkward to balance on your knees. There are trade-offs, of course: The Chi's keyboard is a lot thicker and heavier than the Surface's Type Cover, and it has a much bigger footprint than the 11-inch Venue 11 Pro's keyboard dock. 

The Chi's aluminum body comes in a modest black, which is perfect for a work machine. In addition, the metallic, diamond-cut edging adds a touch of sophistication.

I also like the simple way the tablet connects to the keyboard. There are no buttons or latch mechanisms here; just push the display down onto two connector pins on the back of the dock and start typing. When you're done, just give it a yank to disconnect the tablet. The connection is strong enough that you can pick the machine up by the display without worrying that the keyboard will fall off.

Weight and dimensions

 

As a stand-alone tablet, the T300 Chi is seriously sleek, measuring just 0.28 inches. That's noticeably thinner than the 0.36-inch Surface Pro 3 (without keyboard). When combined with its keyboard, the T300 Chi is 0.56 inches thick, which is on a par with the Surface Pro 3 with its keyboard, but significantly thinner than the Dell Latitude 7350 (0.79 inches). Among nondetachable notebooks with similar specs, the Asus ZenBook UX305 is thinner than the T300 Chi (0.48 inches).

At just 1.56 lbs., the tablet is also surprisingly light. That's lighter than the Surface Pro 3, which weighs 1.76 lbs. without a keyboard. 

On the other hand, the Chi's keyboard adds quite a bit of heft, for a total weight of 3.13 lbs. That's heavier than the connected Surface Pro 3 (2.4 lbs.) and the ZenBook UX305 (2.65 lbs.), but lighter than the Latitude 7350 (3.73 lbs.). The T300 Chi is still one of the thinnest and lightest notebooks out there, especially in its price range.

Ports and connectivity

The T300 Chi's sparse selection of ports might be forgivable if you're planning to use it as an entertainment hub, but business users will surely be put off by the lack of typical connectivity options. 

You get a total of three ports on the T300 Chi: a micro USB 3.0 port, a micro HDMI port and a microSD card slot. That's right — this notebook lacks even a single full-size USB port. Of course, it's still possible to connect accessories like a mouse or a thumb drive with a micro USB adapter, or via Bluetooth, but the omission is a real inconvenience for business users.

Keyboard and touchpad

The T300 Chi's keyboard dock is pretty good, with big, well-spaced keys. Unfortunately, the thin design doesn't allow for much key travel. That's unfortunate, as deeper keys usually make extended typing sessions a bit more comfortable. On the bright side, the keys offer plenty of feedback, with a satisfying springiness that helps make up for their lack of travel.

Keep in mind that the keyboard must be charged separately via a standard micro USB connection. Though I didn't conduct a formal battery test for the dock, I can say that it never ran out of juice during my several days of testing. On the other hand, business users might find themselves in a tough spot if their keyboard dies in the middle of a trans-Atlantic flight. In contrast, the Surface Pro 3's keyboard is powered by the tablet. The T300's keyboard functions even when it's not connected to the tablet.

The touchpad is responsive but a bit small. Expect your fingers to frequently brush up against the top of the pad, especially when you're using two-finger gestures for scrolling. Other than that, mousing around feels relatively smooth and responsive.

Display

The T300 Chi's 12.5-inch display is a bit smaller than the average Ultrabook screen, which is about 13 inches. But the screen on the unit I reviewed feels surprisingly roomy, thanks to its eye-popping quad-HD resolution. The $899 model comes with a 2560 x 1400-pixel panel — even more pixels than the Surface Pro 3. That makes split-screen multitasking more comfortable, which is key for productivity. But honestly, the $699 mode's full-HD screen (which has a lower resolution of 1440 x 1080 pixels) is more than good enough for a screen this size.

Colors are bright and images look vibrant on the T300 Chi, and text looks extremely crisp and readable. The screen is pretty bright too, maxing out at 305 nits of brightness — well above the 247-nit average for the ultraportable category. That's good news if you want to use the device outdoors or in direct sunlight.

Videoconferencing

I came away impressed by the quality of the images captured by the T300 Chi's front-facing camera. Colors were vibrant, and the overall image was crisp and clear, without much noise or grainy texture. That's a perk for business users who want to use this machine to meet remotely with colleagues or clients. It comes with Skype already installed, so you can get started right away.

Note-taking

The T300 Chi comes with neither a stylus nor a pressure-sensitive display — two features you get with the Surface Pro 3 out of the box. That's a shame, as the ability to detach the display for use as a digital notebook is one of the best reasons to choose a hybrid machine over a traditional laptop.

Asus does offer an active stylus, sold separately for $40. The pen's tip, rather than the screen, measures how hard you're pressing. I didn't get a chance to test out Asus' pen for this review, but I know from experience that pressure-sensitive displays offer a smoother writing experience. Still, it's nice to know that the accessory is available, since I wouldn't recommend using a standard capacitive stylus (which can't detect pressure) for serious note-taking. 

However, the T300 Chi is perfectly capable if you prefer to type your notes. It comes with Microsoft's excellent OneNote software installed, which keeps your notes organized, backed up and accessible from any Internet-connected device.

Battery life

The T300 Chi's other big weakness is its short battery life. The notebook lasted a scant 6 hours and 27 minutes on our battery test, which involves continuous Web browsing over Wi-Fi with the screen set at 100 nits of brightness. That result is well below the 7:27 average for the ultraportable category. The device also died more quickly than the Surface Pro 3, which lasted 7 hours and 42 minutes. The Dell Venue 11 Pro 7000 lasted 8 hours as a stand-alone tablet, and its keyboard includes an extra battery that boosts its longevity up to an incredible 13:33. Neither the T300 Chi nor the Surface Pro 3 has an extra battery in its keyboard. The nondetachable ZenBook UX305 clocked an impressive 9:38 on the battery test.

Performance

The T300 Chi is powered by Intel's1.20-GHz Core M-5Y71 CPU with 8GB of RAM, which offers solid performance without the need for a bulky cooling fan. In the Geekbench 3 test, which measures overall performance, it scored an impressive 5,742. That's better than the Surface Pro 3 (5,665) and the Core M-powered Yoga 3 Pro (4,571).

The bottom line is that the T300 Chi provides pretty good performance for everyday business tasks, and it has no trouble handling a typical workload.

Software

Asus shipped the T300 Chi with a relatively clean installation of Windows 8.1. As usual, business-friendly Microsoft apps like Skype and OneNote, as well as a trial version of Office, come preloaded. (You'll have to pay extra for the full version of Office.) There are also a handful of third-party apps installed, like TripAdvisor and Twitter. One of the more useful additions is the Asus WebStorage app, which gives you 16GB of free cloud storage.  

Pricing and configurations

The T300 Chi comes in two configurations. The entry-level model costs $699 and comes with a Core M processor, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of SSD storage and a full-HD (1920 x 1080) display. For $899, you can upgrade the display to quad HD, which is the version I used for this review.

The Surface Pro 3 might seem like it's in the same price range, since it starts at $799. But its keyboard is sold separately for $129, and the entry-level model offers a measly 64GB of storage. 

Dell's venue 11 Pro is more affordable, starting at $429, but it has a smaller, 10.8-inch display, and its restrictive keyboard dock offers very limited viewing angles. The Asus Transformer Book T200 is a bargain at $459, but it has a less-powerful processor and a smaller, 11.6-inch display. On the bright side, it offers a ton of ports.

Bottom line

The Transformer Book T300 Chi is a really impressive 2-in-1 device, but it wasn't really made for serious business users. It offers good performance and a versatile 2-in-1 design, but its sparse selection of ports probably won't cut it in an office environment. Plus, traditional notebooks offer better keyboards and docking capabilities. 

However, it might still be worth it to buy the T300 Chi if you have only basic computing needs and really, really want a detachable display. After all, its clamshell design makes it a more functional laptop than the Surface Pro 3, and its 12.5-inch display gives you more space to work than the Dell Venue 11 Pro 7000. Just make sure to pick up a USB adapter while you're at it. 

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Google's City Program Helps Local Business Get Online

Credit: Google

As a small business, it's critical that customers can find you quickly and easily online. And if you're a local business, getting your city involved can help.

Google launched today (March 25) Let's Put Our Cities on the Map, a new program designed to help local businesses get online using city-based Web resources. It aims to get cities, local organizations and small businesses working together and with Google to make the most out of Web- and location-based marketing.

Part of the Get Your Business Online project, Let's Put Our Cities on the Map gives each city a custom website that local businesses can use to create, establish and manage their presence online, while giving back to the community by boosting local commerce.

For instance, these city websites can offer helpful online marketing tools, such as a step-by-step guide to using Google My Business to optimize Web presence and a diagnostics tool so business owners can see exactly how customers see them on Google Search and Google Maps. It also ensures that local businesses appear on top of search results (based on location) and that their listings are complete with the latest, most accurate business information, such as the right phone number, hours of operation and business description.

To further help businesses, Let's Put Our Cities on the Map also provides a free website and a free custom domain for a year. This can save businesses hundreds of dollars as they set up their website and get started online. (Both of these freebies are offered in partnership with Web hosting and domain registration company StartLogic.)

In addition to partnering with cities, the Let's Put Our Cities on the Map program also works with local organizations, such as community chambers and small business development centers, Google wrote in a blog post. The program will bring these organizations a host of services to help business owners, such as free training sessions and business workshops.

The program also lets customers contribute to their favorite local business' success by visiting their city's website. From there, customers can give a shout out to their favorite businesses, create digital content featuring businesses they frequent and direct unlisted businesses to the city website.

Let's Put Our Cities on the Map currently works with 30,000 cities across the United States. Find out how your city and business can take advantage of this new program at gybo.com.

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Choosing a Reputation Management Service: 2015 Buyer's Guide

Credit: Tashatuvango/Shutterstock

In business, your reputation is everything. Thanks to social media and review sites like Yelp, you can build a great online reputation fast. There's just one problem: The Internet moves fast, and with a few missteps, you can hit rock bottom just as quickly as you rose to that coveted 5-star rating.

The same can be said for job seekers and professionals. Just as potential customers may be searching for your business on major search engines like Google, employers often search for information about job candidates. If your Web presence is questionable, it could cost you your dream job or even get you fired from your current position.

So what do you do when your online reputation is less than stellar? Online reputation management (ORM) services can help you stop, fix and prevent PR disasters, as well as protect and promote your brand.

"When someone wants to learn about anyone and anything, they turn to the Internet," said Patrick Ambron, CEO of reputation management company BrandYourself.com.

"Reputation management services can help both businesses and individuals build and maintain a positive online presence, so when they are looked up online, people find positive and relevant info about them," Ambron added.

These services can have a huge impact on your personal success and that of your business, an impact that goes beyond improving your search results.

"It adds value to your brand, contributes longevity and visibility to your career or organization, and helps prevent your identity from being appropriated and misused by others," said Shannon Wilkinson, CEO of ORM company Reputation Communications.

Whether you're a business or an individual, it's important to understand how reputation management services can help you, and to make sure you know what ORM companies can and can't do and what makes a service trustworthy and effective.

What do online reputation management services do?

To break it down, these are the actions reputation management companies will take to analyze, build, protect and restore your brand's online presence, and the main features you should look for when choosing an ORM service:

Search engine optimization and management: Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of making your online content rank higher in popular search engines like Google.  Reputation management firms will do this for your content so that Internet users searching for you, your business or topics that relate to your business will find you. Moreover, they will find honest, relevant information about you in the process. If there is negative information about you in your search results, your ORM provider can strategize ways to use truthful, positive content to detract from any negative content by pushing it back farther into the list of search results. This way, people who search for you or your business won't be immediately greeted by negative results.

Content development and management: This goes hand in hand with SEO, because in order to rank well in search engines and to build up a good reputation, you need to have good-quality content. This means making your website and blog organized, unique and well written. It also means creating quality press releases to spread the word about your business the right way. Most reputation management services will help you improve your existing content and create new material so that Internet users will not only find positive results about you or your business right away, they'll also see that the content you share is real, relevant and worth reading. This adds even more credibility to your brand and your reputation.

Social media management: You're likely already on several social media networks, be it for personal use or for your business. While platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram can all help you grow your business or personal brand, it only takes one inappropriate picture or comment to cause a PR nightmare. Most ORM services can help you clean up your social networks to make sure they're appropriate, and ORM services can monitor how your social media profiles affect your reputation, too.

Third-party website monitoring: Even if your website and social media presence are up to speed, outsiders can still easily damage your reputation. This includes former employees and displeased customers. Not only are there a wealth of review websites, like Yelp and Glassdoor, where anyone can sign up and post a review of your business, it is also incredibly easy to create a new website or blog, where people can write whatever they please. For example, if you were to fire an employee, or one of your employees were to leave on bad terms, there's nothing stopping them from writing malicious blog posts or putting false information in reviews about you all over the Web. Reputation management services will monitor the Internet for this kind of content to see what people are saying about you.

All of these steps contribute to a successful reputation management campaign; however, choosing the right ORM provider isn't always easy. 

Do you need one?

Overall, online reputation management services can help individuals and businesses accomplish several goals. Eric Schiffer, chairman of ORM company Reputation Management Consultants, said there are three main things one can do with a reputation management service:

New and young businesses can use it to gain exposure.

Businesses that don't have the time or the resources to build their brands online can turn to ORMs to create detailed and proactive brand strategies, Schiffer said.

It protects business and individuals against attacks.

Schiffer noted that it just takes the words of one customer to make or break your online reputation. ORM services can help you strategize to protect against any potential negative situations.

"One scathing review, consumer complaint or [adverse] blog article can cause irreparable damage to an individual or business's bottom line within months, or even weeks," Schiffer said. "Reputation management firms can assist with establishing a zone of authentic, positive media that can help protect and mitigate damage done by negative customer feedback."

It can restore your reputation in the event that your online presence has already been damaged.

While, ideally, you would use a reputation management company to prevent negative situations, ORM services can also help restore your good name when things go wrong. The right firm can use positive content to overhaul your reputation and drive down negative information, Schiffer said.

Are you already dealing with a crisis?

If you're already in the midst of a crisis and you're trying to do damage control for your business or personal brand, your process for choosing a reputation management company may differ from the process of choosing an ORM service to build and/or protect your brand. In this type of situation, you'll need to focus on the problem at hand while still finding a provider that is trustworthy and will come up with a tailored strategy that meets your needs.

"The reality is, if you look at a reputation or crisis management plan, you need to have it customized to meet your needs and you need to understand the depth of your problems," said Ken Wisnefski, founder and CEO of ORM provider WebiMax.

"A lot of times, people think something's a big deal when it's really not that difficult to fix, while some clients may spend thousands of dollars to fix something," he added.

To ensure that you get the best reputation management service while still acting fast, Wisnefski advised customers to have their potential providers provide them with some sort of analysis related to their current online sentiment. Then, he said, "really dig into how they plan on addressing that problem — if they've got a scripted approach, it's probably not going to be what you need."

Wisnefski also noted that it's sometimes easier to handle a crisis situation if you've already been working with a reputation management service, since it means you can monitor your online reputation and act fast when the situation arises.

How to choose the right one?

While the majority of ORM providers offer the same basic services, every company is different. It's important that you choose the best one for you and your business.

And handling a reputation management issue quickly and tactfully may be more important than you realize.

"People sometimes say they're not really concerned with what's being said about them online, that it's not something that really impacts them, but we find the reality is often that your online sentiment can really be costing you a lot of business," Wisnefski said.

Figure out your needs and goals

Before you contact any ORM companies, consider your goals in using such a service: Are you looking to monitor and improve your presence on online review websites? Do you want to clean up your social networks? What about search results? It goes without saying that your goals will vary based on whether you're using a reputation management service as an individual or a business, as well as on what kind of business you run.

"If you are a recent college graduate, you will be best served by a company experienced in removing inappropriate or outdated photographs and information on social media platforms," Wilkinson said. "Doctors, dentists and attorneys, as well as storefront businesses like restaurants, find online reviews to be their biggest challenge. They might obtain best results using a review management firm."

And "if you are a high-profile industry leader, VIP or have a rising presence in business, you face different issues and will want a firm that specializes in that sector," Wilkinson added.

Think about customer service

It's also important to be sure that the ORM company you choose is there for you.

"While the process of building and maintaining a positive online presence is time-consuming, for the most part, it is not a complicated one," Ambron said. "Don't let a reputation company confuse you or mystify the process."

Not only should your provider be clear and open about your reputation management campaigns at all times, but the company should also make you feel like it cares about your specific needs and concerns as a client. Your ORM provider should never make you feel like you're just another number.

"Every single reputation management campaign is unique and requires a customized approach to your brand strategy. So if you get the feeling that you're receiving canned responses or standardized strategies, you may not be getting the type of comprehensive and personalized platform that you need for your campaign to be effective," Schiffer said.

You should be comfortable knowing that your reputation management campaign is in good hands.

"You should feel as though your campaign receives the necessary attention to detail that your particular objectives require," Schiffer said.

Do your research

Once you've established your goals and considered customer service, it's time to look for ORM companies that cater to your needs. But don't just check to see that they avoid black hat practices  and cover what you're looking for; also make sure the company has a good reputation. After all, a reputation management company that can't protect its own reputation probably won't be of much help to you. (See the last section of this story for more on black hat practices and how to avoid them.)

So how can you tell if a company is reputable?

"A credible vendor will have photographs and biographies of their founder and/or top executives on their websites, not just a phone number to call," Wilkinson said.

"Often they are recognized experts, featured in mainstream media platforms. Or they are active in their communities, chairing Internet-related organizations or helping educate the public about digital issues," she added.

Wilkinson also noted that you can find out a lot about a reputation management service by reading the content it shares on its website.

"You can gain a lot of insight into a provider's process and point of view by reading their blogs and articles. That can help you evaluate the best service for your needs," she said.

And don't be afraid to meet with representatives from the ORM companies or talk to other clients who use the companies you're considering.

"Look at their track record. Talk to their clients. Meet with the team," Schiffer said. He also suggested asking yourself these questions about a potential ORM company:

• Does it have unique technological methodologies that can prove a track record of success with the toughest cases?
• Does it have empathy?
• Does it have integrity?
• Are individuals at the ORM experts at strategic media relations?

It's also important that the company you choose have experience with many different types of cases, so that you know you're in good hands if something goes wrong.

"Look for someone with broad credentials," said Alexis Moore, author of "Cyber Self-Defense" (Lyons Press, October 2014). Having "diverse backgrounds in cybercrime, risk management, consulting and investigative [fields] is best."

Finding a trustworthy reputation management service

A good reputation management service will tell you if it uses white hat or black hat tactics, Reputation Communications’ Wilkinson said. You'll want to go with a provider that uses white hat tactics, as these are the acceptable techniques that adhere to Google's best practices. White hat tactics, like those listed above, are completely transparent and rely on having quality content and using proper SEO techniques. Other white hat practices include taking the time to respond proactively to any negative situations and getting reputable websites to write about or feature you or your business. A reputation management campaign that uses white hat tactics will take a lot of time, but will play it safe and provide you with long-term results.

Black hat techniques, on the other hand, may work quickly, but they are aggressive and risky. Search engines may even ban you if they catch on to your black hat tactics.  If an ORM service you're considering uses any of the following techniques, take that company out of the running and go with one that doesn't use these methods.

'Astroturfing': In this practice, a company will create fake accounts on review websites and use them to write positive reviews, or it will pay users to do so in order to boost ratings and detract from other negative reviews. 

Creating fake websites or content: This tactic is exactly what it sounds like; it involves launching fake websites and blogs to create more search results to cover up any negative results people may find when searching for you or your business.

Keyword stuffing: With this tactic, you pack as many keywords as possible into your website's metadata to increase your rankings in search.

Link spamming: This is another tactic that involves creating as many links as possible to positive content so that search engines rank that positive content highly.

Invisible text: Similar to keyword stuffing, this practice involves placing extra keywords on your website. In this case, they're written on the page itself, but are hidden by making the text the same color as the page's background.

Using spam bots: Some reputation management companies will use spam bots, denial-of-service attacks and hacking methods to target negative content and make it difficult or impossible for other users to access.

Quality, honesty and transparency are the keys to a good online reputation. Reputation management campaigns often use questionable black hat practices, but they fall into an ethical gray area and can ultimately do more harm to your brand than good. Make sure that the ORM service you choose avoids these tactics and is clear about what it can and cannot do for you.

"A trustworthy ORM provider will be able to explain in clear language how their ORM process works and what a client can expect to see in three weeks, three months and more after a campaign is undertaken," Wilkinson said.

"They will also tell you if they can help you attain your goals, and decline an assignment if they can't."

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