Leila Welch, who attended the Culinary Institute of America, opted to open a mobile restaurant, Tasty Truck, in her hometown of Elko, Nev. Welch discusses the importance of consistency in the food truck business so customers know where the truck will be on any given day and what food to expect.

Augmented and virtual reality, automated systems and the internet of things are among the technological innovations that may aid supply chains and ultimately customer service, writes Steve Sensing of Ryder System.

Three traits that make people more effective conversationalists are curiosity, empathy and courage, according to Phil Jones, speaker and entrepreneur. A seller's approach should involve gaining a full understanding of the customer's situation and using effective questioning.

Value-added services such as vendor-managed inventory or product co-design differ from stand-alone products and services in that the value produced and cost structure are more complex and difficult to identify, writes Jonathan Byrnes, chair of Profit Isle, a SaaS profit analytics firm. To estimate and track the value and cost of such services, companies should create a showcase project that explores new ways of doing things and create a system that precisely tracks the service's ongoing value and cost, something possible with an enterprise profit management solution.

To find small-business loans that provide the best rates and terms, companies need to meet certain criteria and understand the types of loans available. Research loans that suit your business, learn about different sources of financing and shore up your company's credit score.

Retail sales climbed more than expected in March, rising 0.7%, according to the Commerce Department. An increase in February has been revised upward to 0.9% from 0.6%, marking the largest gain in over a year. A 2.7% increase in online sales aided March spending, while sales at gas stations increased 2.1%.