Fool-Proof Method To Open Bank Account With No Credit Check

April 13, 2021

Customers who have been struggling to find a way to open a bank account with no credit check often need to do so because of their poor credit situation. Whether it is a low credit score or a situation as worrisome as a bankruptcy, you might have to look into banks which offers account without Chexsystems and can help you open an account easily.

Such financial institutes are important because they allow you to make use of some flexible terms when it comes to starting a bank account. Credit score cannot be fixed overnight and obviously, no one wants to wait for months simply to own an account and exchange money using it.

So if you wish to avoid a credit check or get away with a poor credit score next time you apply to a bank, here’s what you should consider that will prove to be quite helpful in the future.

Opt For Secured Bank Account In Non-Chexsystems Banks

Similar to using a secured credit card, secure bank accounts are a reliable option when you are facing a poor credit situation. Since your credit report or banking history does not establish you as a reliable customer, you would have to provide some collateral that can help the finance company trust you.

Secured bank accounts have all the features that any other bank account offers. The only difference is that you will be asked to make an initial deposit as security. Most of these bank accounts report to credit bureaus or other reporting agencies and therefore they can help you improve your relationship with financial service providers if you maintain good habits.

Most banks that don’t use Chexsystems offer secured accounts to a customer with a shady history. Some of them also function with a second-chance account system which means they do perform a credit check for the sake of looking into your credit situation but that does not affect their decision or approving or disapproving your application.

Pros and Cons Of Opening a Secured Bank Account

Obviously, the biggest advantage that such accounts can offer you is that they let applicants surpass that need of good credit history for their approval. However, it should be kept in mind that you will be allowed to have an account with strict usage terms. For example, it is hardly likely that any company would let you default on monthly payments or waive them off completely.

Similarly, getting a bank account with poor credit history comes with a lot of requirements as compared to opening a standard checking account. You can not perform overdraft or avail discount offers unless you upgrade to a standard bank account.

So Should You Consider a Non-Chexsystems Bank Account?

There is no denying that second-chance or non-Chexsystems bank account has many limitations. However, if you compare them to other alternatives, they do offer many clear-cut advantages.

Provided that you can’t open an account without a credit check, you will eventually have to consider getting prepaid cards or other e-wallet services to help in cash management. Both these options carry high fees and do not report to any credit bureaus which implies you will be stuck in a poor credit situation for quite a long time.

If you perform thorough research, we are sure you will be able to find out a bank service that suits you best. Always keep in mind that best-secured accounts offer:

Minimum monthly fees
Free of minimum balance requirements
No limit on the maximum transaction in a day
Additional services like accounts cards and online money management tools

So this is our reliable method of getting a bank account without the worry of a credit check. Hopefully, you would like it and consider giving it a try in the future. If everything goes account to the plan you will soon be an account holder and take your first step towards improving your financial life quickly.

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Sport Tourism: Can it Aid Indonesian Economy to Escalate in 2021?

April 13, 2021

By Tegar Rismanuar Nuryitmawan and Mohammad Zeqi Yasin

The pandemic of Covid-19 has indeed decayed tourism sectors’ performance. However, in the new normal era, the government of Indonesia has a strategic plan to restart the tourism sector in 2021. However, which tourism sector is more likely to aid Indonesian economic escalation?

The unprecedented outbreaks of Coronavirus have tremendously disrupted all countries, including Indonesia. The official report of Statistics Indonesia (BPS) recorded that the Indonesian economic growth plunged at -3.49% (q-t-q) perpetuating the negative record in the preceding quarter (Q2) by -5.32%. A couple of negative magnitudes has led Indonesia to fell into recession for the first time since 1998.

The latest report also noted that one of the biggest plunges stems from the tourism sector which suffered for almost 100 trillion rupiahs (9.5 billion USD). It was exacerbated by the number of foreign tourists that enormously slumped by -88.95% as of September 2020. Henceforth, shall we keep mourning this economic slowdown?

The pandemic situation in which economic growth was slumped should be considered to arrange strategic plans by which various sectors are brought in the post-pandemic periods.

The answer may be “not really”. The pandemic situation in which economic growth was slumped should be considered to arrange strategic plans by which various sectors are brought in the post-pandemic periods. As noted earlier, indeed, the tourism sector has been remarkably attacked, but if we may remain optimistic, 2021 tourism sector will be a turned back point from which the pre-pandemic economic growths had achieved.

How can be this optimistic acknowledged? The answer is through the sport tourism sector. The answer may sound relatively subjective but it, somehow, makes sense.

We have realized that Indonesia has a vast potential tourism sector which possesses unique selling points such as affordable, conservative, and historical concern. In hindsight, tourism merely associates with nature and attractive action such as the Pendet dance of Bali or the Saman dance of Aceh, on which local wisdom play a pivotal role. These are indeed a necessary and mainstream contribution, but it is seemingly not a sufficient and exceptional promotor in enhancing the added value of the tourism sector.

Indonesia should be able to make sport tourism a key driver for the tourism sector. This is because Indonesia is actually considered an icon of world sports tourism combined with its natural and cultural wealth.

The sports tourism may deserve an alternative solution. The sector in which tourism and sport are combined has recently well thriven amongst people. Even in the future, Indonesia should be able to make sport tourism a key driver for the tourism sector. This is because Indonesia is actually considered an icon of world sports tourism combined with its natural and cultural wealth.

Looking at prior international sports events such as Tour de Singkarak, Ironman 70.3 of Bintan, Borobudur Marathon of Magelang, and Tour de Ijen of Banyuwangi, the sport tourism has been an effective channel to broadly attract foreign tourists, even more on the successful 2018 Asian Games that brought more than 1.5 million foreign travellers in Indonesia.

Let us momentarily analyze the opportunities for sports tourism from an economic perspective. We can take an example of the Borobudur Marathon of Magelang which is the only international marathon event that was successfully held amid the Covid-19 pandemic in November 2020. In 2019 there were 10,900 runners in various categories from a total of 16 countries. If a runner brings at least 1 pair, it means there are about 21,800 people who come to the city of Magelang.

The incoming foreigners surely then generate supplies of lodging, travel, restaurants, and other facilities which in turn enhance the share of the economy notably around the sport tourism venue. If a similar event is held monthly or even weekly with different venue and regions, the potential economic benefits will be enormous.

By some means, however, the potential notion must be planned and executed properly to ensure the suitable positive externalities aiming at the right stakeholders. Instances of this prerequisite are through the involvement of the social communities and the small-medium enterprises (SMEs).

As they are involved in such international events, they will absorb essential knowledge of stringent standards in sport tourism events. Ultimately, if stakeholders cooperatively enable sports tourism to be a frontline sector, the tourism sector will confidently be stimulated and well-thriven.

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About the Authors

Tegar Rismanuar Nuryitmawan (Director – Research Institute of Socio-Economic Development (RISED), Surabaya). He is currently occupied as a director in Research Institute of Socio-Economic Development (RISED). His research interest is about impact evaluation of policy, poverty, welfare, sharia economics. Find him through email: [email protected]

Mohammad Zeqi Yasin (Head of Research – Research Institute of Socio-Economic Development (RISED), Surabaya). He works at Research Institute of Socio-Economic Development (RISED) as a Head of Research. His research interest is about efficiency and productivity. Find him through email: [email protected]

A Step-by-Step Guide to Hiring the Best Employees

April 13, 2021

Making the right hire can transform your business. Whether it is your first hire or an additional member of the team, getting it right is very crucial for your business growth. To get the perfect fit, your employee hiring process should be methodical and well-crafted Your company must develop a formal hiring process that is legal, strategic, and effective. In this article, we guide you through a step-by-step process of hiring the best employees. We discuss everything from the application process, interviewing, and making an offer.

Do a market research

The first thing that you should do is prepare for the hiring process by researching the market. You need to look at what other companies are doing, who is hiring? What are the salary and the competition in the market? Take time to review other job postings. Doing the research allows you to identify the most popular job titles, and keywords that job candidates are searching for. You can then tailor your hiring process i.e., by comparing salaries you can determine the right compensation level for your role. In essence, research gives you a glimpse of what is needed to get you the best candidate.

Work on the application process

After doing your research, you can now proceed to work on your application process. As an employer, you should not just wait for candidates to apply for the advertised position. If you do, you might end up with thousands of applications that will make the whole hiring process hectic. Well, luckily you can simplify the application process by using gamification tools and qualifying questions. Simply employ automatic disqualification in the selection process to ensure that you get candidates with specific skill sets.

A good example of a disqualifying question is “Do you have 3+ years in software engineering?’, if the answer is no, the candidate is disqualified automatically. Gamification, on the other hand, helps you to pick candidates who might not have the required experience in their resumes but have skills that might be the perfect addition to the job requirement. Using these two methods in the application process allows you to shortlist promising candidates, and interview only a few that are truly qualified.

Screening of CV’s

At this time, potential candidates have successfully shared their CVs with you. The next step is to filter the resumes and remain with those who deem suitable for call screening. For those candidates that don’t meet the requirement that you are looking for, you can send them a rejection email. Sadly, after sending rejection emails, you might still find yourself with a big bunch of resumes to go through. Luckily there are quite a good number of software that can help you get the job done.

Below are some general tips to help with resume screening.

Look for the academic knowledge and professional expertise to do the job
Check the skills and experience tailored for the job description
Check the resumes for grammar and spelling mistakes
Look out for clear career progression
What is the quantitative evidence of past achievements; what value are they bringing?
Look at the candidate’s employment gaps.

Screen a call for the shortlisted applicants

After a thorough resume screening, you are left with candidates that qualify for an interview. Now keep in mind that you are looking for only two or one candidate. To continue with the filtering process, you will need to screen a call with the applicants. Call screening allows you to listen to the candidate and determine whether their attitude suits your company. The goal is to look out for answers that might not be true or contradict their resumes. The process will allow you to disqualify other candidates and only remain with a few that you can invite for an in-person interview.

Interview your top candidates (In-person)

Now after the screen call, you might find yourself with more than ten candidates, you can decide to do an in-person interview for all of them, or do a further assessment to remain with around 3 or 4. The assessment could be an aptitude test, a product pitch, or simply a practical skills test. After the test, you can invite the most promising candidate for the in-person interview. To conduct a good interview you must prepare yourself, and your candidate(s) For the candidates ensure that you provide them with all the necessary information (time, address, the scope of the interview, etc.), you also need to send them the invite two or three days in advance. As the employer, you also need to prepare yourself. Have a list of holistic questions, to help you get the best hire. Other than asking the candidates to tell you about themselves, ensure you have questions that touch on their career goals, soft skills, behavior, adaptability, etc.

Conduct Background checks

Imagine after finalizing the interview, you realize that your hire is wanted for criminal charges? Sad, right? Well, to avoid such eventualities, you must conduct background checks, especially in the selection process. However, before you proceed, it is always wise to inform the candidate of your intention. After all, some background checks are mandated by law especially in certain places like nursing facilities. The most important background checks to conduct are driving records, credit check, criminal records, and drug tests. The good part is that you can choose a reputable background check provider to do the work for you. It is a great way to ensure you don’t miss anything that might hurt your company in the future.

Check the references

Now, before you make your final decision, do a reference check. It is a great way to verify the skills, work experience, and achievements of the potential employee. They also help you learn about the candidate’s behavior, the reason for leaving, strengths and weaknesses.

Make the job offer

At this point, you are safe to make the job offer! Well, making a job offer is another critical step that must be done right. The first thing to do is make that congratulation call, and give them a hint of what to expect. Proceed to invite them over to discuss employment terms including salary, bonuses, working hours, etc. You also need to inform the Finance Department and the CEO as you prepare to welcome your new hire.

Wrapping up

From our discussion, it is quite evident that bringing in a new hire demands a well-thought plan. Evidently, a series of events must occur before making that final congratulations call or email. Keep in mind that the hiring cycle is only successful when the client accepts the job offer. With the process shared above, you can be sure to have an easy time finding your next employee.

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Tips to Lower Your Health Insurance Costs in 2021

April 13, 2021

Healthcare is essential, but it can get pricey. Unfortunately, many of us find ourselves trying to weigh premium costs against the potential risks, but this equation is never 100% precise. Instead, why not focus on finding coverage that works for your body and your wallet?

Let’s go through some handy tips to help you make a good decision and get reliable short term health coverage in 2021.

Making Smart Choices in 2021

If the pandemic showed us one thing, it’s that wellness isn’t always the norm. Anything can happen, and you might require a type of care you never saw coming. So, keep the protection for you and your family as the focal point while choosing your plan.

Try to gauge how many appointments, preventative care treatments, and surgeries you expect to undergo in the next year or two. After all, health coverage is there to maintain your well-being – the price is only secondary.

Tip: If you have a partner whose occupation offers some benefits to family members, why not coordinate them? That way, you might choose a lighter plan for your purchase and still get coverage for all essential health crises.

Convenience is another aspect to consider. Especially if you’re getting a group plan to cover all family members, you’ll want access to trustworthy nearby medical professionals in case of emergency.

The question of HMO vs. PPO comes up here, but there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The best thing you can do is learn how they work to make as informed a decision as possible.

The COVID-19 Relief Bill

The insurance marketplace sells government-subsidized policies. It’s still coming from private companies, but for a fraction of the cost.

Private insurance is becoming more affordable, at least for the next couple of years. The $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package includes provisions to reduce healthcare costs due to the ongoing pandemic and elevated unemployment rates. The changes include:

Premium subsidies for 2021 and 2022
Forgiving amounts due for subsidy recipients in 2020
Expansion of financial help qualifications

In layman’s terms, the current law removes the cap on who qualifies for premium tax credits. It also limits the premiums anybody must pay to 8.5% of their income. As a result, many adults currently ineligible for health insurance will now get a chance to get it.

If you gave up on the idea of getting your insurance through the marketplace before, take advantage of this privilege while you can.

Top Insurance Money-Saving Tips

Some advice applies across the board, whether we’re in the middle of a global pandemic or living our daily lives as usual.

1. Shop Around

Insurance is a dog-eat-dog market, which gives anybody well-versed in various terms and strategies a competitive advantage. So, take your time to research the jargon and learn various plan details.

Then, go online and shop around, comparing copay, coinsurance, lifetime maximums, and everything else until you find the best option for your needs.

2. Get Discounts

If you find yourself in a medical emergency and requiring immediate help, asking for discounts won’t be the first thing to come to mind. So, negotiate and ask whether they’re available before anything of the sort happens.

Billing departments and healthcare facilities might be open to negotiation. For example, you might get a discount for:

Paying for a procedure in advance
Paying in bulk
Paying cash instead of a check

A doctor treating your healthcare concern might also take your finances into account and reduce fees, but you have to broach the subject.

3. Use Technology

Recent tech developments are making health information easy to collect. Insurers took advantage of the trend, seeing people with high fitness tracker scores as low-risk customers.

Bring gathered historical data to your appointments and get that conversation going. Also, look into plans that incentivize healthy living.

Tip: If these programs aren’t available at the moment, ask again in a year. Some companies are already doing it, but many more will soon follow suit.

4. Supplement

Insurers might up your bills quite a bit due to pre-existing conditions. While it’s always much less of a hassle to get all your coverage from the same company, it could be better to find alternative ways to cover some needs.

Notably, disease-specific assistance programs in many hospitals offer financial support to patients. Don’t be afraid to ask around.

Wrap Up

The key takeaway is simple – you can’t avoid these expenses altogether, but you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg. Having a reliable, accessible medical professional on your team is more important than ever before.

Knowledge helps you make better decisions. Learn about your options, read the relief bill, and discuss everything with your broker. All that research will pay off when you get your policy.

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Product Liability: What it Is, Why it Matters

April 13, 2021

By Kyle Hambright

Thousands of injuries are caused by defective products each year throughout the US. There are three main types of product liability, 1) design defects, 2) manufacturing defects, 3) marketing defects. As for the person to be held liable, this can be anyone from the manufacturing to the distribution chain.

Product liability laws are in place to protect consumers from any harm that might come to them from using any merchandise. Also, it helps the injured receive compensation.

What is Product Liability

Product liability refers to who is liable when a product causes any damage to a user. The person or entity responsible for the incident can be anyone from the manufacturing or distribution chain. Furthermore, they may be exposed to product liability lawsuits to answer for the injury they have inflicted.

All items on the market should satisfy the expectations of clients and not disappoint. Most importantly, these should in no way endanger the well-being of the users. Such laws are in place, so that the victim may receive some compensation for the injury they have suffered. However, it also helps prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future and injuring more people.

If you are wondering what kind of products qualify for this discussion, know that the list is long. To begin with, the talk is not limited to material objects; the definition was stretched out to intangibles that are subject to product liability laws. Here are a few items, which you might not known qualify:

Intangibles (e.g. electricity and gas)
Real estate (e.g. house)
Writings

Types of Defects

For a valid case, it is necessary to prove these two things: 1) the product in question was faulty and 2) the product became very dangerous on account of the defect. In the next section, we will present the three types of product liability and offer an illustrative example for each case. Sadly all kinds of customers can be exposed to injury, including our beloved pets (in the case of pet products) and even children.

Design Defects

These defects occur before manufacturing and are inherent to the merchandise. The plan for the product is erroneous and exposes the user to danger. Clackers, the popular toy during the 1960s and 1970s, is a good example of a design defect.

The idea behind the toy was pretty simple. It is made of two balls hanging from a string, which are swung around. However, the problem was that the balls were made from acrylic, and they often shattered upon impact. Many users were injured by splinters flying around.

Manufacturing defects

These types of defects appear during product assembly, so not all of the items have it. A rather famous example of this was the toy Aquabeads. In case you are not familiar with it, the set contained plastic beads of different colors, which were used by kids to create all kinds of designs. However, some of the beads were found to be toxic. Several children around the world were hospitalized on account of these.

An inquiry uncovered that some sets were made with a different substance than the designers intended. This substance was cheaper, but it was also dangerous when ingested, it acted like a pharmacologically active sedative.

Marketing Defects

These appear in the final stage, in how the item is presented. Here the error can be anything from a laconic label to missing instructions. So, if a product fails to warn against all types of hazards, it may leave the door open to a possible lawsuit. This is why you will find some pretty absurd reasons behind particular items having very long warning labels with some rather strange entries.

Recently a story made headlines in the news about Tessica Brown who ran out of hairspray and used Gorilla Spray Adhesive on her hair. She posted a video, which quickly went viral, about the predicament she found herself in, asking for help.

Many people stepped up and offered their assistance, including Beyoncé’s personal hairstylist, and plastic surgeons. She recently underwent a procedure offered to her for free by Dr. Michael Obeng, during which the glue was successfully removed.

The warning on the bottle does specify that the glue should not be used on skin or clothing, that it must not get in the eyes, and it must not be swallowed. However, it does not explicitly state anything about hair. Should it? How long should a warning label become?

Although rumor had it that she decided to deny claims and sue the company, she has recently dismissed such claims. However, this fueled heated discussions among specialists about the validity of a possible lawsuit.

Product Liability Claims

Product liability laws are only under state jurisdiction, so they may vary greatly depending on the location. Besides, warranty rules relating to product liability may also be found in commercial statutes, based on the Uniform Commercial Code. In an attempt to bring a degree of homogeneity, the Model Uniform Product Liability ACT (MUPLA) was published by the United States Department of Commerce.

Due to the lack of federal law on product liability, based on the state jurisdiction, the theories evoked by product liability claims are:

Strict liability
Negligence
Breach of warranty

It is the manufacturer’s responsibility to ensure that their product is not harmful to the user. This means that any preventable danger should be avoided. If you do get injured, you can be eligible to receive financial compensation.

Source: https://www.pintas.com/chicago-personal-injury-lawyer/

Why Product Liability Matters

Product liability laws are in place to offer some compensation to those injured by a defective product. Also, they help prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. These laws are different in each state, and they are subject to periodical updates. If you have been injured in any way by a product, consider contacting a qualified lawyer. They will have in-depth knowledge of the law, and upon reviewing your case, they can help you get a fair settlement.

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About the Author

Kyle Hambright is a passionate writer proudly representing Pintas and Mullins Law Firm. He has focused his legal career on personal injury cases, and throughout his practice, Kyle has helped people from all walks of life. This determination transpires in his writings as well. His articles translate the complex web of legal jargon into accessible text. Readers not only gain a firm grasp on theory, but they also learn how to put it into practice.

How to Get Your First Bitcoin? Follow the Steps!!

April 13, 2021

Are you looking for a way to invest in Bitcoin? If yes, then you have come to the right place. Here, you will find details regarding how to get your first Bitcoin. Every Bitcoin investor knows that mining Bitcoin is no longer profitable for beginners.

And if you are starting and don’t know about the world of Bitcoin, in that case, you can consider buying a Bitcoin rather than mining them. You should know that purchasing Bitcoin is pretty easy. And there are only two ways to get Bitcoin in your cryptocurrency wallet either you will mine one, or you can purchase it from a reliable Bitcoin exchange. If you don’t want to indulge in Bitcoin mining activities, you can consider purchasing Bitcoin.

All you need to do is follow several steps to buy your first Bitcoin. But before that, you are required to have the necessary government-issued IDs and internet access camera, pen, utility bill, and paper. And you also have to consider what kind of payment method you are likely to use for paying the trade amount. Once you have gathered all the required documents, then you can start the process of purchasing Bitcoin.

Select Trustable Exchange

There are several factors that you have to consider while choosing the most trustable exchange for purchasing Bitcoins. First, you have to ensure that the Bitcoin exchange that you have chosen provides its services in your country. You should know that some of the best exchanges offer their services in selective countries only because Some countries have their law and order. Some of the Bitcoin exchange focuses on North America while others just on Europe.

You also have to ensure that the Bitcoin exchange accepts your payment method. For example, if you are thinking about buying Bitcoin using a credit card, that means you need to register with a Bitcoin exchange that allows you to pay from a credit or debit card. And there are several Bitcoin exchanges which are accepting every mode of payment. So, it would be great for you to do a proper search before registering with a Bitcoin exchange platform.

Register And Finish Your KYC

After choosing the most reliable, we can exchange, you have to create a user account. Once you sign up, you should know that the exchange platform will not allow you to trade Bitcoins without completing your KYC (know your customer) process. However, the process of getting verified is very simple as you already have the necessary documents and government-issued ID for completing your KYC.

In order to get verified, you need to click on the “verifying your account” button in https://bitcoin-prime.app or another application, which you will find on the homepage. Since every Bitcoin exchange is integrated with a different verification process, so you need to follow along with the information offered by the exchange. In a nutshell, you have to provide a picture of your government-issued ID (front and back).

The Bitcoin exchange mainly requires you to write down the exchange name and the date on a piece of paper and click the selfie while holding it straight, or you have to click a selfie with your government-issued ID. Though, you should know that the world creation process may take around 10 minutes to an entire week, depending upon the verification team.

If you want to get verified instantly, you should choose an exchange, which will provide you with same-day verification. Individuals should know that they are too kind of verification levels that are higher-level verification means you can make large payments or pay fewer transaction fees. Make use of the original government-issued ID; otherwise, you might see yourself in some trouble.

Select The Payment Method

Once the KYC is completed, you can set up your payment methods. The exchange will provide you with simple steps in order to register a bank account with the platform. Moreover, it will exchange your Fiat currency using inexpensive means, making it easier for you to make payments.

Buy Bitcoin

The exchange will provide you with two options: either you can buy Bitcoin from the exchange authorities, or other members register with the same exchange.

These are the steps that you need to follow for buying your first-ever Bitcoin.

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How To Personalize Your Marketing Campaign

April 13, 2021

Online commerce is growing at a rapid rate. It’s estimated that 2.14 billion global buyers will shop digitally in 2021, compared to just 1.66 billion five years earlier. Businesses positioned to serve these online consumers are in a great place, but there are still some challenges to serving customers through the internet. Personalization is tricky when you can’t look shoppers in the eye or engage in a face-to-face conversation, but it’s not impossible. Try these tricks for offering a unique experience that will leave an impression.

Offer a VR Trial

Virtual reality makes it possible for online customers to digitally experience your products before buying them. This is a powerful way to connect with consumers who are considering your items but aren’t yet sold. Consider investing in a custom app that will let potential shoppers upload a photo and try on your makeup, or point their camera at an empty wall and see a preview of your art hanging there. This type of experience brings your products right into the consumer’s home without the need for physical samples or costly physical trials and product returns.

Connect on Social Media

Personalize your social media campaigns with fun filters, quizzes, or games that utilize shoppers’ data to deliver results that are carefully tailored to their personalities. For example, Cadbury developed a platform that would recommend a candy flavor based on the user’s Facebook data, once that user gave their consent. You might offer a photo filter that suggests makeup looks after analyzing skin, hair, and eye tones, or offer vacation suggestions based on the locations where an individual has previously checked-in or tagged themselves. These types of experiences make each interaction unique to the individual and leave a lasting impression.

Send Handwritten Notes

Handwritten notes are a powerful way to pull an online company into the physical world. Personalized mailers can still connect with customers in today’s digital age. Those that are designed thoughtfully can even pack a stronger punch than they might have in the past simply because the concept of the ink-and-paper letter has become largely obsolete. Using a company like Handwrytten, you can find many unique ways to say thank you with physical letters that feature a distinctive script and ink that perfectly mimics a human hand.

Provide Personalized Gifts

Coupons, discounts, and gift cards are always welcome, but these carry even more meaning when they’re personalized. Use data from your customers’ previous purchases or online activity to provide them with promotions that are unique to their needs. Evaluate items that were left in abandoned shopping carts or added to wish lists and provide little gifts that are designed to satisfy the exact wants of your shoppers.

Personalized marketing campaigns are a great way to make your company stand out. You don’t need a brick-and-mortar store to make a lasting impression in your customers’ minds. Thoughtful campaigns that treat each individual in a unique manner will offer a welcome change from boilerplate messages, helping your business make its way to the head of the pack.

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Islamic Economy Brand: Paving Indonesia’s Way to Become the Global Islamic Economy Hub

April 13, 2021

By Anya Safira and Fadhil Akbar Purnama

Indonesia’s vision and rising position

As the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, Indonesia is helping to shape the bright future of the global Islamic economy.

The State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2020/2021 estimates total Muslim spending in 2019 was about $US2.2 trillion and will rise to $US2.4 trillion by 2024. Indonesia has massive potential as a key player, particularly in the global halal industry, but it must take strategic action.

In 2018, Indonesia outlined its vision to become a leader in the global Islamic economy. This plan was further developed in the Indonesian Sharia Economics Masterplan 2019-2024 which aimed to achieve four goals: 1) increase the scale of sharia businesses; 2) lift Indonesia’s ranking in the Global Islamic Economy Index (GIEI); 3) increase the country’s economic independence; and 4) boost the welfare of Indonesians.

Since introducing the plan, Indonesia has proudly watched its GIEI ranking jump six places in two years – from 10th (2018) to 4th (2020) – as greater government support and a rising awareness among the public and the media helped shift consumer attention to the Islamic economy.

Assessing factors such as knowledge, awareness and governance, the 2020 Islamic Finance Development Indicator (IFDI) placed Indonesia in second position. Indonesia’s success in nurturing its blossoming Islamic finance ecosystem also awarded it the silver medal in the Global Islamic Finance Report (GIFR) 2020. Such impressive recognition proves Indonesia is on the right track to achieve its “Masterplan” vision.

However, the path still has many obstacles. For instance, the 2019 Financial Services Authority (OJK) showed Indonesia’s Sharia Financial Literacy Index was a measly 8.93%. Another survey in 2019 by Bank Indonesia found similarly low numbers (16.3%). Clearly, Indonesia must do more to improve public awareness about Islamic economic and finance literacy.

So, creating a brand to better communicate Islamic economic values – and what they bring to both Indonesia and the world – will be a great way to increase awareness and unify efforts. This is the purpose of the Islamic Economy brand.

Inauguration of the Islamic Economy brand

The final brand design was the result of a competition held at the 7th Indonesia Sharia Economy Festival (ISEF) 2020. The ISEF was a collaboration between Bank Indonesia and the National Committee on Sharia Economics and Finance (KNEKS) which attracted a total of 16 government leaders and more than 700 candidates. The winning Islamic Economy logo was finally inaugurated by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and launched the National Cash Waqf Movement.

The brand represents a national movement and will be used by all ministries, institutions and stakeholders engaged in Islamic economics and finance activities. A special guidebook also assists anyone using the brand so they can increase awareness about the Islamic Economy as a joint movement striving for people’s welfare. The brand is a new identity for Indonesian workers aiming for excellence at the global level.

Urgency of the Islamic Economy brand: A marketing perspective

Branding is the process of giving a consumer the right meaning about a specific organization, company, product or service. A brand can trigger certain associations, such as quality, tastes or design, and can even evoke emotional reactions.

The most basic element of a brand is identity – what the brand is and is not. Inspired by the Islamic phrase rahmatan lil alamin, the Islamic Economy brand carries the tagline “Value for All,” which underlines a deep embrace of inclusivity and describes how the movement will contribute to the prosperity of all Indonesians, regardless of faith.

The Islamic Economy brand also highlights how the Indonesian government has shifted to view the whole Islamic economy as holistically integrated and the importance of its support for the halal industry, Islamic social finance and other subsectors. Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said the government’s efforts to promote, accelerate, expand and integrate the Islamic economics and finance sector will contribute to national economic resilience.

The brand’s marketing strategy uses the model of umbrella branding (family branding) in which a single name is used to represent multiple related products. In this case, the Islamic Economy brand covers everything from halal cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, Muslim-friendly tourism, Islamic banking and finance to halal food, modest fashion and social finance.

Umbrella branding was first introduced by economist Birger Wernerfelt (1988) who noticed that consumers tend to pool their experiences of multiple products to infer their quality. Researchers Erdem and Sun (2002) also found evidence of spill-over effects for umbrella brands due to advertising. The recent merger of three Islamic banks into PT Bank Syariah Indonesia Tbk (BSI) has increased awareness of how Islamic banking might help in the recovery of the Indonesian economy after Covid-19. It is hoped that umbrella branding may transport people’s positive views about BSI and other Sharia companies to create a single huge brand equity. This will build towards Indonesia’s goal of becoming the center of the global Islamic economy.

Umbrella branding is a way for products or services planned for the future to piggyback on existing brand awareness (Sullivan, 1990). It also enhances marketing programmes while increasing demand for new products (Erdem, 1998). In other words, this strategy may be crucial in lifting people’s interest in new products like cash waqf.

The way forward

The Islamic Economy brand shows strong commitment from the government to lift Indonesian awareness and accelerate the integration of the entire economy and finance sectors.

But implementing umbrella branding and achieving Indonesia’s “Masterplan” vision will require close coordination between the government, regulators, industry players and civil society. As the new brand logo can be used by any ministry, institution or stakeholder in the Islamic economy, it will require a consistent communication theme.

So, setting up an Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) process will be a vital element in building the brand (Madhavaram, Badrinarayanan & Mcdonald, 2013). The American Marketing Association defines an IMC as “a planning process designed to assure that all brand contacts received by a customer or prospect for a product, service or organization are relevant to that person and consistent over time.”

An IMC can deliver a consistent message about a unified drive in the Sharia economy. To do this, Kitchen and Schultz (2000) identified four stages of an IMC process: tactical coordination of promotional elements, redefining the scope of marketing communications, application of information technology and the financial and strategic integration.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of their respective institutions.

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About the Authors

Anya Safira is a lecturer at the Faculty of Economics and Business Universitas Indonesia, teaching Islamic Marketing courses. She is an NZAID Scholar who received a Master of Commerce (in Marketing) degree from Victoria University of Wellington. Her thesis discussed Islamic perspectives on advertising.

Fadhil Akbar Purnama is currently a Sharia economy and finance analyst at Bank Indonesia. He is an LPDP awardee who holds a Master of Islamic Finance and Management degree from Durham University Business School, and has extensive work experiences in various national and international institutions, always in the Sharia economy and finance sector.

Youtuber Stacksmashing Turns a Bitcoin Miner from Nintendo Game Boy

April 13, 2021

There seems to be big and interesting news coming out at the moment when we see a young and popular YouTuber known as Stacksmashing claimed about mining bitcoins from a 31-year-old game. He released a video where he explained how he had hacked a 1989 invented game called Nintendo Game Boy for mining bitcoins. Despite all the odds the miners face, the young Youtuber was able to do it with different creativity for doubling batteries. The Youtuber stated that by using the eight-bit handheld game console, he was able to read something interesting, which remains as powerful a thing as any modern miner in the digital currency world. Now, let’s dig in deep as to what has happened and how the YouTuber was able to do it.

Mining Bitcoin with the help of the Game

In order to understand how things worked, you need to go four years back where a few people were seen creating some interesting ideas and methods to mine and then network with several Bitcoin networks for more information you can visit the official site. For example, if you check the digital currency expert Ken Shirriff who is the man behind giving the symbol of bitcoin to the world, one can see him adding a Unicode that has proved to the world that how the mining of bitcoin is possible with the idea of an old and interesting tool called Xerox Alto. One can find the PC to be a classic machine that remains the first tool to add a number of graphics or GUI in 1973. At the same time, in the year 2015, one can find Sheriff also mining bitcoin with an old man’s company called IBM. Besides this experiment, one can find the person also developing a new system called Nintendo Entertainment System for the miners. Now, let’s look at what the YouTuber has to say in his video.

The latest video from the YouTuber has tried to access and play around with the help of a 31-year-old handheld game that was played with a console known as a Game Boy. It is very much similar to the NES Miner, which the YouTuber has tried to do by connecting the console to the Link Port in order to connect things directly over the BTC Network. He was also able to join the people with the help of this open-source based game boy tool kit that was written seeking the help of a computer language called C program. He was also to use the SHA256 implementation seeking the open-source firmware that seemed created seeking the Trezor hardware wallet producers. At the same time, the YouTuber also managed to connect the said game console to Bitcoin networks and take away the money. In this way, he was able to mine the money in less consumable items along with less electricity as required in any traditional method of mining the coins.

The Speed of the Game vs. the modern-day traditional miner

With the said game device, all you could mine is round 0.8 hashes per second, which is around 0.0008 kilo hash) and the YouTuber Stacksmashing was able to showcase the modern-day machines using the modern-day machines that are able to harness around 100 terahashes per second (TH/s). This simply means that the speed of the Game, when compared to the other factors, is around 125 trillion effective, and thus the YouTuber was able to make things smoother. A single unit of BTC was able to harness around a few quadrillion years that would be needed to mine, seeking the help of the classic Game Boy.

The YouTuber was able to teach some simple methods when it comes to making Bitcoin mining work with the help of the game tool called Game Boy. But at the same time, the YouTuber is able to help the audience in some way or the other by educating them about mining the bitcoin blocks. With some amount of innovation and ingenuity, one can find people really trying to mine bitcoin with several crunching numbers. Ken, on the other hand, was able to explain it theoretically, although not practically, but sooner or later, he can put things on paper about the idea of mining the bitcoin. Well, let’s wait and watch!

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Good governance is the missing prescription for better digital health care

April 13, 2021

By Linying Dong

Recently Ontario released its Digital First for Health strategy — aiming to further digitize health care and end the problem of overcrowded hospitals and “hallway medicine.”

While applauding the government’s continuous effort to improve quality health care through digital health, one can’t help wonder about the bumpy journey this has been to date.

It has been a journey involving large financial investments — from the launch of Canada Health Infoway in 2001 to use technology for more efficient delivery of services, to the billion-dollar project eHealth Ontario in 2008 to create electronic health records.

However, despite being the most expensive universal-access health-care system in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Canadian health-care system continues to grapple with chronic challenges. These include skyrocketing health-care costs, unbearable wait times and an aging population.

It is puzzling that one of our most cherished Canadian institutions — our public health-care system — struggles to reap the benefits of the digital revolution, while other industries such as banking and retail have already harnessed advanced technologies to deliver fast and convenient services.

The reason: our health-care system lacks good governance.

Software systems must work together

For example, one key contributor to the hallway medicine issue is the lack of system interoperability.

In other words, multiple software systems are needed to support the transition of a patient from hospital care to community care. In Ontario, the Client Health and Related Information System (CHRIS) helps this process and is available province-wide.

Unfortunately, some EMR systems are not interoperable with CHRIS and as a result, care plans are faxed, duplicated and not always synchronized when updated. The result: a long waiting time to transition a patient, which results in hallway medicine.

There are other painful effects of our fragmented health-care systems: hospital readmissions and excessive wait times for medical diagnoses and treatments, to name just two.

What is more, the current piecemeal approach to digitization will not prepare our health-care system for the aging population. This will result in an increase in elderly patients who have multiple chronic conditions and require care from multiple service providers.

A change of mindset is needed

Granted, significant improvements have been made in different provinces. According to the Canadian Medical Association 2017 Physician Workforce Survey, more than 82 per cent of primary care doctors used an electronic medical record system across provinces and 85 per cent of primary care doctors accessed lab results and notes electronically.

Hospitals and health-care agencies have also allocated significant resources to modernize their IT systems and embrace IT into their daily operations.

However, the key issue here is to change the mindset that more technologies will cure our health-care system. While it always sounds exciting to introduce new technologies in hope that they will do wonders, more systems would not fundamentally address the painful issues Canadians have been experiencing.

Transparency and accountability

Instead, we need a governance structure in place — to fund only IT investment initiatives that are interoperable with existing backbone systems. Better data access should be achieved not through fax machines, phone calls, post mails, printouts and emails, but through seamless integration of technologies that allow data to be communicated without losing its accuracy, completeness and timeliness.

Good governance stresses transparent funding policies and accountability that links investments to outcomes. Private organizations rely on governance to reduce costs and make businesses agile and scalable. The number one component of the national e-health strategy recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) is governance.

However, governance has not yet been paid much attention to by either government officials or health-care service providers. It explains the bumpy road we have experienced in our path of health-care digitalization.

As technologies are deeply ingrained in our health-care system, it is critical to have better governance — in order for Canadians to enjoy world-class digital health care.

The article was first published in The Conversation

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About the Author

Linying Dong is a Professor, Ted Rogers School of Information Technology Management, Ryerson University. She Graduated from Richard Ivey School of Business in 2004, Dr. Dong has actively engaged in research, teaching, and services, and become a valuable member of Ted Rogers School of Information Technology Management (TRSITM).

She has published in top tier IS journals including Journal of Information Technology (JIT), European Journal of Information Systems (EJIS), and Information Systems Journal (ISJ), and won Best Paper Award (AMCIS 2000), Meritorious Award (ISECON 2006), and highly recommended for Awards for Excellence (Emerald 2009) for her publications. Dr. Dong has also been awarded various internal and external research funds (e.g., SSRHC, OCE, Mitacs).

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