The future business landscape, and ensuring there is one

July 22, 2020

By Alexander Igelsböck, CEO of Adverity

Whether you consider Coronavirus as being the “ultimate black swan event”, or more accurately a “grey rhino”, pulling the world through this particular crisis will take more than just looking for lessons in the past. Rebuilding the business landscape for lasting success is going to mean preparing for an ever-more digital, eco-friendly, and entrepreneurial future. It is also an opportunity to gently nudge companies to uphold moral standards.

Coronavirus is being dubbed¹ a “grey rhino” event and not without reason. Rapidly disrupting everyday life and sending the global economy into the worst² recession in almost a century, it fits the bill of a colossal crisis that seemed impossible, until it wasn’t. And looking back to when the spread of the virus was first identified as the pandemic it was, in hindsight it’s clear to see the signs were there.

But comparisons to grey rhinos or ‘unforeseen’ events from the past only take us so far. Looking to historical events does offer positive proof that the world and its financial systems have made it through tough times before. In fact, the 28%³ decline in the Dow Jones experienced at the end of Q1 this year is significantly eclipsed by the drop that came with the Great Depression (89%), and to a lesser extent the more recent Black Monday (31%).

Although unique in its own way, and with obvious repercussion, the 2020 pandemic has also brought about significant, positive change – from massively accelerated rates of digital transformation to a greater focus on environmental issues.

Fuelling this particular recovery will mean recognising these distinctive changes and taking steps to harness the opportunities they offer. Companies hoping to protect the business landscape and secure their place in it must therefore get to work on reshaping their models and processes for the new, post-pandemic reality.

Entrepreneurs will grease the wheels of recovery

While COVID-19 has brought some companies to a halt, others are finding different ways to keep moving. Distillers in the US⁴ are switching to production of hand sanitiser. Fashion brands such as Germany-based Trigema⁵ are swapping leisurewear for protective gear. Entertainment companies in Denmark⁶ are holding drive-in gigs. What these smart adapters have in common isn’t just a flair for problem-solving, but also an entrepreneurial spirit that will be essential to power future prosperity.

In times of turmoil, companies that rise to meet changing market conditions and consumer needs with creative solutions are crucial to keeping the wider economy going. And this doesn’t just mean big corporations. As noted in a paper⁷ on entrepreneurship by the Robert Schuman Foundation, start-ups are often the unsung heroes of recovery: playing a “fundamental role in reviving growth” and bringing societies through crisis.

The turbulence sparked by COVID-19 presents multiple openings for entrepreneurs, whatever their size. In fact, smaller businesses may find their flexibility, lack of extensive capital investments, and easily adjustable models give them an edge over larger players; especially in the increasingly digitised world. There are significant gains to be made for those who can use digital technologies to minimise running costs and boost agility.

Key among the obvious areas in need of innovation are healthcare, finance, and education, and a variety of start-ups are answering the call. That includes the COVID-19 tracker app⁸ developed for Iceland’s national healthcare system by Sidekick Health, the online platform created by Kry to remotely connect patients with medical professionals in Sweden, and the free online training pack built for caregivers by Swiss e-learning platform, Coorpacademy.

But the potential for entrepreneurial efforts stretches much further. Many small players have already moved to fill specific niches created by the challenges of lockdown and strict social distancing; from home-delivery crafting kits⁹ and workout apps to digital takeaway services. In the coming weeks and years, we’re going to need plenty more of these independent pioneers.

Understanding the value of data

The value of data continues to appreciate as an asset. It is ever-increasing in quantity and in a digital landscape, where customer behaviours are constantly changing, marketers need stronger forecasting capabilities to allow their teams to stay agile and focus on actions that drive results. Many companies have been forced to accelerate their digital transformation and adopt a new mindset, to ensure their survival during COVID-19. Those companies with the ability to continuously analyse data during the pandemic were able to react quickly to the resulting fast moving and ever changing customer behaviour. For example, while many found their holiday plans had been disrupted, retail trends showed people still had intentions of taking a vacation – as indicated by the increase in online searches for inflatable swimming pools and staycations. Couple this with the 87%¹⁰ of marketers still claiming data as their most under-used asset, and the race to implement a robust digital transformation strategy has never been more important, as companies realise the opportunities that come with access to real-time data insights, at speed.

By adopting technologies that automate data preparation, reporting, and analysis, marketers are able to rapidly process data – at scale and with greater accuracy – and reallocate their time on more impactful tasks. For example, Vodafone Italy’s digital marketing team was able to transform their campaign data reporting and reduce waste by 75%. We helped Vodafone by unifying its offline and online data sources to extract and analyse campaign performances in a quicker and easier way – previously data reporting was a time-consuming process as analysis for decision making was often done manually.

Using data technologies to keep ahead of market changes and be proactive in responding to them is essential for freeing up the time and resources to ensure marketers can continue innovating their position in what is a dynamic and competitive space.

Remote working requires a cultural rethink

Another coronavirus-triggered change is, of course, the rise of remote working. As recently as last year, only 61%¹¹ of companies allowed some form of home working. Now, the number of remote teams has skyrocketed across the globe — with around half of all workers in both the UK¹² and US¹³ estimated to be logging on from a distance, and officials in Japan aiming to reduce commuter volumes by 70%¹⁴.

These numbers will inevitably fall once the storm passes, particularly as retail stores reopen and face-to-face service resumes. But it’s also likely the mass adoption of remote working will have a lasting impact; inspiring more companies to go permanently remote-first or blend home working options into their new business set up.

From the start, Adverity has been a practitioner of blending a strong office culture with the freedom to work from anywhere. We find this mix advantageous as it gives team members the choice to be productive in an atmosphere that best suits them, while ensuring the benefits of the office environment, such as face to face interactions, are not neglected. Having this embedded in the way the company operates has been key to our success in easily transitioning to the “new working norm” during the pandemic. It meant our team could get on with their work without the technological disruption many businesses experienced and, just as importantly, they were already versed in how to conduct themselves professionally with clients in virtual meetings without requiring a period of adjustment. Many businesses already lend themselves to the office-and-working-remote model, while others need to adapt; in any instance the pandemic is forcing businesses to assess and adopt new ways of working.

The relationship with the office is changing in other ways too. Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman has already hinted¹⁵ the banking giant will hold “much less real estate” in the future, as the pandemic has illustrated it can operate just as effectively with a smaller footprint and less expensive office space. And Gorman isn’t alone; Twitter has also announced¹⁶ all employees can now work from home forever, if they choose.

As a result, it will be crucial to adjust to the changes in corporate culture. Alongside efficiencies, the sudden virtual transition has created complications for leaders and employees used to office-centric working; with the challenges felt most heavily in the US. Studies show two in three¹⁷ US managers are finding it hard to keep up morale, while more than half¹⁸ of workers say their jobs are harder than they were before the pandemic.

Maintaining high performance and engagement is going to mean building new avenues of connection. As well as upholding a constant line of direct communication with their teams, business leaders will need to implement initiatives that allow for organic conversations and help employees to grow; whether that includes holding idea sharing video conferences, personal development sessions, or social events such as online talent shows.

Additionally, it will be critical to ensure all workers not only have the basic means to work from home, but also the capability to do so efficiently. Going halfway down the road to digital transformation by installing computers and cloud-based networks isn’t enough; companies must also build a robust infrastructure that incorporates the key ingredients for streamlined virtual working, covering everything from collaboration platforms to systems for billing and documentation.

But making working from anywhere a success is not only a question of technology, it’s also a question of motivation and trust, as well as about attitudes towards working collectively as a team.

The business future is set to be greener

When it comes to the unexpected benefits of COVID-19, few examples are more potent than the reappearance¹⁹ of the Himalayan mountain range in skylines across India, for the first time in 30 years. As lockdown stopped travel and industrial activity around the world, air pollution also plummeted: dropping by 60%²⁰ in Delhi, 71% in Los Angeles, 56% in Madrid, and 34% in London. China, previously the highest producer of carbon dioxide, saw levels fall by 25%²¹.

These figures prompt some convoluted questions, as well as celebration. We’ve proved our environmental impact can be dramatically reduced but figuring out how to sustain these positive effects will be a challenge once the globe goes back to work.

For businesses, the best next step is aiming to stay as green as possible; and not just for the good of the planet. Research has found companies actively managing their carbon emissions can see up to 18%²² higher return on investment than those who don’t, and commitment to eco-friendly practices is also increasingly important to consumers: cited by 37%²³ as a major factor on purchase decisions in a recent international study.

At a functional level, that’s likely to involve holding onto green habits established amid current restrictions. It almost goes without saying that keeping new digitised procedures will be at the top of the list: remote working to cut down on emissions from employee commutes — as well as the energy consumed by physical workspaces — and more virtual meetings with clients regionally and globally. Zoom has negated the need to rack up air miles. For those still in the office, there is scope for small changes to go a long way; from encouraging use of washable fabric face masks to replacing plastic materials with sustainable alternatives, even recycled²⁴ post-it notes can make a difference.

Taking a wider view, embracing the green finance movement and making more substantial commitments to limiting impact could reap significant rewards on multiple fronts. Global authorities are dialling up financial support for eco-centric initiatives and financial systems; including the European Union and its “Renewed Sustainable Finance strategy”²⁵. With high ambitions to not only make the European economy greener, but also expand the worldwide scope of environmentally friendly finance, the initiative forms part of a €1 trillion package that’s striving to bolster green investment and fully integrate “climate and environmental risks into the financial system.” And investors are following this trend closely. According to Bloomberg, investors are shifting more dollars towards green businesses and companies working to enhance their sustainability efforts; with investments rising to $30.7 trillion²⁶ in 2019 alone.

For all the parallels with the black swans that have come before, it’s important to remember this crisis isn’t an exact repeat. There are specific challenges that will need to be addressed, as well as new possibilities for a different kind of recovery.

Companies will need to accept that many aspects of the way we work won’t be going back to normal; and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In the revamped business landscape, there will be more potential for agile small players to find their position of strength and make a vital contribution to the overall economy. As temporary changes turn into longer-term practices, it will also be critical to hold onto the bonuses of lockdown — including increased remote flexibility and cleaner air — and fine-tune processes to keep leveraging them effectively.

The mass disruption caused by the pandemic has given the world a chance to rebuild and improve the business landscape, both in terms of practices and the environment. We must ensure it isn’t wasted.

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About the Author

Alexander Igelsböck is the CEO of Adverity. Data based efficiency has driven every stage of Alex’s career. From the creation, growth and successful exit strategy applied to the multiple companies he has been involved with, to his latest role as co-founder and CEO of intelligence platform Adverity, powering smarter decisions with accurate analysis remains a key passion for Alex.

References:

https://www.moneyobserver.com/our-analysis/covid-19-ultimate-black-swan-event
https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2020/jun/10/stock-market-rally-fades-as-investors-await-us-fed-federal-reserve-forecasts-coronavirus-covid-19-sterling-eurozone-pound-brexit-business-live
https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2020/03/16/market-crashes-compared28-coronavirus-crash-vs-4-historic-market-crashes/#2be3f993fa45
https://www.anheuser-busch.com/newsroom/2020/03/anheuser-busch-will-redirect-sports-entertainment-investments.html
https://www.faz.net/aktuell/technik-motor/technik/mundschutz-gegen-corona-so-stellt-trigema-masken-her-16702640.html
https://www.nme.com/news/music/denmark-have-started-holding-drive-in-gigs-2657878
https://www.robert-schuman.eu/en/doc/questions-d-europe/qe-284-en.pdf
https://sifted.eu/articles/startup-initiatives-coronavirus/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52383193
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbespr/2018/06/20/new-forbes-insights-report-shows-organizations-feel-customer-data-is-siloed-and-exclusionary/#2c6cea2c299b
https://www.merchantsavvy.co.uk/remote-working-statistics/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52720007
https://zapier.com/blog/wfh-report/
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3079646/coronavirus-japans-employees-are-working-home-stress
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-16/gorman-sees-morgan-stanley-future-with-much-less-real-estate
https://www.forbes.com/sites/danabrownlee/2020/05/18/twitter-square-announce-work-from-home-forever-optionwhat-are-the-risks/
https://www.shrm.org/about-shrm/press-room/press-releases/pages/survey-how-covid-19-is-changing-the-workplace.aspx
https://www.surveymonkey.com/curiosity/cnbc-workforce-survey-may-2020/
https://cleantechnica.com/2020/04/21/himalayas-visible-for-the-first-time-in-30-years-in-india/
https://www.instantoffices.com/blog/instant-offices-news/air-pollution-in-cities-lockdown/
https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-coronavirus-has-temporarily-reduced-chinas-co2-emissions-by-a-quarter
https://www.instantoffices.com/blog/featured/growth-green-office-trend/
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/15087-consumers-want-sustainable-products.html
https://medium.com/@purposedesigner/a-small-change-with-a-potentially-big-impact-the-recycled-post-it-7ca59b30f019
https://www.edie.net/news/11/EU-says-green-finance-will-be–key-focus–of-post-virus-recovery-phase/
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-01/global-sustainable-investments-rise-34-percent-to-30-7-trillion

How to Conduct a Business Energy Audit

July 22, 2020

Using gas and electricity is essential to powering your business. However, many SMEs often overlook a number of small steps that could help them save a significant amount on their energy bills.

This is why conducting a simple business energy audit can have a major impact on how your company consumes energy, allowing you to have cost-effective energy tariff, remove old inefficient habits. In this guide, we hope to cover the advantages that an energy audit provides, by outlining a number of steps on how to take action, along with a helpful checklist. Before getting started, any audit you undertake should be combined with a more cost-effective energy tariff. Using business energy comparison sites such as Utility Saving Expert can help you find a cheaper deal on your business electricity or gas, they also provide useful in-depth guides and reviews helping you make an informed decision before choosing your next provider.

Why should I carry out a business energy audit?

Many business owners and managers already have a number of day to day challenges to contend with, and will often assume that an energy audit isn’t worth the time and hassle, as they believe it will take too long to complete. However, in reality, this is far from the truth. A basic audit can provide you with a clear overview about your firm’s current energy usage, along with giving you vital insights into what areas are having a significant impact on your finances. This information can help you understand what is going on, allowing you to create a plan of action to address each individual area one after the other.

The audit will help you identify which areas of the business are wasting excess energy. The results will help you determine how best to reduce your power consumption, saving you money and cutting your carbon footprint. An audit should look at the premises’ interior, exterior, fixtures and equipment.

Developing a sustainable business model can set you apart from your competitors, giving you a distinct social responsibility advantage. This can be leveraged to show your potential customers what you’re doing to improve the local community and environment. Many buyers and clients have taken a keen interest in companies that take the necessary steps to becoming carbon neutral.

The process

SMEs are not legally required to carry out an energy audit, whereas their larger counterparts are. However, it’s still worth carrying out this task. A professional auditor can provide invaluable advice and highlight areas that should be addressed in priority order. Alternatively, you can even carry out your own simple audit without hiring a professional.

To start with, you’ll need to understand your current energy usage. This helps you find out how much energy each activity or business area consumes. You can quickly identify inefficient areas across different departments or buildings. Assess energy usage in your own way, or download a free spreadsheet online to help you. Additionally, your current commercial energy provider can also offer assistance, having copies of your bills over the last 12 months will give you the relevant numbers.

Walking around the site in a systematic way can aid you in finding various energy saving opportunities. The more in-depth your audit is, the more likely you will gain maximum benefit. Having a checklist allows you to prioritise which area can save you the most on gas and electricity. Some areas will require long term solutions, while others will only require a number of quick fixes that cost very little. Furthermore, areas that aren’t high on the priority list can always be addressed in the future.

Now that you’ve got all the necessary information from the business energy audit, it’s time to take action. You must estimate the potential savings along with how much it will cost you to improve an inefficient area. Lower-cost projects such as installing LED light bulbs can take off immediately, while those that require a larger investment such as solar panels will need to be evaluated at a managerial level through a solar panel calculator. Your business case should include the following key elements:

Rationale for the project
Identify the right solution
Project plan and a timeframe
Financial cost breakdown
Cost-benefit analysis

Although creating this business case may seem like it’s time consuming, you can in fact make a number of small changes immediately. Here are a few easy action points:

Replace old lights with modern energy efficient LED bulbs
Shut down all computers and electronics when not in use
Make use of natural light as much as possible
Print less and recycle more
Install a smart thermostat
Install smart sensors that automatically dim or turn off the lights in areas that aren’t in use

Hopefully you have found the information in this article useful. Conducting a business energy audit is one of the best ways to understand your gas and electricity usage. Not only will you save money on your bills, you’ll also be having a real positive impact in driving us forward to a cleaner and more sustainable future.

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What Are The Challenges Faced by Finance Professionals?

July 21, 2020

The corporate world seems to be changing rapidly, and the accounting and finance industry is no exception. Gone are the days when finance teams spent all their time on a day-to-day, transactional tasks, and recordkeeping. Finance roles are changing in new and exciting ways, with the focus on financial planning and analysis higher than ever before.

Additionally, the expectations of business leaders from finance professionals seem to have increased with time. The traditional finance department used to be a completely separate function, focusing solely on carrying out its duties. However, the finance professionals of today need to be a lot more involved in the running of the business, providing their organizations with strategic direction and assisting in high-level decision making.

What does all this mean for finance professionals? It merely means you need to be aware of some of the challenges that you are likely to face once you will start your career so that you can prepare yourself for them.

To help you out, here is our list of the top challenges currently faced by finance professionals:

1. TECHNOLOGY IS REPLACING SOME OF THE TRADITIONAL ACCOUNTING FUNCTIONS

Automation and AI are gradually becoming capable of performing some of the duties traditionally performed by accountants, such as compiling transactions and using them to produce tax returns and financial statements. Moreover, automation will take over the routine, recurring tasks such as tax calculations and payroll processing, freeing up the time of finance professionals for more value-adding work such as financial planning, analysis, and risk management.

Does this mean you could lose your job? While technology can take over certain accounting functions, humans will still be needed to verify the work done by automated technology. In such a situation, finance professionals who can adapt to these new systems will continue to be in high demand as they are the ones who will help businesses implement and use the technology.

2. THE NEED TO LEARN NEW SKILLS

As technology reduces demand for some of the traditional accounting skills such as bookkeeping, processing transactions and maintaining extensive records, other skills such as those related to analysis, forecasting, and financial strategy are likely to grow in importance with time. Professionals who wish to be competitive in the future job market need to learn these skills.

A degree in finance can be useful for this purpose as it covers all these areas. It can help you develop the technical and analytical skills needed to assess large amounts of financial data and use it for forecasting and decision-making. Finance experts are also able to offer financial advice to help their clients manage liquidity, control costs, and make sound investment decisions. Make sure to read more about the challenges and opportunities that a finance degree offers before deciding if it’s the right option for you. It could be helpful to know about the average salaries of enrolled agent vs CPA.

3. CYBERSECURITY CONCERNS

Accounting information is one of the hottest targets for hackers. Whether it is bank account details, credit card information, or passwords to accounting systems, all these are high-value pieces of information about a business for a hacker.

With the rapid increase in cybersecurity attacks, it is the responsibility of accounting and finance professionals to have all the necessary measures in place to protect financial data. They must ensure the accounting software is regularly updated as these updates often involve protection against the latest security risks. Access to financial data should get restricted to only those who need it to perform their job duties. Additionally, cloud-based systems are considered more secure than traditional software, so businesses should consider whether the switch to the cloud can be a suitable option for them.

4. IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING SOFT SKILLS

With time, it has become increasingly important for finance professionals to develop soft skills. From being a separate function to playing a central part in managing the organization, the roles and responsibilities of the finance department have changed. The gap that previously existed between finance and other departments is gradually closing. Therefore, if finance professionals wish to liaise with other departments effectively, they need to work on building their communication and interpersonal skills. Doing so will allow them to connect with other stakeholders of the business and gain their trust.

Unfortunately, soft skills are something that most finance professionals lack. Their nature of work has always been such that their interactions were limited. But if the finance professionals of today wish to become successful business partners, they need the training to develop these skills.

5. THE NEED TO PROVIDE REAL-TIME DATA

Real-time data has become all the rage nowadays. As the accounting systems become computerized, many finance departments tend to provide the management with information that is up-to-date and reflects the exact position of the company at any point in time.

Although real-time data is something every finance department aims for, it is not as easy to achieve as it looks. The main reason being that many finance departments still rely on spreadsheets for their day-to-day tasks, even if this means duplication of work. Worksheets are just more convenient, and it will take some time before finance professionals can commit to replacing them entirely.

CONCLUSION

Finance professionals need to understand the challenges facing their industry because only then can they come up with suitable strategies to overcome them. The good news is that many professionals are finding ways to respond to these challenges by continuing to update their knowledge and skills in line with the latest developments in their field.

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Technology has changed the face of personal finances. Here’s how.

July 20, 2020

We’re all familiar with change. Disruption, evolution and more are familiar terms to anyone involved in marketing and business. Change is ubiquitous and in the digital age, we’ve seen drastic evolution through technological innovation at a staggering pace.

In the modern age, every single aspect of our daily life is influenced by technology. The way we shop, buy, talk and move are linked through data. It’s improved the quality of our lives in an unprecedented fashion, opening up opportunities for businesses across the board and improving those already in existence.

And personal finances are no exception. Here’s a run-down of the biggest changes we’ve seen.

Everything – and we mean everything – is mobile.

It’s hard to describe just how reliant the average consumer is on their mobile – and how connected they are to other services through the data they create and consume. Every single product and service we need to live a fruitful and successful life is available at our fingertips, from our entertainment and recreation through to our need to pay bills and shop for groceries.

This has, of course, entirely shaped the present and future of personal finances. In a connected world where convenience is king, banks and lenders who are able to provide a service which prioritises ease of use, speed of service and consistency of product flourish. Time waits for no man and the success rates of advertising campaigns are measured in the fractions of seconds a page takes to load or a live chat gets replied to.

It’s empowered consumers, too. The consumer is now able to draw on the power of their mobile device to plan their budgets and meet their financial obligations. We’ve never had more on hand for free or paid through subscription ever before.

Pay has changed.

The way in which consumers received their pay used to be very fixed and static, with the same being said for their ability to share and transmit money. As a society in 2020, we are now seeing a push towards true flexibility in how banks operate and how the industry serves those in need of financial assistance.

Cheques, previously a staple of the world and financial services industry, are now simply too slow to use for anything other than large purchases that require their use. Instead, the boom in apps and services that make splitting bills and meeting payment obligations has shaped how consumers spend and save.

Security struggles.

The downside to this explosion in freedom, innovation and access? You guessed it: security. The cybersecurity market has grown in value to be over thirty-five times its size fifteen years ago, stretching to well over one hundred billion Dollars in 2020. It’s expected to reach nearly 300 billion by 2027.

The titanic size of that industry, however, doesn’t always mean that consumers are safe – it just means security is still playing catch-up. Ransomware, phishing attacks and data theft are all running rampant across the business and consumer sectors, and the personal financial services industry is no exception. From marketing agencies like Digiconomy through to global conglomerates, any company and any consumer that uses a phone has a duty to themselves to be mindful of the vulnerabilities in the technology they use.

From contactless card theft through to high-profile scamming attempts like the recent Bitcoin scam that intruded the largest profiles in Twitter, including ex-president Obama and Apple’s own account, technology brings with it the harsh reality of theft to those unaware and unprepared.

As we push ever faster into a connected world where our lives are logged and lived online, the personal financial services industry will continue to adapt – and consumers and businesses both must continue to do what they can to stay aware and stay safe.

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The Surprising Ways in Which Marketing and Politics Are Similar

July 20, 2020

Marketing is the process of promoting a certain product or service that can cater to the needs of a certain audience. On the other hand, politics involves the leadership or governance of certain individuals who were put in position by their constituents. While these two areas are significantly different, you may be surprised to know that these two have a lot in common.

Promotional Strategies and Techniques

One of the very distinct similarities between marketing and politics is that both implement certain promotional strategies to win the hearts of their target market. SMS marketing is often integrated into political campaigns to reach a wider range of audiences. In fact, Jooksms explains how elections are now won with SMS marketing wherein informative messages about the candidate are sent across various voters in their jurisdiction. This can be attributed to higher open rates of SMS which soars compared to emails.

Value Proposition

Another commonality between marketing and politics is that both campaigns aim to establish the credibility of the brand or the political candidate through the value proposition. In marketing, this includes expressing what a product or service is for, as well as what sets it apart from the other existing brands in the market. In politics, this involves what a politician can do and how he can be of service to the people, something that other politicians won’t be able to deliver.

Monitoring Your Reputation

Monitoring the reputation of a brand is part of an effective marketing campaign, much like monitoring the reputation of a politician is necessary too. This can be done by acquiring the feedback from the customers or the constituents, such that a business or the politician will be able to act out on the areas that they need to improve accordingly. There may be instances wherein miscommunication may happen and the effect of this may be apparent through negative reviews. It can also be that you implemented automation in your campaign, but there was a certain configuration that was not set properly. It is very highly likely for you to catch these types of errors in the campaign through proper monitoring.

Exploring Your Competition

Lastly, in both marketing and politics, it is important to research your competition for two main reasons. One is to be able to emulate the technique or strategy that they are implementing to eliminate the need for reinventing the wheel, which greatly saves time and resources. Another is to have a competitive advantage, always being one step ahead.

There are several areas where marketing and politics are very much similar. For one, both employ promotional strategies and techniques to reach their target audience. Both also aim to establish certain credibility that will make their audience opt for them rather than on their competitors. In addition to this, it is important in both marketing and politics to monitor the reputation of the brand or the candidate to know whether a tweak in their campaign strategy is necessary. Finally, in both marketing and politics, it is imperative to explore the competition to have a winning edge.

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What to Do for Amazon AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional Exam Success? Can Dumps Help You?

July 20, 2020

Introduction

When the exam is approaching, it’s normal to have some worries. But, the better you’re prepared, the more confident you’ll be, and this confidence will surely have a positive effect on your results. So, if you wish for the best possible outcome in your AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional test, you need to continue reading this.

https://examlabs.com/

In this post, you’ll find important things that will help you do your best. Now, let’s explore them.

What to Do to Ensure Success in Your Exam

Your performance in the mentioned assessment, also known as SAP-C01 test, is going to impact your IT career. This calls for making deliberate moves that ensure you meet the pass mark. This includes working with proper resources and delving into unfamiliar territory by having trial attempts just to make sure you’re ready for the exam. Here’s what you need to do:

https://exam-labs.com/certification/AWS-Certified-Solutions-Architect-Associate

Get familiar with the exam objectives

It should be obvious, but when preparing to take an exam, it’s possible to get confused and not know where to start. The AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional exam requires candidates to familiarize themselves well with the outlined themes.

In this test, there are five domains needing your attention, from designing new AWS solutions to providing cost control, so it’s best to make a roadmap to help you cover each of them in detail. And of course, when registering for the test, ensure the time you have is sufficient to master everything.

Take a preparation course

This is one of the best ways to explore the required topics under the guidance of AWS experts. There are a number of reliable training courses that include the official AWS sessions and others that include classroom-based as well as digital options.

https://exam-labs.com/certification/AWS-Certified-Solutions-Architect-Professional

Once you have revised with general training, you can take a free exam readiness course offered by AWS. This enables you to determine your level of preparedness for the exam. This study approach is best in helping you establish the targeted cloud skills for designing as well as deploying distributed systems and apps on the AWS cloud architecture.

Explore expected question formats using dumps

Often, the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional exam can be similar to past tests in terms of contents and appearance. It’s, therefore, best to train using previous questions available online that along with their right answers are collected in files named dumps. The dumps take into account the assessment’s objectives and pattern, so, when candidates practice with them, they experience the exact situation of the real test. This enhances the outcome of their results.

https://exam-labs.com/certification/AWS-Certified-Cloud-Practitioner

Create a schedule and find your motivation

You have to be clear about what you wish to learn and achieve within a given period. So, before you begin your preparation, establish what you need to have mastered by the end of your day’s studies from a particular material or course. You can create a detailed plan to know where exactly you’re headed and treat yourself after completing a set number of tasks.

https://exam-labs.com/video-training/amazon-aws-certified-solutions-architect-associate

Conclusion

If there’s something you definitely must pay attention to right before taking your exam, then it should be how you study for it. Focusing on preparing well for the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional test is going to bring transformative results. Earn yourself the desired certification using great training courses and dumps, and you’ll be amazed by all the perks you’ll get!

https://exam-labs.com/video-training/amazon-aws-certified-solutions-architect-professional

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Review of Great Rhino Slot

July 19, 2020

The main character of this slot might be the rhino, but there is definitely no shortage of powerful and majestic animals in this slot. From the fast cheetah to the elegant flamingo, this slot has the power to transport you to the African savannah where you can wild some wild prizes – visit and play.

Features

Graphically no one can find fault with this slot from Pragmatic Play. An exotic African landscape greets you as you open the slot. Symbols include the rhino, cheetah, crocodile, hyena, flamingo, as well as the poker card symbols A, K, Q and J (ranging from the highest value to the lowest). The wild in this slot is represented by a blue rhino coin. The wild can replace all the regular symbols in a winning combination, except for the bonus tree symbol.

The slot follows the traditional layout of five reels, three rows, and 20 paylines. The paytable is located at the bottom right side of the screen and the rest of the settings on the left-hand side. These include the coins per line, coin value, and the total bet. Other settings include the quick spin option and the spin lock button (allowing you to place the spin button anywhere on the screen).

Bonus Features and Cash Prizes

The symbol that pays out the most is the blue rhino coin (which represents the wild) that awards players with €5.00 for five matching symbols. The highest paying regular symbol in this slot is the rhino offering €4.00 for five matching symbols, followed by the cheetah with €2.00, crocodile with €1.50, hyena with €1.00 and the flamingo with €0.50. Less matching symbols means less payouts. The symbols with the least payout are the cards: A at €0.25 per five matching symbols, and K, J and Q at €0.20.The slot only pays out for winning combinations that occur from left to right.

Besides the wilds that can replace any regular symbol in a winning combination, players should also look out for bonus tree symbols that can trigger the free spins mode. These bonus tree symbols multiply the total bet by two times and only appear on reels 2-4. Players need to land at least three bonus tree symbols to trigger the free spins feature which awards them with 10 free spins.

Super Spin is another bonus feature that can only be activated if there are two or more stacks of rhino symbols. During Super Spin the full stacks of rhino symbols remain on the reels and the game continues to pay out for the regular wins. The Super Spin bonus round starts with three free spins. If you happen to land yet another rhino, you will be awarded an extra free spin. If the round ends with 14 rhino symbols you win a major jackpot worth 375 times your total stake. 15 Rhinos amounts to 500 times your total bet.

What are you waiting for? Take a walk on the wild side with this amazing wild-themed slot.

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Online Blackjack 2020 Trends

July 18, 2020

We are in 2020, and online blackjack and the whole gambling industry are already making several leaps into various sectors. First, the online gambling industry is to reach a net worth of more than 60 billion US dollars with a forecast to grow into a $94 billion industry by 2024.

It means various games such as online Blackjack will get a chance to compete for its fair share from this piece of cake. Yet, to do so, online Blackjack must start creating more capturing and innovative online gambling experience.

For casinos, it means to incorporate new ideas such as innovative technology, alternative banking, and virtual currencies into their business model. It will enhance their outreach to a new market of gamblers as well as improve their customer services.

5 Trends for Online Blackjack to Lookout for In 2020

Here are the top five trends that online Blackjack and the rest of the virtual gambling industry must adapt to in 2020.

1. Cryptocurrency Transactions

You must have heard of the terms ‘blockchain’ and ‘cryptocurrency’ by now. You may be more familiar with the term ‘Bitcoin,’ but do you not understand or feel confused as to what the fuss is all about?

In simpler terms, blockchain is an online technology that incorporates several non-editable blocks that are time-stamped and managed by multiple computers. It means it does not have a specific or central location. Computers around the world use cryptography to secure these virtual data blocks.

Many leading casinos have already incorporated this technology into their operations in recent years after the emergence and popularity of blockchain technology. The most notable application of this technology is in the payment and banking arena.

Blockchain uses payouts using a smart contract, making it easier, faster, and safer for both you and the casinos to process payments than fiat currencies.

As far as security is concerned, online Blackjack players no longer require providing their sensitive personal information and banking information, etc. when making bonusy bez depozytu. Since multiple computers at various locations hold all the information, it is virtually impossible to access or even manipulate data.

This way, you know whether all online Blackjack games meet transparency and fairness standards. Thus, as cryptocurrency continues to become popular amongst the online gambling industry, both online casinos and players must look into it as the new alternative for a safe virtual gambling experience.

2. Increase in Live Dealer Games

Before the evolution of technology, gamblers used to lock brick-and-mortar casinos. Apart from slots, players were most interested in playing games such as Blackjack. However, rapid technology advancements within such a short duration have moved both casinos and players online.

Table games are featuring human dealers, but, in the virtual world of gambling, a random number generator deals the cards. But it did not go down well amongst the masses.

Once again, technology came to the rescue; online casinos cannot have real human dealers. Live streaming now allows online players to experience a real-time Las Vegas gambling scene without leaving the comfort of their home.

3. Virtual and Augmented Reality in Casinos

Speaking of real gaming experience for online Blackjack players, virtual and augmented reality is another frontier rushed in by the evolution of technology. It is already a success in other gaming arenas, and now it is more likely to make its way into the online casino world. In fact, several casinos are already incorporating this technology into their online gaming experience.

It is the future of online gambling, as casinos will be able to provide a fully immersive experience to their customers. It is only a matter of time until online Blackjack players will see each other through this piece of tech.

4. Evolving Gambling Habits

It is noticeable that the gambling habits of the players have evolved over the years and continues to do so. One of the biggest examples is the rise in social media gambling apps. People compete and participate online in social slots, amongst many other forms of gambling, such as Poker and Blackjack.

With the evolution of mobile devices, now millions of people worldwide own smartphones. This has pushed casinos to develop exclusive online games for mobile devices.

As 2020 continues, mobile gaming will continue to shape the online gambling as new titles from the classic genres join online casino games such an online blackjack, roulette, poker, and slots. It will also attract more investment in the virtual casino gaming industry.

5. Improve Gaming Experience via Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

In 2020, more casinos will adopt AI and machine learning tech to make their online gaming more accurate and error-free. It will allow casinos to offer better experience during their games.

The algorithms and statistical models of machine learning will enable casinos’ computers to execute specific tasks with improved efficiency. In short, in 2020, online casino gambling will be another industry that will use ML and AI as tools to enhance their online customers’ satisfaction.

Digital Transformation is the Way Forward

Whether it is online Blackjack, poker, or any other casino game, digital transformation is leading the gambling industry to reach its new potential in 2020. Thus, casino owners and online gamblers must know and learn to adapt to the five trends mentioned above to stay ahead. South Africa Online Casinos is one of the most reliable sites to help you stay updated about the latest development in the online casino industry.

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All You Need To Know About Mortgages

July 18, 2020

We always have an idea in our mind of a dream home. Real estate is a great investment and not just a permanent living solution. It is considered rewarding in the long term because its value tends to increase with time.

However, real estate is an expensive investment. Paying that kind of money upfront is impossible for most people. That’s where mortgages come in.

Diving into mortgages without knowing much about it can be hazardous. Before you take on a mortgage, you should be certain you can handle it financially. To secure your dream house, you must find the right home loan for you. Most mortgage lenders limit lending at 4.5 times a borrower’s salary, however some lenders on the mortgage market will approve mortgages at higher income multiples, such as 5 times salary mortgage.

Here is everything you need to know about mortgages before applying for a home loan.

What exactly are Mortgages?

Real estate loans are called mortgages. We use mortgages to buy any form of real estate, including houses, investment properties, etc.

Borrowers pay it off in installments over some time. The repayments include both the main amount and interest.

The longer the period, the more interest the borrower has to give. This means if you can pay it off quickly, you have less to pay.

Where Can You Get Mortgages?

There are a few different parties that are involved with mortgage loans. Here are a few different financial institutions that provide mortgages.

Commercial Banks

Commercial banks provide various kinds of loans hence it is not surprising that they also provide mortgages.

You can get your mortgage from one that you do banking with. This might make it easier for you to deal with the mortgage, as you are familiar with it and have built a trusting relationship.

Mortgage Companies

Mortgage companies specialize in providing loans for real estate. Commercial banks have many other functions, including providing other kinds of loans like a car or student loans.

A mortgage company functions in a cycle. They lend out money and get repayments. With this repayment they payout loans for a mortgage. Dealing with mortgages is their only function, so you can depend on their specialized service.

Mortgage Brokers

If you don’t know much about mortgages, a broker is just what you need. They often have years of experience and can give you specialized advice on what kind of mortgage loan is right for you.

Mortgage brokers do not lend you money but they work as a connection between lenders and lendees. They ease out the process for you and help you find what works with your financial condition.

Mortgage brokers are connected to many lenders. They can find lower rates for you. You can find mortgage brokers who work on commission, so you wouldn’t have to pay them.

If you are looking for a broker, Blutin Finance can help you find the best mortgage deal with competitive rates.

Thrift Institutions

Thrift institutions specialize in savings accounts for the public. They offer saving services and also provide mortgages for people from those savings. You have a savings account in a thrift institution, you can look into their mortgage offers.

Credit Unions

Credit unions specialize in providing credit to people. They are owned and run by members of that union. Even though it is a financial institution, it is focused on helping people by providing credit for various purposes. Their aim is to help people over making money.

Types of Mortgages

The type of mortgages is divided by their interest rates. There are two main types of mortgages. Let’s take a look at what they are and how they affect your loan.

Fixed-Rate Mortgage

For fixed-rate mortgages, the interest rate of your loan remains the same for a certain period. For example, a fixed-rate loan might have the same interest rate for five years. During that time you pay the same amount of installment every month.

This is great for people with fixed monthly budgets. People with more financial responsibilities would choose this, as they wouldn’t want their funds to be affected when the lender interest rate goes up.

One massive drawback is when the interest rates go down, you won’t be able to save money. Your interest rates will remain the same. Also, because you would have a fixed installment every month, you won’t get to pay off more at once.

Variable Rate Mortgage

For a variable rate mortgage, your interest rate will change depending on the market. If the interest is low, you will pay lower interest. However, if the interest rises, you will lose more money.

This risk of high-interest rates makes this undesirable for people living on a fixed budget. However, if you take the risk, you can enjoy more savings when the rates are low.

One beneficial aspect of variable rate mortgage is that it provides a redraw facility. Suppose you receive some money and want to pay back more of your loan. This type of mortgage allows you to do that. Also, if you choose to do that when the interest rates are low, your repayment is less.

Mortgage Down payment

Mortgage downpayment is the amount you have to pay the institution to receive the loan. It is usually 20% of the main amount of loans.

The amount of down payment you pay depends on factors like credit score, eligibility, etc. A risky lender who is considered risky by the institution might have to pay more.

Even without paying the 20%, you can still get your loan by paying anything between 5% to 20% of the principal amount, only if you pay LMI.

Lender Mortgage Insurance

Lender mortgage insurance is something you have to pay if you pay a downpayment of less than 20%. This is the financial institution’s insurance for your loan.

Everyone hates LMI as it is like paying a smaller loan with your mortgage. If possible, try to avoid the LMI by paying the 20 percent down payment.

Even if you have it takes some time to save the amount, it is the better option. LMI adds up to your monthly installments and reduces your savings further.

Mortgage eligibility

Home/property loans involve a lot of money. This is why not everyone can get mortgages. You have to be eligible for mortgages. People eligible for mortgages are over the age of 18. Any over the age of 55 is less eligible for it.

A good credit score is required for any loan. Your credit score reflects whether you will get your mortgage.

The kind of profession you are in and your monthly salary are crucial factors for eligibility. Your financial situation, assets, liabilities, etc, will be checked before you are considered eligible. Learn more about mortgage eligibility conditions here.

Conclusion

Be well informed before considering a mortgage loan. You have to figure out whether you are eligible first. It is important to weigh your income and expenses first. Lastly, if you take a mortgage loan and are capable of paying it off, your dream home can become a reality.

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Cash Vs. Card – Why Cash-Only Businesses are Falling Behind

July 17, 2020

If you looked back ten years ago, you’d find that a lot of businesses would only take cash. Card payments used to be incredibly rare, whereas now almost everyone seems to be paying with a credit or debit card. This means many cash-only businesses are losing out on a lot of profit – read on to find out why, and what you can do to change it.

Card Payments Reach a Wider Audience

Debit and credit card payments are used by most people nowadays – whereas before, usually card was only used for larger purchases, they are more used now than cash, and can account for nearly 80% of total retail sales. Considering such a wide use of cards, this means those who don’t take card payments are missing out on a huge number of target customers, and thus losing a huge amount of profit. This is even more clear considering that since payment via card is now the most popular way to pay, many people just don’t carry cash on them anymore. This means that once you’ve done the hard work of drawing a customer in and persuading them to purchase a product, they may not go through with it purely because they don’t have the means to purchase, and thus leaving you without a sale.

This is even more important if your business is targeted towards younger people. With the rise of services such as Apple Pay and Google Wallet, the reliance on card payments is even stronger for those who are younger, meaning opting for a cash-only service is bound to push a lot of your target audience away. Introducing card payments allows you to appeal to a much wider variety of people, including both the growing population who may still want to pay with cash, but also the younger generation who are more likely to want to carry out a card transaction.

Card Payments are More Secure

Although cash on the surface may seem like a simpler option, as the profit you’re handling is right in front of you, it can also create a lot of problems. Cash comes with many more concerns that you’re unlikely to find with card – there are much greater opportunities for theft, miscounting, and misconduct, as cash is much easier to lose track of (think Uncle Billy in It’s a Wonderful Life).

Card payments are all made over a secure network, utilising databases that are at low risk of security breaches so you can be sure your money is safe. This also means using computers and other technology to work out important data such as your total income and profits. This is useful not only because you avoid the risk of miscounting your money, but it’s not necessary to do this yourself, meaning you can save a lot of time and resources and put these into other areas, improving the efficiency and running of your business. It also means you can gather a lot of data easily and be more prepared in planning the future of your business, which products are selling more, and how you can develop further to make the most money.

Expansion is Much Easier

Including card transactions as a method of payment for your business opens up countless doors of opportunity. If your business is the kind to get involved in markets, festivals, or fairs, you can make it much easier for potential customers to buy your product, or even make larger purchases than if they were just carrying a small amount of cash. Taking a card reader with you means you can open up your opportunities, and also give customers a positive feeling towards your company and its effort to make things simpler for them.

If you’re interested in expansion on a larger scale and are considering setting up shop in other countries, then introducing card transactions is almost a necessity. Taking in cash in other countries means you’ll potentially be taking in different currencies, meaning not only is there a wait and potential loss of money converting these currencies to your own, but it also means your data and figures are always outdated. Using card payments means you can get a speedy conversion between their currency and your currency, and thus get data much quicker. This not only allows you to avoid the complications of converting currency, but also allows you to keep up to date with how businesses, shops, and products are doing, allowing you to plan ahead and make the best moves for your business.

Card Payments Allow You to Introduce Schemes

There may be an option within your business to include a membership or subscription to a particular service. A famous example of this is Graze, who offer healthy snacks delivered to your door for a monthly fee. This is much easier to carry out via card, but impossible to maintain by cash – no customer is going to want to go in-store every month to pay for a membership, and the high price of annual memberships can often put potential customers off. Not only does it allow the introduction of schemes, but these schemes can act as an appealing part of your business in terms of attracting new customers. Advertising a monthly service for a good-value price will bring in new customers and grow interest in your company, allowing your business to widen its audience and develop further. This would be impossible with purely cash payments!

So, How Do I Move on from Cash-Only?

If your business is cash-only, moving to accepting card payments is a vital step in keeping your business alive, and can only bring positive changes to your business. The best part is that it’s incredibly simple to do!

The first thing you need to do is find card readers that will make this process easy and smooth to include in your business. It’s important to look for a reputable company like UTP that offers quick conversion and transaction times but is easy to use, and simple to connect to your systems. It’s also important for the card company you opt for to have a good technical support team on hand (preferably in-country rather than sourced overseas). This is especially so if it’s your first time working with card machines, as it’s likely problems will occur. If they are not solved quickly, these problems could cause your business to halt altogether, losing you valuable time and money. UTP has all of this, and also works alongside one of the biggest financial companies, Barclaycard, meaning you can have trust in the process and know that your money is safe and secure.

Once you have everything set up, make sure you advertise that card payments are now available with your business! This will delight old customers and intrigue new customers, and possibly even attract those who had been dismayed before by lack of payment options. Utilising card transactions in your marketing is another great way to reach potential customers and allow you to develop even further.

Cash-only businesses will soon become a thing of the past – and we’ve listed the main reasons why! Don’t let your business become history – make sure your business is utilising card payments, and allow them to pave the way to your future success.

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