Tech

Why Embracing Technology is Critical to Sales Success

Angela Manning Business, Tech , , ,
Why Embracing Technology is Critical to Sales Success

(Image Credit: everythingpossible / 123RF Stock Photo)

For most people, sales are considered more a game of knowing how to read people, and how to convince them to buy what you’ve got. It’s an art that only the best “people person” can master. But the best salesperson understands that certain scientific tools can help when it comes to this art. Technology has become more and more critical to sales in the modern age. In fact, over 82% of top-selling salespeople cite sales software as critical to their jobs, according to a LinkedIn survey in 2016.

Evaluate and Decide with Data

One of the biggest uses of technology in sales today is gathering data to help sales teams make better decisions. Data on what customers want, what they buy, when they buy it, how often they buy, and much more, is vital for sales development. And what’s more, the use of data collection in sales has changed the way customers expect to be treated. Now, with so many sales teams relying on personal data to better sell to individuals, customers expect to be treated with personal touches. Emails with a name included, sales triggered by GPS location, and much more are all a part of the way customers now expect to interact with businesses.

According to Activayte, there are four main benefits to using technology to collect data on your customers:

  • It helps you maintain consistency. Your customers will always know exactly what to expect because your relationship with them will be standardized based on the data you’ve collected. For example, you won’t be asking the same repeat customer over and over to sign up for a new customer deal when they visit your website – the website will automatically recognize that they’ve been there before.
  • It helps you develop organized contacts and accounts that can be classified into profiles. This allows you to build email campaigns and message templates directly to targeted members of your audience.
  • It helps you integrate the many points of sale into a single experience for the consumer. This means that they can seamlessly switch between mobile, desktop, and in-person shopping at their convenience.
  • It helps you better understand what your target market is, and how you serve them. That allows you to set better goals and measure your success.

The Future of Sales Technology is AI

Wondering what the wave of the future will bring for sales professionals? Artificial intelligence is the next thing on the horizon that will change the way we sell to consumers. AI in sales can make administrative tasks, like sending out automated emails and categorizing data, much simpler. AI can also help you determine what deals should be invested in, and which should be passed up, by analyzing market data, predicting outcomes, and more. For sales teams, this means you could, for example, accurately predict the outcome of potential promotions based on your customer history.

Together, both present-day and future technology are working to make sales even more effective and easy.

Video Contests for Mass Attention

Angela Manning Tech , , , , , ,
Video Contests for Mass Attention

Video contests are one of the best ways to get attention fast but until recently were very difficult to organise and administer. Having to trawl social media and video websites for contests was extremely time consuming and difficult. Thankfully, it’s not easy to organise and run a video contest online, and you can start one now. It’s really quick to get a campaign started and easy too. Thanks to advances in technology running a campaign is now simple and easy.

Creating a video contest doesn’t need to be difficult, one of the easiest ways to run a great campaign is through a video contest platform. You can easily run and create a video contest by using an online contest platform which you can find online. A video contest platform will allow you to easily check the progress of your competition and will give you access to social marketing tools. The dashboards provided by these websites are highly powerful and give you a Realtime insight into how your campaign is preforming. These Realtime insights will allow you to react to your campaign in real time.

The social marketing tools provided by a video contest software platform will allow you to put the time into making sure your contest is a success. Making use of hashtags can give your contest social momentum and will give your contest attention. Putting your video content to a larger audience will turbo charge your online presence and will help to give customers more information about yourself. Having organic content about you brand can give important information to customers which will help your customers make buying decisions for your products, the more information the better.

Running a video contest is a fantastic way to gain attention in a world where you are constantly competing to win the attention of your potential customers. A video contest is one of the best ways to cheaply increase your market awareness and is ideal for those who are looking to launch a new product or service. A contest is one of the best ways to build hype and buzz in your brand while giving your audience the opportunity to get engaged with your product, first hand.

Video completions create viral content which can turbo charge your brand, at a low cost, using a competition platform makes perfect sense to get a content which stands out. If you are looking to create awareness and engage your audience, running a video competition is one of the best ways to do it.

Cyber Crime and How to Handle it

Angela Manning Business, Tech , , , , ,
Cyber Crime and How to Handle it

Cybercrime is a hideous type of crime, and a poorly understood one, because it is one that causes no physical injury. But it is everywhere and it encompasses everything from having your identity stolen to see your children bullied. This has even ended up in suicides, in fact. Cybercrime is an easy crime to commit, but it has a huge impact on individuals and on society as a whole. And because it can be done in so many different ways, it seems to truly have taken over the world. All that someone needs is a computer, and they can attack anyone they fancy.

Technology has some fantastic advantages, but these advantages are also curses. The fact that so much data can be stored in such a small place, for instance, is both a blessing and a curse. The easy accessibility the internet gives us to people and businesses, is both a blessing and a curse.

There are logic bombs, email bombs, denial service attacks, salami attacks, data theft, viruses, web jacking, and so on. And nobody is safe from it either. Women, children, the elderly, and others who are often classed as the most vulnerable in society are targeted, but so are the huge corporations, celebrities, conglomerations, and so on.

Then, there is the issue of intellectual property right. When someone creates something, such as a song, a video, or a piece of art, it becomes theirs. But as soon as it is posted online, people feel they have the right to use it, share it, and change it. And sometimes, elements are stored online, but they are not supposed to be accessible to all. For instance, cloud storage enables people and businesses to store all their data off-site, but this data is meant to be protected, encrypted, and secured.

So what can be done? According to experts like Matthew Knouff, the key lies in having proper cyberlaws in place. His particular area of focus is on social media ethics and on eDiscovery procedures, both of which are very important in terms of cybercrimes. He believes that, when proper regulations are put in place and adhered to, the situation will become much better for everybody involved, and it will actually become possible to simply enjoy the advantages technology gives us. Only blessings, no more curses, in other words.

eDiscovery, for instance, is about ensuring that data is stored properly (safely, securely, and in a way that can easily be searched). In so doing, it ensures that when something does go wrong, and litigation follows, it becomes possible for businesses to clearly demonstrate who did what, when, where, and how. And it will also show exactly where the breach came from, in case of cybercrimes. eDiscovery has many other benefits, but this is one of the key elements of it that will help people the world over in terms of being safer online. This is something that should be applauded and that everybody should work towards.

How technology can affect your health

Angela Manning Health, Tech , ,
How technology can affect your health

You are now connected – to everything. From your cell phone, you can access your bank accounts, register for school and monitor you the house remotely in addition to performing a plethora of other tasks. From ordering takeout to checking your Facebook and Twitter accounts, your phone has become your lifeline. If it is misplaced, then it may seem like your entire world has shut down. While it probably costs about a few hundred dollars, the information that you’ve stored on it (i.e. pictures, contacts and numerous apps) is priceless. Technology’s important, but its pervasiveness has impacted human lives, more specifically their mental and physical health.

Today, everything is connected to or run by a computer, and this has affected society. For one, technology has changed education. In days past, when students enrolled in courses, they had to go to the registrar’s office. Today, they can not only register for classes but also pay for them using their phones. Technology has also revolutionized commerce around the world. As recently as 20 years ago, if people wanted to shop, then they would need go to the nearest mall or department store. Today, they can purchase anything that they need with a cell phone, an Internet connection and a debit/credit card. More importantly, banking has changed so that all consumers need is to set up their online banking accounts, where they can enroll in online bill pay and complete a variety of tasks. For a person to be a functionally literate participant in today’s tech-savvy society, he or she would need basic computer skills.

These skills are necessary because of the various types of technologies available to today’s consumer. The most widely used technology is probably the cell phone, which has evolved from a bulky, expensive model to a sleek, pocket-sized phone that completes everything and anything. Not only has the cell phone become central to carrying out tasks, but this technology has also become a modern date and address book, as a person can text, email and log onto any social media site to connect to those close and far away. Of all the technologies, this one seems to be central to daily interactions in human life. Other technologies that make a large impact include tablet computers, laptops and personal computers. These are very similar to cell phones, but they have transformed how humans receive information. Computers revolutionized the way that news is disseminated, how the entertainment industry delivers media and the way that online gaming is accessed in the global community.

While technology is pervasive, there are adverse effects to its overuse. The most obvious effect that technology has on humans is a lack of interpersonal communication. Because everything is either automated or can be performed online, humans do not talk to each other as much they should. Whether a person is too consumed by texting and phone calls to interact with friends or walking down the street while looking at his or her phone, technology has driven a great wedge between human interaction and become an even bigger distraction. These digital connections hinder making valuable personal connections with people. Other physical and mental effects involve:

  • Sleep quality. Those who spend less time in front of a computer sleep better.
  • A 40-pound push affects the spine when the head is tilted forward to look at the screen as opposed to ten to 12 pounds when one sits normally.
  • When people are in front of the computer constantly, they do not interact with the world or make new connections.
  • Video game addiction. Playing for hours is akin to other addictions, as the rise in the levels of dopamine is similar. Treatment centers all over the country have developed programs for teens in response to this new addiction. For example, Newport Academy offers counseling for technology-related disorders that resolves underlying issues at the root of the problem. This particular treatment center looks at which life stressors might impact a teen’s video game addiction.
  • By spending a long time seated in front of a computer, whether for work or play, humans become very sedentary.

While technology is of great importance to today’s humans, it can hinder people physically and mentally. The convenience of technologies has cut in half the time that it takes to complete most tasks. At the same time, though, they have interfered with the way that humans relate and connect to each other. The future of human civilization depends on whether society can balance convenience with the basic human need to bond socially and interpersonally.

What is online gaming and how does it operate?

Angela Manning Tech , , , , , ,
What is online gaming and how does it operate?

Online gaming can be defined as any game that can be played from a computer or any other mobile device primarily through another computer network or the internet. Online bingo is one form of online gaming that hundreds of thousands of people enjoy daily around the world through the internet.

While playing at an online bingo site, has it ever crossed your mind on how it operates? You will be surprised to learn that there are hundreds of people working behind the scene to ensure that your gaming experience at their online bingo site is a memorable one. And what’s incredible is that there are various types of online bingo jobs that you may never have thought existed.

Just head to any online job finder website and simply type online bingo to find all the interesting positions that can be filled. These can be anything like chat moderators, animators, graphic designers, programmers, network administrators, product managers, anti-money laundering officers, customer support advisors, VIP managers, product testers, BI Analysts, digital marketing specialist, SEO experts, content writers, and much more.

Many online bingo sites offer players the possibility to chat with each other and generally chill out in bingo rooms. These rooms often require to be moderated, so that the atmosphere is always lively and that no one goes against the basic etiquettes of a chat room. Most bingo sites that have hosted bingo rooms like at Bingo Extra, require people to do the job of moderating the rooms. There are numerous bingo rooms at Bingo Extra that are hosted daily by the chat moderators.

As bingo is firstly a social game at Bingo Extra, these rooms have friendly chat moderators that you can chat with at any time to enhance your experience in the bingo rooms. Some of the bingo rooms at Bingo Extra where you can enjoy 90 ball, 75 ball and 5-line bingo include The Extra Room, Penny Arcade, The Diner, The Playground, and Candy Store.

If you like to chat with people online, chat moderating could be one of the job that would suit you. The role of the chat moderator or chat host, is mainly to make players feel welcome in the chat rooms. They will also answer to any basic questions that the player may have about the game or the website. As chat moderators are normally the first point of contact of these player, they often feel more at ease to ask questions to the moderators rather than taking their query to a customer support agent.

On the other hand, the graphic designers are the ones behind all the images and animations that you see on a bingo site. Their main job is to create a cosy atmosphere that reflects the bingo site theme and ensure that the bingo brand can be easily distinguished from any other bingo sites. Customer Support advisors are professionals who have an extensive knowledge of the bingo games. They can help you out with any of your queries, be it about your bingo bonus wagering requirement, your withdrawal, or anything else that’s related to your bingo account.

Is IT Enough to Handle Cybersecurity?

Angela Manning Business, Tech , , ,
Is IT Enough to Handle Cybersecurity?

The stereotypical corporate information technology department is seen as overworked and underappreciated; until some part of the business’s technology environment is inoperable. In this event the IT staff is then cursed for being unable to fix the problem immediately. IT staffers often feed this stereotype by professing an ability to solve all problems, including cybersecurity issues that threaten to shut networks down with ransomware or that can expose a business’s data to hackers. Cybersecurity has become such a specialized and complex environment, however, that a business will be better served either with an internal cybersecurity staff or by outsourcing its cybersecurity needs to specialists that devote their full time to monitor the ever-changing cybersecurity threats that businesses face.

The following arguments will dispel doubts about this recommendation:

Cybersecurity involves more than just technology.

IT specialists create and implement technology solutions that help a business grow. Cybersecurity specialists evaluate and understand the value of a business’s data assets, the regulatory compliance issues faced by businesses in different industries, and the threat levels that data in different industries can raise. For example, health care businesses are exposed to HIPAA violations if their patient data is stolen, whereas companies in the financial industry are more exposed to Graham-Leach Bliley or Sarbannes-Oxley violations.

IT focuses on optimizing the technology operations of a business.

A good information technology department will devote all its time to creating the smoothest network operations that keep the business moving forward and making money. Cybersecurity personnel train employees in best practices, develop response plans to potential threats, and monitor external attempts to derail the network. Adding cybersecurity responsibilities to an IT team’s workload only impairs that team’s ability to maintain a robust network while shortchanging the amount of time that is required to maintain proper cybersecurity defenses.

Cybersecurity specialists are in short supply.

Cybersecurity is a separate and distinct field from information technology. Industry watchers have observed that there is a severe shortage of specialists who can manage a business’s cybersecurity operations and responses. A business which assumes that its IT staff has the training and expertise to take on cybersecurity responsibilities inevitably overestimates the IT staff’s expertise and underestimates the severity of the threats that its network faces.

Employees adopt tools that are not installed or supported by IT.

An IT department will be charged with implementing the software and mobile applications that a business needs to conduct its operations. Notwithstanding policies and warnings to the contrary, employees will install unapproved software and apps on their devices, and those apps can expose a business network to multiple different cybersecurity problems. A dedicated cybersecurity team will be better able to monitor and control employee-installed software applications that have not been authorized by IT.

Network intrusions are all but inevitable.

An IT team might respond to elevated cybersecurity threat levels by adding more and more technology protections while ignoring a broader approach that involves risk mitigation across the entire business. Dedicated cybersecurity specialists know that Denying the inevitability of a data breach is a prescription for disaster, and in recognizing the likelihood of an attack, those specialists will adopt strategies that involve recovering from an attack and making resources available to rebuild internal systems and compensating third parties that experience losses as a result of the attack.

Cyber insurance is one of the most direct and effective strategies for that purpose. Cyber insurance carriers will work with a cybersecurity team to identify and assess data that is most vulnerable to a cyberattack, and to implement strategies to mitigate those risks and to insure against losses when those strategies fall prey to a hacking attack. Even a small or midsize business can suffer tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars of losses and third party liabilities from a successful cyberattack. Cyber insurance is frequently the difference between recovering from the attack and going out of business altogether.

Cyber Attacks a Big Threat for Networks

Angela Manning Business, Tech , , , , , ,
Cyber Attacks a Big Threat for Networks

Internet users are vulnerable and exposed to different online threats. Many users are prone to cyber attacks each day. Cybersecurity has become one of the most important aspects at the moment. A group known as OurMine hacked HBO’s social media accounts and leaked unwatched episode of Game of Thrones Season 7. This is a major blow for the satellite TV network. Recently HBO was hacked by another group, hackers entered HBO’s servers and browsed through its internal documents and unreleased TV shows.

Hackers who name themselves “Mr Smith Group” have also threatened to leak the finale of Game of Thrones Season 7 before its air date after they released HBO social media passwords. The group is demanding a huge payout amounting to $6.5 million as ransom.  On the other hand, reports from the Pentagon states that cyber threat to national security is growing. Pentagon is looking into an option of using cyber security shield to safe guard its military information. This shield is called Blockchain Technology.

Blockchain Technology

The Blockchain Technology is regarded as a secure firewall for networks, especially where a lot of financial transactions take place like internet gambling services. Blockchain Technology is a technological innovation of Bitcoin. Bitcoin uses this technology to protect its accounts from hacks.  It records valuable information especially transaction between two parties into incorruptible blocks not only financial information but any essential information. Once the block is created it is stored into permanent data and another new block is created. Blockchain is designed to be secure and these blocks are resistant to any changes without altering all the blocks.

Therefore make information safe from any threat. Blockchain is useful in recording health information, events, financial transaction processing, and records management including documentation and identity management. It is designed to protect the company’s units and departments. It is also usable on aeroplanes, connected vehicles, and satellites.

How To Shop For Used CMMs

Angela Manning Business, Tech , , ,
How To Shop For Used CMMs

Metrology machines are not just the most effective way of inspecting the components made in your shop, they are a sign to your clients that you take quality and efficiency seriously. The right combination of coordinate measuring machines, laser scanners, new software, controllers, and computers, can deliver highly precise, highly repeatable parts inspections. Clients look for suppliers who take metrology and inspection seriously; a supplier with a quick and robust inspection process is more likely to deliver accurate parts and deliver on time than someone using out-of-date technology.

However, that doesn’t mean that you necessarily have to spend top dollar on a brand-new coordinate measuring machine. As long as you’re shopping for internationally reputable OEMs, names like Brown and Sharpe, Sheffield, Romer, Faro, Mitutoyo, Zeiss, OGP, LK, Leitz, DEA, and others, you can buy used equipment at half to two-thirds the original price. When it comes to coordinate measuring machines in particular, the structures are so mechanically sound that they have a life expectancy of 25 to 30 years or longer with the right maintenance, care, and retrofits. Unlike machine tools, they aren’t bearing stress daily, so even a machine built in the early 2000s or in the ’90s will have years left of use.

That leaves the question of where you should go when you’re looking for used CMMs. You may have heard of great prices available online or at auctions, but you’re taking a gamble when you buy from sources that aren’t proven. You should look for a metrology dealer who inspects the equipment, provides delivery as part of the price, provides ongoing support for maintaining and repairing the machine, makes upgrades and retrofits available, and has operation and programming training for your staff.

The first step is inspection: North American metrology company Canadian Measurement Metrology (CMM) inspects the probing systems, air lines, bearings, drive systems, and cabling of all machines they get before resale. They repair any issues and give buyers a guarantee that the equipment will perform to original specifications on arrival, something no auction house can provide.

According to CMM, almost all of the used coordinate measuring machines they sell receive some kind of upgrade before they arrive at their destination. While they may be mechanically sound for decades, you will have to replace things like computers, controllers, and the software as technology advances. Upgraded software, new probing systems, and new fixture plates are not only common upgrades, they can also make a big difference in the efficiency of your inspections.

Last but not least, look for a metrology supplier who can also provide training for your staff. You may not be in a position to hire someone who already knows how to program the software for machine. It can be expensive to send a set of hands off-site for several days, which is why it’s so important that you can now find E-Learning courses for major software programs like PC-DMIS. Training is the last step in acquiring a new technology for your shop floor, but it’s not one to forget.Well-trained staff will reduce the time your shop spends on programming, be able to fix issues that arise with the machine, and keep things running smoothly. Of course, for advanced problems, you want to be able to call on expert metrologists who can troubleshoot the issue and get you back online.

Board Software Transforms Your Meetings

Angela Manning Business, Tech , , , , , ,
Board Software Transforms Your Meetings

Board meetings are rarely high up on anyone’s list of favorite activities, as even the directors who sit on them complain about how long and tedious they can be. The work of the board is essential, overseeing management and providing organizations, businesses, government agencies, and financial institutions with direction and strategy. That should be compelling stuff, but director engagement remains a challenge for many.

Enter the board portal: a board software solution that digitizes board documents and puts collaborative tools in directors’ hands that they can use between meetings. Board software is the tool that can make meetings more efficient, more focused, and revive engagement by offering a few key features.

Easy Updates – At the heart of board software is an easy solution to the problem of distributing board books and other documents. Back in the days of paper board books, administrators would struggle to keep every director informed of the latest updates, especially when documents or financial reports were updated last minute. It cost a fortune to courier everything to directors who could be anywhere in the world at any given minute. Today, electronic board books are much more common, but board portal software offers superior security compared to other file sharing methods, especially as many have become popular tools for masking cybercrime attacks.

Collaboration Between Meetings – Board software should come with tools that make it easy for directors to do their job in between meetings. For example, annotation tools are used in Aprio Boardroom, a leading board software solution, that let directors mark up documents either with private notes or to share with their peers. Everyone knows that when an idea strikes, you can’t wait until the next meeting. If you want to develop a more thorough conversation, you have to be able to work in between meetings.

Another great feature of Aprio is the freedom to vote remotely with an electronic signature. It helps boards make more time for key decisions, as the freedom to vote remotely means matters like agreeing on minutes can be dealt with beforehand.

Desktop and Tablet – Flexibility is key for directors who regularly travel and split their responsibilities. Any board software you consider should be compatible on Android, Apple, and Windows tablets, as well as offer offline access to documents.

For many organizations, board portals are already standard, but if you’ve been using this transformative technology already, consider how the industry has changed over the last few years. If your board’s contract with your current board software vendor needs to be renewed, now may be a good time to reassess. In the early days of board software, portals offering better security – the kind of security required by financial institutions, health agencies, and Fortune 500 companies – came at a premium. Those security options are now no longer so expensive, though some portal vendors are still charging higher rates. You can learn more about how security has changed, and become more accessible for all, at Aprio.net and exploring their options for board software. Whether your board’s contract is up or you haven’t yet made the shift to secure electronic board books, do your due diligence, request several demos from vendors, and be sure to compare products based on customer support, security, and price.

The Top 5 Best Services To Make Your Whiteboard Animation Videos

Angela Manning Business, Tech , , , , , , , ,
The Top 5 Best Services To Make Your Whiteboard Animation Videos

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Are you currently looking for a whiteboard video animation service that can provide some of the very best whiteboard animation available?

There’s no need for you to look any further, because we’re going to go over the very best whiteboard animation services that you can find on the web.

Here are the top five best services to make your whiteboard animation videos, presented in alphabetical order:

Animations World

Animations world provides whiteboard animation services to clients, in addition to explainer videos, storyboarding, voiceovers, scripts, and 3D animation. Located out of New York, all you need to have is an idea, and Animations World will convert that idea into a visual treat whether it be with whiteboard animation or any of their other animation services.

FireStarter Videos

FireStarter Videos is noted for the fact that many of their past clients are Fortune 500 companies. However, they also perform services for smaller companies and small businesses as well. Located in California, you can go right to FireStarter’s website to get a taste of their portfolio and the incredible talent that is behind it. You’re sure to find something that you are looking for.

Switch Video

A Canadian company based out of Ontario, Switch Video is a video production house with a relatively large roster of impressive clients and a promise to over deliver on literally every new project they take on. In addition to whiteboard animation projects, Switch Video will also tackle motion graphics and explainer videos.

Whiteboard Animation

IdeaRocket is a whiteboard animation website based out of Brooklyn, New York, with a very unique approach to tackling their whiteboard projects. This unique approach is that they treat each individual project as a story when creating their videos, whether it be telling the story of how your business came to be or the story of what your company offers.

In addition to whiteboard animation services, Whiteboard Animation also produces live action videos and 3D Animation, both of which utilize the very same story driven approach.

WizMotions

WizMotions is a animation production company based out of Cyprus, Europe, which produces everything from whiteboard animation to 2D animation to explainer videos and cartoons. The unique angle to WizMotions is their promise to deliver any project within a five day time frame, which is a very short and impressive deadline for the industry.

You may believe that this means the quality of what they produce suffers, but the reality is that just the opposite is the case. You don’t have to look at more than just a handful of examples in WizMotions portfolio to see that they don’t sacrifice quality for a shorter turn around.

Getting Your Whiteboard Animation Videos Made

Selecting the best whiteboard animation service is very important for your business, but as long as you choose a service that provides quality work within your budget range, you’ll be in great shape. Any of the five animation services that we have covered should work well for you.