You must have heard about Stripe in recent years. Founded by brothers Patrick and John Collison in 2010, Stripe processes billions of dollars annually in online transactions. Yeah, turns out PayPal isn’t the only payment processor on the block. There are other options that are just as good or even better.
Stripe is a payment processor that supports the electronic transfer of cash from a customer’s bank (issuing bank), into a merchant’s bank (acquiring bank) as payment for goods or services bought with a credit card. Stripe stands out for its quick and easy solution for receiving payments from all over the world. It’s a great platform for freelancers and remote teams.
In this article, learn how to use Stripe to receive and send payments from all over the globe. It’s a quick and easy platform for freelancers and remote teams.
What Makes Stripe Standout Among Remote Teams?
Stripe is an excellent credit card processor for online-only businesses. If you have experience as a developer then it’s very fast and easy to implement. With Stripe’s API, it’s possible to build your own e-commerce environment. But one of the major disadvantages of Stripe is that it doesn’t support PayPal payments.
Stripe’s biggest attraction is it’s easy and free API. This is why it’s a big hit among developers. This allows small companies with development resources to build out custom experiences for their e-commerce site.
But, this can be disadvantageous for small companies that have no developers or budget to hire a freelancer coder. They have to integrate Stripe through the use of another e-commerce platform. These are certainly easier for non-technical companies to set up but they will cost extra.
Stripe asks a standard 2.9% + $0.30 fee for managing online credit card transactions. There are enterprise volume discounts for businesses that have $80,000 or more in monthly sales. Unfortunately, Stripe currently does not offer credit card processing services for offline retail stores.
Integrations
It would be negligent of us if we didn’t mention all the different applications Stripe integrates with (or has a plug-in for). We won’t mention all of them here, but you can be rest assured that they offer the full range from popular accounting, analytics, and automation tools to chat, marketing and business operations services.
Now without any further ado, let’s see how you can create a free Stripe account.
Creating Your Free Stripe Account
Go hereand register your free account on Stripe. Fill the form and click on ‘Create your Stripe account’. They’ll ask ‘How do you want to get started with Stripe?’. Click ‘Skip for now’ at the bottom of the page. Also, don’t forget to confirm your email address.
Since you’ll be receiving and paying through your Stripe account, it’s important to enter details like address and bank account number.
Go to your Stripe dashboard and click on ‘Activate your account’.
Fill in all the required fields.
Don’t worry if your activation form is different. It varies depending on the country.
Enabling Stripe Connect
Stripe Connect is used by marketplaces, platforms, and remote teams to receive money and pay third-parties. Here’s how you can enable Stripe Connect features with customer accounts.
Note: If your company is based in the US, Stripe will review your platform account before granting you access. Read this article to know how to apply for Stripe connect review.
If you’re from another country then follow these steps:
Go to the Marketplace drop-down menu
Tap ‘Connect’ from the list
Click on the ‘Get started’ button
Wait a few seconds to see the Connect dashboard
Tap ‘Settings’ and then ‘Connect settings’
Enable ‘Custom’ in ‘Account types’
Getting your API keys from Stripe
Now you’re all set to get your API keys and input them into the marketplace. To do so, follow these steps:
Go to ‘Developers’ in the left-hand menu
Click on ‘API keys’
You’ll find two keys in ‘Standard keys’, publishable key and secret key.
Stripe is a very good online-only credit card processor that has some of the fairest processing rates and very few additional costs. It’s free and simple API is excellent for businesses and remote teams whose developers can afford to build a custom online e-commerce experience. Unfortunately, businesses that don’t have any technical resources will have to pay extra in order to get a separate e-commerce solution.
Nowadays, data is considered as a more valuable resource than oil. In this new digital economy, data and what you extract from it is very similar to oil a century or so ago. It represents a huge untapped asset that – depending on how you extract and use it – can bring lots of benefits. When trying to extract value from raw material, you need to first refine it into a commodity. For data, the value is in the knowledge extracted.
Now that we have established the importance of data, those who are in possession of it need to guard it well. There have been lots of data breaches over the years. Unsurprisingly, one of the leading causes behind these breaches has been insider threats. According to Insider Threat Report 2018, almost 90% of companies are vulnerable to insider attacks.
So what should companies do? One way to increase data privacy and decrease insider threats is by monitoring your employees. It’s not the most attractive idea but it gets the job done. In this article, we’re going to discuss how employers can use employee monitoring and some other methods to increase data privacy.
Employee Monitoring
Employee monitoring is getting increasingly important in this day and age. Why you may ask? Well, it mostly has to do with our decreasing attention spans.
It’s very easy for us to get distracted. The average human span is now just eight seconds. Mobile phones and social media apps are one of our main distractions. That’s not exactly surprising. We are always getting the urge to check on our mobile phones. This is quickly becoming a major problem for employers as employee productivity is decreasing day-by-day.
Recent surveys by staffing firms have been able to back this point. Those surveys have found that employees spend at least 56 minutes per day on their phones, using it for personal business. That’s nearly an hour of work wasted! Daily!
To increase productivity, employers are considering employee monitoring apps. Some of the ways through which employees can be held accountable for their work:
Defining clear policies. Business owners need to write down their office policies. They should explain these policies in a clear and precise manner. Include them in a handbook or guide and make sure that all the employees have carefully read through them. If an employee doesn’t follow your rules then you need to immediately take disciplinary action. Also, avoid favoritism and ensure that these policies are being equally implemented on all employees.
Choosing an employee time tracking software. Make a list of features that you would like in an employee monitoring software and then search the market. Look into apps, like Staff Timer app, that can improve business operations by providing real-time monitoring and automatic time capture. These apps can keep track of daily employee progression and increase transparency and productivity.
Blocking unproductive websites. The internet is a huge space filled with sites, like Facebook and Twitter, that can easily distract even the most productive of employees. Block these websites. If your employees tend to visit pages that have nothing to do with their job, gently remind them that they are on company hours.
Use video surveillance. Video cameras are usually placed in the office in order to discourage or detect theft. But that’s not their only use at the workplace. Companies can also use them to monitor their employees and observe how productive they are throughout the day.
Data Privacy
No matter the size of a company, they can’t afford to ignore data privacy. Even huge companies like Facebook and Quora have been targets of data breaches in recent years. This means that small and mid-sized companies aren’t safe as well. According to the National Cyber Security Alliance, almost 60% of small businesses collapse within six months after a cyber attack.
Some of the most effective strategies regarding data privacy include:
Identifying information flow. Businesses that know where their data is arriving from and where it’s headed to can identify vulnerable points. This lets them come up with informed decisions with regards to data privacy measures and policies.
Banning mobile devices at work. This may upset some employees but is proven to increase productivity. Since mobile phones are small and not very noticeable, hostile insiders can easily use them to rob or launch attacks on sensitive data.
Allowing only company laptops. Just like mobile devices, hostile insiders can also use their own laptops to rob or launch attacks on sensitive data. To guard against this threat, companies should ban personal laptops in workplaces.
Applying encryption. Companies need to use encryption in every bit of data, end to end. From USBs to data transfer, encryption is a must for all businesses that are serious about data privacy.
Use strong passwords for company laptops. Weak and short passwords are no good. Experienced hackers can easily break them. To protect your data, passwords should haveat least 8 characters, 1 upper case, 1 lower case, 1 number, 1 special character, and contain no portion of the user name.
Regularly update your operating systems and browsers. Hackers are always leveling up and learning to break into various software. Tech companies update their software to get rid of the weak spots that these hackers have found. So fill these holes in security by constantly updating your system.
Employee monitoring software is all the rage these days. It’s not the most attractive software but is known to produce great results for both employees and employers. But how can one implement employee monitoring software without affecting office culture? Not all employees are going to feel comfortable with a Big Brother-like figure watching over their every move.
So what can business owners do to adopt employee monitoring software without affecting office culture? Well, it depends on the company and its priorities. Maybe your company needs to quickly improve its employees’ productivity. If that’s the case then go for it. But if your business’s key employees are firmly against the idea of an employee monitoring software, it’s your job to convince them of its numerous benefits.
In this article, we’re going to discuss some ways through which companies can embrace employee monitoring software without compromising culture.
Communicate your expectations
Share your goals and expectations with all your employees. It’s their right to know about your reasons behind wanting to monitor their work activities. Touch upon these specific reasons but in a way that stops employees from panicking and feeling as if their privacy is being invaded.
Bob Aronson, a communication consultant, says:
“If communication is not your top priority, all of your other priorities are at risk.”
Let employees know about your new policies
Business owners need to inform their employees about any major changes in company policies. Before buying employee monitoring software, employers need to write down all the new policies that will inevitably come up due to this massive change. Explain these new policies in a clear and concise manner so that misunderstandings can be avoided. Include them in a guide and make sure that every employee has read it.
Milton Friedman, an American economist who received the 1976 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, says:
“One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results.”
Reproach those who don’t follow your new policies
Your new monitoring policies won’t be effective if no one follows them. First, give a fair warning to employees who break your rules. If they still don’t follow the rules then you need to take immediate disciplinary action. The effect of your new policies will diminish if no one takes them seriously. Also, your office culture will start changing for the worse if no one takes your policies seriously.
Brandon Mull, an American author best known for ‘Fablehaven’, says:
“A rule is of no value unless the punishment is enforced.”
Conserve important traditions
When the company is just beginning, certain traditions automatically start popping up. These traditions become a part of the overall culture and play a defining role in forming the overall image of the organization. Don’t forget about these traditions when you start monitoring your employees.
Narendra Modi, the Indian Prime Minister, says:
“Over an extended period of time, if a culture does not entail any traditions…if there are no values…or if there is no awareness or social consciousness…a heritage tradition can never be developed.”
Acknowledge employee achievements and contributions
The employee monitoring software will eventually highlight productive and unproductive employees. As a business owner, you need to recognize these star performers. Don’t let them feel as if their contributions are not being taken into account.
To let your employees know that you’re being sincere, do small things on a regular basis rather than handing out yearly rewards. Employees like to feel recognized, especially by their superiors. And they would prefer to get acknowledged for their achievements more than once a year.
Randolph Pausch, the American Associate Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, says:
“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest and yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”
All communication channels should be open
Establish open communication with your workers. Not all employees are going to easily adjust to employee monitoring software. Actively listen to their complaints. Their concerns should be addressed. Employees should feel as if their reservations are being heard. But make sure that this communication is done in a respectful manner.
People visit your website for a reason, so good content brings value to users and gives them a reason to engage eventually turning in to your customers. Good content is not only useful for search engine optimization but also for reaching your potential customers. Here we have listed down some of the few tips for great content writing from experts in the digital marketing industry:
The biggest trend in the content will be that business owners will finally realize that cheap content doesn’t move the needle. I have been burned myself, along with my founder peers, in thinking that a $30 Fiverr writer can accomplish something for my blog. In reality, it was a waste of time, rather than money.
Instead, I think more company owners will resort to writing content themselves. I have decided to write most of the content on our company blog, even though I rarely have the time for writing. The reason is simple – I can share my own experience, which no writer out there can express. I realized that by the time I create a good brief for a writer, I have already spent half the time it takes to create a good article. So nowadays, I do most of the writing myself. It’s authentic and it feels great to be the person behind the words instead of hiring a ghostwriter.
The biggest breakthrough in content writing in the future will revolve around ROI and proving attribution. Right now, as a content marketer, one of my biggest struggles is proving the value of content and tying a specific piece of content to a conversion or a purchase. The problem remains the same – a reader visits several articles before opting in or making a purchase.
In the future, there will be better algorithms to discern the path that readers take when they interact with website content. This will be crucial because:
It will let us create better content,
It will show CMOs and CEOs what kind of content proves the best ROI, and
People are inclined towards voice search. This trend is going higher, and we see it as the future of searches. There is a difference in writing a query and speaking one. The user guides will be written, keeping voice searches in mind. UX content writers have already working on it and started focusing on long-tail keywords.
Although visual content is on the rise, blogs are still necessary not only for SEO purposes but because people still enjoy reading them. There are a few considerations to take on this matter in 2020. It is extremely recommendable to mix both visuals and written content to make reading much more enjoyable and to provide an added value to the information you are providing in your article.
Some information is better received in written and in the video so it is a good idea to choose what you want to say and using the right channels for it. We all know that content needs to be relevant, fresh, original and well written. The most important trait to keep in mind today is to provide content that generates trust throughout those characteristics.
Storytelling and providing your own insight on the topic you’re writing about are some of the key tools you can use at the moment of writing content today. Share your own insight, spice it up if necessary but avoid drama or being offensive; especially when treating sensitive topics. Not all publicity is good publicity and people are looking for trust more than controversy.
The rise of UX writing has been a huge trend in itself, and one that has only become apparent in the last couple of years. Until now, large parts of websites such as error messages, CTA buttons, and another microcopy, has been seen as an afterthought and is usually added in by a developer at the end of a project. But there’s recently been an increasing shift away from this as people are realizing the importance of ensuring this text is clear, well written and easy to understand.
As UX writing is becoming popularised, there is a danger of copywriters without UX specialism pushing marketing messages within microcopy. This would inevitably undermine the purpose of specifically written microcopy, and leave you in the same boat as when it was provided without much thought. As we head into 2020, I expect that more and more UX teams will start to include a dedicated UX writer, to ensure that all microcopy is perfectly tailored to your UX goals.
One trend in content writing is the shift to write articles that are engaging and helpful as opposed to ‘simply writing articles’ that are built to rank in search engines. By building to rank, I mean articles either optimized solely for keywords and written using thin and unhelpful content, or articles fleshed out so in-depth and built only for search engines to consider a master guide. The trend is shifting towards writing helpful articles the audience actually wants to read, and won’t feel are too short to answer their question or too long to find what they are looking for.
The biggest trend in content writing right now is the transition towards content that supports voice search. In particular, that means more question and answer formats, more content designed to capture long-tail keyword traffic, and less focus on short, strict keywords. Many of Google’s recent, high-profile advancements in search have related to natural language processing, which means traditional keyword research is losing relevancy to user satisfaction and topical depth.
As customer support transitions towards chatbots and knowledge bases, there is also a greater demand for content that supports those platforms. Having a reliable knowledge base means users can diagnose more issues themselves, rely less on live support staff, and overall have a higher level of satisfaction with the brand.
Content Marketing is a great way to build your brand, increase your visibility more broadly, raise your profile and attract more clients. Regularly share quality content and to qualify it must be timely and relevant. To generate ideas I look at the calendar to see if there are any natural opportunities based on the season or activities, keep a running list of topics I get asked about by my clients and other business owners and note when I read or hear about something new I want to explore further, a trend, theme or idea that catches my attention.
If it is an issue that affects me or my business then it is likely to be a topic that impacts others too. Once I decide on an idea to write about I may do research on the topic, talk to people for input and just start typing. If I have a unique perspective to share or any advice I think may help others I get it out there via social media or whatever distribution vehicle makes the most sense.
The key is just to pick your platform, it does not matter which ones you choose just pick one or 2 that are authentic to you. It should look and sound like you and the brand you have built. Whether yours is polished or more informal, chatty or academic, humorous or snarky, it is a way for your personality to come through. Whether you are B2B or B2C, key people need to be on LinkedIn so that they can be found easily.
It adds credibility and transparency when you know the people you are meeting or working with knowledgeable people in common. LinkedIn has become more than an online resume or Rolodex, it is the foundation for building trusted relationships in the digital economy. You do not need to blog or be on all social media platforms but make sure you are active on the ones where you are. If your customers do not use Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to find you then you do not need to make them a priority.
This advice is not fancy and does not require big budgets but it does take time. It is a smart investment to get this right. Authenticity is the key, it has to be and feel real for it to work.
The main trends I am seeing and following are a complete shift in the focus of content from writing for search engines to writing for actual human readers. In the past, much of the content on the web was written around keywords and the search engine algorithms quite frankly were not intelligent enough to differentiate good content from bad.
But with AI and the rise of human editors, this is changing rapidly. Users expect much richer content than in the past, so there is an increased focus not only on textual content but on graphical information, video, and other rich content. We are also more focused on providing summaries within our longer content as users are experiencing less and less attention focus.
Do your research
Jonathan Mendoza, Content Marketing Specialist at Fueled
The biggest trend I have noticed is being concise and personal with your content. It’s so easy to write content that is surface-level just to get rankings on search engines. But these pieces do no good for you or the reader when the content isn’t providing what the readers are looking for. By writing more personal content, you’re catering to the needs of readers, so they’ll stick around your site as a trusted source.
Making the content concise will also show that you did your research so the reader doesn’t have to do more, which also keeps them around for more. If you make it personal and concise, you’ll be viewed as a trusted resource, which ultimately builds your credibility as a brand. This will keep readers on your site or coming back when they need more questions answered.
Are you a content writer worrying about goals and meeting deadlines? Use productivity apps to stay on track at all times.
A data breach might just be one of the most frightening scenarios for organizations, right after bankruptcy. Data breaches not only affect a company it can also take down its partners, collaborators, or associates.
In the first six months of 2019, more than 3800 data breaches were publicly disclosed. And these breaches exposed a whopping 4.1 billion compromised records. But the most incredible thing is the fact that only 8 breaches were responsible for exposing 3.2 billion of those records. As for the type of data itself, emails were exposed in 70% breaches and passwords were exposed in 65%.
This should give you an idea about the seriousness of data breaches and why companies spend a fortune trying to guard against them. In this article, we’re going to discuss the far-reaching consequences of these data breaches. But first, let’s talk a little about their nature.
What is a Data Breach?
A data breach is a security incident in which information is illegally accessed. These breaches can potentially hurt businesses and consumers in a number of ways. They are a huge financial expense that can ruin lives, reputations, and careers.
Stories of massive data breaches are frequently popping up these days. This fact shouldn’t be that surprising because technology is rapidly progressing. Most of our information has been moved to the digital world. This makes it easier for hackers to attack and compromise sensitive data.
Consequences of Data Breaches
Financial Loss
Many businesses fear the immediate financial loses after a big data breach. Numerous financial problems can result depending on the nature of the data breach in question. Companies usually have to deal with the costs of containing the breach, compensating affected clients, coming to terms with a decreased share value and increased security costs.
Business owners can’t accurately predict how financials will be affected in the events of a data breach but past examples have shown that the monetary loss incurred is massive. In 2018, according to the Cost of Data Breach Study, the average cost of a data breach was $7.91 million.
Damage to Reputation
After the advent of the Internet, the world started to behave like a global village. And in like every village, news travels fast. Those who never even heard about your company will know about a data breach that just rocked your whole organization.
If the breach in question puts customer data at risk then company reputation will take a massive hit, the likes of which it may never recover from. How? Data breaches are usually followed by negative press, loss of trust, associated identity theft, and a change in overall customer perceptions about the company and its ability to defend itself.
Disruption in Business Operations
After a data breach, business operations get severely affected by the investigation and recovery process. Victims of data loss can take a long time to recover from a breach.
Companies will have to totally shut down operations for a while in order to sort things out and find the reason behind the breach. This will obviously have a trickle-down effect. As long as operations are shut down, work will not get done and customers will soon start looking elsewhere.
The aftermath is so severe that 60% of small businesses close within six months after a cyber attack.
Legal Consequences
Data breaches that leak personal information about a client or customer usually result in class-action lawsuits. Pile on the legal fees for these cases and companies stand to face sky-high costs and they may not be ready to pay it. Authorities may also get involved and prevent certain operations until investigations are complete.
Steps Companies Are Taking to Protect Their Data
Some of the most successful strategies regarding data protection include:
Identifying data flow. Companies who know where their data is coming from and where it’s headed can accurately pinpoint the vulnerabilities. This allows them to make informed decisions with regards to data protection measures and policies.
Banning mobile phones at work. This may seem like an extreme measure but it is definitely applicable if required. Since mobile phones are small and inconspicuous, malicious insiders can use them to steal or attack sensitive data.
Only allowing usage of company laptops. Just like mobile phones, malicious insiders can also use personal laptops to steal or attack sensitive data. To counter this threat, companies can choose to ban personal laptops on office premises.
Installing employee monitoring software. To keep track of employee work hours and measure daily productivity, companies are installing time management appslike Staff Timer. In case, of a data breach, the app can help identify the culprit(s).
Spreading awareness among employees. Most data breaches come from employee negligence or ignorance. Companies need to educate their employees regarding security measures and cyberattack policies. Employees that regularly come into contact with sensitive data should be under clear guidelines and, if possible, receive formal training.
Using encryption wherever possible. Companies should apply encryption all across the board. From USBs and hard drives to data encryption before the transfer, it’s a must for all companies that are serious about data protection.
As an entrepreneur, one of the most significant things you can accomplish for yourself is to set up a viable work-life balance.
When most people begin their business, they eat, sleep, and breathe work. From their life experience, they know the true value of hustle and diligence. Their whole focus is on creating something successful. In pursuit of success, they can let work consume their whole life.
This will undoubtedly have an adverse effect on one’s health. Personal relationships become strained. The mind becomes restless and distracted. Many only seem to realize what their business needs have done to their health when it’s too late.
Balancing the needs of your business with your daily life is crucial to you and your business’s well-being. In this article, we are going to discuss four tips that can help entrepreneurs efficiently maintain a work-life balance.
Plan Ahead
Protect your schedules and give importance to your time. It’s important to attentively plan meetings with clients and potential customers. Explain your need to give them your complete consideration and support. After that, offer suitable windows of time in which a meeting can take place.
Clients may assume that you don’t have other customers or commitments because your calendar is open for them—and so they may ask for rescheduling at the last minute or arrive late to meetings. If you don’t handle these matters delicately then they have the potential to affect your family time.
Take Time Off
It’s important to understand that enjoying your time away from work can help you remain focused while you’re at the workplace. It’s not about the number of hours you sit at your desk, it’s about the number of quality hours you spend at a task with your complete focus.
It takes numerous attempts to understand and acknowledge that getting some enjoyment out of your time off is useful for your mental well-being. Also, what’s good about running a successful business if you can’t take some time off and enjoy life?
Hire the Right People
Hire smart individuals who can efficiently maintain your business in your absence. It will allow you to take some days off and spend more time with your family. This is the reason why employing the right individuals is essential. Or else, you will end up sacrificing your own time to keep the business alive and eventually wear yourself out.
Structuring your work culture around a genuine faith in work-life balance will be tremendously beneficial in the long-run.
Take advantage of tools
Tons of business-related services and tools are available online. Instead of trying to manually complete your tasks, look into apps that can help you automate and streamline your business. This saves time and money in the long-run.
Make a list that includes all the must-have features that you would like from a tool. Carefully search the market once you’ve made the list. Look into apps that fit your budget. Make sure that they tick all or most of your boxes.
To maintain a work-life balance, entrepreneurs need to cleverly utilize their time. Use time management apps, like Stafftimer, to keep track of employees and tasks.
Stay Healthy
It’s hard to inspire and motivate others when you aren’t healthy. No matter what kinds of sales you’re bringing in, if you’re not taking care of your body, it won’t be sustainable. Put self-care at the top of your list. Exercise, get on a healthy diet and sleep 6-7 hours per day.
These are just some ways with which entrepreneurs can balance their personal and professional life. In the end, it all depends on the individual. If a person doesn’t give importance to his/her personal relationships then there is no reason for him/her to maintain a work-life balance.
Being able to understand or predict consumer’s behavior has always been a crucial process for marketers. Everyone wants this kind of prediction, for obvious reasons. Today every marketer wants to target the right audience for his product. The infamous artificial intelligence has made this job much easier, specifically, the deep learning emergence process has helped a lot.
Deep learning is a subset of AI, that has the potential to modify the future of marketing by predicting consumer behavior for businesses. It is basically a machine learning method that uses neural networks, close to those found in human brains. This network is very useful when it comes to voice recognition, employee time tracking software, language translation and perceiving objects.
A well-known example of deep learning using to predict human behavior lies in self-driving vehicles. Many renowned universities like Cornell and Standford developed “Brain4Cars” programs, which consist of cameras, wearable devices, and sensors. These devices will continuously monitor traffic. This system will alert the driver when he is on the fast track and can even predict accidents. The system can apprehend the driver’s behaviors 3.5 seconds faster.
Unwrapping new customer & prediction
A deep learning mechanism is able to find patterns inside of patterns within huge data to help retailers find the perfect audience they want. Deep learning has opened a doorway to hyper-personalization of marketing, by taking the intent of customer experience and interaction history. A university in China found that when deep learning was fed with information like consumer’s work conditions and hobbies, the system was able to predict automobile purchase intent and also the preferences of various groups of consumers.
With Ai, marketers can rely on more authentic and data-driven insights, rather than making assumptions.
CEO of Black Swan Data explained working of AI, and said Marketers can take social data, like customers sentiment data gathered by social media listening tools, to identify patterns that can help them forecast consumer behaviors months in advance.”
The research suggested that by 2023, almost every business will be using AI-tools to target the perfect audience
The prediction of what customers want, and perceive it right is like heaven on earth for marketers.
A dramatic increase in investment of deep learning tech
Today many corporations are already using advance AI tools to convey a personalized experience to their consumers, and predict what they will be needing afterward.
Let’s take an example of the most famous streaming app today, Netflix. And also the infamous e-commerce site Amazon is also taking from AI.
Their AI-driven recommendation is 85% more accurate.
Netflix is able to save up to $1 billion annually with the help of machine learning algorithms.
Amazon is using AI algorithms to speed up their deliveries, by stocking products close to favorable buyers. To reduce delivery time.
Speaking of deep learning apps, how can one forget Google and Facebook. Google is using this for Google cloud, where Facebook is not far behind. With its development of DeepFace helping to recognize people in pictures with near to perfect accuracy. This social media giant is now up to create a unified deep learning framework, which will be accessible to their developer’s community.
In the world of remote employment, many tools are being developed to ease employer. Helping them to provide insight into employee engagement activities. With the help of intelligent worksheets measuring your employee’s productivity is not that difficult today.
However, deep learning is still in its early days, but it won’t take long to grow, keeping in mind the rapid growth of technology. Machine learning has already changed marketing tricks and tactics, and not keeping pace with the change would be a drawback for any new or old marketer.
Time management apps are becoming increasingly common due to rising demand. Every business enterprise or startup is concerned about maintaining productivity levels, and that is only possible through an efficient time tracking or project management system.
It gives an accurate picture and insight into employee’s productivity and manifests their peak performance levels. Time monitoring apps bring-in more cost efficiency and transparency into businesses thus generating more revenue than ever before.
Here we are detailing 10 best time management apps in 2020 that you will need to save and manage your time:
Slack – collaboration and communication
Slack is one of the most used management apps that companies prefer. It is basically a tool for communication and collaboration. Slack offers shared channels with search options. It can be integrated with numerous other project management app(s). These are some of the features that make the work convenient and staff members located around the world can connect with each other.
You can pin messages and refer to channels
Manage and track documents
Advanced search option
Shared channels to streamline work activities
It’s especially good if you are located in workspaces scattered around the country or world even. You can communicate and coordinate across businesses or units of the same business that require secure communication. Not only this, you can easily streamline your sidebar through it.
For instance, if you need to send frequent messages to some channels more than another. You can make them ascend in the sidebar to ease the process for you. Google calendar app can be integrated to keep your schedule on track.
Stafftimer App is one of the best time management apps available in this competitive market of time trackers. It assists global teams and also remote workers to track their productivity.
There are some unique features offered on this app which include the following:
Real-time monitoring
Task assignment via voice clips
Intelligence reports
Daily work image & video logs
Instant screen capture
Keystroke & mouse activity
The screenshot feature is optional for example if an employee is involved in fieldwork and employers can simply opt-out of screenshot capture feature and just track the time alone.
With audio clips process of assigning tasks is expediated in an unprecedented manner. Lengthy emails are outdated now. Even feedback is given via this method. This saves time for both an employer and an employee. On the other hand, Real-time monitoring is a live screen sharing with an employee. An employer can actually visualize, what his staff member is up to? Similarly, intelligence reports will provide insights into how much time was spent on different URLs.
Above all, daily work videos provide employees with an overview of their whole day’s progress. It has a user-friendly interface and convenient for every significant industry like legal, healthcare, accounting, designing, accounting or even freelancing. So if you want to make time tracking your habit, it’s for you.
Staff timer app provides on-demand integrations with any software of your choice.
Asana is one of the most commonly known and popular products available for project management. It helps you monitor and track your goals and projects to further your business. It helps you decide, and handle your priorities and projects in a structured way.
You can assign tasks and then watch them progress. Never miss deadlines by creating a timeline so you never miss out on anything. There are 100 integrations that help you bring every useful file and document in one place.
Activity feed
Automatic updates on emails
Track tasks and add followers
Comment on tasks
You can track the most important or urgent tasks based on customized preferences. Create projects and teams private to protect sensitive information.
Evernote is one of the best time managing solutions for note-taking especially if you are not organized and feel lost when you are unable to locate your required document. No matter what device you use, it will store and retain your most important information.
There are various methods through which you can store your information with Evernote:
You can type notes, take photos or even add voice notes
Less hassle in organizing or searching the notes
You can create notebooks that are folders precisely
It does offer an interesting feature of tracking data with the help of geolocation which means you can trace data based on the location when you entered it. Asana has an optical character recognition function that caters to images you upload with text on them. For example, a handwritten note whose image you took and added.
Remember the milk is a kind of virtual assistant for managing your time and tasks. It offers a smart list option that sets a distinction between personal and professional tasks. It helps you to:
Update task
Create subtasks
Set deadlines ranging from days, months, & years
You can share tasks and lists with others. It’s a free-to-use app unless you subscribe to its premium features. Pro users can add unlimited users, restrict access to edit, and can work in offline status as well.
Platform: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Microsoft Edge, Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Blackberry, Fire, Apple Watch
Todoist is one of the strongest task managers that can handle things from simple domestic task to an important and professional one. It’s one of the most suitable time management apps for both business teams or individuals like freelancers. It can handle both basic and advanced level tasks.
Some of its key features are:
SSL secured connection
Task priorities
Projects and subprojects
Active projects can be 80 with 5 members at maximum in each
It offers more than 100 integrated tools. Todo-ist is available on most of the devices with the consistent design shown on all of them. You can pin your important projects, label or filter them accordingly.
Platforms: Mac, Windows, Android, Chrome, Safari, Linux
Basecamp is one of the most popular project management applications. It doesn’t only keep to-do lists, but also keep notes, files and events’ schedules as well. This app holds central importance for task organization. It has a user-friendly interface with a one-month free subscription.
Its benefits include:
Transparent management and accountability
More efficient communication and coordination
Updated customizations and integrations
Every project depicts outdated to-do tasks and stores all the files associated with each of the tasks even if the deadline has exceeded. Basecamp is suitable for companies of all sizes and even for remote workers.
Many renowned multinationals are its clients. This task manager is supported in multiple languages and an ideal fit for globally sparsed teams.
Trello is an extremely user-friendly task management software that gives an impression of a whiteboard. It’s free of cost and you can create multiple boards with your to-do lists, along with ‘doing’ and ‘done’ task cards.
Quick overview
Drag and drop function
Easy to organize with tags and labels
There are cards within boards where one can add tasks and set the due date as needed. Collaborations are simplified with this software. With the free version, one can have an unlimited number of boards, cards, checklists, and attachments. You can remove or delete the cards from the boards and can rename them anytime. Besides you can add as many members as you like into them.
This software provides seamless integrations with google docs and dropbox.
Dropbox is one of the most widely known and popular file-sharing options. It’s considered the most prestigious document storage and sharing software. It is suitable for both businesses and individuals’ needs.
With the help of cloud storage, it makes the entire process extremely convenient for accessing, storing and retrieving files.
Simplified link sharing via email, chat or even a text
Provide offline access
Online backup and file retrieval
Manually determined bandwidths
Accessible from any device
Dropbox offers a successful and trend-setting referral program. Through which 500MB storage is obtained with every referral. There are numerous software that allows data sharing but not as efficient as dropbox even that, for free.
Proof hub brings in many features to eliminate the need of subscribing to numerous apps for task management solutions. It tries to develop a centralized location for communication, project management, and handle teams efficiently.
Workflows and boards
Mobile and tablet compatibility
Advanced search
Multiple languages
It helps you upload your documents easily from a centralized location. No more hassle to manage documents through email. It is a reporting software that presents a report on how the resources were used and give the insight to track the progress of various projects.
Remote members can use it to discuss and share ideas with each other as it also serves as a communication tool.
Companies are delivering exceptional customer service to their clients, by actively investing in business solutions, that utilize the latest technology and time tracking apps. Businesses also enhance their productivity as well as streamline operations by implementing such solutions.
Whether you manage a big company or a startup, wasting operational costs are not acceptable. Even a minor hiccup can lead to devastating disasters if not managed right. Thus, time tracking apps are a great way to increase profits and reduce costs, altogether.
Companies successfully reduce their costs, by following the new trend of automating daily operations. Every minute and every task is valuable for the final project delivery no matter how minor they are. Through time tracking apps, you can easily manage invisible billable hours such as time spent on emails, phone calls, project management and communication, meetings, and fieldwork.
If you are working with freelancers or remote teams
Knowing what your remote employees are doing and how much time they are spending on each individual task can give you a better idea of how well they are utilizing your resources. Even though outsourcing employees can reduce costs but managing them can be a hassle. It’s important you organize them strategically and in a profitable way.
No matter how many freelancers you are dealing with every day, time tracking will remember how much time they spent on your project and generates a report so that you can calculate idle time. Therefore, time tracking apps can make every billable hour important. You don’t even have to hire in-house teams when you can outsource talent.
Through automatic time tracking, you can also know which projects are worth your time. You can easily estimate project ROI and know which projects to prioritize more. Win-win!
Increased productivity equals increased profits
Upgrade your workplace with a time tracking tool especially if the process is outdated. This can help your employees be more productive throughout the day, and understand roadblocks through real-time monitoring. You can easily tell which tasks turn into profits and track the performance to see if your team is successful when they spend time on that certain task. This will not only help you set goals but clear expectations to gain profits and identify the idle time.
Time tracking apps reveals invisible work and inefficient workflows. But it also helps you keep a proper check and balance on priorities, and overhead costs. Justify employee inefficiency and efficiency by identifying the tasks that drain your time, consequently your budget.
Every good time tracking app has an admin dashboard that shows trends of each individual employee, allowing you to make informed future decisions when it comes to hirings and resources.
As Artificial Intelligence is making its way into our businesses and tools, we have more opportunities to automate and streamline almost every administrative task such as expense management, accounting, meetings et al
Evaluate what you really need
Technology is evolving at a rapid pace. Deploying too many tools so quickly is a bad strategy. Don’t go for the products, or subscriptions that you know you will never actually use. This is one of the ways through which you can cut additional costs. Run a quick audit if need be.
Choosing just one right time tracking tool can go a long way. Not only will this save money but also helps streamline workflow.
Check out the Staff timer app that offers a comprehensive time tracking solution for global teams. Available for mac and windows!
