Category: Technology

The SaaS industry is experiencing a boom, and forward-thinking companies can develop an exceptional profit margin with the right product.

For your SaaS business to stand out from the crowd and generate a huge ROI, it must develop an engaging marketing strategy.

As the sector is rife with competition, you’ll need to focus on promoting your software, increasing confidence in your brand, and setting your business apart from its rivals.

If you’re ready to create a clever campaign, check out these four marketing tactics your SaaS brand might not have tried.

1. Rev-Up Your Revenue with Referral Marketing

It is foolish to overlook referral marketing, as it is the online equivalent to word-of-mouth advertising.

Your company must encourage as many customers as possible to recommend your product to their friends, family members, or professional network in-person or via digital platforms, such as LinkedIn or email.

The more recommendations your current customers make, the more leads you could generate each month and the bigger your business’s annual profit margin.

As a referral will come from a person they know, a prospective customer is more likely to trust your brand and place an order.

Encourage customers to refer your brand by introducing a customer referral program or providing access to a premium feature for a successful referral.

Dropbox is a great example, as the company promises to provide its users with extra storage after successfully inviting friends.

The innovative tactic helped the brand grow from 100,000 users to 4 million in 15 months.

2. Promote Your Insurance Policy

Modern consumers expect SaaS companies to provide fast, stable, and effective software.

The last thing they will want is for a product to let them down when they need it, which is why they will want to buy from a dependable company.

Promoting your business insurance coverage will give customers peace of mind that you can recover their lost income or pay for a lawsuit following a service outage.

The right insurance policy could help your business financially recover from a serious business error, defense fees, or a business interruption.

3. Simplify the Sign-Up Process

A long sign-up process for a SaaS product will cause prospective customers to feel frustrated and bored.

Make sure you don’t lose an order by simplifying the sign-up process on your website. For instance, reduce the initial steps to maintain a customer’s interest and help them place an order quickly.

Remember, some customers might not feel committed to buying your product, and a lengthy sign-up might give them more time to think twice about placing an order.

4. Minimize Software Options

More products equal more customers, right? Wrong. While you might believe a vast array of products will increase sales, too many options may confuse your customers or provide too much to consider.

Rather than missing out on many orders, minimize your software options to simplify your customers’ choices. This will ensure they find the exact product for their requirements and budget, and they won’t need to study different packages to avoid making a mistake.

Businesses deal with huge volumes of data daily, and maintaining the quality of this data is critical for making the best business decisions and propelling the company forward. 

Quality data must be translated into a digital medium with the help of a data entry system to manage and preserve it effectively. It aids in the reshaping and refinement of datasets that can be utilized for analytics to extract useful information. Data science applications and delivering value to clients both benefit from accurate data.

What Is Data-Science Decision Making?

Data-science-driven decision-making (DDDM) is a method of gathering information based on quantifiable objectives, analyzing patterns and facts from these findings, and implementing methods and approaches that benefit the company in various ways.

Primarily, data-driven decision-making (DDDM) includes achieving key business goals depending on verified, analyzed facts rather than your intuition. Having said that, the data must be accurate and relevant to your objectives to derive true value. Collecting, retrieving, structuring, and evaluating insights for improved data-driven decision-making in business used to be a massive task prior to the advent of DDDM. Though now, because of the advancement of business intelligence tools, users without significant technical skills may be able to analyze and extract insights from their data that aid in data decision-making.

How Data Science Can Help Leaders and Managers 

Confident Decisions

Once you start gathering and evaluating data, you discover that it is easier to make confident decisions about practically any business situation, whether you are planning to launch or discontinue a product, modify your marketing strategy, or expand into a new market.

Become Proactive

It is natural for a data-driven decision-making process to be reflexive when first implemented. The data offers a narrative to which you and your company must respond. It is possible to exploit data more proactively with enough practice and the correct types and volumes of data.

Cost-cutting

There are various reasons why a company can decide to invest in a significant data effort and make its processes more data-driven. It is already being utilized to decrease expenses and boost productivity in the workplace.

Thankfully, leaders and managers can learn through various short courses online that teach data science essentials to better understand its overall impact on the business.

How Can Managers Become More Data-Driven?

There are several measures managers may take to be more data-driven in their approach to business. 

Identify Patterns

In the most fundamental sense, data analysis is an attempt to find a structure throughout or a connection between numerous data pieces. These patterns and correlations can provide observations and conclusions.

Every Decision Should Be Data Based

When faced with any decision, whether commercial or personal, try to avoid depending on gut feeling or previous experience. Make an effort to adopt an analytical attitude instead.

Visualize Data Significance

Data visualization is an integral part of the data analysis methodology. A table of numbers is meaningless. However, you will be able to easily read trends and come out with conclusions about the data if you create compelling visualizations through graphs.

Therefore, it is clear that you can drive your company to new and thrilling heights by adequately utilizing data and measuring your progress to make informed decisions.

NEW YORK (Dec. 10, 2021) – Sanoat Energetika Guruhi LLC (SEG) and Colorado School of Mines (Mines) have signed an agreement to create an international, English-speaking, American-model university in the Samarkand region of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

SEG and Mines, one of the world’s leading engineering institutions, will collaborate on the establishment of the private university as part of a national programme of improvements to the Uzbek education system.

Samarkand International Technical University (SITU) will educate students to the highest international standards, and train personnel in areas such as mining, metallurgy, gas chemistry, petrochemicals and mechanical engineering, as well as entrepreneurship and leadership. 

The mining and energy sectors make up a significant share of Uzbekistan’s GDP. As the country’s ambitions in the mining and energy sectors continue to grow, there is an acute need to develop local skills and expertise to answer the demands of the new economy. It is anticipated that SITU will train specialists for oil and gas facilities in Uzbekistan, including energy projects in the Kashkadarya and Surkhandarya regions, the Gas Chemical Complex MTO in the Bukhara region, Fergana Oil Refinery, and the Tebinbulak and Temirkan metallurgical projects and others.

“For the new Uzbekistan, which is on the path of political and economic modernization and is successfully carrying out deep socio-political and socio-economic reforms, it is important to increase scientific and academic cooperation and integrate into the international educational system,” said Bakhtiyor Fazilov, SEG’s majority shareholder. “Human capital is the driving force of any positive change, and it is via the implementation of such projects we will provide local businesses and the state with scientific talent and highly qualified personnel to achieve their goals.”

“Colorado School of Mines is honored to contribute our nearly 150 years of expertise in earth, energy and environment toward the creation of Samarkand International Technical University,” said John Bradford, vice president of global initiatives at Colorado School of Mines. “To meet the demands of the global energy transition, we need more scientists and engineers who understand the technical, social, policy and environmental challenges of resource extraction, not just in the United States but around the world. Mines is one of the world’s foremost authorities on the responsible stewardship of the Earth’s resources, and building a school from scratch, as we are with SITU, is an exciting opportunity to rethink engineering education for the 21^st century.”

SITU will offer a broad range of STEM-focused programmes at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral level. The university will operate various centers for professional development, including a center for the culture and history of Uzbekistan. Education will be provided according to Mines’ programs and curricula.

Under the agreement, which was signed last week in New York, Mines will help initially to develop the university’s Academic Master Plan and curriculum, provide recommendations on campus infrastructure, and assist in the hiring of SITU’s executive leadership and faculty. Mines will also support the creation of an innovation center and laboratory modeled on its McNeil Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

The idea of ​​creating an English language educational center of international format and standards in Uzbekistan in the fields of mining, metallurgy and oil and gas was advanced by Fazilov to contribute to the state’s program of improving Uzbekistan’s education system and ensuring sufficient supply of world-class engineering personnel. SITU has already received the support of Uzbekistan’s leadership and the Mayor’s Office of the Samarkand region, which has allocated land in the suburbs of the city for the university’s campus.

About SEG

Sanoat Energetika Guruhi LLC (SEG), formerly Jizzakh Petroleum, was established to accelerate the development of the energy sector in Uzbekistan. SEG has the rights to exploit 105 oil fields in Uzbekistan. The company has experience of successful cooperation with such international companies as Gazprom, Amec Foster Wheeler (Wood), Axens and others.

About Colorado School of Mines

Colorado School of Mines is a public university focused on science and engineering, dedicated to educating and inspiring students, advancing knowledge, and innovating to address the great challenges society faces today—particularly those related to earth, energy and the environment. Founded in 1874 with specialties in mining and metallurgy, Mines’ scope and mission have expanded to meet the needs of industry and society, producing distinctive graduates and revolutionary innovations, and becoming a world leader in advancing sustainable use of the Earth’s resources.

Natufia, a Saudi Arabia-based agri-technology provider that enables you to grow fresh plants and herbs all year round, has emerged winner of the KPMG Private Enterprise Tech Innovator in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia competition for 2021. 

Natufia now joins the winning tech innovators from 20 countries worldwide to qualify for the inaugural KPMG Private Enterprise Tech Innovator competition at Web Summit 2021 in Lisbon, Portugal, in November.

Natufia, which goes beyond farm-to-fork to provide herbs and plants from kitchen-to-table since its founding in 2014, was up against four other tech startups in a closely contested competition from BRAQ Aerospace, Juleb, Digital Pharma Company, Mawidy and Tarjama who are shortlisted from 22 applicants in this inaugural edition.

The Natufia Smart Kitchen Garden is an innovative automated garden for every home, offering 100% nutritious herbs and vegetables without GMO or pesticides.  

A panel of four KPMG judges – Dr. Samer Abdallah, Head of ICT Sector, Fuad Chapra, Head of Private Enterprise & Family Business, Mazhar Hussain, Digital Lighthouse Leader, and Buthainah Albaity, Associate Director Private Enterprise and Family Business – chose the final winner after intense deliberations based on six equally weighted categories, including innovation and disruption, market potential, customer adoption, marketing traction, long-term potential, and quality of their pitch.

Dr. Samer Abdallah commented: “The response to the KPMG Private Enterprise Tech Innovator competition was astounding. The competition was pretty intense and demonstrated the thriving and flourishing technology community in Saudi Arabia. Amid innovative ideas and strong pitches from all contestants, Natufia was chosen the winner.”

 “We are excited to be named KPMG Private Enterprise Tech Innovator in Saudi Arabia. We thank KPMG for the opportunity and support received throughout the process. We are all set to head to the Web Summit to share our concept with a global audience,” stated Duaa Albalawi, Chief Botanical Officer at Natufia. 

The award was presented by KPMG in Saudi Arabia Chairman, Dr Abdullah Al Fozan.

About the competition

The KPMG Global Tech Innovator competition is hosted in more than 20 countries around the world. The Tech Innovator finalist in each country will represent their country on the world stage at Web Summit 2021, where they will be given the opportunity to get recognised as the global winner.

Ventum Dynamics Group (VDG) embraces the challenge of achieving a fair transition to a more circular and low-carbon global economy.

See here for more information: Ventum Dynamics AS

A lot of investors are looking to diversify their portfolios by investing in crypto. The main reason for that is the possibility of higher returns, especially since most cryptocurrencies are deemed volatile. In case you’re a beginner in this field, then it’s important to take the time and learn more about cryptocurrencies, blockchain technology, and online trading sites. In this guide, we cover essential information to help you make your first crypto investment.

What is Cryptocurrency?

A cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency that is used as a medium to transfer money on the internet. Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency that was launched in 2009. Today, the competition is increasing as a lot of companies are developing their own digital currencies, and currently, there are over 4000 cryptocurrencies available on the crypto market. Even though there are some differences that make each cryptocurrency unique, what they have in common is the blockchain technology.  

This underlying technology is what made cryptocurrencies successful, and it is one of the main reasons why the crypto market is thriving today. Blockchain technology is a decentralized and highly secure system of recording information that was created to enable crypto transactions without the supervision or control of a central institution. Some of the benefits of blockchain technology are irreversible transactions, short processing time, low transaction costs, anonymity, and other perks. Plus, by design, cryptocurrencies are deflationary currencies, and their supply is finite. 

Reliable Online Trading Sites

Before opening an account on an online trading site, you should take some time and research the cryptocurrency. A good starting point is to read the white paper of the cryptocurrency because you need to find out more about how it operates and what are the main advantages of using it. For example, Bitcoin is known as a safe-haven asset because it is widely used and is the largest cryptocurrency by market cap, while its total supply is restricted to 21 million.

When you have a good idea about the group consist you want to include in your portfolio, then you can find a reputable and trustworthy crypto exchange site that suits your preferences and main financial goals. A reliable platform that compares different exchange sites is https://buyshares.co.uk/cryptocurrency/exchanges/. 

The detailed review includes top crypto exchange UK platforms, their main features, payment methods that are available on the site, commission fees, withdrawal fees, among other relevant information that will help you make your decision.  

Storage Options

It doesn’t matter whether you’re looking to make long-term or short-term investments. Choosing the right and safe storage option for your cryptocurrencies is a vital step as a new investor. You can choose from different crypto wallets, including online, mobile, desktop, and hardware wallet. A suitable wallet for online trading is the web wallet because you can access the funds from a web browser. 

But make sure to have a good understanding of how your private and public keys are stored. They can be more vulnerable when they are stored on third-party servers. Otherwise, mobile, desktop and hardware wallet are considered safer options, but it is more convenient to use a hot wallet when it comes to online trading such as web and mobile wallet. 

Final Thoughts

It is also important to learn as much as you can about the crypto market and to keep up with the latest trends and news. For this purpose, it is beneficial to choose a platform that has a mobile app because you can easily access your account from your smartphone and make changes according to the latest developments in the market.

Also, make sure to learn more about trading and pick a strategy that works for your budget and for your portfolio. One good example is the Elliott Wave Theory , which is based on long-term price patterns and repetitive patterns to predict future price movement.

These days, companies in quite a few industries are talking about digital transformation (DT). DT involves using process improvements and new technologies to transform your operations. You have to embrace change to meet the demands of evolving business models and customer expectations.

The Importance Of Security

Improving security is one of the most important aspects of digital transformation. More than ever, it’s important to protect those assets that are most vital for your organization. You need to protect identities, strategies and trade secrets. Once you’ve established stellar security, you’ll have a solid foundation for achieving comprehensive DT.

What Is Digital Transformation and How Do I Sell It?

Not many people have heard of what is digital transformation since it has become more common last year due to the start of the pandemic. Increasingly, people are recognizing that DT involves telling a compelling story. Just having the right facts and figures won’t prove enough to get buy-in from critical stakeholders. Arguably, storytelling is the most important persuasion tool in your arsenal. According to science, the human brain is programmed to pay attention to stories. After all, storytelling is how traditional cultures pass on knowledge vital for survival. If you tell the right story, you’ll be able to help your co-workers overcome any qualms they have about drastic change. Fear of change is a constant in human psychology. Even forward-thinking people often balk at making major new capital investments. However, investing in digital transformation is one of the best ways to disaster-proof your business.

A story is not a sterile to-do list or a budget. A story is not a PowerPoint presentation, no matter beautifully designed your presentation may be. Instead, a story is a series of events described in a coherent order. These events can be real or hypothetical. For example, you can describe a hypothetical future where your company is outmatched by a competitor. This type of storytelling can inspire noncommittal stakeholders to take action.

Aligning Your Transformation Strategy With Long-Term Goals

DT requires willingness to make significant changes. Nevertheless, you don’t necessarily have to reinvent the wheel. At every stage of your transformation plan, be sure to align your efforts with your long-standing goals and values. Cohesion is the ultimate watchword when planning your digital strategy. Ultimately, you’ll want each one of your digital channels to serve your essential business objectives. Web design, social media marketing, e-commerce, apps; all of these channels should cohesively serve your goals.

Part of DT is making sure your messaging and content reflect your customers’ interests and values. You’ll also want to craft consistent brand messaging. To maintain cross-channel cohesion, be sure to invest in analytics. You can use each channel to gather and analyze data about your customers’ habits. If you aren’t gaining new insights from your digital channels, you’ll need to invest every available penny into DT. When it comes to transformation, it’s never too late to start turning the ship around. Even if your digital channels are producing strong revenues, maintenance isn’t enough. Revenue growth is crucial for commercial sustainability. You needn’t give in to the temptation to adopt every trendy new digital channel that comes online. Instead, focus on developing a few key channels.

Maintaining The Right Skills Mix In Your IT Team

If you want your DT to be maximally effective, you’ll need to assemble the right IT team. That may prove more complicated then ever during this pandemic time. Make sure you are fully taking advantage of teleworking. In addition, make an effort to keep your remote workers feeling heard and appreciated. If you’re not careful, it can be easy to overlook remote team members when it’s time to hand out promotions. This type of oversight can only limit the effectiveness of your IT team.

Properly executed, DT can help you achieve transformative business goals. Do whatever it takes to get your whole organization working together on DT.

Virtual data rooms are becoming popular with time. Their need has shown a sudden rise over the past couple of years. As the business world is expanding, so is the competition that comes along with it. Competitors are in search of each other’s weak points. Nobody wants to see anyone standing ahead of them. You never know who is preying on your confidential documents secretly. A single leak of any piece of information might cause your company to suffer a huge loss. You need a system that keeps all your files and records secured so that nobody has any chance to break into your files. With the introduction of virtual data rooms, this problem has been solved. Virtual data rooms provide you with a highly innovative platform that serves as a warehouse for your files.

Gone are the times when you had to keep a hardcopy of all your business-related files. Keeping files in hard copy is not safe at all. Moreover, many businessmen are so busy with tight meeting schedules that they are often seen forgetting important files at home or end up misplacing them. This causes inconvenience at the time of work. With virtual data rooms, all your files are saved online and with just one click, you can have the file in front of you.

Data Room provide you with all the safety you want with your documents. There is no chance that someone gets into your stuff. You can only share the files with specific people. This keeps your documents under tight security and ensures that there is no preying eye out there, spying on your documents.

You do not have to carry your documents in a hard drive or mail to someone over the email. Now with the virtual data rooms, you can share the documents with anyone around the world with just one click. It doesn’t matter which device the other person might be using or which country they are in, they can always get access to the documents within seconds.

In case you couldn’t conduct a meeting in person with your employees, you can start a meeting using a data room. This ensures that no amount of time is wasted and all the employees can be a part of that meeting.

With virtual data rooms, you do not have to worry about the size of the file that you intend to upload. You can upload bulk files at one time. The sizes of the files can vary. All kinds of files can be uploaded within no time, provided you have a fast internet connection. The files can be shared with anyone irrespective of the size.

Virtual data rooms are an organized file management system. Your files are well managed and organized in a proper manner over there. You do not have to go through a bulk of files to find that one single file anymore. With virtual data rooms, all your files are displayed with just one click.