How Do Cloud Based Call Centers Work?

Call centers are, unfortunately, often stereotyped as places of frustration for both employees and callers. When most people picture one, they think of an office filled with cramped cubicles and irate customers taking their frustrations out on exasperated agents. Perhaps you’ve even seen a TV show or movie where the air conditioner broke down in a call center to make things even worse.

What is a Cloud Call Center?

A call center is a business function that handles inbound and/or outbound phone calls with customers. A cloud call center, or cloud-based call center, is one that has its technology for handling these calls (such as the automatic caller distributor) on servers on the internet “cloud” rather than locally-owned equipment. This can make it cheaper to start up a new company while still providing excellent customer service capabilities!

What are the benefits of being a cloud call center?

Scalability
At-home agents
Flexibility

Cloud call center Scalability:

When there is a seasonal spike in call volume, many companies would have to buy more licenses and hardware for their on-premise technology. This expense can be avoided with cloud based software as it only requires the purchase of seats that are being used during peak hours rather than buying expensive equipment just because they need them at all times.

Cloud call center at Home agent:

Call centers that use cloud technology have the advantage of assembling a team of home agents. For markets where it is difficult to recruit and hire good agents, being able to also work from home provides an additional perk for many call center employees.

Cloud call center Flexibility

Cloud-based systems are a great option for warehousing your data because they offer easy integrations with other business applications like CRMs. For example, if you’re running a call center and want to add chat as an additional channel of communication, it can be done quickly – often the same day.

Cloud call center Integrations

Keep your focus on what’s important and let us take care of the rest. The time-consuming hassle that comes with integrating an outdated call center software system can be a headache for even experienced IT professionals, not to mention its lack of scalability in terms of customization or size limitations.

Luckily, that air conditioning scenario can be avoided in real life, thanks to services like air conditioner repair in Chicago. A work office should always be comfortable, especially now that you’re likely trying to get employees to come back after remote work caused by COVID-19. Have a skilled technician look at your air conditioning system and the furnace of your office to ensure everything is working properly. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to install a programmable thermostat as well to keep consistent temperatures and ensure that your air conditioner completes its cycles.

While you certainly can’t discount the importance of comfort, you’ll want your customer service professionals to use the best technology available for their jobs as well. Call centers have notoriously high turnover rates, and one of the most common employee complaints is using outdated technology that makes the work harder. Honestly, these days, “call center” is a bit of a misnomer. With the ability to use digital channels granted by cloud based technology, the term “contact center” makes more sense. Here’s everything you need to know about cloud based contact center solutions.

The cloud helps you overcome the limitations of legacy systems.

On-premises legacy solutions are becoming obsolete in the world of contact centers. They guarantee a solid connection between customers and agents but come with some major downsides, such as expensive repair work or upgrades from your own IT department. With on-premise systems, you’re also limited to how much customer service can be done remotely because your agent must remain at their desk in order to maintain the interaction; this is limiting for crisis management situations where remote access may be needed most urgently. This is a world of digital transformations, and we’ve all seen how important remote work can be lately.

A cloud contact center is one that operates on a network-based service, where the provider offers services based on a subscription model. Cloud services have CRM integrations that lead to better customer experiences, they have no need for on-premises hardware, and security and upgrades are handled by the provider, so contact center supervisors are freed up to focus on core tasks. Installing cloud-based systems is easy, they can be scaled as your business grows, and they allow great flexibility for employees.

True omnichannel routing is the future of contact centers.

Cloud contact centers offer greater convenience for customers since they don’t just rely on voice calls. With cloud technology, customers can contact your agents using their preferred digital means, such as text, SMS, live chat, mobile app, and more.

Calling customer service is easy when we have IVR! No need to wait on hold for hours or get transferred around before getting the help you want.

Calling customer service has never been easier thanks to interactive voice response, a technology that connects customers with agents right away and makes it hard not to find what they are looking for in minutes instead of waiting on hold all day long listening through phone menus, or being passed from agent-to-agent until someone finally answers your question.

When you work with the best cloud contact center solution, you’ll even get omnichannel routing, which allows customers to seamlessly switch between communication channels when needed, all while staying in contact with the same agent. For example, if a customer started a conversation through webchat shortly before they needed to run an errand, instead of losing their progress if the conversation takes longer than expected, they can simply switch to a hands-free voice call as they leave the house. This saves everyone’s time and provides a unique and memorable customer journey.

Don’t get left behind using old technology. Switch to cloud call center software as soon as possible to provide a great customer experience and boost your agent productivity.

How does a cloud contact center improve customer experiences while you maximize agent productivity?

With the emergence of modern call center technology, agents are empowered to provide customers with quality service. Such features as skills-based routing and predictive dialers help boost productivity while ensuring that every customer is satisfied.

Providing the right information at the right time:

The frustration and anger that customers come into a call with can be difficult for an agent to deal with. To make matters worse, when agents are forced to switch between numerous legacy backend systems, they not only slow down the process of service but also prevent themselves from being able to fully connect or empathize with their customer’s needs.

Matching an agent’s skills to the customer’s needs:

The customer’s voice is one of the most powerful weapons in your arsenal. It can reveal actionable insights that may have been lost by restricting avenues for interaction with your company to just web, mobile, chat, and email channels; but it takes a unified hub—such as those offered by cloud contact center platforms—to make sense of all this data across an enterprise.

Call center software warrants real-time support:

A whopping 38% of customers are at risk of defecting to competitors if their issues aren’t resolved on the first call. But by using a hub-and-spoke approach, cloud contact center solutions allow agents to follow the full thread of a customer’s journey from one channel to the next and service them more efficiently so that these problems can be solved in real-time—or even anticipated before they occur.

Experience faster deployment of new capabilities:

The days of waiting weeks or even months for new technologies are done. With a cloud contact center, you can add capabilities on the fly with instant results that will help your agents provide better customer service and increase sales opportunities while keeping costs low because it is so easy to deploy the technology.

What’s the difference between on-premise and cloud-based call centers?

It can be tough to pick the right call center software for your business. There are many different options available, and it’s important that you understand what they offer in order to make an informed decision. In this article we will explore two leading solutions–OneCall vs GoToAssist–and highlight their pros/cons so you can decide which one is best suited for your needs!

These are the four most common types of call center software. Let’s take a look:

Onsite call center

With a dedicated communication server, your call center’s hardware and software is all stored within the place of business. This allows for easy installation while also providing support from an on-site team. The type of servers can vary between PBX or IP PBX which means that you have many options to choose from when it comes to features like voice mail systems

Cloud-based call center software

Cloud-based call center solutions connect your business to a cloud of possibilities. Whether you have an office full of employees or just one person, these remote servers can make phone service available no matter what device they’re on and where they are in the world!

Hybrid hosted call center software

Hybrid software is the perfect solution for any customer service center. The pros and cons of your previous two setups will be combined, making a “middle ground” between fully virtual and onsite that can best accommodate all needs. While it may sound like an ideal situation, there are potential drawbacks with this arrangement as well which should not go unnoticed by companies looking to invest in hybrid solutions for their next call centers

Browser-based call center software

Browser-based software is a type of cloud-driven apps that can be accessed through the phone system and dialer. Browser-based doesn’t have any advantages or disadvantages, but it’s different from app-driven in terms of accessibility because you cannot access your browser without an internet connection use an installed app for short periods at certain points like when taking public transportation to work.

Advantages And Disadvantages of Bottled and Jarred Packaged Goods

Bottled and jarred packaged goods have become increasingly popular in recent years, generating a debate over their benefits and drawbacks. Consumer protection information is included here, as well as information regarding hygiene, packaging toxins, and environmental impacts.

Time is money in the fast-paced world of the 21st century. Money is saved by saving time. Food is increasingly being deposited in packaged form in order to save time (and earn money). Technological advances and commercialization have also revolutionized the packaged food market.

Both the packaging and the contents are important. Nevertheless, the initiative will raise consumer awareness of these effects and enable them to select packaging that is both eco-friendly and safe for them.

The packaging of food and beverages includes glass, plastic, aluminum, and paper. There are advantages and disadvantages for both consumers and manufacturers with these materials.

Advantages of bottled and jarred packaged goods

Far-away residents consider packaged foods to be a blessing. There is no set time for eating. In addition, storage and storage are easy. Wrapping and storing the containers are not necessary.

It is more likely that unpackaged food will become contaminated than food packaged this way. Recycled packaging is known to be safe, despite the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations. Foods such as these have an extended shelf life. Freshness can be maintained for a long period of time.

Packaging protects food from damage during transportation, handling, and storage, which makes it easier to store and handle packaged food.

The life of contents can be prolonged by using glass, aluminum, or plastic containers. The convenience factor is the last but not the least. As well as saving time, grocery shopping, preparing, and cooking are eliminated.

Hygiene

Food packaging is used to transport and store many types of food hygienically. In the case of food, packaging can reduce contamination and bacteria, preventing illnesses, especially food poisoning.

The use of recycled materials in food packaging causes concern, however. A strict set of regulations must be followed by manufacturers who use recycled material.

The pack is additionally hygienic since food does not have to be exposed to the air, which makes it possible to store food at home.

Duration

Foods and beverages are packaged differently to prolong their shelf lives.

Placing items in plastic can help prevent discoloration and extend the life, for example.

Metal and glass containers are used to store food for as long as possible.

Before purchasing food, use clear plastic or glass to check for discoloration. Due to exposure to air, foods without packaging can dry out, mold, or spoil.

Packaged foods have several disadvantages

Before talking about their cons, let’s take a look at their pros. Food packaging produces a lot of waste. It has generated a great deal of waste. Therefore, packaging represents a substantial portion of the cost of all food manufacturers, making it more costly to manufacture and to purchase than unpackaged food.

Health is negatively affected by packaging. Adding artificial flavors and food additives to packaged foods not only worsens their taste, but they can also make them unhealthy.

Online shopping can cause allergic reactions, digestive problems, and increased susceptibility to illnesses like lung and heart disease.

For this issue to be resolved, the FDA must require food labels. These labels also provide nutrient information, aside from ingredients, expiration dates, and serving size.

Environment Empect of Bottled and Jarred Packaged Goods

Over twenty percent of all waste plastic and paper comes from packaging, as reported by Duke University researchers Patrick Reaves and Michael Nolan. Food packaging is eliminated, resulting in higher waste levels for the environment.

Chelsea Rochman describes hazardous waste, according to a professor at the University of California. Cancer can potentially be caused by plastics or damage to the reproductive system due to plastics.

In addition to being nondegradable, most packaging negatively impacts both humans and animals.

Cost of Bottled and Jarred Packaged Goods

There is an increase in food costs due to packaging. Ten to fifty percent of food products’ prices are accounted for by packaging. Because manufacturers have to create smaller packages in order to meet federal and health standards, their costs increase. In addition, storing and transporting food in smaller packages is more expensive than in bulk.

Overall, packaged food contains positive as well as negative attributes, just like everything else. In the same way that too much of anything is bad, too much of this is also bad. Whether or not we choose to consume these foods is entirely up to us.

More Advantages and Disadvantages of Bottled and Jarred Packaged Good

Now, consumers in the UK are more likely to purchase bottled and Jarred packaged goods. In supermarkets, consumers are increasingly buying convenience foods and fewer packaged foods. UK consumers are often misled to believe that they only shop at one type of store: high street stores.

However, this is not always true. In many supermarkets, you can now buy bottled and jarred packaged goods that are not the traditional types of packaged food sold in high street stores. Because consumers want easier access to products and better service, online shopping has become increasingly popular. These products do have some disadvantages, however. This article examines some of their disadvantages before reviewing some of their advantages.

There have been long-standing concerns about packaged foods due to the packaging. In the past, consumers considered glass containers and jars undesirable and were reluctant to purchase foods that were packed in them. In spite of this, the packaging of certain types of packaged goods—including those sold in the UK—has been significantly altered in recent years. Particularly Bottled and Jarred Packaged Goods meats have been affected by packaging changes. The UK now uses plastic packaging for packaged meats. Changing to plastic makes sealing meat much easier than before, which is a major reason for this change. Plastic packaging makes it easier to keep meat fresh than glass jars.

The same applies to food cans. As opposed to tin cans, plastic and glass packaging support the long-term storage of tinned foods. As a result, canned food could be more appealing to consumers. People prefer to buy canned foods because they have a long shelf life. Plastic packaging makes this possible. Cans and bottles of canned goods are often present in glass jars. You should choose glass jars over plastic jars because of their ease of cleaning and easy maintenance. Children are drawn to plastic due to its transparency and easy visibility. Cans and bottled foods differ in a number of ways with regard to their nutritional value. Canning foods low in sugar and fat are suggested as an alternative to foods high in sugar and fat to prevent this.

A Bottled and Jarred Packaged Goods food also has some disadvantages besides its advantages. One of the obvious disadvantages of these foods is that they are not very appealing to children. Children may be bored by packaging and products. A grocery store offers a greater variety of fresh produce and meat than packaged foods.

Cans and bottles have the disadvantage of being expensive to ship. Purchasing packaged foods may not be feasible due to budget constraints. If one has packaged water on hand, buying or cooking food is not necessary. There is no doubt that glass bottles are the most common type of bottle for bottled water. Packaging made of plastic, however, is relatively expensive.

Form and Function Drive Design for Bottled and Jarred Packaged Goods

Throughout the bottling industry, a new mantra has taken hold: form enhances function. Food and beverage companies using bottles and jars place a high priority on functional design attributes such as gripability, sealing ability, on-the-go portability, and ease of heating and serving.

Moreover, Tay notes that “our society is becoming more mobile and independent, and food [and] beverage producers are looking more and more for ergonomic glass packaging that is resealable with a clean and efficient dispensing system.”

Based on focus group research, Bookbinder discovered that consumers really appreciate soup packaging that is resealable and portion controlled. It leveraged O-I resealable 15-ounce 15-ounce fifteen-ounce jars to manufacture new soup flavors including Sweet Burgundy Onion and Butternut Squash & Mushroom.

Additionally, soups with chunky texture are easy to pour from jars with a wide opening. With cans, however, microwave cooking is not possible. In lieu of transferring the soup to a microwave-safe dish, this method eliminates the need to transfer the soup.

In addition to storing unused products in a jar, you can also store them in a jar to save space. Transparent jars allow consumers to view a product’s packaging before they purchase it and monitor how much is left in the package while it is in the refrigerator.

Wine bottle brings its own glass

A clever design for Vino Solo bottles offers functional advantages for outbound drinkers and for concessionaires at venues that discourage glass packaging, like ballparks. Merclot and chardonnay are considered Vino Solo varietals of premium quality.

The 187-ml polyethylene terephthalate bottles are closed with a wine flute by Vino Solo and inverted over the cap. The smaller package size allows shipping and storage to be simplified.

In addition to custom-label wines as well as Vino Solo, KDM proposes to make the package available for non-alcoholic beverages as well as for other alcoholic beverages. Meanwhile, Singlz will feature the bottle-and-flute package for non-alcoholic drinks.

As Vino Solo launched in the United States, its initial customers were hotels, theaters, convention centers, cruise ships, and sports venues. Major League Baseball parks currently serve the brand.

With Vino Solo, concessionaires and foodservice operators can simplify operations by combining the flute with the bottle. Vino Solo offers unprecedented service efficiencies and margin-generating capabilities for on-premise accounts, according to KDM President Jonathan Gelula.

Vino Solo will also be available in three-pack retail packaging from KDM. Due to its break-resistant design and inclusion of drinkware, the primary package is an appealing option for consumers who want to take drinks with them while away from home. Gelula says that Vino Solo’s three-packs provide a handy solution for any kind of ‘on the go’ project, such as cooking outdoors, boating, camping, or even fishing.

What are the latest trends? On My Trending Stories, you’ll find the latest trending news. Stay up-to-date with our live news every day.

3 Reasons to Invest in Dogecoin

Cryptocurrency as a whole continues to amaze us, but sometimes there are some super incredible events in the world of crypto that just blow our minds. As of late, none are more impressive than the popularity of Dogecoin.

Let’s be completely clear here: no one, and we mean no one, thought that Dogecoin was going to do what it did. The actual creators themselves made the cryptocurrency a complete joke. Now, several years later, it’s skyrocketed in popularity to become one of the most highly-valued cryptos on the market.

As someone who wants to invest in cryptocurrency, you’ll want to consider Dogecoin as a viable option. But what’s so special about this mysterious joke coin that’s turned into a trending icon? Read this article to find out why you should invest today!

1. There’s No Limit to How Much You Can Make

One of the first things to know about Dogecoin is that your earning potential is limitless. Most other forms of crypto have a certain amount of total coins that exist, and they rarely (if ever) modify this number.

Dogecoin doesn’t do this. Instead, it’s completely open-ended, meaning that there are an unlimited amount of coins that can be made. Feel free to collect all that you want!

What is the max amount of Dogecoin?

Since DOGE blocks are created at 1-minute intervals, it is as responsive as a blockchain. Because there is no limit to the number of coins that can be produced, inflation can grow unchecked.

2. Elon Musk Is Behind It

If you’re a big fan of Elon Musk, this is all the more reason to start investing. Musk is well-known for his role in creating and establishing multiple inventions and companies, including his famous Tesla line, PayPal, and The Boring Company. Now, he’s playing a major role in the growth of Dogecoin.

Earlier this year, Musk stated that Tesla would not only recognize Dogecoin but would accept it as a form of currency in their company. The statement brought the currency to the attention of the world, and it hasn’t looked back since.

3. You Can Purchase It Anywhere

Crypto has exploded onto the scene, and many types of cryptocurrency can be found on a ton of trading platforms. Now, Dogecoin’s popularity has allowed it to make a home on several different platforms as well.

These days, if you have a smartphone, you have a way to grab up some Dogecoin. You can access this crypto from big names, including eToro, Robinhood, Gemini, Crypto.com, Coinbase, WeBull, and more. Just download the app, make an account, and start buying up some Dogecoin today!

Has this article caught your interest with Dogecoin? Before you start investing, you might want to learn a bit more information before making your first purchase. You’ll be well on your way to owning a powerful investment!

Buy a Bit of Dogecoin Today

Investing in Dogecoin is a great way to get started in the crypto world and earn a potential return in the near future. Make sure to check out the rest of our site to learn more tips and tricks you can use to climb the ladder to success!

5 Benefits Of Having A Professional Web Design

The appearance, layout, and content of a website displayed on the internet result from web designers. It predominantly refers to the user experience aspects of website development rather than software development. Before, web designers used to focus on designing websites for desktop browsers until recently where design for mobile and tablet browsers became ever-increasingly important. Creating a website for your firm has some added advantage to your business; here are some:

1. Increased Revenue

An engaging, simple, informational, and strategically designed website will attract more visitors and help convert those visitors into prospects. Many customers mean a boost in revenue, certainly benefiting your company in terms of profits and investing in a professionally designed website. Taking your corporate website into the mobile stratosphere means you can access many customers, which will lead to more sales for your business.

Web Development Workflow For Beginners: How The Funnel Works

2. Credibility

An eye catching website will help you outshine your competitor. Having a credible website shows your customers that you are safe, knowledgeable, and trustworthy. Credibility has a direct impact on your bottom-line and youth’s ability to generate leads and sales. You should always know that your website will often be the first stop for a prospective customer. Customers can feel comfortable enough in websites like Colorado web design that takes all the necessary steps to win their trust.

The Significance of SSL Certificate in Website Speed Optimization

3. Creating A Strong First Impression

Visually appealing websites will ensure a powerful and compelling first impression. Customers judge your businesses within seconds of visiting your company’s website. They quickly develop an opinion about the business based on the first appearance if it is not branded in an attractive way or its user experience is confusing. No user will learn about the site or your products, even if it is their solution.

4. Brand Consistency

Doing something every time ensures your audience is exposed to core messages which include visual branding, and other brand elements repeatedly, and as a result, it may help solidify brand recognition. This ensures that the delivery of a brand name aligns with the brand identity, values, and strategy over time. Do you know that consistency ensures that your brand is recognizable across all marketing channels? Having been in something for a long, it automatically creates a cohesive, consistent brand identity, unified experience for both existing and potential customers who are available and the ones you are yet to get.

The 10 Best Web Development Frameworks In 2021

5. Minimize Your Bounce Rate

Professional websites force visitors to go deeper as they are engaged in some way either because they found what they were looking for and their search is done. A bounce is said to be when a visitor leaves after watching the homepage. What companies ideally want is to travel deeper and explore what your business has got to offer. It is determined by viewing case studies, testimonials, the variability of services that the website has. The bounce rate should scale back to the maximum amount possible.

Designers like Colorado web design offer all design development types helping you acquire new customers through your website. Your website should be of high quality, modern to display your uniqueness and your fantastic products. The layout should show information structurally and categorically with accurate colors, font, and images used. It should be easy to use, simple, and aesthetically pleasing.

Five Basic Tech Terms that Make Running a Business Safer and Easier

From plumbers to roofers, boutique owners to marketers, using technology comes with nearly every job. Even if you’re large enough to hire an IT professional to do a lot of the work for you, it’s still a good idea to know some of the basics. Not only can it help you avert disaster, it can also boost your confidence when using technology, making it more likely that you’ll learn more efficient ways to use your computer.

If you’re a tech newbie, but you’re interested in learning more that makes running your business safer and easier, start with these five tips.

IP Address

As is the case with many of the terms on this list, you have probably heard of an IP address before without knowing exactly what it is.

An IP address, or Internet Protocol address, is a number that is assigned to every device that’s connected to a computer network. Even single computers that are connected to the internet have an IP address, but networks of computers in the same building also use this concept to communicate with each other.

Other devices count too! From tablets to cell phones, you may find that you’re managing many more IP addresses than you thought.

Do yourself a favor and start managing IP addresses that are used by your business. Using an IPAM program provides you with a centralized repository so you can create an inventory of networks, subnets, and IP addresses for more accurate records.

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

If you haven’t heard of a virtual private network, you may have heard it used by another name. A VPN enables you to access the internet securely. It can shield your browsing activity from prying eyes that are common on public Wi-Fi systems. Businesses use them to connect networks together, but they are also used to access local networks remotely, protect important information, and bypass internet censorship.

VPNs can easily be downloaded on any device and activated or deactivated, depending on your needs. There are many providers to choose from, so do a little research before choosing one that would work best for your business.

Firewall

If you aren’t really sure what a firewall is, you aren’t alone, but it’s important for every business to have one!

Firewalls aren’t just for large companies. Every business should have one to prevent cyber-attacks, especially because 60 percent of small businessesdon’t survive one.

A firewall prevents unauthorized connections and malicious software from accessing your system and stealing important information, like customer credit card numbers. In addition, it can be used to prevent illicit activities by employees. When used the right way, it can also help you learn more about how your network is used, which can really come in handy when allowing employees to work from home.

A firewall can be enabled on computers and systems, but you can also use hardware to keep your network secure. You can find firewall devices that can be used alone or in conjunction with software options.

Cloud Hosting

Just because you’re storing some documents and pictures in the cloud doesn’t mean you know exactly what it can do! With cloud hosting, you can do even more.

The cloud can store data, freeing up space on your computers, but it can also host websites and apps. The benefit of using the cloud is the fact that you can store data for programs across multiple servers instead of storing everything on a single machine. This can make your website and app faster and more secure.

Many different hosting plans offer different services and benefits, so do your research to find the one you want to try.

Marketing Automation

Marketing automation sounds like one of those things that big businesses use to post ads on the internet. It can be, but it’s great for smaller businesses too!

Marketing automation simply means making certain marketing actions automatic. A few that can work for even the smallest of businesses include:

Content on social media
Abandoned shopping cart emails
Email newsletters
Content posted to a blog

There’s a ton to learn about running a business, most of which don’t really have anything to do with the reason why you opened your doors in the first place! However, having at least a basic knowledge of complex concepts, like technology, can make a huge difference in how easy it is to run your business and how secure your information is. Let these terms encourage you to learn even more about the world of IT to make your business even better.

5 Tips for Better Data Science Workflow

In a field like Data Science, it’s hard to find the solution to all your problems. Data Science is implemented by many industries to improve performance in present projects by connecting different data sources, monitoring, modeling, and reporting the progress of their project team.

There is no one-fits-all solution to improve your data science workflows and produce better results. You cannot apply old models and outdated methods to every project and expect better results. You have to design new strategies based on the project requirements and expected results out of it.

Data Science is a complex field and requires a lot of skills, experience, decision-making, team-building, and patience in order to be successful. It’s imperative that you work on different projects and learn how to implement the skills you’ve learned. Some of the Best Data Science Courses in India teach you the right skill sets and create better workflows to improve your results.

There are different ways to optimize your approach and improve the project workflow. Below are a few suggestions to improve your Data Science workflow:

Break-down your Project into Phases

Following the traditional top-down approach for your Data Science projects could sometimes be overwhelming. The wrong strategy might even compromise your ability to reach your goals and performance. To solve this problem, you can break down the project into phases and get a clarified idea of what should be done. You can divide the project into four main phases:

Phase 1: Preliminary Analysis

In this phase, your main objectives should be gathering the data, setting goals, requirements, preparing SRS, and clarifying the objectives. Data Scientists often skip this phase, but it’s an important step to get productive and efficient results.

Exploring the Data

The second phase includes data cleaning and transformation. Based on the requirements, you should assess and analyze the data by asking the right questions. This is because some projects require you to process huge amounts of datasets, which consumes a lot of computational resources and time. So, its important that you prepare your dataset accordingly.

Data Visualization

Data Visualization refers to the process of converting the processed data into visuals such as graphs, charts, plots, maps, etc. This process makes data representable and easy to understand by non-technical people.

Knowledge Discovery

The fourth phase in this process is knowledge discovery, where you decide which algorithms and models you should apply on the dataset to get best results. By dividing your work into phases, you can gain more insights on a project and complete the complex tasks with ease.

Use Proper Hardware and Software Tools

Speed and efficiency are two of the most important aspects for any project that an organization looks into. If your team doesn’t have the right tools, they will not be able to produce the best results. Therefore, it’s imperative that you have the right software and hardware tools to ensure the optimal speed.

If your project requires extensive rendering and visualizations, then you need more resources to improve the performance of your models. Programming languages like R and Python are the best suited for Data Science applications. You can learn the programming languages through an R course and implement them in your projects.

Involve People with the Right Skills

Your team decides the date of your projects and how it’s going to roll on the expectations. A small yet skilled team will limit the outside influences and produce efficient results in the given time-period. Data Science projects involve the use of various technologies and skills. Therefore, assign the right skills to the right people and improve your project workflow.

Select Appropriate KPIs

Selecting the appropriate Key performance indicators(KPIs) is one of the challenges of data Scientists while planning the projects. A KPI may look promising from the outside, but it may not perform well in the background. So, you should analyze what will be the results after using a KPI and discuss with your team members.

Organize your Project Directory and Documentation

Another factor that affects your project workflow is your project directory and documentation. So, organize all your packages, datasets, and program files in directories. Also, you can create a github repository and enable the team members to easily access your project files. For further improvements, you should create separate directories for a smoother workflow.

Final Thoughts

Hope this blog helps you find the nuances affecting the data science project and help you improve its workflow. The key is to break down your project in individual sections and design the best strategy for it. A strategic workflow results in higher returns and better efficiency.

Top 5 Cybersecurity Threats Businesses Should Guard Against In 2021

The rise of digital and information technology has created a new headache for businesses across the world. Just in the year 2020, the FBI states that cyberattacks grew 4x times as compared to the earlier years. To give you a rough estimate, the agency states that businesses cumulatively lost more than $1 Trillion because of cyberattacks in 2020 alone.

Needless to say, both these numbers are expected to rise in 2021 with the pandemic creating newer opportunities for cybercriminals. Before businesses can put in place measures to protect themselves against such threats they need to be informed and educated about them.

In this article, we look to discuss the top five cybersecurity threats that businesses should guard against. If you are a business owner or a CEO looking to put in place effective security and guarding mechanism then you should read this article till the very end.

List of the Top 5 Cybersecurity Threats Businesses should guard against in 2021

Phishing Attacks

The nature of phishing attacks has become so advanced that you will never know that the security of your system has been compromised. Experts state that phishing attacks are targeted mainly through emails.

We get emails from unknown ids and click on the links that are shared. This allows the hacker to establish a connection with your system and transmit malware. We must try to avoid clicking on links that are unfamiliar on emails at all times.

Ransomware Attacks-

By planting ransomware, cybercriminals try to extort money from businesses. Data suggests that the average cost of a ransomware attack is somewhere in the range of $4.5 Million. This means that both data and money can be extracted by engineering a ransomware attack.

Criminals plant ransomware with the intention of blackmailing the organization and steal sensitive customer information on the dark web. As you can imagine, this can destroy the company and lead to its closure. Companies pay up for fear of the breach going public.

Insider Attacks

Remote working has become a need of our times. However, when employees are working remotely the same cybersecurity disciplines that characterized an office space are absent. We are using personal systems, smartphones, and unsecured networks to gain access to data.

There is a reason for the four-fold growth in cyberattacks. A majority of them take place because of remote working vulnerabilities. Using effective certificate management, secure VPNs, and training employees concerning updating security software can help in mitigating this.

DDoS Attacks

DDoS or Denial-of-service attacks have become the chosen option for attackers ever since the pandemic started. A DDoS attack works by flooding the server or the mainframe by creating a huge flood of traffic. This results in the server crashing under the impact of so much traffic.

As soon as the server is down, hackers seize the moment to plant malware or ransomware. Businesses are not even aware that a DDoS attack has been engineered and simply mistake the issue for the downtime of a server. This is a sophisticated attack that needs adequate protection.

Cloud Attacks

With businesses moving their operations to the cloud, hackers are having a field day identifying cloud solutions that have limited security. Cumulatively, the cloud business is expected to grow threefold and hit nearly $300 Billion by the end of 2021.

If you have been following the news, you would have read how Blackbaud, a cloud solutions company was hacked and the data and millions of customers and businesses were released on the darknet. Businesses need to be careful when selecting a cloud solutions provider.

The Bottom Line

The nature of cyberattacks is only going to become more advanced with the passage of time. It is high time businesses realize that credible investments in cybersecurity programs are the only way they will be able to protect themselves against attacks and infiltration. If you want us to share any of the threats in detail, let us know in the comments section below.

Blockchain Beyond the Hype – What is the Value?

After weeks of stagnation, Bitcoin (BTC) finally crossed the $ 60,000 mark and hit a new price record in mid-April 2021. The cryptocurrency recorded its highest market value to date, worth $1.19 trillion.

The news boosted the price of Ether (ETH), which also reached a new historic high. In 2021, Bitcoin has already accumulated a 117% appreciation, driven by the growing institutional demand and inviting more people to buy bitcoin.

Tesla and MicroStrategy, for example, made billion-dollar purchases of crypto throughout 2021. Right now, digital currency is scarce while there is a lot of demand.

However, all this success raises an important question – behind all the hype, what is the real value of blockchain technology?

Blockchain’s Real Value – Transforming the Concept of Sharing Economy

Companies like Uber or Airbnb are identified as part of a sharing economy, but they are a success precisely because they share nothing. Actually, these companies are service aggregators. But what if Uber or Airbnb were an application distributed on a blockchain?

Airbnb could be called B-Airbnb, or Blockchain-Airbnb, for example. Then, you would find a place to spend a few days, using only a Blockchain-based database, without intermediaries.

You could automatically create a Smart Contract with the landlord, appear on-site, open the door, and a partial payment would automatically be recorded in the contract. Then, at the exit, you would simply close the door and the full payment would be sent and recorded.

When you reunite blockchain technology and sharing economy, there is no need for a company like Airbnb to act as an intermediary, as everything could be done by the interested parties themselves.

Next Level Solutions for Supply Chain

Nowadays, the supply chain represents a $64 trillion market around the world. However, there are still many problems that plague the sector, especially in terms of logistics and processing speed.

In this sense, blockchain technology could revolutionize the supply chain, reallocating and organizing all the data to expedite services and upgrade the trading experience as a whole. Solutions like CargoX aim to solve this issue, making it a good investment opportunity because its cryptocurrency price could rise in the following years.

Essentially, the supply chain is not more than different people doing transactions and trusting each other. This way, if they could have a shared network with each other’s transactions, companies that do not have money to pay suppliers would pay by their own network of suppliers.

Simpler and Smoother FinTech Mechanisms

Despite the numerous upgrades in the last decade, the fintech sector is still too complex to deal with.

For instance, let us say that someone uses a credit card to pay for a product in a certain store. Then, a set of messages is sent to several different companies, each with its own computer system, and days later the message comes back with the account being settled.

Blockchain could easily solve this type of problem, eliminating all the time and bureaucracy required in the settlement of simple transactions.

In such a case, the solution could be eliminating the necessity for parties/entities to assess the risk of each transaction with the use of blockchain technology and smart contracts, without any cost for each action and delay in the process.

Ensuring Public Matters Actually Matter

Blockchain can change the people’s viewpoint on democracy, ensuring that government entities are less corrupt and less expensive.

Blockchain technology allows governments can become digital platforms. Dubai wants to be the first government to run entirely on Blockchain, and the Estonian government has transferred the identity of several citizens to a blockchain network.

Nowadays, several companies believe in the blockchain revolution to provide better services to society, such as CarbonX.

CarbonX’s idea is simple – if a company can benefit financially by reducing its emission of gases into the environment, so can an individual. Using a company exclusive token, CarbonX collects carbon credits, which users can eventually exchange or sell as if they were a digital currency.

Another problem that could be easily solved through blockchain technology is the voting subject and the electoral system as a whole.

That way, any vote could be taken online if based on Blockchain, as only this technology can guarantee the security of a vote since registration is immutable. This would end major voting problems around the world (e.g., Trump vs Biden controversy).

Blockchain Beyond the Hype – Final Thoughts

Definitely, blockchain technology is not just another hype train. Although blockchain is a technology associated only with cryptocurrencies and financial transactions, it goes far beyond that.

The benefits offered by technology surpass any temporary trend. Over time, people generate more and more data and the number of digital services only increases, meaning that organizations in all segments will need to adapt to survive the new world.

NY suggested banning crypto for years, what should we wait for?

In recent times, you have probably heard a lot about digital currencies. Multiple cryptocurrency exchanges offer to buy crypto, attracting with the chart showing the rate Bitcoin to Dollar. People are discussing whether cryptocurrency is a good investment, or whether it may appear to be a bubble going to burst as compared to the Tulipmania of the 17th century.

Cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH), have seen significant price growth and user engagement, however, there are concerns about the long-term effects of pervasive cryptocurrency adoption. Many critics and environmental activists, in particular, have raised questions about the energy usage of digital currency mining, which may lead to an increase in carbon emissions of greenhouse gases, consequently resulting in climate change.

New York power plants

Recently mining activities have taken place in tiny upstate towns such as Dresden and Alcoa. Financiers hungry for Bitcoin have converted old power plants that torment these towns with crypto mining operations. In certain scenarios, the plants deliver some electricity to the system when using the remainder to supply their mining operations. They’ve been profitable for the factory’s new owners.

Namely, Dresden’s Greenidge power station launched a campaign to significantly expand its operation with four new buildings, each designed to accommodate nothing but the servers appropriate for this type of mining, expanded wall to wall. The proprietors aspire to double the plant’s efficiency by the end of the year and improve it to 500 megawatts by 2025.

In 2020, the power plant in Dresden, New York, was mining approximately 5.5 bitcoins per day. Greenidge Generation Holdings, the plant’s parent company, is anticipated to go global this year through a merger deal in the United States.

This made the government focused on the digital currency impact on the environment.

Without delay, New York state legislators investigated that the amount of carbon dioxide issued due to the Bitcoin mining surpasses drastically all allowable emission rates. What is Bitcoin mining? How it proceeds? Is it harmful to the environment and population? Read on to find all the answers.

Bitcoin mining

Bitcoin has had a significant effect on energy usage. Its consensus algorithm is based on a practice known as proof of work, in which miners contend for the opportunity to add transactions in a block on the chain. They compete to resolve complex mathematical problems in order to do so. The Bitcoin protocol aims to limit block generation to once every ten minutes. To accomplish this, it must make the mathematical problem more complicated as more miners join the network, increasing computing power. As Bitcoin becomes more popular, proof of work makes the total processing power on the network increase.

Even though the core Bitcoin developers appear to be devoted to the proof of work, the competing network Ethereum, which offers ample functionality, is gearing up to switch to a proof-of-stake mechanism. This method replaces miners with validators. It significantly helps minimize energy consumption when compared to proof of work.

Bitcoin mining impact on the environment

Bitcoin mining has drawn the New York government’s attention due to the massive carbon emissions associated with the use of electricity to power operational activities running 24 hours a day, seven days a week. According to Digiconomist, the global mining footprint is around 53 megatons of CO2 per year, which would be equal to all of Sweden’s emissions. As for now, it takes 1138 kWh of energy to process a single bitcoin transaction, which is equivalent to the energy needed to run a single US household for 39 days (According to the Bitcoin Energy Consumption Index). Upstate New York has recently become a major source of mining operations.

New measures taken by the legislative

New York state legislators have introduced the law that would prohibit cryptocurrency mining activities for three following years.

Bill S6486 aims to halt the centers assuring the process of mining digital currency until the investigation of the ecological impact is completed. The analysis would have to showcase that mining centers would not have an impact on the country’s carbon emissions targets.

The bill states: “Virtual currency mining centers represent an industry that expands in the State of New York. Often, they are located in abandoned or transformed fossil fuel power stations, along with inactive power stations”.

The aims of the NY government

Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act issued by the state is aimed at environmental purification. Thus, the government expects that New York will downgrade in CO2 emissions over 1990 levels by 2030. By 2050, that figure should have achieved 85 percent, with net-zero emissions in all sectors of the economy.

In addition, it’s mentioned in the new bill that in case crypto mining operations continue, they will augment the energy consumption level causing a greenhouse effect. This will breach Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

The legislation is applicable to both current and planned mining operations. The review would include an analysis of any negative effects on water, air quality, or wildlife, in addition to a cumulative impact assessment on greenhouse gas emissions.

What is more, citizens could leave their comments on the situation during 120 days. The feedbacks will be included in the total review.

What to expect?

The initiatives are in their beginning phases, and the bill has only recently been sent to the environment committee of the United States Senate.

It happened at a time when a handful of countries around the world are weighing up the impact of Bitcoin mining.

China’s Inner Mongolia region, which was home to one of the world’s largest BTC mining hubs, officially unveiled the decision to close existing operations and prohibit new projects from launching.

Nevertheless, experts warned that this could lead to mining operations going in shadow in order to avoid detection by officials. Although Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, and Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter, have argued that Bitcoin enhances renewable energy development, the problem right now is that it is hard to determine the number of mining operations that are environmentally friendly.

What Are The 10 Benefits of Entrepreneurship Degree for Students?

What is an Entrepreneur?

In the world of today people are inclined to work for many different companies, and if you are acquiring an education chances are that you are looking to work at a job that pays well. Probability states that you are looking to work for a fortune 500 company that offers an above average pay, incentives and amazing healthcare services.

A job that allows you the comfort of working limited hours and spending the rest of your time doing whatever you love. The current education system and the requirements of the society, followed by the pressure of responsibilities has resulted in people unable to take risks. With an entrepreneurship degree you can earn a lot more for yourself and find many benefits that can positively affect your lifestyle.

In a job regardless of the efforts you put in you will be getting the same fixed salary and the majority of the profit from the company is taken home by the boss or the owner. What people have forgotten is the ease and relaxation of working for yourself. The word entrepreneur no longer has the effect that it once did, however the truth is that the most successful of us are those that have taken risks in their life.

An Entrepreneur is someone who has taken risk while establishing a new business in the market. In most cases it is a small scale business that works in providing products or services to the normal consumer. With the rise in its popularity many universities and educational institutes have started to offer an entrepreneurship degree to students.

Is it worth having your own business?

The biggest problem that people have when trying to have an independent business is that people are scared to take risks. The many companies and the society have highlighted the risk so much that people have forgotten about what an entrepreneurship degree can really get you if things work out. There is so much to opening a new venture than meets the eye. The skills needed and the mindset that you need to have is extremely important. It’s like finding the end of a rainbow, it’s no piece of cake but there is definitely a pot of gold at the end. With an entrepreneurship degree you can have all the knowledge needed to kick start the next big thing. You can be your own boss, create your own team and become the brand people trust.

What is an entrepreneurship degree?

An entrepreneurship degree is much like any other degree that you might find at a leading educational institute. The degree is especially designed with a curriculum for those students that wish to pursue their career by starting their own business. Much like how any degree prepares you for the real world applications the academics have in the respected sector, an entrepreneurship degree provides you with all the knowledge that you may need. The knowledge is a part of the customised curriculum that gives you the skills you need for a successful business. The skills that you acquire and develop in an entrepreneurship degree equip you for your life, and provide you with skills such as team management, team work, presentation. It also teaches you the basics of business management and marketing along with giving you a good knowledge of how to handle supply chains.

Becoming a full time entrepreneur is one of those careers that is becoming popular day by day. Students are realizing the potential in an entrepreneurship degree and what it can do for their future. Due to the fact that the curriculum offers a wide range of skills to the students, it has a lot of real life applications making it perfect for students. With an entrepreneur degree, people can have more than one option in their life. You can always work to increase your business, and even work at a firm if you change your mind later on.

10 Benefits of an Entrepreneurship Degree

According to a research carried out by website valley it is without a doubt that the entrepreneurship degree has many advantages for all its users. Along with the numerous benefits that it can provide you with here are 10 that standout and will definitely have you interested in getting yourself an entrepreneurship degree.

1. Get creative

As an adult you might lose creativity and start to feel like a robot, repeating the same cycle every day. With an entrepreneurship degree you will be forced to think creatively in order to innovate your business, while at the same time stay in touch with the creativity in you.

2. Learn Management

Management is a key skill that can be used in all areas of life. With an entrepreneurship degree you are bound to get the management skills that you can apply to your life in many different ways.

3. Be the leader

Leadership skills will provide you with many advantages and perks in your real life. Unlike being a boss of a multinational firm, having an entrepreneurship degree will teach you how to work in the field with the people rather than only give out instructions.

4. Know The Technicalities

With an entrepreneurship degree you will have the benefit of knowing what you are talking about regardless of whether you decide to have your own business or work at a firm.

5. Strengthen Marketing

When it comes to branding services one of the most important areas is marketing. With the benefit of learning the different types of marketing you can become the best at what you do. This benefit will allow you to truly excel in all parts of your corporate life.

6. Tackle Uncertainty

There is a lot of uncertainty when you are running your own business, tackling them allows you to develop the skills to tackle uncertainty in your own life. With an entrepreneurship degree you can use these skills the way you see fit.

7. Identify Problems

One of the greatest benefits of having an entrepreneurship degree is that you are clearly able to highlight problems, and label them. You can be faced with long term, or short term problems and develop skills to think on your feet.

8. Expand and Meet Demand

As someone with an entrepreneurship degree you will have the benefit of knowing how to meet supply in accordance to the demand. It will help you in many different scenarios in your life, business or even a job.

9. Give Back

When you are a business owner that has started to see success you need to make sure that you are giving back to the world. It is not necessary that you give back in the medium of payments, as long as you are making a difference you can do whatever you want. You can look for ways to be environmentally friendly, and make sure that you are doing everything you can for a sustainable business.

10. Dream

One of the greatest benefits of an entrepreneurship degree is that you are able to continue dreaming even as an adult. One of the things that we lose while growing up is the ability to dream. We are knee deep into responsibilities that we start to look for logic in our dreams, when the entire purpose of dreams is to have no barriers. By being an entrepreneur you are able to dream and find whatever it is you wish to achieve.