Category: General

AODA Compliance Checklist You Must Know About

July 25, 2017

What is AODA? The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) became law in 2005 and the legislation’s sole motive is to identify, remove and prevent barriers for people with disabilities. The landmark law, passed by the government of Ontario, Canada, applies to private, public, non-profit organizations with one or more employees that provide goods, services, facilities. The legislation has accessibility standards in five areas: Customer service Information and communication Employment Built environment Transportation Now, the AODA compliance requires organizations (of different sizes and strength) and people working across various verticals to follow these accessibility standards while doing business or even while interacting with people in public. The main purpose of the legislation is to improve the accessibility standards for people with disabilities in Ontario. The government wants Ontario to be fully accessible by 2025.   This legislation makes business more accessible. As per the Royal Bank of Canada, people with disabilities are said to have a spending power of nearly $25 billion every year across Canada. People with disabilities also have a lot of hidden talent, which can be fully utilized after AODA. People with disability will receive the same goods and service at the same place at the same time as another person. This increases the customer base of a business. Did you know approximately 1.8 million Ontarians (15.5%) live with a disability? This is increasing as the population grows older. By 2026, approximately 16% of people in Canada will have a disability. According to this legislation, positive customer service needs to be provided to all persons (also with a disability) based on the principles of dignity, independence, equal opportunity and integration. By the end of 2017, companies with more than 20 employees will need to file an online compliance report with the government confirming their continued compliance with the AODA. AODA checklist An organization neglecting to agree to the AODA can be fined up to $100,000 every day. What’s more, the officers or executives of an organization can be fined up to $50,000 every day if found guilty. Now, organizations are not only compelled to enhance accessibility, but also are required to train the employees of that organization in AODA compliance. In case, the accessibility policy of the company changes, then the training procedures additionally needs to change. Also, the employees should have a proper knowledge of the Ontario Human Rights Code and how it can shield people with disabilities from being discriminated. If your digital entity is not following the AODA compliance, it’s time you do so to avoid any kind of legal obligations. Here are a few checklists for AODA compliance: Use of assistive devices by people with disabilities to access the business’ services and goods Form fields should be distinctly named on the websites Tables must be effortlessly clear from left to right, start to finish. Labels inside the table must be distinct. Captchas need to be visually-impaired friendly. Can use numbered and bulleted lists Videos should be accompanied by sign language content and also needs to be captioned appropriately Text ought to have the capacity to amplify Audio or any type of auto update content can be paused, stopped or controlled at whatever point needed On pressing the Tab eye, a visually-challenged individual should have the capacity to get through a page No content on the website should flash for more than three times The website should be able to function properly using the keyboard Training in AODA compliance should incorporate a review of the policies, practices, and techniques related to providing goods or services to people with disabilities. Training in AODA compliance on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities Public safety information ought to be made available to people with disabilities and signage should have Braille information Procedures in place with regards to service animals You need to post a notice on the premises or on the organization’s website. The notice should state that if there is any temporary disruption in the facilities that people with disabilities use to access goods or services of your companies. The notice should have the reason why there is a disruption, the time till which the disruption will happen and if there are any alternatives available. Page titles should be illustrative Walls in congested areas, corridors, and staircases are finished should have non-glossy finishes Inside the building, appropriate lighting should be installed so that all colours, and signage are identifiable The accessibility plan should be reviewed and updated at least once every five years Conclusion As mentioned above, Ontario has nearly 1.85 million people with disabilities, which is approximately equivalent to the entire populations of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. AODA compliance rests on the core principles of dignity, integration, independence, and equality of opportunity. Through this AODA compliance, the government wants to create an ambience of equality, provide better opportunities to one and all and also increase business for organizations. It’s said that if a province becomes more accessible, then the gross domestic product will increase by as much as $600 a year per capita.

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6 Reasons Why You Should Include Webinar in your Digital Marketing Mix

June 28, 2017

Do you know the industry average conversion rate for a regular sales page (your page about solution with its benefits) is generally accepted to be just 1%? Now, here’s the catch. However, for a webinar, the industry average conversion rate is generally accepted to be 10% or more. Webinars, or in simple words, web seminars, today has become one of the most effective and innovative tools in content marketing. More and more businesses today are using webinars to engage with consumers and clients and also to pitch sales. For those who are still confused with this marketing tool, webinars are seminars on the digital platform. Just like physical seminars, here too, attendees can listen to more than one speaker and ask questions. The only difference: the entire event in a webinar takes place online. A speaker of a webinar doesn’t require any great technical knowledge. All he/she needs is a computer with internet connection. Both the speaker and the attendees can be present anywhere in the world and take part in the webinar. An attendee needs to register to the webinar with the email ids. Notifications and reminder emails will be sent to the attendees’ days before the webinar is scheduled. Marketing expert David Newman, also the author of “Do It! Marketing, considers webinars “seriously.” “Webinar is about understanding the audience, where they are, who they are and what they need and what they want from you as a communicator or as someone who can solve their problem,” he says. Now, if you are still thinking why you should add webinar to your digital marketing mix, here’s one more stat to help you decide why you should leverage the power webinar for your business. More than 60% of marketers are using webinars as part of their content marketing programs, according to Content Marketing Institute. Still not convinced? Then, here are 6 reasons why webinars are effective and how they can improve your business. Reach new markets and wider audience Acts as a Lead Generation tool Establish yourself as a thought leader and build trust Announcement of a new product or services or promotion of your existing services Saves time and money Create partnerships and add value Reach new markets and wider audience Every businessman harbors the dream of expanding the business. Webinar is a great tool to tap the market or the potential clients in any part of the world and that too without even visiting the country. There’s no location barrier for webinars and this is the biggest advantage of this digital tool. In simple words: webinars are global and can increase your brand awareness. Agree, face-to-face meetings, conferences and seminars are more productive and you can develop a personal connection with the clients and consumers. But here again, there is a problem. How many people or client can you call in a particular seminar? This is where webinar scores big time. Apart from the existing clients and customers in your database, you can reach newer people irrespective of a geographical boundary. Through a webinar to get to know the audience which you didn’t know existed before and the two-way communication model of a webinar help the speaker to forge a bond with the attendees too. In short: you can broaden your audience base and client list. But keep in mind the time zone and use a language (read English) which is universal. The reach of the webinars increases manifold when promoted through email and social media. You can also record the webinar and then promote it on various marketing funnels. Stat says content with visuals and videos attracts 3x more inbound links. Now, you can imagine why webinars are gaining increasing popularity among marketers. Acts as a lead generation tool Digital entrepreneur and digital marketing expert Jeff Bullas said if you generate more leads, but have an average product – you still win. The rule of the trade is that you cannot hope to be successful in business if you don’t generate leads. Webinars can come handy in the generation of leads. A webinar requires online registration, which needs your target audience to fill up the basic information and contact details. Why would somebody listen or sign up your webinar if they are not interested? That means you get pre-qualified leads through webinars. You can then leverage the power of social media to attract more registration especially minutes before the webinar goes on air. The speaker can go live on Periscope and Facebook and encourage more participants to join. This will also help in generating more leads. It’s extremely useful for the company holding webinars to build a strong list of database. These leads can be further nurtured through email campaigns or other tools of digital marketing. Also, if your content in the webinar is purposeful, resourceful and conversational, then the attendees can contact you for further information on your products or services. In this way, you can convert a lead into sales too. Webinars also provide the opportunity to nurture the existing database by sending them recorded versions of webinars and automated campaigns. You can also post the recorded video on your website to engage new and more traffic.   Establish yourself as a thought leader and build trust The attendees of a webinar take out time from their schedule to listen to you. They attend a webinar thinking they will be benefitted from it. Now, if you are able to provide valuable information to them, they will trust you and come back to you later too. That means you need to create value in their lives. Webinar gives you the power to make them come to your digital room for a specific period of time. It gives you the power to share the knowledge you have.  Just like in a physical conference or seminar you speak on a subject you are an expert in; in a webinar you showcase your knowledge on the digital platform. A webinar can have multiple presenters and you can make the

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Are Millennials hooked onto Robo-Advisors?

June 13, 2017

  Risk and youth go hand in hand. If you are thinking we are talking about thrill-seeking and adventurous youngsters, then here’s the clarification. We are talking about youth and their ability to take the risk in investment. Yes, you read that right. It’s this risk taking and digitally active generation, which is gradually re-shaping the FinTech sector.  As indicated by Wealthfront, millennials will control $7 trillion in liquid assets by 2019. That is surely quite an achievement. The financial institutions are adopting technological innovations such as machine learning, big data and artificial intelligence (AI) to engage and retain digitally-savvy young investors. The robo-advisors, the latest FinTech innovations, are finding followers in millennials. Studies and research suggest that young investors are willing to rely on robo-advisors more than human financial advisors. The use of robo-advisors, thanks to the advancement in AI in FinTech is set to explore more in the coming days. These algorithm-based advisors cater to the needs of digitally motivated customers, thus helping companies and also investors make cheaper, faster and better decisions. Did you know Wealthfront, one of the leading robo-advisors, has resulted in the growth of AUM from $100 million to over $3.7 billion by September 2016, placing it in the top 100 independent registered investment advisors in the United States? The advent of robo-advisors has definitely given a much-needed boost to the existing business models in the FinTech world especially when it comes to portfolio management, asset management, wealth management and financial planning. So, let’s take a quick look at how robo-advisors can help the millennials and also the retirees. Robo-advisors and millennials Let’s admit it. Young guns have changed the way we bank and invest. They don’t prefer to visit the bank physically. Face-to-face business meetings, endless waiting at banks, and filling out numerous yet similar forms are passé. Millennials want everything fast and want to control all their finances and investments at their fingertips via smart devices or computers. This is where robo-advisors are scoring over financial advisors. Millennials prefer handling banking and investing services online. Working with robo-advisors is less time-consuming and require less of paperwork too. These automated investment services offer an easy interface, which is comfortable to use. Millennials like that. Robo-advisors are a great choice for young investors who require portfolio management for a specific savings goal. In that case, the young investor need not worry about other aspects of wealth management such as retirement planning. Also, according to the financial climatic condition, the algorithms reshape the portfolio of the investors. Credit: Sachs Insights According to Meir Statman, professor of behavioural finance at Santa Clara University, automation is important to attract youngsters to invest and adopt good savings habits early on. An individual financial advisor or advisory firm charge 1 % or higher. Here’s the catch. Robo-advisors are economical. For small investors, finding a good financial advisor might come at a cost. And taking help of agents for important financial service and investment decisions are not always a worthy advice. In such initial cases, robo-advisors can come handy and build a portfolio at a lesser cost than a human advisor, who comes at a higher cost. According to Wealthfront, financial advisors charge 1.31% average fee. However, a robo-advisor charges an annual fee of 0.25% and 0.50%. Betterment, one of the pioneer robo-advisers, charges 0.15%-0.35%. According to a report by Business Insider, a robo-adviser SigFig charges $10 every month. Robo-advisers are good for people who are interested in Exchange-Traded Fund (ETFs) and they are a low-cost solution. Robo-advisors make the process of investing faster and easier. Both Betterment and Wealthfront charge management fee of 0.15% per year for ETFs. Millennials are a very profitable section of the market, comprising 25% of the US population and 21% of consumer discretionary purchases. Knowing how to reach them is vital for survival in today’s market, especially if you’re a company or product that is tied to the technology field. Also, let’s not forget how millennials love their freedom, be it in life or money matters. This is where robo-advisors score again. These automated investment platforms encourage the investors to manage the portfolio on their own (read DIY) by asking them about risk tolerance and investment model they want to choose. Accordingly, the computer algorithms will decide a portfolio for you. According to an article in CNBC, Wealthfront also looks after millennials and their early focus was on young “techies” in the Silicon Valley. Take a quick glance at some of the reasons why millennial find robo-advisors interesting: Robo-advisors are economical You can invest a small amount of money No need for face-to-face business meetings and filling out of numerous forms In case of market fluctuation, robo-advisers automatically rebalance portfolios Robo-advisors make the process of investing faster and easier These automated investment platforms have a user-friendly interface, which makes it comfortable for internet savvy millennials  Robo-advisors and baby boomers Can a retiree who has considerable assets to invest and wealth to preserve rely on a computer for investment planning? Well, even a few years ago, most of the answers to this question would have been an absolute ‘no’. But technology has changed a lot in our lives. And it has also changed our mindset. Today, retirees or baby boomers or the silent generation are no longer hesitant towards adopting technological innovations. Agreed, though most retirees prefer having a human advisor who will manage investment portfolio and provide tailor-made financial advice as and when the market moves, with each passing day, baby boomers are also trying out these computer algorithms for their financial planning. Take this: According to an article published in January 2017 in Business Insider, nearly half of Schwab’s Intelligent Portfolio consumers are above the age of 50. Also, approximately two-thirds of Vanguard’s Personal Advisor Service customers are approaching the age of retirement age or have already retired. We are all aware that baby boomers, pre, and post retirees have more wealth than the young investors. This means people above the age

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Your handy guide to turn your house into a smart home

June 5, 2017

The alarm goes off and your perfect cup of hazelnut coffee is ready. Rich and nutty, just the way you like it. And the best part: you can make the coffee without having to leave your bed. Even a few years ago, this would seem to be a scene straight out of a fairytale or a sci-fi movie. But not today. You can make a pot of coffee from anywhere using your smart device. That’s the power of technology and that’s how home automation is changing our lives. Who doesn’t love a comfortable, easier, secure and convenient lifestyle? Smart home and Internet of Things (IoT) are completely redefining our way of life. From voice-activated smart speaker Amazon Echo, who will be at your beck and call, smart lighting which would automatically turn on the moment doorbell is heard, shades of the room which can be adjusted from the mobile app to remotely monitoring the snoopy activities around the house, you can do everything by a single click on your smart device today. Smart homes give you the ultimate power to control, monitor and manage your home sweet home and also your office through some digitally connected products, anytime anywhere in the world. Home automation is a ragingly growing market with the US having the highest smart home penetration rate, followed by Japan and Germany. According to the global smart home market, the market size would reach a value of more than 40 billion US dollars by 2020. Now, that’s encouraging for the tech giants and venture capitalists who are pouring money for the growth and advancements of these technological innovations. The real estate scenario has also undergone a sea change, courtesy smart home technology. Realtors and builders are increasingly adapting to these new innovations and also making the buyers aware of smart homes and how these “intelligent homes” can communicate with them too. Interestingly, millennials form the largest consumer segment in the US. They are a bunch of technological savvy citizens and have a completely different approach when it comes to investing in properties. The real estate giants are taking their preference into the count to make the homes modern. According to August 2016 report released by Coldwell Banker LLC, home-buyers are increasingly looking for their homes to be automated, or at least which have the potential to be automated. In India, the concept of smart cities has been finding more common ground. So, it wouldn’t be long that India too will start adapting this budding technology. Startups in India are jumping onto the bandwagon on home automation and technology students are also trying to make breakthrough innovations in this domain. According to a report published by RedSeer Consulting in 2015, home automation market in India is expeditiously growing and is expected to reach Rs 8800 crores by 2017. That’s good news. Santanu Mukherjee, head of digital marketing, Indus Net Technologies, admits that India too is welcoming home automation with open arms with several players already ruling the market. However, he also agrees that it will take some time before home automation finally finds its stronghold in India. According to Mukherjee, the primary reason is the lack of awareness in this sector. “Till now, maximum buyers in India consider the property with smart home IoT devices as too luxurious investment. The high product cost of home automation is also barring consumers from exploring this space. As of now, smart homes are a super luxury component in India,” he says.      Let’s take a quick look at the 5 ways how you can turn your home into a smart home. Let’s get connected Just imagine you have a large home and you want to switch off your AC from your smart device in the room upstairs. Alas! your WiFi can’t reach there. You can convert any home into a smart home, provided you have a strong WiFi connection and by strong, we mean “so powerful and fast” that all the smart home IoT devices in the house are connected. In simple words: your home should be WiFi friendly and should have a connection even in the remotest corner of the house. Now, the first rule before you think of smartening up your home, you should get a stable internet connection. And there are a number of wireless routers and Wi-Fi system using mesh technology in the market, which promise strong network coverage. Here are five WiFi systems you might use when implementing smart home technology: Samsung Connect Home Smart Wi-Fi System Google Wi-Fi system  Eero  Luma Home WiFi System  Linksys Velop Samsung Connect Home Smart Wi-Fi System. IC: Engadget Safety matters Did anyone break in when I was not at home? Who’s that person sneaking around my house at midnight? Keeping the house secured is one of the most important thoughts that continuously hover in our minds. When it comes to smart home technology, security is the first thing that most real estate or customers prefer. And mind it no one wants to compromise when it comes to the security of your most-prized possession, your house.   IoT has made it easier to set up a smart home through its smart security systems. Today you can control the security and comfort of your home from smart device. These smart devices can be installed at your home or office and you can monitor every step sitting at the remotest corner. So, from security cameras (indoor and outdoor), window sensors, door locks, motion detector, smoke detectors, water sensors to garage door openers, smart home security system connects to your abode to Wi-Fi network. You can keep a watch on all the activities 24X7 using your smartphone and apps. Alerts in the form of emails and text messages are sent to you on the go. “Security is a big issue, especially for working couples who depend on external help to manage their kids. However, reliability on external help is questionable. To address this issue, smart home can be a great help. You can

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Quick Updates from TiE Kolkata F&B Entrepreneurship Summit & Awards

June 1, 2017

Indus Net Technologies was present at the first-ever TiE F&B Entrepreneurship Summit & Awards 2017, which was recently held in Kolkata at The Park.  Indus Net Technologies was the digital partner of the event. The event was organized to understand the challenges and opportunities in the food and beverage industry, mostly in the eastern part of India and also fostered entrepreneurial spirit. It was a “meeting ground” for the top business leaders, investors, chefs, start-ups and entrepreneurs who discussed anything and everything related to food.  An award ceremony was also held to recognize the pioneering vision and innovative growth among F&B entrepreneurs in the state. Our CEO Abhishek Rungta, who is a charter member of TiE Kolkata, too shared his experience as an entrepreneur and encouraged more young blood to enter the F&B industry.   “F&B sector is undergoing a sea-change in the digital world. This is a great platform for those who are interested in the F&B industry to come under one roof and discuss the future possibilities. I really appreciate the efforts of TiE Kolkata for providing such a novel platform to motivate entrepreneurs,” said Rungta, who has a long-time association with TiE Kolkata, a non-profit organization promoting entrepreneurs. S Radhakrishnan, president of TiE Kolkata and Bikram Dasgupta, director of BDG Global inaugurated the event along with other F&B business leaders. Sagar Daryani CEO and Co-Founder of Wow! Momo, who was the convenor of the event, was also present at the event. It was an eventful evening for team Indus Net Technologies. We were present at the event at our stall and interacted with business leaders and entrepreneurs on how a digital presence is necessary for today’s F&B outlet and how digital marketing can bring about a change in the F&B sector. Nishant Pabrai of Pabrai’s Fresh & Naturelle Ice Creams, which is known for doling out the famous nolen gurer ice cream, enjoyed being part of the event and spoke highly about the need for digital marketing in the F&B sector. Aditya Ladsaria of Chai Break informed how difficult it is for stand-alone eateries to operate in the delivery market owing to the raging popularity of Swiggy and Zomato. He, also, spoke at length how digital marketing is changing the way we eat. “Today, if your business does not have a digital presence, then you lose out on customer and business too,” said Ladsaria. Several seminars and discussions on key topics related to F&B industry were discussed. It was interesting to hear observations from restaurateurs’ such as Aninda Palit, founder-director of Savourites Hospitality, which runs 6 Ballygunge Place, Kewpie’s Rakhi Purnima Dasgupta and Siddhartha Chatterjee of Bhojohori Manna Restaurants who discussed how local cuisine is gaining popularity and winning hearts worldwide.   At a time when the entire country is discussing GST (Goods and Service Tax), a special seminar was also held to discuss GST and its impact on the food and beverage industry. The last session, titled innovation driving growth in the F&B industry, found more audience in the young entrepreneurs, who were bustling with enthusiasm and energy to take on the business world.

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How are Food Bloggers Turning into Influencers and Changing the Foodscape?

May 30, 2017

Take 1: In 2015, lifestyle, food and travel vblogger Doug Armstrong went to McDonald’s beef farm, meat-processing factory and kitchen in the UK. He took the viewers on an invigorating journey on how McDonald produces its burgers. It was a paid marketing campaign. Today, the reach of the video is more than 3.9 million. Take 2: Atreya Paul, Public Relations Consultant of The Irish House, a popular restro-pub in Kolkata, relied on social media platforms to promote the outlet’s special offerings on St Patrick’s Day (March 17). He looped in Kolkata-based influencers, who shared food-related content on their social media channels. “The outreach was huge and we were very happy with the response,” says Paul. Blogging has emerged as a robust online content marketing and branding tool. Blogs have been rated as the 5th most trusted source for accurate online information. Study demonstrates that 77% of Internet users read blogs and 346 million people read blogs across the world. Today, blogs are one of the foremost online media platforms, impact individuals in their buying and eating choices. Among all other industries, it’s the lifestyle, travel and food sectors which have taken the bloggers’ opinion seriously. According to a study, 92 % of consumers trust recommendations from others, even individuals they don’t know, over branded content. As food bloggers are becoming the new influencers of the industry, numerous eatery administrations are taking advantage of their online presence and are welcoming bloggers to review their restaurant. Army of influencers is rapidly changing the way F&B industry functions. Hence, food blogging, which many started off as a mere hobby, have now become a full-time profession. Kolkata-based food bloggers and influencers — Rukshana Kapadia (The Culinary Commentator) and Poorna Banerjee (Presented By P) — have a strong following and their opinions matter. Hence top restaurant management invites them and other influencers such as Astha Modi and Payel Rakshit to review their properties and write on culinary activities. So, when a food blogger become an influencer  Not all bloggers are or can be influencers. In the era of fake news and information-saturation, it’s important to identify bloggers who have depth insight on the subject because blogs are meant to be trusted source of information for the consumers. According to a study, 70% inform that online reviews are their second-most-trusted source. Also, 47 % of US readers consult blogs to keep tabs on trends and ideas. Supreeta Singh, who runs her own PR, events and communication agency in Kolkata, and regularly holds “bloggers meet” at various restaurants such as The Astor, The Grid and The Palms, informs that not all influencers are required to write blogs. She/he should be a socially active person. “A blogger can be a “very good writer” but an influencer moulds opinions. In Kolkata, there are a few important bloggers and influencers and their attendance is very crucial in every food event that I do,” she says. Food critic and influencer Rukshana Kapadia of The Culinary Commentator loves anything remotely related to food. A renowned influencer in Kolkata’s F&B industry, Rukshana clearly mentions that everyone who owns a blog “is not an influencer.” “Once you have a certain number of followers across various social media formats then your opinion does carry weight. Your reputation is built on the quality of your content,” says Rukshana, whose food blog is ranked 18 by Zomato. Rana Basu Thakur, who’s the PR consultants for reputed food properties such as Yauatcha, Club Boudoir, Keventers, and Gokuls, echoes similar sentiments and informs that an influencers’ qualitative depth resonate with a wider audience. “Influencer marketing is the fastest growing channel of marketing spends today. The more people talk about your brand or product experience, the more the virtual chatter will aid in your SEO ranking ramp ups,” he says. S Ramani, managing partner, 6 Ballygunge Place, one of the most-sought after food destinations in Kolkata, also admits that food bloggers are gaining momentum and helping in attracting business. However, he is quick to mention that not every blogger is to be trusted. “I agree blogging is changing the food industry, but one needs to look out for bloggers with integrity,” he says. How an influencer help a food brand  Planning to take out your close ones for dinner? Well, we don’t search for the newest restaurant on Google but instantly check out the reviews and the rating of the restaurant on Zomato. Reviews on other social media channels such as Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook also influence the decisions of the hardcore foodies. F&B businesses across the world are turning to influential bloggers to reach out to the target audience and for better customer engagement. Also, the food influencers with their creativity and thought leadership bring in the new audience too. Dineout, a popular table reservation platform, organised India’s first ever nationwide restaurant festival, The Great Indian Restaurant Festival 2017 in February. And interestingly, food influencers and bloggers played a key role in the widespread awareness of the culinary event. Sweety Dutta, Assistant Marketing Manager – Dineout, Chennai, who is an influencer herself, admits that a brand cannot always reach everyone but an influencer plays a vital part in digital marketing space to spread the word. “Our GIRF was the biggest restaurant festival in India that ran for 10 days. Influential bloggers played a very important role in making GIRF a big hit. They spread the word on a large scale with their posts on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and of course their blogs,” she says. Rana, who handles Yauatcha, a Michelin star Chinese eatery providing city’s best dim sums, has pioneered the concept of ‘Evening of Eminence’, where Kolkata’s eminent people and top influencers (read food bloggers such as Rukshana, Poorna, Payel Rakshit who blogs for Dine Dazzle Dive and Astha Modi of blabbercat.com) meet and discuss various topics including food. “In most cases, food influencers are genuinely helpful and resourceful in finding any lacunae in service quality. Their degree of virtual proliferation is good and the

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‘Beacon’ of hope for the Retail Sector

May 8, 2017

Did you know that the rise of smartphone shoppers boosted online retail spending to a record number of £133bn in the UK last year? Also, nearly 56% users of smartphones want to receive location-based offers on their devices once they are near a store. Mobile phones have completely revolutionized the way we shop. Yes, we know it’s an obvious today. The digital world has completely reshaped and redefined the retail industry, with online sales hitting the roof.  The raging popularity of e-commerce platforms, especially Amazon, hasn’t gone down well with the brick-and-mortar retailers. They are literally feeling the heat. Big players such as JC Penny announced that it will close down nearly 140 stores and two distribution centers in the coming months. This isn’t good news for the retail sector.   So, does this mean that brick-and-mortar retail stores will finally cease to exist? What should retailers do to entice the audience so that they feel compelled to step into their stores? There’s a popular saying that every cloud has a silver lining. Many of the brick-and-mortar stores today have made a smart move by adopting beacon technology to win back customers. This technology has also helped them gain their lost ground to a certain extent. Since most of the urban shoppers today are hooked onto smart devices to browse and research online for anything and everything, retailers are increasingly adopting this latest technology to tap the potential customers, win loyalty and drive sales. Fact is: retail is the most popular sector where beacon technology is being used now. What is beacon technology? In simple words, beacons are small devices (approximately 3cm x 5cm x 2cm), which use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to transmit signals to smartphones within a short-range. Bluetooth LE is a proximity technology and the main purpose of beacons is “proximity marketing”. All you need to do is install this device or devices anywhere inside a retail store. It sends out signals to the app users whenever there are in the vicinity of the store. Beacons communicate with smartphone apps over Bluetooth, thus authorizing the retailers to send alerts to the devices of the customers. This way the brands can gather information on the shoppers’ movement inside the stores. Also, it enhances the shopping experience and makes shopping easier and quicker for the customers once they are inside a store. Types of beacon protocols Though the technology, “Bluetooth” was initiated by Nils Rydbeck, CTO at Ericsson Mobile in Sweden, and by Johan Ullman in 1989, it was in the year 2013, when Apple introduced iBeacon that the world stood up and took notice of beacon technology. In mid- 2013, Apple introduced iBeacon, the first beacon protocol in the market. In July 2015, Google announced Eddystone. Google’s beacon platform can transmit URLs to mobile devices, which can then be opened in a mobile browser. Beacons vs iBeacon Beacons are the hardware devices that send out and receive BLE signals. iBeacon, on the other hand, is a technology built into Apple devices that allows iPads and iPhones to scan for Bluetooth devices within a range. List of 10 beacon hardware manufacturers in the world: Estimote Gimbal Radius Networks BlueSense Gelo Sensorberg Glimworm Now, according to a report in BI Intelligence, these minute devices are the rapidly-growing in-store technology since mobile credit card readers. So, why are the retail giants taking resort to beacons, also called proximity beacons, to smarten up a store? Here are the top 4 reasons why beacons are winning the hearts of the brick-and-mortar retailers: More customer engagement by offering contextual information, targeted messages and notifications   Building customer loyalty by sending personalized discounts and coupons in real-time   Providing insights on customer purchase behaviour to enhance the shopping experience   Providing contactless payment Beacons increase customer engagement Imagine, you are outside a shopping mall and the phone starts buzzing. You receive a notification reminding you to buy some clothing items. Beacons can encourage you (read a shopper) to come inside the store and complete the shopping. Now, once you enter the store, you start receiving messages explaining how to select the clothes. Retailers are leveraging the power of beacons to engage customers in the following ways: By sending welcome messages, promotional deals, reward points and pop-up alerts to a customer’s smartphone based on their shopping activities. By assigning sales assistant to a customer who spends considerable time near a particular product/section By pushing real-time offers to customers inside the store. It enriches the shopping experience and also helps in customer acquisition and retention. By flashing the descriptions of a product on the smartphone’s screen once a customer approaches a particular product inside the store. Did you know the Swan Centre in the UK became the first shopping mall to use beacons, which allowed them to organise in-store campaigns for its visitors? Using beacons to strengthen customer loyalty In today’s cut-throat competition, customers have countless options and can easily switch from one retail brand to another if they are not satisfied with the product or the service. Here the customer loyalty programs come into play. They are highly crucial for retailers to strengthen their relationship with the customers and also accelerate sales. According to a survey, 76% of customers believe that loyalty program strengthens their relationship with brands. Here’s how retailers can win the trust of the shopper and also convert visitors into buyers through beacon technology:   The moment a loyal customer walks into a store, beacons allow retailers to send style tips and personalized content based on the location and purchase history. Retailers can use beacons to thank the customer for a purchase and also reward shoppers who have been loyal to the store.      Did you know over 40% of shoppers look for offers on their smartphones while they are inside a store? Collecting customer data through beacons If a retail chain wants to present a supreme shopping experience to its customers, it should be aware of its customers’ buying patterns.

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5 Best Apps for your Mom this Mother’s Day

May 4, 2017

Behind every successful man, there is a woman. If we take some time out and ponder over this oft-used quote, we will agree on one thought. Even if the whole world goes against us, our mothers stand behind us like solid rock. A mother is the one who first instills confidence in us, makes us believe in our potential and inculcate the values of good leadership. Some of the most famous business leaders in the world have given credit to their mothers for inspiring them. “The mother application manages all connected mother apps, ensuring seamless communication and centralized control.” We all agree that there is no greater love in this world than a mother’s love. But as the business leaders become busy with their lives, they might not always spend enough time with their mothers. Does your mom forget to take her medicine when you are not around? Don’t you feel anxious every time you leave your mom at home and go for the business meeting? A mother spends her entire life looking after the needs of her children, finding ways how to make their lives easier. Now, it’s our turn to make her feel special. The advancement of technology has made lives simpler and easier for families to take care of each other. On this Mother’s Day, Indus Net Technologies lists five apps which the mothers should download. Download and install these apps on her mobile phones this Mother’s Day and make her life a LITTLE EASIER and COMFORTABLE. The apps will not only streamline and organizes the daily schedule of your mother but will also help her stay connected with you and other family members, far and near. From medical reminders, finance management to any emergency situation, apps today can solve everyday problems of your mother, even when you are not around. This Mother’s Day, show how much you care for her. Here are the 5 smart and useful mobile apps your mom should have on her phone. MediSafe                                                   Mothers are always busy striking a balance between home and work and it’s an everyday struggle for them to remember their medication. Medisafe is an automatic medication reminder app. This visually appealing and easy-to-use app creates virtual pillbox for your family. All you need to do is choose the medicine and add the time of the day your mother needs to pop the pill. This app, available on Android and iOS platforms, also helps to keep a track of glucose and blood pressure and makes it easier for the users to share the records with doctors. However, the best feature about the app is “CareTaker”. Here, you can mention your name as care taker and you will be notified if your mother misses a scheduled dose. So, next time you if you are travelling for business, you know how to keep track on your mother’s pill usage?   Red Panic Button Today with the advancement of technology, mobile phones have become lifesaving gadgets, provided we know how to use it.   Red Panic Button is a must-downloaded app for those mothers who live far away from her loved ones. Just download and install this app (it has both paid and free versions) on your mom’s phone and add a list of contacts who will receive her message in case of any emergency. Your mother needs to just tap on the big red button in the middle of the app and a text and email alert along with her location and address will automatically be sent to the list of emergency contacts programmed on her app. It also sends out panic messages on connected social media networks such as Twitter and Facebook. Your mother can also send out panic voice, video and photo message. Now, don’t think this app is only applicable in a case of any medical emergency. If your mother stays alone, this app will be handy in case of any personal threat and security too. The app is available on both Android and iOS platforms. Magnifying Glass With Light As our parent’s age, their eyesight deteriorates. This app is extremely helpful for those mothers, who love to read. The app, which is designed for both iPhone and iPad, has a magnifying glass with light which illuminates and magnifies (zoom in and out) any reading material. This is a great app especially in areas where there’s insufficient or dim light; for example: reading menus in a restaurant. This app, which has a clear focus, also acts as a torch and will be extremely handy in case of any household work in a poor light situation. Mint As a business leader, you might not always be at your mother’s side to take care of her monetary transactions. But you need not worry about your mom’s finance any longer. Mint can take care of her money management. From investments, income, savings, bank accounts to expenditures, this app keeps a track of all your mom’s bills and money in one place. The app syncs her financial organizations and delivers timely information to the user. The app gives a pie chart representation of the expenditure made, hence making it easier for the user to comprehend. The app sends out alerts for payments and also alerts the user in case there are unexpected account charges. Mint provides handy personalized tips to the users also on how to save money. Home Routines It becomes difficult for a working mom to balance between professional work and household chores. In fact, moms often find it hard to remember the list of cleaning work that needs to be done around the house. Download and install Home Routines on your mom’s iPhone and help her worry less about her home cleaning plans. This app smartly schedules and organizes her household cleaning work on a daily and weekly basis. So, your mom needs to just

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Are you following the most socially active CIOs on Twitter?

May 4, 2017

Twitter has invariably become the most powerful and preferred social media platform for the world leaders. The CIOs of the top companies across the globe are fully aware of the monstrous potential of this social media channel. Twitter has increasingly emerged as a powerful learning tool and the business leaders leverage this media to learn and empower themselves. Most of these influential business leaders tweet their thoughts on IT innovations, organization news, and tech trends. The CIOs use Twitter to also reach out to other influential business leaders in the digital ecosystem. This digital tool helps the CIOs to interact with potential customers and other leaders in the business, hence increasing the brand recognition and loyalty. In fact, Twitter also provides an excellent and engaging platform to these business leaders to enhance both their personal and professional identity. However, there are many powerful business leaders in the world who do not have a Twitter account. Also, it is interesting to see how some leaders’ in spite having a presence on Twitter hardly uses this digital tool. For example, Microsoft CIO Jim DuBois (@MSIT) tweeted for the last time on July 14, 2016. He has 443 followers. But then, there are many CIOs, who are very much active on Twitter and adopt this social media channel to boost the professional and personal brand. Let take a quick look at five most popular and followed CIOs and thought leaders in the world on Twitter. And if you want to know what these business leaders think and share, start following them:   David A Bray CIO for the Federal Communications Commission @fcc_cio Followers: 111,225 Tweets: 32,190 One of the most valued thought leaders in the world of IT, David has been walking away with all the titles related to “most popular social CIOs” in the world. He is an avid user of Twitter and updates all his followers on tech, data, leadership and more. One can also find vast information on the conferences he attends as a speaker too. His leadership mantra is also reflected in his Twitter bio, which subtly mentions: “Leadership is Passion to Improve Our World.” Tim Crawford CIO Strategic Advisor, AVOA @tcrawford Followers: 12,974 Tweets: 44,115 Tim Crawford is certainly an active member of Twitter. Twitterati must be immensely pleased with him because he routinely notifies the world about CIOs, CEOs, big data, IoT, cloud, and analytics.   Adam Stanley Global CIO of Cushman & Wakefield @ALSWharton Followers: 12,915 Tweets: 26,345 As the global CIO of one of the world’s leading commercial real estate services, one could only imagine the kind of work pressure has every day. Yet, Adam makes it a point to keep the world updated about tech, start-ups, and everything happening in the world of real estate. He found mention in Vala Afshar’s article on Top 100 Most Social CIOs on Twitter 2016. David Chou Chief information and digital officer at Children’s Mercy Kansas City @dchou1107 Followers: 10,654 Tweets: 71,829 Digital technology is transforming heathcare sector in a huge way. David Chou habitually informs the Twitter world about how technology can help the healthcare organization grow. Also, he shares delightful information about social media users and everything digital. Mike D Kail Chief Innovation Officer at Cybric @mdkail Followers: 10,276 Tweets: 21,708 After serving as the CIO at Yahoo, Mike Kail joined Cybric, a year-old software security firm headquartered in Boston. He is superbly active on Twitter and shares information on his talks and anything and everything related to cyber security. Indian CIOs Surprisingly, but not many CIOs of top Indian companies are active on Twitter. While some of them do have a Twitter presence, which dates back to 2008-2009, few of them leverage the social media platform to share his personal or professional thoughts. However, most Indian CIOs do have LinkedIn accounts. Here are the five most active and followed Indian CIOs on Twitter.   Ravi Bhandari CIO: Parallels and Meridians @RaviBhandari_ Followers: 11,279 Tweets: 17 A travel freak, Ravi had traveled across rural India for three months on local transport. His extreme passion for travel gave birth to the company, Parallels, and Meridians. Though he has been on Twitter since August 2014, he only has 17 tweets to his name. The last time he was active on Twitter was in November 2016. However, that hardly makes a difference because he is one of the most followed Indian CIOs on Twitter. Anjani Kumar Global CDO and CIO for International businesses of Collabera including India  @anjaniglobal Followers: 3,426 Tweets: 3,177 A die-hard techie at heart, Anjani also mentions in his Twitter bio that he is a foodie. He tweets about IoT a lot and also reaches out to his followers to thank them for following him on the social networking platform. Before working with Collabora, Kumar has worked with IBM for 14 years and then moved on to become the CIO of Safexpress. Avinash Velhal Group CIO at Atos international @avelhal Followers: 2,766 Tweets: 6,147 Avinash and tech are inseparable. A digital evangelist, he is a socially active Indian CIO. Avinash enjoys being on Twitter and enlightens his followers on fintech, cyber security, IoT and big data. Aneesh Nair Co-Founder & CIO for NDTV eCommerce @aneeshnair‏ Followers: 1,951 Tweets: 7,415 Google “Who are India’s most social CIOs on Twitter?” and his name pops up. He is an avid user of this social networking tool for the past six years. He regularly updates his followers on the latest trends in e-commerce, cyber security and IT infrastructure and of course tech. Jagdish Belwal International CIO, GE Transportation @Jeyceebee Followers: 1,586 Tweets: 3,082 This ex-CIO of Tata Motors visits Twitter to share his thoughts of IoT and digitalization. He also keeps updating the world about the latest news of GE Transportation.   There is no denying the power of social media in the ever-increasing digital ecosystem today. Twitter has a proven track record of enhancing the personal and professional brand of C-level leaders apart from being a great learning

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