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8 Use Cases for AI in Fintech and Banking

AI in FintechThe Fintech and banking industry is in a constant state of innovation and one of the most important tech areas that will allow this to continue for years to come is Artificial Intelligence (AI). Finance professionals who are leading their organization’s AI efforts need to understand evolving customer expectations, evolving threat vectors, and internal capabilities such as culture, tech, and data infrastructure to pull off successful AI initiatives.

 

8 Uses of AI in Financial Services

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the key to creating customer-centric experiences that satisfy customers’ wants and needs. The most successful companies will be those who utilize AI in a way that satisfies these 8 criteria:

 

1. Customer Engagement

Most consumers are already comfortable with voice-activated assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Samsung’s Bixby, Microsoft Cortana and Apple Siri for a variety of tasks including playing music, controlling home lighting systems, making restaurant reservations, checking the weather forecast or to get an Uber ride. If AI can help banks better understand relationships with their customers, AI can make it far easier for banks to deliver convenient banking experiences.

 

2. Personalized Customer Service

AI is already being used by some financial institutions to provide customer service by handling simple requests quickly and at scale.  A bot powered by Artificial Intelligence could be programmed to handle routine tasks such as password resets, delivery of monthly statements, and other time-consuming jobs.  In the future, intelligent bots powered by AI will be able to fully answer customer questions as well as anticipate their needs. Chatbots are already being used by some financial institutions but currently lack the capabilities or context necessary to provide a truly personalized experience.

 

3. Fraud Prevention and Security

AI in fintech can be used to identify and stop security threats, fraudulent activities or abnormal behavior in real-time.  In addition, sensitive data such as financial transactions can also be encrypted via AI algorithms to prevent hacking and minimize the risk of identity theft.  Sophisticated machine learning algorithms are being used to discover new fraud patterns that human investigators would likely miss.

 

4. Customer Segmentation and Microtargeting

AI can provide financial institutions with deeper insight into customer behavior, needs, preferences, and purchase intent to deliver more personalized experiences across all channels (digital/social/mobile).  Micro-segmentation based on aggregates of transaction history combined with social media profiles, web activity, and purchase history can allow banks to deliver more relevant messages and personalized offers.

 

5. In-App Chatbots

Banks are already using chatbots to automatically suggest financial products based on consumer preferences or transaction history.  In the future, chatbots will be able to have targeted conversations with consumers about their banking needs while providing personalized recommendations.

 

6. Chatbots for Financial Advisors

Chatbots can be used to provide basic advice on the more straightforward aspects of financial planning while freeing up financial advisors’ time so they can focus on being trusted counselors rather than transactional helpers.  A chatbot could also help guide consumers through the process of opening an account, learn about their financial goals, and present them with product recommendations.

 

7. Predictive Analytics for Wealth Management

AI can be used to improve the wealth management experience for both advisors and clients by looking across accounts held at different institutions to provide holistic analysis of client risk profile, net worth, family status, assets under management (AUM), etc.  AI algorithms can be used to detect when clients are likely to engage with their advisors for advice on selling or buying certain financial products.  AI can also help improve the accuracy of portfolio rebalancing by recognizing changes in market conditions and investment preferences

 

8. Loan Underwriting

The banking industry has already seen loan underwriting being partially automated by AI.  AI algorithms are being designed to look across multiple data points to build a complete picture of financial health, employment history, income potential and other metrics associated with the riskiness of an individual loan applicant.

 

Is AI Already Operating In These Industries?

AI-enabled chatbots and robo-advisors such as Kasisto, x.ai, and MoneyLion are already widely used by consumers for simple tasks such as keeping track of expenses.  Fintech startups such as Even and Acorns have raised significant amounts of funding to develop tools that help consumers save money and invest smarter.  AI algorithms are also being used to help banks and financial institutions make smarter decisions on everything from fraud prevention to loan underwriting.

Artificial intelligence is already permeating every aspect of the financial industry.  AI algorithms can be used to provide more personalized experiences for consumers, enhance security, improve fraud protection and reduce costs across all business lines.  Many fintech startups are utilizing AI-based tools to educate consumers on their financial options while saving money and investing smarter.  AI will continue to play a significant role in the financial industry, both by further empowering fintech startups and transforming traditional banks.

Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. We are a premier software and mobile app development agency specializing in healthcare mobile app development, custom mobile app development, telehealth software, sales dashboards, custom mobile app development services, retail software development, supply-chain software, ecommerce, shopify, web design, iBeacon apps, security solutions and unified access software.

We are proud partners with Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Schedule a free 30-minute call with us to discuss your business, or you can give us a call at (949) 284-6300.

Logistics Operations Need To Implement UWB Technology

UWB technologyUltra-Wideband (UWB) technology is capable of delivering and receiving high data rates and resolving propagation path variations, such as multipath and shadowing. UWB can be used in various application fields for wireless communications, remote sensing, imaging, and target tracking. Logistics operations need to implement this technology due to its ability to address logistics problems such as inventory management and vehicle tracking.

UWB has been considered for logistics operations, especially those that need high data rates, such as video surveillance, and those that require high reliability in terms of communication and detection, such as radar targets and multiple targets. This article discusses the characteristics of UWB systems for logistics applications and their impact on target detection mechanisms.

 

What is UWB Technology?

Ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless communication is a technology that delivers very high data rates to reduce end-to-end delivery time. UWB systems use spread spectrum modulation, which means that users take advantage of frequency band spreading for efficient utilization of available frequency band resources. The advantages of UWB wireless communication are due to the features typical of UWB signals, such as low peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR), large time-bandwidth product (TBWP), and very long symbols that allow for frequency diversity.

UWB signal waveforms consist of square pulses that occupy the entire spectrum available in the operating band, which is much larger than traditional communication systems’ bandwidth. UWB systems use different types of pulse waveforms, such as monocycle pulses and polyphase codes, which are referred to as chirp signals. These types of signal waveforms allow the system to spread its signal over a large bandwidth (typically ranging from 500 MHz to 2 GHz), making it possible for UWB systems to occupy the entire spectrum allocated for UWB systems.

UWB technology can be used in various applications fields for wireless communications, remote sensing, imaging, and target tracking.

 

How Can UWB Help Logistics Operations?

UWB technology can be applied to logistics operations, including logistics tracking software, and especially those operations that require high data rates, such as video surveillance, and those that need high reliability in terms of communication and detection, such as radar targets and multiple targets (for example, vehicle tracking).

 

Video Surveillance

UWB signals will eventually reduce the number of analog video surveillance cameras. UWB technology can be used in video surveillance applications because of its ability to deliver high reliability and high bandwidth for real-time video transmission. Although the performance of UWB systems depends on multipath, which causes signal fading and shadowing effects, these phenomena do not affect supply chain operations.

 

Radar Target Detection

UWB systems are being considered for radar target detection due to their ability to deliver high reliability in terms of detection. Using UWB technology, targets can be accurately detected with low false alarm rates, which makes them useful for detecting moving vehicles. For vehicle tracking, three different scenarios have been suggested using UWB trilateration techniques: fixed emitter, moving emitter, and moving receiver.

In addition, for logistics operations that require high data rates such as video surveillance and those that need high reliability in terms of communication and detection such as radar targets and multiple targets (for example, vehicle tracking), UWB technology is a good candidate. Due to the characteristics of UWB signals, such as low PAPR, large TBWP, and very long symbols that allow for frequency diversity, UWB can be used in different applications.

 

UWB for Asset Tracking

UWB technology can be used for asset tracking. For example, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has proposed using UWB radio tags on highway assets such as trucks and railcars to monitor their locations in real time. UWB radio tags can track both moving and stationary targets through multipath interference mitigation techniques or signal strength measurements.

Network-based UWB systems can be applied to what is known as location positioning for asset tracking because of the absence of line-of-sight (LOS) requirements between targets and base station or networks, which makes it possible to track moving objects in indoor logistics operations.

 

Other Businesses and Institutions That Can Benefit From UWB Tech

UWB (ultra-wideband) communications are seen as a new technology that will revolutionize many industries. It is not just limited to government and military use, however, but also has major benefits for both the private and commercial sectors.

 

Public Safety And Security Benefits

UWB can enhance public safety and security through its ability to provide greater wireless throughput, enabling many simultaneous connections; its high definition (“HD”) video capabilities; and its ability to provide users with more secure access.

 

Business Benefits

UWB can help make both government and commercial businesses more efficient by increasing the speed of data transmission (it supports speeds up to 480 Mbps); allowing the use of fewer devices; saving money by reducing the number of devices necessary to meet business needs; and providing more security, accuracy, and reliability in data transmissions.

 

Transportation Benefits

UWB can provide greater throughput speeds that enable many simultaneous connections, resulting in an increased level of safety. UWB’s high definition (“HD”) video capabilities are essential for public safety agencies, where visual clarity is essential, and its ability to provide users with more secure access protects critical data.

Logistics operations, especially those that require high data rates, such as video surveillance, and those that need high reliability in terms of communication and detection, such as radar targets and multiple targets (for example, vehicle tracking), have the most to gain from using UWB communications.

Other businesses or institutions can also benefit from this technology by making their processes more efficient with increased speed of data transmission, reduced cost associated with using fewer devices, and greater throughput from a single device.

Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. We are a premier software and mobile app development agency specializing in healthcare mobile app development, custom mobile app development, telehealth software, sales dashboards, custom mobile app development services, retail software development, supply-chain software, ecommerce, shopify, web design, iBeacon apps, security solutions and unified access software.

We are proud partners with Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Schedule a free 30-minute call with us to discuss your business, or you can give us a call at (949) 284-6300.

5 Ways 5G Technology Can Be Used, Not Including Smartphones

5g technology5G technology has been hailed as the new golden child of the tech world. It is expected to have speeds 100 times faster than current 4G networks, increase connection capacity by 1,000 times, and pave the way for new technologies we can’t even imagine yet.

This article is not about smartphones, though. While the technology would be instrumental in delivering faster speeds to our phones, there are other uses for 5G networks that have nothing to do with things like streaming videos or updating your social media. Before we take a look at the use cases, it is important to know how this technology emerged.

 

Background of 5G Technologies

What is 5G technology and how does it work? 5G technology is considered to be the successor of the current 4G networks, which first appeared in 2009. The first iteration was slow and weak by today’s standards, but new technologies helped bring improvements each time. For example, video streaming on mobile phones used to take up a lot of download speed – now, with 3G and 4G networks, it takes up a fraction of the speed.

The next generation 5G network is expected to deliver speeds 100 times faster than current smartphones. This will allow the average consumer to download an entire movie in less than one second, and help businesses work at lightning speeds as well.

 

5G Use Cases (No Smartphones)

If 5G can contribute to improving the efficiency of businesses in small ways, imagine what it could do when applied to different industries. Here are some examples:

 

Traffic Control Industry

The traffic control industry has evolved over the years, but modern advancements like LED lightings and digital displays have slowed down due to growing complexities. But with 5G, this industry can see a significant increase in efficiency. Think of it as an upgrade for the traffic control system that will allow better connectivity with other technologies, improved communication across all units at different locations, and faster data transfers.

This technology could work best with the use of mobile devices – think of traffic managers coordinating to update current conditions at various intersections, for example.

 

Emergency Response Systems

This is another field that could benefit significantly from 5G technology. When a disaster such as an earthquake hits, responders need to work together and organize themselves fast so they can save lives. Many times, this requires effective communication between parties involved – but with 4G networks being slow and sometimes unstable, this has been a challenge.

5G technology will give emergency responders the power to avoid issues like dropped calls and congested data due to heavy usage, so they can communicate effectively and work together more efficiently than ever before.

 

Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)

The internet of things or IoT has created many opportunities for companies to apply data analytics and make their operations more efficient. One of the key components of IoT is IIoT (the industrial internet), which allows companies to monitor equipment and automate processes. According to experts, this technology could contribute up to $14 Trillion in economic value worldwide by 2030!

For this industry, 5G will be essential in allowing businesses to process data in real-time and deliver that information across the network in seconds. This will help companies improve their output, reduce downtime, and plan for changes in advance.

 

Healthcare Industry

The healthcare industry is one of the key beneficiaries of 5G technology. Using this advanced infrastructure, patients can be monitored in real-time when they are admitted to a hospital or clinic. For example, patients with chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension can transmit their vital signs to medical professionals, who will be able to monitor the information and provide treatment as needed.

Another big application is remote surgeries where doctors can operate on patients thousands of miles away – this not only reduces cost by eliminating travel expenses, but also reduces recovery time for the patient since they do not have to spend days in a different location.

 

Education and Training

It is one thing to read, attend lectures and watch videos online – and another to practice in real life. With 5G technology, it will be possible to use augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR) for education and training purposes.

For example, airline companies can train their pilots and engineers on new aircraft and systems using AR, so they will be able to familiarize themselves with the equipment without having to spend on new toolings. This way, businesses can reduce costs while improving efficiency at the same time.

 

How Businesses Benefit From 5G

As the above examples show, there are many ways that businesses – both small and large – can benefit from 5G technology. The global economy will see significant improvements with this new infrastructure in place, so companies should start planning the rollout of 5G network to take full advantage of this growing market.

5G technology will undoubtedly become the next generation of mobile networks. This new infrastructure promises faster speeds, improved latency, and wider coverage – all of which are essential to delivering better results for various industries.

 

Future Use of 5G

5G technology will continue to evolve and find new applications in the following years. Some experts predict that one day, we will be able to use 5G for virtual reality, video conferencing, and augmented reality – or AR. Other analysts disagree with this view and argue that such tasks can be performed using existing networks so it does not warrant a new infrastructure.

We will have to wait and see how this technology evolves over the next decade, but one thing is certain – 5G has the potential to transform our economy for the better in many ways.

Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. We are a premier software and mobile app development agency specializing in healthcare mobile app development, custom mobile app development, telehealth software, sales dashboards, custom mobile app development services, retail software development, supply-chain software, ecommerce, shopify, web design, iBeacon apps, security solutions and unified access software.

We are proud partners with Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Schedule a free 30-minute call with us to discuss your business, or you can give us a call at (949) 284-6300.

Scaling Up Digitally: Tips for Designing a Website That Grows With Your Business

Whether you run a restaurant, a radio podcast, or a retail outlet, in the digital age, it’s crucial that you have a functional website, which facilitates business growth and integrates seamlessly with internal software. Getting there is easier said than done, but here are some handy tips to put you on the right track when designing a website specific to your business.

 

Domain

As your business grows, so will its name – that’s why securing and maintaining an appropriate website address is so crucial. Ideally, you want a ‘top-level domain’ (TLD) website suffix and an address that matches your company in title. Not only will this help clients and users to find and access your site, but it will also help your search engine optimization (SEO) rankings. You can then use your new domain in combination with keywords to promote your website, boost your ranking on Google, and increase brand visibility.

Be sure, as you build your business IP, to avoid any overly esoteric words, keep it short and refrain from using any unnecessary numbers. Sometimes, when founding a company, it can be tempting to opt for a more ‘edgy’ creative approach, experimenting with symbols or unorthodox spelling – this may be an advantage in some ways, but when it comes to web design, it’s often a hindrance. Always consider the convenience of clients or users before locking in any of these decisions.

 

CMS

If you’re expecting your business to grow, then you’ll need your website to be adaptable. Picking a flexible content management system (CMS) will allow you to build new content, update descriptions, pages and alter plugins so that the website evolves seamlessly alongside your company. If you want high extensibility, you can’t go wrong with WordPress or Drupal – both offer a vast number of design and functionality options built by developers to aid in business. The downside is that a customized WordPress site can be complicated to edit and alter without help from your developers.

If you want ease-of-use, simple interfaces, and a small learning curve, you could instead opt-in for one of the drag-and-drop site builders (such as Wix or Squarespace). These template-based providers are useful for small businesses due to their ease of use, and they offer adequate customizability so that you can continue to edit and adjust as the company grows. The downside is they’re subscription-based, limited in creative personalization and there is less transparency in regards to code and HTML. It’s rare that a major company would use one of these services, especially when they have an in-house dev team, so consider your long-term business trajectory before marrying yourself to one.

 

Integration

To ensure your work processes continue smoothly, it’s vital that your website cooperates with day-to-day software. For example, you may need to be able to track any site traffic, new leads, or subscribers via your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) program. Additionally, you want your website to operate conducive to your broader business objectives – this could mean a specially designed UI that increases conversions, or an engaging homepage that encourages lead generation.

To build this sort of integration (and remain compliant with GDPR rules), it’s often necessary to enlist the help of experienced developers who can protect your data and build airtight, legal web functionality. The right developer will represent good ROI, as they can effectively interlink the site with accounting software, merchandising systems, networks, cloud storage, and, of course, CRMs – saving the business time, improving outreach, and keeping operations centralized.

Before hiring a developer, it’s crucial that you’ve read at least 10 positive and reliable testimonials or case studies that attest to their ability, professionalism, and expertise. The process of hiring a developer (and paying for their ongoing maintenance) is often amongst the leading costs for a small business and so you need to make sure you’re investing intelligently.

 

In the digital age, designing a website can prove pivotal to your business’s long-term prospects. The tone you set now may shape processes for years to come, so be sure to understand your own wider objectives and get your site off on the right foot.

5 Ways 5G Helps Our Environment

5gThere’s been a lot of talk about the benefits of 5G and how it will change the world as we know it. We know that it’s fast and efficient, but how is it different? Can it help our environment?

 

What is 5G?

Let’s start off with the basics here. “5G” in this case stands for fifth-generation wireless technology and broadband cellular networks.

As the latest evolution of wireless mobile communications technology, 5G follows in the footsteps of 4G LTE. Just as Steve Jobs reinvigorated Apple via a series of iconic product launches that began with the iPhone, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler is attempting to define his legacy at the commission via spectrum auctions, data privacy rules, and now 5G.

It’s a new mobile wireless standard that’ll be used to connect all our devices, including wearables and phones. It will use frequencies above 6GHz (the 4G LTE network mostly uses under 6 GHz frequencies), it’s expected to provide connection speeds 10-100 times faster than current legacies, it should reduce latency or the amount of time needed for a connection to be established, and IoT (internet of things) is expected to boom.

 

How 5G is Different from 4G LTE

The LTE (or long-term-evolution) network is the current 4G wireless technology that we have today, and it’s what has been driving our World Wide Web for the past couple of years or so. The difference between 4G and 5G? Well, it’s not just a matter of speed — although that will play a large role in the differences. Instead, 5G is more of an umbrella term that encompasses many new technologies.

Just like 4G used enhancements to things like 3G (like HSPA+), 5G will do the same thing with LTE (or even WiMAX or EV-DO). It will move technology forward with the times by creating a whole new set of standards that will allow for innovations such as self-driving cars, VR entertainment, and IoT devices.

That said, it is indeed faster. 4G LTE isn’t the slowest connection out there, but it is far from the fastest. 5G is blazingly fast and can hold massive amounts of data in memory so that it doesn’t have to retransmit. It’s also more efficient than 4G, which will save energy by several factors, including sending shorter messages and using more efficient data compression.

 

5 Ways 5G Helps the Environment

Now you might be wondering how all this benefits our environment? Well, 5G’s energy efficiency is what will keep it in line with its “green” reputation. Here are 5 ways 5G is better for the environment.

 

Wireless Networks Require Less Power to Run

Wireless networks require a lot less power for a number of reasons. First off, they don’t need as many towers as traditional mobile phone carriers do because the signal can be relayed from one tower to another.

Also, the radios themselves only need enough power to reach and maintain a connection with the closest tower — this makes them more efficient than “line-of-sight” transmission, which requires a much stronger signal.

The efficiency with which 5G sends or receives information, is also more battery efficient for your phone. The lower frequencies it uses will lead to less power loss when transmitting and receiving, meaning better battery life for you in the long run.

 

5G Will Use Lower Frequencies to Transfer Data

The lower the frequency of radio waves, the less energy is needed to transmit those signals; thus using less energy overall. This is only one piece of the puzzle, however — how the data is packaged and authenticated also plays a role in determining energy consumption.

5G will use a modulation technique called “carrier aggregation.” In this method, the information is transmitted in packets of smaller bits. The more packets that can be sent in a short period, the greater the overall data transfer speed becomes — and lower frequencies enable this quick data transfer.

Lower frequencies also help in that they have the ability to better penetrate solid objects, such as concrete walls. This allows for signals to be sent strong enough that they can go through any obstacles in their path, which makes it possible for the signal to reach receivers indoors.

 

5G Will Decrease Latency

5G’s low latency is another way it will save energy. Latency is the amount of time it takes for your request to get fulfilled. For example, when you search for something on Google, even if it’s an incredibly popular term, there might be some delay between your typing in “game of thrones” and seeing search results come up. This is latency at work.

5G will make this process much more efficient. As we mentioned before, 5G lowers the amount of power used to transmit data, which means that it can be sent and received at a faster rate. This kind of fast response time (and efficiency) is crucial for things like computing virtual reality environments.

 

5G Encourages Smaller Cell Antennas

Smaller antennas on smartphones and other connected devices use less electricity than ones that are larger or more powerful. This is because these small antennas can send and receive just as much data as their larger counterparts, but they don’t have to use as much power doing so.

 

The Deeper the Pockets, The Greener the Investments

What cuts down on 5G’s energy consumption is not just what it does now, but how the technology will evolve over time. With each generation of mobile networks, there are improvements in efficiency that reduce the amount of energy required.

5G, however, has much deeper technological “pockets” beneath the surface because it relies on millimeter waves. This means that 5G can integrate emerging technologies into its network without having to rely too heavily on them at first — thus minimizing any initial periods of high consumption.

 

These are five reasons why 5G will help the environment. There is a lot of potential for this technology to make our world greener and cleaner — and we’re excited about what the future holds!

Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. We are a premier software and mobile app development agency specializing in healthcare mobile app development, custom mobile app development, telehealth software, sales dashboards, custom mobile app development services, retail software development, supply-chain software, ecommerce, shopify, web design, iBeacon apps, security solutions and unified access software.

We are proud partners with Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Schedule a free 30-minute call with us to discuss your business, or you can give us a call at (949) 284-6300.

5 Ways Companies Can Address Mental Health in the Workplace

mental health in the workplaceWhen we speak of mental health in the workplace, we’re referring to the overall well-being of employees—not job performance, although the latter is often a reflection of the former. A number of aspects in one’s personal life can influence someone at work, but also the workplace itself. Stressful environments and pushy bosses putting too much pressure on employees, with little positive reinforcement, coupled with a highly competitive atmosphere, which, in moderation, could be healthy, if devoid of an overall sense of teamwork and collaboration, becomes destructive.

 

Why Companies Should Address Mental Health In the Workplace

Figuring out how to promote and support good mental health is a hot topic among employers and companies, who recognize that it’s important for their workers to feel emotionally healthy in order to create a stronger sense of teamwork and be productive on the job. Many companies are concerned with the health factor of their employees, especially in these days where many people suffer from stress and depression due to work. Addressing the mental health of the entire staff benefits not only the employees and the managers, but the entire company itself, whose health and success should not come at the cost of its workforce, but a reflection of it.

Current trends in workplace mental health need to focus on:

  • Listening to employees, identifying their needs and offering assistance
  • Providing attractive benefits to help them manage stress levels, both on and off the job (examples could be health insurance, gym membership, and time off)
  • Encouraging an open dialogue between management and staff to create a workplace environment that’s more relaxed

 

Advantages of Employees Having Good Mental Health At The Workplace

When employees have good mental health at the workplace,they exhibit a number of positive qualities in their day-to-day actions and interactions, including:

  • Being a productive member of the workforce
  • Bringing up new ideas to improve products/services for customers
  • Taking responsibility for their performance—they care about the work that they do and want to ensure that it’s at its best potential
  • Reduced stress levels for managers and other employees
  • A commitment to creating a healthier work environment
  • Decreased absence rates
  • Decreased turnover rate

By providing a supportive workplace that encourages good mental health, employers are opening the door to an entirely new level of employee engagement, setting all members of the workforce up for long-term success.

 

5 Ways Companies Can Address and Boost Mental Health

Now let’s look at mental health in the workplace tips. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has designated October as National Mental Health Month, and there are a number of ways companies can help their employees stay mentally healthy:

 

1. Implement an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

An EAP is a professional assessment service provided to employees to put them in contact with professionals who can help with issues pertaining to personal, mental and emotional wellness. It’s a great way for employees to be able to seek help without having anyone at work know that they are doing so, thus creating a better sense of confidentiality, which is crucial in times of distress or ill health. Many companies provide their employees with an EAP as part of their benefits package.

 

2. Implement Employee Support Programs (ESPs)

These types of programs encourage and promote wellness at work by providing employees with information and education to help them achieve a healthier state of mind, as well as assistance in the form of counseling and coaching services.

 

3. Stress Management Techniques Training for Employees

Since stress can manifest itself in a number of ways, everyone has different triggers and coping mechanisms. While one person might find that the occasional yoga session or meditation class helps them to relax, other people prefer a more active outlet such as running or biking, which is why it’s important for companies to provide their employees with resources and information to help them learn how to manage stress in a healthy way.

 

4. Scheduling Policies That Help With Work-Life Balance

Organizations should look at how they can help their employees improve work-life balance, allowing them to better manage family time and other personal responsibilities that may affect their day to day happiness, as well as overall health. This could include anything from allowing an employee to be able to work from home one or two days a week, flexible hours, time off for family emergencies, paid sick leave and so on.

 

5. Encouraging Leadership That Promotes Workplace Mental Health

Ideally, good mental health in the workplace starts with leadership that models positive behavior toward employees by being approachable and supportive. Leaders need to be able to enforce good work ethics and maintain a strong sense of confidence and self-esteem among staff, which will allow them to feel that they can approach their managers with any problems or concerns.

Organizational change is difficult, particularly when it comes to implementing new policies and procedures that require employees to adapt. It takes time for people to adjust and fully embrace change. But with strong leadership and a commitment to workplace mental health, it can be done.

 

All organizations have a moral and legal obligation to ensure that their workplaces are safe, healthy environments for employees. By implementing programs that promote wellness at work, companies not only set the tone for good mental health in the workplace but they also provide their employees with important skills they can use throughout their lives. Whether someone is managing stress or attempting to cope with a mental illness, developing strong self-awareness and self-management skills will allow for better personal growth and development. With the right tools and resources, organizations can create a culture of good mental health in which everyone benefits.

Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. We are a premier software and mobile app development agency specializing in healthcare mobile app development, custom mobile app development, telehealth software, sales dashboards, custom mobile app development services, retail software development, supply-chain software, ecommerce, shopify, web design, iBeacon apps, security solutions and unified access software.

We are proud partners with Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Schedule a free 30-minute call with us to discuss your business, or you can give us a call at (949) 284-6300.

9 Lesser Known (But Amazing) Messaging Apps

messaging appsAs you know, private messaging apps are very popular nowadays. Businesses use them to simplify their interactions with customers and employees, and people use them to avoid the annoyance of unwanted advertising. There are lots of people who use it to express their thoughts and emotions. Some messaging apps are more widely used than others, even though there are plenty of great ones out there offering an excellent chat experience.

 

Different Kinds of Messaging Apps

Since there are at least a couple dozen messaging apps on the market, it can be difficult to choose. You need to make sure you are using an app that meets your needs and preferences, but you also want something that is secure and reliable. Some of them are more suited for personal use while others are better for business since they allow users to work together.

 

How to Determine What Messaging App is Right For You

So, what’s the best messaging app for you? There are a lot of things to consider. First, you need to decide if you care more about getting notifications on your desktop or mobile devices. You’ll also want to know how many users the app can handle at once. Then you need to look into its security measures. It’s preferable if the platform encrypts your data and doesn’t keep records, so that no one can read or see your messages except for you and whomever you’re talking with. Other features to keep in mind are group chat functions and file sharing capabilities.

 

9 Amazing Messaging Apps

It’s hard to say what the best instant messaging app out there is today. It goes without saying that WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Hangout, and SnapChat stand among the most popular, but what are the lesser known messaging apps that are also amazing?

 

1. Signal

Signal is a well-known secure messaging app for Android and iOS. Even though it’s not as popular as WhatsApp, its users tend to be very loyal because the software offers strong encryption features, doesn’t store any data on its servers, and lets you share media files that are stored only in your phone or tablet.

 

2. ChatSecure

ChatSecure is a free and open source messaging app that also allows people to connect to different chat networks and send encrypted and secure messages. It’s compatible with many devices, including Apple iPhones and iPads as well as BlackBerry OS and Windows phones. The developers of this app encourage everyone to contribute to its code base since they want it to be available for everyone, everywhere.

 

3. Threema

Threema is a favorite among many users since it has a lot of useful features and encrypts your messages so no one can read them without decrypting them first. This app also allows you to have private conversations with either just yourself or other individual contacts that you specify. Plus, it’s free and has lots of cool designs available.

 

4. Wire

Wire is another secure messaging app that looks good and is easy to use, even though it works a bit differently than most other apps in its category. This one doesn’t offer end-to-end encryption for all messages sent through the service, but you can choose to have it for your private messages. If you want other features, such as file sharing or conversation groups, you can pay a small fee for them.

 

5. Kik Messenger

Another great choice when trying to find the right messaging app that will protect your privacy is Kik Messenger. People do have some complaints about its notification process, but when using it to talk to friends, you don’t have to worry about your chats being seen by anyone else. This app is also available for Apple phones and tablets, Android devices, Windows machines and even BlackBerry devices.

 

6. Telegram

This messaging app was developed by the same people who made WhatsApp. It’s a new service that uses end-to-end encryption to secure your messages and it also offers self-destructing media files , such as videos and photos, which is another favorite feature among users. You can get this app for almost any kind of phone, computer and tablet on the market today.

 

7. Talkatone

Talkatone is another great messaging app for people who want the privacy of their conversations to be protected. This app lets you connect to different platforms and talk with your contacts from all of them. Unfortunately, this one doesn’t have a desktop or web client yet, but it will soon.

 

8. Wickr Me

Wickr Me is a wonderful choice for anyone looking to have private conversations with multiple people at once without revealing any personal information about yourself or your contacts. This app works on iOS, Android and Windows Phone devices, so practically anyone can use it.

 

9. Allo

Allo is another fantastic messaging app from Google that is available for both iOS and Android devices. This one has lots of useful features, works seamlessly with your mobile device’s address book and also allows you to use the service on multiple devices at once. It’s definitely one worth trying out if you haven’t already done so.

 

As you can see, there are lots of messaging apps out there that will keep your conversations secure, but it’s important to choose the right one for your needs. That’s why we suggest checking out all of these awesome apps and seeing which one fits your personality the best.

Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. We are a premier software and mobile app development agency specializing in healthcare mobile app development, custom mobile app development, telehealth software, sales dashboards, custom mobile app development services, retail software development, supply-chain software, ecommerce, shopify, web design, iBeacon apps, security solutions and unified access software.

We are proud partners with Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Schedule a free 30-minute call with us to discuss your business, or you can give us a call at (949) 284-6300.

Biggest AI Achievements In Business So Far In 2021

AI achievements in businessArtificial Intelligence (AI) continues to make headway in every sector in society—especially when it comes to business. AI achievements in business have improved the work space in leaps and bounds by making operations more efficient, saving time, money, and resources.

 

Why Businesses Have So Much To Gain From AI

The reason why businesses benefit from AI is because it automates many work tasks and processes that would otherwise be very time-consuming for humans to do. Like other achievements in business, AI is making gains that drastically increase productivity and allow companies to focus on the big picture rather than administrative minutiae.

Businesses like this no longer have staff members spend hours every day looking up information about past customers, for example. Instead, AI makes inferences about the usefulness of past customers and their buying habits to provide more accurate information without any employees having to search through records.

 

AI Achievements in Business So Far

Among the top AI achievements in business is its ability to save businesses money by cutting costs. AI can make it easier to purchase goods and get them delivered without having employees visit the store. This saves time and money while also making products more affordable across the board.

Another achievement for AI in business is its ability to provide better customer service. Businesses are able to interact with their consumers in a much more responsive way, helping them to resolve problems quickly and efficiently.

Finally, AI has allowed businesses to become more competitive in their industries by using data collected through customers’ digital footprints. This information provides unprecedented insights into customer buying habits that can help companies understand what customers want or need so they can make better decisions about future products.

Up until now, in 2021, AI in business has shown no signs of slowing down. With more businesses moving towards becoming tech companies, there is a big push to get AI involved in almost every sector. This will be an exciting time for businesses and consumers alike who stand to gain the most from this new technology.

 

Future of AI in Business

Looking to the future, there are still so many more things that AI can do for businesses. The sky is truly the limit for this new technology, and it’s only a matter of time before we see even more advancements in areas such as digital marketing, customer service, business efficiency, and data collection.

In digital marketing, we can expect to see AI help out with more personalized brand awareness, hyper-focused ad targeting, and a more effective way for reaching a customer through their preferred device or platform.

In the same vein, customer service will see more improvement as machine learning gets better and better at bringing up data about customers so agents can provide better, more customized services and troubleshooting.

As we’d mentioned before, there’s data collection, which, with enhanced machine learning now endowing AI with a greater capacity to analyze big data, businesses will become more adept at studying their customers’ digital footprint, so they can make better decisions when producing products or services to sell in the future.

AI will also offer more advanced applications for business use, such as natural language processing and deep learning. Not only will this empower companies to better understand their customers and markets as a whole, they’ll be able to automate more forms of communication, freeing up resources.

 

It’s not hard to see how much AI has changed the business world already, and there are so many more advancements ahead. From making employees more efficient to helping businesses stay competitive, this transformative technology will continue to revolutionize the way we do business for years to come.

It will be interesting to see how far AI can go in 2021 and beyond. With more businesses beginning to adopt it into their operations, we could see an increasing number of companies using AI as a differentiator to stay ahead of the pack.

This will be an exciting time for consumers as well, who are able to benefit from AI through greater convenience, better customer service, and unprecedented access to information on their purchasing behavior.

While it’s impossible to say whether or not the tech world will see another breakthrough in 2021 that suddenly makes AI even more efficient, you can bet that whatever happens, AI will be involved. There’s no stopping this technology now, and it’s only the beginning for one of the most transformative forces in business today.

Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. We are a premier software and mobile app development agency specializing in healthcare mobile app development, custom mobile app development, telehealth software, sales dashboards, custom mobile app development services, retail software development, supply-chain software, ecommerce, shopify, web design, iBeacon apps, security solutions and unified access software.

We are proud partners with Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Schedule a free 30-minute call with us to discuss your business, or you can give us a call at (949) 284-6300.

Current State of Rural Healthcare

rural healthcareRural healthcare has long been an important issue to the people of America, whether it be for themselves or for their loved ones. Many rural areas face unique challenges in providing accessible and affordable health care to citizens. Rural healthcare issues are very prevalent in America today with millions of Americans lacking health insurance.

This lack of access can be especially felt within rural areas where a smaller population creates a larger geographical community. One of the many debates within rural healthcare is whether or not to expand government-funded health insurance programs, such as Medicaid and Medicare, into rural areas to help provide more accessible care.

While it is evident that there are numerous issues to be solved in order to improve the quality and access of medical care, there are some cases showing the benefits of providing medical care in rural areas.

 

Current Problems With Rural Healthcare

Rural areas and healthcare present a tricky problem to solve due to the lack of easy access. There is some evidence that suggests that while expanding government insurance programs into rural areas would help, there are still many challenges in providing adequate care to the rural population. Here are some of them:

  1. Government-funded health insurance programs are not necessarily a solution to the healthcare problem in rural America because it may not be enough to provide adequate coverage to all who need it while keeping costs low at the same time.
  2. The number of physicians available in rural areas is a large concern for many who live in these areas, which would make it difficult to provide adequate access to medical care.
  3. Rural citizens often have poorer health than urban citizens and rely more heavily on Medicaid and Medicare due to the lack of insurance opportunities in these areas.
  4. The quality of medical care in rural areas is typically lower than the quality in urban areas because there is a larger quantity of specialists needed to provide adequate care for a smaller population.
  5. Although many people believe that providing proper healthcare in rural areas will have benefits, some researchers have suggested that it may be more efficient to simply move rural Americans into urban areas for better quality medical care.
  6. Other issues that may occur if expanding government-funded health insurance programs is seen as the main solution to providing healthcare in rural communities are that there may need to be more money spent on transportation and information technology than before, which could lead to higher taxes and fees.
  7. The issue might not just lie with the quality of doctors but also with the lack of healthy behaviors from those living in rural areas and what can be done to promote this.
  8. Many who provide medical services in rural areas do not want to stay in these regions, which is impacting the number of physicians available.

 

Ways to Improve Rural Healthcare Accessibility

One of the most effective solutions for improving rural healthcare in rural America without expanding government-funded health insurance programs might be through telemedicine, which would enable people living in these areas to have equal access as those who live in urban areas as well as provide more jobs for those who work in this field.

Another option for increasing healthcare access and availability in rural communities may be through an expansion of nurse practitioner programs, which would require less medical training than physicians and therefore could reduce the costs associated with this oftentimes difficult medical service.

There are also many opportunities to provide health services in schools as well as promote healthy lifestyles by promoting nutritious food options at schools and programs for children to play recreational sports.

Another way to improve rural healthcare is by providing more incentives and scholarships for medical students to attend universities in rural areas rather than urban or metropolitan ones, which could lead to more doctors choosing this field of work because they would then have a better understanding of how it is like living in these communities.

Some have suggested that there should be a shift from expanding government-funded health insurance programs into rural communities to investing in these areas by providing training opportunities for medical professionals, encouraging industries that would create jobs, and promoting healthy lifestyles.

Another idea that has been proposed to improve healthcare in rural America is permitting nurse practitioners and physician assistants to do more procedures and prescribing medications without a doctor present, which would increase their role within the community leading to more accessible care.

There is also the belief that there needs to be more of a focus on preventative medicine, which could help lower the costs of medical care as well as increase the number of good years people live with their current diseases and conditions.

 

Importance of Healthcare Technology in Rural Areas

While some believe that technology in healthcare is an issue when it comes to providing people living in rural communities with the same quality of care as those who live in urban areas, many are seeing this development as a way to improve affordability.

One idea for using telemedicine in rural areas would be through video-conferencing to connect doctors in urban and metropolitan areas with patients living in rural communities, which would help provide them with more up-to-date medical care.

Another way technology could be used to improve healthcare would be through the use of mobile clinics that travel from city to city providing services at a low cost, although there are some concerns that these would become overcrowded.

While some are concerned that technology may increase the costs of healthcare in rural communities, others believe that it could actually lower this cost by reducing transportation fees as well as enabling people to have access to more services and products at a lower price.

 

Although rural America makes up around one-fifth of the population, there are many concerns that these communities have less access to affordable healthcare than those who live in urban or metropolitan ones. Hopefully, opportunities to expand healthcare accessibility and availability for people living in rural communities, including through telemedicine, nurse practitioners programs, healthy lifestyle initiatives, and better training opportunities for medical professionals will reduce these disparities creating a more equitable healthcare system.

Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. We are a premier software and mobile app development agency specializing in healthcare mobile app development, custom mobile app development, telehealth software, sales dashboards, custom mobile app development services, retail software development, supply-chain software, ecommerce, shopify, web design, iBeacon apps, security solutions and unified access software.

We are proud partners with Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Schedule a free 30-minute call with us to discuss your business, or you can give us a call at (949) 284-6300.

The Future of Contactless Payments

contactless paymentsStarting with just a handful of users back in the 1990s, the amount of contactless cards circulating in 2021 reached well over 190 million. Mobile contactless payments are also on an upward trend, with at least 43.9 million users making this kind of transaction in 2021.

 

What are Contactless Payments?

Contactless payment is a method of paying for products or services without physically tapping or inserting your card into a terminal device. In most cases, you just have to hold the card or mobile device over a reader for it to work. Although contactless cards are usually used by customers who want to pay for small consumables, mobile contactless payments are becoming increasingly popular among buyers of bigger products such as electronics and furniture.

 

The Advantages/Benefits of Contactless Payments

The advantages of contactless payments are numerous. They are extremely quick and easily usable in situations where you don’t have your wallet or purse on hand, such as buying something from a vending machine.

A contactless payment system works through a mutual authentication between a card or mobile device and a terminal. This means that the issuer of the card controls whether it is really you trying to make a payment, so even if someone stole your credit card number, they couldn’t use it without your PIN/password or fingerprint.

Contactless payments are very secure as every transaction has to be authenticated with different hardware depending on how much money you’re spending. Even if someone managed to copy all the data from one of your cards, they wouldn’t be able to clone it because each clone would require its own encryption key.

Many countries have started putting chips in their cards that store information beyond just account numbers and expiration dates, such as owner’s biometric data, making them ever more secure against fraud and data breaches.

 

Contactless Payment With a Credit Card/Debit Card

The most common way to pay using contactless is through your credit or debit card. Simply hold the card over the reader for it to work, as if you were doing any other type of transaction with that specific card. You can also use this method to pay for public transport with contactless cards and mobile devices in some cities around the world.

 

Mobile Contactless Payments

The easiest way to pay via your phone is by holding it up against an NFC-equipped terminal capable of receiving wireless signals from your device. In case your target terminal isn’t NFC-equipped, you can use an NFC tag to make your phone connect wirelessly with the target device.

 

Contactless Payment With a Wearable

Wearable contactless devices are also becoming more popular, especially among people who want to quickly pay for something without having to reach into their pocket or bag. The Wocket Smart Wallet is considered by many to be the best example of this technology because it stores account numbers for thousands of different cards and can even generate new temporary card numbers if your main card number gets compromised somehow.

 

Other Contactless Payment Methods

There are also other ways that you can pay using contactless such as:

  • Using your mobile device as a car key (Ford)
  • Making online purchases via smartwatches (Apple Watch)
  • Paying for bus, taxi, and train travel with QR codes
  • Using an RFID-equipped card or keychain to unlock your vehicle

 

What Contactless Payments Will Be Like in the Future

The future of contactless payments looks very promising. All the different possible payment methods, such as wearable and mobile payment, make them more efficient and less cumbersome to use than current ways of transacting money or making purchases.

As we move into an increasingly technology-driven world, where everything is connected with the internet , we will undoubtedly see a greater number of new and innovative means of paying for things and transferring money without even needing to reach for our wallets.

So many possibilities exist for how we can pay in the future that it’s impossible to predict what might happen over the next ten years. What seems likely though, given these technologies’ increasing popularity, is that contactless payments will become more widespread.

There are several new contactless payment methods that are currently in development. Most of them will use NFC technology but there is also RFID (Radio-frequency identification) contactless payments which allow customers to make agreements with their bank or credit card issuer so they can pay different merchants by touching their phone against the merchant’s POS device.

As more people start using cashless means of transaction because it’s quick, secure, and efficient, the number of businesses offering payment via mobile devices will only continue to grow.

Sunvera Software develops next-level software applications from start-to-finish. We are a premier software and mobile app development agency specializing in healthcare mobile app development, custom mobile app development, telehealth software, sales dashboards, custom mobile app development services, retail software development, supply-chain software, ecommerce, shopify, web design, iBeacon apps, security solutions and unified access software.

We are proud partners with Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Schedule a free 30-minute call with us to discuss your business, or you can give us a call at (949) 284-6300.

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