Android is going from strength to strength, not just as a framework, but also as a platform for the developers. The launch of Android Studio helped the developers accelerate the pace of development, and launch the app faster.

Recently, to aid the development and the methods adopted by the developer, Google released the Android Jetpack. The idea behind releasing the Jetpack is to boost app development without compromising on the quality.

So, what is Android jetpack? It is basically a set of software components that help in developing Android app solutions. It is an excellent collection of all the tools, libraries and guide that you require to follow through app development with ease. The jetpack also includes the best practices to follow, which help you ace the app development.

Apart from being a series of tools that help app development, it also lays the foundation for the infrastructure code, which can be used by the developers to devise ultimate solutions.

Before we understand Android Jetpack in detail, let us try and understand how it can aid in Android app development. Continue reading →

The rise of technology in recent years has resulted in your IT department becoming one of your business’s most important teams and assets. To ensure that you are getting the absolute most out of these essential professionals, you should seek to optimize their workflow and enhance their efficiency. By investing time and effort into this challenge, you will stand to reap a host of benefits that are felt across the length and breadth of your company.

To find two ways you can improve your IT department, be sure to read on. Continue reading →

With more devices than ever being connected to the internet, WiFi has become a big part of modern living. Despite making our lives easier, being connected can leave us vulnerable.

Criminals can potentially steal data and information, and this can be devastating for anyone who is affected. More secure WiFi is achievable, but there are some precautions you should take.

If you are asking the question, how do I secure my WiFi, here are the basics: Continue reading →

Ever heard the saying that television is the king of advertising media? Does this still ring true today, with the rising popularity of podcasts and mobile social use?

You might get surprised to learn how effective the landscape still is.

To help you discover the truth and plan your marketing strategy, check out the disadvantages and advantages of TV advertising right here. We’ve got three pros and three cons listed for you to consider.

Read on below to discover more: Continue reading →

As technology grows and expands, so does the threat of cyberattacks. In 2017 alone, there was a 600% increase in cyberattacks. While anyone can be a victim of a cyberattack, 43% of them were against small businesses. These two statistics would frighten any business owner who uses technology alongside their work.

Unfortunately, using strong passwords, keeping up with software updates, and keeping an eye on employees isn’t enough to prevent being a victim of a cybercrime. If you want to keep your company as safe as humanly possible, hiring the best IT team is essential.

Here are five reasons you should rely on a managed IT service versus hiring IT employees in-house. Continue reading →

The brick-and-mortar store, they say, is less important than the pixels of your website, and the follow count on your social media channels. Companies across industries and geographies are discovering that it’s in the digital realm that they can find their competitive edge in the modern era – and that means that you, too, should consider your various locations on the world wide web. This article focuses on only those that are most important to your business; helping you establish yourself as a presence across some of the most-visited platforms in the world. Continue reading →

Whether you’re an entrepreneur or a seasoned business professional, customer satisfaction is going to be at the heart of everything you do. Even if you have a great product or service to offer, it means nothing if your customers are unhappy and therefore rate your business badly. Dissatisfaction in customers leads to loss of sales, bad reviews, the possibility of refunds and an overall negative impact on your business.

That is why it’s crucial to keep those customers happy – and here’s how technology can help you to do that.

Use Online Training Courses

You can learn more about better management of your business and increasing customer satisfaction through online enrollment courses and further training. If you’re looking to hone your current skills, or if you’re just starting out in business and would like to learn as much as you can about business optimization and a better connection with your customers, online courses are a great way to do that. Programs such as Lean Six Sigma White Belt can help you to better understand the voice of the customer, and do business more efficiently.

Social Media

Everybody uses social media, which means any business without at least one social media platform is falling behind. Social media is a simple and quick way to communicate with your customers – and best of all, other potential consumers will see you doing so. If you resolve something quickly and efficiently for the world to see, it promotes good customer service and a good business reputation.

Ensure that you’re encouraging conversations via social media, and make sure that you have the option of contact through social media for any customer service queries or feedback.

Online Surveys

One helpful way of determining where you’re going right and wrong with customer satisfaction is through a survey. Customers are more likely to complete a survey online than they are physically or through the post. Offering the opportunity for customers to take a quick survey will be very beneficial for analyzing feedback and therefore working to do better.

You could program a survey prompt to pop up after a customer has placed an order with you (if you run an eCommerce website) or you could have a survey option on your website, through social media or through a customer mailing list.

Device Optimization

You should ensure that your website and business functions work quickly and efficiently, no matter the device. Nothing can increase customer frustration more than a slow website, or pages failing to load when customers are browsing – especially if it is an eCommerce website they are using.

Most internet browsing and website interaction is now done via mobile, which means you should certainly make sure that your website is optimized to work on a mobile device as well as a desktop. Consider mobile interaction when you are designing your website if you are starting a business from scratch and check how certain elements will translate onto mobile devices.

 

It has been years since manufacturers have been employing a time-based approach for equipment maintenance. There was a time when the age of the machinery was taken into consideration to plan for maintenance routine. The simple way to calculate it by considering the fact that the older the equipment, the more frequent maintenance procedures need to be executed. However, according to a study conducted by the ARC group, across the globe, only 18% of types of equipment have failed due to its age. On the other hand, 82% fail on a random basis. This goes to prove that the time-based approach is not the right way to go ahead. The final take is a piece of equipment that gets maintained despite its actual requirement.

To get rid of ineffective maintenance routines and costs that accumulate with it, manufacturers can leverage the Industrial IoT solutions in combination with data science. In the forthcoming sections of this write-up, we will look at the various ways IoT-based predictive maintenance can prove to be effective in increasing the efficiency of the manufacturing process. Continue reading →