Content Analytic Platforms

One of the huge upsides in the digital distribution economy is access to data. Content creators have more tools for tracking their content than ever before. In fact, not that long ago you just kind of had to "guess" what was going on with your music. Now, with at least two major platforms, you can watch it happening in real time. The downside, of course, is that there isn't a ton of uniformity. Each service has its own little quirks and you kind of need to come up with the metrics that matter most to you. Let's take a look at some of the defining characteristics of the different "content analytics" platforms related to services like Spotify, Apple, Amazon, Pandora, and YouTube.

All of these platforms help you look at the big picture. That means things like number of streams over time, number of listeners etc. Typically, the most common time frames include looking at these changes over 7 days, 28 days, the year so far, or for as long as they've been tracking the data. But they all have a unique way of measuring how fans engage with your content. And they all have some extra tidbits worth paying attention to. Probably the current "standard" for these platforms is Spotify for Artists which underwent a huge overhaul beginning in 2018 and continues to release new updates with regularity. Most semi-serious artists probably at least know about Spotify for Artists.

Spotify was the first platform to really "brand" its metrics. The most obvious example of course, is "monthly listeners" — an otherwise arbitrary statistic that Spotify has chosen to make front-and-center on its platform and was the metric that launched a thousand marketing plans. But the most important metric available to users is actually "saves," a metric that is mostly unique to Spotify for Artists (but not Spotify as a consumer-facing platform). Saves are probably the best indicator of user engagement with a song. A good "saves to listeners" ratio helps you make sure your song is resonating with the right people. Although not entirely unique to Spotify, you can also track your "followers" in Spotify for Artists. The unfortunate thing about followers is we don't know what they're "worth" at this point. Obviously if somebody follows you on Spotify, they're more likely to hear your music than if they don't. But how much more? Spotify doesn't really say.... 

Your followers aren't necessarily guaranteed to see your new music — a point emphasized by Spotify's recent push to get people to advertise new releases to Spotify in platform. There is also "Canvas Views" for people who upload a Canvas for their song. It is, frankly, not that interesting of a metric. Spotify also has a few articles available to read. They are definitely intended for brand new acts. Spotify of course hasn't released any official language on this, but general knowledge says that if at least 10% to 20% of the people who listen to your song also save it, you'll be in a great spot algorithmically. Spotify for Artists is how you officially submit a song for editorial consideration. That doesn't mean you might not end up on an editorial list if you don't submit the song. And it certainly doesn't mean you will end up on a list just for submitting your song. But "best practices" for Spotify include submitting your song through their submission portal on Spotify for Artists. You technically need to do it a least a week in advance, but a month or longer if you've got it is typically preferred. 

Definitely. Spotify for Artist does a good job of letting you control your profile presence on the platform. Spotify is pretty clearly working to make Spotify for Artists a "two-sided marketplace", that means they ultimately want to monetize the platform by offering services within it. They've already started doing this by acquiring SoundBetter, a platform designed to help artists find collaborators, singers, producers, mix engineers, mastering services, and more. Spotify has advertised SoundBetter within Spotify for Artists. 

Apple Music lagged behind Spotify in releasing an analytics platform for awhile, but when it finally got out of beta, the Apple Music for Artists platform offered some interesting metrics. It's much more of a straight up analytics platform, meaning there aren't any editorial submissions or extra content. In some ways, that keeps it nice and clean. But in others, it means there's not a whole lot of reason to hang around for more than a few minutes. Apple Music for Artists has two distinctly unique metrics worth paying attention to. The first one is downloads. This is important because people still buy digital downloads (especially internationally) and it's money in the bank. That's an insight you wouldn't be able to get from any platform besides Apple Music for Artists. The second unique metric is the Shazams app that helped you identify what song was playing. Well Apple bought it awhile back and incorporated it into things like Siri. And believe it or not, people still use it quite a bit. Shazams are a metric that can indicate interest in your song. The more a tune is "Shazamed," the more it means people are interested in listening to it again.

While it's possible for a user to favorite a song on Apple Music, we don't have a way of seeing those numbers right now in the analytics platform. Maybe in the future, but it just doesn't exist. However, Apple music does prominently display radio spins, which can be another good indicator of your song getting long-term algorithmic support. Here's another interesting thing about Apple Music: instead of displaying a monthly listener stat, they go with Average Daily Listeners. Apple Music's geographic location is also a lot more robust. While Spotify only lets you look at top cities, Apple Music for Artists shows you legitimately every place your music was played on a heat map. It's probably the best geographic information of all the platforms, along with Pandora (which is only in the U.S.).

Apple Music typically pays better than Spotify because they don't offer a free version. While the platform has fewer users than Spotify and you might get fewer listeners there, the money is better. In other words: don't sleep on Apple Music. Millions of people still use it and the Apple Music for Artists platform is robust enough for you to measure potential marketing effects of sending people to Apple Music. Apple Music is probably the slowest when it comes to updating data. It's pretty much always two days behind (sometimes three) and can update at completely random times of the day. The platform also doesn't have any "real time" measurements, which overall means it all just lags a little behind the others. 

Amazon Music for Artists' streams and listeners do update in real time, making it the most up-to-date platform of the three so far. Hands down the most unique metric (and also potentially the most confusing of all the platforms) is "Voice" and "Daily Voice Index." What it boils down to is: how many people asked Alexa to play your music. Amazon breaks these down by voice requests for Artist, Album, Song, and Lyrics which is definitely unique. So basically, this is how Amazon is measuring a user's engagement with your music. Similar to Apple's Shazams feature, it seems like it could limit a lot of actual engagement and might be better for determining certain trends with songs.

It's also clearly in line with their goal of making Alexa a huge priority. The Daily Voice Index basically shows you if the number of requests indicates you are "Cool," "Warm," "Hot," or "On Fire." Outside of the obvious implications, we don't really know what that means. Amazon's official explanation for this is that "Daily Voice Index compares this artist’s total number of requestors with artists that have a similar-sized audience on Amazon Music." Amazon Music for Artists also has one other section that is unique to it: Fans. Again, not a lot of information about what exactly constitutes a fan or a "Superfan" (a subcategory within fans), but Amazon says, "Fans are a segment of an artist’s listeners from the trailing year who show a high affinity for their music."

Which makes it sound like they're using how likely somebody is to listen to the artist over time as an engagement factor, which is pretty cool. Because it's all still in beta we don't have a ton of info on how useful any of this is just yet. But it's nice to see Amazon working towards offering unique insights based on its platform. Amazon is very interested in becoming a one-stop-shop for artists. That includes things like offering artist merch directly in Amazon itself. They are currently testing the waters and sending fairly frequent surveys to beta users about potential features to include. So that is to say, the one thing to know about the early iteration of Amazon Music for Artists is: expect it to change, probably drastically. 

YouTube uses "YouTube Analytics for Artists" interchangeably with YouTube Studio, but we'll just keep calling it YouTube Studio for now because, well, that's what it's called in YouTube. First of all, props to YouTube for being the only platform that includes its analytics dashboard directly in its core product. But that's also because YouTube is the only one of these platforms where you can directly upload your content without a middleman. Technically, YouTube's various iterations of analytics are the OG. They date all the way back to 2008 in some form or fashion. YouTube Studio's data puts all the others to shame. But that also means it can be a bit overwhelming. So when it comes to looking at YouTube Studio like you would the other three mentioned above, what are some of the important stats?

YouTube Studio has so many metrics that are unique to it that we could write a whole post just on YouTube and barely scratch the surface. Most people already know about likes, comments, and subs though. Instead, let's look at a particularly interesting metric: Watch time which is a pretty solid indicator of engagement because it allows you to see just how much of a song a user is listening to. We know Spotify has this data (which they refer to "skip rate") but they don't share it on their platform. That means your ability to get in and see how long people are watching videos for can really help you understand which songs might be resonating the most. Another critically important unique metric: MONEY. If you're monetizing your channel, YouTube Studio can show you your estimated earnings from the ads playing on your videos up to a few days ago. These two unique metrics alone make YouTube Studio very powerful.

YouTube has a very cool feature that allows you to see how your songs are doing in videos where you have a copyright claim. What does this mean? It means if somebody uploading their own lyric video of your song, you get to track those views and engagement in your YouTube Studio, even though it's not technically your video. Another cool thing is that you can see your views in real time, meaning if you're running ads (either on YouTube or elsewhere), you can monitor their effectiveness. If you're using Google Ads to run YouTube ads, it will even break down that traffic source for you. Oh, and traffic source — another great metric. Really this whole platform is just head and shoulders the best one for analytics nerds. Except for general age and location data, which is surprisingly not great. That's probably due to the fact that YouTube doesn't require you to have an account or enter any of that data to watch a video. The monetization for YouTube is not like the other platforms, so it's much harder to pin down. And because you can upload a lot of content that isn't just strictly your music, it's up to you to be organized enough to make use of the data. 

There are several other platforms that might be working on analytics backends we don't know about yet. Places like Deezer and TIDAL seem to be good candidates for them, for sure.

Real Cost to ERP Systems

If you’re in the initial stages of the enterprise resource planning (ERP) evaluation process, you’re probably wondering, “How much is it going to cost my small business?” This is a fair question, yet unfortunately there is no simple or precise way to answer it. Estimating the total cost of an ERP system requires careful assessment of an array of variables which can vary wildly from one small company to the next. The size of your businesses, your unique requirements and your scope of use all play a critical role in determining the cost of the ERP system.

Understanding the factors that influence the cost of ERP will help give you a better idea of how much your business can expect to pay for an ERP startup. Moreover, it gives you the knowledge to carefully evaluate estimates that fall significantly below or above industry standards. Many companies began using ERP systems rather than accounting software applications. An ERP system differs from accounting systems in that accounting systems only perform accounting-related tasks. An ERP system, however, can handle not only accounting tasks, but general business management tasks as well. Overall, it's a more powerful platform. An ERP system is essentially a suite of software packages that can perform accounting, product planning and development, manufacturing, inventory management, sales management, human resources, and other business tasks. 

Open source ERP systems support is priced on a per-user basis. Specifically, the number of users that will be using the system at the same time and the level of access they require. For example, a small-to-medium-size job shop may not require a Master Production Scheduling module or sophisticated warehouse management, and a large multi-national company would probably require more financial management applications than a make-to-stock manufacturer. Some ERP systems allow third-party software add-ins which for users to create customized documentation and reports, generate barcode labels and perform custom data extractions. You can expect third-party software licensing to be about 10-15% of the overall software cost.

Implementation costs are a significant consideration because you as the buyer can dramatically influence this expense. Implementation costs cover planning and organizing your project, training, prototyping functional areas of your business, installing the software, configuring the system, implementing process changes and completing conversions. Typically, an implementation to software cost ratio of .75:1 to 1:1 is considered a good planning goal but a ratio of 1.5:1 or 2:1 is not uncommon for more complex or customized ERP initiatives, especially if the implementation will cover multiple locations. It's necessary to have professionals install and configure your ERP system, so you will need to include these implementation costs in the total price of the ERP system. ERP systems are complex software applications, so you will likely need to change operating systems, upgrade or change servers, and change other hardware and software you use on your company’s network in order for the ERP system to run properly. You will also need to – or should – set up a test environment as part of the implementation so you can test the ERP system without affecting your company’s real data. This can save a lot of potential working hours if there an issue with implementation. 

As mentioned, an ERP system is a complex software application that can be thought of as a suite of software applications that are simultaneously compatible. Your employees will need training on how to use the programs, because an ERP system is not as intuitive or easy-to-use like a basic accounting software program. Therefore. When you talk about enterprise resource planning and overall cost, you must also talk about training. Utilizing ERP software can be a learning curve, especially for those who are unfamiliar with utilizing an enterprise solution, or those who aren’t as technologically-savvy as others. There are initial costs associated with training your employees on in-depth tactics and ways in which to use the system. There’s also costs associated with continuing training, specifically on-site training when needed. Often, the ERP vendor will provide training upon request at a standardized hourly rate. There will be times when a consultant becomes necessary, in the case of specialized content or particularly difficult need arises. In any case, you will need to factor these additional costs into your analysis when reviewing ERP systems for purchase.

Implementation costs are one thing, but another major aspect of an enterprise resource planning software solution is customization. You want your new solution to work perfectly and uniquely for your business, and that usually requires some level of customization. If out-of-the-box functionality isn’t enough for your ERP users, you may need to incur some expenses regarding developing a more customized product. You will incur some expense in developing customized reports so that your employees can perform their daily and monthly tasks with ease. An ERP system can store a substantial amount of information, but users are limited in the ways that they can access the information. Therefore, it is not uncommon to have IT staff dedicated to developing customized reports for various departments so that business processes and analysis can be performed timely.

When new software releases of your enterprise resource planning solution are announced, you may want to consider upgrading. Software upgrades for any ERP system should be an expectation at some point down the line; the last thing you want is for your version of the solution to become obsolete. If your company is upgrading from an accounting software program to an ERP system, then you will certainly have a lot of processes that will need to be redesigned. For companies using accounting software, many tasks may be performed outside the software either manually in a paper format or a third party application such as MS Excel. The acquisition of an ERP system should, in theory, mean that many of these tasks are being automated by the software to increase both accuracy and efficiency in performing these tasks. Even if your company is changing ERP systems, no two are alike so you can expect to have some changes in your company’s business processes to coincide with the software’s processes. When an intriguing upgrade becomes available, you’ll have to pay an upgrade fee. In addition, there may be additional hardware or software needed to ensure the upgrade runs as seamlessly as possible.

Maintenance with on-premise ERP system is extremely important. You need your product working properly and constantly up-to-date. Costs associated with ongoing maintenance include any additional hardware needed, IT labour and any other departmental costs to ensure your enterprise solution is in perfect shape. You will need to maintain your ERP system so you will need to factor in these costs.  Maintenance costs for an ERP system typically run between 15–20% of the initial purchase price. Like all software programs, ERP systems require periodic upgrades to avoid becoming obsolete. You should consider how often you expect to upgrade your ERP system, and what these costs will be when you go through with the upgrade. You should also consider that any upgrade may affect business processes, and require additional hardware or software so the system runs smoothly if your business is not run on a mirrored set-up while performing the updates or data transfer.

Your employees will run into trouble using the ERP system, and you will detect numerous bugs so you will want to ensure that your vendor will provide you with adequate technical support to resolve these issues. You should ask your vendor if this support is included in the fees or is an additional cost, as  support can end up affecting your bottom line if not included in the initial purchase, and isn't closely monitored. Small-to-mid-sized businesses can expect the cost of software and services combined to be a significant investment, but a properly implemented ERP system will pay for itself quickly.

To ERP or not to ERP

This is one genuine question many small business owners need to ask themselves. Implementing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is one of the biggest investments a business can make, yet many small businesses claim that they are ‘too small’ for adopting an ERP system. So we decided to focus on some point that why Small businesses need an ERP system to stay at the top of their competition. This stems from the mindset that the number of users expedition the need for an ERP solution. The accuracy is that ERP for small business must be faster and sharper than the competition. In today’s business perspective, no business is too small for an ERP solution. ERP for small businesses allows to appear, act and operate like an enterprise-scale business. Even so, ERP Implementation for Small business comes with some risks. When you attempt to integrate your business operations with data and technology. There surface unexpected challenges. 

What is ERP?

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) has been known to be the backbone of many corporate-scale businesses. This software is a key tool for managing the whole tasks of a business life cycle like production, order processing adapt, inventory management and much more. It also supervisor business resources between stakeholders, such as; materials, revenue, order, staffing, and manufacturing capacity. All these things are done in a single interactive database management system with built-in analytics and a dashboard. An open-source ERP solution for small businesses can be implemented across several aspects of industries like spazashop or retail, hospitality, manufacturing, transport, industrial, as well as agricultural farming and livestock management. In the past, there haven’t been as many suitable ERP options available to small-sized businesses as there are at the present time. ERP for small business was not so easy as these businesses simply didn’t have the funds or technical support to create the base necessary to endorse the traditional corporate-scale ERP solutions.

Most growing businesses end up creating a fragmented business structure made up of several separate programs that handle finance, inventory, sales, payroll and more. However, open-source technological advancements have opened the door to more practical small business solutions. However, There are points that small businesses owners need to understand. Within a small company or startup, attendants wear multiple hats. Each person inclines in frequently wherever and whenever the need arises. But the fact is nobody has the time to manually process multiple spreadsheets and separate mountains of data and if so there must be some errors at the end of the day. ERP system for small businesses are geared towards  blending and automating key business functions such as taking orders, inventory management, account management, etc. However, ERP software is integrated over all departments of a company of any size. Implementing an ERP system for small business entails careful planning in order to minimize the risk of failure and to ensure that all the goals are met.

A sound ERP implementation strategy will involve a team to assess your operations. Analyzing your processes, and discovering precisely how specific ERP applications will help you outperform. An unclear vision is a risk you can avoid. This progress requires an established ERP strategy prior to selection, a standardized implementation blueprint and involvement of all business and IT staff members. Any business can get a real-time return on investment dispatch from the use of an integrated ERP system if executed correctly. ERP implementation for your business - You need an ERP implementation that includes upfront training. And engagement plan to get your teams on board early and excited about some change. Software change management is a key exercise in the success of your manufacturing ERP solutions. The risk of poor user engagement is extremely important and can easily manage early on.

When you should realize that this is high time!! Miss management of warehouse/Inventory is one of the signs.....Are you loosing the track of your products? There are more scenarios like the sales estimation is based mostly on guesswork; your company is struggling to keep up with an upsurge of orders or relies heavily on Excel spreadsheets; getting solid facts becomes problematic- it is surely the time for your business to implement an ERP system. Instead of each department having its own information system, all relevant data can be shared and accessed by a few clicks by integrating an ERP system. This eliminates the need to re-enter or export data which can result in fewer errors. It increased the productivity of your company and reduced the expenses on human resource.

Real-time data provided by the ERP system can be beneficial for management, marketing, accounting and enables your organization to make vital decisions on time which reduce the overdue of deadlines. Teams can detect any potential issues that may bump the productivity level. An overall report of operations allows the business leaders to make an effective decision on time and respond quickly to a changing business environment. Perhaps one of the enormous benefits that can be enjoyed from ERP for small business is an increase in productivity, which is important for any company’s bottom line. With increased transparency by smooth business processes, employees can shift their focus on managing enlarged volumes of business. This aids in transforming various features of your business and overcoming the challenges involved in your business growth as well. Besides, when your small business makes the swap to ERP software, you can enjoy streamlined data flow. This is exclusively true among fast-growing businesses, which may run into problems when it comes to data being discriminate in different departments. 

For example, financial data needed by the inventory department may be difficult to get ahold of. With an ERP software, everything is in one place and all official data is available to each department. Implementing an ERP for small business can bring a huge change on the matter of struggling with collaboration. Poor communication and lack of collaboration often come as a result of employees not having access to data when they need it. When all employees have access to data across all the departments, collaboration is better facilitated because these workers are better able to see the “big picture” within your company. Perhaps most important fact for many small business owners is that an ERP system evidently reduces overall operating costs. By streamlining data into one software application, now you can save money on the individual software and management systems that you were previously paying for in each department. 

When you receive the right software suggestion based on your environment and needs. The chances of a seamless ERP Implementation success for your business are high. The selection of scalable, relevant, and tested business software lead to seamless processes for your business. A sounds ERP implementation will involve more than an out-of-the-box only solution. You need to select a company that is willing and able to customize the ERP business modules that align with your goals. A reputable ERP implementation company takes systems and data very seriously and when it comes to making decisions for a small business, it’s important to have all the data in one single system which will ensure that the data is up-to-date. With openERP for small business, there’s never any doubt that this is the case. As a result, decision-making is more joyous and greater peace of mind with having confidence in any choice making.

Advertising Technology

Emerging technologies always encourage scrutiny and critical analysis, and advertising technology (ad tech) is no different. This discipline has been around for a few years, but it's only recently caught the attention of savvy ad tech vendors. In the era of big data, we've recognized having ad tech company relationships makes us more powerful and attractive to clients. The age of social media has forced agencies to investigate innovative ways to interact with relevant users, rather than relying on typical broadcast or digital media buys. The first step to leveraging ad tech is understanding that it is the umbrella term for the software and tools that help agencies and brands target, deliver, and analyze their digital advertising efforts. If you've ever scratched your head at the terms "programmatic" or "omnichannel," you've likely already heard a little about what ad tech does (though you may not have even realized it). Programmatic advertising, for instance, buys target audiences instead of time slots: Think about buying ad space that reaches a particular demographic wherever it is instead of buying a prime time TV spot and hoping the right people are watching. Omnichannel marketing reaches target consumers across all channels -- mobile, video, desktop, and more -- within the context of how they've interacted with a brand (those first seeing an ad will receive a different message from those who have engaged with that brand a number of times). Omnichannel and programmatic aren’t the only two tools within ad tech, but they are two of the most revolutionary.

If you’re plugged into ad tech, you’ll surely know that one of the topics around the industry is supply path optimization (SPO) which is the practice of pruning bid requests through algorithms to make smarter buying decisions and reduce infrastructure load and the next evolution of programmatic. These algorithms often look at the supply-side platform (SSP) publishers work with to analyze traffic patterns and win rates to assess which publishers provide the most direct, toll-free path to their inventory. One way that publishers are engaging with the SPO movement is through ads.txt (Authorized Digital Sellers) whch is an initiative from IAB Technology Laboratory. It specifies a text file that companies can host on their web servers, listing the other companies authorized to sell their products or services. This is designed to allow online buyers to check the validity of the sellers from whom they buy, for the purposes of internet fraud prevention. 

More advertisers think log-level data is a remedy for many of programmatic’s woes. Originally, we used the data to check that nothing shady was happening to our money, whereas now we’re using it to funnel our money through cheaper, better-performing ad tech vendors. But getting this data isn’t easy. Log level data is granular data that is collected about every single ad request. It can include everything from the designated market area (DMA) associated with the ad request to the specific reason why a bid was blocked. Most data publishers and advertisers can access within an advertising platform is aggregated. On the other hand, log level data is completely raw and can be used to create advanced reports not typically available within a platform. Log level data allows publishers to optimize their inventory’s performance from an ad call to an impression. Publishers can evaluate this data for a full perspective regarding how buyers are bidding on their inventory over time. If a publisher sees pockets of peak demand when an increase in bidding occurs, they can adjust their inventory prices accordingly. With a complete picture of their demand, publishers can optimize price floor and price rules to balance price against demand, ultimately leading to additional revenue and a higher fill rate. Publishers can also use log level data to optimize their traffic acquisition strategies. For example, a publisher may need to decide if they should attempt to drive more traffic to a desktop site or in-app content. If the publisher knows which inventory has higher demand at particular days and times, they can drive traffic to the best performing content.

Large brands and agencies have invested in data intelligence teams to help shed light on what has been a traditionally murky programmatic supply chain. Advertisers can review auction-level data to understand the full scope of the supply and demand “ad tech tax” they are paying for a single impression. Evaluating this data also allows advertisers and brands to whittle down their supply partners and develop closer relationships with a limited number of SSPs and exchanges. Stronger relationships with fewer partners can help improve brand safety and inventory quality. One of the most important things to understand about log level data is it is not delivered as a report. Any publisher or advertiser hoping to gain additional insights from log level data will need their own business intelligence software to gain any insights from these files. As the industry pushes towards full transparency in the programmatic supply chain, log level data will continue to be an essential piece of the puzzle for both publishers and advertisers.

Content Management

At first glance, “product content management” seems like another meaningless buzzword. There are a lot of vendors touting their product content management systems. There are very few of them actually talking about the practice of product content management. If vendors only use the term in an attempt to differentiate from the product information management marketplace, but still basically sell PIM, then what does “product content management” even mean? Well, fear not! If you have a business that maintains a wide range of products across a variety of channels, it’s important that you deliver consistent product information. However, it can be challenging to manage so many different products. You may find that your branding, marketing, and sales efforts are inconsistent. Know that you are not alone, many encounter the same issues. Product content management is actually a merchandising discipline that is worth understanding. It incorporates aspects of retail merchandising, digital marketing, and content strategy into one discipline. Product content management is commonly defined as: “The tasks of content creation, aggregation, categorization, scheduling, staging, publication, and syndication. Beyond the core product content assets, it also incorporates the assignment of attributes such as category, price, and promotion eligibility.” Before we get into the meat of it, let’s talk about two important marketing disciplines: content strategy and content management. These terms may sound analogous, but they are not. They are two distinct, but related, marketing disciplines.

At its best, a content strategy defines: key themes and messages, recommended topics, content purpose (i.e., how content will bridge the space between audience needs and business requirements), content gap analysis, metadata frameworks and related content attributes, search engine optimization (SEO), and implications of strategic recommendations on content creation, publication, and governance. Content strategy is the driving strategy for any successful website. It’s the discipline of deciding how you are going to use your web content to achieve your organizational goals. Content management is the discipline of facilitating the content lifecycle–you know, that content that was derived from your content strategy. How do you create it? How do you manage and/or maintain it? How do you publish it? Are there approval workflows in place? Who is responsible for what? Content strategy is the–well–strategy. Content management is the execution. You’ll often hear the term “content management system” to describe the technology platform used to facilitate content management. These come in all shapes and sizes from the free and hugely popular WordPress all the way to six-figure enterprise systems like Adobe Experience Manager. Remember though…content management is the technology and process. A content management system won’t just magically make it all work. To execute a successful online strategy, some degree of content strategy and management are necessary. Smaller companies may be somewhat informal about these disciplines, but you can be assured they are or should be thinking about it. Product content management (PCM) simplifies many of the tedious and time-consuming product-related tasks. You are able to quickly update and manage all your products, which is essential with a large or growing product catalogue. Here are some of the ways that a PCM allows you to do that:

- Control all your product content across all sales channels from one place

- Consolidate all product content and information and provides accessibility and manageability for your users

- Categorize and classify products, manage your catalog, and even import supplier catalogs

- Easily add new products and specials like bundled offers online

- Give product content a consistent look across all your sales channels

- Provide shoppers with a compelling customer experience that is consistent and engaging

While generally accepted among us as digital marketers, content strategy and content management are a little tricky to apply to a retailer’s specific business model. The ideas are still valid, but they’re a bit too abstract when taken at face value. This is especially true of content management. To a retailer “content strategy” almost becomes retail merchandising. It’s the discipline of determining how you want to bring products to your market. It’s just missing a few technical details, like search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. But, content management for retailers is a different story. When you read the literature on content management, it isn’t written to the retailer specifically. Retailers are also challenged with managing a product assortment and vast amounts of product data to describe that assortment. This is something that other business models do not face. There is no such thing as “merchandising” in any business model other than retail. Retailers must constantly source new products that will satisfy their customers. They must combine their separate supplier catalogues into a master catalogue. They must enrich that catalogue with descriptions and attributes that explain the products, while maintaining the desired brand experience. To a retailer, the products are the content. So, the retailer has to fight two demons: the challenge of maintaining proper product data and the challenge of executing a well-managed content. This is no easy task.....Content management systems, like WordPress, are therefore not built for retailers. They are not built to facilitate the processes of a retail business. They are built, mostly for managing content-driven websites, like blogs and marketing sites.

It is technically possible to run an eCommerce business on a basic content management site. And, some retailers have even tried to do it. But, the technologies and the processes they facilitate are so different than what the retailer needs, it winds up costing a lot of time, money, and mistakes to customize the system. Content management is just simply not built for retailers! As a result, many retailers either spend millions building their own homegrown systems, designed to execute their processes. Others simply ignore the issue, move to an eCommerce platform like Shopify, and neglect to think in terms of “content management”. Neither of these is an effective or scalable strategy! What retailers really need is a version of content management, adapted to their specific needs. They need best practices and technologies that are specifically designed to help them execute their content strategies–their merchandising strategies. PCM is also a hybrid discipline, combining concepts from retail merchandising, product data management (sometimes called master data management), and content management. It is exactly what retailers need to execute the strategies they define. PCM incorporates data management disciplines to ensure that your master product catalogue is always accurate and always adheres to the brand.

How do you combine cataloges from multiple suppliers or manufacturers? Their data quality varies. Their data structures vary. Yet, retailers have to pull them together into a single cohesive catalogue. What are your practices for ensuring data cleanliness and auditing for accuracy? It’s too difficult and expensive to manually check every item in a huge product catalog, so retailers must define ways to perform ongoing monitoring. How do you link products, so that relationships, collections, assortments, and kits are appropriately represented by the data. This isn’t just a housekeeping exercise. This is required if you want to effectively personalize the shopping experience or make strong product recommendations. Rich metadata and digitally linked product data are not optional. PCM includes the execution of product lifecycle management workflows for bringing in new products, maintaining existing ones, publishing them to sales channels, and sunsetting products. In larger retail organizations, many people may touch the same product over the course of its life. Merchandiser A might source the product, adding it to the catalogue. Merchandiser B might define the brand-friendly product descriptions. An eCommerce team member might worry about publishing. Merchandiser C decides when the product is dead. PCM should include workflow definitions and tools to help execute them. It should ensure that products can be managed in a scalable way, helping to avoid a giant mess of data. Just like a content management system facilitates publishing web content for the world to see, product content management includes publishing products to sales channels. The publishing aspect of product content management may (or may not) happen in multiple technologies. For example, you could execute PCM inside your eCommerce platform, like Shopify, etc. You can bring in your products, update their attributes, and publish them to your webstore. But, this single-technology approach has its shortcomings....

So, what you end up seeing is a multi-tier technology architecture for PCM. One system for managing the data, one or more for publishing the data. Your exact technology architecture may vary, based on your needs. But as a discipline, PCM must include publishing that product content to the world. You may have heard of product information management (PIM) solutions and wonder how they are different from PCM solutions. And you will probably find that there is quite a bit of confusion about how they differ. As described, a PCM offers data enrichment and product information management (PIM) solution offers the same as a PCM, with some additional components like aggregation and data quality. Aggregation allows you to collect and combine product information from various sources and in various formats into a single source of information. Data quality refers to the ability to normalize and remediate any problem data. With a PIM, you will typically pay more for the added components. Despite the growing importance of product content management, many business owners are still not familiar with its uses. If you are still managing your product content manually, it’s definitely a solution to consider. A PCM can have a significant effect on your efficiency and scalability, which in turn, helps your business grow and prosper. To be honest, a lot of really big, well-known retailers just aren’t thinking about eCommerce in this way. And, they should!

Distribution Solutions

Due to technological advancements, there is increasing adoption of streaming solutions and services on a wider platform which helps in better marketing and branding of products. In 2018, streaming platforms had grown to over 200 million monthly active users across the world acoording to some research reports. The streaming market is expected to witness significant growth with the U.S and Canada anticipated to drive the growth of the world's streaming market. This is owing to the presence of large number of established players in video streaming market. In addition to this are well-established infrastructure which allows higher penetration of mobile devices which ultimately provides high speed connectivity and is expected to be a major factor for the growth of the streaming market. Majority of the companies are adopting streaming solutions and services for their marketing and branding activities which ultimately helps in driving the market growth of streaming market.

Kubernetes, originally designed by Google, and now maintained by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation, is seen as being faster and a safer option for streaming services. Kubernetes is an open-source container-orchestration system for automating application deployment, scaling, and management. It aims to provide a "platform for automating deployment, scaling, and operations of application containers across clusters of hosts". It works with a range of container tools, including Docker. Most streaming service consist of a mesh of different API services all written in node.js as well as the go programming language. Some streaming platforms are also deployed on Amazon Web Services (AWS) and built using EC2 virtual instances, set-up with auto-scaling capabilities to help handle demand using load-balancers to distribute traffic.

Many streaming services use Kubernetes-based platform or infrastructure as a service (PaaS or IaaS) on which Kubernetes is deployed as a platform-providing service. Many streaming services also aim to empower creators and enable a really immersive experience for their consumers. Streaming services adopted microservices and Docker in the early days with containerized microservices running across a fleet of Virtual Machines with container orchestration systems. As the streaming services grow, it becames clear to those vendors that had small teams working on these features that their technical operation were just not as efficient as those who adopted platforms that were supported by bigger communities. This sparked the growth around Kubernetes which was been constantly developed with more features that added velocity and reduced cost, as well well provided the industry with best practices and tools. At the same time, the team wanted to contribute its expertise and influence in the flourishing Kubernetes community. Those services which migrate to Kubernetes find that it fits very nicely as a complement to their existing platform as well as a replacement. Among the reasons why they chose to go with Kubernetes is the improved utilization and introspection capabilities that the technology provides.

Some of the biggest streaming services running on Kubernetes take about 10 million requests per second as an aggregate service and benefit greatly from autoscaling. Before, teams would have to wait for an hour to create a new service and get an operational host to run it in production, but with Kubernetes, they can do that on the order of seconds and minutes. In addition, they reported that with Kubernetes’s bin-packing and multi-tenancy capabilities, CPU utilization have improved on average two- to threefold. Some services also found that many problems with their services were not caused by Kubernetes but were there all along and Kubernetes made them more visible. The streaming market is rapidly over 17% of Compound Annual Growth Rate and expected to reach at approx. USD 82 billion by the end of 2023. The prominent players in the streaming market are - Netflix (U.S.), Adobe Systems Incorporated (U.S.), Ustream (U.S.), Amazon Web Service, Inc. (U.S.), Akamai Technologies (U.S.), Microsoft Corporation (U.S.), Apple , Inc. (U.S.), Google (U.S.), Hulu (U.S.), and Cisco Systems, Inc. (U.S.) among others......Segments of the streaming market are based as the following: By Streaming Type - Live Video Streaming and Non Linear Video Streaming; By Platform - Laptops/Desktops, Tablets/Smartphones, Smart TVs, and Gaming Consoles; By Deployment - Cloud and On-Premise; By Solution -Pay TV, Internet Protocol Television, and Over-The-Top (OTT); By Service - Training, Support, Consulting, and Managed Services; By Revenue Model - Subscription, Rental, Advertisement, and Retail; Lastly By Vertical - Healthcare, Education, Media & Entertainment, IT & Telecommunication, Retail, and Government;

North America is estimated to account for the largest share of the market, whereas Asia-Pacific is projected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period. The major growth in video streaming market in North America attributes to the technical advancements and increasing use of mobiles and tablets in that region. These are “affordable devices capable of supporting streaming services, and affordable, ideally uncapped, internet data. These are seen in waves across the world were developed regions are amongst the first to get ubiquitous high-speed uncapped fixed data connections at home. At the same time, smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, media players like Apple TV, and gaming consoles all reached the point that they were both affordable and advanced enough that they could process video. As soon as both were in place, streaming service usage took off in these regions. In terms of the African market, most service providers agree that greater access to broadband data and the qualitative advancement of internet connections through Fibre To The Business (FTTB) and Fibre To The Home (FTTH) is the first and most obvious answer to the rapid proliferation of streaming services across the African continent more generally. This unfortunately does not yet impact the mass market segments, for whom FTTH is either unaffordable or inaccessible. This market segment remains reliant on mobile broadband data, which is expensive for the streaming services or downloading of content.

As affordable uncapped data options expand across the rest of the African continent, it is expected that usage will grow exponentially. As far industry-specific innovations are concerned, enhanced video compression, to enable more efficient use of mobile data, would be a game-changer. As the larger cloud-based services like Amazon, Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure become more accessible and present in the African market, the cost of content storage, content delivery network services and digital content workflows are plummeting, making it more affordable for streaming services to access the market. For example, the use of LIVE2VOD functionality which essentially converts a linear programme just played out by a TV channel into a VOD asset on the fly. These types of programs can be streamed, downloaded or scheduled for download at off-peak times for consumers to enjoy. In addition, greater adoption of HEVC/H265 streaming protocols will decrease the broadband consumption and improve the quality of streaming services, too. Over the next few years, the quality and popularity of African content will continue to increase, allowing ‘Africans to tell the African story’. User-generated content and new forms of content creation will further add to the impetus and growth of streaming using Kubernetes in Africa.

Business Intelligence

Business intelligence (BI) is essential for business growth and competitive advantage, yet reaping benefits from BI requires more than implementing the technology that enables it. In fact, deploying the technology is the easiest part of any BI initiative, according to many analysts. Getting the personnel and processes portions right are much more challenging. As such, organizations must addresses personnel and processes as key facets of their BI strategy if they want to be successful. Moreover, BI strategies should be broken down even further to address ownership and continual improvement as well.

Having access to the right management information alone isn’t enough – you also need to use the right BI tools. In the information age, soloprenuers are required to organise, capture data and information from internal and external sources. A top-level BI person will typically be responsible for setting the tone on information gathering in a corperate environment. This information will then be disseminated to parties responsible for using it to benefit the organisation. In most organizations, tasks and activities relate to individual projects. This helps provide a focused approach when working in these environments. The BI person will often work with the company’s computer system and software in order to maximize information gathered by the company. This system is a primary tool for collecting data, creating performance metrics, presenting information for short- and long-term projects and other tasks under that intelligence person.

Word of advice: Organizations that place BI in the hands of business users have greater success rates than those who confine BI within IT. In a corpaerate environment, This may mean embedding BI within lines of business or having BI operations report to the chief digital officer or chief customer officer. Although the complexities of early BI technologies put IT in charge of many BI programs, today’s tools are more intuitive, allowing solopreneurs to go straight into the hands of business users who can run the queries that matter to them. Similarly, the speed at which users need access to data and insights derived from BI has increased dramatically in recent years. Today’s business users often need actionable information in real time and cannot wait for IT to generate reports. As such, IT ownership can be an impediment, rather than enabler, of BI success.

Although the business should own BI initiatives, IT must remain an active partner in monitoring and evaluating use of BI systems. Rather than putting up roadblocks, monitor what they’re doing, what data sources they’re accessing, what tools they are using and how they are using them. Solopreneurs running smaller organisations do not often have the resources or personnel for BI management. However, these solopreneurs can hire an external management consultant who can provide these services. Even businesses who do not have personnel with a background in intelligence management can also hire an outside consultant. These consultants can also train the company’s personnel on how to gather and disseminate information. Having business intelligence and information gathering assures the organisation that little to no important facts or data go unnoticed. This can result in a significant change to the organizational structure or corporate culture.

Change Management Process

As workers look for better work-life balance and employers need to find talent to fill vital roles, telecommuting can accomplish both goals. More people are looking for the option of remote work when looking for a new job. Companies need developers, security experts, and devops professionals to lead digital transformation work and secure the enterprise. IT Change Management is the process of requesting, analyzing, approving, developing, implementing, and reviewing a planned or unplanned change within the IT infrastructure. The Change Management Process begins with the creation of a Change Request within the company’s selected technology platform. It ends with the satisfactory implementation of the change and the communication of the result of that change to all interested parties. Several studies show that the trend toward telecommuting is not going away. Even if telework is not the norm for your company, it can be an important tool to use during a regional or national crisis. Most companies can best navigate telecommuting jobs by setting clear expectations, roles, and responsibilities and using collaborative platforms. Telecommuting is becoming more of a business strategy than a perk for small companies looking to find the right people. To achieve this, the change management process includes the following primary steps (note that all information collected in the steps below is documented in a Change Record created in the company’s selected technology platform):

• Formally Request a Change. All requests for change will be documented within the company’s selected technology platform by creating a new change record. The completion of a new request for change will be completed by the Change Coordinator with input from the Change Requester. • Categorize and Prioritize the Change. The Change Coordinator will assess the urgency and the impact of the change on the infrastructure, end user productivity, and budget.

• Analyze and Justify the Change. The Change Coordinator works with the change requester and the change initiator to develop specific justification for the change and to identify how the change may impact the infrastructure, business operations, and budget. The Change Coordinators use this information to further research and develop an extensive risk and impact analysis. When completing the analysis of the change, the Change Coordinator must ensure they consider the business as well as the technical impacts and risks.

• Approve and Schedule the Change. The Change Coordinator uses the company’s selected technology platform to record an efficient process for routing the Request for Change (RFC) to the Change Coordinator, technical approvers, business approvers and, in the event of a major or significant change, to the Change Advisory Board (CAB) for approval or rejection of the change. • Plan and Complete the Implementation of the Change. This process includes developing the technical requirements, reviewing the specific implementation steps and then completing the change in a manner that will minimize impact on the infrastructure and end users.

• Post-Implementation Review. A post-implementation review is conducted to ensure whether the change has achieved the desired goals. Post-implementation actions include deciding to accept, modify or back-out the change; contacting the end user to validate success; and finalizing the change documentation within the company’s selected technology platform.

Our observation of clients and case studies found that telecommuting two or three days a week seems to create the right balance between working at home and working at the office. These industries have the highest percentages of people who telecommute: Healthcare at 15%, Technology at 10%, and Financial Services at 9%, relative to their share of the total workforce.

Information Security Management

In an age of increasing data usage and the risk of information security breaches and cyber-attacks, the benefits of an information security management system (ISMS) are clear. Not only can it help to minimize the chance of such breaches occurring, it can reduce the costs associated with keeping information safe. ISO/IEC 27001 is widely known, providing requirements for an ISMS, though there are more than a dozen standards in the ISO/IEC 27000 family. Using them enables organizations of any kind to manage the security of assets such as financial information, intellectual property, employee details or information entrusted by third parties. An ISMS is a systematic approach to managing sensitive company information so that it remains secure. It includes people, processes and IT systems by applying a risk management process. It can help small, medium and large businesses in any sector keep information assets secure. Like other ISO management system standards, certification to ISO/IEC 27001 is possible but not obligatory. Some organizations choose to implement the standard in order to benefit from the best practice it contains while others decide they also want to get certified to reassure customers and clients that its recommendations have been followed. ISO does not perform certification.

The attraction of cybercrime to criminal hackers is obvious: tangled webs of interactions, relatively low penalties, disjointed approaches on money laundering and potentially massive payouts. The key is preparation and seeing vulnerabilities, and resilience, in terms of interactions with overall management systems, and that’s where information security management systems (ISMS) standard ISO/IEC 27001 comes in. We now know it’s true that risks that threaten information, business processes, applications and services are continually evolving. ISO/IEC 27001 is a continual improvement standard, which means the built-in risk management process allows businesses to keep up to date in their fight against cybercrime. the continual improvement aspect of ISO/IEC 27001 means that an organization can assess its risks, implement controls to mitigate these, and then monitor and review its risks and controls, improving its protection as necessary. In that way, it’s always on the ready and prepared for attacks:

Software attacks, theft of intellectual property or sabotage are just some of the many information security risks that organizations face. And the consequences can be huge. Most organizations have controls in place to protect them, but how can we ensure those controls are enough? The international reference guidelines for assessing information security controls have just been updated to help. For any organization, information is one of its most valuable assets and data breaches can cost heavily in terms of lost business and cleaning up the damage. Thus, controls in place need to be rigorous enough to protect it, and monitored regularly to keep up with changing risks. The technical specification (TS) has recently been updated to align with new editions of other complementary standards on information security management, namely ISO/IEC 27000 (overview and vocabulary), ISO/IEC 27001 (requirements) and ISO/IEC 27002 (code of practice for information security controls), all of which are referenced within. In a world where cyber-attacks are not only more frequent but increasingly harder to detect and prevent, assessing and reviewing the security controls in place needs to be undertaken on a regular basis and be an essential aspect of the organization’s business processes. ISO/IEC TS 27008 can help give organizations confidence that their controls are effective, adequate and appropriate to mitigate the information risks the organization faces.

At the business level, it remains a formidable task to model and mitigate threats from all conceivable angles. There’s a clear need to use a unified, integrated security system across the whole business and, given the complexity of interrelationships. ISMS are applicable to all types of organization and all types of business activities, including those of SMEs. Many SMEs are part of supply chains, so it’s essential that they are in control of, and manage, their information security and cyber-risks in order to protect themselves and others. A business’s obligations are typically defined in service-level agreements (SLA), contracts between partners of the supply chain that detail service obligations and requirements and establish legal liabilities, and that ISMS often form an integral part of such agreements. There are challenges attached to online business for SMEs, but they are far outweighed by the enormous potential that has been opened up by the Internet. It could be argued that it is smaller businesses that have been the most enabled by technology. Anybody – who has a design; who has a computer; who can get on the Web; has access to a platform – can become a part of international trade. The upsides for social and economic development are enormous: the Internet brings global reach to growing numbers of previously isolated individuals and communities. However, a proven and prudent approach such as ISMS is needed to mitigate the downsides.

Our private lives may be less complex than global business, but just as much is at stake. For many of us, simply following best practices for passwords and security updates (and bearing in mind that if it smells fishy, or looks too good to be true, then it almost certainly is) should help keep us safe from cybercriminals, much of the time. But people are increasingly asking questions about the way that institutions and companies store, analyse and monetize the vast amounts of data that we hand over more or less voluntarily. When privacy, finances, individual or corporate reputation are threatened, it undermines confidence and impacts our behaviour, both online and in real life. The role of the ISO/IEC 27000 family in allowing us to continue to advance is paramount. With many reasons to feel anxious as almost every aspect of our lives becomes digitized, it’s reassuring to know that there’s a family of standards to count on for information security management systems, and MEP Digital Systems is working with a global group of experts to keep clients one step ahead.

Business Continuity Planning: Remote Work

The coronavirus (or Covid-19) is taking a more serious turn in the South Africa with warnings that it could very well impact how, when, and where we work: That's a lot of disruption for the technology industry and for most industries, especially since the virus has not spread very far in the country yet. The global spread of the virus may be a moment that reveals whether employers are ready to respond rapidly to unexpected workplace changes. Business travel will decrease or come to a full stop. More employees may need to work outside of local “business hours” and use video conferencing to operate across time zones. And, if it gets bad enough, many could indeed be asked, or request, to work remotely. Thanks to digital transformation and cloud computing, you probably already have migrated a lot of work to the cloud. You may also have collaboration tools in place such as chat software and video conferencing. If you haven't prepared at all for such an event, it's a good idea to start with a team of maybe eight employees and tell them all to work from home. That team works from home for one day with each person doing their normal work. They should be able to interact with co-workers, clients, and partners as weel as use all the systems the company has set up. Perform regular assessments. How did it go? Were there any hiccups? That's where you need to direct your attention. Troubleshoot the problems and then roll out the solutions to the team. It's only through practice that you will turn this new way of working into muscle memory, making it as natural as working at your desk at the office. You need to plan as if the only way to remain operational will be for as many employees as possible to work remotely. Gather a cross-functional team together that includes business-line leaders, IT, HR, communications, and facilities to start to plan for different scenarios and optimize execution, should circumstances require a rapid response. Note which roles and duties: 1) Can be done, even partially, without a physical presence in the workplace, 2) Cannot be done, even somewhat, outside of the physical office, and 3) Not sure.

You will need to challenge any potentially inaccurate default assumptions about specific jobs you may have thought couldn’t be done remotely. And for those in the “not sure” column, be willing to experiment. For example, for years, We’ve been told, “Helpdesk analysts can’t work flexibly.” And, for years, We have worked with teams of systems administrators to prove that is not true. Yes, certain tasks they complete require physical presence, but those can be planned for. The majority of their tasks can happen effectively outside of the traditional model of work and benefit the business. If you'll be using your mobile phone and video conferencing, you will also want to make sure you have a headset and maybe an external webcam, We also recommend that you test your vitual private network (VPN) before you leave the office. To do that, first disconnect from that office network, then turn on your mobile phone's WiFi hotspot, and connect to the corporate network that way. Make sure you can connect via VPN or gain entrance through whatever security measures your enterprise has in place. You also need to assess the comfort level with specific applications, such as video conferencing and other collaboration/communication platforms. Where you find gaps, provide training and opportunities for practice before people need to use them. Real-time mastery is not optimal and is inefficient. Identify devices owned by the organization that people could use and clarify acceptable “bring your own device” (BYOD), be it phone and laptop options. Determine if there are any data-security issues to consider and how best to address them beforehand. Your communications plan needs to outline: how to reach everybody (e.g., all contact information in one place, primary communication channels clarified — email, IM, Slack, etc.); how employees are expected to respond to customers; and how and when teams will coordinate and meet.

For management, pull out those rules and procedures you wrote up to deal with emergencies and crises, Figure out the way that you will communicate directives with employees. Determine what systems, communications, and processes you need to implement to continue on as an existing business entity serving customers and employees. After the flexible response period is over, this data will allow you to reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and why. The data will also prepare you in advance to answer the inevitable question once the crisis has passed, “Why don’t we do this all the time?” Depending upon the outcomes, you may decide to continue certain aspects of the flexible response permanently. For example, perhaps you cut business travel by 25% and substitute video conferencing. You determine afterward that about 80% of those meetings were equally as effective virtually. Therefore, a 20% decrease in business travel will continue, but this time as part of the organization’s sustainability strategy to cut carbon emissions. Global health emergencies, like Covid-19, are scary, disruptive, and confusing for everyone. And if you plan and nothing happens? Then, at minimum, you have an organized, flexible work disaster response ready the next time there’s a challenge to operational continuity, which chances are, there will be.

Statement of Requirements

The team at MEP Digital Systems is experienced in technical support, project management, technical sales and consultancy. In addition to excellent product and technical knowledge, we build effective relationships with customers and analyze business and technical requirements including developing solutions that meet those needs. We work with product development teams to customize products for individual customers, demonstrate products to customers and explain how the proposed product or solution meets customers’ needs. When customers have agreed to purchase a solution, we identify the services and support customers will need to make effective as well as productive use of products. We manage projects and put together installation programs that minimize disruption for customers including arranging training for IT users. We monitor the progress of product installations to ensure that they are successful, identify any recurring issues and recommend changes to products. We hold regular review meetings with customers to discuss any issues or problems and provide reports.

Technical account managers analyze customers’ support requirements and identify areas where the company can offer improved service or reduce support costs. By monitoring product performance and associated support needs, we identify opportunities to upgrade or modify products so that they meet customers’ needs more effectively. We provide reports on product performance and advise customers on new products or upgrades that may be suitable for their business. Once written, signed and accepted by all parties, the statement of requirements (SOR) delineates all of the milestones between beginning the project and delivering all of the modules of each stage of the endeavor, the SOR prevents a situation known as "scope creep," or constant changes in the components and deadlines of a completed contract. When creating SOR, we consider everything that all of the interested parties would expect to receive, including how to comply with applicable laws, regulations and customs. We spend time meeting with clients in order to have a full assurance that neither party has misunderstood anything.

We include SOR in project queries which consist of two main types: solicited and unsolicited. Solicited project queries include answers to calls for bids and requests for information. The statement of requirements for a solicited project query answers all of the points raised by the prospect client. Our unsolicited queries, on the other hand, include potential returns on any investments and what probable solutions we deliver quicker and more effective solutions. We create compelling offers with a clear call to action using unsolicited queries. Despite the fact that the client may have already provided their own needs assessment, the possibility exists that something vital to the project's success might not have occurred to the person who performed it. We therefore review every line of the assessment provided by the client, asking probing questions to ensure that we both have the same understanding of every term and condition. We identify all the deliverables and the responsibilities of the client and the contractor. We state how and when to expect invoices, purchase equipment and release funds at each stage of the operation. Each requirement should contain a single thought. The statement of work must also include the timeline for completion and who will verify that the work adhered to applicable laws and regulations. The goal is that everything left out on purpose cannot creep back into the project later and wreck the schedule of payments and deliverables.

Optimizing Digital Transformation

Digital transformation is a catchall term that includes a wide variety of goals. For some companies, digital transformation means leveraging cloud capabilities. For others, artificial intelligence and machine learning are more important. Increased analytics capabilities and Internet of Things implementations play roles as well. The point of digital transformation is not to take companies from paper processes to hyper-advanced and complex digitized alternatives. On the contrary, many components of digital transformation are subtle. Even the most technologically challenged business owners, given a bit of time, can lead an effective digital transformation with the right mindset. Company goals and challenges dictate the type of digital transformation to pursue. A company that seeks more customers, for instance, might consider how to implement new tech to improve the customer experience. An online chatbot or a user-friendly app might do the trick, or perhaps a business’s first step is to create store listings on Google and Apple Maps.

A company struggling to optimize its partner network, on the other hand, might invest in more analytics tools to make better choices about shipping and vendors. It doesn’t matter whether the company sells software or gravel: Digital transformation is for everyone. Businesses considering digital transformation should ask themselves where their threats and opportunities lie. Have comparable industry players already made moves toward digital transformation? Have customers begun to demand options that the company cannot provide today? Rather than wait for market influences to force their hands, though, businesses should proactively pursue digital transformation to stay ahead of the game. Most employees are set in their ways: In order to make the change go as smoothly as possible, business owners need to talk to employees about why the company is moving in a digital direction. Some employees worry that digital transformation will eventually cost them their jobs. Cents saved are cents earned, even for companies with growth goals. Before taking on new debt to tackle grand opportunities, consider how digital transformation could make existing processes cheaper and easier. Mosy small companies can’t afford to sink money into suboptimal campaigns the way big ones can. With a predictive analytics tool that integrates with existing tech, small businesses can stretch their advertising budget much further.

Most Bigger companies can afford to staff robust IT departments, but smaller companies don’t have that kind of cash. By outsourcing, small companies can maximize their resource pools and only pay for the aspects of digital transformation with the greatest impact. A good technology partner will recommend in-budget solutions that are compatible with a business’s infrastructure. Ask potential partners whether they have experience with small businesses, who at the vendor will be responsible for communications and what kind of preparations the business should make ahead of time. Digital transformation isn’t some vague buzzword. For small businesses, digital transformation includes all the little steps forward that add up to massive cost savings, happier customers and improved prospects. Look for areas with easy opportunities for big improvements, and then use these tips to turn those potential gains into reality. Fortunately, digital transformation doesn’t require businesses to move every process to the cloud, nor does it require them to invest millions of Rands in brand-new tech -- a critical note, The most effective digital transformations leverage existing infrastructure and find maximum value in the most sensible improvements.

c. 2018, MEP Digital Systems (Pty) Ltd.

Service Subscription Business Model

Subscription business models are taking hold in many different industries, supported by advances in cloud computing, data analytics, and the Internet of Things (IoT). Suppliers benefit from longer and wider revenue streams for their products, while customers avoid big upfront payouts and are able to standardize and spread out their expenses. Subscription-based services certainly aren’t new. But the model that’s evolved in the last several years is more robust and widely applicable than any previous one. It has radically overhauled at least one major industry. Subscription cloud computing services, with their flexibility, cost savings, and performance advantages, are increasingly replacing on-premises software as the technology platform of choice for enterprise IT. The as-a-service model is catching on quickly in other industries, including construction, where new, sophisticated machinery is extremely expensive and aging equipment is a competitive disadvantage. One major manufacturer of construction equipment is expanding its digital services for high-end products to include real-time monitoring of parts and performance to identify weaknesses and wear.

In healthcare, IoT-enabled devices already relay patients’ health data immediately and consistently to hospitals and medical practices, implemented as part of a remote monitoring service. In the auto industry, Volvo’s recent advertising campaign, extols the manufacturer’s new subscription program, under which its monthly vehicle charges include taxes, insurance, and both roadside and at-home services. This program eliminates the down payment and end-of-service fees typical of auto leases. Other auto manufacturers and dealers offer similar programs. Subscription services are popping up in unexpected places. In anticipation of the impending shift to 5G wireless networks, a major network device manufacturer is offering consumers 5G router hardware, software, and support bundled as a “premium service.” A European utility is offering consumers a service that, for a monthly fee, monitors temperature and functioning of a customer’s hot water tank through an attached IoT device. Temperature loss results in a text message and/or phone call to the customer, expediting a visit from a technician already armed with relevant data.

The as-a-service model appeals to millennials, according to recent reports, many of whom value convenience over ownership. Those strapped by college debt also appreciate the ability to spread out their costs—for everything from clothes to furniture. Still, the consumer-oriented subscription market isn’t without its challenges. For example, recent efforts to offer IoT-enabled, app-connected electric scooters as “shared services” have no doubt created a ready-made market of urban commuters looking for mobility alternatives, but issues related to traffic rules, safety regulations, and liability are holding back the services, while a glut of competitors is complicating the economics. All of this adds up to a typical day in e-commerce land. Which of these new online as-a-service businesses will succeed over the long haul, and in what form, isn’t exactly clear. What is clear is that the current “let’s see what sticks” business environment requires savvy companies to overcome any lingering trepidation about the model cannibalizing their current revenue streams and explore where “as-a-service” might fit into their product plans. In addressing such an open-ended imperative, cloud computing can help. MEP Digital Systems, for instance, offers field service management for subscription tailored specifically to the as-a-service model.

Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign!

Dear Future Victim,

PLEASE PANIC!

Cower in the corner under a toilet paper fort with a pile of ammo for a pillow. Meanwhile, I’m hacking your corporate network. Work from home, they said. Self-isolate, they said. Avoid contagion, they said. They forgot about me, for I am a DORMANT CYBER PATHOGEN. Dormant no longer While you’re avoiding biological infection, I am quietly spreading my digital contagion throughout your organization, ready to flip the switch at just the right moment: RANSOM TIME!

God, I love the smell of ransomware in the morning. Nothing like the sweet, sweet aroma of bitcoin in the aftermath of a little bit of racketeering. A racketeering cyber pathogen–that’s me! Mixing metaphors like bleach and sulfuric acid, but it don’t matter cause at the end of the day it’s BLING BLING, CHING CHING TIME, when I count up my illicit Bitcoin gains and then fill a vast silo with the same number of gold coins so I can swim in my loot like Scrooge McDuck. (Don’t tell me you never wondered what that would be like.)

How did I rise to my current eminence, sitting Smaug-like on a load of loot? Simple. I waited for you to make mistakes. Errors because the boss said, “Just make it work!” You had 24 hours to set up work-from-home for an army of cubicle natives, unaccustomed to sweat shops hours of pajama productivity. Some of my fave mistakes you make are also the easiest for you to fix. No wonder I’M KING OF THE WORLD!

DON’T DEPLOY A VPN. 

Force your employees to directly connect to the tons of new internet-facing services you just put online cuz your boss said productivity is the number one priority. We’ll see how much he likes productivity when I take his entire network for ransom. Go ahead. Punch a hole through the corporate firewall and give RDP access to a bunch of employees–and to the entire internet!

Just to make sure I was doing this crime thing correctly, I caught up with Johnny Xmas, obviously not his real name (duh!), a senior researcher for the cybersecurity R&D firm GRIMM. He told me I was totally on the right track. The number of remote desktop servers (RDP) appearing on the internet as a whole is increasing substantially on the whole day by day. Do they all have MFA on them? Probably not. Why are we directly exposing them to the internet? Employees should VPN into the corporate network and then RDP into the machine. Trust me, I’m gonna love that unpatched Windows XP box covered in dust the IT department just gave the whole world access to. In fact, my only real problem will be keeping other attackers from partying with me–that’s my box! Bad APT! Bad APT! Take your advanced persistency and go threaten someone else!

I get very territorial when doing crimes. It’s a question of ethics. Only one racketeering play at a time. This Windows box ain’t big enough for the both of us. DRAW, STRANGER! But I digress. Ever since escaping WestWorld things have been a bit strange. (Oops, now you know my secret, you won’t dob me in, will you? Please, guvnuh, can I have some more?) Oh look, an employee working from a personal device!

USE PERSONAL DEVICES.

I loves it when you do this. Access confidential business information from the unsecured personal laptop full of third-party softwaremalware! So easy to pop. SNAP CRACKLE POP, I’M RANSOMWARE! TAA-DAHHH! So when I send you my handcrafted, artisanal phishing emails linking to websites such as my freshly registered Covid19MedicalAdvice.com with an urgent subject line “Employee Health & Safety” from a spoofed email pretending to be the CEO, my RAT will out-CAT your consumer-grade anti-virus.

There’s never been a better time to go phishing. “When people get scared, they may not be as focused as they need to be, looking at these links and email addresses,” I once heard NetScout CSO Debby Briggs say. “If I’m the person trying to break in, I’m going after email, and I’m going to create fake websites.” When your panic-addled brain sends an electrical impulse to your mouse-clicking fingers, then my malware will be coming down your fiber optic like a giant uncovered digital sneeze. Here’s hoping COVID-19 doesn’t jump the meatspace-digital barrier and start infecting computers, I may be a dormant cyber pathogen awakening from my slumber, but compared to COVID-19, I’m an infectious amateur.

You’re l33t, bro. Yeah. I’m talking to you. You with the classy hacker handle: “COVID-19.” You may still be a teenager but mad respect for your skillz. Let’s get a little bro-mance going on here, between two infectious geeks. I know they say we can never be together, you a biological agent of doom, me a digital agent of doom, but look at how much we have in common: WE ARE BOTH AGENTS OF DOOM! Think about it, bro boo. You call me. Yeah, I’m making that thumb and little finger gesture that looks nothing like a phone. I never thought I could fall for a virus I didn’t create myself, but that’s love for you, I guess.

NO 2FA? NO PROBLEM!

For the love of my ill-gotten plunder, do not, I repeat, DO NOT enroll your employees in any kind of two-factor authentication program. Nothing bursts my bubble as a digital agent of doom than having to end-run around properly configured 2FA, especially you awful, horrible people who use U2F tokens like Yubikeys. See that cartoon steam pouring horizontally from both of my ears? That’s how I feel about 2FA, YOU WASCALLY WABBIT, YOU! What? I’M the wascally wabbit? Wow. Looking in a mirror hurts.

FORGET EMPLOYEE TRAINING

Embrace your cynicism and repeat after me: “If education is the solution to your security problem, you’ve already lost.” Everything is lost! Give in to panic! Give in to hopelessness! What’s the point of living? Just accept my malware into your life, like the Gospel of badness it is! Because in a pinch training can be quite effective, and we do NOT want any of that happening, now do we, my dears? “It’s not possible in a two-week period, much less 24 hours, to roll out a full MDM [Mobile Device Management] solution to enforce and monitor policies,” Xmas says. “So, it’s important to get the verbal policy out there, to train work staff on secure practices.” 

“People won’t listen all the time when dealing with this emergency,” he adds, “but security is never all or nothing. We do what we can when we can and work towards building up to a perfect solution in the end.” Remember, folks: The good is the enemy of the perfect. Strive for the impossible! Strive for true innovation! Meanwhile, I’ll be holding your network for ransom. Now you’ll excuse me, I have a silo of gold coins to go swim in.