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Denis Woods

8 Reasons your Business needs a CCTV Monitoring Service

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Security comes first. This is applicable for both the scenarios of physical security and virtual data security. While businesses are equipped with an array of advanced technological tools and techniques to ensure optimum security of their brand-sensitive data, the physical security of business premises is also highly critical.

Whether we are talking about a commercial space or a massive SEZ, making it secure should be the top-most priority of the business owners. A safe and secure place is highly essential for employees to engage more comfortably with one another and be more productive in all their endeavors. CCTV monitoring emerges as one of the unarguably robust and efficient technologies to ensure the physical security of business premises, both internal and external.

CCTV offsite monitoring offers business owners a holistic and clear view of their ingoing and outgoing crowd. It also offers greater insights into the internal daily functioning of a firm. Business owners can keep an eye on their employees’ functional aspects without actually being near to them.

Despite the wide-scale adoption and popularity of remote video monitoring services, several businesses are still apprehensive about its adoption. Many small and medium scale enterprises may consider it an extravagant expense.

Do you share the same thought? If yes, it’s time that you change your perception. Leveraging CCTV surveillance solution is indeed a necessary investment in the current times where businesses are exposed to unwarranted contingencies every day.

While some business owners may have some reservations in investing in surveillance monitoring, this article succinctly lists out some of the key reasons for the adoption of remote monitoring.

1. Prevention is Better Than a Break-in

CCTV surveillance is considered as one of the most effective ways of avoiding break-ins. Strategically placed CCTV cameras play a vital role in discouraging potential troublemakers with malicious intent. Thus, it helps business owners in eliminating the loss of property or time in chasing any troublemakers.

2. It Comforts the Staff

The workplace where employees have a sense of security yet freedom is indeed a great place to work. While ensuring employee security must be the top-notch priorities for the business owners, they must make sure that their employees are comfortable too.

As decision-makers, business owners are entrusted with the responsibility to chase away irrational fears among their workforce by implementing premise surveillance systems.

With fears at bay, employees tend to be more comfortable in their work environment and stand a chance to go above and beyond their set KRAs. Employees working in the night shifts will be more comfortable knowing their security has been taken care of by the organization. IT indeed boosts their work ethic and loyalty.

3. It Reinforces the Trust Your Customer has

In today’s disruptive digital environment, trust is considered as the marketing currency. Business owners strive to capitalize on this marketing currency and employing CCTV surveillance systems on the premise is a good first step. Some might wonder how CCTV and customer trust are interlined.

Well, customers, both existing and potential ones tend to trust an organization that has requisite security measures in place. This is even more critical for a large organization with high-profile clientele as they don’t have to be worried about the security breach, loss of sensitive information, etc. Surveillance systems can also be a deciding factor on whether or not they should be working with an organization at all in the first place.

4. It Facilitates Evidence Collection in Disputes

The business ecosystem is not essentially devoid of any conflicts. And, identifying the perpetrator in case of any suspicious activity and conflicting testimonies often turns out to be a nightmare. However, a CCTV system can come to the rescue of business owners during such scenarios. A CCTV system will essentially offer the necessary evidence of any suspicious activities or any changes in any pattern that is different than usual. Besides, it can help in resolving disputes with clarity.

5. It Gelps in Cases of Emergency

In case of any emergency such as fire, a CCTV system can speed up the identification of high-risk areas, and help the staff and customers exit the premises in a safe and orderly fashion.

6. It Minimizes False Alarms

A false alarm can be a nightmare of its own. It creates unnecessary panic among the employees and individuals in office premises and disrupts the workflow. However, with a CCTV security system, it becomes easy to check if any alarms were raised truthfully or by mistake. Requisite measures can be implemented based on the outcome. In the case of alarming situations, on-premise individually can take the safety exit root.

7. It Lowers Insurance Expenses

Insurers are assured of the security of the office premises and lower incident rates when they see a surveillance monitoring service in place. This aids their decision in setting a lower premium rate for a business. In case of any unfortunate casualties, a CCTV system assists insurance investigators in realizing the validity of an insurance claim and taking the apt decision.

8. It Eliminates Operational Inefficiencies

With a CCTV system in place, business owners can also supervise any areas with gaps in the workflow. Besides, it can help business owners make decisions in identifying and reducing these operational inefficiencies.

Choosing the Right CCTV Monitoring Service

Considering the ever-increasing demand for security surveillance systems, an ambitious array of solutions are available in the market. And, the security requirement may vary from business to business. Thus, finding the right CCTV solution or the service provider is easier said than done.

Before weighing the CCTV service providers, business owners must understand the extent of monitoring and personnel needed to keep their business space secure and comfortable.

Camera resolution, alarm technology, the life of recordings, systems compatibility, and response time are some of the key factors that must be considered while opting for a surveillance monitoring service.

The team at Expert Callers focuses on quality assurance by bringing together the latest technologies and industry veterans, that provide the required level of live intelligence from CCTV monitoring to business owners.

For further queries, do reach out to the experts today!

Why You Need a SEBI Registered Investment Advisor

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With the country undergoing its fourth stage of lockdown during the COVID-19 crisis, people are growing to become more resilient to the impact of the ongoing pandemic. And that is extremely important for any country’s economic growth, for resilience and adaptability are the two pillars of getting the economic slowdown on track.

In India, we are ready to pay fees to lawyers, doctors, etc. for their advice. Still, we are somehow not used to paying Investment Advisors, let alone SEBI Registered Investment Advisors, for their expert advice on how we can manage our money efficiently.

It’s because people aren’t aware of the indirect fee structure (thought to be a free service), for they are happy with the tips/advice given by friends and family in most cases.

Resilience is what we need to survive and lead a life at a time when regular income has become highly uncertain. Because of that, people have gained a whole new outlook on their money management techniques.

In fact, people have been getting interested in obtaining an analysis of their current financial situation, identification of business goals, developing and recommending financial strategies to realize such goals through a sound portfolio advisor.

However, hiring an investment advisor out of the blue is not something that a wise man would do. To make sure your money goes to the best hands, it’s crucial for you, as the consumer, to understand what your portfolio advisor recommends and why. Make sure you keep a close eye on the fees you are paying, both to your advisor and for any funds bought for you.

When do you need an investment advisor?

There is no particular age or time frame that is required to seek the services of a financial investment advisor. You don’t need a sky-high net worth, but just find a SEBI Registered Investment Advisor to suit your particular needs.

That means you need to find an individual or financial planning institution to help them with all and any decisions related to investing, purchasing, selling. You may also need their help in dealing with securities or investment products and advice on investment portfolios containing securities or investment products.

Here, we will discuss some of the general reasons why anyone might need an investment advisor’s professional help to manage your financial decisions:

You don’t know how to handle investments wisely.

While surviving our everyday lives in inflation, any money that people keep in the form of cash, or even in a low-interest account undergoes a decline in value each year. Investing the money in a good, revenue-generating scheme is the best way out unless you have an exceptionally high income. This is the last resort if a person wants to have a steady influx of money after retirement.

You have substantial investments, but you still lose money.

Regardless of what investment scheme you choose to finance, even the best investors tend to lose money. It can be either because the market is down, or when people’s decisions don’t turn out the way they had thought it would.

However, this should not deter you from investing because fruitful investments are the only way to increase your net worth considerably.

Hiring a SEBI Registered Investment Advisor can help you find out what you’re doing wrong with your investments and correct your course before it’s too late.

You do not have any estate plans at present.

Having an investment advisor can help people put together an estate plan. This gives people assurance that their assets will be handled according to their wishes, even after their death. And in case a person doesn’t have a beneficial insurance plan, having a SEBI Registered Investment Advisor can help you with the same. But remember, its usually a fee-only financial advisor who will be able to offer a less biased opinion than an insurance agent.

But why should you work with a SEBI registered Investment Advisor?

People without a strong financial background should understand why its important to go for the best SEBI Registered Investment Advisor if you are looking for investment opportunities in India.

After all, most investment advisory services are regulated by SEBI – Securities and Exchange Board of India, through its Investment Advisor Regulations 2013. And all registered portfolio advisors come with the qualification, certification, and experience required by the regulation to ensure that the customers get quality advice.

The right portfolio advisor will also check the suitability of the investment advice and carry a risk profile of the client as per the guidelines. They are obliged to act in a fiduciary capacity towards their clients and disclose all conflicts of interest and when they arise.

The job of an investment advisor requires a lot of precision and attention to detail, like the execution and investment advisory services that have to be segregated to reduce conflict of interest if any. All these measures, which are mostly client-centric, bring transparency in the process of investment advice. Therefore, seeking the services of a SEBI registered Investment Advisor for such complex operations is always advisable.

Where do you find a reliable SEBI Registered Investment Advisor?

Although people can find a complete list of all the authentic and registered investment advisers on the SEBI website, there are various other players in the market as well. As a matter of fact, many registered investment advisory service providers have their own sites where you can check out financial information.

A lot of registered investment advisory service providers even allow their customers to sign up for their promotional newsletters for sound financial planning and investment advice.

Bottom Line

Not all financial advisors have the same level of training or expertise when you seek their services. Therefore, make sure to do your own due diligence when looking for a sound financial portfolio advisor and see that they meet your financial planning needs.

Keep in mind that finding an advisor who is the right fit for your financial requirements is the key to developing a successful long-term relationship. An investment advisor can have all the experience, credentials, and success stories in the world. Still, if you don’t like them, you won’t enjoy working with them, which will eventually affect your financial plan.

Three Things to Know Before Opening a Self-Directed IRA

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Each owner with a self-directed retirement account or SDIRA is unique. You might be a professional investor with years of experience or you’re a Traditional businessman. Maybe doing IRA investments. Or you might be a novice in the world of IRA, and you prefer having more control over your investments. 

Regardless of the reason for choosing SDIRA, below are the three things you should know before starting your journey. 

1 – Select your IRA custodian carefully

Yes, it’s feasible to open your IRA with any financial institution out there. But, very few of them know how to hold alternatives assets in SDIRA. A reliable custodian can help you with the complexity of owning an SDIRA.

They can also help you learn about potential risks like prohibited transactions and red flags, etc. If you’re looking for a reliable custodian, then you should consider approaching NuView Trust Company.  

2 – Pick among the Traditional IRA or Roth IRA

You might not know, but the IRS doesn’t identify the term ‘self-directed IRA.’ Since SDIRA is nothing but a Traditional or Roth IRA where you are managing or self-directing the investments. So, when you’re going for SDIRA, you have to pick between a Traditional IRA and Roth IRA. 

3 – Don’t make prohibited transactions

When you are making investments in an SDIRA, you have to avoid making transactions considered prohibited by the IRS. Otherwise, you might end up paying for inevitable tax consequences. Such transactions may involve using IRA money to purchase a property for personal use, or lending money to yourself or your family from your IRA, etc.

To conclude

Those were three things to know before opening a self-directed IRA. You need to choose the IRA services trust company carefully and avoid making prohibited transactions at all times. 

Why Digital Marketing for Small Business has become a Necessity?

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Starting off as a small business is not a straight road. There are multiple impediments at every nook and corner. And, each of these hurdles tends to keep the business owner always on their toes. Among all these hurdles, marketing is one such area that is critical for the success of the firm. From planning a marketing strategy to implementing it with perfection requires complete business knowledge and the knowhow of targeted customers. And, even if you have that knowledge, leveraging it for the success of the business depends completely on the expertise.

The Need for Online Marketing for Small Business

In recent years, there is heavy competition on the rise, no matter what business you are in. This is why, it is important to carve a different marketing strategy for your small business and catch your competitors off guard.

Digital marketing is one such area that is extremely popular and relevant to what you want to achieve for your small business. The Local Dude Marketing, a digital marketing agency in San Diego California highlights internet marketing as the very foundation to win competition over other marketing strategies.

Developing an online presence eventually offers you an edge over competitors in your industry and provides a strong grip on the market. While the traditional advertising is pretty costly, digital marketing can be ramped up even from social media platforms, and that too for completely free. Plus, it is completely relevant to the targeted base of customers you want to tap and attract them for the growth of your business.

What would be the Perfect Digital Marketing Channel for Small Business?

From being completely free to paid digital marketing channels, there are multiple types of internet marketing techniques that could render relentless benefits in a small span of time. Some of these digital marketing techniques are:

  • SEO
  • PPC
  • Facebook Marketing
  • Google Adwords
  • Email Marketing

SEO – No matter, what is the budget of your small business; SEO (Search Engine Optimization) would be the perfect bet to drive both growth and leads for your business. SEO is completely free that helps you gain maximum advantage of traffic from Google and other search engines. However, SEO requires a lot of time to ensure that your website follows and maintain quality standards. But, it could unleash huge benefits in long term

PPC – PPC means Pay per Click is an online marketing technique to gain leads on per click basis. So, you market your business online on a fix fee per click when a potential customers lands on your business page.

Facebook Marketing– Facebook is extremely popular social media platform but is a hub of potential targeted customers that is attracting multiple businesses to market their product and services. And even if you don’t’ have a substantial amount of marketing budget; you could leverage groups and pages to market your business for free. But, you can even start with a small budget on Facebook and start a campaign on your own. Check why social media is so much important.

Email Marketing – Email Marketing in sync with social medial marketing could be a showstopper by turning leads into customers. Captures leads from social media platforms and turn them into customers with the power of email marketing. Check this cool infographic on the combination of email and social media marketing.

Google Adwords– Google adwords is a paid marketing channel that advertises your business on search engine as well as numerous websites worldwide. Hitting the nail on the head is quite important in the race to survival. With growing competition among businesses, the success mantra would be to be a trailblazer amongst all.

Enter the Public Sector Through PSC Examinations

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Government jobs have always been the dream career for the Indian citizen. A decent salary, allowances of all sorts such as medical expenses, travel expenses, very high job security are the major attractions of a government job. Though things have changed a bit recently, with the younger generation showing least interest in it, there is still a large crowd aspiring to get a public sector job.

The shortcomings and low job satisfaction in the private sector are one of the main reasons for this. Private sector jobs are far less secure than in the public sector. You are always at a very high risk of getting yourself fired.

You may also have to settle for lesser pay at times while working overtime under high pressure. PSC exams such as TNPSC (Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission) are conducted by the state governments every year for selection to the numerous vacancies in the public sector.

What is the Objective of the PSC Exam?

PSC is the second exam after UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) which provides a gateway to recruit into administration services. While UPSC is a national level examination through which the recruitment for staff into various of the central government is done, the PSC is a state level examination for recruitment of staff into various state government roles.

Each state government may have different criteria to deem a candidate eligible or ineligible. For example, states such as Telangana is more likely to appoint only native candidates during the process of TSPSC (Telangana State Public Service Commission).

Andhra Pradesh is another example of this practice. This means that the age-old practice of permitting recruitment of non-natives may soon be taken away in these states. Some states such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu allow non-natives to apply for their own respective PSCs. But there is a mandatory criterion that the applicant should know the local language which in this case is Malayalam and Tamil respectively.

The state of Tamil Nadu requires the candidate to have studied Tamil as a language subject during schooling or college. Otherwise, they are to take a language test in order to be eligible for TNPSC.

The Benefits of a Government Job

  1. On-time Salary: In a public sector job you are guaranteed to receive your salary on time and it does not matter whether the country is in great economic depression or not. For the private sector, the case is different. Private employees are in so much risk that when the company is in loss there may be no salary and they may even lose their jobs.
  2. Pension: A government job provides pension until death. This provides complete insurance to your life. No private job gives you such an advantage and you have to save money while you are working for future and old age expenses.
  3. No stress: The workload in a government job is almost negligible. This means that there is little to no stress on the employee. But the same cannot be said about a private-sector job where you have to work more than 8 hours and even go overtime. This is one of the major reasons why people are still looking into the public sector and making a career through TSPSC etc.
  4. Housing Facility: If you are working in the public sector, then there is absolutely no tension regarding rent/mortgage. You will be provided with housing facilities such as government quarters without the need for any rent.
  5. Free health care Facilities: In today’s time medical and health care has become highly expensive. If you are working for the government, then all the medical expenses of you and your family are covered. Even big operations/surgeries, which could cost huge sums, would be done free of cost for a government employee.
  6. Allowances: A job in the public sector means all your extra expenses are covered. Allowances such as dearness allowance (DA), traveling allowance (TA) among others are provided to cover your expenditures. Moreover, you can travel anywhere in the country with a concession.
  7. Sense of Social Security: Compared to other people who work for private companies your life is much secure in the public sector. You will get an on-time salary, lifelong pension, full medical coverage, and other extra allowances. This gives a great sense of social security and tension free life.

Problems Faced by Dentist in Their Career

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Oh really? Are you a dentist? You must have failed MBBS that is why you are assisting as a dentist now. No offense, but ‘Dry’ doesn’t suit dentists.

Dentists go through all these asserting questions daily. Dentists and dentistry are some of the ample opportunities for people who are passionate about it.

However, they still go through a phase of degradation. There are many reasons for the appreciation and respect of dentists, which should be taken into consideration using this.

With all the backlash that they face, they still serve us for our toothaches. It’s terrific how the thought of visiting a dentist fills the heart with fear, but dentists are always kind enough to handle their patients politely.

Nevertheless, with all these facts, they face problematic and risky situations in their lives. Their career and professional lives are relatively tricky to MBBS doctors. It might look straightforward and luxurious but in reality, it’s way risky than any other profession.

There are consistent changes and experiments in dentist’s lives. Dentists have a very stable career. They require new techniques, awareness of advances, knowledge of instruments and polite behavior to attract their patients.

Since there are so many dentists out there, it becomes essential for them to come up with unique ideas.

Moreover, dentists are entitled to be trusted and efficient enough to deal patiently. In present times, dental practices are far more competitive and new for people.

It is easy to degrade their profession but it affects the dentists to a greater extent. Moreover, it requires a significant amount of money for dental practices.

Not everyone can fulfill the criteria of those expenses. Even in such advance times, Dentists are still not preferred equally as other doctors.

There are many misconceptions integrated to dentists and people are afraid to choose it as a profession. But more than that, they face tough circumstances. To enhance this perspective, here are the 5 problems faced by dentists in their career:

Lack of Support

When it comes to dentistry as a profession, people face lots of difficulties and degradation. It is not easy to be in a risky job, especially for the underprivileged people. It requires guts to choose a profession that you love and for some people it is dentistry. Lack of support is a huge difficulty for dentists. They have to cope up without much relief.

Misconceptions

Dentists are linked with different misconceptions and aspects of the profession. One common misconception is that they are considered as failures of MBBS.

It is a widespread perspective that most people have, according to these negative people, dentists are the left ones or weak students. Which is a completely wrong conception.

Another misconception is, people think dental treatment is easy thing. Why to visit a orthodontist when they can know about and can use gengigel for their issues.

Moreover, it is said that dentists live a luxurious life and they are abundant which is also not true.

Building a Strategy for Continuous Clients

It is a big challenge for dentists to come up with good ideas to have steady clients. It requires patience and functional skills to increase the continuity of people to clinics.

Without any strategies it is not possible to run a clinic and earn, sufficient amount of money. Not every strategy works but skills and passion can beat anything.

Hiring and Managing

It is strenuous for dentists to hire the right staff. It’s not easy for them to look up for the right people. However, hiring skillful people can increase compatibility and competitiveness.

Right staff can enhance the growth and trust between patients and dentists. It is challenging for dentists to hire and manage the right team with skills.

Information Technology

Advancement in information technology has brought few peoples for them as well. Today, all information is available on internet. There are various forums too. Every try to stay at home. They avoid visiting dentist and perceive it may be wastage of money when we can do self medication.

People try reading product reviews for their small issues like changing toothpaste or toothbrush for whitening issues instead of visiting clinic. This practice isn’t common in MBBS but here they face it as well.

Digismart Credit Card: Terms & Conditions, Fees & Rates, and common FAQs

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The Digismart credit card is carved out for everyone who enjoys digital platforms. Whether you are a shopping lover, movie freak, foodie or a wanderer, with Standard Chartered’s Digismart credit card you can avail exclusive offers and discounts at various merchant websites. Digismart credit card offers on flights are also a treat for those who travel quite frequently.

With some exciting features like Kuch Bhi on EMI, Contactless credit card usage facility, and SC mobile banking, you can enhance your experience of using a credit card. Along with the benefits, it is also very important to know the terms and conditions and additional charges that are applicable to the credit card.

This is necessary so as to avoid any sort of confusion related to anything while using the card. Travel around the country without burning a hole in your pocket with Digismart credit cards.

SOURCE: economictimes.in

Key Terms and Conditions of Digismart Credit Card

  • Standard Chartered Bank can remove, replace or change the merchants that are providing offers on the card and the cardholders will be informed about the same.
  • The bank has the rights to discontinue the benefits on the card without declaring any reasons for it. The bank is not obliged to continue the benefits on any cardholder’s request/demand.
  • The bank may revise/change the offers provided by the existing merchants on the card from time to time.
  • The cardholders shall not be awarded any reward points on the expenses of the card.
  • An existing Standard Chartered credit cardholder is not eligible for a Digismart credit card. Any application for the same will be rejected by the bank. The cardholder is advised to go through SC Phone Banking facility for more information.
  • A predefined monthly fee is levied on the card which will be charged regardless of its usage. 
  • Benefits of the card are not transferable to any third party.
  • Taxes and charges payable to the government or any third statutory authority which may arise in the future shall accrue to the sole account of the cardholder.
  • The bank has the authority to change/revise the terms and conditions of the card at any point in time.
  • Cashbacks are receivable by both primary and supplementary cardholders and the same take a processing time of a minimum 60 days.
  • In case of any issues or complaints regarding the benefits on the card, the bank’s decision will be the final one.

Fees & Rates of Digismart Credit card

  • A standard monthly fee of INR 49 is applicable on the credit card which is waived off at minimum spending of INR 5,000.
  • 3% of the amount withdrawn from the card is charged as a Cash Advance fee. The minimum withdrawal amount is 300.
  • In the case of overlimit expenditure, 2.5% of the overlimit amount will be deducted.
  • A mark-up fee of 3.5% will be deducted in case of overseas transactions.
  • Late payment charges of up to INR 800 are applicable on the card. There is no late payment charge applicable on an outstanding bill of INR 100.
  • There is no card replacement fee.

Some Common FAQs

  • How can I apply for a Digismart Credit Card?

You can apply for a Digismart card through the online portal of Standard Chartered bank.

  • What are the offers on domestic flights with Digismart Credit Card?

You can avail credit card offers on flights through Yatra (dot com). You can avail a discount of up to 20% on your domestic flight bookings at Yatra.

  • Can I avail any discount on my cab rides using a Digismart card?

Yes, you can avail upto 15% cashback on your Ola cab bookings. The maximum cashback is limited to INR 600 per month.

  • Is there any offer on international flight bookings?

A 10% discount is available on international flight bookings at Yatra using a Digismart credit card. You can avail this benefit to enjoy credit card offers on flights provided by Standard Chartered.

  • Can I use a Digismart card at any travel agency for flight bookings?

No, you can only avail Digismart credit card offers on flight bookings at Yatra. No discounts or cashbacks are available on bookings through any other travel merchant.

  • Will I get any reward points on my spending through Digismart credit card?

No, the bank does not credit any reward points to the cardholders on the purchases made through the Digismart credit card.

  • Is the discount available for unlimited transactions?

No, the discounts and cashbacks are available for a limited number of transactions per month. Read the terms and conditions carefully.

Digismart credit cards offer discounts and cashbacks on movie tickets, online shopping, online grocery shopping, food orders, cab bookings and flight bookings through online portals of specified merchants.

One can avail credit card offers on flights as well as domestic hotels. For optimum utilisation, one should know and understand the instructions of the bank clearly to avoid any hassles in the future.

Comprehensive Guide to Calculate the CBM & number of Shipments that will fit in an FCL container

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FCL(Full Container Load) containers are used for a type of shipment where the entire container is used by one single importer/exporter for shipping his cargo. Although a logistics company helps a person in calculating how many shipments he can fit in his container, it is important for the exporter as well to understand how these calculations are done so that he can plan his shipping more efficiently.

The number of shipments that can be shipped in one FCL container depends upon the capacity of the container and CBM (Cubic Meter) of each cargo. Freight charges also vary upon the size and volume of your cargo.

The more you understand these calculations, the better you can plan your shipment. Click here to know more about FCL shipments and plan your shipping with ease.

CBM of cargo is used to determine how many shipments will fit in an FCL container.

How is CBM calculated?

CBM stands for cubic meter which is defined as the freight volume of a cargo/shipment. The goods are packed in cubicle cartons which is why CBM is used as the measuring unit in freights. It is important in calculating how many shipments can be fitted in one container depending upon the container capacity.

CBM is generally calculated using a very simple – (Length*Width*Height). You can calculate CBM in a few simple steps, they are:

  • Note down the dimensions- length, width and height of your cargo/shipping cartoon.
  • Convert the measurements into metres(m). If the measurement is taken in centimetres, divide by 100. For example, if the length is 2500 cms it will equal to 25 metres. Similarly, if the length is taken in inches, multiply by 0.305. For example, if the length is 250 inches, it will equal to 76.25 metres.
  • In this way, convert measurements of all the three dimensions into metres. Then apply the formula and get the value of CBM.
  • For instance, if the measurements of the three dimensions are given as, length = 75m, width = 35m and height = 25m then CBM will equal to 65,625m.

In this way, the CBM of cargo can be calculated. The calculation is simple and can be done in a few minutes.

How many shipment units can fit in an FCL container?

The cargo containing capacity of an FCL container depends upon the type of FCL container that you choose. There are 3 most popular types of FCL containers that are used by the shippers, they are:

  • 20 Feets FCL containers: The dimension of this container is 20ft*8ft*(8ft 6 inch)
  • 40 Feets FCL containers: The dimensions of this equals to 40ft*8ft*(8ft 6 inch)
  • 40 Feets HC(High Cube) containers: The dimensions of this equals to 40ft*8ft*(9ft 6 inch)

The knowledge of the loading capacity of a container is important so as to make an estimation of the amount of cargo that can be fitted in the container. When it comes to calculating the number of shipments that can be shipped in an FCL container, one needs to understand that it is practically not possible to use every inch of available space of a container.

Usually, as per the human tendency, a person expects to fill every corner of a container to make the optimum use of it as he is paying the price to own it. However, a container’s actual usable capacity is around 80-85% of its maximum capacity value.

Therefore, the exact number of shipments that one can fit in an FCL container depends upon the size of the cargo. The usable space may also vary if the cartoons are not equal in size and shape. Given that, one can make an estimation of how many shipments can be fit by considering the following data:

  • A 20ft FCL container’s usable capacity is 24-28 CBM and the maximum is 33 CBM.
  • A 40ft FCL container’s usable capacity is 56-58 CBM and the maximum is 66 CBM.
  • A 40ft High Cube FCL container’s capacity is 62-28 CBM whereas the maximum is 72 CBM.

Knowing the capacity of a container and the CBM values of your shipments are very important. An FCL container is entirely for you to utilise and when you know the maths related to its loading, you can make the optimum utilisation of the container as well as the money that you pay for it.

FCL containers offer a lot of advantages at reasonable freight charges and it is up to you how you make the most of it.

Your shipments are much safer in FCL containers as you are in charge of it and you have the authority to decide the types of goods you will put in it. You should take help from your logistics company and make the entire shipment cost-effective.

Having the proper knowledge and expert assistance will help you to ship your cargo in a perfect way and make optimum use of the capacity of the containers.

6 Credit Card Tips to help plan your International Trip

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Gone are the days when people solely relied on cash and traveler checks while going on international trips. Plastic money, especially credit cards, has made it convenient for the wanderlusts to set out for international trips without having to worry about issues such as losing a wallet or facing a cash crunch.

Not only have credit cards made it easy to make purchases, but an individual can also save a lot in the form of cashback, rewards, or direct discounts with chosen partners.

The same credit card that one uses to make daily purchases at home can be used to avail of any service overseas. However, the users are still not aware of the benefits associated with the credit cards and therefore, cannot chalk out the travel expenses and end up complaining about the debt spiral.

Credit cards have been devised to help the users with numerous benefits provided, the users make sure that they can make the most out of it by knowing its proper usage.

When planning an international trip, you can consider using your credit card to save a huge chunk on hotel bookings, airline expenses, and at the same time earn even more rewards. Go through the article to know more about credit cards and to have a handy guide on some important credit card tips so that you can carry all your travel expenses on your credit card.

Some credit card tips to help ace your international trip

It is quite common that when you plan a trip to a foreign land, all your attention will be on the popular destinations you want to visit and the outfits you want to carry. But, one should try to pay equal, if not more, attention to the finances.

Given below are some credit card tips you should make sure to cover while traveling on a credit card.

Choose the right Credit Card

Before you start planning your travel expenses with a credit card, you need to know that all credit cards do not offer the same benefits. When you have more than one credit card, it is important that you go for the one that is accepted in foreign locations.

Other than that, try to opt for a credit card that offers you some extra privilege on international usage. You can also go for the ones that offer you rewards on travel spending categories such as hotels, restaurants, transportation costs, etc.

Figure out the Fees and Charges involved

Other than understanding the late payment charges and the annual fees associated with a credit card, you also need to understand the charges connected to international usage, when traveling abroad. Foreign exchange markup fee is an important factor you need to consider.

It is a fee that is charged on the transaction amount and can range between 1% to 3% or may reach higher. The foreign transaction fee charged by various banks is different. Therefore, one needs to keep the same in mind before initiating any international transactions on a credit card.

Consider your Budget

Outlining a budget is the first thing we need to consider while planning a trip. Though it is natural that one would plan the budget, it becomes difficult when using a credit card.

It especially becomes difficult when you have ample credit card limits at hand. To prevent going overboard with the expenses, you can set a budget in terms of the credit limit of your credit card.

Notify your credit card issuer about your travel plans

When you plan your international trip, get in touch with the credit card company and inform them about your visits.

It is because when your credit card account suddenly displays purchasing thousands of miles, the issuer may decline them as suspicious. Therefore, it is better that you notify the bank about your travel itinerary to make sure that he never feels skeptical and freezes your account. In case, you do not have the time to inform the issuer, you can also perform the process online through your account dashboard.

Keep contact details handy

Though it sounds cliched, it is important that you keep the contact details of your credit card issuer handy while traveling abroad. You must learn to know how to contact them as the toll-free number won’t work when you land in a foreign land.

You can check the official website of the bank to know about the contact details. In case you cannot find the required information, you can call up your bank and ask for an emergency contact number stating the countries you are intending to visit.

Keep some cash

Though credit cards are accepted universally, there can be places where they might not want to accept the credit card as the desired mode of transaction. In cases such as these, having local currency can be a lifesaver. Keep some cash with you to make sure that you do not miss out on any major part of your vacation.

Your visit to a foreign land can be memorable and enjoyable if you do your financial homework well before you get set to go. Therefore, go through the tips given above and ensure that you have a holiday that you will not regret later.

4 Ways to Prevent Employee Embezzlement When Running a Small Business

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People associate embezzlement with major conglomerates that happened in the past, like the Enron and Bernie Madoff scandals. However, employee embezzlement is more common among small businesses than you may think. It accounts for one-third of small business failures.

However, your small business doesn’t have to be part of these stats as there are measures you can implement to prevent it. From hiring a forensic accountant for regular audits to segregation of duties, below, we explore some of the measures small businesses can implement to prevent employee theft. 

Segregation of Duties

One major mistake that most small business owners make is giving a single employee too much power over the finances. If your bookkeeper currently deals with all the vendors, pays your bills, and handles all the financial procedures, then you should expect trouble.

This is because they know all the ins and outs of your entity’s money than you and can cook up false expenses and vendor checks to steal from you. An easy way to prevent this is through the segregation of duties. In other words, ensure the employee who cuts the cheques isn’t the one who signs and records them.

Regular and Unannounced Financial Audits

The easiest and most accurate way to ensure your accountants and anyone who comes to contact with your enterprise’s funds doesn’t mess around is by conducting regular and unannounced audits.

Besides helping you identify and prevent embezzlement, a certified forensic accountant enables you to get a better view of your company’s work ethics. It will also help improve your credit rating and portray you as a reliable business to corporate investors.

Comprehensive Pre-Screening for Job Candidates

Another way to protect your business from employee theft is by ensuring that everyone who is part of your business is credible and honest. You can only achieve this by conducting a comprehensive pre-screening of job candidates.

Check out why they left their previous job, review their social media accounts, and call the references. In a nutshell, learn as much as possible about the job candidate before opening your doors to them.

Do Your Part

Running a business as a sole proprietor often requires you to wear multiple hats at once. Therefore, it is pretty standard for you to want to tick accounting off your list by hiring a bookkeeper to handle it all. Unfortunately, while it makes your work easier, it increases the risk of embezzlement tenfold.

In that light, if you can only afford to hire a single bookkeeper or inventory manager currently, don’t leave everything to them because you trust them. Make sure you keep track of inventory. Also, always create time to review the bank accounts and statements.

This will prevent the bookkeeper or inventory manager from getting comfortable with your entity’s capital or profits. Moreover, be on the lookout for any red flags. For instance, if you notice your bookkeeper leading a lavish lifestyle that their salary can’t support, then your business is probably paying the price.

As a person running a small business, it’s difficult to believe that bookkeeper who’s been handling your finances for years can steal from you. Unfortunately, this is the sad truth. As much as you may hate to hear this, people are unpredictable and will switch upon you in a heartbeat.

Therefore, no matter what relationship you have with your employees, hire a proficient forensic accountant. He will expertly handle your audits, segregate the duties, and do whatever it takes to protect your enterprise.