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Jason Obrien

How to Become a Freelancer in 2021

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During the coronavirus pandemic redundancy rates increased faster than during the 2008-09 economic downturn, with the global uncertainty resulting in many workers losing their jobs.

The Bank of England expects the unemployment rate to peak at 5.5% this autumn, with the government’s furlough scheme set to finish at the end of September.

While lockdown restrictions have eased significantly over the past months, the future remains uncertain for the portion of the population that was unable to work through the pandemic.

Becoming a freelancer is a way back into the job market for those people. We’ve put together a few handy tips to help those looking to go it alone get the most out of their decision.

What is a freelancer?

The number of freelancers in the UK grew slightly to 2.2 million in 2020, according to the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE).

When you’re a freelancer, you can work for any number of companies and invoice them for your services. However, you’ll need to register as a sole trader with HMRC and take care of paying your income tax and national insurance contributions. That may sound daunting, but you can file your self-assessment tax return online and government-approved software like GoSimpleTax makes it easier than ever.

Companies are responsible for the health and safety of freelancers they employ, though. However, they do not have to afford them the same rights as permanent employees. For example, a full-time member of staff would be provided with replacement equipment if theirs malfunctioned or stopped working – a freelancer wouldn’t.

To protect yourself from potential issues that can threaten your ability to work, it could be a good idea to take out a business insurance policy. That way you know your back is covered if unforeseen circumstances arise.

Before you get started

It’s important to make sure it’s clear what services you are offering and the industry you are focusing on before you try to find work as a freelancer. Identify your key skills and select the one you want to put forward as your primary offering.

Once you’ve done that, set up a professional profile on online platforms like LinkedIn, Bidvine and Upwork that can help you find work. Try to find out if there are any such services dedicated solely to the niche you are looking to freelance in or the skill you are offering.

For example, contently is good for writers, OnSite caters to people who work in the digital realm, while IT contractors can head to Elevate.

If you can showcase pieces of work from a previous job, create an online portfolio that you can direct potential clients to. They’ll be able to easily see the standard of your work and it could help turn potential leads into paid work.

It’s simple enough to register as a freelancer, but by following our tips you’ll hopefully find it easier to find potential clients and start earning on the terms you set.

CRE Software Can Help with All Aspects of Commercial Real Estate Transactions

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If you are considering starting an investment path with commercial real estate (CRE), you should know that there is software designed to help you with every part of the process. CRE software, when top-quality, is all-in-one. From giving your data and important information (and documents) a safe place, to helping you walk through the steps of a loan. CRE software is a necessity if you want to get into the real estate scene.

About CRE Risks

Now, we would be remiss to not speak about the risks associated with CRE. Before you begin the dive into the area, you should consider looking into real estate notes and the risks of it. The short version is that there are different types of risks that should be considered before getting into a property. There are generally three types of risks, each of which will be spoken about here, and the rule of thumb here, is that the return you get from your investments will be proportional to the amount of risk you take. Risk more, get more. And luckily, with the help of a good CRE software, the risks diminish greatly. So, despite the risks, investing in CRE is a viable and great way to grow wealth.

Credit Risks & CRE Software

This is the risk that is associated directly to the borrower’s credit on a note. Basically, you will need to calculate and assess the borrower’s ability to make payments, and the likelihood of that happening. Most of this risk is foggy since nothing is really in cement until post-investment. The risk involves the borrower’s credit score, their income, and their property income. Every note carries some sort of credit risk with it, since nothing is ever for sure in this life.

CRE software will help you assess the credit risks and choose if the borrower is a good match for you. You can set your own, custom rules for what you consider to be credit consistency, and that will help you filter out the possible people to invest your time and money with. Doing it like this, eliminates most of the risk, and will help you to make your CRE more profitable.

Collateral Risks & CRE Software

Collateral risks are, really, for you more than the borrower. That is, the risk assesses whether or not you can use the money of the property as a liquid asset to pay back whatever investments that need repayment. So, it is the ability for the property, once sold, to return your entire investment in a worst-case scenario like a foreclosure. This is important to keep tabs on because your property acts as a liquid value, and if your borrowers destroy it, that value lowers.

CRE software helps you here by giving you consistent access to every part of your collateral considerations. From being able to review your commitments, to drafting and figuring out loan paperwork, and giving you tools to be a better manager to keep that property value high—CRE software helps you holistically with every part of the process.

Investment Risks & CRE Software

Every investment is different, so there is no way to give one situation and then a solution for it using CRE software, like the past two. Instead, what needs to be known about these risks is that there are many possibilities, and they all work like terms and conditions. Most of the time, these risks come from terms reaching their maturity, interest rates changing, late payments or defaulting clauses in the agreements, payment histories, and loan-to-value or invest-to-value on a property. All of these are risks because they impact you and your ability to do future investments when they go wrong (or right!).

 CRE software can also function as a commercial loan software. Your entire investment is essentially a loan broken up into fragments. The software will help you by keeping all of the contracts and loans and essential information that you need, in one place. Further, it will help you to benefit with profits by letting you understand more about the things you have agreed to, and the things that everyone else has agreed to too.

Things to Keep in Mind

Many people approach CRE as the Wild-West. They want to pick up as much property as they can, ‘flip it’, and then spit it backout at the nearest, highest, bidder. This works well for short durations but can work out poorly for long term investments. You don’t want to be churning through so many houses that work is not completed, or it is poorly done. Further, there are a lot of other risks which come from a CRE; a significant number of them can be solved using the correct CRE software.

6 Digital Marketing Tips to Expand Your E-Commerce Online Presence

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Is your ecommerce business not driving enough sales? Are you not getting the most from your marketing budget?

Don’t worry because you’re sailing in the same boat as hundreds of other ecommerce businesses. From poor sales to low ranking to clicks with no conversions, even your best marketing strategy may be falling on its face.

With the competition level rising each passing day as customers are shifting to online purchases, it becomes challenging to stand out in the clutter. But, your next client will probably find your business online. So, to leave a lasting impression and ensure a loyal customer base, you need to revamp your digital marketing strategy.

But with the proliferation of the marketplace and a bouquet of options available to customers, it becomes difficult to get the attention you need to drive traffic and attract customers.

To make your life easier, we will discuss some must-have digital marketing tips to take your online presence to another level.

Are you ready?

Let’s get started.

6 Digital Marketing Tips to Expand Your E-Commerce Online Presence

Here are six digital marketing tips to get started with:

1. Add Videos

If you still haven’t realized, videos slay on social media and are one of the best ways to attract customers to your ecommerce business. So, whether you want to increase SEO engagement, conversion, or brand awareness, you need compelling and exciting videos.

With 68% of customers looking for video-related content before buying a product, videos are perfect for creating a seamless on-site customer experience. You can use videos to tell a story or use product videos as virtual salespeople explaining features of your product – either way, it will improve your customer’s shopping experience.

Creating videos is one side of the coin and getting it noticed is another. So, how can ecommerce brands get their efforts noticed?

To increase SEO and make your video searchable, eCommerce businesses should use an automatic subtitle generator. It will automatically generate subtitles from your video content and help you make it searchable. Also, when you add subtitles to your video content, you increase the experience of customers suffering from autism, and it helps provide clarity to technical terms.

Why add videos? With 85% of Facebook videos being watched without sound, adding subtitles to your product video could be a game-changer for your business.

2. Make use of artificial intelligence (AI)

AI is everywhere, and your ecommerce business is no different. To increase sales, improve customer experience, identify exceptional target prospects and create a more efficient sales process – AI is slowly becoming the backbone of an ecommerce business. 

Ecommerce businesses can use AI to accurately predict how a customer will behave based on their past behavior. Using the latest AI solutions, you can generate significant new leads. It helps you gather data that provide you with strategies you should implement to encourage purchase, conversion, and increase loyalty.

Also, to provide a seamless customer experience and solve customer queries on the go, you can take help from chatbots that use AI technology to interact with customers. Apart from offering excellent customer support, Natural Language Processing (NLP) can easily interpret voice-based interactions with customers and address customers’ needs.

From intelligent product recommendation to inventory management, integrating AI in your ecommerce business could help you steer your ship in a preferred direction.

Why use AI? 47% of customers are open to buying online items using a chatbot.

3. Use advanced product filtering

The rule here is simple: the faster your customers find products, the easier it becomes to find products of their choice and the faster they will make a purchase.

That’s where product filtering comes into the picture. If your ecommerce business is offering tons of products, a cutting-edge filtering system could be the difference between failure and success. It can not only take your customer experience to a different level, but it will also drive sales, grow your revenue and enhance your SEO.

From category filters to thematic filters to filtering products by reviews, you can make the search simpler on your website. Adding these filters will improve customer experience, and you will see some tangible benefits quickly.

Why use product filtering? 42% of ecommerce websites lack advanced product filtering, and the absence of it results in loss of revenue and customers switching over to competitors.

4. Focus on User-Generated Content (UGC)

As the famous saying goes, users trust other users over brands. This has given rise to user-generated content in ecommerce, and it is slowly outranking every other content type.

Content created by existing users and fans is trustworthy and authentic.

To create UGC, use hashtags on your social media channels and encourage your customers to use them. Also, by providing an easy way to share online reviews, you can build a loyal customer base.

With customers trusting online opinions and reading reviews, an ecommerce business that ignores UGC is the one that fails to attract their potential customers.

Also, it’s a cost-effective way to grow your business, combat negative online publicity, and improve your organic presence. UGC is an excellent option for any business that is strict on a budget but not on enthusiasm to provide content that resonates with their customer requirements.

Today, UGC is the way forward and a must-have for ecommerce brands looking to make a lasting impression.

The bottom line is that UGC gives your ecommerce business a way to pat itself on the back and solve customer problems.

Why focus on UGC? Ecommerce websites that feature user-generated content on their website can increase their web conversion by a whopping 29%.

5. Optimize your ecommerce website’s layout

Don’t just create a website that allows customers to purchase, focus on user experience to improve your website and allow visitors to convert into customers quickly. From navigation, layout to content, and product description, everything should work together to provide a seamless customer experience that instigates a customer to make a purchase.

Your goal is to provide an easy and simple checkout that naturally inclines a customer’s purchase from our website. So, test the website layout, including icons and elements, language in the conversion element, and product pages. You can use heatmaps to understand customer behavior on your website. Even if you plan to use a simple website design, keep your users in mind.

Also, give importance to optimizing your website for mobile because a mobile-friendly website is no longer a requirement; it’s a necessity. Optimizing your website’s layout is paramount for turning visitors into customers and customers into repeat customers.

Why optimize your website? 38% of visitors stop engaging with websites if they find them unattractive, and 88% never return to a website after encountering a bad user experience. So, as a business, it’s imperative to give weightage to website layout and design.

6. Reduce cart abandonment

The primary reasons for customers abandoning their cart are unfavorable shipping conditions and an overly complicated checkout process. If during a checkout process, your website crashes or takes ages to load, a customer is likely to leave all items in the cart.

So, to reduce cart abandonment and ensure your customers don’t switch to your competitors, focus on creating a cart abandonment email strategy that gets triggered every time a customer leaves unpurchased items in their cart.

It’s a great way to revive your lost customers. You can offer some discount to encourage your customers to finish their purchase. In case you charge a shipping cost, you can offer a free or discounted shipping option.

To further decrease your cart abandonment rate, you can use exit-intent pops, reengage with inactivity sensor pop-ups, create a sense of urgency, and provide incentives based on the value of products in the cart.

Why reduce cart abandonment? 87% of customers abandon their cart because of the cumbersome checkout process, and a single cart abandonment email can increase conversion rates by 10%.

Are you ready to expand your online presence?

You don’t need a million-dollar digital marketing budget to expand and increase your ecommerce business. A few steps taken one at a time can help you differentiate yourself from the online competition.

Use these six digital marketing tips to expand your ecommerce business and ensure you never face a shortage of customers. However, after implementing most of these strategies, you have to remain patient to see these tips work their magic on your customers. Focus on knowing your customers, understanding their requirements, and providing a user experience like never before.

For ecommerce brands looking to get one percent closer to Amazon or eBay, they need to give preference to user experience and customer requirements. Keep your customers at the heart of everything and see your ecommerce business flourish in no time.

Remember that not all strategies will work for every brand. So, if one digital marketing tip doesn’t result in the expected conversion rate, don’t lose heart. Try another one from our list!

Also, don’t forget to complete a status check on what’s working and what’s not!

Which of these digital marketing tips are you planning to implement?

How B2B Marketing Approaches Are Different from B2C

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It is difficult for people outside the industry to accept that B2B marketing is unique. The techniques employed to service this market sector are worlds apart from the standard approaches to consumer-focused marketing.

These differences have a profound impact on the development of each sector’s marketing strategies. Read more below.

Defining B2B marketing 

B2B marketing is about the selling of a company’s product or service directly to another company. In B2C, consumers choose the products they want to buy based on price, as well as status, popularity, and other triggers that appeal more to their emotions. On the other hand, B2B buyers make their decision to purchase according to price and potential for profit. 

B2B companies buy in bulk, so in terms of a product purchase, they are already different. B2B companies sell products wholesale, so they need to utilise an ecommerce platform that can offer purpose-built solutions for B2B wholesale smoothly and efficiently. 

The differences in B2B and B2C marketing

B2B marketing focuses on meeting the needs of other businesses. The audience is different, and their needs are unique to their company, thus the success of a B2B marketing campaign depends on bringing more prospective customers to a company’s website, building engagement, and finally, increasing sales. 

Building relationships

In B2B marketing and lead generation, the effort focuses on building personal relationships to establish long-term business relationships. The relationship-building phase in B2B marketing is crucial, particularly during the buying phase. It gives you the chance to prove your brand of business ethics, morals, and practices. The priority of B2B marketing is lead generation, including repeat and referral business.

In B2C marketing, the focus is on transactional relationships. The marketing effort is focused on getting the consumers to buy more products, not on building personal relationships with the customers. 

Branding

Branding is an integral part of B2B marketing, which is another facet of building a closer relationship with customers. Branding means delivering consistency in product presentations and the delivery of services or products. The company should strengthen brand recognition to allow your company’s personality to be more visible, as this supports lead generation, as well. 

In B2C, the prestige that the brand will bring is more important. 

Maintaining open communication 

While the tactic of appealing to emotions is more applicable to B2C marketing, you can also use this tactic during the client’s decision-making process. You should maintain open communication between you and the client. Use this time to compare your company’s positive aspects versus your competitors to ensure that you can be steps ahead of them. It is during this time that the B2B customer evaluates your company, and often their decision will be based on rational motivations, such as whether choosing your company will be good for their business.

Audience targeting

B2B companies operate in a niche market, so it is critical to understand the demographic of your target audience. Understanding your audience means compiling and analysing accurate data, quantitatively and qualitatively. Use your business tools to collect high-quality data, not only regarding your consumers but also your particular sector.

Since the decision-making process from a B2B customer takes longer, support their decision by fielding marketing efforts that will keep your brand on top of the list. Constant communication is important, just like building a firm relationship with your customers is vital to ensuring your company’s success. 

Refrigerated Trucking 101: What It Is and How to Do It Right

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Refrigerated trucking is the transportation of highly perishable goods in temperature-controlled carriers, which are also referred to as reefers. This product delivery system is constantly increasing in popularity. If you’re looking to get into this business, here’s what you need to know about refrigerated trucking:

refrigerated truck delivering goods

Reefer Trailer Construction

The carriers of the trailers are usually constructed with metal and fiberglass. Their walls, ceilings, and floors are designed to not only provide heat insulation but also absorb odors.

The heavy construction is then fitted with refrigeration units, ensuring that the temperature required is maintained. A single carrier can be divided into several units. Each of these can be set to a different temperature. This facilitates the transportation of different types of goods at different temperature levels.

Goods Transported By Refrigerated trucks

Refrigerated trailers vary in load capacity–the big ones can take up to a maximum of 43,500 lbs. Here’s a list of some of the goods you can transport with your reefer:

  • Honey bees
  • Tobacco
  • Flowers
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Candles
  • Hazardous materials
  • Meat
  • Groceries

Depending on demand, you may want to specialize in one line of products or be a Jack of all trades. In other words, if transporting flowers alone can keep you busy throughout and pay your bills, you can stick to that line. But if flowers alone can’t give you enough returns, you can carry any of these products whenever you’re called to.

How To Find Reefer Loads

You need to know where and how to find loads to transport. If you can’t find a shipper that keeps you fully occupied with deliveries, a good alternative is to work with several shippers. This is very possible through the use of online load boards.

Typically, shippers and brokers post on the platform about the type and volume of loads they need to be delivered to various destinations. By being a member of such load boards, you can easily find reefer loads.

Make sure to sign up with a reliable platform that regularly vets the shippers. You don’t want to work with fraudulent people who can swindle you. A good platform also enables you to competitively price your services in correspondence with the current market rates, enabling you to make good profits.

staff setting temperature of refrigerated truck

Food Safety Rules And Regulations

When transporting food in refrigerated trucks, it’s important to handle the shipment with care to avoid contamination.

Thoroughly clean the carriers before loading new products. Doing so prevents cross-contamination of the current freight by the previous ones. Take note that contamination can lead to food poisoning for the consumers. In the worst-case scenario, this can cause death, for which you can be sued.

In this sense, it’s also good if you work with truck loaders who are well trained in safe food handling. This way, you can rest assured that you’ll deliver uncontaminated food to your clients’ customers.

Market Volatility

Seasons definitely impact the availability of loads to transport. Food and flower industries have high and low seasons. When its harvest time, fresh fruits and vegetables increase in the market. This means they need to be transported by certain dates or else they go bad.

As a reefer owner, you should take advantage of the produce season. Schedule your trips more regularly to make the most profits during these high seasons. Also, combine shipments from various clients to ensure your truck is filled to capacity. Just ensure that you don’t overload and break your country’s laws. You can be fined heavily, ruining your business’ financial standing.

When the low season comes, you can consider modifying your truck to also carry dry weight, which refers to loads that don’t require temperature control.

Keeping Records

Record keeping is very necessary for the transport business. Without proper records, you can easily mix up shipments from different clients, then fail to know the exact ones to be delivered to a particular customer. Delivering the wrong products to customers is a sure way of triggering complaints and conflicts. 

Additionally, proper records act as proof that you did what was required of you. For instance, if the goods in transit are supposed to maintain a certain temperature, you can use your records to prove to the client that you transported them at the required temperature. Should they go bad, then it can be attributed to other causes, and not poor temperature regulation.

Maintaining Cleaning Standards

As mentioned earlier, you should always ensure that your trucks are thoroughly cleaned before loading. Depending on what you’re transporting, you may need to take your cleaning procedure an extra mile.

Fruits and vegetables, for example, are likely to absorb odors. Assume you carried candles on one trip, followed by fruits and veggies on the next trip. If the candle scents linger in the carriers, the fruits and vegetables may absorb the strong smells, and end up tasting awful. So, on top of cleaning the carriers with water, you need to air them until the smells disappear.

Remember to avoid the use of corrosive chemicals since they can corrode metal surfaces and could harbor contaminants.

Preventing And Handling Breakdowns

Equipment can fail anytime. This means they should be closely and regularly monitored. Install alarms that alert you when there are system faults, such as penetration of outside air into the carriers.

On top of that, always schedule thorough check-ups before and after deliveries. Inspect your trucks for flaws in proper airflow, security seals, tire pressure, and wall damage. This ensures that your trips proceed with minimal interruptions.

It’s also important to travel with a professional reefer mechanic. Should any system break down, they can quickly correct the fault, allowing you to quickly get back on the road. This way, you’ll always be punctual with deliveries.

Tracking Shipments

Your clients will most probably be interested in knowing the location of their cargo at any point in time. So, consider installing digital video recorders in your refrigerated truck. This way, they can receive live updates on your whereabouts via the internet. Such transparency portrays you as an honest entrepreneur, hence clients won’t find it hard to stay loyal to you.

Conclusion

You now have information that can help you to successfully run your refrigerated trucking business. With the right approach, this can be a highly profitable venture.

This 5G Stock Is a Terrific Bargain Right Now

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Investors wanting to add fast-growing firms to their portfolios at favourable prices will benefit from the current sell-off in tech stocks. Several high-profile tech firms are currently on sale, including one that could lead you in capitalizing on the hot 5G trend.

Synaptics (NASDAQ: SYNA), arguably one of the best 5G stocks, is well-positioned to benefit from the spread of 5G networks and devices, as well as a number of additional growth opportunities. Furthermore, after a pullback at the end of April, the stock is currently trading at lower multiples.

Let’s take a look at why you should purchase this 5G stock right now.

Synaptics’ mobile business can rev up its engines once again

Despite market instability, Synaptics stock has been flying high in 2021, owing to the phenomenal development of its Internet of Things (IoT) division, which has kicked on the throttle in recent quarters. The mobile business’ contribution to Synaptics’ top line has dwindled in recent years, falling to only 25% of overall sales in fiscal Q3 from 54% the year before.

Synaptics’ mobile revenue fell to $81 million last quarter, down from $177 million the year before, a 54 percent drop. However, investors should keep in mind that the segment’s revenue was damaged by the sale of the mobile LCD (liquid-crystal display) TDDI (touch/display integration) business, which was finalized in April of last year. Synaptics’ quarterly revenue from that business was roughly $65 million.

Synaptics’ mobile business is poised for long-term development, therefore investors should be optimistic. Several smartphone OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) have awarded the business design victories for its OLED (organic light-emitting diode) touch controllers, including Apple for the iPhone 12.

Apple is one of Synaptics’ most important mobile clients, which is fortunate because the iPhone manufacturer is dominating the 5G smartphone industry. In the first quarter of 2021, Apple sold 40.4 million units of the all-OLED, 5G-enabled iPhone 12 range, accounting for 30% of total shipments. Apple’s excellent sales momentum can be maintained since millions of consumers are apparently waiting to upgrade to its upcoming 5G phones, sparking a multiyear upgrade cycle that would be beneficial to Synaptics.

Apple, on the other hand, is just one of several drivers for Synaptics’ mobile business. Synaptics recently announced that its second-generation OLED touch controllers are now in serial production, increasing the company’s technological edge over competitors. As a consequence, as CEO Michael Hurlston said on the company’s most recent earnings conference, they’re gaining momentum with prominent smartphone OEMs.

Things are going to get a whole lot better

Going by the midpoint of Synaptics’ forecast range, the company’s mobile business would produce $78 million in revenue this quarter, down about 35% from the previous quarter. As a result, this quarter’s year-over-year reduction in mobile revenue is likely to decelerate significantly. Once the new smartphone design wins go into production, and the impact of the now-divided LCD business fades away after this quarter, the firm should start putting on the pedal.

In a recent conference call with investors, CEO Michael Hurlston observed, “We’re sort of now at the bottom of our mobile revenue curve…from here, we will build.”

4 Reasons You Should Build Your Own Computer

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Building a pc is deceptively simple. Plus, in an increasingly digital age, learning computing skills can greatly benefit your future career prospects.

With more people learning coding skills now, getting ahead of the curve and involved with building computers is a smart move.

We look at four reasons why you should build your own computer.

It is Cost Effective

The cost of personal computers and laptops has become astonishingly high over the last decade. Even more so if you need a powerful computer for gaming. Building your own computer can dramatically reduce costs.

Starting with a computer kit such as a Raspberry Pi can help you create your computer for less money. In addition, starting with a kit will provide you with some of the essential hardware you need in one easy project.

It Facilitates Learning

Whether you already know how to code, or you are just starting on your digital development journey, building your own computer can greatly improve your skills and help facilitate your ongoing computing education.

Many computer kit companies such as OKdo run workshops or have video content to help you learn the skills you need to build a computer. If you are planning a career in software or computer development, learning these skills will be essential.

It gives you more Choice

When building your own computer, you will have complete ownership over which parts to use. With a store-bought computer system, you will not have the same level of choice and might end up with a computer that has parts not powerful enough to perform the way you want them to.

Choosing your own parts is all part of building a powerful computer that is tailor-made to your requirements. Which is ultimately the point of creating your own computer in the first place.

It allows you greater Control

When you buy a ready-made computer, you may need help from tech support to troubleshoot any problems that occur. When you build your own computer, you effectively become your own tech support.

As you know your computer inside out you will know how to tackle any issues or fix any faults that might pop up as you use your computer. If you have built the operating system your computer runs on as well, you will also be able to create and fix any updates easily should they happen.

4 Ways on How you can Secure Your Sensitive Data

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Technology has completely changed most of our lives in recent years. Billions of people all around the globe have access to the web, and they use it for all different things. People rely on technology to work, socialize, communicate with others, play games, the list goes on. It is hard to imagine life without technology. 

Unfortunately, there are many downsides to the technology we use. One of the biggest issues internet users face is cybercrime. There are thousands of cybercriminals out there that are looking for new victims, and with many people working from remote locations since the outbreak of Covid-19, there has been a huge increase in the number of cyberattacks reported. 

Most of the time, hackers are looking to steal sensitive data. They are known to extort money from their victims, and to steal their identity. This can ruin a person’s life, and catching the culprits is often very difficult for authorities. Most of the time cybercriminals are located abroad, so there is very little local authorities can do to help. However, there are many things you can do to reduce the chances of becoming a victim.

Invest in a VPN Provider

Investing in a well-known, secure VPN service can boost your security settings. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) will mask your original IP address and replace it with a new one. Cybercriminals find it a lot harder to hack computers if the person is using a VPN. Without knowing their victim’s genuine IP address, gaining access to their computer is not going to be easy. 

There has been a huge increase in the number of people purchasing VPN services since the pandemic began. Because a lot of folks are working from home instead of in an office, it is not surprising that so many people have been wanting to increase their security. People worry about sending confidential files and folders through a network without having a VPN.

There are a lot of VPN providers looking for new customers, so you can really get good value for your money. Avoid running free VPN services. Although it might seem like a good idea to employ a free VPN, your genuine IP address is at risk of being leaked.

Use a Virtual Data Room

In the past, businesses all around the world used Physical Data Rooms to store sensitive files and folders. However, over the past couple of decades, Virtual Data Rooms (VDR) have become a popular alternative. 

A VDR is a highly secure repository on the web that allows users to store, review and edit sensitive files. It allows multiple users to store data, and administrators can set different permissions so they are in control of the data that is stored in the room. They can decide what documents are allowed to be edited, whether or not the users are allowed to “copy” and “paste” files if the users are allowed to take screenshots, and who is allowed to use the data room. 

Businesses have been employing this service for several years. Most business owners feel VDRs are more secure than Physical Data Room. Physical documents can get destroyed or damaged over time, and they are not as convenient as VDRs. An employee can access the VDR whenever, and wherever they want. They don’t have to physically go to the office to store or access files located in a VDR. For more information about Virtual Data Rooms, check out https://www.firmex.com/.  

Store your Files with an Encrypted Hard Drive


Encrypting your hard drives is another popular way to secure your sensitive data. There is a lot of software readily available online that allows you to do a Full Disk Encryption (FDE), which is one of the most popular encryption methods. Without using an FDE, cybercriminals will find it easy to access your files and folders stored on your drive. 

Consider buying an external hard drive, or flash drive to store highly secure data. They can be used for confidential files and you don’t have to have them connected to your computer all the time. Encrypting all your hard drives, internal and external drives will make it a lot harder for hackers to gain access. To access these drives, cybercriminals will have to show your password. 

A lot of people use smart devices to connect to the internet, and many assume that they are a lot safer than desktop computers or laptops, but cybercriminals attacking smart devices have been increasing in recent years. If you store sensitive data on a smart device, understand that you are vulnerable to becoming a victim of a cyber attack too. A lot of smart devices allow you to add a micro SD card. If you invest in a micro SD you can secure your private data by encrypting it with a highly secure password. 

Use a Strong Password

One of the easiest and one of the most effective ways of securing your sensitive data is by using strong passwords. If you want to improve your current passwords, follow these steps:

  1. Do not use the same password twice: Have a different password for your email address, social networking profiles, your online bank account, etc. Although it’s easier to remember the same password, it puts your device and the files stored on your device at serious risk. 
  2. When you are making your password, make sure nobody sees you: Avoid creating a new password in a public place. If someone looks over your shoulder, they will be able to access your account. 
  3. Log off: Once you are finished using a device, don’t forget to log out of any accounts you have opened. If a person uses the device after you, they will be able to access the accounts you forgot to log out of. This can be extremely dangerous, especially if you are using a computer in a public area like a WiFi cafe.
  4. Don’t tell anyone what your passwords are.
  5. Change your password: People have the same email address for decades without changing their password. Consider creating a new password periodically, and don’t use the same password that you have used in the past. 
  6. Consider using at least 8 different characters when creating a new password. Make it even harder for hackers to guess your password by using upper and lowercase letters. You can add symbols and numbers too. 
    1. Don’t create a password that is difficult to remember, but don’t use one that is easy to guess either. 

If you find it difficult to remember all your passwords, you can write it down to remind you. However, be careful where you store it. Avoid storing it near your computer or your smart devices. Instead, consider storing it in the back of an old photograph inside a frame. 

There are strength analyzers online that will tell you if the password you have chosen is strong or not. 

Conclusion

In 2021, there will be around thirty thousand websites attacked each day. The majority of businesses around the world have experienced at least one cyber attack. Last year, ransomware cases increased by one hundred and fifty percent. People around the globe have lost vast sums of money, their private files and folders, and their identity to these criminals. Avoid being complacent, and make sure your security settings have been updated. 

7 Reasons A Forklift Rental Can Benefit Your Business

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If you own a business that requires moving heavy materials from time to time, you might feel uncertain about whether you should buy a forklift or rent one instead. Although it wouldn’t hurt to have your own equipment, there are several cases where forklift rental is the better option.

When you rent a forklift, you get the convenience of flexibility with the make or model, hire type, length of rental, and maintenance package. You can also reduce your operational expenses if you take this route.

crane with luggage in a warehouse

Read on to find out why you should rent a forklift for your business:

1. Cost-Effectiveness

There’s a right time for you to buy large equipment, especially if it involves a high cost. A forklift, in particular, can have a price tag of tens of thousands of dollars. Thus, it would make sense to look into other more cost-effective options first before acquiring one.

Buying capital equipment may drain your funds if you don’t plan for it well. You can only compensate for the cost if you manage to keep the equipment for a long time and maximize its use.

On the other hand, forklift leasing in Toronto or anywhere else can spare you from spending a significant amount of money. Unless you’ll use the forklift for your day-to-day business operations, your investment may end up just sitting in a corner waiting to be utilized. Instead of letting that happen, you can use your capital for other aspects of your business that require financial attention.

2. Flexibility

Aside from saving money, you get to enjoy the flexibility of terms if you decide to rent a forklift. Since you can hire a forklift depending on the demand and needs of your business, you can rent it for a day, a month, a year, or an indefinite period.

Although there’ll be a hire contract when you rent a forklift, it shouldn’t be a big concern since it would contain your preferred terms.

crane operator discussing work plan

If you intend to use a forklift only for a short period, forklift rental is the better option. After all, there’s nothing practical about buying a new forklift for short-term use.

3. Maintenance

Even if you don’t use it every single day, the time will come when you’ll need to have your forklift repaired or maintained. Maintenance and repairs on any equipment can be costly, depending on the damage or amount of wear and tear on it.

When you own a forklift and it breaks down, you have to spend on the labor and parts and consider the amount of time the repairs would take. You cannot forget the possible losses for your business, too. When your forklift breaks down, downtime can occur in your business operations.

However, when you rent a forklift, expert technicians from the rental company can do immediate repair. Forklift rental is the most cost-efficient option should unit failure occur because you’ll get a backup if there are mechanical problems. The repair team can quickly address the issue, and if they can’t, the company can provide you with a replacement unit.

Moreover, renting a forklift can help you avoid the recurring expenses associated with the periodic maintenance of the vehicle. When you choose to own a forklift, one of your responsibilities is to regularly send it for servicing and maintenance to ensure that it’s in perfect condition and keep your forklift drivers safe.

4. Scalability

Aside from the length of the rental period, you can easily decide on the number of forklifts you’ll rent depending on your needs. There may be times when you have to get more vehicles to meet your operational demands. Renting allows you to use any number of forklifts without spending too much.

On the other hand, buying your own forklifts may be a waste if you won’t be using some of them on lean seasons. By renting, you can decrease or increase the number of forklifts you’re using anytime.

5. Trouble-Free Compliance

There’s another issue you may encounter once you own a forklift: passing strict air quality standards. You don’t want to lose your reputation if you’re found violating air quality standards since that can be inconvenient and costly to resolve.

If you rent a forklift, you can prevent yourself from taking on the burden of following the regulations. Since reliable rental companies would want to save themselves from the issue of noncompliance, you can be confident that the forklift you’re about to rent meets all safety standards.

6. Operational Efficiency

Besides complying with safety standards, most forklift rental companies offer forklifts that are not more than two years old. Thus, you’ll likely get relatively new equipment with the latest features when you rent a forklift. This gives your business the advantage of completing various tasks more quickly because you’re not using an outdated model or version of the forklift.

As mentioned, you have to keep up with maintenance when you own a forklift. If the vehicle you have is outdated, you may have to purchase a newer model to ensure employee efficiency and safety.

A forklift rental company can help you conquer those challenges as they provide some of the most recent forklift models. There’ll be no downtime due to the malfunctioning of older models, which means your operational efficiency will stay intact.

7. Improved Productivity

As mentioned, owning a forklift would be impractical in the long run if you don’t use it every day. If you familiarize yourself with your daily operations, you’ll know when the busiest time of the day is for your business. Once you obtain solid data determining the most hectic periods for your business within a year, you can determine when to work with a rental company for a short-term forklift rental.

For instance, the busiest periods of your business may be during holidays such as Black Friday and the Christmas season. You can arrange the forklift rental for those particular periods only. As a result, you can boost your business’ productivity during those peak seasons and make good use of the vehicle as well.

Conclusion

Now you know how beneficial forklift rental can be for your business. While this article doesn’t aim to discourage you from buying and owning a forklift, there’s a perfect time for acquiring that kind of vehicle. Before anything else, you have to figure out how often your business would need a forklift. If you want to use a forklift without the hassles mentioned above, go ahead and look for a credible rental company in your area.

How Businesses Should Adapt As Restrictions Ease After the Pandemic

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The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the world in so many ways, and businesses have needed to adapt in a number of ways to stay operational. Many businesses have had to temporarily close their doors owing to the negative impacts of the pandemic. On the other hand, many businesses have fought tooth and nail to survive amidst this global pandemic.

Now we’re seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, and there is talk of restrictions easing. However, businesses should be careful not to be complacent in seeing this as a return to “normal”. We must remember that many of the changes that occurred during lockdown were not temporary but will have a long-lasting effect on how a business functions.

Now that the restrictions are easing off, businesses need to re-evaluate how they will bring themselves out in the market in this new normal. There will involve not only functional changes but tools and systems and structural changes as well.

Review Work Models

During the pandemic, many businesses have moved to a remote work model. That is why when a business reopens after the pandemic, one of the first thing they need to do is review is whether they will continue with remote work, bring their staff back to the office, or a combination of the two.

Businesses should consider that their employees’ personal situations may very well have changed over the course of the pandemic and they need to provide workable solutions for everyone. They may need to introduce new policies depending on the current situation.

Be Prepared for Crises

Over the past year, businesses had to go through many crises and taking stock is necessary before you move forward with a new plan. It is essential that the new plan sets you up to be prepared for whatever crisis may be just around the corner.

Although restrictions are easing now, the past year has shown us that they may be re-introduced at any time. Therefore, your business must have plans in place to rapidly and effectively respond if this happens without threatening your operations.

Identify Scope of Failure

Businesses need to keep in mind that even though they have had more than a year to understand this situation, they could still fail. You might come up with different contingency plans to make your business survive. However, there can be drastic changes that could lead to the failure of those plans.

That is why you need to have backup plans that will lessen the blow. Develop plans that would help you continue your business as smoothly as possible. You need to take into consideration the past failures and the pain points that you have identified. Above all, make sure you are in a position to be flexible – that way, you’ll be able to deal with anything that life throws at you.

Ensure Proper Communication

Communication with your staff and stakeholders is essential once you decide to reopen your business in the context of the pandemic. Even if restrictions are being eased, your business will go through a lot of changes. Your employees and stakeholders are the two main pillars of your business, and they must be kept in the loop.

These two groups need to be assured that they are protected from ongoing mishaps. You will need to enhance your leadership role and look after your staff, customers, and others associated with your business.

Be sure to keep the communication consistent so that people know everything you plan on doing. Even if your organization has suffered losses during the pandemic, this doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll need to let your staff go. You may be able to find solutions your staff can keep their jobs while helping to get your business back on track.

Keep Track of Other Risks

COVID-19 might be the only threat on your mind at the moment, but there are other risks to consider as well. Your business is vulnerable to many threats such as cyber theft, aggressive competition, market changes, and more. Don’t let COVID consume you to the point that you overlook the other threats facing your business.

You need to prepare your business and put yourself in a position to withstand various threats. Prepare your staff in the same way and emphasize different areas that need to be considered. Make sure you have proper contingency plans in place to deal with each threat.

Summing Up

A business needs to protect their greatest assets: their people. During the pandemic, many businesses have suffered huge losses and had to let go of staff members. However, with the ease of restrictions, businesses are slowly building up to return to their former self.

The pandemic has changed the business landscape, perhaps forever. It is important for companies to consider these changes and be adaptable to sustain their business in the long run.