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Emergence of 5G Presents a World of Opportunity to Small Businesses

Kutubkhan Bohari | July 16, 2022 | 318 views | Read Time : 01:54 min

Emergence of 5G Presents
Together with 'artificial intelligence' (AI) and 'machine learning,' 5G has emerged as a hot topic in the tech industry over the last couple of years. There's a lot of buzz about the next generation mobile network's technological capabilities, and for good reason: faster, more consistent, and higher bandwidth mobile connectivity can open up new levels of productivity, versatility, and opportunity for small businesses.


Benefits Motivating Small Businesses to Invest in 5G

The world may be in for a devastating recession as a result of the war's impact and the emergence of new waves of coronavirus pandemic. This is encouraging enterprises to prioritize digital transformation. 

Digital innovation helps to develop tools and strategies that businesses can use to overcome challenges and solve complex problems. Improved hardware and smarter software enable data collection and analysis for scalability. With its promising strength of connectivity, exceptional frequency of data transfers, and high-speed, 5G technology can foster digital innovation, especially among small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), allowing a wide range of highly skilled workers to work from any location or workplace. Here are some major benefits, encouraging SMBs to invest in 5G, as follows:

  • Provide businesses with increased operational flexibility.
  • Increasing the sales channel's productivity.
  • Creates an intuitive supply chain.
  • Facilitate access to cutting-edge technologies such as augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR).
  • Improves workforce functionality and safety by lowering latency.
  • Enhances the customer experience.


A Plethora of Opportunities for Small Businesses

With a projected annual growth rate of around 97 percent and 40 percent of the population around the world using internet of things (IoT) apps on a 5G network, the new digital technology has the potential to create an incremental opportunity of around $251 trillion by 2025. A large number of businesses, irrespective of size or industry, are considering preparing themselves for the deployment of advanced 5G technology to benefit them and their customers. In addition, the deepening trend of digital transformation and the incorporation of cloud technologies are presenting a wide range of opportunities for businesses to scale up their connectivity, reach, and productivity.

Spotlight

GMBA | Conseil, Expertise comptable & Audit

A multidisciplinary practice with a diverse client base of over 2,000 businesses, associations and individual entrepreneurs, we have notably developed expertise in several areas : company start-up, innovative industries, artistic and cultural activities, corporate social responsibility (GMBA complies with ISO 26000 Standard).

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Small Businesses Migration from Cash to Digital Payment

Article | January 4, 2022

Bill payment and bookkeeping are difficult tasks for all types and sizes of business. Historically, conventional finance and accounting practices have caused headaches for all people involved, as well as financial consequences when things go wrong. Nonetheless, there is the introduction of new digital payment solutions designed to assist businesses to establish efficient processes for managing, sending, and collecting business-to-business (B2B) payments in order to stay competitive. The Shift Towards Digital Payments Of the numerous options that small and medium-sized businesses have, for improving their performance, the adoption of digital payment solutions is among the highest in terms of value for both, businesses and their clientele. From automating payment and invoice collections to providing a safe, secure customer experience and managing risk, digital payment solutions add value to the small business finance structure. Historically, complex and costly infrastructure was required to make payments safe, secure, and reliable. Hence, with the emergence of new convenient and secure types of payment solutions such as UPI, eChecks, and tap-and-go cards, a substantial increase in inclination towards the use of contactless and cashless payments has been reported. In fact, as per a study, approximately 1 in 3 customers in the U.S. choose to make contactless payments. The radical shift towards the adoption of this mode of payments around the world is presenting an opportunity for small businesses to not only address the needs of customers but also to take advantage of the many benefits of adopting digital payment solutions, including streamlining business processes. The Future Ahead Today, there is a greater-and-greater appetite from investors and innovators to modernize the financial service and transactional infrastructure.Similarly, small businesses are emphasizing on improving their payment and expense processes and adopting new digital payment solutions to benefit from their better cash flow management, increased accessibility for customers, and streamlined operations.

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The internet has transformed into a modern-day silk road that supports almost all aspects of modern life. Growing penetration of the internet has made it possible for businesses of all sizes to reach all parts of the sector and access previously inaccessible areas, increasing productivity via the use of digital tools. Any business strategy that involves using computers online, even if only for an email and a website, needs to include cybersecurity measures. The theft of data and digital information is now more common than other types of theft and is becoming one of the most commonly reported types of fraud. Impact of Cyberattacks on Small and Medium-Sized Businesses Cybersecurity is emerging as one of the most serious economic and security challenges for businesses all around the world. It is not just a threat to big businesses, multinational corporations, and governments, but they are a major problem for small businesses too. According to a recent study, nearly 22% of small businesses have been the targets of cyberattacks. Also, around 46% of the security breaches were reported across small and midsize businesses in 2021. A cyberattack can have a devastating impact on enterprises, especially on small businesses. In fact, about 60 percent of small enterprises that are attacked and experience a breach shut their business within six months. Not just this, there are more detrimental repercussions that businesses can encounter, including the following: Financial losses due to business disruption Financial losses brought on by the theft of financial data High costs to remove threats from the network Reputational harm following disclosure of data breach to customers Demand for Cybersecurity Making SMBs Hotspot for Investment The need for effective cybersecurity measures increases in lockstep with the increasing number of organizations expanding their operations online. In addition, the rising incidence of security breaches, data theft, and others in small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) is mandating these enterprises to adopt security solutions such as data backup solutions, encryption software, and password-security software, making them the center point for investment. Attributed to this, the prominent providers of cybersecurity solutions are focusing on coming up with advanced security software specially designed for SMBs.

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Bill payment and bookkeeping are difficult tasks for all types and sizes of business. Historically, conventional finance and accounting practices have caused headaches for all people involved, as well as financial consequences when things go wrong. Nonetheless, there is the introduction of new digital payment solutions designed to assist businesses to establish efficient processes for managing, sending, and collecting business-to-business (B2B) payments in order to stay competitive. The Shift Towards Digital Payments Of the numerous options that small and medium-sized businesses have, for improving their performance, the adoption of digital payment solutions is among the highest in terms of value for both, businesses and their clientele. From automating payment and invoice collections to providing a safe, secure customer experience and managing risk, digital payment solutions add value to the small business finance structure. Historically, complex and costly infrastructure was required to make payments safe, secure, and reliable. Hence, with the emergence of new convenient and secure types of payment solutions such as UPI, eChecks, and tap-and-go cards, a substantial increase in inclination towards the use of contactless and cashless payments has been reported. In fact, as per a study, approximately 1 in 3 customers in the U.S. choose to make contactless payments. The radical shift towards the adoption of this mode of payments around the world is presenting an opportunity for small businesses to not only address the needs of customers but also to take advantage of the many benefits of adopting digital payment solutions, including streamlining business processes. The Future Ahead Today, there is a greater-and-greater appetite from investors and innovators to modernize the financial service and transactional infrastructure.Similarly, small businesses are emphasizing on improving their payment and expense processes and adopting new digital payment solutions to benefit from their better cash flow management, increased accessibility for customers, and streamlined operations.

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Reasons Why Small Businesses Need CRM?

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CRMs, as highly customizable software, can be tailored to any small business. From an e-commerce business to an educational service to a logistics firm, every industry benefits from CRM integration to manage, organize, automate, and grow revenue and operations. The CRM industry has grown by 600% since 2010. It is expected to generate $80 billion in revenue by 2025. 6 Reasons Every Small Business Needs CRM It aids in the collection and organization of customer data:CRM solutions enable cleaner customer data. Data mining and enrichment are automated and standardized to ensure that nothing is overlooked. Data duplication is impossible with advanced duplicate prevention features. Advanced Database Segmentation Enables Personalized Communication with Leads:Personalization is expected by 63 % as a standard of service, and they believe they are recognized as individuals when they receive special offers. A CRM solution enables you to effectively personalize your communication with leads. Most small business CRM systems include advanced segmentation filters and tags that allow you to divide your audience into smaller groups based on a variety of criteria. Beneficial to run well-managed email campaigns: Email marketing can generate a 44.4 % ROI, generating $44 in revenue for every $1 spent. According to Hubspot, 93 % of B2B marketers use email to share content, and 59% say email is their top ROI driver. Email marketing is extremely cost-effective and scalable and generates considerably higher quality leads for your small business. Enables you to keep track of the sales process: The CRM system visualizes your sales process, highlighting the points where leads frequently abandon ship. This allows you to quickly identify threats and opportunities, as well as weaknesses and strengths. Avoids missed lead opportunities:CRM systems make sure that small businesses never miss a lead. Even if the sales rep goes on a different route, the lead will still get recorded with efficiency. Increases Sales Performance: Businesses that have integrated CRM into their operations report a 34% increase in sales productivity. CRM automatically populates customer profiles with data, schedules mailouts, and relieves you of the responsibility of monitoring your inbox. It keeps track of your agenda and keeps an eye on your calendar. In a nutshell, CRM frees up your time for more important tasks such as understanding your customers' needs or selling. For effective expansion of business and increasing sales, small businesses-integrating CRM software will serve with endless benefits.

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Spotlight

GMBA | Conseil, Expertise comptable & Audit

A multidisciplinary practice with a diverse client base of over 2,000 businesses, associations and individual entrepreneurs, we have notably developed expertise in several areas : company start-up, innovative industries, artistic and cultural activities, corporate social responsibility (GMBA complies with ISO 26000 Standard).

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Thryv and Google | August 04, 2022

Thryv Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:THRY), the small business platform for growing small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), is pleased to announce a new integration with Google’s Business Messages to help streamline communication for small businesses who have a growing number of inbound contact options. Thryv is a partner of Google’s Business Messages, a mobile conversational channel that combines entry points on Google Maps, Search and brand websites to create rich, asynchronous messaging experiences that customers find easily accessible and drive business results. Google’s Business Messages integrates within Thryv’s real-time, centralized inbox, which launched last year and allows businesses to have a single thread of communication rather than relying on pockets of data located in individual applications. “Rapid expansion of communication technologies has helped usher in a new era of communication when it comes to customer service for businesses, But only businesses with robust customer service teams and constant availability are benefiting from these advances. Local, service-based businesses, like a local roofing company, may not be able to respond to web chat messages quickly enough for customer satisfaction because they’re on the roof. Thryv’s integration with Google’s Business Messages helps small businesses benefit from said advancements too. These local businesses don’t have to decide between losing revenue and running their business (implying it’s a trade-off by example). The 2020s will continue to be about small business cloud adoption, and we will be there along the way with product updates to support our small business customers.” -Ryan Cantor, Chief Product Officer at Thryv The rise of messaging platforms has created more lines of communication for businesses than ever before, and small business owners are being pressured to adopt these new tools or lose business. Sending messages to businesses has become the new normal. A 2020 Juniper Research study found that global mobile business messaging traffic would reach 2.7 trillion messages by the end of that year, up 10% from the previous year. Companies with 24/7 customer service availability are built to dominate in a market where speed is key, but small businesses are offline more than they’re online. Thryv’s latest integration helps businesses make sure they’re not missing out on critical communications. Thryv provides automation capabilities enabling businesses to respond to customers quickly and keep track of ongoing conversations. For more information and to take advantage of Thryv’s offerings, visit thryv.com. About Thryv Holdings, Inc. Thryv Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:THRY) is a global software and marketing services company that empowers small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), franchises, and agencies to grow and modernize their operations so they can compete and win in today’s economy. Over 46,000 businesses use our award-winning SaaS platform, Thryv®, to manage their end-to-end customer experience, which has helped businesses across the U.S. and overseas grow their bottom line. Thryv also manages digital and print presence for over 400,000 businesses, connecting these SMBs to local consumers via proprietary local search portals and print directories. For more information about Thryv Holdings, Inc., visit thryv.com.

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Capital on Tap Virtual Cards Release to Provide Instant Access to Small Business Funding

Capital on Tap | September 28, 2022

Capital on Tap, a global FinTech providing access to an all-in-one small business credit card and spend management platform, introduced virtual cards as part of their mission to help small business owners run their businesses faster, simpler, and more efficiently.The virtual cards will be available immediately for the majority of approved applicants. Most applicants receive a credit decision within 24 hours, meaning approved cardholders will be able to make purchases on their Capital on Tap Business Credit Cards, issued by WebBank, within just one day of submitting their application. "For busy small business owners, the virtual card is a true game changer,David Luck,Having immediate access to funds is critical for success in this challenging business climate that often requires quick decisions and multiple strategic pivots." Co-Founder and CEO of Capital on Tap Virtual cards can be added to Google and Apple Pay accounts so cardholders can immediately make purchases in person or online. Small businesses also benefit from an added layer of security with virtual cards. Cardholders can replace them in real time, so if the account information is compromised or even if a cardholder makes a purchase from a vendor, they just don't feel completely confident in they have the option to void that card for all future purchases and instantly generate a new one. With no lag time between the cancellation of the card and the receipt of the new one, cardholders will never be without access to funds. Of course, all security features of the physical Capital on Tap Business Credit Card also apply to virtual cards. Account holders can also set spend limits on their virtual cards. This is useful for business owners who want to issue a virtual card for single use, such as travel or a large purchase. While account holders are currently limited to one virtual card per account, the option to generate multiple cards simultaneously will be available later this year, allowing cardholders to issue virtual cards to individual employees, and even designate separate virtual cards for different categories of business spend. About Capital on Tap Capital on Tap makes it easy for small businesses to manage their business spending, access funding, and earn best-in-class rewards. More than 200,000 small businesses have spent $5 billion on their Capital on Tap Business Credit Cards across the US and UK.

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Equitable Launches New Turnkey 401(k) Program for Small Businesses

Equitable | September 26, 2022

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Thryv and Google Partner to Streamline Communication for Small Businesses

Thryv and Google | August 04, 2022

Thryv Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:THRY), the small business platform for growing small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), is pleased to announce a new integration with Google’s Business Messages to help streamline communication for small businesses who have a growing number of inbound contact options. Thryv is a partner of Google’s Business Messages, a mobile conversational channel that combines entry points on Google Maps, Search and brand websites to create rich, asynchronous messaging experiences that customers find easily accessible and drive business results. Google’s Business Messages integrates within Thryv’s real-time, centralized inbox, which launched last year and allows businesses to have a single thread of communication rather than relying on pockets of data located in individual applications. “Rapid expansion of communication technologies has helped usher in a new era of communication when it comes to customer service for businesses, But only businesses with robust customer service teams and constant availability are benefiting from these advances. Local, service-based businesses, like a local roofing company, may not be able to respond to web chat messages quickly enough for customer satisfaction because they’re on the roof. Thryv’s integration with Google’s Business Messages helps small businesses benefit from said advancements too. These local businesses don’t have to decide between losing revenue and running their business (implying it’s a trade-off by example). The 2020s will continue to be about small business cloud adoption, and we will be there along the way with product updates to support our small business customers.” -Ryan Cantor, Chief Product Officer at Thryv The rise of messaging platforms has created more lines of communication for businesses than ever before, and small business owners are being pressured to adopt these new tools or lose business. Sending messages to businesses has become the new normal. A 2020 Juniper Research study found that global mobile business messaging traffic would reach 2.7 trillion messages by the end of that year, up 10% from the previous year. Companies with 24/7 customer service availability are built to dominate in a market where speed is key, but small businesses are offline more than they’re online. Thryv’s latest integration helps businesses make sure they’re not missing out on critical communications. Thryv provides automation capabilities enabling businesses to respond to customers quickly and keep track of ongoing conversations. For more information and to take advantage of Thryv’s offerings, visit thryv.com. About Thryv Holdings, Inc. Thryv Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:THRY) is a global software and marketing services company that empowers small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), franchises, and agencies to grow and modernize their operations so they can compete and win in today’s economy. Over 46,000 businesses use our award-winning SaaS platform, Thryv®, to manage their end-to-end customer experience, which has helped businesses across the U.S. and overseas grow their bottom line. Thryv also manages digital and print presence for over 400,000 businesses, connecting these SMBs to local consumers via proprietary local search portals and print directories. For more information about Thryv Holdings, Inc., visit thryv.com.

Read More

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Capital on Tap Virtual Cards Release to Provide Instant Access to Small Business Funding

Capital on Tap | September 28, 2022

Capital on Tap, a global FinTech providing access to an all-in-one small business credit card and spend management platform, introduced virtual cards as part of their mission to help small business owners run their businesses faster, simpler, and more efficiently.The virtual cards will be available immediately for the majority of approved applicants. Most applicants receive a credit decision within 24 hours, meaning approved cardholders will be able to make purchases on their Capital on Tap Business Credit Cards, issued by WebBank, within just one day of submitting their application. "For busy small business owners, the virtual card is a true game changer,David Luck,Having immediate access to funds is critical for success in this challenging business climate that often requires quick decisions and multiple strategic pivots." Co-Founder and CEO of Capital on Tap Virtual cards can be added to Google and Apple Pay accounts so cardholders can immediately make purchases in person or online. Small businesses also benefit from an added layer of security with virtual cards. Cardholders can replace them in real time, so if the account information is compromised or even if a cardholder makes a purchase from a vendor, they just don't feel completely confident in they have the option to void that card for all future purchases and instantly generate a new one. With no lag time between the cancellation of the card and the receipt of the new one, cardholders will never be without access to funds. Of course, all security features of the physical Capital on Tap Business Credit Card also apply to virtual cards. Account holders can also set spend limits on their virtual cards. This is useful for business owners who want to issue a virtual card for single use, such as travel or a large purchase. While account holders are currently limited to one virtual card per account, the option to generate multiple cards simultaneously will be available later this year, allowing cardholders to issue virtual cards to individual employees, and even designate separate virtual cards for different categories of business spend. About Capital on Tap Capital on Tap makes it easy for small businesses to manage their business spending, access funding, and earn best-in-class rewards. More than 200,000 small businesses have spent $5 billion on their Capital on Tap Business Credit Cards across the US and UK.

Read More

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Equitable Launches New Turnkey 401(k) Program for Small Businesses

Equitable | September 26, 2022

Equitable, a leading financial services organization and principal franchise of Equitable Holdings, Inc., today announced the launch of a new 401(k) program for small businesses, including those with startup plans and plans with account values up to $500kThe new program, Retirement Gateway for Small Business, will serve a growing need in the underserved micro 401(k) market to create a simplified onboarding and administrative experience for plan sponsors and financial advisors from initial consultation to implementation. We anticipate the enhanced tax credits for small businesses establishing retirement plans included in the SECURE Act 2.0 proposal will help grow the micro 401(k) market over time,” said Keith Namiot, Chief Operating Officer of Group Retirement at Equitable. “We have aligned our new program with where the market is expected to grow, and we are excited to help plan sponsors and advisors overcome the administrative barriers associated with setting up 401(k) plans a hurdle that has historically deterred many small businesses from offering them. Retirement Gateway for Small Business is poised to capitalize on other proposed provisions of SECURE 2.0, like the automatic enrollment requirement for new plans created by businesses with 10 or more employees. The growth of state-mandated retirement plans is also driving the demand for this type of program. All new Equitable 401(k) clients with plan account values of up to $500k have access to Retirement Gateway for Small Business. The program offers packages of services—some of which are made available through partnerships with unaffiliated third-party providers—to help ease demands on plan administrators and improve participant outcomes. They include: 3(16) Administrative Fiduciary: Significantly relieves the fiduciary burdens of running a 401(k) for plan administrators. 3(38) Investment Fiduciary: Provides professional assistance with investment management tasks. Automatic Enrollment: Reduces the amount of time employees spend on the enrollment process, which can lead to greater participation and increased savings rates. Stadion Managed Accounts as the QDIA: Reduces the complexity of selecting investments by automatically investing participants in a personalized portfolio. 360 Payroll Integration: Reduces the amount of time and effort spent managing census and payroll files. “Small business owners are focused on operating their organizations. That’s why it’s important to take the guess work out of choosing the right retirement plan design that can help them achieve the best participant outcomes,Predefined packages help advisors reduce the administrative burden and time spent selecting a plan, point their clients to the right amount of fiduciary coverage based on their specific needs, and streamline the overall onboarding process.” Jay Zickerman, head of Product Innovation and Implementation for Equitable’s Group Retirement business Another goal of the program is to help cut the time spent on getting plans up and running by quickly connecting advisors to a third-party administrator (TPA), who can assist with plan design, implementation and ongoing administration. Compass Retirement Consulting Group, Inc., a retirement plan consulting firm, will serve as the plan’s TPA and 3(16) administrative fiduciary for the Retirement Gateway for Small Business program. Equitable’s Group Retirement business offers tax-deferred investment and retirement solutions for employer-sponsored plans and consists of small-to-medium size businesses, educators and other public sector employees. The business serves more than 1 million clients with $45 billion in account value and assets under administration as of 6/30/2022. About Equitable Equitable, a principal franchise of Equitable Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EQH) has been one of America’s leading financial services providers since 1859. With the mission to help clients secure their financial well-being, Equitable provides advice, protection and retirement strategies to individuals, families and small businesses. Equitable has more than 8,000 employees and Equitable Advisors financial professionals and serves 2.8 million clients across the country. A Retirement Gateway® annuity contract or any state variation thereof is a group flexible premium combination fixed and variable deferred annuity issued by Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company (Equitable Financial), NY, NY. Co-distributed by affiliates Equitable Advisors, LLC (member FINRA, SIPC) (Equitable Financial Advisors in MI & TN) and Equitable Distributors, LLC. Equitable Financial, Equitable Advisors and Equitable Distributors do not provide legal or tax advice and are not affiliated with Stadion or Compass Retirement Consulting Group, Inc. Guarantees are based on the claims-paying ability of Equitable Financial Life Insurance Company.

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