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ARM benefits from the Internet of Things and wearables

2019-06-14T08:39:00.003-07:00

ARM records sales growth of 10 percent to £ 187 million. At 78 million pounds, the pre-tax profit according to IFRS increases. 2.9 billion chips based on the ARM architecture were delivered in the first quarter. That corresponds to an increase of eleven percent.

British chip designer ARM has benefited from growing interest in the Internet of Things, wearable devices and enterprise networking, and increased sales. In the first quarter of 2014, the company claims to have delivered 2.9 billion chips based on the ARM architecture. This corresponds to a growth of 11 percent compared to the same period of the previous year. The areas of enterprise networking and microcontrollers increased by 150 and 40 percent, respectively.

Compared to the same quarter of the previous year, sales grew by about 10 percent from 170.3 to 186.7 million British pounds. This emerges from the preliminary balance sheet now presented . IFRS pre-tax profit climbed from £ 67.1 million to £ 78 million. The operating margin increased from 38.1 to 40.9 percent.

In 95 percent of all smartphones and 80 percent of all digital cameras ARMs power-saving processor technology is used. It also continues to spread. For example, Microsoft uses an ARM chip in the Windows tablet Surface 2. In addition, the British chip designer also wants to establish itself in the area of enterprise servers and data centers . However, the company suffered a setback in this segment, after which Calexda had to cease operations .

According to ARM, its own customers signed 26 new processor licenses during the past quarter. Six of these apply to Cortex-A CPUs used in smartphones and tablets. Five more are for processors based on the ARMv8-A architecture, such as the Cortex-A53 or Cortex-A57. This brings the total number of licenses for this technology to 43.

Four licenses included ARM's Mali graphics processors and eleven other Cortex-M chips for microcontrollers, intelligent sensors, the Internet of Things (IoT) and wearables. ARM CEO Simon Segar said the Cortex-M chips are "found on most IoT and wearable devices announced so far".

He continued, "We now expect the second generation of wearable and IoT devices: they are very sophisticated in terms of design, have good hardware manufacturing quality, and provide easy-to-use software services. It's still a very fragmented market, but with many of the chips used in these devices being ARM-based, the benefits of our ecosystem are helping developers create new products. "

In the US and Western Europe, the market for smartphones is growing more slowly due to increasing saturation, but the emerging markets promise great growth potential. However, the profit margin is lower there. The demand for energy-saving chips is likely to increase noticeably should the internet of things or wearable devices finally prevail.

In its outlook for the remainder of the year, ARM notes that the semiconductor industry usually declines slightly in the first quarter before growth picks up again. "Recent evidence from the semiconductor industry and our customers suggests that ARM will benefit from an improving market in the second half of the year."

IBM's Power8 architecture is designed to accelerate big data analysis

2019-06-14T08:37:00.001-07:00

According to IBM, the new server chips should offer up to 50 times faster processing than x86 servers. Other manufacturers receive licenses for hardware, software and intellectual property through the OpenPower Foundation. For this IBM has also presented a roadmap.

With Power8, IBM has introduced the next generation of its Power Systems architecture. The code name includes a range of processors and servers based on them, designed to accelerate big data analysis. Up to 50 times faster than commercially available x86 servers should be the processing, promises IBM.

According to the manufacturer, the Power8 chips for the upcoming server generation are only a square inch and are equipped with over 4 billion transistors and more than 17 kilometers of high-speed copper cables. IBM has invested about $ 2.4 billion in the three-year development.

"This is the first truly breakthrough in high-end server technology in decades, with radical technical innovations and complete support for an open server ecosystem that will seamlessly bring our customers into the world of huge data volumes and complexity," said Tom Rosamilia, Senior Vice President, IBM Systems and Technology Group. With the new power portfolio IBM wants to lay the "foundation stone" for the OpenPower Foundation, which works for free technologies in data centers.

The OpenPower Foundation, founded last year, now includes 25 manufacturers. These include Google, Micron, Nvidia and Samsung. Everyone is committed to sharing best practices and intellectual property. The consortium has now presented a first roadmap . This provides for the time being to open IBM's power hardware and software for free development and to make the underlying intellectual property available for licensing by other manufacturers.

For example, Nvidia has power solutions with its own GPU portfolio and acceleration framework for Java implemented . Hadoop analysis applications should be able to achieve up to eight times higher performance. The free power technology Micron, Samsung and SK Hynix want to use their storage and storage products. Even based on an open server model, Power8 also includes IBM's new Power Systems S-Class servers designed specifically for scale-out cloud computing environments.

At the OpenPower Summit in San Francisco, the foundation gave a first glimpse into their "white box server". Tyan's reference design uses a firmware and operating system developed by IBM, Google, and Canonical. IBM also wants to offer several Linux-focused developments. First, the group makes Canonical's Ubuntu server available on all Power8 systems. In addition, it recently introduced PowerKVM, a version of the Linux-integrated hypervisor Kernel-based Virtual Machine for its power architecture.

With the licensing of hardware, software and intellectual property, the OpenPower Foundation follows a similar approach to ARM. Its chip design is used in almost all mobile devices. However, the success is not preprogrammed. "It will take significant investment and time to build on the importance of ARM as an open architecture," said Patrick Moorhead, President and Chief Analyst of Moor Insights & Strategy. Moorhead is also critical of IBM's promises of the new architecture's power: "Power8 seems to be very fast when combined with IBM software, but more data is needed to estimate its merits over Intel."

Intel told Intel itself: "IBM does a lot of internal testing and can claim anything it wants. We're not sure which applications used or how the tests were performed, but they do not seem to represent any real data center environment. "

SOME AMENDMENTS TO WORKING PROCEDURES IN THE UNITED STATES

2019-06-07T20:03:00.002-07:00

The US government is strong with illegal labor

This website will help you prepare basic license procedures. If you have made a decision to work in the United States , the first step is to talk to the school's designated staff (Designated School Official - DSO). If you are found working "undercover" (working without a license), your DSO will have to report back through SEVIS and your study may be terminated. This means you must leave the United States immediately and there will be no chance of returning. To avoid this situation, be careful to follow the rules, especially knowing that there are many opportunities to work and applying for a license is extremely easy.

Work on campus

If you are an F1 student visa , you can definitely work on on-campus employment. However there are some things to keep in mind.

Even if you only work for a short time and only do it when you arrive in the US, you must be in Active and DSO status through your request.

After the request has been approved, you will get a letter of approval.With the approval letter and letter from the employer, you will receive a Social Security number. When you are in school, you can only work 20 hours / week.

Work outside the campus

After a year of study at the school, you will be eligible to work outside the campus. The approval of this request depends on the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Department of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) .

In order to apply for a legal work, you must receive a recommendation from the DSO and a registration file called Form I-765 "Application for Employment Authorization" by USCIS. After USCIS approval, they will send you a Work Permit Document (Form I-766 Employment Authorization Document (EAD).

You cannot start working until you receive the EAD.

If you are a student with an F1 visa, you can be approved to practice in internships related to the field of study: Optional Apprenticeship Practice (OPT) or Practical Practice Practices to study program (CPT). Usually in most cases, you will have to enroll in an SEVP-cert ( SEVP-certified )school certificate as an F1 student attending the school year to get an internship in two forms. above.

CPT

CPT must relate to the major and this experience must be a requirement given by the curriculum, however, unlike OPT or other work, CPT can be a full-time job and not limited to 20 hours per week.

In order to meet all conditions for CPT, your DSO needs to provide you with a Form I-20 to show the recommendation of the DSO for that job.

OPT

OPT must relate to your major, and even if you can register for up to 12 months at each level, you must have an EAD card that allows you to start working.

To receive an EAD card, your DSO needs to provide a new Form I-20 and show your recommendation of this DSO and you must also submit a Form I-765 to USCIS. The EAD card will be sent by USCIS. As with other jobs, you can only practice 20 hours or less each week (while the school is still in progress).

Lasting up to 17 months internship for STEM graduates

STEM degree is a degree for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Graduates with STEM degree are employed in the United States for up to 17 months for an OPT non-mandatory internship application.

CONSIDERATIONS WHEN CHOOSING TO STUDY AT COMMUNITY COLLEGE

2019-06-07T01:39:00.002-07:00

Studying at Community Colleges is an option for many international students in the United States because of the advantages of tuition and study schedules. Through this article, Hotcourses Vietnam will help you synthesize important evaluation criteria for school choice. But first, let's talk to Mr. Nguyen Minh Loc (Representative of Auburn University (top 50 leading public universities in the US), Minh Nguyen - Former student ofSouth Seattle College Community College ) and Ms. Vo Hong Nhung, representative of Envision Recruit company, invited them to answer common questions about attending American community colleges.

Why is studying at CDC cheaper and easier to enter than University?

According to Ms. Vo Hong Nhung, CDC is one of the safest options for families who want their children to study in the US, because the entrance conditions are consistent with the capacity of most Vietnamese high school students - no SAT requirement is required. and TOEFL / IETLS conditions are also quite moderate. If studying from the 11th grade, students can shorten their study time to the United States. Moreover, it is also a fact that Ms. Hong Nhung pointed out that the process of applying for an I-20 invitation for Community College is also faster than most 4-year universities.

According to the CDC, the learners are also able to study in an advanced educational environment with an acceptable fee. Minh Nguyen himself attended Community College in Seattle, for a fee of only US $ 15,000 / year - an expense that could be considered quite small compared to the common ground. Besides, the educational environment at Community College is very diverse, with participants from different ages, cultures and backgrounds. Many students are also older students - going back to school to improve their knowledge or gain more degrees to serve their jobs such as engineers, tailors, nurses ... This will help the living experience. Your richness, with extensive relationships.

According to Communitycollegereview , the average tuition of community colleges in the US is not identical. In the 2018-2019 school year, if each student will spend about 15,483 USD for private colleges, for public colleges, the cost of international students (or other permanent students in the state ) will fall to about 8,593 USD.

How is the CDC different from the University?

In response to the differences between the two learning environments, Minh Nguyen stated that the two learning environments have a fundamental difference in the training program. The first 2 years at Community College are usually quite easy compared to the following 2 years, when students begin to enroll in specialized subjects. The characteristics of the Community College are also smaller classes than the University (only 10-15 people), so students will receive closer attention from the teachers.

However, teachers at Community College usually do not have the same degree and degree as the University, but the common ground, they still have to have a master's degree to be able to stand.

Mr. Loc briefly envisioned, Community College is a motel (popular hotel) while Group 1 University is a 5-star hotel in terms of service scale, facilities, quality, prestige and brand. sign.

How to transfer from College to University?

In theory, after completing the Community College courses, students can transfer to any 4-year university in the US to complete the remaining years, earning a Bachelor's degree. That university. The results will depend on your academic achievement at Community College and your English level.

Minh Nguyen added that many people are often afraid of the quality of teaching at community colleges, but actually when they complete 4 years of university, the international students still have a good degree. Equivalent to students who attend the 4-year program at University.

Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyen Minh Loc gave a different opinion. According to Mr. Loc, students at Community Colleges can transfer 2 + 2 quite conveniently to universities located in the same state, but if you want to register for a better university in another state It is not easy to convert credits, which can cause delays and fail to meet the original plan.

In any case, you should go to the Student Advisory Department to ask counselors to plan for a transition later. They will help you analyze which schools are suitable, which year will be appropriate, which courses should be registered, and how much English should be ...

At some Community Colleges, students can be sure to transfer to universities that are affiliated with the school if they complete a course at Community College with results that are not too low. In this list there are many famous and high quality universities. However, you should note that the transfer option from Community College to University is only true for students who have studied the university and have loved this university before. If not before, students need to watch out for advertising traps that definitely have 2 + 2 because it is very unlikely.

Some criteria to choose Community Colleges should be noted

As with 4-year universities, when choosing community colleges, you need to consider the criteria in your own order of priority. Some "items" of evaluation (other than tuition fees) you should care about are:

Training quality of the course: Note that you should be interested in the rankings of the majors in the overall ranking of the school, because every school has its own, bad for each industry can.

Number of students and the percentage of international students: This will help you visualize some of the scale and educational environment of the school (there are many Vietnamese / Asian students, is the school where everyone all know each other or "who knows what people do ...")

Cooperation and exchange agreements: Most CDC students have the desire to transfer to 4-year universities to study at higher levels, so the College has an agreement on enrollment / exchange with those prestigious universities inside and outside the state will help your transition go smoothly.

School location and facilities: This is not simply the surrounding landscape and the view you will be exposed to during every lesson, because it will determine whether you feel comfortable in the lips. is that school For example, if you are a student from urban, familiar with bustling lifestyle, then studying at a school in the country will not be simple to integrate (unless you are looking for an experience new life).Places are sometimes related to health and learning inspiration (such as those who are allergic or not able to tolerate cold).

And to be able to fully evaluate a school, you should visit the website of the course / community college you are targeting, follow Instagram, watch introductory videos, use tools Virtual visit (virtual visit) to "shoulder" students to explore the campus, read the reviews of previous students, and especially, contact the IDP counselor to be updated. Latest scholarship opportunities of the school you are aiming for!

3 BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR CRM SYSTEMS FOR INDUSTRIAL COMPANIES

2019-06-06T08:57:00.000-07:00

Digitization is changing the requirement profile for CRM systems, including in industry. In order for a CRM system to pave the way for the digitized future for manufacturing companies, it must meet three essential requirements.

Requirement 1: Networking and Integration

Industrial companies are also dependent on using their data in the B2B business . Today, it is becoming increasingly important for a company to use its diverse IT systems and databases to service its day-to-day operations across departments. The decision for a CRM system also stands and falls with system and data integration.

The fact that the CRM solution is bidirectionally networked with the IT landscape - from the ERP system to the e-mail marketing tool - is the precondition for its endowment with the intended benefits. If the CRM system is to really support sales in its work, all relevant information must be accessible to its users , such as the order history of the customer, products and customer-specific sales. Then sales can act in the sense of strategic customer loyalty and, for example, identify cross- selling and upselling potential . Only if the sales department knows the customer value and possible added value, he is able to meaningfully prepare customer discussions and finally to pursue strategic goalswith customers,

Another positive aspect of integration capability is the option to connect to other systems , such as mobile device support or real-time translation through connected external services. This keeps the IT system infrastructure up-to-date, and businesses gain the flexibility and adaptability needed to prepare for future developments .

Another advantage of modern technology: It is high-performance and processes data in real time . For example, when a lead downloads a product news whitepaper from the website, their marketing automation application data can be synchronized to the CRM system in real time, as their purchase probability has increased. This allows the salesperson to place the right content at the right time and realize a competitive advantage.

Requirement 2: Map sales processes zenral

Networking the CRM system with your own system landscape and customizing as needed - these are just the first steps in the transformation towards a modern, data-driven company .

A central aspect of digitization is the ability to automate customer-related processes data-driven , beyond the boundaries of marketing and sales. There are many processes that offer such automation: Leads that collect the marketing at a fair in the form of business cards must be handed over to the sales department; Leads resulting from visits to the company website , a newsletter subscription or a whitepaper download must be qualified, further developed through more detailed information offers until they are ready for distribution, and finally distributed to the sales department.

Distributors want lists of qualified opportunities that show where the lead comes from, what their interests are, and what is known about the project so they can plan their consulting strategy accordingly .

Last but not least, the dealer network also needs a bundle of information for every new product launch and product innovation of the manufacturer. A modern CRM system must make it possible to largely automate such processes in the sense of robotic selling . And why should not those who have taken part in a webinar on a new product from the manufacturer directly synchronize with the marketing automation system and at the same time create a lead in CRM? This is how an efficient and successful lead nurturing campaign can begin.

It is important to overcome outdated thinking in rigid departmental boundaries in favor of integrated and automated processes . This optimally supports sales employees in their work - and makes them more successful.

Requirement 3: From CRM to intelligent robotic selling

If traditional CRM is to become a modern, sales-assisted robotic selling, then three elements are essential : A company must integrate data from all available sources , it must create automated processes across the boundaries of marketing and sales, and it has data through evaluate scientific data analytics .

The result of good data analytics and scientific decision models, for example, are that the regional sales staff can immediately see in his system to every lead or customer, what is the probability of purchase for each of the ten products from the portfolio of the company - so he accordingly its sales calls can control.

Or the robotic robotic selling system will only show the sales person those opportunities where the score is above a certain threshold. In this way, the strategically important products and services of the company can be focused in sales. The automated analysis of the data in sales-supporting Robotic-Selling also makes it possible to selectively reactivate existing customers or to operate existing customer nurturing .

The analyzes also provide guidance for lead generation and complete lead nurturing campaigns in marketing automation .

Several practical examples confirm the positive effects of robotic selling for marketing and sales. These companies have left behind old silo structures and access all the relevant data about their customers. They automatically evaluate this data through scientific data analytics and thus support and control optimally designed processes in lead marketing and sales. One thing is certain: the time of the standalone systems is over.

THE CURRENT TRENDS IN THE E-HEALTH SECTOR

2019-06-06T08:54:00.002-07:00

The modern patient has a lot in common with the modern customer. He can better inform himself through social networks and search engines. Sometimes even too much - the doctors' fear of this Google already has its own name. In addition, he expects more flexibility when it comes to information and services through the use of mobile devices. But how does the industry meet the customer's wishes?

E-Health: The user determines the course

"E-health encompasses applications that use the opportunities offered by modern information and communication technologies (ICT) for the treatment and care of patients." (Source: Federal Ministry of Health )

In addition to the freedom of information that the modern patient enjoys through online portals and forums, the use of wearables, ie smart devices that combine the collection of health data (exercise, sleep, heart rate, etc.) with data analysis, is growing. The modern patient wants to have a say when it comes to his health. According to Bitkom, at least 31% of Germans aged 14 and over use an activity tracker. And the use of health apps is growing. For example, consulting firm Price Waterhouse & Cooper found in a study (via Forbes.com ) that health apps are among the most popular apps. A study by the market research institute GfK 28% of all internet users in Germany use apps or fitness trackers for their health or sports activities.

At ec4u, we regularly engage with the latest life sciences and e-health topics and trends, especially on our Life Science blog . And because I'm so close to the source, I personally asked the blog author and health expert Gregor Börner which trends are particularly exciting for him in the e-health sector.

Mobile and self-service

The modern patient wants to be informed faster and more flexibly. He does not want to go to the doctor for every insight into his patient file. He prefers to be able to view results regardless of time and place - of course, taking data protection into account.

Accordingly, doctors and nursing providers are under pressure to offer their services outside of the practice or outside the 1-1 communication.

The term "self-service" in the digital domain means offers that are available to the user online 24/7 and offer simple services.

Gregor Börner sees a number of startups that are driving this development in the customer area, promoted by the classic players in the industry: pharmaceuticals, health insurance companies, etc. But even the classic players themselves are now often on the path of digitization.

At the DAK, for example, you can register online to retrieve information, complete documents, monitor bonus points and apply for and print out certificates. Meanwhile, the technical health insurance offers to submit bills and sick reports online, to organize the scheduling or to monitor the processing status of applications.

In the start-up area, meanwhile, there are solutions to prevent heart attacks and to detect risks early, pregnancy supporters and apps that, for example, facilitate everyday life as diabetics or document and optimize treatment progress (an interesting selection of startups is available here ).

The doctor is replaced less here, but the everyday life of the patient is better documented and regulated and can be shared at the request of the patient even with the doctor so that he has a better insight into the life of his patient and can diagnose correspondingly more accurate.

Telemedicine - the new communication

Telemedicine itself - ie diagnostics and / or therapy over a spatial or temporal distance - is not a new term. However, digital transformation is opening up many new opportunities to revolutionize the concept of telemedicine. However, the balancing act between practical application and data protection often gets in the way.

For example, the use of WhatsApp by pharmacies for the delivery of prescriptions is still a sensitive topic: at the end of the day, paper is still needed.

But the field of telemedicine is benefiting from increased digital communication, which is becoming increasingly attractive through video chat and telephone services.

Although there are still some hurdles for telemedicine due to the ban on distance treatment, in the digital age, too, borders are becoming more and more softened. In Baden-Wuerttemberg, for example , the ban on long-distance treatment ( more on this ) has already been overturned in order not only to facilitate consultative discussions with the doctor, but also treatment via telephone or online platform. Gregor Börner believes that the legal developmentin Germany will move a little faster in the future than it has done so far. Not least because patients such as doctors, providers, etc. can benefit equally. The faster and more the law adapts to the digital possibilities (and the everyday life), taking data and patient protection into consideration, the more varied the patient care can be.

The electronic patient file

The electronic health card has been planned for several years. The concept of the health card is simple: all important information about the patient (treatments, findings and patient data) is stored on the card (or in a central database for which the card of access codes) and instead of the classic card with each visit to the doctor Practice synchronized.

Gregor Börner explains: "What is the promise of the eGK or EHR?

Prevention of double diagnoses (including the burden on the patient, for example, if one knee is X-rayed twice)

Emergency pass (information on allergies, contact persons and current medication in case of emergency)

Drug interactions

Basis for integrated care (jointly by various service providers such as in oncology: pharmacy, oncologist, nursing, hospital, etc.) "

In this way it can be avoided that the patient has to refer to his entire medical history during any care, support or medical treatment or that the communication and the exchange of information between health insurance companies and doctors is incomplete. Errors, wrong medication or double treatments can be avoided.

So far, however, the active implementation of digital medical records has been delayed considerably. Regarding the reasons, Gregor Börner says:

"Certainly one of the reasons for the delays was that a large number of involved and sometimes conflicting interests must be reconciled. One can only regret the fact that only a lowest common denominator has been found as a consensus for the time being, as it does not allow us to exploit the possibilities inherent in the idea of an electronic health card - especially for the patient. "

Wearables & the Internet of Things

In addition to the activity trackers, wearables and the Internet of Things offer possibilities far beyond measuring and analyzing steps / day. Some examples and opportunities for using and using wearables can be found on the Life Science blog.

For Gregor Börner, the innovation is not in new applications, but in the linking of different areas:

"Exciting is certainly the increasing networking, but still in its infancy: so far, the GPS tracker Runtastic was a silo for exercise, the health app Withings for Libra and Weight Watchers for the (right) diet. But Apple Health (the app) now provides a platform to bring this information together and also play back to the individual apps so that for the first time an overall picture is visible, without having to bind to a provider. This will most likely evolve, including standardization of data exchange across manufacturers. "

In addition, many wearables are currently still in the sports and hobby area. Again, Gregor Börner sees a development that is unavoidable:

"So far this is more of a health and sports fanatic (or for normal people to motivate themselves). But still lacking the link to medicine or medical use. Here I expect new ideas as soon as the interoperability, meaning the meaningful linkage of leisure and health is given. "

WITH THESE TIPS, YOUR CRM AND MARKETING AUTOMATION LINK WORKS

2019-06-06T08:53:00.003-07:00

According to a recent study , more than 60% of all German companies have already implemented marketing automation software or are actively planning (Source: Cloudbridge). But without the right link with existing systems, the full benefits of automated marketing can not be realized.

Use marketing automation correctly

A marketing automation tool without the link to a CRM tool and integrated lead management is more like Amazon would not use its customer data to make individual offers to each customer. So you could still search for products and shop comfortably, but there are no product recommendations, no special offers and no "customers who looked at this product also looked at the following products." In short, Amazon would be compared to shopping do not offer much added value in stationary shops.

A marketing automation tool helps you to make marketing strategies, and especially email marketing, easier and more customer-centric. However, in order not to simply schedule and start email chain reactions that are "unleashed" on all customers, automation should also be used to customize communication based on data, such as optimizing lead or existing customer care the sales team also benefited from it. In other words, you can send your leads dozens of automated e-mails, but if the leads do not evolve, for example, to be taken over by sales, then the best technology is of no use.

A fool with a tool is still a fool.

Marketing and sales must work together

In a study by Salesfusion, 700 B2B marketers were asked about their marketing automation strategies (Source: via Marketwired ). Among those who linked their marketing automation software to the CRM system and also set up a service level agreement between marketing and sales, 60% said that communication between marketing and sales was excellent. By comparison, only 20% of companies said they used a marketing automation tool without a CRM link.

And in our summary of the Hubspot State of Inbound Report 2017 We've found that companies that can establish good communication between marketing and sales can generate more leads through marketing than through sales.

By the way, you can read more about better cooperation through service level agreements here .
Synchronization with CRM system optimizes lead management

If you combine marketing automation and CRM, you can, for example, synchronize the leads gained through automated marketing measures directly with the CRM database. It does not come to data silos and from the beginning of lead generation there is not the "marketing lead" and the "sales lead", but only the "lead", who oversees marketing, sales and service according to his buying phase and behavior becomes.

The advantages of such a link are obvious:

Marketing and Sales (and ideally the service) access a common record for each lead and customer. As a result, everyone is at the same level of information.

Particularly attractive leads can be viewed immediately by the sales department and contacted directly. Sales does not always have to wait for the marketing and the lead handover.

Updates to a contact can be instantly documented so that, for example, it can be taken out of a running lead campaign automatically after signing or selling.

Marketing Dashboard: Evaluate data correctly

One of the foundations for linking the systems is a marketing dashboard. Behind the buzzword is a world of possibilities that - as with so many buzzwords - is full of misunderstandings. Basically, a dashboard is a visual view of selected data and metrics that can be customized. For example, Google Analytics is presented as a dashboard at a glance without the need to be an Analytics expert. And, as with Google Analytics, it depends on how you compile and interpret that data.

A dashboard that links marketing automation and CRM data can not only represent the punctual performance of the marketing measures, but also which leads have become customers or jumped off, for example.

Other possibilities of a dashboard:
Which leads were won by which channels?
Which channels are the most Sales Accepted Leads?
After which measures (e-mail, download, sales contact) do most conversions come about?
During which periods are most leads won?

Also, data from marketing automation and CRM can be mixed, processed and converted into forecasts or offerings. Using analytics and visualization, the lead can also be directly classified and evaluated using statistical methods. Good leads can be easily and clearly distinguished from bad leads.

You want to get an idea of Marketing Automation? In our white paper, you'll learn about the benefits of automated marketing emails and why you can communicate more individually with leads and customers.

THE 3 HURDLES OF THE DSGVO FOR COMPANIES (AND A SOLUTION)

2019-06-06T08:52:00.002-07:00

In May 2018, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (DSGVO) will enter into force. From then on, Internet users have extended rights regarding the use of their personal data in the network. In order to safeguard these rights, companies must lay the technological and procedural foundations. But currently there is still restraint.

Companies are not sufficiently prepared for the GDPR

According to a study by Varonis Systems dated May 2017, 81% of all companies surveyed doubt that the specifications will be implemented on time (source: datensicherheit.de ). While one might initially assume that companies lack the time and resources, the majority has a different reason: 58% do not consider implementation as a priority.

Assuming that the fines are not exactly squeamish in violation of the new regulations (up to 20 million euros or four percent of global sales), so surprised a setting.

The three hurdles to implementing new privacy regulations

The lack of priority may also be due to the fact that many companies feel powerless when it comes to implementation. For example, more than half of the surveyed companies fear that the "right to forget" and the efficient identification and granting of personal data are difficult to implement.

In a survey conducted in July 2017, the company Veritas therefore also asked for clear reasons for the concerns and the lack of prioritization (Source: datenschutzbeauftragter-info.de ). The answers quickly reveal three gaping gaps in corporate data management:

There is a lack of knowledge

Many companies cite a lack of knowledge to properly decide which data to back up and which data to delete (42%).

There is a lack of tools

In particular, the identification and monitoring of data in real time is challenging because it lacks the necessary tools (32%).

There is a lack of methods

On the one hand, there is concern that potentially valuable data will be deleted (39%) and, on the other hand, that there will be no necessary preparation to protect personal data efficiently (30%).

The solution: holistic data management

If there is a lack of prioritization, and tools, knowledge and staff are lacking to implement privacy decrees, then it is probably because many data protection measures are perceived as a necessary evil. The myth that measures, laws and requirements prevent digitization has become widespread in recent years, but could not be more untrue.

In fact, the exact opposite is the case: the fundamentals of data management that are necessary for data protection are largely also the basis for a meaningful handling of corporate data and data analytics . In other words, anyone who really cares about the right documentation, organization and backup benefits for a variety of reasons.

Companies that do not have an overview of their data and missing or inadequate taxonomies are losing countless hours of work each day and are already jeopardizing existing privacy policies.

There are numerous studies that confirm that employees spend up to two hours a day searching for documents and information, regardless of their business (Source: Cottrill research ).

Data management secures data and optimizes processes

However, anyone who implements holistic data management automatically ensures that all data is better categorized and thus can be used more effectively. Because, to be honest, for example, there is no advantage in sending e-mails to customers who have not given their consent.

Nor does it make sense to collect customer data, but not be able to retrieve it as needed. Because if the problem exists for customers who want to see their data, the same goes for marketing, sales and service, which logically should have just as big problems finding the right data.

If companies recognize that the Data Protection Regulation is not an obstacle but a basis not only for the protection but also the effective use of customer data, the requirements can not be implemented only out of fear of fines, but are understood as revenue-generating measures Optimize customer experience, increase conversions and adequately identify, maintain and manage customer data.

MARKETING: 5 TIPS FOR YOUR E-MAIL DATABASE

2019-06-06T08:51:00.002-07:00

As part of the General Data Protection Regulation ( DSGVO ), but also for effective e-mail marketing, a database should be clean and tidy. In the following, I would like to introduce five best practices on how to continuously maintain a standard.

But before I start, I want to get rid of one thing: when it comes to having a good, effective database that will benefit you and get as many clicks as possible, then class is always in front of the crowd. Likewise, in the following best practices, one or the other, you'll have to say goodbye to some more traditional notions when it comes to databases.

At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself the following question: what do I gain from contacts when they are not interested in my offer? Only for the number in the report, no database should be artificially puffed up. In addition, many contacts that interact poorly are also not very helpful when it comes to optimizing your email marketing. After all, you do not want to send your message into empty space, but rather address the right leads and customers.
Five best practices for a clean database

Use double opt-in

Many marketers think that the double-opt-in is merely a favor for any privacy advocate. Instead, the confirmed registration of an email address is primarily to ensure that your contact is really the one who has registered. Not only that, he shows so much interest in your content, that he opens an e-mail and clicks a link (that's far from being the case with all contacts).

So use the Double-Opt-in to generate higher quality leads at registration. Data protection is only a very positive side effect.

Incidentally, you can read the difference between opt-in and double opt-in in our blog post on the subject.

Remove duplicate e-mail addresses

We like to call them "duplicates," the duplicate accounts that not only make the database falsely bigger than they are, but also keep your contacts from receiving duplicate emails in the worst case scenario.

In most modern marketing automation systems, duplicate addresses can be easily matched and merged (or deleted). Here it is advisable to agree in a team how to deal with duplicate contacts:

should duplicates be deleted automatically?

should only the doublet be deleted, which has less information or was later entered?
should the duplicates be merged?

should someone manually go over all duplicates and mark them by hand (this is only suitable for manageable contact lists)?

Check bounce rates

While a soft bounce is not a special drama, a hard bounce should be taken seriously. A hard bounce means that there is really no way for you to write contact. This can be due to a number of reasons, such as the address no longer exists, or being blocked by the recipient's email browser (the latter being the case, and you should check your inbox placement rate, more here ).

Rules can be set here so that contacts who have caused a hard bounce more than two or three times are automatically deleted from the database. Do not cry over these contacts, because an email contact that can not be contacted by email will not be in your database.

Inactive users measure

When it comes to inactive users, but have an active double-opt-in, things look a bit more difficult. Many companies find it difficult to say goodbye, even though the last interaction was two years ago.

I would also like to point out here that you can use marketing automation systems to set up automated rules for these cases. If a contact has not had any interaction with you for more than six months (and I strongly recommend that you also include interactions on the website, in direct contact or via social media - if measurable - to include *), he can, for example, in a last Wake up reactivation campaign. If only silence then ensues again, the contact (with a heavy heart) should be deleted. This can also be done with a farewell e-mail, indicating that you can register anytime again.

* Not every contact communicates via e-mail. Many a lead prefers to inform themselves independently on your website, etc. So if you have other ways to communicate with your registered contacts, they should be considered before a deletion decision necessarily.

Incidentally, a comprehensive view of all the activities of your contacts will be all the better if you link your Marketing Automation system with your CRM system.

Exclude email addresses

Internal e-mail addresses, addresses known to be spam or even the competition's e-mail contacts are among the contacts that may not necessarily be in a clean database.

For internal email addresses, I generally recommend that you do not include them because they dilute the values of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) ( more about KPIs can be found here ).

When it comes to addresses that can be associated with spam, my recommendation is that B2C companies should be more reluctant to do so, since many private customers use e-mail services that are also used by spammers. Here, hard bounces and inactivity can help clean the database in some other way.

In the meantime, it is worthwhile for B2B companies to sort out basically private e-mail addresses (such as gmail or AOL).

And whether or not you keep e-mail addresses of the competition happy with your valuable content or not, ideally you should let the management decide.