Dark social is digital content that is shared privately and is untraceable by web analytics tools. One example of dark social is sending a friend a link from a local news article via Facebook Messenger or Snapchat. Marketers and brand owners – pay attention. Social media has billions of active monthly users, primarily Millennials and GenZers. This provides endless marketing opportunities for brands looking to start utilising this “dark” social environment. The term ‘dark social’ was first used in 2012, when Alexis Madrigal wrote for The Atlantic. He explained that “this vast trove of social traffic is invisible to most…
Author: sme-admin
Advanced technologies like AI-powered data extraction and document processing automation are gaining new urgency ahead of looming economic turmoil. Now is the time to get serious about digital transformation and automation. François Lacas, CMO at Yooz explains how and why. There’s software for business process automation in the finance function, and then there’s software for intelligent business process automation. It’s a fine distinction that can make a big difference in terms of efficiency, productivity and profitability. Many companies think they have automated their purchase-to-payment routines for the accounts payable team because they use an ERP system. But despite its many…
According to new data from Lloyds Bank* spend on debit cards made in person, using contactless technology, has grown from 65% to 87% in the last three years. In April 2020 – during the pandemic – the contactless limit was increased from £30 to £45, rising to £100 in October 2021. These higher limits have helped cement contactless as the preferred payment method of customers when out and about. Contactless convenience The rise in contactless payments as a preferred method has been driven by restaurant and health and beauty purchases, which both see around 90% of face to face…
2022 is proving to be a tough year for British businesses. Although we have emerged from the clutches of the pandemic, thankfully leaving Covid restrictions behind, the business community now faces an entirely new set of challenges. Inflation has become the word of the day, and is forecast to potentially reach a staggering 15% by the end of the year. The impact of surging prices is set to be particularly hard-felt by small and medium-sized firms who, unlike large corporates, often lack the financial legroom to absorb the cost of price hikes. In the midst of this tough economic climate, businesses are…
London, UK, 12th September 2022: New research exposes the difficulties businesses face accessing finance from mainstream lenders and how alternative solutions can plug the gap. More than a quarter (26%) of business leaders surveyed have had difficulties accessing finance from main banks, over a third (38%) say that banks don’t understand their business needs and two in five (41%) think banks’ lending policies haven’t kept pace with modern business needs. The research from embedded finance and payment solutions provider, Sonovate, follows a recent announcement from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The regulator warned banks to improve their treatment of small…
According to data from What Customers Want, 91 per cent of consumers prefer to purchase from small to medium-sized businesses. Why? Unlike their corporate-scale rivals, small businesses offer a personal service, better relationships and typically, better communication. But, what about when communication isn’t up to scratch? Here, Kristian Torode, Director and Co-Founder of business comms provider Crystaline, presents some top considerations that SMEs should bear in mind when selecting their communications technology partner. Putting an effective communication setup into place is a challenge for SMEs. Data from the Enterprise Research Centre revealed that some of the key communications challenges that…
Katherine Ellis, COO, WOLF (The World’s Online Festival) shares the lessons learned after the tech startup looked abroad for talent. A challenge affecting all areas of business today is recruitment. Dubbed The Great Resignation, the UK has witnessed above average numbers of employees voluntarily leaving their jobs since the pandemic, which is having a significant impact on businesses finding and retaining talent. There is much debate around how this economic trend started, with many experts suggesting it has been driven by the rise of flexible working expectations, the increase in cost of living and Brexit – all of which aren’t…
Sharply increasing interest rates, red-hot inflation and a prolonged energy crisis are leading to conviction that the UK is headed towards recession. The Alternative Board (TAB), which runs leading business advisory boards across the UK is advising SMEs to get recession ready now to survive what is predicted to be a prolonged downturn: “SMEs are crucial to the UK’s economy and account for over 53% of private sector employment, so it’s vital they ready themselves now for a potential recession,” commented Ed Reid, co-owner of The Alternative Board. “We’re here to ensure our SME facilitators and the businesses they support come out fighting…
Nextbase, the UK’s leading Dash Cam brand, has seen a 200 percent increase in year-on-year sales to the UK’s leading automotive brands, amidst an ambitious new campaign to revolutionise the availability of this life-saving technology to UK vehicle manufacturers and their customers. Five of the top vehicle manufacturers across the UK and Europe, representing over 50 percent of the UK’s automotive market share, now offer bespoke vehicle manufacturer Nextbase Dash Cams pre-installed. These brands include Toyota, Lexus, Kia, Hyundai, Skoda, Volkswagen, Seat, Isuzu, and Ford. Since their introduction to the UK market by Nextbase in 2012, Dash Cams have become…
Jill Whittaker OBE, Managing Director at The Executive Development Network (EDN), highlights how vital training is for businesses struggling with recruitment and retention, debunks common myths, and offers practical advice on how to make apprenticeships work for you. What we seek from our careers has undoubtedly changed since the advent of the pandemic. Ultimately, employees want to try new things, to upskill and reskill, and to have their value recognised more than ever before. To recruit and retain staff in this climate, SMEs must find the balance between meeting training demands and other time-consuming priorities. It may come as no…