Motivation speakers and media moguls, Rachel and Dave Hollis of The Hollis Company, recently led the Rise Business Conference in Charleston, S.C., where more than 6,000 small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs gathered for three days of learning.
The conference’s VIP experience included a wealth of exclusive opportunities like a VIP lounge, professional headshots and preferred seating. VIP attendees were also welcomed with swag bags that included personalized Apple AirPods, customized by FUSION OF IDEAS.
Part of sustaining a business, no matter the industry, is staying current and rolling with change. In the construction business, many companies are held up with time tracking, offline capabilities, field data capturing challenges, which are the most common pain points in the industry.
Because these challenges disrupt the daily workflow, a savvy software implementation to overcome these obstacles can be the difference between winning a project bid or not.
A custom software, one that can tackle your entire workflow in one single app is customized for your business to help these common pain points:
Time Tracking – Time tracking in the field is a common pain point in construction. Even with time-tracking software, many solutions have a complicated user interface or depend on connectivity to the Internet.
Offline Capabilities – If you’re using web-based field software that doesn’t have offline capabilities, your workforce may be delayed in completing critical tasks like inspection reports and safety incident reports.
Data Collection – Gathering and sorting essential business data can be a time-consuming task, especially when data is being collected in several programs or platforms. Chances are, the bigger your organization, the more apps or software your company may be using. And having data in various places offers more risk in errors when collecting data, which can hinder critical business decisions.
Real-Time Communications – Communication is the backbone of all efficient operations. Improving communications can massively streamline operations and improve accuracy by allowing real-time communication between all members invested in a project on the field and at the office.
You don’t have to be a “techie” or even a gadget lover to appreciate a new tech device. From Bluetooth speakers to wireless chargers, mobile technology is all around us.
With the rising trend of companies giving corporate gifts, technology has become a popular gift category for businesses. Giving a tech gift can also show that your company is modern and forward-thinking.
We rounded our favorite tech gift ideas this holiday season:
Wireless Earbuds – Ultracompact and lightweight, wireless earbuds offer features such as noise-cancellation and a customizable fit. Wireless earbuds options are abundant, including Apple AirPods and the new AirPods Pro, Samsung Galaxy Buds, Powerbeats Pro by Beats by Dre and the new Amazon Echo Buds.
Wireless earbuds topped the list for the most popular business gift in 2018. Seen here is a pair of customized Powerbeats Pro by Beats by Dre.
Smart Speakers – A starting device or a complement to a complete smart home system, smart speakers or smart assistants like Amazon Echo or Google Home help you around the house, offers entertainment and more, all through voice commands.
A smart speaker like Google Home Mini is an ideal gift for customers, employees as well as shareholders.
Portable and Wireless Chargers – A practical gift option, mobile chargers are versatile for all types of technology. Popular wireless charger options include Belkin and Samsung and there are portable charger options from Mophie and Nimble.
Wireless and portable chargers are practical and versatile. Add your company logo for a lasting impression year-round.
Complete the brand experience with personalization. Adding the recipient’s name or using customized packaging with your company logo can make a lasting impression. For more corporate gifting ideas, visit www.fusionofideas.com/gifting.
More than 80 aspiring young scholars, scientists, entrepreneurs and public servants recently gathered in New York City to meet with some of the world’s most outstanding leaders in the arts, sciences, business and public service.
Guests at the 53rd International Achievement Summit. Photo source: American Academy of Achievement
The highlight of the programwas the Banquet of the Golden Plate where 34 guests of honor were inducted into the Academy and presented with the Golden Plate Award.
Some of this year’s guests of honor included: Two Nobel Peace Prize laureates, Leymah Gbowee and Nadia Murad; American blues guitarist and singer, Buddy Guy; Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Brett M. Kavanaugh; The Who’s Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey; musical theatre composer Andrew Lloyd Webber; and designer Thomas Heatherwick.
Attendees at the event used iPads that contained preloaded content, including an app that directs the guest to the event’s agenda, as well as iBooks and podcastscreated by the Academy. Each tablet was protected by a smart cover printed with a custom design artwork for the event. All of these services, including the kitting of the iPad packages, were serviced by FUSION OF IDEAS.
“We plan all year for our International Achievement Summit and it’s important that we create the best experience for our guests,” said Ethel Terrado-Lowe, Academy of Achievement Director of New Media and Design. “The FUSION OF IDEAS team understood our mission and were not just order takers, they were partners with us in creating a complete brand experience for our program guests. The team was timely, responsive and knowledgeable, which made working with them a seamless experience.”
The American Academy of Achievement is a nonprofit organization that brings together the most accomplished people from diverse fields around the world to encourage and inspire the next generation. The organization was founded by Brian Blaine Reynolds, a photographer known for his contributions to Life magazine and Sports Illustrated, in order to bring aspiring young people together with preeminent achievers, who excel in their chosen professions.
Attendees used iPads with a custom-printed smart cover. Inside the iPad, there was a preloaded app directed the guest to the event’s agenda.Leymah Gbowee of Liberia, the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, addresses Academy delegates and members at the Summit. Photo credit: American Academy of Achievement.Some of the guests of honor at the Summit included: Anthony M. Kennedy, retired Justice of the United States Supreme Court, and Steven Tyler, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer and songwriter. Photo credit: American Academy of Achievement
Despite the prevalence of digital businesses today, companies are still challenged with manual processes that result in slow performance and high costs. While it may seem like a simple solution to digitize those processes, the reality is that the effort is sometimes ladened with internal and external roadblocks.
Roadblock #1 – IT departments are overburdened
Technology is always changing, and IT departments are expected to keep up with these changes. IT teams deal with requests from customers and employees and have to handle the infrastructure of the business as well. Most executives would agree that their company’s IT teams are overburdened.
As a result, employees may avoid submitting requests to IT when they need digital solutions and try to find solutions on their own. What employees don’t realize are the security risks when they use external software that is not secured by IT, potentially putting the company’s data or the employees’ confidential information at risk.
Source: Giving Up on Digitalization Initiatives, TrackVia
Roadblock #2 – Off-the-shelf solutions don’t close the gap
When trying to improve workflow, businesses may turn to off-the-shelf software for a solution. According to a survey by TrackVia, 26 percent of respondents who purchased off-the-shelf software cited several sacrifices they had to make. Besides the biggest disappointment with a lack of customization to meet the business’ unique needs, there are many other compromises that come with off-the-shelf solutions.
Source: Giving Up on Digitalization Initiatives, TrackVia
Roadblock #3 – Inflexibility of legacy systems
Another common challenge in a digital transformation is the company’s legacy system itself. An IBM studyestimated that more than 80 percent of the world’s enterprise data still resides on mainframe systems, which is a technology that is now over 50 years old. Businesses fear using new applications or software because they cannot be implemented into existing systems or will result in high operational maintenance costs.
Source: Giving Up on Digitalization Initiatives, TrackVia
Where do you go from here?
The road to digital transformation requires finding the right solution for your business to improve manual processes while meeting company security requirements and fitting into existing IT system. As mentioned here, off-the-shelf software may not solve all of the company’s needs as every business is unique. A custom business software is a solution that can address a company’s specific needs and relieve it from security and integration risks.
The most telling benefit of custom software is the ability to integrate into legacy systems. If you have an open application program interface (API) or can provide documentation to connect to API, it is possible to seamlessly integrate with your existing IT system. The benefit of building a custom solution from the ground up is one that can significantly pave the way to digital transformation.
