Connect with us

Finance

FUTURE-PROOFING FOR THE FINTECH INDUSTRY WITH NETWORK INNOVATION

Published

on

Alan Hayward, Sales & Marketing Manager at SEH Technology

 

As the years pass, it is becoming far more difficult to determine what the next decade will entail in relation to technology innovation, due to the speed of digital transformation. This means it is important for organisations to future-proof their processes in the best ways possible. Network management and innovation is key to this, particularly for the FinTech industry due to the ever-rising data traffic in that sector.

Financial technology is used to describe new tech that seeks to improve and automate the delivery and use of financial services. ​​​Essentially, FinTech has the ability to help companies, business owners and consumers better manage their financial operations and processes, meaning it’s vital to focus on future-proofing the industry to ensure guaranteed success across businesses.

Evolving technology is one of the primary causes for the shifts taking place in financial services across the whole industry. Emerging FinTech developments create opportunities which result in a rising demand for network capacity. As well as this, there are many other factors which play a part in fuelling this increased demand such as increased competition, innovative services, regulatory requirements and new technology. It’s vital that FinTech organisations innovate their networks to be sure they are staying ahead of the game.

 

The importance of innovating your network

Innovation in itself is very important and is at the centre of any successful business. Staying innovative and changing with economic and industrial trends helps organisations to effectively meet business growth goals, increase productivity and profitability, and respond well to industry disruptors. Upgrading your network and its capabilities is one of the key methods you can adopt to be sure to do this.

As industries change and companies grow, the technology that each company has implemented must change with it. Many organisations may find that they are in a position where much more data needs to be managed than it has in the past, or new manufacturing equipment has been implemented and data management processes have to change. Innovating your network can help solve these problems and can create much more streamlined processes with regards to managing and controlling data.

 

Changes in the FinTech industry

When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit, the majority of businesses struggled to adjust to changes in the marketplace and had to work extra hard to stay afloat in their selective industries. There were a small handful of businesses which showed an upward trend and those in the FinTech industry were some of them. It’s vital that these businesses keep up the momentum as we move back to a sense of normality, even as digitisation takes over.

The financial sector is undergoing profound shifts with many insurers, retailers and global banks choosing to go digital, something which is extremely necessary in this day and age. Many FinTech organisations are considering a move to the cloud because of the immense role it can play in driving large amounts of data into the network. Smaller businesses and start-ups can take a more relaxed attitude towards adopting new networking technology but large, established banks don’t have that luxury and must act fast if they wish to stay relevant in the changing market.

Another area that FinTech businesses must be aware of is the limitation of bandwidth in the network. To be able to grow on demand, businesses must have already implemented an effective, reliable networking system which is compatible with the changes that a company is choosing to make.

 

Upgrading for the future 

For a small number of FinTech organisations, little appears to have changed in recent years. A small sized bank may have connections in a number of centres but to optimise this opportunity, businesses must invest in networking innovation to keep the company connected and to prepare for the future.

Production processes and organisations are constantly changing with new products, services and business models emerging in industries across the whole world, not just FinTech industries. It’s important to upgrade and innovate your network to allow your company to stay relevant and reduce the risk of it falling behind and becoming outdated with its processes as we enter the next decade of technological change.

Network innovation is the way forward for many industries, due to the capacity for the technology to adapt to changes in a company’s needs and goals. FinTech, as well as many other industries, should constantly consider how to prepare for the future, particularly during a time where business trends can change so quickly. Developing your network can not only provide a stronger sense of security and reliability for your company and its employees, but will also prepare you for problems which may arise in years to come.

 

Finance

Efficient Ways Construction Firms Can Bring Down Costs In 2023

Published

on

By

Consistent, high-quality construction projects being underway is often a sign of a thriving economy. The future of the US is assured when new infrastructure and homes are under constant development.

As has been well-documented already, construction isn’t as productive as it could be in the US today. Numerous factors are causing these types of projects to be stalled and subsequent price hikes to occur. Economic and sector-wide conditions could be far better.

That said, it’s important for construction firms to feel like they have some say in their future. While things aren’t ideal, there’s plenty these entities can be doing that can bring down costs for the remainder of the year.

We’re a good way into 2023 now, but bringing down costs is not work that can be postponed to 2024. So, here are some efficient ways construction firms can do just that in 2023.

Review Fleet Logistics

It might seem like a curious place to start, but it’s a good idea to review how you utilize your fleet if you have one. The operational costs can sometimes be underestimated, and mismanagement in this area can be more costly today for firms in any sector.

Some companies bring their fleet management costs down by optimizing the routes they travel. Others will run tighter maintenance programs to avoid damaging repair costs in future. Some firms will rent out their vehicles, too, rather than purchasing them outright. Drivers may be subject to refresher training courses, ensuring they adhere to their employer’s money-saving policies.

Then there’s the matter of going green, which more companies are turning their attention to. For example, PepsiCo Vice President, Mike O’Connell, stated at the end of last year that, despite hefty costs around the infrastructural changes, his company believed that “the operating costs over time will pay back” to make the arrangement worthwhile in the long run. That sentiment applies to construction firms as well.

There’s also fleet management software to consider. These digital tools can be encrypted on a cloud server and give all users insights into things like fuel usage, the condition of the cars, and the routes travelled. More intricate oversights can be gleaned from fleet usage, and associated costs can be tallied up instantly. Consequently, construction firms would do well to get that installed.

Install Management Software for Construction

Sticking with software ideas for a while longer, construction management software can come with an onslaught of cost-saving advantages for a construction firm. It’s a principle similar to fleet management software in that more detailed real-time analytics can lead to strategy adjustments.

Cost change management can be streamlined with the use of these tools. Project team communication can also be simplified, which leads to time and money being saved all the more. There’s often a modern and intuitive AI to make these systems operational in days, too, which means construction firms can quickly adapt.

Firms like Kahua are often the obvious choice for these solutions. Their cloud-based project management software in construction has been fine-tuned to be tailored perfectly to a firm’s needs. A flexible approach can be undertaken when utilizing it, and firms can be confident that both their present and future business processes can be more carefully managed.

Create Stronger Supplier Links

Suppliers are the lifeblood of any construction business. It’s possible to work more closely with them.

At the end of 2022, Forbes reported that inflation and supply chain disruptions made getting the necessary construction materials more costly and time and consuming today. Their recommended solutions included rather expected budget control measures, but more notably, fostering stronger supplier relations. That way, construction firms can better understand the factors leading to surging material costs.

It may also be better for construction firms to work with local suppliers where possible. That way, they have a better chance of establishing common ground, supporting the local economy and perhaps having more mutual connections in the industry. Delivery costs can also be slashed along with emissions, which are factors that also contribute to a more robust working relationship.

Outsource Where Possible

Construction firms can depend on more than their suppliers to bring costs down. Further help is available.

Such support is usually accessed via outsourcing. Opportunities to do this may involve:

  • Outsourcing waste management – some of these firms may pay closer attention to the potential of recycling and reusing materials, creating further cost savings.
  • Outsourcing IT infrastructure – Construction firms have sensitive data they need to protect like any other company and are becoming more digitized like their peers too.
  • Outsourcing to off-site construction firms – These entities will design and assemble building components away from the area they’ll be used. They’re often pitted against onsite firms, but both can be required for large-scale development projects.

Outsourcing can reduce costs in the long run, but it isn’t an answer to every struggle. Construction firms must continue doing many things for themselves – even monitoring the weather to ensure potential storms won’t cause hazardous work conditions or delays. That self-starter spirit that often drives construction firms should never be lost.

Continue Reading

Banking

Top banking trends of 2023 and global outlook of banking and fintech for the year ahead

Published

on

Author: Professor Marco Mongiello, Pro Vice-Chancellor, The University of Law Business School

 

You’d be forgiven for assuming that the global outlook for banking and fintech will be dominated by the usual suspects:

Artificial Intelligence – AI plays an increasingly prominent role in banking and fintech by enabling personalised services, fraud detection, predictive analytics, use of chatbots and robo-advisors.

Blockchain and Cryptocurrency – the secure, decentralised and swift system for financial transactions that blockchain has brought to the fore a few years ago, is now becoming ubiquitous. An increasing number of transactions are recorded through blockchains technology, primarily in the cryptocurrency market.

Digital Banking and fintech – accelerated by COVID-19 pandemic, the adoption of digital banking is a trend that will persist as customers have become accustomed to the convenience and efficiency of digital banking. Moreover, fintech enables access to financial services for previously underserved populations in developing countries or less affluent social groups in more affluent societies. This includes mobile banking services, peer-to-peer lending platforms, and microfinance solutions.

Open Banking – another global trend is the use of open APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) that allow third-party developers to build apps to facilitate customers’ access to financial data and services from banks.

Nonetheless, the challenges posed by these rapid changes are reminders that banking, an industry that by its very nature needs to be conservative, risk averse and solid, wobbles on the unchartered grounds of fast and turbulent innovation, where entrepreneurship instead thrives. The underlying rationales of banking and fast digital innovation are not incompatible but do need solid operations and thought-through decision-making to avoid causing catastrophic collapses.

The recent examples of Silicon Valley Bank, Silvergate, FTX and Wirecard are stark reminders that digital entrepreneurship applied to banking doesn’t just bring to customers the visible transformation of valuable new services, but also dents (perhaps as an unexpected consequence) the rationale itself of the role of banks in the global economy. Moreover, the central banks’ ability to contain the effects of single banks’ defaults is no longer a certainty, as experienced just over a decade ago and more recently. The markets’ sentiments are hardly reassured by the commitments of even the most coveted players, such as the European Central Bank, the Federal Reserve, and the President of the United States himself.

Regulators are lagging behind and their attempts to catch up may cause further seismic shocks to the global banking system. For example, another trend that is emerging is one of artificial intelligence decision-centres (i.e., decentralised offices of banks which take autonomous decisions on behalf of investors) outside the most stringent regulatory environments, enabling banks to operate globally more efficiently and more competitively. And we can expect that regulators will close the gap either abruptly, as it is currently happening in China, where private banks are subject to an escalation of regulatory and monitoring restrictions, or more gradually as it is happening in Europe and in the US.

The questions we face, as individual or trade customers of our high street banks, as direct investors or clients of managed funds, are whether banking will become more user-friendly yet, for our daily use but riskier, too, or is it simply becoming more efficient, transparent and also safer.

I’m afraid that the answer is by no means an obvious one. Therefore, caution, level-headed decision- making and critical thinking have never been as important as these days. Whether you are looking after your family savings or growing your pension reserve, the imperative is that you keep updated about the providers of the financial services you rely upon as well as about the general regulations that apply to your financial transactions. This is where, for example, you need to be familiar with your rights in case of cyber fraud, as well as learning how to minimise the risk of becoming a victim thereof. Also, taking additional steps to evaluate the credibility, solidity and reliability of the online provider of that app that was recommended by a trusted friend, may prove a very good move.

Similarly, whether you are the CFO of a medium or large company, or are a sole trader wrestling with your own business’s finances, you need to reflect on what you really want from your bank in the first place. That is before you started to be swayed by the whirlpool of offers of ‘opportunities’ to multiply your financial investments. Chances are that your initial approach to your bank was dictated by either a need for financing your working capital, as per your budget and strategic plans, or to find a safe place for your temporarily idle liquidity. Perhaps you were also after some basic treasury services such as swift payments and debt collection. Maybe some other financial services closely related to your business operations, e.g. factoring. The advice is to give very careful consideration to services that are more remote from your business, because the trend for the next years is that more and more of those will be offered to you. But many new services will disappoint those who, sadly, cannot afford financial mishaps as they look to run and grow their business.

 

Continue Reading

Magazine

Trending

Finance24 hours ago

Efficient Ways Construction Firms Can Bring Down Costs In 2023

Consistent, high-quality construction projects being underway is often a sign of a thriving economy. The future of the US is...

Business2 days ago

How to identify the signs that your IT department need restructuring

Eric Lefebvre, Chief Technology Officer at Sovos   For firms to execute transformations and meet their overall vision, it is...

Banking3 days ago

Top banking trends of 2023 and global outlook of banking and fintech for the year ahead

Author: Professor Marco Mongiello, Pro Vice-Chancellor, The University of Law Business School   You’d be forgiven for assuming that the...

News6 days ago

Sustainable transformation in the energy sector: econnext AG focuses on scale-ups

Scale-ups rather than start-ups: scaling market-ready technologies and companies for a sustainable transformation of the energy and technology sectors Profitable...

Finance6 days ago

Budgeting the unknown, forecasting the uncertain

Tarka Duhalde, Vice President, Financial Controller, IRIS Software Group   Volatility and uncertainty are still looming large. In late March...

Business6 days ago

Building resilience: How to create stability during uncertain times.

Jim Wilkinson, CEO of Zuto   We live in uncertain times. Businesses have faced one challenge after another, and we’ve...

Business7 days ago

The need for simpler cross-border payments must be a priority for all banks

Mushegh Tovmasyan – Founder of Zenus Bank   Despite the transformative changes we have seen in the banking sector over...

Business1 week ago

How app usage can help brands increase their online revenues and customer retention

Arunabh Madhur, Regional VP & Head Business EMEA at SHAREit Group   Brands are continuing to invest heavily in the...

Banking1 week ago

Will ‘Britcoin’ change the way we bank?

The Treasury and Bank of England recently announced a state-backed digital pound is likely to be launched in the UK...

Finance1 week ago

In-Store, Online & In-App – Unifying Payment Authentication

Michel Roig, President of Payment and Access, Fingerprints   Often, new technologies are lauded as the death of existing ones....

Banking1 week ago

Why the future is phygital

By Eric Megret-Dorne, Head of Card Issuance Services and Service Operations at Giesecke + Devrient   Digital banking has become...

Finance1 week ago

Why Keeping Track of Cash Is Key to Economic Survival

By Joshua May, Consulting Manager EMEA, BlackLine   Finance and Accounting (F&A) has always had a reputation for its calm...

Business1 week ago

Does the middle market have a financial edge?  

Ilija Ugrinic, Commercial Solutions Director at Proactis   Companies tend to look up the ladder when searching for ways to...

Business1 week ago

Hybrid Intelligence – The only way to face the problems of the future

Author: Prof. Dr. Iris Lorscheid, Vice-Rector Research and Professor of Digital Business and Data Science Computer Science at the University...

Business2 weeks ago

Consumer demand driving sustainable payments

Jenn Markey, VP Payments & Identity, Entrust   Sustainability is a buzzword that seems to be at the forefront of...

News2 weeks ago

Adyen drives conversion uplift with advanced authentication solution

The company’s expanded authentication offering optimizes authorization, security, and end revenue   Adyen (AMS: ADYEN), the global financial technology platform...

Finance2 weeks ago

It’s time for financial institutions to take personalization seriously

David Hetling, Global Marketing Director, Financial Services, RWS   Financial institutions will always play a critical role in society, offering...

Banking2 weeks ago

The Future of Capital Markets: Democratisation of Retail Investing

Nicky Maan, CEO of Spectrum Markets   Over the past decades, global capital markets have undergone tremendous changes. There have...

Top 102 weeks ago

5 Often-Overlooked Investment Options To Consider Exploring In 2023

When choosing what to invest in, many people will initially focus on the stock market which is considered a more...

News2 weeks ago

New Open Banking platform Archie waves a timely hello to Britain’s beleaguered businesses

Archie is a game-changing payments and data platform that’s inherently human in its approach; a refreshing proposition in the jargon-heavy...

Trending