Across the globe, more and more hedge fund companies are investing in technologies to promote compliance management in their operations. This trend towards promoting hedge fund compliance through technology has been observed across small, mid-size, and large fund administrators: many are indeed willing to allocate the budget needed to enable their firms to comply with new regulations.
Triggering this development would be the increased reporting requirements set by SEC and CFTC, as well as the growing demands of investors who seek to know more about the performance of their funds. And these requirements are addressed by the following features of today’s set of compliance management platforms:
Portfolio management. Hedge fund managers benefit from advanced tools that allow for the monitoring limits, blocking trades that are prohibited by law, and recording of trade allocations. These allow for efficient management of trade portfolio and prompt and accurate reporting of positions in securities.
Reporting. The reporting requirements of authorities demand that hedge fund companies maintain infrastructure for the processing and storing large data, which can be a costly endeavor for smaller and mid-size businesses. This has encouraged many of them to purchase commercial hedge fund software, develop technology solutions in-house, or outsource to asset servicing firms.
Client relations management. Hedge funds management entails keeping track of a huge body of communications between investors and managers. Monitoring and storing this communication is not only important for compliance to regulatory demands; they are also necessary for the review of transaction histories and the conduct of post-mortem that clients may wish to embark in.
Recording of employee accounts. Recording, reviewing, and assessing personal account brokerage statements of employees is a tedious process that should nevertheless be encouraged to counter-check for suspicious or irresponsible trading practices. Through features that allow for surveillance and recording of individual accounts, hedge fund companies can ensure that they are after only the best execution of trade transactions.
Compliance management. Finally, new technologies have allowed hedge fund managers to more easily and conveniently adjust to the increased complexity of hedge fund compliance. These tools include compliance calendars with reminders for submission deadlines and registrations, automated recording, among other features.
With authorities in the securities sector here and abroad becoming stricter when it comes to the implementation of compliance regulations, hedge fund managers can truly benefit from forging relationships with asset servicing firms that can provide advanced hedge fund compliance management technology solutions.
Monday, November 16, 2015
Thursday, November 5, 2015
Social Media Marketing: Tenets of Online Community Management
Most businesses today understand the importance of building and maintaining online communities on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, among other social media marketing platforms. However, not many understand what it truly takes to keep these communities alive.
Here are important principles of online community management:
Post regularly. A good social media manager is able to find good materials to share on a regular basis, so that page followers always have something to look forward to. This can be accomplished by setting aside at least 30 minutes a day to scour news websites, one’s Twitter feed, and the blogs of industry influencers to bookmark the promising articles or multimedia. Invest in the production of a varied set of content – text, photos, videos, infographic, etc. so that you have something for different kinds of people. And whatever you find or create, make it your own by integrating elements of your corporate identity, be it through the color palette, the captions, or the keywords you’ll use.
Keep the page clean. Monitor the page regularly to ensure that the page offers a pleasant experience for everyone. Promptly delete comments that are irrelevant and spammy. Ban users who have been reported to post messages of hate, discrimination, misogyny, or prejudice. If there are people expressing opposing thoughts about the topic, make sure the exchange is healthy, and that no one is using abusive language. In short, moderate your community well.
Maintain a consistent identity. Good social media management entails finding your voice as a brand and as an organization. This consistent voice will allow your followers to understand what you are about, and relate with your well-defined persona. Use language and other materials (logo, taglines, and introductory videos) that will reflect this identity. Stick to the same description of your company across all your social media communities. Partner with like-minded names in the industry.
Repurpose your content. Consider your social media content as legit assets. This mindset will encourage you to find ways to make the most of each material. Post it in all the platforms, but with some tweaking here and there to suit the particular platform: Shorten it for Twitter, find a good meme version for Instagram, or find a related link for Facebook. On each of these posts, place a link that directs them to your other social media pages. Be a good “recycler!”
Read up on social media marketing trends, or partner with experts in digital marketing, to learn more about navigating this emerging platform.
Here are important principles of online community management:
Post regularly. A good social media manager is able to find good materials to share on a regular basis, so that page followers always have something to look forward to. This can be accomplished by setting aside at least 30 minutes a day to scour news websites, one’s Twitter feed, and the blogs of industry influencers to bookmark the promising articles or multimedia. Invest in the production of a varied set of content – text, photos, videos, infographic, etc. so that you have something for different kinds of people. And whatever you find or create, make it your own by integrating elements of your corporate identity, be it through the color palette, the captions, or the keywords you’ll use.
Keep the page clean. Monitor the page regularly to ensure that the page offers a pleasant experience for everyone. Promptly delete comments that are irrelevant and spammy. Ban users who have been reported to post messages of hate, discrimination, misogyny, or prejudice. If there are people expressing opposing thoughts about the topic, make sure the exchange is healthy, and that no one is using abusive language. In short, moderate your community well.
Maintain a consistent identity. Good social media management entails finding your voice as a brand and as an organization. This consistent voice will allow your followers to understand what you are about, and relate with your well-defined persona. Use language and other materials (logo, taglines, and introductory videos) that will reflect this identity. Stick to the same description of your company across all your social media communities. Partner with like-minded names in the industry.
Repurpose your content. Consider your social media content as legit assets. This mindset will encourage you to find ways to make the most of each material. Post it in all the platforms, but with some tweaking here and there to suit the particular platform: Shorten it for Twitter, find a good meme version for Instagram, or find a related link for Facebook. On each of these posts, place a link that directs them to your other social media pages. Be a good “recycler!”
Read up on social media marketing trends, or partner with experts in digital marketing, to learn more about navigating this emerging platform.
Saturday, October 24, 2015
New Solutions For Streamlining Employee Shift Scheduling
If you are operating a business that has union employees then you know the problems that can arise from shift scheduling. Should someone call in sick and a replacement is needed it's just not that easy to find a replacement and be sure that your are in compliance with union regulations.
Shift Scheduling Problems
This is just one of the many reasons why more and more businesses both union and non union alike are relying on new shift scheduling software to keep their "trains running on time". For instance, even if your not a union operation, there is always the matter of overtime to factor in.
A Lot To Consider
Which employee can you call in as a replacement that you won't have to pay over time? Which employees have requested that they be used as fill ins when other employees call in sick. Which employees have the training or qualifications to even temporarily fill the position?
Real Solutions With the Click Of Your Mouse
All these factors can be accounted for automatically with new shift scheduling software. That means no more having to shuffle through records or documents and not having to make needless phone calls. Simply click the mouse on the computer and a whole list of viable replacements is instantly displayed.
More Time To Tend To Business
Shift scheduling software is just one version of software that now comprises a who genre of business management and human resources related software that is now freeing up managers and business owners to get to the business of actually running a business.
Increase Profits and Productivity
It's also allowing them to finally empty their cabinets and desks of cumbersome and inefficient paperwork and finally streamline their entire business operations to increase productivity and profits.
Shift Scheduling Problems
This is just one of the many reasons why more and more businesses both union and non union alike are relying on new shift scheduling software to keep their "trains running on time". For instance, even if your not a union operation, there is always the matter of overtime to factor in.
A Lot To Consider
Which employee can you call in as a replacement that you won't have to pay over time? Which employees have requested that they be used as fill ins when other employees call in sick. Which employees have the training or qualifications to even temporarily fill the position?
Real Solutions With the Click Of Your Mouse
All these factors can be accounted for automatically with new shift scheduling software. That means no more having to shuffle through records or documents and not having to make needless phone calls. Simply click the mouse on the computer and a whole list of viable replacements is instantly displayed.
More Time To Tend To Business
Shift scheduling software is just one version of software that now comprises a who genre of business management and human resources related software that is now freeing up managers and business owners to get to the business of actually running a business.
Increase Profits and Productivity
It's also allowing them to finally empty their cabinets and desks of cumbersome and inefficient paperwork and finally streamline their entire business operations to increase productivity and profits.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Debugging Source Code And Its Various Approaches For The Layman
Once errors are identified, it is necessary to first locate the precise program statements responsible for the errors and then fix them. Generally, the most difficult part of debugging is locating the invalid part of the source code. Once the error is found, correcting it is usually easy. Generally, debugging is a lengthy and tiresome task. The debugging skill of the programmer is probably the biggest factor in the ability to debug a problem.
There are several approaches for debugging. Programs known as debuggers exist to help programmers locate bugs. Debuggers enable the programmer to monitor the execution of a program, stop it, re-start it, set breakpoints, change values in memory and even, in some cases, go back in time. For debugging computer hardware and low-level software like device drivers, BIOS and firmware, instruments such as oscilloscopes, in-circuit emulators are frequently used.
Brute Force method is, though, the most common method of debugging, it is the least efficient method. In this approach, the program is loaded with print statements to print the intermediate values with the hope that some of the printed values will help to identify the statement in error. This approach becomes more systematic with the use of a symbolic debugger (also known as source code debugger), because the values of different variables can be easily checked and break points and watch points can be easily set to test the values of variables effortlessly.
Backtracking is also a fairly common approach. In this approach, beginning from the statement at which an error symptom is observed, the source code is traced backwards until the error is discovered. Unfortunately, as the number of source lines to be traced back increases, the number of potential backward paths increases and may become unmanageable large, thus limiting the use of this approach.
In Cause elimination method, a list of causes which could possibly have contributed to the error symptom is developed and tests are conducted to eliminate each cause. A related technique of identification of the error from the error symptom in the software fault tree analysis.
Program slicing is a technique which is similar to back tracking. However, the search space is reduced by defining slices. A slice of a program from a particular variable at a particular statement is the set of source lines preceding this statement that can influence the value of that variable.
Debugging is often carried out by programmers based on their ingenuity. Many a times, debugging requires a thorough understanding of the program design. Trying to debug based on a partial understanding of the system design and implementation may require an inordinate amount of effort to be put into debugging even for simple reasons. Debugging may sometimes even require full redesign of the system. In such cases, a common mistake that novice programmers often make is that they do not attempt to fix the error but only its symptoms. One must be beware of the possibility that any one error correction may introduce new errors. Therefore, after every round of error fixing, regression testing must be carried out.
There are several approaches for debugging. Programs known as debuggers exist to help programmers locate bugs. Debuggers enable the programmer to monitor the execution of a program, stop it, re-start it, set breakpoints, change values in memory and even, in some cases, go back in time. For debugging computer hardware and low-level software like device drivers, BIOS and firmware, instruments such as oscilloscopes, in-circuit emulators are frequently used.
Brute Force method is, though, the most common method of debugging, it is the least efficient method. In this approach, the program is loaded with print statements to print the intermediate values with the hope that some of the printed values will help to identify the statement in error. This approach becomes more systematic with the use of a symbolic debugger (also known as source code debugger), because the values of different variables can be easily checked and break points and watch points can be easily set to test the values of variables effortlessly.
Backtracking is also a fairly common approach. In this approach, beginning from the statement at which an error symptom is observed, the source code is traced backwards until the error is discovered. Unfortunately, as the number of source lines to be traced back increases, the number of potential backward paths increases and may become unmanageable large, thus limiting the use of this approach.
In Cause elimination method, a list of causes which could possibly have contributed to the error symptom is developed and tests are conducted to eliminate each cause. A related technique of identification of the error from the error symptom in the software fault tree analysis.
Program slicing is a technique which is similar to back tracking. However, the search space is reduced by defining slices. A slice of a program from a particular variable at a particular statement is the set of source lines preceding this statement that can influence the value of that variable.
Debugging is often carried out by programmers based on their ingenuity. Many a times, debugging requires a thorough understanding of the program design. Trying to debug based on a partial understanding of the system design and implementation may require an inordinate amount of effort to be put into debugging even for simple reasons. Debugging may sometimes even require full redesign of the system. In such cases, a common mistake that novice programmers often make is that they do not attempt to fix the error but only its symptoms. One must be beware of the possibility that any one error correction may introduce new errors. Therefore, after every round of error fixing, regression testing must be carried out.
Monday, August 10, 2015
Enhancing Operations with a Cloud-based Portfolio Management System
In 2014, cloud-based portfolio management systems drew great exposure – possibly the greatest since their conception – after more companies in the finance industry realized the transformative benefits of moving to software as a service (SaaS) from on-premises software.
In addition to the benefit of improved security—putting an end to the rising tide of data breaches at high profile institutions, for example—some of the advantages of moving to a cloud-based portfolio management system include the following:
Real-time monitoring and evaluation of data. The fundamental role of cloud-based portfolio management system is to provide clients with comprehensive and consistent reporting and analytical tools accessible through the web 24/7. With an advanced data management platform, asset managers can promptly manage and mitigate risks, as well as transform details into meaningful insights for improved decision-making. They can do this from wherever they are, boosting individual and company productivity.
Lower operational costs. Cloud-computing solutions are much easier to deploy than their on-site counterparts. Indeed, instead of devoting resources and hiring employees for the task of developing and managing the solutions, they can simply pay for the service created by companies that specialize in this area. Because of this, businesses can expect minimal project start-up costs, and also be able to focus on their core competencies. Also, since these kinds of services are basically pay as you go, there would be no need for capital expenditure (Cap-Ex) at all, according to SalesForce. Businesses can then save their funds for Cap-Ex for Operational Expenses.
Higher return on investment. This technology lets administrators and authorized third parties easily keep their findings synched well by compiling all the files in one central location, thereby allowing them to conduct revenue-generating actions instantly. A survey by Frost & Sullivan supports this positive result by saying that companies which invested in collaboration technology benefited from a good 400% return on investment (ROI).
Faster disaster recovery. In the event of disasters, business intelligence provider Aberdeen Group found out that businesses which moved to cloud were able to fix issues in an average of 2.1 hours, as compared to the traditional 8 hours for premise-based solutions.
These benefits make it imperative for companies engaged in asset management to consider investing in a cloud-based portfolio management systems. Some of these solutions feature dashboards for capital statements, financial statements, capital calls and distributions, tax reports and other investor-specific documents in one application, streamlining the process and improving overall efficiency.
In addition to the benefit of improved security—putting an end to the rising tide of data breaches at high profile institutions, for example—some of the advantages of moving to a cloud-based portfolio management system include the following:
Real-time monitoring and evaluation of data. The fundamental role of cloud-based portfolio management system is to provide clients with comprehensive and consistent reporting and analytical tools accessible through the web 24/7. With an advanced data management platform, asset managers can promptly manage and mitigate risks, as well as transform details into meaningful insights for improved decision-making. They can do this from wherever they are, boosting individual and company productivity.
Lower operational costs. Cloud-computing solutions are much easier to deploy than their on-site counterparts. Indeed, instead of devoting resources and hiring employees for the task of developing and managing the solutions, they can simply pay for the service created by companies that specialize in this area. Because of this, businesses can expect minimal project start-up costs, and also be able to focus on their core competencies. Also, since these kinds of services are basically pay as you go, there would be no need for capital expenditure (Cap-Ex) at all, according to SalesForce. Businesses can then save their funds for Cap-Ex for Operational Expenses.
Higher return on investment. This technology lets administrators and authorized third parties easily keep their findings synched well by compiling all the files in one central location, thereby allowing them to conduct revenue-generating actions instantly. A survey by Frost & Sullivan supports this positive result by saying that companies which invested in collaboration technology benefited from a good 400% return on investment (ROI).
Faster disaster recovery. In the event of disasters, business intelligence provider Aberdeen Group found out that businesses which moved to cloud were able to fix issues in an average of 2.1 hours, as compared to the traditional 8 hours for premise-based solutions.
These benefits make it imperative for companies engaged in asset management to consider investing in a cloud-based portfolio management systems. Some of these solutions feature dashboards for capital statements, financial statements, capital calls and distributions, tax reports and other investor-specific documents in one application, streamlining the process and improving overall efficiency.
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
The Unwritten Rules of Social Media Marketing
Social media is here, and it’s become a new marketing landscape for businesses to conquer. Because it’s a new domain, companies are won’t to make mistakes. Here are the unwritten rules in social media marketing to keep in mind.
Do not like your own posts. The same way personal Facebook contacts will be turned off if a user likes his own photo or status, a Facebook page manager should not like a post as the page. On Twitter, it will also be very strange for a brand to ‘favorite’ or retweet its own post. The best option here, if the goal is to push the message again into everyone’s feed, is to just post again, but alter the text, or use another angle of the shot. Surely, it’s very easy to repurpose content without looking like an uncreative – if not lazy –community page or Twitter account manager,
Post varied content. Amid the sea of content on this new media platform, people will tend to look for what stands out. They like variety. So, offer them diverse content, in terms of message, and in terms of type. Andrew Davis, a marketing expert who also wrote book Brandscaping introduced the 4-1-1 rule which can be a guide in scheduling posts. Four (4) posts of content should come from influencers, for every (1) original informative content (soft-sell), and (1) promotional/sales-related content (hard-sell). In terms of type, if the business is catering to a broad market, then they must offer content that will be interesting to everyone. They can easily achieve this by diversifying the kind of content They put out – say, videos and photos, infographics, surveys, games, blog entries, news articles, features, among others. Businesses can also tap different influencers to create content that targets particular age or interest groups.
Reply to all customer feedback. Instead of being on the company’s page, customers could be checking out videos on Youtube, scrolling and scrolling on Tumblr, or just pinning and pinning on Pinterest. So, businesses need to show their gratitude whenever the customer takes some time to like, comment or repost the company’s content. Whether the customer feedback is positive or negative, replies should be prompt, respectful, and thankful – after all, they are contributing information that are valid inputs to the product or service development or improvement process.
To learn more about conquering the social media marketing domain, link up with an expert marketing services provider today.
Do not like your own posts. The same way personal Facebook contacts will be turned off if a user likes his own photo or status, a Facebook page manager should not like a post as the page. On Twitter, it will also be very strange for a brand to ‘favorite’ or retweet its own post. The best option here, if the goal is to push the message again into everyone’s feed, is to just post again, but alter the text, or use another angle of the shot. Surely, it’s very easy to repurpose content without looking like an uncreative – if not lazy –community page or Twitter account manager,
Post varied content. Amid the sea of content on this new media platform, people will tend to look for what stands out. They like variety. So, offer them diverse content, in terms of message, and in terms of type. Andrew Davis, a marketing expert who also wrote book Brandscaping introduced the 4-1-1 rule which can be a guide in scheduling posts. Four (4) posts of content should come from influencers, for every (1) original informative content (soft-sell), and (1) promotional/sales-related content (hard-sell). In terms of type, if the business is catering to a broad market, then they must offer content that will be interesting to everyone. They can easily achieve this by diversifying the kind of content They put out – say, videos and photos, infographics, surveys, games, blog entries, news articles, features, among others. Businesses can also tap different influencers to create content that targets particular age or interest groups.
Reply to all customer feedback. Instead of being on the company’s page, customers could be checking out videos on Youtube, scrolling and scrolling on Tumblr, or just pinning and pinning on Pinterest. So, businesses need to show their gratitude whenever the customer takes some time to like, comment or repost the company’s content. Whether the customer feedback is positive or negative, replies should be prompt, respectful, and thankful – after all, they are contributing information that are valid inputs to the product or service development or improvement process.
To learn more about conquering the social media marketing domain, link up with an expert marketing services provider today.
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Surviving the “Big Data” World Through Efficient Hedge Fund Technology
Twenty years ago, hedge fund technology became a necessity to help firms monitor leverage and liquidity, identify complex instruments and understand notional exposures. As new regulations and higher demand from investors arise, the required information from accounting firms tripled in number, calling for more comprehensive technology that can provide front-to-back platform solutions.
While there are a lot of hedge fund technology solutions available in the market today, here are the questions that managers should consider when it comes to choosing the right platform:
Does it have a secure research/data management system? A reliable research/data management system has the capacity to consolidate and at the same time filter data from multiple users, including but not limited to prospects, investors, internal users and other key players. Look for a solution that can simplify the complicated process of investor communications and delivery, such as performance reports, prospectuses, data charts and more.
To maintain the confidentiality of information shared in the network, a password-protected web portal is a must in this category. Also, to strengthen security, an audit trail feature can help to track in-house administrative users who upload each document.
Does it offer a comprehensive portfolio management system? An attempt to maximize returns won’t flourish without a comprehensive portfolio management system. Companies must choose a platform that can manage and display a portfolio of investments information to clients and investors in real-time. This will allow the executives to pattern key financial and business decisions in accordance with the reports based on various project objectives, resources, risks, costs and other pertinent associations.
Does it have compliance tools? On top of the Dodd-Frank Act, new regulations could also affect financial institutions including hedge funds. Because of this, it is important to go over the compliance tools of a particular platform to find out if it provides timely, accurate and transparent information that can help both the firm and the investors meet regulatory compliance.
Is it a cloud-based solution? The recent and most secure trend when it comes to hedge fund technology today is the shift to cloud-based solutions. "(In 2014), over 90% of our community members that are in the buying process for enterprise software are evaluating SaaS-based solutions to replace existing on-premises applications," says product review site IT Central Station CEO Russell Rothstein.
Basically, the transformative benefits of moving to software as a service (SaaS) from on-premises software are security and accessibility.
For the most robust hedge fund technology can represent your firm’s strategy, process and infrastructure clearly and efficiently, seek help from a trusted financial marketing agency that offers this solution.
While there are a lot of hedge fund technology solutions available in the market today, here are the questions that managers should consider when it comes to choosing the right platform:
Does it have a secure research/data management system? A reliable research/data management system has the capacity to consolidate and at the same time filter data from multiple users, including but not limited to prospects, investors, internal users and other key players. Look for a solution that can simplify the complicated process of investor communications and delivery, such as performance reports, prospectuses, data charts and more.
To maintain the confidentiality of information shared in the network, a password-protected web portal is a must in this category. Also, to strengthen security, an audit trail feature can help to track in-house administrative users who upload each document.
Does it offer a comprehensive portfolio management system? An attempt to maximize returns won’t flourish without a comprehensive portfolio management system. Companies must choose a platform that can manage and display a portfolio of investments information to clients and investors in real-time. This will allow the executives to pattern key financial and business decisions in accordance with the reports based on various project objectives, resources, risks, costs and other pertinent associations.
Does it have compliance tools? On top of the Dodd-Frank Act, new regulations could also affect financial institutions including hedge funds. Because of this, it is important to go over the compliance tools of a particular platform to find out if it provides timely, accurate and transparent information that can help both the firm and the investors meet regulatory compliance.
Is it a cloud-based solution? The recent and most secure trend when it comes to hedge fund technology today is the shift to cloud-based solutions. "(In 2014), over 90% of our community members that are in the buying process for enterprise software are evaluating SaaS-based solutions to replace existing on-premises applications," says product review site IT Central Station CEO Russell Rothstein.
Basically, the transformative benefits of moving to software as a service (SaaS) from on-premises software are security and accessibility.
For the most robust hedge fund technology can represent your firm’s strategy, process and infrastructure clearly and efficiently, seek help from a trusted financial marketing agency that offers this solution.
Monday, March 30, 2015
Website Maintenance: When to Overhaul
In today’s age, the web portal is usually the most comprehensive promotional material that a consumer encounters. For this reason, companies should ensure rigorous and regular website maintenance.
The website may need a tweaking here and there, from time to time. But when is a major overhaul necessary? Check out the list below:
No one visits anymore! This would rank as the most important reason to re-do your website altogether. You should be worried if traffic has drastically diminished, as it raises serious flags about its overall usability and visual appeal. Perhaps the template it was based on looks very crowded. Or the content is no longer interesting.
Features are no longer being used. Features vary from company to company. Perhaps there’s a video that flashes to welcome each new page visitor. Or a button of social media platforms that users can click to share. Or boxes that elicit data. When the website becomes defined by these unused features, maybe you need a redesign.
Security has been compromised. Does your website also serve as a selling platform for your company? And was it hacked? Your customer’s information stored on the servers might have been compromised. You do not want any lawsuits arising from a customer’s credit card info being leaked. Discuss with a web development the damage, and whether it is actually safe to simply migrate anything from it to a new site.
It takes a long time to load. Today’s web users have a very narrow attention span. If your pages don’t load immediately – perhaps because there is too much information on it – perhaps the visitor may not even be able to digest all of it. Worse, they will leave the page and look for another provider of the products and services they are looking for. This is especially important if they are checking the website using their smartphones. Web content should then be short enough for them to be reader-friendly whichever device they are being viewed from.
The company is re-branding. A website is a major branding tool. So if the company is planning to re-brand, its web portal should follow. Does it want to adopt a minimalist look? Or cater to a younger market, perhaps? Or enter Asia? All these should reflect in the new design as well as the content.
For your web portal’s optimum performance and contribution towards your marketing goals, enlist the services of a website maintenance company. Talk to your website redesign/overhaul ideas, and let them walk you through it.
The website may need a tweaking here and there, from time to time. But when is a major overhaul necessary? Check out the list below:
No one visits anymore! This would rank as the most important reason to re-do your website altogether. You should be worried if traffic has drastically diminished, as it raises serious flags about its overall usability and visual appeal. Perhaps the template it was based on looks very crowded. Or the content is no longer interesting.
Features are no longer being used. Features vary from company to company. Perhaps there’s a video that flashes to welcome each new page visitor. Or a button of social media platforms that users can click to share. Or boxes that elicit data. When the website becomes defined by these unused features, maybe you need a redesign.
Security has been compromised. Does your website also serve as a selling platform for your company? And was it hacked? Your customer’s information stored on the servers might have been compromised. You do not want any lawsuits arising from a customer’s credit card info being leaked. Discuss with a web development the damage, and whether it is actually safe to simply migrate anything from it to a new site.
It takes a long time to load. Today’s web users have a very narrow attention span. If your pages don’t load immediately – perhaps because there is too much information on it – perhaps the visitor may not even be able to digest all of it. Worse, they will leave the page and look for another provider of the products and services they are looking for. This is especially important if they are checking the website using their smartphones. Web content should then be short enough for them to be reader-friendly whichever device they are being viewed from.
The company is re-branding. A website is a major branding tool. So if the company is planning to re-brand, its web portal should follow. Does it want to adopt a minimalist look? Or cater to a younger market, perhaps? Or enter Asia? All these should reflect in the new design as well as the content.
For your web portal’s optimum performance and contribution towards your marketing goals, enlist the services of a website maintenance company. Talk to your website redesign/overhaul ideas, and let them walk you through it.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Aspects to Consider in Choosing SOX Compliance Software
When the U.S. Congress passed the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, a legislation that aims to protect shareholders and the general public from fraudulent practices and accounting errors in the enterprise, SOX compliance software solutions started to flood the IT world.
While administrators don’t have any choice to but to comply with this Act, they still have the freedom to choose which among today’s available solutions can truly address their needs and support their organizational framework. The bidding process can be a challenging and lengthy experience both for the IT provider and the client, but with a deeper understanding of what the SOX act is all about, both parties can streamline their objectives and requirements.
Here are some of the major aspects that need to be considered:
The nature of the Act. The SOX Act was passed in response to several corporate scandals that involved skewed reporting of selected financial transactions.
“For instance, companies such as Enron, WorldCom and Tyco covered up or misrepresented a variety of questionable transactions, resulting in huge losses to stakeholders and a crisis in investor confidence,” SOX-online reports.
According to TechTarget Network, there are 11 titles to the act, which describe financial reporting requirements that organizations must comply with. These include new standards for corporate accountability, along with penalties for acts of unlawful activity.
Through these policies and regulations, the organizational framework of a firm is expected to become more solid and responsive – corporate boards and executives must maintain transparent communication, like how CEOs, CIOs, and CFOs must work in harmony as they hold the accountability for the accuracy of financial statements.
Who should comply with the Act. Contrary to the notion that the SOX Act only applies to US-based companies, independent nonprofit global association ISACA highlights, “No, there are potential international implications as well. In fact, among the many factors that must be considered in complying with Sarbanes-Oxley, some will uniquely impact international organizations.”
Companies outside the US territory are required to examine their IT operations and identify if they are significant to the organization as a whole. “The assessment of whether an IT business unit is significant can be impacted by the materiality of transactions processed by the IT business unit, the potential impact on financial reporting if an IT business unit fails and other qualitative risk factors,” explains ISACA.
SOX audits. Since the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was written to avert scams and frauds, one must expect SOX audits to be more demanding. In fact, the Act requires all financial reports to include an internal control report. “This is designed to show that not only are the company's financial data accurate, but the company has confidence in them because adequate controls are in place to safeguard financial data,” says SOX-online. There are also year-end financial disclosure reports, where a SOX auditor is required to review controls, policies and procedures during a Section 404 audit.
To have a comprehensive view of data, accomplish accurate reports, and constantly meet SOX requirements, look for a SOX compliance software solution that can perform document management, risk analysis, risk management, business intelligence and inventory management functionalities. This can lower your operational costs, while speeding up the meticulous process of financial reporting.
While administrators don’t have any choice to but to comply with this Act, they still have the freedom to choose which among today’s available solutions can truly address their needs and support their organizational framework. The bidding process can be a challenging and lengthy experience both for the IT provider and the client, but with a deeper understanding of what the SOX act is all about, both parties can streamline their objectives and requirements.
Here are some of the major aspects that need to be considered:
The nature of the Act. The SOX Act was passed in response to several corporate scandals that involved skewed reporting of selected financial transactions.
“For instance, companies such as Enron, WorldCom and Tyco covered up or misrepresented a variety of questionable transactions, resulting in huge losses to stakeholders and a crisis in investor confidence,” SOX-online reports.
According to TechTarget Network, there are 11 titles to the act, which describe financial reporting requirements that organizations must comply with. These include new standards for corporate accountability, along with penalties for acts of unlawful activity.
Through these policies and regulations, the organizational framework of a firm is expected to become more solid and responsive – corporate boards and executives must maintain transparent communication, like how CEOs, CIOs, and CFOs must work in harmony as they hold the accountability for the accuracy of financial statements.
Who should comply with the Act. Contrary to the notion that the SOX Act only applies to US-based companies, independent nonprofit global association ISACA highlights, “No, there are potential international implications as well. In fact, among the many factors that must be considered in complying with Sarbanes-Oxley, some will uniquely impact international organizations.”
Companies outside the US territory are required to examine their IT operations and identify if they are significant to the organization as a whole. “The assessment of whether an IT business unit is significant can be impacted by the materiality of transactions processed by the IT business unit, the potential impact on financial reporting if an IT business unit fails and other qualitative risk factors,” explains ISACA.
SOX audits. Since the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was written to avert scams and frauds, one must expect SOX audits to be more demanding. In fact, the Act requires all financial reports to include an internal control report. “This is designed to show that not only are the company's financial data accurate, but the company has confidence in them because adequate controls are in place to safeguard financial data,” says SOX-online. There are also year-end financial disclosure reports, where a SOX auditor is required to review controls, policies and procedures during a Section 404 audit.
To have a comprehensive view of data, accomplish accurate reports, and constantly meet SOX requirements, look for a SOX compliance software solution that can perform document management, risk analysis, risk management, business intelligence and inventory management functionalities. This can lower your operational costs, while speeding up the meticulous process of financial reporting.
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Why You Should Consider Using Hedge Fund Software
If you are the manager or owner of a hedge fund, then you know just how chaotic it can be to properly manage it. Due to the constant changes in the economy, uncertainty hanging in the air, and a high level of market volatility; it may help you considerably to start using hedge fund software in order to keep everything a bit more stable. Several hedge fund managers and owners are hesitant about how to go about making the process easier. In today's world, it isn't always easy to manage all your client's accounts effectively and efficiently on your own. There's a great deal of competition to deal with and in the financial world, things tend to change on a daily basis; and when they do, it's necessary to accurately update the accounts of your clients. By far, the easiest and simplest way to accomplish this is through the use of hedge fund software.
How Hedge Fund Software Helps Manage Financial Accounts
One of the key aspects of utilizing hedge fund software is realizing just how efficient it is at managing various financial accounts. It doesn't actually matter how difficult or complex the situation, because when you employ this kind of innovative software the solutions become readily available rather quickly. On the other hand, trying to manually manage several accounts is not only difficult, but virtually impossible. Using the right software will enable you to successfully track any elements impacting your fund and also help you fully organize key details in the simplest way possible. By using software, there's no need to rush or make the process any more complicated than it has to be.
Additional Benefits of Using Software to Manage Hedge Funds
Once you decide to use hedge fund management software, the many benefits become quite obvious. For example, management software lets you easily keep your client contact information updated, instantly provide your clients with important information regarding their accounts, and makes the overall process of managing funds that much easier. All of this adds up to enhanced customer service on behalf of your clients, something they'll surely be grateful for once they start comparing funds in which to invest.
Finding the Best Hedge Fund Management Software
Finding the ideal software to manage your hedge fund accounts will take a bit of time and research in order to achieve the best results. There are endless companies that offer this type of software with many similarities, so taking your time to determine which software platform works best for your particular needs in addition to the key features you desire is worth the extra effort.
There are various ranges to choose from in terms of price. However, it's important to note that just because certain software is more expensive doesn't necessarily mean it provides 5-star results. In fact, several of the more costly programs can be much more difficult to use as well as confusing to comprehend. So, try to find hedge fund software that offers a demo version and give it a try first before making any commitments to give you a good idea of what you're in for. Quality software should ideally be easy to use, solve your solutions, make your tasks easier, and be reasonably priced.
With all these outstanding benefits and advantages, it's easy to understand why so many hedge fund allocators continue to rely on hedge fund software in order to stay up to date with both analyses and important information regarding their client's accounts, which is precisely why you should consider investing in quality hedge fund software yourself so you'll always be in the black, and not the red.
How Hedge Fund Software Helps Manage Financial Accounts
One of the key aspects of utilizing hedge fund software is realizing just how efficient it is at managing various financial accounts. It doesn't actually matter how difficult or complex the situation, because when you employ this kind of innovative software the solutions become readily available rather quickly. On the other hand, trying to manually manage several accounts is not only difficult, but virtually impossible. Using the right software will enable you to successfully track any elements impacting your fund and also help you fully organize key details in the simplest way possible. By using software, there's no need to rush or make the process any more complicated than it has to be.
Additional Benefits of Using Software to Manage Hedge Funds
Once you decide to use hedge fund management software, the many benefits become quite obvious. For example, management software lets you easily keep your client contact information updated, instantly provide your clients with important information regarding their accounts, and makes the overall process of managing funds that much easier. All of this adds up to enhanced customer service on behalf of your clients, something they'll surely be grateful for once they start comparing funds in which to invest.
Finding the Best Hedge Fund Management Software
Finding the ideal software to manage your hedge fund accounts will take a bit of time and research in order to achieve the best results. There are endless companies that offer this type of software with many similarities, so taking your time to determine which software platform works best for your particular needs in addition to the key features you desire is worth the extra effort.
There are various ranges to choose from in terms of price. However, it's important to note that just because certain software is more expensive doesn't necessarily mean it provides 5-star results. In fact, several of the more costly programs can be much more difficult to use as well as confusing to comprehend. So, try to find hedge fund software that offers a demo version and give it a try first before making any commitments to give you a good idea of what you're in for. Quality software should ideally be easy to use, solve your solutions, make your tasks easier, and be reasonably priced.
With all these outstanding benefits and advantages, it's easy to understand why so many hedge fund allocators continue to rely on hedge fund software in order to stay up to date with both analyses and important information regarding their client's accounts, which is precisely why you should consider investing in quality hedge fund software yourself so you'll always be in the black, and not the red.
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Protecting Your Online Reputation
How you are perceived online can have very pervasive effects in your social and business life. Companies have been completely stalled because they were receiving bad reviews online. People have been perceived as unethical or without integrity because of what a disgruntled employee posted on a forum or ratings site. These reviews can be detrimental to any company or individual, which is why you should consider Reputation Management New York. Here are a few ways that you can protect your online reputation.
Create a Crisis Communication Plan
Every company and high profile individual should have a crisis communication plan. This is one of the easiest reputation management techniques to do, but one of the least preferred by businesses. The main purpose of this crisis communication plan is to detail how the social media sites your company is on will be used if there is ever a crisis that befalls you. This will ensure that you post to these sites and set the record straight before someone else posts false or degrading information about the same crisis. This is the easiest form of Reputation Management New York.
Monitor Social Media Sites
Thanks to the real-time nature of many social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and others, it is critical that a company monitor these sites for their brand names, products, and company name to stop false and misleading information that could hurt their reputation at the source. There are several companies that offer internet scanning software and services to fine detrimental posts and work with the site administrators to delete them. Use Reputation Management New York companies to do this.
Blog
This is a fairly simple Reputation Management New York strategy, and relatively simple to maintain once it is created. Individuals find companies and other individuals with blogs to be more “real” and more relatable. They are no longer looking at a faceless company when they are reading a blog because it is a natural accounting of things. Blogging can help you get your brand out there and can also help you explain if things are going awry with your brand or business reputation.
Working With Search Engines
One of the most important brand protection techniques that a business can have is by altering the results that come up when their brands and products are searched. Sites like Google and Yahoo have their own algorithms that move the search results based on popularity, what’s on the page, and a number of other factors. Taking advantage of this system is pivotal. There are several Reputation Management New York services that can work with you to ensure that your positive pages show up at the top of the list and your negative pages show up at the bottom of the list. As we all know, it is usually on the first page that we will find the link that we are looking for. If you can get a service that is able to move negative reviews and content to the later pages in the search result, you are in the clear.
Hiring an Online Reputation Management Professional
Companies do not have the resources to do everything on their own. Sure, you are probably able to maintain social media sites and a blog, but you are probably not able to check all of your negative reviews and negative posts on your Facebook page right when they happen. It is important that you hire a reputation management New York professional to take care of these things for you. Make sure that they have a proven track record of success for improving brand image and altering search results. You will be glad you did.
Create a Crisis Communication Plan
Every company and high profile individual should have a crisis communication plan. This is one of the easiest reputation management techniques to do, but one of the least preferred by businesses. The main purpose of this crisis communication plan is to detail how the social media sites your company is on will be used if there is ever a crisis that befalls you. This will ensure that you post to these sites and set the record straight before someone else posts false or degrading information about the same crisis. This is the easiest form of Reputation Management New York.
Monitor Social Media Sites
Thanks to the real-time nature of many social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and others, it is critical that a company monitor these sites for their brand names, products, and company name to stop false and misleading information that could hurt their reputation at the source. There are several companies that offer internet scanning software and services to fine detrimental posts and work with the site administrators to delete them. Use Reputation Management New York companies to do this.
Blog
This is a fairly simple Reputation Management New York strategy, and relatively simple to maintain once it is created. Individuals find companies and other individuals with blogs to be more “real” and more relatable. They are no longer looking at a faceless company when they are reading a blog because it is a natural accounting of things. Blogging can help you get your brand out there and can also help you explain if things are going awry with your brand or business reputation.
Working With Search Engines
One of the most important brand protection techniques that a business can have is by altering the results that come up when their brands and products are searched. Sites like Google and Yahoo have their own algorithms that move the search results based on popularity, what’s on the page, and a number of other factors. Taking advantage of this system is pivotal. There are several Reputation Management New York services that can work with you to ensure that your positive pages show up at the top of the list and your negative pages show up at the bottom of the list. As we all know, it is usually on the first page that we will find the link that we are looking for. If you can get a service that is able to move negative reviews and content to the later pages in the search result, you are in the clear.
Hiring an Online Reputation Management Professional
Companies do not have the resources to do everything on their own. Sure, you are probably able to maintain social media sites and a blog, but you are probably not able to check all of your negative reviews and negative posts on your Facebook page right when they happen. It is important that you hire a reputation management New York professional to take care of these things for you. Make sure that they have a proven track record of success for improving brand image and altering search results. You will be glad you did.
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