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3 characteristics of a professional virtual phone system

professional virtual phone system

A virtual phone system is necessary for any business nowadays, and the demand for their implementation and purchase has skyrocketed in the past 10 years. Because of the high demand increase, many companies have fallen in line to cash in. Often, this means that subpar products can be released which do not provide some of the functionality that others may and may not be worth the money.

If you are looking to upgrade your business communication and implement a virtual phone system, then you will need to wade through a sea of products. It can become complex when looking for which one to choose, as a virtual phone system needs to fit perfectly into your environment and situation to receive the most benefits possible.

There are certain characteristics to look out for when looking for a professional virtual phone system, as these will determine whether the product is professional and worth paying for. A virtual phone number can provide a huge number of benefits which make them essential for a business operation, and these benefits come from the functionality, convenience and accessibility that come with the product. However, you will only be able to reap these benefits if you choose the right product.

Here are 3 characteristics of a professional virtual phone system:

After hours greeting and call transfer

A virtual phone system is able to provide customers with after hours greetings and call transfer options. You may have experienced these before, as they work to keep the customer engaged and connected even after work hours. If a customer calls after work hours, the virtual phone system will be able to tell them that the business is currently closed and when it will reopen. This is effective, as often customers can become frustrated when a call will not go through and they are unaware that the business is closed. Having the greeting will inform them and ensure they do not waste their time. Moreover, a virtual phone system is able to provide the customer with options to direct their call to the correct person. Doing so means that the customer will be able to engage and connect with an employee who can help them with their enquiry, rather than wasting time finding out who is best for them. It also expresses an image of professionalism and can help to increase productivity amongst the employees. Customer image of the brand is also important and having call transfer options conveys the professionalism of your business through the use of a virtual phone system.

Call recording

Call recording is another characteristic of a virtual phone system. Call recording is an important feature to utilize, as it allows you to use the recordings for training purposes or to analyse for later use. With traditional systems, it can be difficult to record calls and often requires external hardware in order to do so, which can increase costs unnecessarily. With a virtual phone system, call recording is an in built feature which should be utilized for just about any call. Call recordings can act as data which can be analysed so that customer behaviour can be tracked, and strategic decisions made based on this data. This is especially helpful for businesses within certain sectors such as finance, as well as for businesses which want to implement voice recognition for their customers and products. You may have encountered these types of calls, where you can use a spoken phrase to access an account. Call recording is required for this to work, and therefore a virtual phone system is necessary for this level of sophistication.

Conference calling

Conference calling is a necessity within the business world nowadays. More often than not, you will need to have conference calls with multiple customers and/or other businesses. Using traditional hardware can make this difficult, and the process can be complex to link multiple callers into one call. With a virtual phone system, the ability to group multiple callers into one call is simple and is a built in feature of any virtual phone system.

In summary, a virtual phone system will have many characteristics that you should look out for before purchasing. The aforementioned characteristics are the basics that you should look out for in a virtual phone system to ensure that it is worth paying for.

Fast-growing branch of media in America is the digital news industry

Fast-growing branch of media in America is the digital news industry

One fast-growing branch of media in America is the digital news industry. And as it stands, it poses quite a complex future. Many Americans keep acquiring news via the Internet, which has made employment at digital-native outlets increase. However, digital news has been clothed with issues that affect the broader media environment.

An increasing percentage of American adults are noted to prefer getting news online via websites, apps, and social media. But TV remains the most popular source of news. The reason for the preference is not farfetched.  Online platforms are a fast means of getting information. They are also an easy and convenient way to do so. Technology is to thank for that.

There have been several job creations spurred from the digital news industry, as the number of digital-native newsrooms keeps increasing. This has led to the decrease of newsroom jobs over the years, even though newspapers had, for a long time, received lots of media attention. More Americans get news on social media than from newspaper prints, with Facebook dominating as the most used site for news by Americans.

The problem with the digital news industry is that Americans are still quite skeptical about the authenticity of the information they see on social media, although they regularly turn to social media for news. That’s pretty much ironic but true. The concerns regarding the inaccuracies on social media news keep getting prevalent even among users who prefer to acquire their news there.

All these, in the end, have changed the way Americans use social media as a result of potential inaccurate news. Many have stopped following certain news sources. And many still stay with those online sources they ‘feel’ or have validated that their news sources are authentic and prompt.

In sum, the digital news industry in the United States does not show signs of slowing down, as technology, with a view to making life easy and less stressful, keeps accentuating its usage, especially through social media and accessible gadgets smartphones. The big question that pops up on this issue is, ‘to what extent can technological advances be trusted regarding the spread of authentic news via the digital media industry in this present age?’

Top 5 Art Pieces You Should Be Aware Of

Andrew Newell Wyeth

Artworks are considered to be an expression of how an artist feels and sees the world. They can be used to communicate the artist’s view on a particular subject on life. Art has been the means through which civilizations and people have passed across messages. The value has risen over the years, superseding the original intent. In this article, we would look at 5 of the best art pieces that have garnered reputation and allure.

The artwork by Andrew Newell Wyeth is probably one of the greatest from the United States, especially this painting of Christina’s world. This artwork depicts Christina Olson, a paralyzed woman in a parched-out field. The anguish of her struggle can be seen in the depiction. This, amongst other things, makes the painting a classic.

Monalisa has been considered widely as the most valuable painting in the world. This noble artwork was painted by the great Leonardo DaVinci, depicting a beautiful woman whose identity has been lost in time. Monalisa is currently the property of France, as it presently sits at the Louvre Museum in Paris.

Not many would have thought of Warhol’s style of art as a classic, but his work has laid a field for diversification in Contemporary Art. His work on Triple Elvis in 1963 shows the famous pop king Elvis Preston in a triple image form. As one of Andy Warhol’s many artworks, this still stands out to have stood the test of time.

Another great artwork is the sculpture of Perseus holding the head of Medusa by Benvenuto Cellini. This bronze sculpture was built between 1545 and 1554. And it is currently in Florence, Italy.

Jackson Pollock’s Mural of 1943 is one of America’s top-rated paintings you could come across. Through the painting, Pollock showed he could present his talent and creativity on canvas. Mural currently sits at the University of Iowa Museum of Art and stands out as Pollock’s biggest painting.

Art is an inherent part of the human way of life and would continue to hold much importance as long as the world exists.

 

America’s Most Asked Question On Health

America's Most Asked Question On Health

For a few years now, the curiosity on how to lower blood pressure topped America’s most-searched question on health. About 103 million Americans have high blood pressure, a third of America’s population. The figures are more frightening, with only 54% having it under control, according to the US Centre for Disease Control. One obvious thing is the quest for Americans to learn about the condition.

High blood pressure is generally diagnosed when a person has a blood pressure reading higher than 130/80. The upper number is referred to as systolic blood pressure, while the bottom number is called the diastolic blood pressure. The case becomes extremely severe when the blood pressure reads 180/120. In that case, seeing a doctor becomes extremely crucial.

The major causes of high blood pressure are smoking, obesity, excess alcohol consumption, inactivity, stress, old age, diets high in fats, and sleep apnea.

Do the causes reflect America’s condition?

It’s more interesting answering such a question with facts. 14 of every 100 US adults smoke according to the United States Centre for Disease Control. The figure shows that 34.2 million Americans smoke. The numbers have been on a decline from 40% in the 1960s.

42.4% of America’s adults over the age of 20 are overweight, according to the Centre for Disease Control.  Drinking alcohol has also been on the rise in the last 20 years, with an average American consuming 2.3 gallons of alcohol every year. According to a report by the Associated Press, high alcohol consumption has led to a corresponding rise in deaths related to drinking.

Inactivity has also been a major concern in the United States, with only 20% of jobs requiring moderate physical activity. The Centre for Disease Control also reported that 80% of Americans don’t get enough exercise. Unarguably, the figures correspond with the number of high blood pressure in the United States.

Necessary lifestyle changes?

The curiosity to learn more about the condition shows Americans are willing to adjust their lifestyle and live healthy. The major adjustment should be an inclusion of regular exercise in daily routines. At the same time, smoking and alcohol consumption must be reduced drastically. More sleep will also be a perfect addition while reducing meals high in fats should be considered. Most importantly, a regular check-up is essential to know when it’s important to see a doctor.

Can lawmakers help?

There was a ban on alcohol in the 1920s when the consumption was excessive. Apparently, America now consumes more quantity than they’ve ever done. Another legislation could be helpful for some time. The punishment for drink driving was imposed in the 1990s, and it drastically reduced alcohol consumption for some time. The imposition of cigarette taxes in the United States also led to a drastic reduction in Americans’ smoking rate.

Beyond the government’s laws, a lifestyle change is the most effective way to fight an increase in blood pressure. Every American should consider adopting such an effective approach.

The Motion Picture And Video Industry In The US

Motion Picture

The motion picture can also be referred to as the movie or film. It is a series of still pictures on film being displayed in quick succession on a screen through the means of light. With the persistence of vision, it gives the illusion of continuous and smooth movement. It has become perhaps the most influential and popular media of the 21st century. It is now further developed as an artistic and creative expression in diverse areas like cinematography, music, acting, screenwriting, costume, and design, of which all is quite prevalent in the US.

What It Produces

The United States motion picture industry is known to produce some of the world’s feature films and recorded TV programs as we know it. Also, the industry is noted to further produce music videos, documentaries as well as commercials. Post-production services include film and tap transfers, editing, credits, titling, subtitling, closed captioning, animation, special effects, and computer-produced graphics.

The industry is influenced by many large studios, which are mostly based in Hollywood. However, with the ever-growing popularity and worldwide availability of cable TV, computer graphics and editing software, digital video recorders, and the Internet, other independent filmmaking companies have emerged to fill the increasing demands for entertainment content.

Revenue Range of the US Motion Picture and Video Industry & the Key Players

A good idea can be summed up to the year 2018, when the industry generated its highest revenue from TV programs to domestic licensing of rights, as it brought in over a whopping 15 billion US dollars, and the estimated total revenue for that year amounted to 69.9 billion US dollars for the entire US motion picture and video production & distribution industry. Since 2005, the estimated revenue generated hardly ever falls below 60 billion US dollars, and that’s largely accredited to the big industry folks like Universal Studios, Walt Disney, Sony Pictures, and Warner Media, who have been successful in the business.

In sum, this goes to say that the Motion picture and video industry in the US is booming with no signs of slowing down, as it remains relevant in also accommodating prospective giants and highly artistic and creative media enthusiasts in a fertile industry.

Inside America’s Most Controversial Election Of The Century

election

For many reasons, the U.S 2016 election was not the best that the country ever had. The parties had low-quality candidates and ran negative campaigns against each other. Lack of experience, bankruptcies, womanizing and allegations of misogyny were a part of Trump’s history. Clinton had a fair share of lack of transparency, which was evident in her leaked deleted mails.

The build-up to the election was barely based on policies. It was the personality of the candidates that dominated the headlines. The election was the first to witness external interference. Four years after the election, the United States is still trying to clear the thorns and memories of the 2016 election, which is often considered negative precedence to future elections.

Cambridge Analytica, a British political consulting firm that combined data mining and analysis with strategic communication, was accused of interference. Donald Trump employed the service of the company in the build-up to the election. An undercover investigation report by Channel 4 News exposed the founder, Alexander Nix claiming they had influenced the election. New York Times and The Observer reported in 2018 that the company acquired and used personal data about Facebook users from an external researcher who told Facebook he was collecting the data for academic purposes.

A Russian-American, Alex Logan, created a Facebook app called “This Is Your Digital Life.” The company obtained data of about 270 thousand Facebook users. Through the user’s friend network, the app obtained data of about 87million Americans to create psychological data without people’s permission. The company had violated Facebook’s privacy policies, but the British company wasn’t the only party that influenced the election.

Russian led organization called “Internet Research Agency,” based in St Petersburg, also created thousands of social media accounts to spread misinformation with fabricated articles. Additionally, computer hackers affiliated with Russian military intelligence sources (GRU) infiltrated the Clinton campaign and publicly released stolen files and emails.

It is alleged that the data obtained by Cambridge Analytica was used by Russia to run ads in America. Russia backed companies dented the reputation of Clinton and gave Trump a victory he desired. Four years later, Mark Zuckerberg still appears before the congress, grilled about the 2016 election by democrats.

The election remains America’s most controversial election, from the pre-election season to four years after the election. Though democracy is often a government by the most popular candidate, merit must be considered by parties in selecting their candidates.

Investing In Mineral Resources: Gold

Mineral Resources gold

Minerals are non-renewable resources for the construction, manufacturing, and energy companies. For states that are endowed with many such resources, it has proven to be a dependable contributor to the economy. However, it must be explored in a well conservative manner. Hence, the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service. To improve, protect, and conserve natural resources.

The United States is the third-largest country in the world geographically. Her large expanse of land is also home to a lot of mineral resources. Some of the minerals mined in the U.S. include coal, copper, lithium, silver, iron ore, nickel, lead, and highly-priced gold.

However, gold is not the most valuable mineral resource. Other mineral resources such as lithium, blue garnet, jadeite, and rubies would beat gold to that accolade. Yet, gold is a very reputable mineral, especially in the financial market. In 2018, the United States produced 210 tonnes of Gold, which makes her a net exporter of gold.

Investors looking to invest in gold have options to assess. An option is buying the physical gold metal. This investment option accounted for two-third of annual gold investments. The purchase can be made from a metal dealer, a bank, or brokerage. This investment insulates an investor from a system-wide crisis.

There is another option, which is buying gold-backed exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Gold ETFs invest in up to 99.5 percent of pure gold. ETFs are listed on the BSE and NSE, which means they can easily transact in qualities lower than physical ownership. It is a good financial diversification strategy.

For experienced investors, who do not want to risk a lot of their capital, they can buy gold derivatives options: futures, forwards, and options. It requires a good knowledge of financial security and may not be suitable for all investors.

The last suggestion here for investing in gold would be, buying gold mining stock. Here, the company’s stocks correlate directly with gold prices. However, mining companies can either fail or succeed in how they deploy capitals and generate profits.

Gold is seen as a haven in investment because it is less volatile than other investments, like stock. Although gold is a more feasible investment, it has its hassles. These difficulties encompass insurance, transaction fees, and cost of storage. You should also determine the purity of the gold before buying it. You don’t want to pay for 18 karats when you are only getting a 14 karat piece.

Top 4 Career Goals Everyone Should Aspire To Achieve

Top 4 Career Goals Everyone Should Aspire To Achieve

Everyone wants to have a successful career. To do this, we outline the goals we aspire to achieve to keep getting better and more productive. However, placing your focus on the wrong goals can make a dent in your career even when they are achieved. The right goals, on the other hand, would be of great benefit to you and your career. Let’s take a look at the top 4 career goals you should aspire to achieve.

Your first aspiration should be to become an expert at what you do. Nothing should compete with this. Garner knowledge and experience on your career and develop yourself with them. Take every opportunity you have to master your job. You must also learn new skills and improve upon old ones. Make plans to develop skills in your field and outside it as well. Skills you acquire can neither be too much nor wasted. They can be what distinguishes you from others in your career. The more value you can bring to the table, the better for you.

Again, ensure you get a professional certificate/degree. This is another career goal you should aim at. Keep investing in your education. Obtain as many qualifications as you can. Certificates are very vital to your rise in your career path. They provide you not only specialized knowledge but also give you an edge in your chosen field. Generally, certificates are the first indication of what you can do. You might never be given the chance without your certificates.

Besides investing in yourself, learn to network. Surround yourself with the right set of people and build a good relationship with them. They will help you develop your career and expose you to golden opportunities you would not want to miss out on.

Finally, create a balance. You must be able to balance between work and other aspects of your life. Work towards enjoying your career and being comfortable. You should also plan for your work not to affect other areas of your life, but rather, to aid them.

By achieving these goals, you can develop your career and even set yourself up for promotions. Of course, your career goals don’t have to be limited to just these. However, while seeking to achieve them all, make these your priority. Focus on the right goals, and you’re sure to have a blissful career.

 

Microsoft Corporation: One Of The World’s Tech Giants

Microsoft Corporation

Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational tech company. It is headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Microsoft develops, manufactures, and sells computer software, personal computers, consumer electronic devices, and other related services. Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft. It was founded at a time when owning computers didn’t mean much.

But today, Microsoft has emerged as one of the world’s leading technology giants. This article seeks to share how Microsoft grew massively over the years since its stock went public. Read on! This article will also share the story of how Microsoft evolved DOS to Windows.

Microsoft’s journey to limelight began in 1975. The journey began when IBM sought Microsoft’s help to come up with a project, codenamed ‘Chess.’ This project required that Microsoft would create an operating system. This operating system was created. It was called Microsoft Disk Operating System- MS-DOS.

Computers users began to use the DOS in 1981. But it wasn’t easy to use. The reason is that strange commands needed to be entered for this operating system to work. But Microsoft aggressively advertised DOS, and it enjoyed some level of acceptance. For instance, Microsoft pushed for the use of DOS in companies like Amstrad through aggressive advertisement.

Furthermore, Microsoft sought to make things easier for its consumers. Then, the graphical user interface, Windows 1.0, was introduced in 1985. This time, strange commands were not needed to operate Windows 1.0. Users could use a mouse to choose directories and applications. Microsoft received a massive boost with its innovation. The retail demands skyrocketed. Then, in 1986, Microsoft’s stock went public.

Microsoft began to evolve. It has so far grown to become a world’s tech giant. Almost every computer user sought for Windows 1.0. In 1988, Microsoft became the world’s largest software company based on sales. Microsoft soon became a household name. For instance, in 1992, Microsoft sold almost 10 million copies of Windows 3.1 in the first two years of its introduction.

Microsoft still enjoys a continued rise of acceptance all over the world. When the Windows 95 was introduced, about 7 million copies in the first five weeks of its introduction were sold. Notably, Microsoft’s stock price peaked at US$58.72 per share in 1999. The company was valued at $620 billion at that time.

In conclusion, Microsoft has since been one of the world’s tech giants. It has also continued to diversify its earnings. It extends its business frontiers to games consoles, with Xbox cloud computing and Windows Phone. But Microsoft has not been able to beat its competitors in gaining popularity for its smartphones.

However, Microsoft still arguably leads among other tech companies in desktops. It was recorded that Windows 10 can be found on over 400million devices. That is some impressive feat.

5 Greatest Investors In America’s History

Benjamin Graham
Benjamin Graham

Investing can be cold and hard. Hence, not all investors can build a track record of high figures on returns consistently. Comparing track records and performance numbers in the financial market is tedious. But after much deliberation, here is a list of five. The list comprises those who have shown quality skills for increasing and multiplying funds across America’s stock market history.

The first person on the list is Benjamin Graham. A British-born influential American investor. He was widely regarded as the father of value investing and security analysis. Graham is the teacher and mentor of Warren Buffet. Graham is said to have made huge money without even taking huge risks on the stock market. His book, The Intelligent Investor, is one of the most famous investing books.

Another name on this illustrious list is the Quant King – Jim Simons. James Harris Simons is an American billionaire hedge fund manager. He was a mathematician who has taught at both MIT and Harvard. At age 44 in 1982, he started one of the most successful quant funds in the world – Renaissance Technologies (Rentech.) By 1988 he decided to use solely quantitative analysis to determine trades.

Simons is joined on the list by George Soros. He is a Hungarian-American billionaire investor. He is popularly referred to as the man who broke the Bank of England. This was an accolade from 1992. He risked $10 billion to short the British Pound. An estimated total trade net of $2 billion shows he was right. Most of his strategies are said to be undefined. Yet, his Quantum Fund generates an average annual return of over 30% while he was the manager.

On number four is David F. Swensen. An American investor and endowment fund manager. David’s talent was said to have helped him figure out what no one could. That is, going beyond the usual stocks and bonds to endowment investing. He was already a history maker before he started managing Yale’s endowment fund with the Yale Model. He orchestrated the first-ever derivatives swap.

To wrap up the list is the Oracle of Omaha – Warren Buffett. One of the most successful investors of all time. He is an American billionaire Investor. Amassing his multibillion-dollar fortune by using Graham’s value investing. He is the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, a multinational conglomerate holding company. His simple style of discipline, patience, and value has yielded massive profit over the years.

As an investor, you must learn to forge your path through the not so easy market returns. I hope this list has been insightful for you. Importantly, invest sensibly, suitably, and simply.