Twenty years ago, IT was an afterthought for most businesses. Technology had only been in the workplace for a few years. If a company had to hire an “IT guy”, it was rarely seen as an investment. It was a necessary evil to keep other parts of the business running.

The attitude today is completely the opposite. Computerworld reports that 43% of companies expect their IT budget to be larger in 2015 that it was the prior year. Companies now see IT spending as an investment in the future of their company. IT is no longer about making sure the server is up and the printer is plugged in. It’s about developing technology that makes the company better at what it does.

How Can Technology Help Your Business

Consider a small business with sales people or other employees in the field. How are they connecting with the home-office? Most small businesses with field employees operate through e-mail and text messages. What if you had a custom system that allowed sales people to enter orders while they were at the client’s office or allowed maintenance workers to update work tickets in real time? Would that be valuable?

What about if you had a system that monitored key metrics for your business and generated alerts when something was out of a normal range? How much time and money would that save?

Technology is about far more than technical support. A real technology expert can build systems and software that make your business more productive and profitable.

The Value in Real Experts

Hiring someone for an IT role isn’t just about finding someone that is tech savvy. For example, if you hire someone to build a piece of software to make your field-employees more productive, are you confident that this person can write secure code that won’t leak customer’s sensitive data?

The work that individuals within IT perform necessarily requires them to handle sensitive systems and data. You need to be confident that this person is a real expert in their field. The problem is, most business owners don’t have the technical expertise to identify the true experts from those that just use a lot of technical jargon. Herein lies the value of IT staffing services that pay attention to significant industry vertical trends and emerging technologies.

Working with a Small Budget

By definition, small businesses don’t have a lot of resources at their disposal. This is especially true for small businesses that are just getting started. It’s likely that there isn’t a budget to hire an experienced IT professional. Herein lies the beauty of using a staffing company.

A staffing company can usually provide temp and part-time labor. You are able to utilize an expert to complete your project without worrying about how you can justify a full-time salary. Likewise, once your business grows to the point where it makes sense to have a full-time position, the same staffing company can use their expertise to connect you with a highly skilled IT professional that will bring tremendous value to your organization.

Don’t let a limited budget keep you from the expertise that will make your business soar.

In a world of changing customer demand for financial services, delivering a product on time with increased governance and transparency ensures faster time-to-market and improved customer experience. Increased complexity and regulatory burden make managing the development of these products challenging. Trying to keep centralized control, real-time visibility, and projects on track amidst a change of scope, resource constraints, and unanticipated delays are no easy tasks. As a project manager, you spend so much time collecting and reporting on status and managing documentation. You have little time to properly manage the schedule, align resources, and identify and mitigate risks. That’s where professional software development services come in. Smart products, embedded software, and other solutions are now actively introduced to modern businesses to help them digitize their product management process and boost innovation. Not only do these solutions help with the digitization, but also automate essential processes. They provide repeatable and auditable product development and integrated project and document management.

• If you’re also looking to give your business a boost and make use of innovative project management tools, it’s about time you started looking for a reliable company that can develop project management software specifically tailored to your business needs. There are also other industrial automation solutions you might avail yourself of to take your business to the next level.

Digital Common Platforms

State-of-the-art technologies and IoT-powered tools can help you quickly streamline your business processes and boost the success of your projects. Through dedicated common platforms, the updated status of any project deliverable is immediately reflected in a project plan. This can be called ‘invisible governance,’ because you can execute your project and improve collaboration without encumbering those doing the work. With real-time project information collected automatically, you no longer need to collect the status from each team member. Thus, you can focus on true project management activities, evaluate progress, identify and reduce operational risks, align and assign resources to maintain or accelerate schedules whether you’re following an agile or waterfall methodology.

Dynamic Dashboards

Another innovative solution that can help you speed up product development and other processes is dynamic dashboards. With the help of these tools, you can view accurate project data, keep track of your progress, spot problems and detect potential issues on a timely manner, and drill down to view and verify your deliverables. When you consider product changes, you can see the potential impact on scope, schedule, or resources before deciding to implement. As a project team member, you can spend less time reporting on status and attending meetings and more time driving more customer-centric innovation.

With personalized real-time dashboards, track all the assigned tasks and issues, stay on top of your workload, view priorities and due dates, and provide a deliverable status to eliminate search time. With dynamic solutions, you can access your work directly from the dashboard and have everything you need before your eyes. You can track your own tasks, including key dates, dependencies, as well as the tasks and responsibilities of other people you’re collaborating with. The solution also provides comprehensive document management and document generation. In addition, directly work with documents from within your familiar applications.

Takeaways

If you find a reliable partner that possesses enough skills and experience in digitizing product development and management processes, the odds are good you will be able to considerably improve your business operations, boost profits, and expand your markets. Companies that specialize in developing and implementing digital product management solutions offer a holistic approach to product, project, and document management, thus enabling you to deliver enterprise-wide transformational values. With real-time visibility across your entire project and improved efficiency, you can reduce your time-to-market and free up time for client-oriented innovation.

Traveling is a great way to gain diverse experiences and broaden your horizons. For those who travel regularly, it can be an opportunity to become more self-reliant and aware of different things to keep in mind while on the road. However, traveling alone for the first time can be an intimidating experience. Despite the natural fears that you may have, traveling can offer unique and memorable experiences that you won’t want to miss. But before setting out on a journey, you should know some basics that will help you stay away from inconveniences.

 

Here are the most important things that you should know which will help you to have a safe, enjoyable, and memorable trip.

Plan ahead

You will remain in a state of uncertainty unless you plan all aspects of your life, including travel. When traveling to an unfamiliar place, especially for the first time, not having a plan can lead to unexpected difficulties and risks. To ensure a safe and smooth trip, it is important to research your destination, make arrangements for your accommodations, and plan your itinerary ahead of time. Proper planning will not only reduce stress but also increase your confidence and sense of control during your journey.

 

Additionally, you may consider utilizing different websites and apps that will help you create comprehensive travel plans, get discounts, book hotels, flights, etc., making the whole trip easier. Booking, Tripadvisor, and Google Flights should be at the top of your list. And do not forget about safety. Download Sitata Travel Safe and bSafe on your phone. Use PhoneHistory to look up people you meet along the way.

Select tourist-friendly countries

As a first-time solo traveler, choose a destination that is friendly to tourists. Tourist-friendly countries typically have a well-established tourism industry, which can provide guidance and support in areas such as finding suitable accommodations, navigating safe travel routes, and discovering popular attractions. Ultimately, the choice of destination will be yours to make, but it is recommended to opt for a country with a stable tourism infrastructure.

 

While traveling to a country with a fluctuating tourism industry may present additional challenges, it does not necessarily mean that the experience will be any less rewarding. Ultimately, the key is to be well-prepared and to have a flexible and open mindset, regardless of the destination you choose.

Learn a universal language

Traveling alone for the first time does not mean that you have to avoid interactions with others. As social beings, we all depend on each other in some way. To enhance your solo travel experience, learn a universally understood language, such as English.

 

In many countries where English is not the first language, people are still able to communicate effectively in English. And being able to speak a universal language, you will have the opportunity to better understand the culture, traditions, and way of life in the communities you encounter during your travels. In addition, this can increase your enthusiasm for travel and inspire you to plan future solo trips.

Pack light

Every traveler should understand the importance of traveling light. By only packing the essentials, you can move around with ease and comfort. Carrying excessive luggage increases the likelihood of losing it, especially when it is placed in the baggage compartment of buses or trains. It is a good idea to leave some extra space in your backpack for souvenirs and items you might want to purchase along the way so you do not have to carry another bag.

 

Pack only what you need. Take your passport, cash and credit cards, health insurance card, phone and charger, clothes, medicines, snacks to eat while on the road, personal items such as toothpaste, toothbrush, and soap, tissues, a laptop, and, if you are into reading, books.

Respect local customs and cultures

Before embarking on your first solo travel journey, familiarize yourself with the local customs and cultures of your destination. Understanding and respecting local traditions will enhance your travel experience and prevent any potential trouble. This includes researching the appropriate attire and avoiding any actions that may be considered disrespectful or offensive. By following the norms of the area you are visiting, you can ensure that your journey is both enjoyable and respectful.

Stay connected with your family

Your family must be aware of your travel destination and your well-being while you are away. As a solo traveler, you should consider purchasing a local sim card upon arrival in the country you are visiting. This small investment will provide you with access to navigation tools such as Google Maps and a means of staying in touch with your loved ones. Keeping your family informed of your whereabouts and condition is of utmost importance, especially if you are traveling alone.

Keep your valuables safe

Ensure the safety of your valuable possessions. Carrying them in your pocket all the time can make you vulnerable to theft or losing them. Instead, make a photocopy of your passport and ID and carry them with you instead. This will give you an additional form of identification if you need to prove your identity to local authorities.

 

Additionally, it is recommended to store scanned copies of your documents in your email or Google Drive. This way, even if you misplace your physical copies while traveling, you will still have access to all the information, which can be especially helpful in the event of an emergency.

Conclusion

If you are about to travel alone for the first time, you may feel nervous. However, the benefits of solo travel far outweigh the worries. To make your journey a success, it is crucial to plan ahead and prioritize safety. Choosing a friendly and welcoming destination is also a must. To further immerse yourself in the culture, consider learning a universal language. Traveling light will allow you to fully enjoy each moment without the burden of heavy luggage. Remember to be respectful of the local customs and traditions and stay in touch with your loved ones. Best of luck on your first solo adventure!