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Have you heard of virtual sports? This sub-niche of the sports betting industry had been here for years now, but it only saw the most significant growth in the past several months when most sporting events and leagues have been either cancelled or postponed. With the sudden absence of real sports to bet on, the presence of virtual sports has suddenly pushed to the spotlight. People needed something to fill the void that the cancellation of sports have made, and it was virtual sports that did the job for that.

Virtual sports have been played for almost a decade now. In fact, you can find several bookmakers that offer the opportunity to bet on virtual sports, long before the event of the pandemic cancellations. You can find out which bookmakers are offering virtual sports betting on the best review sites like Efirbet. Aside from that, you can also read on the best betting tips, bookmaker reviews, and special offers on this website.

Virtual sports is nothing different than the traditional sports betting that you may probably know already. It has the same rules, the same formats, and the same of almost everything–only that there are no real people involved and everything is virtual. If there is one thing that is definite about the world of virtual sports is that it will not go away anytime soon. Experts are looking at it as something that would be “here to stay.”

In an interview with the magazine Gambling Insider, NSoft Company co-CEO Dario Jurcic said that investors should allot more money in investing to thew virtual sports sub-niche, citing the changes the pandemic had brought in the world of online betting. He also added that companies ought to include virtual sports in the services they offer, or they risk eventually getting left behind in the market. To the uninitiated, NSfot is one of the biggest and most popular game software providers for online gaming and betting.

“There was a clear signal, even before the pandemic, that we need to invest more in virtual sports,” said Jurcic. “Our two new games will allow us to target more specific audiences and assure even higher year-on-year growth. Virtual sports will be very beneficial for operators during the pandemic. Companies that do no introduce virtual sports and virtual games, in general, will suffer an even higher decline of business.”

Jurcic also noted that virtual sports might eventually replace sports betting as we know it for several reasons, including the fact that it gets played out faster than real sports. It is available to bet on almost 24/7, if not completely round the clock. These are factors that not even live sports betting can replicate. As interactive and innovative the concept of live betting is, it is still tied to having a real game played out for bettors to have something to watch and bet on. Virtual sports, on the other hand, only needs software running. Also, with football being the most popular sports to bet on, it may very well be the main product that would carry virtual sports to more providers and bookmakers.

“Football is definitely the king of virtual sports,” Jurcic emphasized. “The demand for virtual sports nowadays is astonishing. We have been contacted by so many companies in the industry that are willing to introduce our products, and this is a clear sign that the business is and will continue to grow. The player demand is there, and that’s always the best driver. However, companies that introduced virtual sports before the pandemic will benefit more as they have built a stable player base by now. The ones that just introduced them will see slower growth but still will benefit a lot.”

Is there a time for providers to wait and sit out the adaption of virtual sports to their platforms?

“Now is the time to convert traditional sports betting fans to virtual sports,” Jurcic said.

Are you finding a new hobby to enjoy and get yourself busy with? Or perhaps you are looking to expand your interests and try an entirely new world you’ve never been to before? You can try online sports betting. Sports betting is one of the fastest-growing industries that lets you enjoy sports aside from either playing it or watching it. Sports betting had been an activity for a lot of people for hundreds of for years, and perhaps even older in some parts of the world. Today, through the help of modern technology and even social media, sports betting managed to remain a significant sub-culture through what is called online sports betting.

Online sports betting works the same as the traditional in-person sports betting, with the only difference being everything is done virtually and through the internet. There are still bookmakers, and this time they work through online sports betting apps you can download on your respective application stores, or a website you can visit through a mobile or desktop web browser. In online sports betting, you can also enjoy special offers and other forms of freebies, such as bonuses without a code by Silentbet.

But what makes online sports betting the best choice for your new hobby? Here are some of the top reasons.

You know it already

The chances are that you have at least made a bet on sports once or twice in your life. Or you may even be a regular on betting places for your favorite sports like football, basketball, or horse racing. You probably know what odds are, how they work, and how you can have odds work to your advantage. Either way, you have surely heard or experienced sports betting one way or the other.

Online sports betting is no different. The core elements of sports betting are still there, there is a sport you have to bet on, there are types of bets you can make, there are odds that you have to consider in making a bet, and there is, of course, the bookmaker which you will wager your money through.

Technology made it easier

Back in the day, the only way you can bet in sports is if you got out your way and go to the nearest betting place whenever there is a game going. It can be a hassle and especially if the game is a big one, the queue for the betting itself can be too long. By then, only two things might happen to you: one is you run out of time, and the bookie would close the best with you still far away from the queue, or you risk placing your bets through a shady “bookie” offering shady odds. No matter what happens to you between the two, you will end up losing money.

Online sports betting revolutionized all of these. Now, you can bet anywhere, and any time you want to. Even when on the go, you can check the odds and predictions, as long as you are connected to the internet. No need to go out your way on long nights, or to fall in a long queue just to place your bet. You can do all of these, and actually even more, from the comfort of your own home through your respective devices.

There are always bonuses and special offers

One thing that bookies in an in-person betting place do not offer is bonuses. There is simply no form of bonuses or loyalty rewards here, no matter how long you’ve played under the same bookie.

However, online sports betting bookmakers often provide freebies, discounts, and special offers that not only give you more chances to bet but also entices you to stay longer and bet more under the same bookie.

People have bet on sports since time immemorial. A lot of factors have contributed to the popularity of sports betting, mainly the people’s love for gambling as well as their enthusiasm for sports. However, as time went on, the way of life advanced, eventually making the old ways of sports betting an outdated activity. Thankfully for the internet, online sports betting came.

With that came the rise of online bookmakers. Now, players have access to more people who will facilitate their bets and help them earn winnings. With thousands and thousands of bookmakers available now, you have to make sure that you only play with the best ones. Many review sites exist to help you for winning, one of which Nosatrabet.com that offers valuable tips, recommendations and reviews of the most popular betting apps and websites in current scenario.

Here are the top ways how the internet made sports betting bigger.

It made betting easier

Veteran sports bettors know the struggle of placing a bet in some big games, especially if it is the finals of a league. You have to line up on extremely long queues, and sometimes bookies would close up bets right before you get your turn to place yours.

The rise of online sports betting made all things easier. Now, you can wager your money at the comfort of your own home, and even while you’re on the go. No need to travel to a betting place and personally place your bet there. No more stress. Just grab your device, go to the site or the app, and you are good to go.

More people can now bet on sports

Back in the day, sports betting sued to be a very specific niche, and only targets a very specific group of people. When you ask someone what their expectations of a sports bettor would be, you will get the most common stereotypes–a middle-aged father who had so much extra money to spend or men drinking beer while throwing their money on their favorite sports. 

Through the growing popularity of online sports betting through apps and sites, people who used to have no idea about sports betting are now introduced to this community. Gone are the days where bettors used to be only dads drinking booze while watching a game live. Now, as long as you are of legal age and has access to a legitimate payment method, you can start betting on sports.

Social media

Are you someone who used to have no idea what sports betting is and how it works? However, you are now a regular o multiple online bookies, and you enjoy wagering your money for sports. How did you get here? More often than not, it may be through one of the ads that you saw on a social media platform. Since online sports betting thrives on the internet, bookmakers also use the popularity of social media and the fact that a lot of people spend the majority of their time being exposed to it. They advertise on social media, and they promote their apps and sites on them.

It all pays off at the end. Through social media, more people are attracted to take a look at the world of online sports betting, and while some do not stay for the long term, a lot have kept on playing and now are regular bettors on their chosen bookmakers.

Final thoughts

We should keep in mind that the internet is not a done thing. Technology is still growing. Thus, this also means that online sports betting as you know it now is not yet done–it will even improve through the years. As to what advances and improvements there would be, one can only guess and speculate. Whatever it would be, it will definitely bring the experience of sports betting to yet another new level.

The internet had changed the way we live our lives. From our means of communication to the availability of the information we can easily access, to say that the internet had helped improved our lives would be an understatement. Even in the world of gambling and sports betting, the internet had brought huge innovations and advancements in the way people can bet on sports.

From the wider options of betting to the faster and easier betting system, to the rise of more bookmakers in the market, the internet gave a huge boost to the world of betting, making it more significant than how it is way back in the years.

Even bookmakers benefitted from technology as they can now easily run operations completely on a virtual environment. The best bookies are known to offer not only the best range of betting options but also the most generous offers and bonuses. How to choose the best bookmakers suited for you read more that gives a glimpse of safe betting and making your chances for more winning. 

Here are the ways why online sports betting can be a better betting option for you.

It is easier

If you have been betting on sports in-person in the past, you already know the drill: the bigger the game is, the higher the hype that is around it, and the bigger the odds are for a bet, the longer the lines for the bookies would be. Sometimes, you would be shut out of the bet you wish to make. Sometimes, you would give up queuing in line yourself due to the stressful rush on a brick-and-mortar betting site.

Another thing about traditional land-based sports betting sites is that they are often not very accessible and you have to go out a long way to get to one and start betting. If you are a newbie, starting on your own without a buddy can be hard and confusing.

In online sports betting, you can bet right at the comfort of your home. You can wager anytime and anywhere as long as you are connected to the internet and you have a device with you where you can log in to your bookmaker’s account. No more stressful and long travels, no more long lines just to places your bets, and no more missing out on that good bet you want to wager on. Thanks to technology, sports betting had become, and easier form of hobby and entertainment and more people can now participate in it.

It gives you more freedom

The truth about traditional in-person sports betting is that you have very limited options. One fact is that you can only bet under one bookmaker. While no restrictions are saying you can only bet under one bookie, it is unrealistic and virtually impossible to move from one betting place to another to switch bookies. Another thing is that you have very limited access to the odds and lines, and you can only see what your bookie wants to show you.

In online sports betting, your options can go as far as the number of legit bookies available out there. Switching between bookies can be as easy as switching between apps or tabs of your web browser. Some online bettors even spread their bets across different bookies to maximize the profit they will make, regardless of the outcome of the game.

When it comes to odds, you have higher chances of getting better odds for your bets, since odds from different bookies are publicly available online, you have the freedom to compare odds and see which one is better and would work best for you.

Final thoughts

As long as technology keeps on advancing, so does all the other things affected by it. Thus, while one can only wait for what may come next for the world of sports betting, technology will surely make betting more advanced, if not better, in the future.

Good news!

Phew, we don’t feel like we’ve said that for a while here in the events industry. As of the 1st October, the UK government has now confirmed that events, exhibitions and conferences can go ahead. Good news indeed. However with this date in the calendar, we know there’s still plenty of work to do on building confidence in order to return to these events safely, securely and successfully.

This is why we have created our Reopening Events and Exhibitions Guide for Exhibitors. We’ve been keenly keeping an eye on the incredible efforts across the events industry to plan how we reopen events safely. However, you might not have been quite as keen as us. After all with lockdown and challenges being felt across so many industries, chances are you’ve had your own worries. But with our guide ready for download now, our aim is to make sure that returning to events isn’t a worry. In fact it could be a big win for you and your business. Events offer huge boosts for economies, employment and engage audiences in so many ways.

We know that a little boost to confidence is all it might take to get your planning your next event or exhibition, so take a look at our handy guide and rest assured we’re here to answer your questions as we start our collective recovery, stronger together!

There will be considerable challenges ahead, but we strongly believe that we will recover better together. We remain committed to our extraordinary values and the high quality service you have come to expect. Built around you, we are ready to help you successfully return to events or even successfully re-route your event marketing efforts elsewhere.

Don’t forget to download your handy guide right here

Feel free to get in touch today about your next project!

Or

Explore our wider services here:

– Creative Design

– Displays, Graphics & Signage

– Interior & Showroom Fit-Out

– PLUS our new Image Development Marketing Services

Are you transferring data outside of the EEA to the United States or elsewhere? This new ruling means that you will need to make some changes.

The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled that Privacy Sheild is invalid.

Most organisations rely on data transfer agreements known as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCC) to transfer personal data to countries outside of the European Economic Area (EEA).

The General Data Protection Act (GDPR) data protection law states that appropriate safeguards must be in place if data is transferred out of the EU, to the United States or elsewhere.

The EU-US Privacy Shield replaced the Safe Harbour agreement and governed the transfer of EU citizens’ data to the United States.

On 16th July 2020 the Privacy Shield was struck down and confirmed invalid by the Court of Justice of the European Union. This new ruling will have substantial implications for thousands of businesses across the UK currently sharing data with the US.

I am using Mail Chimp / Other Email Marketing provider outside of the EEA, what should I do?

Now that Privacy Shield has been ruled invalid, these firms will be forced to review and sign standard contractual clauses drawn up by Europe that include all the relevant EU approved clauses that allow for the international transfer of data. You can wait to see what happens and if the US can find a suitable solution to appease the EU, or you can move your data to a provider within the EEA.

The Court of Justice findings are “the requirements of US national security, public interest and law enforcement have primacy, thus condoning interference with the fundamental rights of persons whose data are transferred to that third country”, and that mechanisms in the EU-US Privacy Shield apparently intended to lessen this interference and was therefore not up to the required legal standard of ‘essential equivalence’ with EU law.

Smart Messenger is a UK Based Email Marketing Service and all of our servers are based within the EEA. You can be assured that we will never transfer your data elsewhere.

If you would like to talk to us about your options, please call us on 01603 858250 and speak to one of our friendly team.

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If you are a business owner, you already know how much more competitive the market is right now. The uncertainties affecting the market, new businesses targeting similar market segments, and the changes happening in the market itself are making it more difficult for businesses to edge ahead and draw a clear lead.

That doesn’t mean you cannot still lead the market. In fact, there are more ways to gain a competitive advantage and be more flexible in the market. You just have to be willing to strengthen the fundamentals of your business, especially the basics such as cost management and HR, and we have just the tips and tricks to get you started in this article.

Manage Your Expenses

There are two ways to remain flexible in the market as more competitors aim for your market segment: deliver more value and limit your costs. Boosting the value of your product in the eyes of customers is not always easy or straightforward, but you can always take steps to reduce your expenses and limit direct costs.

Limiting costs allows you to keep your overhead in check, which means you will have more room to compete in terms of pricing. At the same time, you can choose to allocate more resources towards activities such as digital marketing and ads at specific times. You can even run ad-hoc campaigns or utilize other tactics to stay ahead of the market.

Organise Projects Effectively

Most business processes can be seen as tasks that need to be completed to achieve a common objective. This is why project management is now a skill that businesses actively seek when looking for top talents to recruit. The better you are at managing projects seamlessly and efficiently, the more competitive the business will be as a whole.

Fortunately, there are many project management tools that let you implement agile project management not only to the engineering and product development projects but to projects in other areas in the company as well.

Good project management has one additional advantage: better use of resources, including time and money. When you know how projects will be executed, you can be more meticulous with timing expenses, allocating talents, or team members, and keeping up with the challenges you will face along the way.

Effective Marketing Campaigns

The next thing you want to strengthen is your ability to reach your target audience in an engaging way. It is not enough to have social media pages and active digital marketing campaigns; you have to go the extra mile and think about how to best deliver key messages to your potential customers. More importantly, you have to listen to how they react to those messages.

Everyone is using digital marketing right now, so your message needs to cut through more noise. Rather than pouring more money and using brute force to conquer the market, try to have a more refined strategy and really think about personalizing every customer touchpoint. User experience is what matters the most in today’s market.

User Experience

That actually brings us to our next point, which is user experience. Your customers’ experience with your company or brand is not limited to their interactions with your products. From the moment customers start looking for information about your company and what you do, you become a part of their journey.

User experience, just like brand elements and marketing key messages, is something that can be shaped, and the best way to shape your UX or CX is by understanding what the customers really want. Take the time to listen to your customers more, and then craft a user journey that allows customers to feel special and appreciated.

Cash Flow

The most important fundamental to improve, however, is your cash flow. Cash flow powers everything. When you have a healthy cash flow – and can maintain that healthy cash flow over a long period of time – you have the biggest competitive advantage of them all. You can be more adaptive, react to market changes, deal with spikes in demand, and do virtually everything you need to grow the business without skipping a beat. Healthy cash flow also makes you more agile and allows you to react to those market changes faster.

It is also worth noting that having good cash flow lets you save more on business expenses. When you know you can pay vendors in 14 days instead of 20 or 30 days, you have better leverage to negotiate deals and reduce business expenses further.

Strengthen these 5 fundamentals, and your business will not only be more competitive on the market, but more resilient too. The market is only getting more competitive by the day. Don’t wait; start today, improve these fundamentals to support your business, and compete better for a growing market.

Figures by Betway have shown that pizza was the most-searched food in 55 of the 81 countries for which data was available. It has proven particularly popular in eastern Europe, with Belarus carrying out the most searches for ‘pizza delivery’ per capita according to Google Trends.Russia and Ukraine, meanwhile, were fourth and fifth respectively. Interestingly, vegan food was the most-searched term in Russia – the only time it appeared in the top two searches for any country in the world. That could have something to do with the fact that it’s common practice for followers of the Russian Orthodox church – who make up 71 per cent of the Russian population according to a 2017 survey – to eat a plant-based diet during Lent, which ran from 26 February – 9 April this year. Chinese was the next-most popular takeaway after pizza, topping the charts in 11 countries, including the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland and, unsurprisingly, China. In fact, when looking at the cities that searched for the term the most, all of the top eight were in English-speaking countries.

Per capita, it was the that UK searched for ‘Chinese cuisine’ more than any other country. Sushi was the third-most popular of the three leading takeaways worldwide. The dish is synonymous with Japan, so it seems strange that, per capita, it was only third on the list of countries that searched for it the most. Instead, it was Denmark that scoffed the most sushi per person. Considering that raw, pickled and smoked fish have been staples of the Danish diet since the Viking era, perhaps its popularity is understandable. With nearby Norway being the largest salmon-producing nation in the world, there is also plenty to go around.

Which takeout brands are people searching for most?

Given its ubiquity across the world, it’s unsurprising that McDonald’s dominated searches for branded fast food companies. The burger-flipping giant is the world’s largest restaurant chain in terms of revenue and, as of 2018, had 37,855 outlets in 100 different countries. Forty-one of 81 countries for which data was available searched for McDonald’s more than any other restaurant or branded food takeout. The highest concentration of those searches came from Europe, with 26 of the 30 European nations hankering for a Big Mac. KFC was the second-most popular fast food joint, topping the charts in 23 countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia and South Africa.

But the country that most craved the Colonel’s secret blend of herbs and spices was Malaysia, amassing an average of 301,000 searches per month – more than any other country. It is estimated that KFC serves 25m customers every month in Malaysia – only 6.5m fewer than its entire population. The menu offers various localised items like rice congee – a type of porridge – and teh tarik – a milky tea that is popular in southeast Asia. The most popular company in one specific place was Pizza Hut in the USA, which averaged 1.83m searches per month between March and May.

Which countries around the world are ordering the most takeout food?

According to data from Google Keyword Planner, there were 26.6m searches for ‘delivery’, ‘food delivery’, ‘takeaway’ and ‘takeout’ between March and May, with the USA accounting for 10.5m (39%) of them alone. But per capita, the USA only ranked second among the countries with the highest volume of searches, with one for every 31 members of the population during the three-month period. Topping the charts was Belgium, with one search for every 10 people. Next on the list were Australia and the United Kingdom, with one in 40 and one in 44 respectively. Despite recording the fifth-most searches for takeout food among the top 10 countries, India had the fewest per capita with one for every 1,457 people.

The benefits of eating organic are numerous and well-evidenced. As no toxic chemicals are used, organic food is healthier for our bodies. Farmers aren’t exposed to harmful substances and don’t have to go into debt to finance petrochemicals and industrial machinery.

Also, it’s good for the soil, insects and for animals. Organic food is food as nature intended.

We at Goodery believe organic agriculture is the only viable way to sustain human life on earth long term. That’s why we want to make it easier for people across Norfolk to get their weekly organic shop. We’re working hard to lower our prices and improve our products every single day.

Good for you

Researchers at Newcastle University found that organic crops are up to 60% higher in a number of key antioxidants.

That’s roughly equivalent to eating an extra 1-2 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Antioxidants are believed to play a role in preventing the development of such chronic diseases ascancer,heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s and more.

A Cambridge University study also found significant differences in the composition of organic and non-organic foods. Compounds found in increased amounts in the organic produce have been linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases, including certain cancers.

Eating organic reduces your exposure to pesticides, as well. The frequency of pesticide residue was found to be four times higher in non-organic crops, which also contained higher concentrations of a toxic metal called cadmium.

Organic vs. Traditional: Round I

So compared to organic, traditional agriculture produces food with less nutrients, more pesticides and toxic metals?

Yeah.

No thanks. I’m not putting that stuff in my body either.

Can organic feed the world?

An argument that often arises with organic food is that yields are unable to meet the demand of a growing planet.

Introduction of genetically modified crops came from the strain of a rapidly rising population. By chemically altering the crops, farmers could theoretically produce higher yields, more quickly. In turn, putting more food on our shelves, more quickly.

However, this type of farming is fundamentally unsustainable. Not only is it detrimental to human health, but it also destroys topsoil-the key resource that plants needs to grow.

Alongside the irrevocable damage it is doing to our soil, this type of agriculture contributes 11-13% of greenhouse gas emissions which leads to a cascading series of effects: rising temperatures, rising seas, forest fires, novel viruses, droughts, famines, and wars.

This ‘traditional’ paradigm of growing food using petrochemicals is threatening human life on earth. Yet governments plow massive subsidies to make petrochemical agriculture more affordable. How is this possible? Ask your elected officials. Ask your local supermarket. Seems like something needs to change…

It is absolutely essential we pivot to using organic methods of farming if we’re to preserve the long-term viability of human life on Earth.

For organic farms to succeed they need to cultivate diverse ecosystems that work together in harmony: plants, animals and insects somehow getting along with the end result of delicious, nutritious food.

Organic crops have been proven to have yields of 40% more than their genetically-modified counterparts in times of drought. As our climate becomes increasingly unpredictable, organic agriculture is clearly the only viable way essential to maintain a stable food supply of food. 

What makes food organic?

In Europe, all food that’s sold as organic has to meet strict standards. Farmers are subject to rigorous inspection every year in order to certify their produce so it can be sold with the ‘organic’ label. Everything we sell at Goodery is certified organic. That means no nasty chemicals. That’s good for you, good for farmers, and good for the planet.

Sourcing organic not only reaps delicious produce but comes with side benefits:

• responsible use of energy and natural resources
• maintenance of biodiversity
• preservation of regional ecological balances
• enhancement of soil fertility
• maintenance of water quality

Good for the planet

Enhancing soil fertility specifically is of huge importance. The current declining health of our soil, the body of our Earth, is a major issue we face. It’s estimated that we have just 60 years’ of topsoil left, and one of the biggest contributors to this is chemical-heavy farming techniques.

Read that again. We’ve got 60 years of topsoil left. Without topsoil we can’t grow food. Remember the Dust Bowl of The Great Depression? That’s what happens when there’s no topsoil…

Using organic farming methods protects and nurtures the soil. In the process of creating healthy soil, high levels of carbon is taken out of the atmosphere and stored in the earth.

Research has shown that if organic farming was common practice in the UK, we could offset at least 23% of agriculture’s current greenhouse emissions.

Organic vs. Traditional: Round I

Q: So you’re telling me that organic protects soil, sinks carbon into the earth and protects the crucial ecosystems that we all depend on?

A: Yup.

Q: And traditional agriculture destroys soil, emits up to 13% of greenhouse gases worldwide and destroys ecosystems?

A: Yes again…

Q: So why doesn’t everyone buy organic food?

A: Cost and convenience.

Join us in our mission

We’re on a mission to design a new way of living that cares for people and the planet. We see a path to this future made by creating a new generation of groceries that are 100% organic, zero waste and zero emissions.

We want to make it easier for people across Norfolk to buy organic food. If it’s more affordable and easier to do than going to the supermarket, surely more people will do it, right?

Two simple actions you can do right now:

1. Subscribe to our newsletter to get updates on our journey below.
2. Check out our local shop featuring fruit, veg, bread, coffee and more: Shop Norfolk & Norwich

When you open a business store, security should be one of the most prioritized things on the plan. From the get-go, every aspect of your business from the doors and windows must be aimed at maximum security. When you build weak doors and windows, burglars may break through quickly and get to your assets. The floor plan must also be strategic on the blind spots that will help you know where to install cameras or sensors. That being one of the strategies, let us take a look at four more.

Consult with a security company

The same way you cannot build without a permit is the same way you cannot install specific security features on your premises, and that is where security companies come in. Some of these protection devices individuals are not allowed to own, but prominent security firms have licenses to own, install, and manage. For sure, they will be on your property, but you do not own them.

Have a separate security plan

Similar to a floor plan for where the windows are, the stands and other whatnots, have a similar floor plan but for all the security installments you wish to have. Have the cameras well labeled, the sensors, security doors, and everything else. These plans should, however, remain confidential to only a few involved. Never make them public.

Get professionals to handle all your security matters

Most security devices need around the clock running network that is separate from all the other systems you use to run your business. With that said, get professionals who are specialized in offering security to provide you these connectivity services. You do not want to be in a situation where the power went out, and all hardware security installments in your premises are rendered useless as they cannot function.

On the cyber front of things for sensitive business data, set up a VPN to encrypt your top-secret data. VPN ensures that all sensitive information such as business records and personal client information is safely transmitted. For this, also buy a VPN to set yours up.

Work With Security Solutions from the inside out

One big mistake many business owners make is only to protect their business from the outside world, forgetting that sometimes threats are also on the inside. Your members of staff may be the people to bring you down. So much so, make sure that the internal systems are segregated such that people have access to only what concerns them.

Use separate office compartments for the managers, and have passwords on shared resources such as office computers. With these tools in place, people stick to only where they are needed. Biometrics technology is yet another smart solution to internal security.

Conclusion

Any business owner knows the hurdles they had to jump to get to where they are. And if you ask around the most successful businesses, one will never miss mentioning security. The above four strategies will, for sure, steer you towards better business security- a secure business that you will run without the constant fear of being invaded.

Investing in and running a franchise business is a great way to make money for anybody who is interested in having their own business and a career as an entrepreneur. Unlike starting your own business from scratch, buying a franchise has many benefits to enjoy, including the fact that you will be working with a business that is already established, has a customer base who are familiar with the brand and products, and clear guidelines to follow that have been proven to work time and time again. If you want to make a living from running your own business, but don’t want all of the risks involved, a franchise could present you with the best alternative. But how do you choose the right option for you? There are thousands of different franchise opportunities available and something for everyone, so do your research, look into business ideas that you may not have heard of already, and find the best option for your career and lifestyle.

Think About What You Love:

First of all, consider the things that you already like and enjoy doing. There’s no point in investing money into a franchise business simply because it is a well-established brand that does well if you have no real interest in what they do. Since franchising means that you need to follow brand guidelines to a tee and be heavily invested in the brand that you are franchising with, it’s important to find an option that you are seriously passionate about and will really enjoy running a business with. Otherwise, you are simply not going to have the dedication and drive required to run a successful franchise business.

Consider the Cost:

Another major factor to consider when starting a franchise is how much is it all going to cost you. There are various costs involved depending on the franchise that you are starting, and you might want to either self-fund this or fund it with the help of a business loan. Generally speaking, the more well-known, successful, and well-established a business is, the more you are likely going to have to pay to get your franchise started. Along with the initial franchise fee that you will be required to pay to get your business set up, consider the ongoing fees and costs involved with running a franchise. Most franchisors will expect you to pay ongoing fees for things such as marketing costs, ordering products, staff uniforms, training, and more.

How You Want to Work:

Consider how you would like to spend your working days when choosing which franchise to go with. If you prefer to be on your feet, in a busy environment and interacting with the public, you might want to go for a restaurant or other hospitality-based franchise. On the other hand, if you prefer a quieter life and don’t want a job where you will need to interact with crowds of people every day, an office-based franchise might be a better choice. There are also several franchise options available that allow you to work from home or another location of your choosing, which can also be cheaper to set up initially since you will not need to cover the cost of opening a physical location. Take a look at this site to browse franchises for sale and find franchise UK opportunities to suit you. Franchise Local lists a wide range of different franchise business opportunities that you can browse by type of business, budget, and more.

Demand:

Once you have shortlisted some franchises that you might be interested in working with, consider the demand for them in your area. Think about how popular that particular franchise is in your area and if there are already several locations, will another one do well? Typically, big brands like McDonald’s and Starbucks can do well even if there are several of them in the same location, while smaller brands might not fare as well. Speak to the franchisors as there are often location restrictions for starting some franchises, depending on which areas have the most demand for the brand, product or service.

Competition:

Another factor to consider when deciding which franchise to open and where to open it is the competition in the area. Scope out the area where you want to open your franchise location and consider which businesses you are likely to be up against the most. Are you going to have what it takes to deal with this competition? What kind of support can you expect to get from the franchisor when it comes to dealing with local competitors and ensuring that your franchise remains competitive and a top choice in the market?

Support:

It’s also worth considering the amount and type of support that you can expect to receive from any given franchisor. Some franchisors are quite happy to provide you with basic details, leave you to it, and be on hand if you need any extra assistance, while others will provide you with more extensive guidance and expect to play a more active role when it comes to the running of your business. Which you prefer will be completely up to you; you might feel more comfortable being given more control while others might prefer to have the franchisor around more often, particularly in the early stages.

Are You a Right Fit?

You should also consider yourself and your personality to determine whether or not you will be a good fit for running a franchise. The difference between running a franchise and starting your own business is that there will be a lot of elements that you will have no control over. For example, if you start your own brand, you have complete freedom over elements like brand colours and logo, but when you run a franchise, you won’t have this kind of choice. You should carefully consider whether or not you are prepared to simply go along with what the franchisor wants and be happy not to put your own stamp on things. If you prefer to have full control over your business, starting your own might be more ideal.

Employment:

Finally, consider buying a franchise from a business that you are already familiar with because you have worked there before is a wise idea. In fact, many franchise businesses will only offer an individual a franchise if they have worked there for a certain amount of time in order to ensure that they are only offering franchises to people who are familiar with and already dedicated to the business. You might find it useful to work for a business for a certain amount of time, in order to ensure that you get to know the company culture, how things work, and whether or not you are a good fit for that particular brand. If you are not in a position to find employment with a franchisor, you should also consider speaking to and spending some time with other franchisees to find out how things are run from their perspective and ask questions that you might not want to ask the franchisor themselves.

Buying a franchise is an ideal opportunity for anybody who wants to start a business with a well-established brand, plenty of support, and a ready customer base.

One of the most noticeable and widely-reported issues caused by the Coronavirus pandemic is the move towards home working.

Companies around the world were ordered to allow staff to work from home if possible earlier this year to slow the spread of this dangerous virus. 

As the future remains uncertain and a second wave of the virus is a constant threat, it’s unlikely that many businesses will return to their offices in the foreseeable future.

With such uncertainty abounding, the commercial real estate market has had to adapt quickly, as this article highlights.

Empty Buildings Mean Less Work For Many Contractors

As many commercial properties stand partially, and in many cases completely empty, contractors across many industries have faced declining workloads. This has put a financial strain on many contracting companies and could make it difficult for some offices to reopen successfully in the future.

For building services contractors, such as mechanical contractors, the pandemic has made delivery of projects more difficult. Working from home is impossible for many on-site workers, and remote management of complex projects is no easy task. This increases the importance of efficient planning and embracing technology. A mechanical contracting company that is struggling to keep up with demand and deal with remote organisation may consider using Ensign’s mechanical estimating software to make quoting and planning for new jobs simple and straightforward. This innovative solution will save you time, which you can spend supporting new clients.

Workforce Management Has Been Thrown Into Confusion

Commercial real estate companies and contractors that still have to work, such as essential maintenance workers or property managers whose buildings are being used by companies that are still open, face many challenges. The biggest issue is finding the staff that you need to run your business and provide the services that your clients expect.

Some staff might be unwilling to come to work out of fear of catching the virus, while others might be unable to get to work due to the reduced public transport options. Even as bus and train services inch closer to normal, they still might face barriers to returning to work. Finding temporary team members is easier, as there is a lot of staff who have been made redundant and turned to agencies to supplement or replace their full-time income. However, finding skilled staff at short notice could be a serious challenge. Communicate with your existing team members and provide them with all the support that they need to feel safe at work, to reduce your reliance on expensive and time-consuming temporary staff.

Economic Issues Mean Cash-Flow Problems For Many Organisations

Rent freezers, mortgage holidays, redundancies, and bankruptcies are all causing serious issues for the commercial real estate market. Many property managers face a long wait for rent, and uncertainty about whether it will ever materialise.

Companies that are struggling to deal with their cash flow should reach out to their local council, to see if they have any schemes that could help you to get back on track. For example, if you manage a property and are struggling with your short-term cash flow, then you could request a council tax holiday. Alternatively, you could apply to your bank for a government-backed interest-free loan.

As Workplaces Reopen, Social Distancing And Cleanliness Will Be Key

Workplaces across the UK are slowly reopening, but as the virus remains at large, office managers will need to implement social distancing and cleanliness policies to ensure the safety of their staff. As such, commercial cleaning companies will see an influx in work over the coming weeks, as will companies that are able to provide social distancing and cleaning products, such as hand sanitiser dispensers.

For these companies, marketing themselves as reliable is paramount, as the way that they deal with this influx of work will dictate their future success or failure. Make sure that your company is organised and works hard to fulfil orders to the highest possible standard so that it earns more repeat business in the future.

The Future Remains Uncertain For The Entire Commercial Property Market

Overall, the future remains uncertain for everyone, but particularly the commercial real estate industry. Despite many calls for offices to reopen from businesses and the government, many employees are unwilling to return to their workplace, and would instead prefer to be offered a flexible, remote working option.

As such, the pandemic could herald a shift in the way that UK businesses operate. If this happens, then the commercial real estate market will have to adapt to survive. One trend that could become popular after the pandemic is hotdesking and co-working, as this allows for greater flexibility while still offering companies the chance to have a physical address.

With so much still uncertain, one thing is for sure; the commercial real estate market will never be the same again.