Category Archives: Programming

Transmetrics AI solutions to be used by DB Schenker in Bulgaria to calculate volumes, goods flow, and the rationality of land connections

SOFIA, Bulgaria, 25-Jan-2022 — /EPR INTERNET NEWS/ — Transmetrics, a state-of-the-art AI platform developed exclusively for the supply chain, announces today that their artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms have been employed by DB Schenker, a global leading logistics provider, to adopt a new approach for the leader’s domestic land transport in Bulgaria. One of the key aspects of the project was achieving faster transit times for groupage shipments and improved vehicle utilization.

This significant change in the company’s Bulgarian setup successfully involves AI methods such as neural networks, Bayesian models, and stochastic optimization. In addition, the implementation of modern processes has been carefully developed to meet ever-growing customer expectations and to benefit the supply chains within the country and beyond. The changes involve new international connections as the company’s branch office in Sevlievo, North Central Bulgaria, becomes a transportation hub for the country and several European and Caucasus trade lanes.

In order to achieve that, Transmetrics and DB Schenker worked closely together to configure multiple network scenarios and run various ‘what-if’ simulations. Based on different demand growth projections and various network parameters, the powerful AI algorithms could measure the efficiency and resilience of numerous network setups’. Comparing these, the project teams identified the best possible way to adjust the network infrastructure and the most optimal linehaul plan.

“This project is a solid milestone for Transmetrics as it ensures that our proprietary AI algorithms can provide the right tools to power up strategic logistics planning. With ever-increasing demand, it is important to rely on data-driven business decisions, and we are thankful to DB Schenker for the opportunity to work together on such an exciting project”, adds Dimitar Pavlov, Head of Business Development at Transmetrics.

“We are confident that by completing this project, using AI and new simulations, and taking into consideration the requirements of the market, we have significantly improved our network setup in Bulgaria,” says Zoran Lazoroski, Managing Director of DB Schenker in Bulgaria and North Macedonia. “We have optimized our internal traffic and domestic lines to be much more efficient, in many different aspects, including reducing our ecological footprint.”

About Transmetrics
A leading provider of AI solutions for the logistics industry, Transmetrics optimizes transport planning by leveraging the power of predictive analytics and machine learning. Transmetrics combines the strengths of humans with those of AI, ensuring the highest operational benefits, and reducing the environmental impact of logistics. Its unique approach analyzes, models, and predicts transport flows with very high accuracy. The unrivaled advantage comes from having strong experience in both the technical (Big Data and Predictive Analytics) and domain (Transport and Logistics) areas. Its products have brought significant benefits to the top-tier logistics companies worldwide that have experienced an up to 25% reduction in transport costs while increasing their fleet utilization up to 14% and maintaining high service levels.

About DB Schenker and DB Schenker in Bulgaria
With around 74,200 employees at more than 2,100 locations in over 130 countries, DB Schenker is one of the world’s leading logistics providers. The organization in Bulgaria, Schenker EOOD, operates since 1993 and employs over 340 people at seven locations in the country with logistical and warehousing capacities of more than 35000 square meters. The company offers land, air, and ocean transportation services, as well as comprehensive solutions for logistics and global supply chain management from a single source.

SOURCE: EuropaWire

Transmetrics’ AI-powered demand forecasting and predictive optimization platform deployed by Egyptian shipping company Transmar

CAIRO, Egypt / AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands, 31-Mar-2021 — /EPR INTERNET NEWS/ — The ‘AI platform for logistics’, as Transmetrics is often referred to, is successfully streamlining operations at Transmar, a leading carrier of containerized cargo between Egypt and its key partners in the region. Transmetrics’ demand forecasting and predictive optimization platform is powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms.

With four decades of experience and a strong operational presence in Egypt, KSA, UAE and Sudan, Transmar has built a solid reputation in the market, founded on family values that drive the company’s ambition to offer the best in class service to its customers. Transmar owns and operates a large fleet of both dry and refrigerated containers, serves thousands of customers, and moves hundreds of commodities throughout the Middle East.

“We strongly believe in the power of Data. Transmetrics’ AI solution helps us leverage our 4 decades of operational experience, to make decisions both faster and smarter. As a regionally focused carrier we are more exposed to volatility. We’re excited about the capabilities Transmetrics will provide by helping see up to 12 weeks into the future, ensuring we have optimum planning and repositioning plans” said Ahmed el Ahwal, Commercial Manager at Transmar. In a recent study, the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) estimates that repositioning empty containers in the shipping industry costs €13 to 17 billion per year (US$14 – 19 billion), which adds up to 8% of a shipping line’s operating costs.

Transmetrics software provides daily rolling AI-driven forecasts for the next 10 to 12 weeks based on the cleansed historical data and relevant external factors influencing the demand. The planning and system optimization tools suggest an optimal and actionable plan for the repositioning of empty containers as well as storage for the next 12 weeks. This also takes into account all the related costs. Stevedoring, gate costs, etc. as well as other variables, and business constraints. The system is equipped to consider repair and maintenance as cost variables which is now work in progress and being co-developed with Transmar.

“We are thrilled to announce this new partnership with Transmar. It goes to show that the AI revolution in logistics is happening worldwide. I look forward to the results we will achieve together with the great team at Transmar” said Jon Fath, CEO of Transmetrics. “This requires deep knowledge of logistics processes because it is still a very hands-on business. Big Data methods, which are used in our product, support our client’s team in finding smarter ways to reposition their assets so that the Transmar local agencies have the right amount containers available when they need it.“

“Transmetrics’ solution helped our team to more accurately allocate our assets. Its monitoring tools and automated forecast result in improved turntime of our assets. Actually, it is a Double Win: our customers benefit from even better services and our team gets state-of-the-art support from AI,” El Ahwal said.

Transmetrics and Transmar also identified a number of next steps to further increase the benefits of Transmetrics solutions such as cabotage management functionality and a management dashboard. The dashboard will include cost reporting and is expected to show how the supply chain will look like for the next 3 months due to its predictive capabilities. “After implementation, Transmetrics is still giving us very professional and pleasant customer service, being open for discussions on product enhancements and being always available for questions and corrections on the data or on the logic where it is needed”, said Hossam Houta, Asset Manager at Transmar.

SOURCE: EuropaWire

Budapest-based Green Fox Academy starts its first coding bootcamp in Prague

BUDAPEST, Hungary, 29-Oct-2018 — /EPR INTERNET NEWS/ — By 2020 almost 500,000 ICT jobs may remain unfilled in Europe according to European Commission’s estimate. Coding bootcamps offer one way in which this issue can be addressed, by reeducating career changers looking to move into the IT industry. Budapest-based Green Fox Academy, who run Hungary’s first 4-month-long coding bootcamp course, has just started its first course in Prague, with 16 students. The teaching methods and course structure are the same as the courses which take place in Budapest.

While the unemployment rate in the Czech Republic is the lowest in Europe, it is notable that the labor market has a shortfall of 20,000 IT professionals. Coding bootcamps offer one way in which this shortage of developers can be addressed, and is one reason why Hungary’s first 4-month-long coding bootcamp, Budapest-based Green Fox Academy, has opened a new bootcamp in Prague primarily for career changers looking to move into the IT industry. “The lack of IT professionals is not a local but a regional tendency,” says Kristóf Bárdos, co-founder of Green Fox Academy. “Digital technologies are having a wide impact on all industries, entire professions are disappearing or being re-defined, and new jobs are being created. Digital skills are becoming vital in every industry.” Bootcamps can plug this gap by reeducating career changers.

Green Fox Academy started its first course in Budapest in 2015 with 21 students, and since then 380 students have graduated from the bootcamp. Green Fox Academy’s 10th cohort, with more than 80 students, begin their studies in Budapest this October, while in Prague the first course has just begun with 16 participants.

Green Fox Academy entered the Czech market with a local partner, Czechitas. This non-profit corporation organizes courses in programing, web development, graphic design or data analytics for girls and women. They have more than 4,000 graduates per year.

SOURCE: EuropaWire

Digital transformation: OneLife innovates in the area of RPA (Robotic Process Automation); number of Bots launched in 2017

LUXEMBOURG, Nov-24-2017 — /EuropaWire/ — In 2016, OneLife embarked on a digital transformation journey making it one of the early movers in an area where man and machine are increasingly interacting to improve customer experience. Since then, a number of initiatives have been delivered as per the roadmap, with still more to follow in the coming months and others in the proof of concept stage due for early 2018.

Launching its Digital Days in June 2017 to fully engage employees in the transformation process, the firm’s Digital Days Breakfast on 30th November is the opportunity to highlight the year’s achievements and set out the initiatives to come. Employees across departments at OneLife are involved in implementing digital innovation to improve the experience of partners and clients and in so doing learn the techniques which will allow them to compete in tomorrow’s world.

Training and development at OneLife has also gone digital with the introduction in September of the Lynda.com learning platform from LinkedIn. This tool, offering over 10,000 e-courses, actively encourages employees to learn on a regular basis across all disciplines with certification awarded to acknowledge completion.

As Marc Stevens, OneLife CEO, says: “At OneLife, Digital is part of our DNA! The intelligent interaction of man and machine means a simpler, faster and easier everyday experience for our partners, clients and employees. Our digital transformation continues – we’ve implemented a large number of value-add initiatives this year and many more are to come next year”.

ONCE UPON A DIGITAL YEAR – WHAT’S BEEN DONE?

Data aggregation

OneLife worked closely with Harvest, the leader in France in data aggregation, to offer their mutual independent financial advisors in France this new service, the advantage of which is to provide an overall view of portfolio positions for each of their clients. This initiative is part of a comprehensive digital approach to which other data aggregation initiatives will be added. OneLife is now able to fully support the Penelop format so allowing them to extend their partnership with other market aggregators over the coming weeks. In addition, OneLife recently put a B2B service in place enabling partners to log on in real time to the platform to view all the information available on their respective portfolio.

The project was delivered in record time thanks to the particularly fruitful collaboration between OneLife and Harvest enabling the new flows to be taken on to further extend the integration of the Luxembourg contracts in O2S. Making the flows available is part of a legal and technical mechanism which guarantees integrity and confidentiality of the personal data (data masking, secure file transfer protocol, cryptographic communication, authentication key, etc.).

www.harvest.fr

Automation of standard processes

Identifying the stages in a well-mapped process which can be done just as well by automated means – and even enhanced in terms of time, accuracy and reporting – is a key area of the firm’s focus. The automation of parts of the OneLife service workspace is just one example. Generating automatic emails to confirm transactions, request missing documentation and manage life policies effectively leaves the company’s Customer Services team with more time on their hands to deal with more complex live customer queries – and so better manage the relationships with their valued partners and clients.

ONCE UPON A DIGITAL YEAR – WHAT’S JUST AROUND THE CORNER?

A number of other digital initiatives are due for release in the coming weeks.

For the 2017 year-end portfolio statements, the firm is putting in place Dematerialisation, a process which allows the policyholder and his intermediary to view statements directly on the firm’s secure portal, youroffice yourassets instead of in paper form by post. The pdf may be downloaded and stored as appropriate for future reference. The dematerialised statement has the same legal value as the paper form. Efficiency, security and speed are all watchwords of this new paperless process.

Accelerating the client on-boarding process through the automation of KYC and AML checks has been through the test-drive stage at OneLife and is about to be launched. RegTech, or Regulation Technology as it is widely known, provides the Compliance team with a powerful technology tool to run the checks and then revert with a recommendation. The team can then intervene to run further checks and/or on-board the clients so significantly speeding up the process from the days when all stages were manual. OneLife partnered with KYCTech, a Luxembourg start-up company, to establish a Proof of Concept for the platform. The service will be implemented in February.

OneLife launched the OneLife OneApp for its partners in Belgium in 2016. It was then made available to the rest of its partner base in August 2017. The next step is to offer it to all OneLife clients from December. The App offers real-time access to portfolios on-line in a secure environment, as well as the ability to track operations and outstanding items. OneLife partners and clients can be sure that their portfolios move with them and are accessible 24/7!

As the final piece in the digitalisation of its on-boarding and service offering, OneLife will introduce an electronic signature capability in the first quarter 2018. The new service will allow partners and clients with access to youroffice, yourassets to sign digitally, eliminating the time-consuming process of physical signatures on switches and top-ups in a first phase and other operations in later stages.

ONCE UPON A DIGITAL YEAR – WHAT’S FOR NEXT YEAR?

OneLife is also innovating in the area of RPA (Robotic Process Automation). A number of Bots have been launched in 2017 and are already serving the business. A larger scale deployment is planned for 2018.

As a digital front-runner, OneLife is using its internal AGILE approach to identify and implement change across the organisation fast. From concept to delivery, the firm’s digital transformation is not just a promise but a reality.

SOURCE: EuropaWire

Evolve 2017 Oslo speakers: Dag Honningsvåg, Jostein Magnussen, Hasith Yaggahavita & Per-Christian Svendsen

OSLO, Nov-8-2017 — /EuropaWire/ — The 99X Technology team aired its first international breakfast seminar, on winning with the digital evolution this 25th at Kulturhuset in Oslo. As a first of a series of seminars to be kicked off in the coming years, Evolve 2017: Oslo was all about bringing the digitalization wave to Norway’s tech and innovation community, with knowledge and experience sharing sessions from industry thought leaders in the region.

Directed specifically at enthusiasts looking to transform their business models to digital, and enhance revenue by adding core value to products or services, the seminar was held in partnership with Netlife Design, Norway and was an insightful two hours for the audience. The speaker panel featured Dag Honningsvåg (Chairman of 99X Technology, Driw AS and Bylineme, and Former CEO of Making Waves), Jostein Magnussen (Co-founder of Netlife Design), Hasith Yaggahavita (CTO at 99X Technology and founder of IgniterSpace) and Per-Christian Svendsen (CEO of Boligmappa AS).

“The opportunities are endless with digital transformation. We know this first-hand and we have proven experiences where software products have achieved sustained growth over the years, working with many different ISVs across the world. The objective today was to bring to light how beneficial this would be for Norwegian software vendors, as well as general enthusiasts for their growth strategy,” said Dag Honningsvag, expressing his views at the seminar.

“Evolve Oslo also became a platform for like-minded digitalization enthusiasts to come together and share their views, and this was exactly what we were hoping for. As digital evangelists, we are looking forward to enabling this transformation for the entire European region very soon,” he further added.

Commencing with Dag’s comprehensive introduction to digitalization, the seminar was taken over by Jostein who shared very informative insights on handling clients in the digital era of information clutter, followed by Hasith who elaborated on the next big thing after the SaaS hype. Per-Christian then concluded with an interesting view of how the digital transformation journey works, taking his own success with Boligmappa AS as an example. Overall, the tips and learnings were a great directive for the audience.

This seminar marked the end of a fruitful engagement in Norway by the 99X Technology team, which also included a company showcase at Webdagene 2017, Scandinavia’s largest customer experience conference, last week.

SOURCE: EuropaWire

The 99X Technology Team at Webdagene 2017 in Oslo, Norway

Oslo, Norway, Oct-26-2017 — /EuropaWire/ — Leading software product engineering specialist 99X Technology recently showcased at Webdagene 2017, Scandinavia’s largest customer experience conference, organized by Netlife Design Norway.

The show which housed over 15 Exhibitors and entertained more than 1,000 visitors is an annual convention which spans across two days, featuring a line-up of industry thought leaders and top players in the digital sphere in Europe on its speaker panel. The aim of the show is to bring participants up-to-date on latest trends in world-class digital user experiences. Webdagene was held from 18th to 20th of October this year, with the first day being a workshop-oriented session, and second and third days dedicated to the exhibition.

Having played an active role in digitizing leading European ISVs (Independent Software Vendors) with over 150 successful software products in its portfolio, it was a great platform for the team from 99X Technology to display some of Sri Lanka’s best product engineering skills to the European region and its IT community.

“While we have maintained an active presence in Norway over the past decade or so, Webdagene brought us face-to-face with some of the key players in the digital sphere in the whole European region. In addition to being a fantastic experience with so many inspiring individuals, it also proved to be a great opportunity, where we gained good insights into Europe’s evolving technology landscape. This exposure helped us align our digital offerings better for European market as a global software product co-creator,” said Hasith Yaggahavita, CTO of 99X Technology, while expressing his views on the event.

SOURCE: EuropaWire

Frontend, backend разработчики Ruby on Rails, Go, UX/UI дизайнеры соберутся 28 Okt 17 на конференции SphereCon, Киев

Киев, Украина, Oct-20-2017 — /EuropaWire/ — Front-end и back-end разработчики Ruby on Rails, Go, а также UX/UI дизайнеры со всего мира соберутся 28 октября 2017 года на конференции SphereCon (http://bit.ly/SphereCon), организованной Sphere Software, для установления рабочих связей и ознакомления с подходами передовой практики от экспертов Sphere. Это бесплатное мероприятие состоится в конференц-зале Interia, расположенном по адресу ул. Владимирская, 49а, Киев.

Поскольку Ruby и Go постоянно развиваются как ведущие языки программирования, возрастает потребность в обсуждении об изменениях и расширении их сети. Это побудило Sphere Software и ее генерального директора Леона Гинзбурга организовать SphereCon – возможность для разработчиков собраться на бесплатную однодневную конференцию, поддерживающую обсуждение этих программ.

«Мы организовали SphereCon, чтобы делиться своими знаниями и обучать сообщество разработчиков, как создавать масштабируемые программные продукты, которые могут работать в условиях высокой нагрузки и требующих высокой производительности», – говорит Леон Гинзбург. «В Sphere, мы разрабатываем масштабируемые продукты для быстрорастущих компаний, и для нас важно поделиться этим опытом с сообществом, потому что это даст разработчикам конкурентное преимущество в долгосрочной перспективе».

Вклад профессионального опыта в систему разработки программного обеспечения является основным принципом для Sphere Software с момента ее создания в 2005 году. Sphere Software осуществляет это посредством конференций, open source проектов, блогов, тематических исследований, обмена знаниями, Sphere Academy и разработки собственных продуктов.

«Как разработчик, вы всегда должны стараться усовершенствовать свои знания в области программирования», – добавил Гинзбург. «Это не только делает вас более востребованным, но и более универсальным разработчиком. SphereCon – это отличная возможность наладить контакты с другими разработчиками и помочь им расширить свою профессиональную сеть».

SOURCE: EuropaWire

Web & Mobile Accelerator program seeks startups in sharing economy, new financial services, productivity tools, edtech, and software development tools

rockstart_europawire_epr_internet_news

Amsterdam, NL, 05-Dec-2016 — /EPR INTERNET NEWS/ — Rockstart, the world’s greatest startup machine, announces applications are open for the 6th Web & Mobile Accelerator program. The program begins on March 1, 2017 and lasts for 150 days. Rockstart supports entrepreneurs with a strong purpose by connecting them with the brightest minds in the industry, including experienced mentors, successful founders, and investors.

Program Director Rutger van Waveren remarks, “When considering founders for the Accelerator, we look for a great team with a well built product that focuses on a problem worth solving. In particular, this year we’re looking for startups who are working to solve big problems under the banner of technology that lets us live meaningful lives: sharing economy, new financial services, productivity tools, making education better, and tools that make software development more efficient and accessible. We’re also interested in ideas to enable the company of the future such as tools that make companies more effective and efficient, creating better logistics systems, 3D printing and computer security. Teams should be able to make use of the latest technologies such as AI, blockchain technology and sensors.”

WEB & MOBILE ALUMNI
Rockstart Web & Mobile startups like 3D Hubs, Peerby, Wercker, Deskbookers and many more have created successful businesses across a variety of B2C and B2B categories. 2016 graduates include Otly!, a bank for kids and their parents and winner of the UberPitch award, which led to funding by Uber. TIQ, a time-tracking solution for the enterprise, won the Exact Software Emerging App of the Year award and was mentioned by the Financieele Dagblad and Lawyer magazine as one of the best startups in the area of legal tech. Surance helps people get more out of their savings by making professional asset management easy and accessible for everybody. Two leading financial institutions have chosen Surance as their exclusive provider for robo-advice technology. To learn more about all the alumni of the Web & Mobile program, please check our website.

HOW TO APPLY
Rockstart’s 2017 Web & Mobile Accelerator will be accepting applications until January 15, 2017 and the program begins March 1, 2017 in the center of Amsterdam. For more information, please take a look at our stats.

Apply now!

SOURCE: EuropaWire

Alentus teams with GamaSec to provide Web Application Security services

Alentus announced today its partnership with GamaSec, a remote online website security scan service. GamaScan identifies web application vulnerabilities, provides real-time vital business solutions, and recommends optimally matched solutions.

Clearly, Web applications are the weakest link in an organization’s security strategy. Web applications are more difficult to protect than traditional applications that reside behind a firewall. Web application security needs to be stringently checked on a regular basis using an automated Web application security scanner.

GamaSec’s commercial solution, branded “GamaScan”, is a remote online web vulnerability-assessment service. delivered via SaaS (software-as-a-service) and is designed to identify security weaknesses in web applications. The GamaSec Application Vulnerability Scanner identifies application vulnerabilities (e.g. Cross Site Scripting (XSS), SQL injection, Code Inclusion etc.) as well as site exposure risks. It also ranks threat priority, produces highly graphical, intuitive HTML reports, and indicates site security posture by vulnerabilities and threats.

Avi Bartov, GamaSec CEO comments, “Our core business is to help our partners mitigate risks on their website by providing real-time evaluation reports and recommendations. We provide service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Application vulnerabilities are the Achilles heel in the protection of websites. It is better to know your weaknesses and fix them than wait to respond after an attack.”

“At Alentus, we strive to offer our customers the highest quality extensive range of services that small businesses need to maintain a successful online presence” says Peter McNeill, Sales Manager at Alentus Corporation. “After learning about GamaSec and their web vulnerability assessment service, I felt that this partnership adds a valuable set of tools to assist Alentus with what it needs to succeed in today’s security conscious Internet.”

The partnership agreement will enable Alentus Corporation to offer GamaSec’s website scan security services – which include blacklist monitoring and application vulnerability scanning services – to their shared web hosting and dedicated server clients.

Alentus will use GamaSec’s private partner interface to deliver and manage the delivery of the entire range of GamaSec services.

Via EPR Network
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New Firewall Hacking Book By HackerStorm For Penetration Testing & Ethical Hackers, Cowboy Testers Beware!

HackerStorm.com has published a new ebook aimed at ethical hackers and security professionals who hire or manage penetration testing services.

‘Firewall Hacking Secrets For Security Professionals’, available via Amazon.com for kindle, is the first ebook in the series. For many, firewall’s are the first line of defence and with high profile hacking incidents on the rise, the requirement for good firewall testing is now essential.

Timur Mehmet, author of the ebook and creator of HackerStorm.com comments:
“Firewall testing and hacking was an easy choice as a first publication, many depend heavily on firewall security and a lot of organisations are being targeted for all manner of reasons which creates a demand for regular firewall testing”.

Timur Mehmet adds: “The aim of the ebook is to give people enough knowledge to enable managers and penetration testers to ask the right questions so that they can create a more meaningful test scope and test plan. All too often the testers ask what the customer wants and the customer really has no idea, all they know is they are worried about Anonymous, LulzSec and the rise in activity from Iran and China but have no idea on how to approach the testing or how to evaluate the testers”.

“Unfortuntately, some testers out there relish this situation becuase it enables them to do the minimum amount of work for the maximum amount of money leaving the hiring managers with a huge false sense of security, on the flip side, there are many penetration testers and ethical hackers who want to know if what they are doing is in line with best practice as most books on the subject provide very little information other than to download and install some free tools”.

‘Firewall Hacking Secrets For Security Professionals’ is a vendor neutral guide aimed purely at testing firewall technology. The book does not focus on how to use various tools or explain basic networking like virtually all hacking books to date. The HackerStorm.com ebook gets straight to it.

A summarised checklist is also provided to help create a test plan and to enable all parties to discuss the scope of testing to ensure the project is relevant.

The book is currently available in Kindle format via Amazon for immediate download with further formats plannned in the future. To stay informed about new tools and ebooks, you can follow hackerStorm.com on Twitter at @hackerstorm.

Via EPR Network
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Increasing Numbers Of Pensioners Turn To Freelancing

An increasing number of pensioners are turning to freelance work in order to boost their pension pots, according to research carried out by Future Foundation.

The study conducted for pension provider Friends Life suggests that enterprising pensioners take freelance jobs as consultants, set up as online traders and establish their own businesses, in order to supplement their retirement savings.

Researchers tagged the group ‘wearies’ (working, entrepreneurial and active retirees), saying that due to inadequate savings, by 2020 many people who are in their seventies will simply not be able to afford to completely give up work.

Martin Palmer, Head of Corporate Benefits Marketing at Friends Life, said: “Necessity is the mother of invention and ‘wearies’ will be among the most innovative and entrepreneurial contributors to the UK economy, despite their senior years.”

Just over half of the people surveyed who had already retired said they would be prepared to work part-time if it meant they could boost their pension pot, with three-quarters of those yet to retire saying they would be willing to do the same.

Unemployment could be set to rise further, potentially leading even more people to consider freelance work in the very near future. According to the Wall Street Journal, Adam Posen suggested in a speech at Nottingham Business School that hoarding of labour may have restricted productivity growth in certain sections of the UK economy, saying: “If market discipline hits the dawdlers, then most of the productivity puzzle goes away.”

However, Mr. Posen suggested that many of those made redundant would eventually find new work as the economy adjusts towards more productive industries. He also insisted that the financial crisis had not permanently damaged Britain’s economy, and that it could resume growth further down the line.

It’s thanks to the capabilities of the internet that continually aids freelancers in finding work, especially the many outsourcing websites. One outsourcing website in particular, called OutsourceMyProject, has seen a noticeable increase in the amount of freelancers bidding on the projects posted on the website, by many different companies.

Loren Holland, Managing Director of OutsourceMyProject said: ”The demand for freelance work is continually increasing. With over £1 million worth of projects posted on our site last year alone, freelancers of all ages are securing work everyday.”

He went on to say: “The service OutsourceMyProject provides is hassle-free and the ideal way for businesses to find the exact talent they are looking for. By choosing a quote that fits within their budget, businesses are able to increase their chances of surviving a recession by saving money at every opportunity, while freelancers are able to boost their income by putting their knowledge and skills to good use.”

OutsourceMyProject is a UK based platform that’s been created to open up the global market place for professional services across a wide range of sectors. To date, the concept of outsourcing professional services has been limited to large companies and organisations. However, OutsourceMyProject enables small and medium sized organisations, entrepreneurs and individuals to successfully outsource business both at home and abroad too.

Via EPR Network
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Entrepreneurs get backing from both David Cameron and the Federation of Small Businesses

A pressure group that aims to promote the interests of small businesses in the UK has launched a campaign designed to celebrate the country’s entrepreneurs.

The Federation of Small Business (FSB) has said it wants to celebrate “real life entrepreneurs” who take the risk of following an idea, start up on their own and work to grow a business. Starting last Monday, a roadshow commenced visiting various locations across England to provide advice and networking support to independent workers.

As part of the events, serial entrepreneur and regular Financial Times columnist Mike Southon will speak about the main themes of the FSB’s manifesto. Key areas include reducing and simplifying tax issues faced by small businesses, taking a new approach to regulation, and opening up export markets.

FSB Chairman John Walker wants to see an “atmosphere of entrepreneurship” created in the UK, allowing anyone with a good idea to potentially set up and run their own business. He said: “In short, turning a good idea into a business is one of the most positive acts an individual can perform for themselves and the community in which they live.”

In addition to the comments from the FSB, David Cameron has praised the spirit of entrepreneurs who are brave enough to follow their dreams to become freelance workers and start their own business.

Giving a speech last month in central London on responsible capitalism, the prime minister said that more than anything he admired “the bravery of those who turn their back on the security of a regular wage to follow their dreams and start a company”, adding that he believed the UK was “fizzing with business potential”.

He said: “When people take risks, with their own ideas, energy and money, when they succeed in a competitive market where anyone can come and knock them off their perch at any time, we should celebrate entrepreneurs who get rich in that way.”

Outsourcing to freelance workers is a concept that has made it possible for many entrepreneurs to successfully get their ideas off the ground and established as profitable businesses.

Loren Holland, Managing Director of OutsourceMyProject said: “Outsourcing is providing a welcome boost to the economy, especially for the many entrepreneurs and small businesses who would otherwise be struggling to access the skilled services they require at an affordable price.”

Official figures released last month revealed a significant increase in the number of people who have chosen to become self-employed and take on freelance projects. More than 100,000 people took on self-employed status during the period, taking the total number of independent workers in the UK up to 4.2 million, according to a report by the BBC.

A report published by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) yesterday said people from a much wider array of backgrounds and occupations had now turned to self-employment. However, Dr John Philpott, chief economic adviser at the CIPD, suggested many would move back to full-time employment if the jobs were available.

Loren Holland went on to say: “The freelance sector is booming at present, with a wealth of skilled and experienced workers available on flexible and affordable contracts. Entrepreneurs and start up businesses are tapping into the freelance market and this is clearly benefiting the economy”.

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Is A Double Dip Recession Around The Corner?

The looming possibility of a double dip recession is likely to see more UK businesses striving to cut costs in 2012, with figures recently released by the Office for National Statistics suggesting the UK could be heading for its first double dip recession since 1975.

The British economy shrank by 0.2% during the three months to December and the Bank of England has warned that the private sector is planning job cuts. The accountancy firm Deloitte claimed that half of all chief financial officers in the UK see cutting costs as a priority over the next 12 months. The growing prospect of a double dip recession is set to cement this view, with more businesses taking a proactive approach by turning to freelancers and switching to outsourcing in an attempt to reduce overheads.

Chairman of the National Outsourcing Association, Martyn Hart, said recently that as well as the upfront cost savings, outsourcing jobs such as copywriting and web design to specialists allows firms to concentrate on their core business. “It is better to focus on things like customer satisfaction, outmaneuvering the competition and securing new business. Outsourcing frees up resources to be the best you can be, in the business you are truly in,” he said.

Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Ed Balls insisted Osborne should be blamed for putting the economy into reverse, saying: “Far from the eurozone crisis being to blame, it is only rising exports that kept us out of recession last year. By clobbering the economy with spending cuts and tax rises that go too far and too fast, the government has left us badly exposed if the eurozone crisis deepens this year.”

These poor economic growth figures have resulted in many businesses gearing up for a likely double dip recession, keen to cut unnecessary head count and overheads. Many companies are achieving this through outsourcing particular business functions to freelancers, who charge a far lower price when compared with what can be found on the high street or through employing an internal resource.

There are several online outsourcing marketplaces that offer a hassle free outsourcing service, where freelancers can sign up and offer their services to companies who post details of the work they need completing.

Helping businesses to be more robust against the looming recession, OutsourceMyProject is an example of an outsourcing website that is reaping the benefits of the outsourcing boom, with over £1 million worth of projects posted in the past twelve months.

Loren Holland, Managing Director of OutsourceMyProject said: “We have seen a significant increase in the number of companies taking proactive measures in preparation for another recession.”

He went on to say: “The service Outsource My Project provides is hassle-free and the ideal way for businesses to find the perfect freelance worker to outsource their business functions too.”

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Earning a self employed income is easier than you think…

With an increase in UK unemployment figures last week, it is good to know that as a counter measure the number of self-employed workers is on the increase, showing the determination of those who are unemployed to survive, while also illustrating the fact that earning an income is easier than most people think.

With many companies increasingly having to cut fixed headcount numbers through redundancies, many of those who find themselves unemployed are seeking out their own work, opting for self-employment and freelancing instead.

Official figures released last week by the Office for National Statistics revealed a significant increase in the number of people who have chosen to become self-employed and take on freelance projects over the past few months; more than 100,000 people took on self-employed status during this period of time, taking the total number of independent workers in the UK to 4.2 million, according to a report by the BBC.

A separate report published by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) also stated that people from a much wider array of backgrounds and occupations had now turned to self-employment than in previous years.

Online marketplaces allow freelancers to sign up and search for work, which is advertised by companies seeking to outsource business functions to freelancers rather than employee fixed in-house teams. Last year was a particularly buoyant year for freelance marketplaces, as both the demand for freelance services increased , as companies look for flexible staffing solutions, coupled with an increase in the supply of freelancers operating within the UK.

Outsourcing business functions to freelancers has been a lifesaver for many companies in 2011, with this trend towards outsourcing looking likely to continue in 2012.

One outsourcing website in particular that has reaped the benefits of this increase in demand is OutsourceMyProject. With over £1 million worth of projects posted onto the site over the past 12 months, the business is looking forward to what 2012 will bring for them.

Loren Holland, Managing Director of Outsource My Project said: “We are expecting the demand for freelance staff to continue increasing this year, as companies continue to cut fixed overheads and permanent staff numbers, and instead turn to outsourcing business functions to more flexible freelance professionals.”

“OutsourceMyProject offers the perfect marketplace for freelancers and businesses to connect. Businesses looking to find a freelancer or outsource business functions simply advertise their project, which becomes visible to the thousands of freelancers registered on our site who then submit their proposals to win the work.”

Further figures released last week by the Office for National Statistics showed that unemployment has continued to increase, especially in the three months to November, where it reached a total of 2.7 million.

The UK’s unemployment rate stood at 8.4% of the economically active population by the start of November, up 0.3% during the quarter and the highest its been since 1995.

The number of jobless young people between the ages of 16 and 24 also hit another record high, with there now being over 1 million people in this age group out of work.

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Increasing interest in mobile app development

The New Year has already brought about a noticeable increase in companies exploring the world of mobile app development, which is becoming an ever increasing way businesses connect with their customers.

This growing popularity of smartphones, and Android devices in particular, is undeniable, with data released last week by US web analytics firm Chitika Analytics revealing that in North America Android devices overtook Apple iOS handsets when it came to mobile web browsing, and is therefore one of the most popular operating systems that people buy into.

Ever since the very first smartphone came into the marketplace, there has always been criticism over the lack of available apps. However, with the mobile app development industry growing and technology ever-advancing, more apps are being launched with every coming week. Companies are now being forced to wonder what benefits they can reap by launching their own app.

The amount of interest developers have had in relation to mobile apps over the last few months is also as a result of an increasing number of businesses investing in new tablet computers. A new survey has recently claimed that it is not just personal use which is fueling the tablet market, as more companies than ever before will invest in several tablet devices for their workplace during 2012.

According to the NPD Group, 73% of companies in America with less than 1,000 employees plan to buy tablet computers over the next few months, showing that it’s not only large organisations investing in such devices. A significant amount of companies have also spoken of their want to invest in iPads in particular.

Not only is this level of interest keeping developers who specialise in mobile app development busy, but it’s also creating a significant amount of additional jobs for freelance developers. This, coupled with the fact that more and more smartphones running the Android operating system are being launched, things look set to only get busier.

Loren Holland, Managing Director of OutsourceMyProject, a marketplace helping UK customers find a freelancer (e.g. freelance web designers and freelance graphic designers), said: “We have witnessed a significant increase in the number of projects being posted on our outsourcing website by those wanting a mobile app for their business. Furthermore, there has been a similar increase in freelancers registering to offer their mobile app development services. This is certainly a growing market and a mobile app is something every business should be considering for the near future.”

With the workloads of app developers likely to increase throughout the year, it’s no surprise that both developers in this market are getting their very own industry body. The idea for a dedicated industry body is being led by Jon Potter, the former executive director of the Digital Media Association. According to a report by Info World, the aim is to establish an organization that can lobby on behalf of app developers, promoting their interests, while at the same time increasing collaboration, improving education and providing shared product-testing facilities.

Jon Potter, the former Executive Director of the Digital Media Association is leading the idea and said: “Our thought now is that there’s an interesting space in the application developer community that isn’t really organised. We’re going to be at the meetups all around the country, we’re going to be at conferences, we’re going to be talking to folks, we’re going to be polling people.”

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Is 2012 set to be a bumper year for outsourcing?

With the New Year upon us, many companies are now looking at their business processes in order to assess what they can change in 2012. With companies continuing to struggle amidst a challenging economic climate, many are likely to dramatically change how their company operates this year, with outsourcing likely to become the preserve of many businesses attempting to rationalise their cost base.

Last year was a record year for companies operating in the outsourcing sector, with a huge number of businesses looking into the concept in an attempt to cut fixed costs and become more flexible. With the ability to drastically reduce fixed overheads whilst maintaining business operations without interruption and providing access to skilled staff, outsourcing has been a lifesaver for many in 2011, which is why the new year is likely to bring a further uplift in demand for outsourcing services; not only in the UK but overseas too.

In a recent survey conducted by dictate2us, a dictation and transcription service, it was found that 62% of companies plan to outsource administrative jobs this year, to cut the costs of overheads. Chief Executive of dictate2us, Daryl Leigh said :“Many of the administrative tasks typically undertaken by secretaries are necessary but incredibly time consuming. For that reason, it’s important that business owners look objectively at their organisation to question whether outmoded methods of operation are still relevant.”

It is thought that the increased interest companies have in relation to outsourcing is due to the many small business that continue to struggle to find employees with the necessary skills. Research carried out by the Federation of small Businesses (FSB) found that 27% of start up companies struggle to find qualified and skilled staff.

Outsourcing was also a hot topic in the news last year, and this trend appears to continuing in 2012. In one article in particular, published in the Daily Mail, John Neilson, Managing Director of NHS Shared Business Services, has urged the NHS to outsource more of its call centres to India, to further cut costs; a predicted saving of £20 billion by 2014. With articles such as these featuring in various different publications on a daily basis, it is no wonder that more companies are wanting to know what is to be gained through outsourcing, with there being more of a demand for outsourcing companies than there has ever been before.

One outsourcing website in particular that has reaped the benefits of the increase in outsourcing is OutsourceMyProject. With over £1 million worth of projects posted onto the site in 2011, the business is looking forward to what 2012 brings. Loren Holland, Managing Director of OutsourceMyProject said: “Over the course of last year we witnessed a drastic increase in the number of small and SME companies looking to outsource their business functions to professional and freelance experts. Smaller businesses are now waking up to outsourcing, which historically has been viewed as the preserve of only large organizations. The principal benefits of outsourcing are twofold; cutting down fixed cost overheads and accessing skilled services which may not be available in-house.”

About OutsourceMyProject:
Established in January 2011, OutsourceMyProject.com aims to bring together organisations and individuals looking to outsource business functions or projects with freelance providers of professional services. Following the website launch, more than 10,000 providers, including freelance web designers, legal specialists, freelance editing professionals and copywriters have registered with OutsourceMyProject.com to bid on over £1 million worth of freelance work.

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Struggling Jobs Market Doesn’t Stop Entrepreneurs

Despite the challenging economic times entrepreneurs are helping to guide the UK economy through these difficult times, as both freelancers fight back against the high unemployment rates and new start up business look set to boost the national GDP significantly.

As a result of unemployment in the UK steadily increasing, as well as the number of unemployed people currently being the highest since 1994, research has shown that a significant amount of people are turning to freelance work, in an attempt to earn money – an increase of 12% since 2008. With the number of freelancers and new business owners on the rise, amidst a struggling jobs market, the strong business spirit is helping us all to avoid a future recession, and to make the very best of a bad situation.

In the current challenging economic environment, businesses are keen to reduce fixed costs costs, often by reducing the number of fixed staff they employ, and are instead employing freelancers. With freelancers working on flexible, short-term contracts, they are paid on a per work basis and are therefore not paid for the times when they aren’t needed, helping to minimise overheads.

This has of course shaken up the freelance industry, with a large amount of work available from many different companies. Whether it be a large retail company looking for a web designer to design and host their website, or an office based company needing a professional to undertake some administrative duties, it seems that outsourcing is the way to go about it, with more outsourcing websites setting up each month.

With many of the websites offering payment and project management platforms, as well as a whole host of other support, it’s a hassle-free way for those with the right skills to earn a sole income, or to supplement their income.

Many people who have been made redundant now seek work through outsourcing websites, in order to continue earning money during a challenging economic time. The amount of people freelancing in this way shows that they’re actively fighting the economic environment, and boosting the UK economy at the same time.

Furthermore, a recent survey has suggested that Britain’s newest start-up businesses are set to add hundreds of millions of pounds to the national economy next year, with outsourcing being the concept that looks set to continue leading the way. The survey, commissioned by T-Mobile and carried out by the Henley Business School, estimated that technologically-focused small businesses launched in 2011 could generated a combined £360m for the UK economy in 2012, generating somewhere in the region of 70,000 jobs.

Outsourcing websites have made it easy for freelancers, from freelance web designers to freelance graphic designers, to find work, whilst also providing businesses with a cheaper alternative in getting their workload and business functions completed. Loren Holland, Managing Director of OutsourceMyProject said: “OutsourceMyProject provides a useful service to freelancers and UK businesses. Our website connects freelance professionals with businesses looking to outsource their workload, and provides them with a platform to manage and complete their jobs. We’ve noticed that sign-ups to the site have increased rapidly over the past 12 months, which is undoubtedly a sign of strengthening freelance marketplace.”

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Private Firms Should Follow The Lead Of The Public Sector, Says OutsourceMyProject

Businesses in the private sector should follow the example set by an increasing number of public sector bodies and consider outsourcing.

That’s according to one of the UK’s leading outsourcing marketplaces, OutsourceMyProject.com, which says the number of organisations now looking at outsourcing in a bid to reduce their cost base is proof that bringing in the right external specialists can make a big difference.

IT services, finance, HR, payroll and logistics are all areas that are being outsourced by public sector organisations.

Loren Holland, managing director of OutsourceMyProject, said: “The large number of local councils and public organisations including police forces and fire services that have started outsourcing in recent months in a bid to reduce costs in the face of budget cuts shows how much of a difference the right professional services provider can make.

“At OutsourceMyProject.com we see first-hand how much companies are saving by enlisting the help of specialists. The fact that councils and other public bodies are making the same business decisions is further evidence of the crucial and growing role that specialists such as freelance web designers and freelance content writers play in helping businesses to remain competitive across a huge variety of sectors.”

The tender process for public contracts can often be extensive, with organisations spending many months ensuring they enter into a deal with the right partner. Loren said it is just as important for private businesses to make the right decision when it comes to choosing a professional services provider.

He said: “While most firms will not be dealing with 10-year contracts worth millions of pounds, it is still vital for the good of the company to ensure that the external specialist charged with completing a project is reliable and will finish everything on time and to the required standard. Posting a job through OutsourceMyProject ensures that you are always connected to the best freelancers in the business.

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OutsourceMyProject Breaks The £1million Barrier

OutsourceMyProject, a UK web based marketplace which allows businesses to outsource work and business functions to freelancers and professionals in the UK and aboard, has just broken a major barrier after having £1 million worth of projects posted on the website since its launch.

OutsourceMyProject launched at the start of 2011 and has already helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and small businesses find a freelancer in service categories such as web design, e-commerce, graphic design, copywriting and administrative support.

OutsourceMyProject is a marketplace which connects skilled professional freelancers and professional service providers with UK businesses seeking to use their services. The website can be used to find and work with a variety of experts from web designers to translators, graphic designers to accountants.

Customers simply post their job on the OutsourceMyProject website, which is completely free of charge, and then receive proposals from experts within hours. The site provides the platform to evaluate and manage service providers with concerns over ability and experience of providers being mitigated by the websites comprehensive feedback and rating system. Furthermore, OutsourceMyProject.com also provides a range of web-based tools to ensure confidence in the execution of your project. These include an online payment platform, project management facility and messaging system to ensure open and clear communication between both parties, all within the safety of the OutsourceMyProject.com website.

Loren Holland, Managing Director OutsourceMyProject said: “Breaking the £1 million barrier within a year of launching the website is a major achievement and one we are all very proud of. This achievement is testament to the value proposition OutsourceMyProject offers small and SME businesses and the strength of the UK freelancing and outsourcing markets at the present time.”

The concept of outsourcing and the use of freelancers to provide essential business services have proved to be a lifeline for many companies over recent years, and this looks set to continue as we face a double dip recession. These difficult economic times have made it more important than ever for companies to tighten their purse strings and streamline their operations. Rather than employ new staff on a full-time basis, specific projects can be completed by freelancers, with exactly the right skills and experience, on flexible contracts.

The number of freelancers registering with OutsourceMyProject has tripled over the past six months. The website attracts everyone from unemployed skilled professionals looking to earn a primary source of income to retired workers and students looking to supplement their income. The website is becoming an essential platform for the UK freelance market, helping them connect with businesses seeking their skills and expertise.

One early customer looking to find a freelance web designer on OutsourceMyProject was Manchester based Edge Worldwide Logistics. Director Philip Edge said: “We posted our job on OutsourceMyProject and received over 20 offers to redevelop our company website from specialists in the UK, India and other offshore locations, all at a significantly lower price than I had budgeted for.”

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How To Survive A Double Dip Recession

With a double dip recession looking likely, businesses are streamlining themselves more than ever before, in an attempt to ensure the struggling economy doesn’t cause the closure of their business.

Cutting everything from staff head counts to workloads, businesses are keen to reduce costs by re-thinking their everyday operations and processes. One example of the type of change being made by businesses is that they are reducing the number of fixed staff they employ, and are instead working with freelancers. With freelancers working on flexible, short-term contracts, they are paid on a per work basis and are therefore not paid for the times when they aren’t needed, helping to minimise overheads.

Delegating work to freelancers in this way is called outsourcing, whereby an outsider is used to provide the product or service needed by the company in question. There are many different business functions that can be outsourced to freelancers, including everything from a company’s finance and account functions, to web design and other IT functions. Outsourcing work enables companies to cut their fixed overheads, by replacing in-house teams with third party organisations and/or freelancers.

The recent economic climate has resulted in potentially the strongest freelance market ever, with many professionals offering their services on flexible contracts, as these skilled individuals look to gain or supplement their income after losing their permanent job, or having their income reduced during these difficult financial times. With today’s society facing such economic uncertainty, freelance work can provide both greater stability and flexibility than a full-time job can offer, which is just one of many reasons working in this way is as popular as it is.

OutsourceMyProject is an ideal site to find freelancers and professional service providers who are capable of undertaking projects and business functions. Furthermore, the site provides a platform to not only find, but also evaluate and manage service providers and projects. Concerns over ability and experience of providers are mitigated by the websites comprehensive feedback and rating system. OutsourceMyProject also provides users with a safe payment escrow service to provide maximum protection to its users.

Loren Holland, Managing Director of OutsourceMyProject said: “Outsourcing is an increasingly popular concept and the benefits have the capability to protect a business during the potential double dip recession. It is essential to operate a streamline business in the current economic environment whilst also maintaining access to skilled professionals who can sustain a business’s front and back office functions. ”

He went on to say: “OutsourceMyProject is a website that connects businesses with freelancers and professional companies looking to offer their services. Customers post their jobs free of charge and receive offers from experts within hours. If you need a freelance web designer or freelance copywriter, to name just a few specialist categories, then we have hundreds of experts waiting to provide their services through OutsourceMyProject, at the most competitive rates. Best of all, posting a job to find a freelancer to complete work is completely free with no hidden costs.”

One recent customer of OutsourceMyProject was Midlands based firm Stephen Gaskets Ltd, who posted their search engine optimization (SEO) project. Rex Baynton the Managing Director of Stephens Gaskets Ltd, said: “We posted our project on OutsourceMyProject and within a few days had received over 20 offers and had appointed a freelance SEO expert. After just a matter of weeks we witnessed a drastic increase in orders via Google, as a result of the excellent work completed by the freelancer we appointed.”

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