Digitization

Digital Posters
Digital posters: advertising that remains in people’s minds 1024 576 Sebastian Loos

Digital posters: advertising that remains in people’s minds

DIGITAL POSTERS: ADVERTISING THAT REMAINS IN PEOPLE’S MINDS

Digital billboards take your marketing to the next level. From discreet advertising to fancy eye-catchers, digital signage displays grab every eye. Dive into the world of diverse design possibilities and convince your target group with appealing advertising. 

In the following we present the advantages of digital posters, we also show examples of our customers and go into detail about the different areas of application. 

 

The advantages of digital posters

  • Modern brand image
  • Flexible customization 
  • Design options
  • Improved customer communication
  • Cost savings
  • Sustainability
  • More attention from your target audience

 

Modern brand image

Old-fashioned posters and customer stoppers are a thing of the past. Digital posters showcase your company perfectly and emphasize its modern image. Compared to classic print designs, digital posters stay in the minds of your target group better and fit harmoniously into the corporate identity of your company.

 

Flexible customization

The next advertising campaign is coming up and you don’t want to waste any time? No problem with digital posters! Create or change designs in real time and present them in different variants. Your company saves the time needed for a new print design and can go through different test phases in advertising. In other words, if you realize that a particular ad isn’t working, you can easily adjust it – you can’t do that with print without incurring additional costs. 

 

Design options

Images, videos, RSS feeds, social media feeds, TikTok videos and more. The design options with digital signage will wow your target audience! The countdown module creates excitement and audio streams allow you to speak directly to them. With color diversity, you can create designs in your corporate identity or even try something new.

 

Improved customer communication

With digital posters, your company establishes efficient communication structures. Offers and novelties are presented “on-point” and are more effective overall. As a result, it is also easier to present products with stunning advertising messages (see the penultimate image in the “Examples from our customers” section).

 

Cost savings

An investment in digital posters promises you financial benefits in the long run. Print designs create new costs with each job, which are a permanent burden on businesses. Digital posters help with cost savings in that anyone on the team can easily make changes to the design. It is also possible for several people to interact with the software at the same time. 

 

Sustainability

Digital posters are made for continuous operation. High-quality displays in particular will last for years if properly maintained. Compared to posters, flyers or other print advertising, there is no paper waste. FRAMR. solutions are also energy-saving and therefore environmentally friendly. 

However, this comparison does not yet include the logistical effort involved in sending out printed media. Each package delivery causes an average of 600 grams of CO2 emissions. For digital signage applications, this consumption occurs only once, namely at the time of purchase. 

 

More attention from your target group

Digital posters catch the eye more quickly because they are visually more appealing and usually also larger than print advertising. As a result, your company gains more attention, which in turn promises advantages in the acquisition of new customers. 

 

The different design options at a glance

Digital signage solutions from FRAMR. offer you a wide range of design options for digital posters. We present you our best design options:

✓ Images
✓ Videos
✓ Individual layouts
✓ Text 
✓ Various colors
✓ Audio
✓ Embedded playlists
✓ Social media (e.g., Facebook and TikTok)
✓ Calendar
✓ Countdown
✓ PDF
✓ RSS feeds
✓ Websites

The design options are flexible to implement. You can try different approaches to create digital posters. Feel free to try it out and use the free trial version of FRAMR. 

 

Digital posters: Examples from our customers

Take a look at our showroom. This will give you more insight into the practical implementation of digital posters. 

Conclusion

Digital posters leave a lasting impression on your target audience and promise competitive advantages. With different design options, you’re flexible and create digital posters the way you want.

FRAMR: The innovative solution for your business

As experts, we develop high quality digital signage solutions for b2b businesses. The possible applications range from advertising to customer interaction. In doing so, we pursue the goal of improving digital structures of companies and modernizing their image. 

Your advantages with FRAMR:

✔ Years of experience
✔ Highest safety standards
✔ Innovative technology that promises quality
✔ GDPR compliant solutions
✔ Cost transparency
✔ Great service
✔ User-friendly applications

Contact us today to secure a no-obligation offer that fits your strategy. Our team of experts will provide you with helpful advice and support in the area of digitization. 

What are use cases? Definition and examples 994 537 Christian

What are use cases? Definition and examples

WHAT ARE USE CASES?

DEFINITION & EXAMPLES

Below you will learn everything you need to know about use cases. Definition, advantages, examples and more.

In this article:

  1. Uses cases Definition
  2. What are the benefits of use cases?
  3. How to write use cases?
  4. Important questions for formulation
  5. These are the advantages
  6. Use cases in practice
  7. Examples
  8. Use Case vs. User Story: What’ the difference? 
  9. Conclusion

 

In a nutshell:

  • Use cases are application scenarios which describe the externally visible behavior of a system from the user’s perspective.
  • There are two known approaches for use case scenarios.
  • The goals of use cases should be specified as good as possible.

 

Use Cases: Build the fundament for your product- or business development

What must a system do? This is a question that keeps many companies busy when developing new products or ideas. The integration of new systems, participants and system borders provide a good overview in the stage of development, even for systems with more complex requirements. This ultimately ensures that there are no unexpected hurdles or even serious errors when using an application.

Discribtion of a use-case

Use cases: Beneficial for a variety of systems | source: canva.com

The opportunities to perform use cases are different but many like to use diagrams because they give a good overview. Other than that, diagrams come with the advantage to give visual insights of details and relevant requirements. That results in the perfect fundament for development of your products or business models. Before that, it’s important to know what use cases are and which benefits businesses have, how the requirements are defined and what use cases look like in practice.

 

Use cases Meaning

Use cases describe the documentation of system functions. It doesn’t matter if the system exists or if it’s still in the stage of planning, because regardless of this, the goal is pursued to describe the externally visible behavior of the system from the user’s perspective.

Users don’t necessarily need to be real persons, even systems and roles can be participants for use cases. These participants interact with a system to reach a pre-defined goal. The process is carried out according to a defined sequence, taking into account alternative sequences.

Originally, use cases were often applied in software development. As the requirements of processes within a system increased regardless of the industry, use cases are applicable in many different areas.

 

What are business use cases?

Business use cases are a specified variety of classic application cases and describe the interaction with business processes or business units. Stakeholders define goals and business use cases help to understand these goals and to elaborate them. One concrete difference between classic application cases and business use cases is the duration – system use cases are normally completed within a short period of time whereas business use cases take between several weeks or even months.

 

What are the benefits of use cases?

Use cases always pursue a goal, mostly the optimization of existing systems. That comes with the danger that the use case might end up in failure or even demolition. The interaction between participant and system pursues the goal to consider all eventualities and possible scenarios within a system in order to determine the necessary requirements. These scenarios aren’t always defined precisely which often leads to interruptions during the stage of testing. That causes higher costs through which use cases are interrupted or only partly completed. Basically, the benefit is to optimize systems from a participant’s point of view but a pre-defined goal isn’t always reachable because a few of the tested scenarios end with the result that not all requirements are fulfilled.

Man stands in front of a visualized business strategy

Use cases: An important part of working strategies for systems of all kinds | source: canva.com

 

How to write use cases?

The original use case concept of Ivar Jacobson, which he created in 1987, can be divided in two different approaches.

The first approach is use case specification, which includes natural language information, so-called “narratives”. This information is written as a textual example and includes the following elements:

  • Name of the use case
  • Participants
  • Trigger event
  • Description of process
  • Detailed description of the single steps
  • Description of alternative processes
  • Conditions, that are relevant before and after the use case
  • Presentation of hurdles and possible mistakes

The second approach is the use case diagram. This approach is systematically the same but diagrams are easier to understand because of visualization. Another difference to use case specification is that descriptions aren’t only related to procedures but to connections between the quantity of use cases and involved participants.

The choice doesn’t have to be either specification or diagrams. Both methods and their approaches complement each other in the use case process and in combination they provide exact evaluation of goals to determine the requirements of a system.

Ready for take off?

Are you looking for an efficient way to improve communication in your company? Then only with the innovative digital signage software by FRAMR! Try it for FREE.

Important questions for formulation

To write a use case properly, you can use specific questions to create the process as effective as possible in order to reach the desired goal.

The following 10 questions help you to create use cases

  • Which participants use the system and what are their goals?
  • How complex are the requirements with which the participants have to deal?
  • Which goal must be achieved?
  • How often is the use case performed?
  • What are the requirements the use case has to fulfill?
  • What are the requirements for a successful execution?
  • Which scenarios are possible and what do alternative scenarios look like?
  • What are the possible mistakes of every step of the application case?
  • What are the different steps a participant has to go through?
  • What are the reactions of a system to the interactions of a participant?

 

What are the advantages of use cases?

First of all, use cases provide clarity. The interaction between participant and system ensures that the system behavior is communicated understandable for users and that the requirements of a system with relations are clear. Use cases are easy to create and understandable for all involved participants. That provides businesses with more flexibility in defining system goals and the following execution.

The good overview also grants insights into details, for example information about a use case or a system. These insights give participants a better orientation through which the requirements are better defined.

The interaction between specification and diagram also allows a transparent mediation of details, which, thanks to visualization, are easy to understand.

 

Are there also disadvantages?

Depending on the prerequisites and requirements, there are also disadvantages with use cases. The focus of use cases is on the main functionality, therefore details are neglected and unexpected scenarios remain overlooked.

Another disadvantage is the complex, partly statistical nature of use cases. The number of use cases and their interactions increase rapidly, making management difficult. It is further complicated by the fact that use cases do not capture all changes.

 

Use cases in practice

Relations, systems, participants – at first glance, use cases sound very theoretical. Asking for a more practical approach is therefore quite justified here. Principally, use cases always have a practical component because the objective provides for testing functions within a system. Application examples range from using a coffee machine up to software testing, which is why systematic functions fulfill all the requirements for a use case. Your take-away for the practical use is: Use cases always pursue a specific goal which tests the relation between system and participant. As soon as the requirements, so participant and system, are given, a use case is possible.

 

Use Case examples

To give you better insights into the practical side of use cases, we will take a closer look at an example for using a digital signage menu to complete an order in a restaurant.

Name of the use case: Using a digital signage menu in a restaurant and ordering food with it.

Participants: Two test subjects. One regularly goes out to eat at a restaurant, the other one for the first time.

Trigger Event: The digital signage menu is probably not intuitive enough.

Short description: Two participants test the functions of a digital signage menu, of which the operation probably has a mistake or is not intuitive enough.

Description of the single steps: The participant goes to the menu / hardware. He operates the hardware with his fingers and selects the dishes of choice. He reaches the checkout area via a field. He completes the order and pays.  The participant is assigned an order number.

Description of alternative steps: The participant accidentally chooses the wrong meal and has to go back to the start. He wants to leave the checkout area to expand his order.

Pre- and post-conditions: It should be possible to easily and intuitively place an order.

System boundary and mistakes: Touchscreen won’t accept the input correctly.

That was more of a simplified example but that doesn’t matter. With this example you should develop a feeling how use cases work in a practical manner and especially how they work. Particularly complex applications require a detailed description with many participants and pre-defined alternative scenarios.

Try it yourself: Think of a scenario that suits your business and write it down on paper! You will be surprised which alternatives you can think of and how precisely such a process can be described.

 

Use Case vs. User Story: What’s the difference?

Use cases and user stories are two different techniques used in software development to describe requirements and functionalities. Both techniques aim at understanding the needs of users and planning the development of software products.

The differences are based on four levels:

  • Abstraction level: Use cases describe the interaction between users and systems over several steps and scenarios. User stories, on the other hand, are less abstract and focus on a specific user requirement.
  • Structure: Use Cases are well structured with a description, precondition, trigger, main flow, and alternative flows. User stories, on the other hand, are less structured and are often written according to the format “As a [user], I want [feature] so that [benefit].
  • Details: Use Cases are very detailed and usually include multiple scenarios. User Stories are less detailed so they remain more adaptable.
  • Use in agile development: Use cases tend to be used less in agile development methods such as Scrum. They are too extensive for this. User stories, on the other hand, are used more frequently because they are flexible and can be easily implemented in short development cycles.

 

Final advice for usage

Planning and transparency are important for successful use cases. Provide the involved participants with all the relevant information and involve as many employees as possible. But more employees also means that processes become more complex. However, the results promise a more detailed description of requirements.

Take the perspective of the participants and what goals they pursue. Through that, you will recognize the relation between the involved participants and the system. Furthermore it is important to define the pre- and post-conditions. Here is to be defined exactly, which requirements need to be fulfilled at the beginning and at the end.

The more precisely the working processes are defined, the better. It is not recommended to use automated or standardized processes because they don’t ensure an individual judgment of requirements.

 

Conclusion

Use cases offer a good opportunity to define systems and their functionality and to understand them better. The complex requirements come with danger of failures or unexpected obstacles but with the help of use cases it is possible to foresee these eventualities, test them and optimize the involved processes. Especially the optimization of business processes comes with advantages because companies can consider the wishes and goals of stakeholders more precisely.

Contact us

 

    7 advantages of business digitization [2023] 994 537 Lukas Aumair

    7 advantages of business digitization [2023]

    7 ADVANTAGES OF BUSINESS DIGITIZATION [2023]

    Digitalization of businesses comes with some less known advantages which have a huge impact. FRAMR. presents the seven most important ones.

    In this article:

    1. Digitalization: Too many businesses miss the trend
    2. Why digitization for businesses is important
    3. The advantages of business digitization
    4. Advantages for your cients
    5. This is how the implementation succeeds
    6. Are there any disadvantages and risks of business digitization?
    7. Conclusion

     

    Digitalization: Too many businesses miss the trend

    The digital transformation is advancing, but not all companies are successfully following suit. In a way, that’s understandable, because the switch to digital processes doesn’t happen overnight. Nonetheless, small and medium-sized companies in particular are missing out on opportunities if they sleep through current trends and fail to realign their strategies. 

    Before we take a closer look at the benefits of digitization, we examine the current situation and what difficulties exist in the digital restructuring of corporate processes. Finally, we also look at possible disadvantages to give a better overall view of the topic.

    First, an important message: Don’t think too complicatedly when it comes to digitization. Every company goes through the journey of expanding digital processes, be it in internal communications or in advertising. It’s not just about the big steps, whereby an analog company suddenly transforms into a tech giant. The following therefore does not resemble a manual in the direction of “How do I use less paper in the company”, but rather relates to the digitization of internal processes (e.g. marketing and recruitment).

    Man using tablet

    Mobility and social media are two main advantages of the digital progress | © NordWood Themes

    The advantages of digitization in companies are well known to many. Thanks to technological progress, there are financial savings opportunities, companies generate more sustainably and offer their customers flexible solutions. Difficulties often arise during implementation – that’s why we have prepared the following tips to pave the way for the digitization of your company and to better prepare you for implementation measures.

     

    Why digitization for businesses is important

    Even though digitization is making progress in companies, the processes and competences still have room for improvement. A statistic published on February 14, 2022 shows that 35 percent of German companies consider themselves to be digitalization pioneers and, in turn, 44 percent state that they have increased their sales through digital measures.*

    Progress is therefore discernible, but there is still a lot of potential to be exploited. Other countries, especially the USA, are much more advanced and are already using digital technologies that are not yet used in the DACH region or are used to a lesser extent.

    AI applications are a good example of this, but they are now also becoming more popular in Germany. One example is generative AI applications such as ChatGPT.

    Even before the development of AI, German companies recognized the benefits of digitization in the world of work. For example, statistics from May 2022 show that German companies with more than 50 employees have invested approximately €234 billion in service projects for digitization. The willingness to digitize is therefore there, but why does it seem to be progressing so slowly?

    The real challenge lies in the lack of a doer mentality. Entrepreneurship already faces various hurdles (e.g., financial or bureaucratic) and processes for digitization do not improve the situation: the first step requires external consultants or the expansion of internal personnel structures. Then comes strategy development, which requires countless consultations within the team. The next step is implementation, which involves a high financial investment.
    The thought of this process alone prevents many companies from taking the necessary steps and implementing digital measures.

    However, this is no reason to stop or even rethink the change, because digital measures are gradually replacing analog processes. A good example of this is marketing: fewer and fewer companies are relying on print media, but instead on websites, search engine optimization and social media. Online processes are in fact easier to measure and thus enable more efficient use of available resources. However, only a few companies have the ability to implement various online marketing measures at the same time. But there are hardly any disadvantages to this, because even if a company focuses exclusively on search engine optimization, it is already reaping the benefits, even though other measures (e.g., social media) are not yet taking effect.

    Therefore, our tip: Digitize your business processes step by step and don’t restructure everything overnight. This minimizes the effort and ensures a proportionate cost structure.

     

    7 underestimated advantages of business digitization

    Which advantages do digitized businesses have besides more flexibility, expandation of mobility and a more efficient use of resources? Many businesses ask questions like this and we anticipate it right away: Setting long term goals is the most important factor.

    The advantages of digitalization in businesses are the following:

    • Digitalization encourages competition and innovative ways of competing with others
    • Better service for customers is provided
    • Obtaining new employees easier
    • Expanding communication structures
    • Creating new jobs
    • Easy measurement of processes
    • Potential of optimizing processes
    • Saving money

     

    Digitalization encourages competition and innovative ways of competing with others

    Growing competition requires constant rethinking of one’s own offering and customer communication. Right from the start, companies ask themselves to what extent their products or services set them apart from competitors and position them in relation to their target group. And the digital transformation offers additional opportunities to expand internal processes in order to constantly improve the offering and strengthen the company’s own brand.

    Here, competition enables some opportunities; after all, competitors are also recognizing the benefits of digitization and optimizing their processes based on the adapting desires of the target group. But what initially appears to be a disadvantage actually promotes your company, because in a constantly growing market with a lot of competition, you are in a position to stay on the ball and offer something new. And because of the competition, there is no standstill, which constantly creates room for more innovation on the market.

     

    Better service for customers is provided

    The centralization of work processes ensures that companies can provide their customers with better service. A good example of this is the area of digital signage – thanks to the centralized, cloud-based solution approach, maintenance work is carried out holistically and not every customer is looked after individually, at least in the case of cloud hosting. This saves personnel and financial resources, and the centralized service guarantees long-term functionality. The latter also has a positive effect on customer satisfaction.

     

    Obtaining new employees easier

    Posting a vacancy, waiting for applications, and going through a long selection process – that’s what recruitment looked like for a long time, and it’s still common practice at many companies in 2022. In the course of digitalization, however, this changed and companies are finding it easier to obtain personnel, especially through social media channels such as LinkedIn or Xing.
    Especially smaller start-ups and founding teams take advantage of this, because freelancer portals enable uncomplicated as well as flexible placement of orders without permanent personnel commitment. Due to the remote work (home office) of the freelancers, no additional office space is required and this saves costs.

    Home Office Laptop Aussicht

    Home Office: Remote work is one of the biggest advantages of digitalization | © Austin Poon

     

    Creating new jobs

    With digitization, many companies are pursuing the goal of expanding analog work steps as best they can through the use of modern technologies in order to preserve existing jobs. Since then, however, the digital transformation has also seen the emergence of many new occupational fields, especially in the areas of IT and digital marketing. Existing jobs are gaining additional relevance (e.g., web design) and more analog fields are undergoing a digital transformation (e.g., designers for print who now design digital media)

     

    Easy measurement of processes

    This advantage is particularly evident in digital marketing. Key figures such as reach and click-through rate can be easily accessed and provide precise insights into the success of the measures taken. Tools such as Google Analytics or the insights on social media channels such as Facebook or Instagram are particularly helpful here. But it is not only in marketing that companies benefit from better measurability, because every digital process is based on evaluable key figures.
    In our blog article “What is monitoring?” we explain the advantages of process monitoring in companies and which software is available to you for this purpose.

     

    Potential of optimizing processes

    Every process goes through a test phase and it is initially uncertain whether something works or not. But it is precisely the measurability of digital processes that offers optimization potential, because it is immediately apparent from the figures whether an established measure promises the desired success.

    Here again, digital advertising is a suitable example. Facebook ads or Google Ads not only promise a lot of reach and more leads, the evaluation of the data also provides information about which approaches or which type of ads perform best. This in turn enables efficient and targeted use of available resources, resulting in exponential growth.

    Ready for take off?

    Are you looking for an efficient way to improve communication in your company? Then only with the innovative digital signage software by FRAMR! Try it for FREE.

    Saving money

    Let’s stay with the example of digital advertising: Optimizing digital advertising, be it in terms of content or strategy, saves resources in the long run and for the future you know which advertising measures to consider and which not. This permanent optimization process provides immense financial savings over the years and also gives you the opportunity to learn more about the interests as well as needs of your target group – a win-in situation, because you save money and at the same time you target your marketing more specifically to potential customers, which increases sales in your company.

    Note: Our examples mainly considered marketing, but other business areas also benefit from the advantages mentioned so far. Whether it’s human resources, logistics, marketing or production, the benefits of digitization for companies exist across divisions and industries.

     

    Summary of advantages

    The greatest advantage comes from the long-term optimization of internal company processes. Initially, digitization in the company requires financial investments and targeted planning, but this process is worthwhile because you gain better insights into the result structure and recognize potential that is denied you with analog methods.

     

    Advantages for your clients

    • Shorter delivery times
    • Faster communication
    • Better information exchange (e.g. through a FAQ section)
    • Lower product costs
    • Targeted interaction (e.g. through gamification)
    • Improved user experience

     

    This is how the implementation succeeds

    The good news is that establishing digital work processes does not require any serious structural changes in the company. Instead, you analyze existing processes and define measures for digitization. We recommend selecting individual areas and developing a strategy for each subarea.
    Example: As a team, you decide to optimize your company’s website for search engines and, at the same time, you commission the development of an app. Here, it is less important which step you focus on first, but rather which strategy you define for the individual steps, i.e. search engine optimization and app development.

     

    FRAMR: DIVE INTO A DIGITAL AND INTUITIVE WORLD

    Looking for a way to better target customers and digitize your marketing? FRAMR. products pave the way for you! Digital signage promotes communication with your customers and you respond to their needs in a targeted manner. In addition, you gain significant competitive advantages thanks to a better user experience and a lot of “wow effects”.
    You are not convinced yet? Then get a detailed overview of the advantages HERE! You can also try our FREE trial version to experience FRAMR in action. Spoiler alert: You’re guaranteed to be thrilled, and for a monthly subscription cost of just €6.90!

     

    Are there any disadvantages and risks of business digitization?

    Digital transformation promises a wide range of benefits, but some are still skeptical. Many criticize, for example, that jobs are at risk as a result of digitization. Others, in turn, see the financial outlay as a major hurdle.

    It is a misconception to claim that digitized work processes will lead to job losses, because some professions downright require retraining to learn new skills. A good example is the profession of architect – ten to 20 years ago, houses were created on paper, now they are created with digital programs. And thanks to continuing education, even architects trained in the 1990s know how to use modern software.

    The objection that digitization requires high investments is also not entirely correct. It is true that in marketing, for example, many test phases are required to assess the success of an advertising measure, and content marketing in particular is known to involve a high investment of time as well as money. However, it should not go unmentioned that such investments are worthwhile in most cases and the average return on investment in content marketing is four percent*. This means that the supposed disadvantage turns into an advantage in the long term.

     

    Conclusion: Advantages of business digitization outdo the disadvantages

    Digital business processes will be indispensable in 2023. The advantages of digitization range from increased flexibility to expansion of competition. Many see the digital transformation as a threat to jobs, but it is precisely the basic innovative idea that will create further opportunities in the future to combine analog workforce with modern technology. Business areas such as marketing are already showing the added value that the implementation of digital strategies offers companies, not to mention the opportunities to use resources more efficiently and evaluate results more accurately.

    Contact us

     

      *Source: https://de.statista.com/themen/6129/digitalisierung-der-arbeit/#topicHeader__wrapper

       

      Pictures: © Canva.com

      What is data management? Strategy, tasks and advantages 994 537 Manuel Renje

      What is data management? Strategy, tasks and advantages

      WHAT IS DATA MANAGEMENT? STRATEGY, TASKS AND ADVANTAGES

      In this article, we will answer all your questions about data management. Advantages, examples, data security and best practices for your strategy.

      In this article:

      1. Definition: What is data management?
      2. Data management tasks
      3. Three steps to successfully execute a data management strategy
      4. These are the challenges
      5. Advantages of data management
      6. Advice for your data management strategy
      7. Conclusion

       

      The most important in a summary

      • Data management provides many advantages such as safety, cost savings and efficiency
      • Innovative solutions don’t cause any problems regarding GDPR
      • Many businesses complain about the missing transparency in data management

      Data management icons

       

      Definition: What is data management?

      Data management belongs to the digital competencies and combines all elements of information transfer within a company. The goal is to establish methods and processes to save, to minimize and to archive data.

      Many businesses have already established data management to automate working processes and to relieve staff. Furthermore, they pursue the goal to minimize mistakes and to ensure more transparency. Last is especially important because only when businesses consider current data they have the possibility to optimize processes sustainably.

      In this article we will talk further about data management and its tasks. We will show you all pros and cons as well as common challenges. Other than that we will answer questions regarding data security and strategy.

       

      Tasks of data management

      Basically, the main task of data management is to save business related data transparently. Through that, stakeholders get insights into data and structure to make solution oriented decisions. Furthermore, businesses minimize their error rates and use their budget efficiently.

      Data management is not limited to essential operation areas. Many might think of financial stuff and bookkeeping when they hear the word data management, but evaluating marketing KPIs and factors to improve quality management is also considered in the process.

      Data management is a holistic process which takes over the following tasks:

      • Easy access to business data
      • More transparency
      • Establish automated and efficient working processes
      • Ensure safety and prevent data loss
      • Comply with retention obligation
      • Eliminate old or not needed data

       

      Three steps to successfully execute a data management strategy

      To successfully execute a data management strategy, businesses need to consider questions regarding data sets, data structure and data saving. The following three steps help you with that.

       

      Know and understand your data sets

      The first step of a successful data management strategy requires knowledge about data itself. Without understanding data sets of your business you can’t create a goal oriented strategy. A systematic analysis considers three types of data, namely personal-related, “High-value”-business data and public data.

      Personal-related data includes all data sets regarding your target group and other natural persons. This includes name, address and email. For these data sets the requirements of GDPR are to consider.

      “High-value”-business data is sensitive business data. This includes bookkeeping data, tax documents and financial data. The encryption of this data is highly important.

      Public data is accessible for everyone and concerns the area of marketing. Through transparency regarding marketing KPIs (social follows, website visitors etc.) businesses have easy access to relevant data but they have to consider to avoid intellectual property damages.

       

      Structure data properly

      Data-lake and data-warehouse belong to the most known methods of data saving. The data lake is a large store of raw data whose use has not been determined. In contrast, the data warehouse is a central collection of business data that is tied to a purpose.

      Data lakes are easily accessible and do not require specialized knowledge to modify new data. However, data can only be accessed with specialized tools or by experts (e.g., data scientists). Data access via a warehouse is much less complicated, but data modification requires more effort.

      Many businesses use both methods to have more advantages. Data warehouse requires less expertise for data retrieval and is more secure. On the other hand, data lake has advantages in terms of flexibility and data storage.

       

      Storage environment

      The best-known model of data storage is the cloud. This offers a variety of benefits to businesses, including secure data storage, greater flexibility and resilience. As an alternative, many companies are turning to server-based computing in the form of an internal storage environment. Hard to beat in terms of security, but not accessible to third parties without a cloud service.

      To form better interfaces, there are so-called “data fabrics” on the market as storage environments. This concept combines the strengths of cloud services with those of internal storage environments and equips them with additional functions to ensure greater security as well as flexibility.

       

      These are the challenges

      Data management has many advantages (more about this in a moment!) but businesses face many challenges during the process of implementation. Some of them are:

      • Costs
      • Data volume
      • Requirements of stakeholders

       

      Costs

      Data administration causes costs. Although data management ensures cost savings, it’s still recommended to carry out a cost-benefit-analysis to invest available budget efficiently. Therefore, it’s less about if a data management strategy is financially worth it, but rather to which extent the budget is invested.

       

      Data volume

      With too much data volume, transparency might get lost. The usage of data management software reduces this risk but the danger of loss still exists. Without a goal oriented organization and planning, there are also no advantages regarding transparency and efficiency because your business might evaluate the wrong data.

       

      Requirements of stakeholders

      Data management pursues the goal to establish solution oriented as well as efficient working- and business processes. Hereby the requirements of stakeholders are to consider to evaluate collected data purposefully.

      The bigger the company, the more complex are probably the requirements of stakeholders. That possibly aggravates goal oriented data management because wishes and expectations of single persons might go too far apart through which no clear goals can be determined based on the evaluated data.

       

      This is how businesses master these challenges

      Clarify requirements, knowing goals, planning resources purposefully and choosing high quality software. These four steps build the base for goal oriented data management. Especially stakeholder requirements and data saving are no hurdles with a detailed plan. In terms of costs, there are advantages with a data management strategy anyway, but insufficient calculation of personnel deployment may waste financial resources.

      → Simply explained: Planning is everything!

       

      This is how you ensure a GDPR compliant realization

      In May 2018, the European Union adopted the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), creating a legal framework for data processing. This legal framework is based on principles such as fair processing, lawfulness, adequacy of data processing, integrity, purpose limitation and accuracy.

      Companies have a responsibility to ensure these principles in their data management. But in practice, this is not so easy. Even one incorrect setting in the website cookie banner may already lead to unlawful data processing. Good compliance prevents such difficulties.

      Declarations of consent form the basis for DSGVO-compliant data processing. In addition, companies must comply with their administrative obligations and delete data upon request. A regularly changing legal situation complicates this process, so staff and involved stakeholders must be trained regularly.

       

      The advantages of data management

      Regardless of the mentioned hurdles and challenges, a goal oriented data management has many advantages for businesses. Some of them are:

      • Transparency
      • Problem identification
      • Eliminating disruptive factors
      • Targeted working processes
      • Process automation
      • Better user experience
      • Recognizing customer needs

       

      Transparency

      The accumulation of big amounts of data are barely overlooked by businesses which is why they often oversee important sets of data. Through a targeted administration, businesses ensure more transparency and can evaluate as well as organize data purposefully.

       

      Problem identification

      Transparent processes result in better problem identification. Organizations have a lot of interactions going on, whether between software applications or protocols – and good data management helps identify the problems created by processes.

       

      Eliminating disruptive factors

      Problem identification ensures an uncomplicated solving process of disruptive factors. Besides that, it’s easier for businesses to execute prevention methods to avoid difficulties in the future.

       

      Targeted working processes

      The main goal of data administration is to optimize working processes. Through transparent data evaluations, businesses recognize their potential and use it. No matter if it’s for marketing, human resources, bookkeeping or quality management. Businesses recognize, for instance, which marketing methods generate the most leads or which benefits motivate employees the most and then can improve existing processes based on that.

       

      Process automation

      Through performance and process monitoring, business can stop processes and methods which require too many resources. That, on the other hand, ensures possibilities and process automation.

      Example: If companies try to implement too many marketing measures, the test phase takes longer and requires many resources. With more transparency regarding the target-oriented marketing measures, it is possible, for example, to optimize and automate lead generation. This is because companies can see what their marketing team is investing time in and thus shift the focus to the processes that lead to the goals.

       

      Cost savings

      The elimination of non-targeted processes results in financial advantages. Businesses are less focused on such tasks and approaches which don’t promise any success. Furthermore, they reduce the effort for testing phases.

       

      Better user experience

      The advantages of data management are not only internal to the company. Data administration reveals important information about customer wishes and which advertising works best. It’s also easier for businesses to react to trends. Hereby, there are advantages in the area of user experience and target group approach.

       

      Recognizing customer needs

      Feedback and ratings are among the most important sources for businesses to get to know their target group better and to identify customer needs. Structured data management helps to evaluate all collected sets of data better and to recognize customer wishes accordingly.

       

      Advice for your data management strategy

       

      Develop a holistic and waterproof strategy

      A good and goal oriented strategy should be your number one priority. Without knowing the requirements and goals of stakeholders, your business will collect too much irrelevant data. Also, deal in advance with questions regarding storage locations, file formats, monitoring of KPIs and which data protection regulations have to be observed.

      A goal oriented strategy considered the following aspects:

      • Clarify roles and responsibilities in the team
      • Consider legal aspects and compliance
      • Determine measures and methods
      • Set up criteria for external business partners

       

      Find the right data management software

      Only use software which suits your business goals. The offer on the market is growing and there are suppliers for different goals. Clear the following questions to find the right data management software:

      • What are our business goals?
      • What is our budget?
      • Which requirements must a software fulfill?
      • Does the software fulfill legal requirements?

       

      Consider changes

      In the area of data management a lot of things have happened in the past years. There are different software providers on the market, the goals of stakeholders change regularly and customer needs are in an everlasting change. Data management doesn’t only mean to establish purposeful structures once. Instead, targeted processes require regular optimization to ensure long-term results. 

       

      10 best practices for data management

      • Weighing costs and benefits
      • Know your business goals
      • Use databases which fulfill the requirements of your business
      • Centralize communication of involved parties
      • Teach your staff
      • Inform stakeholders and work transparently
      • Use data discovery to track processes and ensure good compliance
      • Act purposefully but thoughtfully when optimizing processes
      • Don’t only think of business processes but also about the effect on your customers
      • Don’t get lost in numbers but orient yourself on the wishes and desires of your target audience

       

      Conclusion: Data are digital gold

      Targeted data management ensures transparency, process optimization and cost savings. First, you need to clarify questions regarding software suppliers and responsibilities. Data management is a business process, a good strategy is therefore the fundament for a successful implementation.

      Contact us

       

        Hardware and Software: Differences and connections 994 537 Christian

        Hardware and Software: Differences and connections

        HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE: DIFFERENCES AND CONNECTIONS

        Software and hardware – two terms which are often mentioned regarding IT and digitalization. But what do they mean and what are the differences?

        In this article:

        1. Hardware and software: Differences and connections
        2. What is software?
        3. The different types of software
        4. What is hardware?
        5. What is the difference between hardware and software?
        6. The difference between hardware and software through the example of digital signage solutions
        7. What are the challenges of hardware and software?
        8. Conclusion

         

        Hardware and software: Differences and connections

        The advance of digital techniques establishes new terms. To be honest, “software” and “hardware” aren’t really new and have already been established in the language use about two decades ago but these terms come with several questions to answer. In the following article we will answer questions regarding hardware, software and their differences as well as future challenges.

        What is software?

        Most people associate the term “software” with computers and this isn’t particularly wrong. But actually, software is a general term for all executable programs and their associated data. In many cases, software describes a script which on the other hand describes the functions and usage of a software controlled device.

         

        The different types of software

        The question regarding the definition also comes with the question if there are different types of software. Short answer: Yes, there is, many actually. Following, we will take a closer look at the different types of software.

         

        Open Source

        Open source is a free to use software. The source of this type of software is freely accessible and can easily be changed or adjusted. Known examples of open source software is LibreOffice.

         

        Embedded software

        Embedded software is a software which is recorded into hardware. The actual danger here is that once software is embedded it is not possible to change it afterwards. Therefore, the software must be flawless. Good example for this type of software are central heating systems – the software is installed within the hardware and functions are predefined. Updates or individual changes aren’t possible afterwards.

         

        Cloud based solutions

        The biggest advantage of cloud based software solutions is the independence. Only a few years ago updates and maintenance needed to be done by the business the software was provided for but that has changed thanks to cloud based solutions. Central administration gives businesses the opportunity to be provided with regular updates without having to do them by themselves.

        A good example for cloud based software solutions is digital signage – most digital screens are provided with cloud based software. Solutions such as FRAMR make working processes more flexible, individual and centralized. Centralized business processes save a lot of money in the long term and businesses can be sure that processes run reliably in the background and that performance will improve.

         

        Packaged software

        It’s probably the most known type of software. Packaged software provides the same solutions for every customer and for every business with only a few changes possible. Good examples are Microsoft Word and Microsoft excel. The actual challenge of these programs is to be compatible with many different systems. Everyone knows the regularly required updates of windows which mostly serve the purpose to fix errors or similar problems – the actual goal is to improve performance but also to make adjustments regarding the compatibility of different operating systems.

        The separation of the different types of software can be specified further – often the different types of software are categorized into standardized software, industry software and individual software. Standardized software is often used by many different businesses (bookkeeping software for example), industry software mostly provides solutions for niche businesses (commercial sector for example) and individual software is specifically developed for one or only a few companies.

         

        What is hardware?

        Hardware describes the physical components of a computer system and serves as a “tool” for functionality of software. One distinguishes between internal and external hardware. Internal hardware are the invisible components (the inside of a computer for example), external hardware on the other hand are all devices which are outside of a computer.

        Examples for internal hardware:

        • Processor
        • Power Adapter
        • Random access memory
        • Hard disk
        • Drives
        • Graphic card

        Webinar

        You want to learn how digital signage, marketing and process automation work in FREE online webinars? Then be there LIVE at the next event!

        Internal hardware is actually physical as well but not touchable from the outside like external hardware. For example, the hard disk is in the inside of a computer and serves the functionality of the device.

        Examples for external hardware:

        • Screen
        • Printer
        • Computer mouse
        • Keyboard
        • Fax machine

         

        What is the difference between hardware and software?

        Software describes the non-physical components and the executable programs of a computer device. Hardware on the other hand helps the functionality of software – hardware itself doesn’t have any impact on the functionality of a program but without hardware it’s not possible or only partly possible to use software. This is where physical components such as computer mouse, screen and keyboard come into play to support the usage of software.

         

        The difference between hardware and software through the example of digital signage solutions

        The difference between hardware and software is mostly shown through the example of computers but there are several other devices which are perfect examples of the combined usage of hardware and software. This will give you another perspective and further insights into the topic.

        Digital signage software describes the usage of digital-visual screens to display video and picture content in a compact form. Mostly, you will find digital screens in malls. The content is displayed through a central source – therefore it’s usual that screens and programs are not provided by the same supplier because software can be installed into any screen device. A good example of the combination of hardware and software.

        But one after the other. How does digital signage work if you consider the differences between hardware and software?

        In the first step, software is important to display content on a digital screen. Our different FRAMR players fulfill these requirements because you can save, create and display content through them. It’s a cloud based software solution because maintenance and administration in general are executed through the usage of a cloud. FRAMR players are internal hardware devices at the same time because there are no processors and storage devices within the player itself.

        What appears to be complicated at first glance, requires many different working processes and a well qualified team of programmers. The requirements of a good interaction between hardware and software comes with many little steps within the working process and the consideration of high technical standards. Optical elements also play an important role when you display content to make a good user experience possible.

        FRAMR Directory

         

        What are the challenges of hardware and software?

        The change and progress in fields such as IT also changes the requirements of hardware and software. Especially the  software area comes with many new challenges – the importance of data security increases and B2B customers especially want data secure solutions. But not only are legal aspects to consider, there is also a lot of work to do in technical fields.

        Businesses prioritize individuality and flexibility as well as easy to execute working processes. Here, software providers are responsible to offer centralized solutions which consider individual wishes at the same time.

        The area of hardware isn’t directly impacted by technical changes. Technical requirements are to consider but even more important are the wishes of consumers and customers. Take screens as example: No business wants to use hardware which is on the technical level of 2015 – it must be modern but also better. The actual challenge lies within usage based elements (User experience, screen definition and easy usage of hardware for example).

         

        Conclusion

        The topic of hardware and software is a complicated one, especially because of the changing requirements in IT. There are many different types of software and what businesses want depends on the current events on the market. Currently, cloud based solutions such as digital signage software are highly demanded.

        The choice of the right software depends on the goals of a business as well the individual requirements. Cloud based solutions offer the possibility to react fast on changes, packaged software is cheap and individual software solutions precisely fit the wishes and wants of a business (but are mostly much more expensive).

        Contact us

         

          Pictures: © Canva.com

          What is monitoring? Advantages, requirements & more 994 537 Linda

          What is monitoring? Advantages, requirements & more

          WHAT IS MONITORING? ADVANTAGES, REQUIREMENTS & MORE

          Monitoring is becoming increasingly relevant for the supervision of business processes. In our article you will find out more about the advantages, data protection and co.

          In this article:

          1. Monitoring: Supervision of business processes becomes increasingly relevant
          2. What is monitoring?
          3. How does monitoring work?
          4. Overview of the different types of monitoring
          5. What does remote maintenance mean?
          6. Digital signage monitoring: What are the opportunities for businesses?
          7. The advantages and disadvantages of monitoring
          8. Which monitoring software is available?
          9. Data protection: The legal situation
          10. What should be included in a maintenance contract?
          11. Conclusion
          12. FAQ

           

          The most important information in a nutshell:

          • Monitoring describes a process of documentation, guarantee of safety and evaluation of data
          • Supervision of these processes is an important indicator to figure out key numbers in business
          • There are different types of monitoring
          • To avoid possible misunderstandings in data security, a maintenance contract is recommended

           

          Monitoring: Supervision of business processes becomes increasingly relevant

          Thanks to the given possibilities of digitalization, working processes of businesses become more efficient. For example, software automates processes and saves costs. But the advantages don’t only become visible in the usage of modern working methods but in their measurability too. FRAMR gives further insights into the advantages of monitoring and what businesses have to consider when choosing the right methods.

          Software monitoring

          Not only interesting in the blockchain sector: Software monitoring | © Behnam Norouzi

           

          What is monitoring?

          The term “monitoring” pretty much means “supervision” and describes all processes to measure and evaluate specific data under use of technical tools.

          The controlled processes depend on industry and area of operation. A common goal of monitoring is to capture, measure and observe business related working processes to provide safety and quality standards. Aspects of safety are especially important because a detail oriented supervision of technical processes provides the possibility to prevent software failures and execute updates fastly.

          Almost every industry is provided with advantages of monitoring and the possibilities of supervision are broadly diversified. Monitoring is used in the industries of medicine, digital signage, search engine optimization and finances. Usage and goals depend on the industry. Monitoring provides many attractive options in online marketing because businesses get further insights into relevant KPIs and therefore can optimize their processes successively.

           

          How does monitoring work?

          Basic requirement of monitoring is the connection between software and network infrastructure so that the desired processes can be measured. To guarantee flawless functionality, modern and foremost high quality technique is required.

          Through the usage of monitoring software, businesses are given the possibility to collect and evaluate specific data. But in the foreground is not necessarily the evaluation of KPIs but, for example, the supervision of hardware and network infrastructure.

          In most cases businesses claim services of third parties of the IT industry. In exchange for money they receive a license which allows them to use monitoring software. As monitoring programs are hard to operate, an induction phase or internal workshop is necessary. Alternatively, there remains the option of remote maintenance, whereby the entire monitoring infrastructure is provided by an external provider.

           

          Overview of the different types of monitoring

          There are different types of monitoring. Mostly, monitoring is divided into three categories: Business, customer and market monitoring. This separation can be further specified (for example, website monitoring). Following, we will give descriptions of the most commonly used methods.

           

          Application Performance Monitoring

          The goal of application performance monitoring is to check functionality of applications and programs to improve user experience. Different options are available to achieve this goal. The used tools help to determine flaws and attain important information about data transmission speed.

           

          Business Transaction Monitoring

          As the name reveals, business transaction monitoring is all about supervising business processes. The goal is to optimize these processes which are directly connected to business transactions. A good example for that is the ordering process of an online shop and online payments.

           

          System Monitoring

          The goal of system monitoring is to review performance of a computer. Important measurements are determined in the first step, for example the performance of a network or the available amount of storage space. Under consideration of these aspects, the evaluation follows in the next step.

           

          What does remote maintenance mean?

          In connection with monitoring, another term is often mentioned: Remote maintenance. That means the administration of monitoring software is provided by a central location and external access to software as well as hardware is possible. Good and reliable hosting is essential because technical difficulties and required updates may lead to failures. 

          An often used method of remote maintenance is cloud monitoring. The centralized data backup through cloud based solutions comes at lower risk because software and other technical applications work without internet connection as well. Other than that, cloud computing provides high safety standards because administration is provided by a professional protected data center.

          Cloud computing

          Cloud computing: A meaningful method for businesses – safety and regular updates are guaranteed! | © Caspar Camille Rubin

           

          Digital signage monitoring: What are the opportunities for businesses?

          Digital signage is often used in marketing and for good reason. The screens, assuming they are used as digital billboards, enable fast reaction times and the flexible customization of displayed content on a changing target group (in shopping malls for example). That creates potential for optimization in marketing based on KPIs.

          But the amount of advantages reaches even further: Providing information through a central station and regular updates on a server expand the functions for all screens.

          Remote maintenance is particularly useful for digital signage because digitized business processes require flawless functionality. The worst case scenario occurs when someone, for example, uses an information terminal and it doesn’t work or a player / signage device is offline and nobody notices that it’s not provided with new content. Cloud computing eliminates problems like these because regular updates and maintenance are provided by an external supplier who controls the events.

          FRAMR. – The easy and intuitive digital signage solution
          FRAMR is THE solution for easy and intuitive administration of digital content. Our offer fits the needs of all businesses which want to expand their digital processes and set an unforgettable customer experience as priority.

           

          Our products convince with the following advantages:

          • Maximum performance
          • High flexibility
          • Independency
          • Safety
          • Storage space
          • Connection with leading hardware brands

           

          But that’s not all! Our subscriptions promise a huge diversity of functions and modules. Administration and maintenance is provided by a strongly performing as well as GDPR compliant cloud. Updates, troubleshooting and other important changes is what you receive with a license. High quality is guaranteed and you can concentrate on your business.

           

          What are the advantages of monitoring?

          The advantages of monitoring are better quality and more safety of supervised processes. Other than that, monitoring provides a fast reaction to sudden failures as well as to maintenance and updates. Using monitoring for marketing comes with many advantages too because relevant KPIs are easier to evaluate.

          Overview of the advantages of monitoring:

          • Providing safety
          • Evaluate marketing KPIs
          • Recognizing potential for improvement
          • Execute updates
          • React fast on software failures
          • Providing important functions
          • Prevention

           

          Provide safety

          With targeted monitoring, necessary maintenance work is carried out while maintaining high safety standards.Monitoring prevents the disruption of internal business processes and ensures smooth processes.

           

          Evaluate marketing KPIs

          Digitalization creates measurability. Evaluated data and results can be analyzed directly thanks to the usage of monitoring. Measuring relevant data has a significant impact on following events within a company and decision makers can determine important economical steps based on evaluated data.

           

          Recognizing potential for improvement

          Optimization not only concerns economical factors but also aspects of safety. In fact, businesses have the advantage to optimize all processes, no matter if it’s documentation, expanding technical systems or response time to possible problem fixes.

           

          Execute updates

          Updates provide better performance of technical processes as well as they ensure keeping up with required standards. For software, functions can often only be used to a limited extent if important updates are not carried out.

           

          React fast on software failures

          Software failures can’t be prevented completely. Targeted supervision ensures fast reaction and people in charge can get the system running again.

           

          Providing important functions

          This advantage concerns remote maintenance. When the portfolio of functions is updated, an uncomplicated expansion takes place through a central location. This means that updates do not have to be carried out independently or by an internal team – this is done by an IT service provider.

          With remote maintenance, businesses take advantage of financial relief, because there are no additional personnel or training costs for hosting the monitoring software.

           

          Prevention

          More important than problem fixing is prevention of possible disruptions or obstacles. Problems or shortages in resources should not get fixed when they appear. Businesses rather recognize these problems early and react directly. Problems or failures are often a result of a row of incorrect processes and monitoring provides enough transparency here.

          Monitoring

          Measurability: One of the most important reasons for monitoring | © REEET Jank

          What are the disadvantages of monitoring?

          Data security is an important topic to consider and the number of warning letters because of personal data breach has increased in the past years. Monitoring is no gray zone as long as you use personal data responsibly. But that’s exactly the point: To prevent data privacy violations, a maintenance contract is necessary (keep reading!). In many collaborations it is exactly this aspect which is disregarded and ultimately leads to warnings or similar problems.

          Another disadvantage is to keep yourself too busy with numbers, data and facts. Evaluations and measurable results are important but if businesses are too focused on determining KPIs and with documentation of relevant numbers then business related decisions might take too long.

          For many people this doesn’t make sense because measurable results and numbers normally make decisions easier. But take a look at this from a different perspective: Imagine you have all the relevant data for your business processes and at the same time your team collects different ideas to execute or to improve business structures. The selection is big and that makes the decision harder. Information and measurability are good but too much information slows down the decision making process.

           

          Which monitoring software is available?

          There are many different variants of monitoring software available on the market and mentioning all of them would take too long. Therefore, we will take a closer look at three types of monitoring: Software as service (SaaS), proprietary and open source.

           

          Software as a service (SaaS)

          Software as a service is defined by external administration of monitoring software through a third party provider. A subscription allows customers access to specific functions. The biggest advantage of SaaS monitoring is the potential money saving for businesses because it’s a remote maintenance through which IT services providers take care of updates, maintenance, installations and safety.

           

          Proprietary monitoring

          In case that monitoring is not carried out to an external IT service provider, license based options offer a good alternative. Proprietary monitoring means that businesses get access to monitoring software in exchange for a monthly fee. Required updates and problem fixing are ensured by the licensor.

           

          Open source monitoring

          Open source monitoring is similar to proprietary monitoring but with one significant difference: The provided tools are for free. However, less costs also means less quality. Necessary updates need to be done by businesses themselves and hosting might cause a problem when there is no qualified expert hired. Remote maintenance is highly recommended. That costs money but all in all it’s still cheaper than SaaS monitoring.

           

          What is the difference between monitoring, reporting and controlling?

          The terms monitoring, reporting and controlling aren’t synonyms although they sound similar.

          Monitoring: Monitoring describes supervision of technical processes. It’s actually like a general term for all measurements and observations of processes within a system.

          Reporting: Reporting prioritizes collecting and processing business related data such as KPIs. Companies record this data in so-called “reports” and use them to optimize processes. These reports don’t only consider economical factors but general information about a company.

          Controlling: Controlling is part of business administration and deals with planning as well as with coordinating a company. It’s distinguished between strategic and operative controlling. Strategic controlling deals with market analyses and potential development of the market whereas operative controlling deals with organizing budget and makes decisions based on determined numbers to use resources more efficiently.

          Basically, monitoring describes a general process. The goal is to get access to relevant numbers with support of technical devices. Reporting is more specific which collects information about a company. Controlling on the other hand is all about figuring out economically relevant numbers and making decisions based on that.

           

          Data protection: The legal situation

          Remote maintenance and connecting technical devices with external IT systems raises the question of data protection. The actual difficulty is that there is no law to specify that.

          To prevent possible misunderstandings and data protection breaches, a maintenance contract is recommended. Such a contract not only regulates and determines rights and obligations but data protection aspects as well. The parties are free in creating the contract but some clauses should consider the legal situation and clarify the processing of personal data as well as secrecy about it.

           

          What should be included in a maintenance contract?

          A legally secure maintenance contract shouldn’t give any space for interpretations and clarifies the most important questions about the collaboration between companies.

          These are the most important components of a maintenance contract at a glance*:

          • Maintenance item
          • Rights and duties of the contract parties
          • Contract period
          • Cancellation
          • Scope of services
          • Liability for defects and warranty
          • Maintaining

          The components of a legally secure maintenance contract should be determined individually and based on the interests of both parties. There are templates to create such a contract but more efficiently is to talk to a lawyer. Violations against the GDPR cost a lot of money and legal consulting will clear things up. The risks reach much further because the majority of actions on the internet provide consent. With good legal consulting you are safe.

          What is data management? Strategy, tasks & advantages

           

          Our final recommendation: Use backup software

          Using software always comes with risks even when developing teams keep up to high standards and qualified software testers check the end result. Still, we highly recommend performing a backup when using monitoring software. Backup software is an additional storage medium which creates a safety copy of existing data. Especially in monitoring, saving data can be an important factor because many evaluations (KPIs for example) are relevant for economic development of a business.

           

          Conclusion

          Monitoring makes working processes of companies easier and allows them to focus on their key business. Potential for saving money is especially possible in evaluation KPIs, although businesses shouldn’t focus on these numbers too much. Central administration makes it possible that business required applications are used safely and get updated regularly. In case of remote maintenance, a contract is highly recommended to clear up any misunderstandings regarding data protection.

           

          FAQ

          Lastly, we will answer frequently asked questions about monitoring and remote maintenance.

          There are many different types of monitoring. The three most common ones are business, customer and market monitoring.

          Monitoring software helps companies to figure out business related numbers such as KPIs but also to measure technical processes and to prevent risks.

          Contact us

           

            *Legal notice: All information in this article is for general information purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice in individual cases and cannot and should not replace such advice. 

             

            Sources

            https://www.acronis.com/de-de/articles/monitoring-tools/
            https://www.juraforum.de/muster-vorlagen/wartungsvertrag

             

            Pictures: © Canva.com

            Cloud based solutions B2B: Advantages and more 994 537 Florian Friedl

            Cloud based solutions B2B: Advantages and more

            CLOUD BASED SOLUTIONS B2B: ADVANTAGES AND MORE

            In this article you will find out more about cloud based solutions and how b2b businesses take advantage of them.

            In this article:

            1. Cloud based solutions B2B: Digital signage and more
            2. Cloud computing simply explained
            3. Cloud computing and the advantages for businesses
            4. Cloud server digital signage
            5. How safe are cloud services?
            6. Conclusion
            7. FAQ

             

            Cloud based solutions B2B: Digital signage and more

            Digitalization makes businesses rethink their working processes and also more flexible as well as adaptive. Cloud based solutions for businesses offer many advantages and strengthen the position of a company against its competitors.

             

            Cloud computing simply explained

            The term “cloud” is defined in many different ways. Most people see it as a way to get access to content without a required internet connection. Others point out the advantage that no storage space is needed. Simply explained, cloud based solutions give the possibility to location independently save data as well as to be able to get access to them location independently.

            Many people associate cloud based solutions with services such as Google Drive but the possible applications go further. Cloud based solutions even offer a location independently application, best example: Digital signage software. The cloud based usage of digital signage pursues the goal that businesses can display video and picture content without an internet connection. Other than that, businesses take advantage of provided servers. The storage of data is a good usage as well but the main advantage lies within the uncomplicated access to content and to show it to potential customers. Therefore, cloud based solutions not only offer a good way to save data but also to overcome communication boundaries with customers.

             

            Cloud computing and the advantages for businesses

            Switching to cloud based solutions means that businesses are given more advantages in the process of using and providing digital signage solutions. As the possibilities are not exclusively limited to save data, there are also advantages regarding costs and hosting.

             

            Better organization and more flexibility

            Cloud based solutions B2B provide a flexible as well as uncomplicated execution of applications within a service. The centralized data saving offers more safety when it comes to technical problems and is followed with fixing them fast thanks to the hosting service.

             

            Save data storage

            Worries regarding the safety of cloud computing are unjustified when you rely on a serious provider. Data management happens over a professional protected data center.

             

            Competition advantages and focus on competences

            Cloud computing means to automate processes and that makes it easier to implement further processes or new applications. That comes with advantages in competition with others and the automated processes enable a better focus on the core business. 

             

            Flexible display of media

            Cloud based solutions offer more flexibility, especially for digital signage software. Once the content is created, displaying it can easily be done with the help of cloud based solutions.

             

            Less costs

            More flexibility, less costs for human resources and uncomplicated possibilities to adapt come with less costs.

             

            Breakdown safety

            Cloud based solutions require maintenance work on a regular basis and meet high safety standards. The sudden loss of important data is therefore almost impossible to happen.

            Cloud based solutions B2B not only come with advantages regarding flexibility in data saving but optimize the whole working process of a company. Businesses save money, centralize working processes and come with benefits in competition with others.

             

            Cloud server digital signage

            Cloud based solutions for businesses are diverse and are available in many different fields. With digital signage software it’s also possible to use a cloud and display content easily. Through the central data saving, you have access to content every time you need it and you get your own individual access for registration.

            Thanks to cloud based digital signage solutions you won’t have to pay for establishing your own server and important updates as well as maintenance are done by the hoster. Because of that, maximum safety is provided and your focus is on the core business of your company.

            That comes with the possibility to provide cheap license and subscription models. Your own server and maintenance work are expensive – often, unexpected problems occur and you have to pay even more. Cloud solutions for digital signage businesses create a clear cost structure to good conditions.

             

            FRAMR. EASY AND INTUITIVE DIGITAL SIGNAGE SOLUTION

            Show digital media content on common displays like consumer or professional screens or even LED walls! That’s simple digital signage, and that’s how we support your work with FRAMR. The answer for easy and intuitive management and presentation of media content.

            FRAMR uses its own and safe cloud, based in the European union. It is supported by a connected Content Delivery Network (CDN) for safe delivery. We provide maintenance work and offer central data saving in exchange for fair subscription prizes. Our products connect with different devices and come with many advantages, starting from the amount of data you can save within the cloud to high quality resolution and powerful processors. Oor products are all GDPR compliant.

            Recommended reading → 7 underestimated advantages of business digitalization

             

            How safe are cloud devices?

            Many people argue that cloud based solutions aren’t safe when it comes to protecting data but you don’t have to worry about it. The communication between internet service and local disk is cryptic. Therefore, it’s safe from hackers. Other than that, cloud based solutions mostly require passwords which provides more safety.

            But there is no guarantee that you won’t lose your data. Weaknesses in programming may lead to the loss of data and average saved registrations might leave hackers a chance for a strike. Many people can’t figure out how safe cloud services are and that makes them worried the most – especially because cloud based solutions offer such good services makes people worried that something unknown might cause a bigger problem.

             

            How safe is FRAMR?

            When using FRAMR, you won’t have to worry about such problems. Our cloud system provides safe data administration and hosting as well as crypting working processes to prevent hacker strikes. We are responsible and want to offer safe solutions as well as we hold up to standards as we regularly finish required updates and do the maintenance work for you.

             

            Conclusion

            Cloud based solutions for businesses are an important factor in competing with others. Providers have many advantages because it makes organization easier and investing for server hardware is not necessary. But even consumers have advantages because being local independently as well as not being dependent on an internet connection provides the easy and uncomplicated service potential customers want.

             

            FAQ

            Below we answer some of the most frequently asked questions about cloud based solutions.

            Cloud storage is a computing model which saves data in a logical pool (cloud). That gives the possibility to get access to saved data without having to have an internet connection.

            Data in a cloud is safe because the communication between server and local disk is cryptic. Unwarranted access is not possible because of safety standards and password requirements.

            Resource pooling describes the process in which providers of cloud software give many users access to their server.

            Centralized data saving is GDPR compliant when users accept the terms of services and allow the processing of personal data.

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