March, 2020

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How 5G Rollouts May Get Boost from COVID-19

PYMNTS

The way we live — the very ways in which we work, and learn, and spend leisure time, and of course, shop — have shifted markedly over the last several weeks. In the maelstrom of daily life grappling with COVID-19, the rollout of 5G , the fifth-generation network that features downloading speeds reportedly 100 times faster than that of 4G, may accelerate even as economic headwinds gather.

Economics 139
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SaaS CAC Ratio | How to Calculate and Why It Matters

The SaaS CFO

The cost of customer acquisition is one of the most analyzed SaaS metrics. But it doesn’t have to be complex or hard to calculate. Enter the SaaS CAC Ratio. Slightly different than CAC (customer acquisition costs), the CAC ratio studies the relationship between new and expansion bookings and sales and marketing expense. It’s different than […].

CFO 113
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World Health Organization Cautions Against Cash Usage

PYMNTS

The World Health Organization (WHO) is advising people to not use paper tender and to use as many cashless options as possible to help contain the spread of the coronavirus, according to reports. Officials with WHO say that while cash isn’t more or less likely to spread the disease, it can carry the virus just like door handles and hand railings, and can spread it on contact.

Banking 137
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California Cops Enlist Drones For Lockdown Enforcement

PYMNTS

A police department in California is going to use drones equipped with loudspeakers to help enforce the state lockdown orders imposed due to the coronavirus, according to a report by the Financial Times. The Chula Vista PD has purchased two drones worth $11,000 each. They’re made by DJI, a Chinese company, and the department plans to also add night vision cameras to the flying vehicles.

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From Start to Scale: Driving Growth Through Seamless Payments Implementation

Speaker: Michael Veatch, Senior Director, Implementations & Ella Aguirre, Director of Solution Consulting

Embedding payments can be a transformative step for software companies looking to enhance their platform capabilities, boost customer satisfaction, and drive long-term growth. However, the success of payments hinges on a single thing: implementation. Drawing on real-world insights and experiences, payments implementation experts Michael Veatch and Ella Aguirre will explore actionable strategies that can lead to a transparent, friction-free launch and mitigate potential challenges like technical

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Taking Real-Time Payment Rails To The Tipping Point

PYMNTS

Real-time payments are imperative for running successful operations in today’s global ecosystem. Digital payments sent internationally are expected to move past $1 trillion in 2025, but getting to that point will require support from payment providers, regulators and other such firms still building out the necessary infrastructure. Many of these providers are particularly competing for small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to join their faster payments network over another, which can be trick

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World Health Organization Target Of Hack

PYMNTS

A hacking organization tried to breach the World Health Organization (WHO) recently, according to a report by Reuters. WHO Chief Information Security Officer Flavio Aggio said the identity of the hacking group isn’t known, and cyberattacks against the organization have increased exponentially during the coronavirus crisis. The hack was discovered by Alexander Urbelis, a cybersecurity expert and lawyer who looks for suspicious internet activity.

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The Innovative ‘Green Shoots’ Growing Out Of COVID-19’s Scorched Earth

PYMNTS

There seem to be countless sources of collateral damage associated with the unexpected appearance of COVID-19 in early 2020 – the shutdown of production in China, the ripples through the global supply chain, the virtual zeroing out of the travel and events vertical and the carnage on Wall Street. The uncertainty injected into the market, as Ning Wang, co-founder and chief business officer at PingPong , told Karen Webster in a recent conversation, is having undeniable effects worldwide – which ar

Sales 113
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How COVID-19 Has Changed The Residential Cleaning Business

PYMNTS

Cleanliness is on everyone’s minds these days, particularly as so many of us are working from home, learning from home, or quarantined at home as COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus , continues to wend its way through the U.S. In an interview with Karen Webster, Ron Holt, founder of Two Maids and a Mop , a house cleaning franchise service operating nationwide, said the short-term headwinds of economic and healthcare crises are considerable, but the long-term picture is bright.

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How The Digital World Will Soften The Blow Of The Coronavirus

PYMNTS

Sixty-seven years ago this month, Jonas Salk announced that he had successfully tested a vaccine for polio. Many in the U.S. breathed a huge sigh of relief. In 1952, polio was an epidemic that gripped the country, affecting 58,000 people that year, with 3,000 deaths, many of them children. The summer season was when this highly infectious disease kicked into high gear.

Education 112
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Less Stress, More Success: Accounting Best Practices & Processes for 2025

Speaker: Amanda Adams, Fractional CFO, CPA

Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Amanda Adams, a seasoned fractional CFO and CPA passionate about transforming back-office operations for finance teams. This session will cover critical best practices and process improvements tailored specifically for accounting professionals.

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French Court Says Bitcoin Is Money

PYMNTS

A French court has decided that bitcoin is money, the first time a court in France has issued such a ruling, according to a report from Les Echos Sunday (March 8). The decision came about following a clash between the Bitcoin marketplace Paymium and the crypto investment company BitSpread. The result of the ruling could lead to more activity in the French bitcoin market.

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FDIC Approves Square For Banking License

PYMNTS

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ( FDIC ) gave the green light to an application from the FinTech firm Square to create a de novo industrial bank in Utah, the agency said on Wednesday (March 18). Square Financial Services will originate commercial loans to the retailers that use Square for payments. The headquarters will be in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Banking 110
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Fintech Finastra Hit By Suspected Ransomware Attack

PYMNTS

Banking technology FinTech Finastra was hit with a security breach on Friday (March 20), and was forced to shutter key systems and send employees home, according to a report by KrebsonSecurity. Although the company’s statement doesn’t mention the type of attack specifically, Krebs believes it is likely a ransomware attack based on the reaction. Two sources forwarded internal notices about the outage.

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Fed Could Issue COVID-19 Crisis Money Via eWallets

PYMNTS

To help bolster the American economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Reserve could utilize digital wallets and a “digital dollar” to provide “qualified individuals” with payments. With passing of the draft legislation, legal adults would receive $2,000 and $1,000 would be provided for each child, Yahoo! Finance reported. . The bills are called the “Financial Protections and Assistance for America’s Consumers, States, Businesses, and Vulnerable Populations Act” and the “Take Responsibil

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Avoiding Lease Accounting Pitfalls in 2025: Lessons Learned from Spreadsheet Errors

Speaker: Abdi Ali, Sr. Lease Accounting Consultant

Join this insightful webinar with industry expert Abdi Ali, who will discuss the challenges that can arise from managing lease accounting with spreadsheets! He will share real-world examples of errors, compliance issues, and risks that may be present within your spreadsheets. Learn how these tools, while useful, can sometimes lead to inefficiencies that affect your time, resources, and peace of mind.

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Biometrics: The Key To Overcoming Contactless Payment Limits?

PYMNTS

Digital identity solutions are becoming more and more commonplace, especially as consumers grow increasingly aware of the weaknesses of authentication methods like passwords. A recent study found 32 percent of security incidents in 2019 involved phishing and 29 percent involved stolen credentials, both of which would have been much more difficult had secure digital ID systems been in place.

Leverage 109
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Walmart Enacts No-Touch Protocols

PYMNTS

Walmart is enacting no-touch procedures so that customers can shop more safely during the coronavirus outbreak, according to a report by USA Today. Shoppers who buy items through Walmart Pay won’t have to touch the screen anymore, and instead will be able to scan a QR code and pay from an app on their phone. For pickup, customers can simply open their trunks and an employee will load the groceries in, and they won’t ask for a signature.

Retail 107
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Lyft Directs Drivers To Pursue Amazon Positions As Rides Decline

PYMNTS

While the coronavirus forces consumers to stay inside, Amazon is joining forces with Lyft to attract drivers for grocery and package deliveries. Lyft has directed its drivers to pursue Amazon positions as warehouse workers, delivery people or grocery shoppers “as a way to earn additional income right now,” Bloomberg reported. The message reportedly came as demand for trips is falling precipitously and drivers are encountering economic hardships.

Economics 107
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Apple Resumes Operation Of All China Retail Locations

PYMNTS

After it was forced to shutter its retail locations in China because of the spread of COVID-19, Apple Inc. has reportedly put all of them back into operation. The closures were one of the main reasons the tech company cited for removing its March quarter sales outlook, Bloomberg reported. Apple has been slowly reopening the locations, with 38 of the 42 shops open for business as of last week.

Retail 106
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Back to Basics with Reconciliations

Join us in this webinar, where we share best practices on how to think about the reconciliation work each month, when best to do reconciliations, how they should be prepared, and some common pitfalls to avoid. Learning Objectives: This course objective is to understand how to properly prepare and review balance sheet reconciliations and its impact on the financial statements.

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US House Wants Economic Stimulus Payments To Leverage eWallets

PYMNTS

To help bolster the American economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Reserve could utilize digital wallets and a “digital dollar” to provide “qualified individuals” with payments. With passing of the draft legislation, legal adults would receive $2,000 and $1,000 would be provided for each child, Yahoo! Finance reported. . The bills are called the “Financial Protections and Assistance for America’s Consumers, States, Businesses, and Vulnerable Populations Act” and the “Take Responsibil

Leverage 105
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T-Mobile Hacked, User Data Stolen

PYMNTS

Telecom giant T-Mobile suffered a data breach that exposed the personal information of employees and customers to unknown hackers, according to reports. “We want to let you know about a sophisticated attack that we recently identified and quickly shut down, which may have impacted some of your account information,” T-Mobile said in a notice. The company said there was an attack through email that let in some malicious actors.

Numbers 105
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Egypt Limits Bank Withdrawals, Deposits To Curb Inflation, Hoarding

PYMNTS

In Egypt, banks have been told to impose a limit on cash withdrawals and deposits in a move to hopefully stop hoarding and inflation. The new limit will be 10,000 Egyptian pounds ($635) and 50,000 pounds for companies per day. There will be exceptions for those using the money to pay employees, according to a central bank statement. There will also be a limit of 5,000 pounds on ATM withdrawals and deposits, the statement said.

Banking 104
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How Data Guides A New Era For The ERP

PYMNTS

The enterprise resource planning ( ERP ) system has been a staple of corporate finance operations for years, acting as a central repository of data and a hub to initiate a range of processes, from accounting to procurement. But the ERP of today doesn’t look like it used to. Enterprise cloud migrations have opened up the ability for smaller businesses to adopt ERP technology once reserved for the largest corporates.

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Usage-Based Monetization Musts: A Roadmap for Sustainable Revenue Growth

Speaker: David Warren and Kevin O’Neill Stoll

Transitioning to a usage-based business model offers powerful growth opportunities but comes with unique challenges. How do you validate strategies, reduce risks, and ensure alignment with customer value? Join us for a deep dive into designing effective pilots that test the waters and drive success in usage-based revenue. Discover how to develop a pilot that captures real customer feedback, aligns internal teams with usage metrics, and rethinks sales incentives to prioritize lasting customer eng

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Making Invisible Payments More Than A Buzzword

PYMNTS

From cash and coins to mobile wallets to wearables … to invisible payments. About 90 percent of purchases are still being made in-store, but the payment modalities are changing — and rapidly. To that end, said Matt Good, senior vice president and general manager of Elan Advisory Services , in an interview with PYMNTS, fledgling ways to pay — where wearables are wielded as payment instruments, and where mobile wallets replace leather ones — will soon become everyday methods.

Education 103
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Walmart To Reward Workers With $550M In Bonuses Amid Coronavirus

PYMNTS

To honor staffers who are maintaining stocks of supplies on shelves as shoppers visit locations in droves, Walmart said it would pay almost $550 million in bonuses to hourly workers. The retailer has experienced an increase in sales as consumers stock up on toilet paper, food, hand sanitizer and other products as they get ready to remain in their residents with increasing COVID-19 cases, CNBC reported.

Retail 102
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Joust To Finance Freelancers’ Outstanding SXSW Invoices

PYMNTS

Joust, a banking app in Austin, has announced it will pay users on their unpaid SXSW invoices to help them deal with the cancellation of the huge yearly festival, according to a release. Joust, which was a finalist for the 2020 SXSW Innovation Awards, said it will offer any affected users zero payment processing fees on its FDIC-insured free bank account.

Invoicing 102
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How JD.com Uses AI To Connect Consumers With Commerce

PYMNTS

There is nothing worse than trying to get customer service from a less than fully functional chatbot or automated voice system. Ask it a question it gives an answer, just perhaps not a relevant one to the question asked. Re-phrase and re-ask, and the consumer might do better — but it’s likely they get the same bad answer, or the bot digs deep and finds a way to give a worse one.

Retail 101
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Solve Your Firm's Automation Complexities Once and For All

Speaker: Mark Stovel

When it comes to automating, many firms focus on finding the latest tech, believing that efficiency is something achieved through new tools. Yet true efficiency is achieved by delivering real value to clients, not merely by upgraded systems. Without a clear approach, no level of automation can overcome the complexities of serving every client’s needs.