Author Archives: Sy Whitehall

Unlocking Customer Communication in Retail

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The Power of Effective Tools

With ever-increasing channels of communication, retailers require a more agile solution than ever before to meet the growing demands of their customers.

Retailers require an effective communication strategy for driving customer engagement, building brand loyalty, and ultimately boosting sales. Saascoms Mailmaster and Omnireach, provide retailers with a solution to enhance customer interactions across multiple channels, ensuring a seamless shopping experience that meets the demands of today’s consumers.

Retail is a fast-paced industry where products and information change by the hour. To stay ahead, retailers must engage their customers with timely, relevant, and personalised communications, both pre and post-purchase. Saascoms Mailmaster and Omnireach are designed to meet these needs, offering advanced features that cater specifically to the retail sector.

Why Retailers Need Advanced Communication Solutions

In the retail industry, effective communication goes beyond just informing customers about products and services. It involves creating a desire for your offerings, building a strong brand image, and creating a long-term customer buy-in… A lack of communication or the wrong communication can fall short of meeting these goals, especially as customer expectations continue to rise. Retailers need advanced solutions that can deliver consistent, high-quality communication across multiple touchpoints. This is where Saascoms Mailmaster and Omnireach come into play.

Omnireach: Enhancing Customer Engagement and Service in Retail

Omnireach is a versatile tool that centralises all non-voice communications, making it easier for retailers to manage customer interactions across channels like web chat, SMS, WhatsApp, and social media.

Key Features of Omnireach for Retailers:

  • Multi-Channel Communication: Omnireach enables retailers to engage with customers on their preferred channels, whether seeking product information, making a purchase, or inquiring about a return.
  • Personalised Interactions: By integrating with CRM systems, Omnireach allows retailers to offer personalised experiences, such as product recommendations based on past purchases.
  • AI-Driven Automation: The AI-powered Saasbot can handle common customer queries, such as checking store hours or order status, freeing staff to focus on more complex issues.
  • Customer Service Support: Omnireach provides real-time customer support, ensuring that customers can seamlessly switch from AI Chatbots to live agents when needed, delivering a smooth and satisfying customer service experience.
  • Account Management: With features like automated responses and CRM integration, Omnireach helps retailers efficiently manage customer accounts, handle inquiries, and maintain strong customer relationships.

Mailmaster: Driving Customer Loyalty Through Effective Communication

Mailmaster offers retailers a suite of tools for crafting and delivering secure, targeted communications via SMS, email, and digital letters. With no setup fees or ongoing commitments, Mailmaster is a cost-effective solution that grows with your business.

Key Features of Mailmaster for Retailers:

  • High Open Rates: SMS messaging, with its 95% open rate, ensures that promotional offers, new product launches, and important updates reach customers quickly and effectively.
  • Customisable Campaigns: Retailers can use Mailmaster’s design suite to create visually appealing, brand-consistent messages tailored to different customer segments, enhancing engagement and conversion rates.
  • Flexible Integration: Mailmaster integrates easily with existing CRM systems, allowing retailers to automate communications based on customer behaviours, such as abandoned cart reminders or loyalty programme updates.
  • Customer Account Management: Mailmaster’s secure environment ensures that all customer account-related communications are handled safely, maintaining customer trust and compliance with data protection regulations.

The Benefits of Saascoms Software – Effective Communication for Retailers

Integrating Mailmaster and Omnireach into your retail communication strategy offers several key benefits:

  • Increased Brand Awareness: Regular, targeted communications help keep your brand top-of-mind, increasing the likelihood of repeat business.
  • Enhanced Customer Engagement: Personalised messaging across multiple channels fosters stronger connections with customers, leading to higher satisfaction and loyalty.
  • Streamlined Operations: By automating routine communications, such as order confirmations or policy updates, retailers can focus on delivering exceptional in-store and online experiences.
  • Boosted Sales: Effective communication drives desire for products, encourages upselling, and helps retailers communicate the value of their offerings more effectively.
  • Improved Customer Service: Omnireach and Mailmaster ensure that customer inquiries and account management tasks are handled efficiently, improving overall customer service and satisfaction.

Ready to Revolutionise Your Retail Communication?

Effective communication is the cornerstone of success in the retail industry. With Mailmaster and Omnireach, Saascoms provides the tools you need to connect with your customers in meaningful ways, enhance customer service, and drive business growth.

Saascoms Mailmaster and Omnireach are ideal solutions for retailers looking to enhance their customer communication and service strategies. These tools enable retailers to engage customers effectively across multiple channels, manage customer accounts seamlessly, build brand loyalty, and drive sales.

Discover the full potential of Mailmaster and Omnireach today and how they provide effective communication for retailers and their customers.

Contact Saascoms

Has Conversational AI for Business Operations Already Peaked?

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At Saascoms, we’ve been early innovators of Conversational AI, having won two awards for our AI and ‘Machine Learning’ capabilities within the Credit & Collections Industry.

We saw the revolutionary benefit of the tech and whilst open Large Language Models (LLM’s) play a vital role in advancing AI research and fostering innovation through collaboration, we knew the value for Conversational AI would be in creating and leveraging closed LLM’s .

BUT, and this may be contentious, has conversational AI now matured? Is it now as good as we are ever going to get? Are the media and tech firms motivation for the continual promotion of AI any different to the Tulip Crisis of the early 17th century, or the dot-com bubble of the early noughties? That is, are we just jumping on the bandwagon rather than look at reality?

The recent stock market adjustments in the US indicate this is a strong possibility. At Saascoms, we also believe there is a strong argument that this is the case, but why?

We know that you need to operate with a closed LLM to ensure that safety, accuracy, compliance and company alignment are followed. In the early stages, there was an abundance of ‘new’ data, at Saascoms we have seen and analysed over 150 million customer interactions. But, the ‘new’ interaction data from customers may have peaked. Think about it, how many ‘new’ ways are your customers asking your business questions?

Without diverse and evolving interaction data, AI systems will struggle to evolve, meaning how AI is currently deployed in your business now will be no different in two to three years.

It is estimated that Chat GPT 5 will need five times more data than GPT 4 holds to become the next version, and this is open-source data available from every source on the web.

Consider your business process when interacting with your customers. Is this changing? Do your customer responses materially differ from a few years ago? Do you see a big shift in how you treat and deal with your customers?

While it might seem that conversational AI for business operations has peaked, this doesn’t spell the end of its potential benefits. There are many aspects of our customer interactions that AI can help with, from automating simple requests, personalising customer interactions and efficient communication routing.

Our conversational AI platform, Omnireach can even support multiple languages for multilingual customers.

Conversational AI is here to stay, and many of our clients using Omnireach see an increase in customer engagement performance and cost-saving efficiencies, so if you have been waiting for Conversational AI maturity, then now might be your time to engage.

The future of conversational AI is not coming tomorrow, it is here today.

Contact Saascoms

The Ideal Communication Tools for Utility Companies

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With ever-increasing channels of communication, Utility companies require a more agile solution than ever before to meet the growing demands of their customers.

Whether updating customers on service disruptions, managing billing inquiries, or ensuring timely payment collections, utility companies need reliable, efficient, and versatile communication tools. Saascoms Mailmaster and Omnireach offer the perfect blend of features and benefits to meet the unique needs of the utility sector. They offer tailored solutions that ensure smooth, consistent, and productive interactions across various channels.

The Ideal Communication Tools for Utility Companies

Why Utility Companies Need Advanced Communication Solutions

Utility companies handle customer inquiries daily, from billing issues to service updates. With increasing customer expectations, traditional communication methods are no longer sufficient. The need for advanced, multi-channel communication solutions is clear. This is where Saascoms Mailmaster and Omnireach come into play.

Omnireach: Streamlined Digital Conversations for Utility Companies

Omnireach is designed to centralise all non-voice communications into a single interface, making customer engagement easy and productive. For utility companies, this means better management of digital conversations across channels like web live chat, SMS, WhatsApp, and social media platforms.

Key Features of Omnireach:

  • Unified Experience: Omnireach ensures that customers can switch between channels seamlessly without losing context, improving satisfaction and loyalty.
  • Two-Way Messaging: The platform supports two-way messaging with agent ticketing allocation, allowing utility companies to manage inquiries more efficiently.
  • AI-Powered Chatbots: Omnireach includes Saasbot, an AI Chatbot that uses natural language processing to resolve common issues, such as balance queries or identity verification, in real-time.
  • Translation: By offering real-time translation in 92 languages, customer service becomes a whole lot easier for both parties.

Mailmaster: Secure and Customisable Communication for Utility Companies

Mailmaster offers a suite of tools that enable utility companies to contact customers securely and efficiently via SMS. Delivering a personalised message with information relevant only to that customer engagement rates are extremely high.  With no setup fees or monthly charges, Mailmaster is a cost-effective solution that scales with your needs.

Key Features of Mailmaster:

  • High Engagement Rates: SMS messaging, with its 95% open rate, ensures that critical updates reach customers promptly.
  • Customisable Design: Mailmaster’s design suite allows you to tailor messages in line with your brand, making communication more effective and visually appealing.
  • Flexible Usage: With no commitment required, utility companies can use Mailmaster as needed, paying only for the services they utilise.

The Benefits of Saascoms Solutions for Utility Companies

Integrating Mailmaster and Omnireach into your communication strategy offers numerous benefits:

  • Improved Customer Satisfaction: By providing seamless and efficient communication across multiple channels, utility companies can enhance customer satisfaction.
  • Increased Operational Efficiency: Centralising communications and automating common queries through AI reduces the workload on customer service teams.
  • Compliance and Security: Both Mailmaster and Omnireach adhere to stringent data protection laws, ensuring that customer data is always secure.

Ready to Transform Your Utility Company’s Customer Communication?

Effective communication is the backbone of customer satisfaction in the utilities sector. With Mailmaster and Omnireach, Saascoms offers the perfect solutions to streamline your customer interactions, enhance engagement, and ensure secure and compliant communication.

With Saascoms, utility companies can ensure their communication is efficient, effective and tailored to meet the demands of today’s customers.

Discover how Saascoms can help your utility company excel in customer communication and see how they can transform your customer service operations.

Contact Saascoms

Open Banking: The Future of Financial Services with Saascoms

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Open Banking is transforming the way consumers and businesses interact with financial institutions, offering a more transparent, efficient, and personalised approach to managing finances. As the financial world evolves, Saascoms is committed to integrating Open Banking into our future software solutions, providing users with enhanced financial capabilities and improved customer experiences.

 

Understanding How Open Banking is Used in Financial Services

Open Banking is an innovative financial service model that allows individuals and businesses to share their banking data with authorised third-party providers. By doing so, it provides a seamless connection between banks and financial service providers, enabling enhanced financial insights and personalised services.
Here’s a closer look at how Open Banking works:

  • Data Sharing: Open Banking allows the sharing of financial data such as transaction history and account balances with authorised third parties, providing a comprehensive financial overview.
  • Consumer Control: Users have complete control over which apps and websites can access their data, ensuring privacy and security.
  • Real-Time Insights: With access to up-to-date financial information, users can make informed financial decisions tailored to their needs.

The Role of Open Banking in Financial Services

Open Banking is revolutionising financial services by providing a more accurate and real-time assessment of a consumer’s financial health. Here are some key benefits of Open Banking in the financial landscape:

  • Enhanced Transparency: By granting access to financial data, Open Banking enables better transparency between consumers and service providers, fostering trust and confidence.
  • Improved Affordability Checks: Open Banking facilitates precise financial assessments, ensuring that consumers can access credit and services aligned with their financial capabilities.
  • Personalised Solutions: Financial service providers can tailor products and services based on the consumer’s financial data, offering personalised recommendations and solutions.

Saascoms and the Future of Open Banking

Saascoms is excited to announce that we are in the process of integrating Open Banking into our upcoming software solutions. Our goal is to empower consumers and businesses with cutting-edge financial tools that harness the power of Open Banking.
Here’s what you can expect:

  • Innovative Solutions: Our upcoming software will leverage Open Banking to deliver real-time financial insights and personalised solutions.
  • User Empowerment: By putting control in the hands of users, we aim to put the user at the heart of their decision-making.
  • Advanced Financial Tools: Our software will include state-of-the-art financial assessment tools, enabling precise affordability checks and tailored repayment plans.

To better understand the benefits and functionalities of Open Banking, here’s a Q&A addressing common questions and concerns:

Q: Am I automatically opted into Open Banking?
A: No. You’ll only use Open Banking if you give your explicit consent to a firm that provides a regulated app or website. It’s always your choice.

Q: How do I control who has access to my information?
A: You choose which apps and websites you want to use – so you’re always in charge. You decide what information that firm can access, and for how long. No one gets access unless you say so.

Q: How does regulation or legislation protect Open Banking customers?
A: To enrol in the Open Banking Directory, providers have to be authorised or registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and comply with the Payment Services Regulations 2017, which contain strict requirements around data sharing, secure methods of communication, and customer identification.

Q: Can a regulated third-party provider make a payment from my account without me authorising it?
A: No – you’ll need to provide your consent for payments made from your account.

Q: What types of accounts can be used for Open Banking?
A: You can use Open Banking for any payment accounts that you access online or by mobile phone, such as personal and business current accounts, credit cards, and online e-money accounts.

Q: Can I use Open Banking if I don’t use online banking?
A: No. To use Open Banking, you need online or mobile banking for your payment account.

Q: Is there a charge to use Open Banking?
A: No – Open Banking is free. However, some firms that provide apps and websites may choose to charge you for their products and services.

Q: Does my bank or building society offer Open Banking?
A: The number of banks and building societies that offer Open Banking is growing. At the moment, only the UK’s nine largest banks and building societies are required to make your data available through Open Banking. Other smaller banks and building societies can choose to take part in Open Banking.

Q: If a company asks me to share my data via Open Banking so they can see my ability to pay my bill. Is this okay?
A: A growing number of providers use Open Banking data to help assess a customer’s ability to pay their bill and ensure they are receiving the correct product, service, or tariff.

How Saascoms is Harnessing the Power of Open Banking

As Open Banking continues to shape the financial industry, Saascoms is dedicated to leading innovation and customer empowerment. Our upcoming software solutions will provide users with the tools they need to navigate the evolving financial landscape confidently.

  • Affordability Checks: By integrating Open Banking, Saascoms software will deliver precise affordability checks, empowering users to make informed decisions about loans and repayments.
  • Customised Financial Solutions: Our solutions will offer personalised recommendations based on users’ financial data, ensuring a seamless and tailored experience.
  • Real-Time Financial Insights: Users will have access to up-to-date financial information, enabling better financial planning and management.

Contact us to understand more about the benefits of Saascoms and Open Banking.
It will revolutionise your approach to debt management.

Contact Saascoms

Revolutionising Customer Communication with RCS Integration

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Mailmaster to Include Rich Communication Services (RCS)

We’re thrilled to announce that Mailmaster is about to receive a significant feature upgrade, giving customers the option to use Rich Communication Services (RCS). This upgrade promises to elevate Mailmaster’s capabilities, offering a more dynamic and interactive messaging experience for all users. Whether you’re looking to enhance customer engagement or streamline business communication, Mailmaster’s RCS integration will provide the tools you need to succeed.

The Evolution of Mobile Communication

While we’re all familiar with SMS, a technology that has been a staple in our daily lives and is available on virtually every mobile phone, the evolution of messaging services is upon us. SMS has remained unchanged for years, offering basic text and media capabilities. However, RCS is set to revolutionise this by providing a richer, more engaging communication platform.

Unlike traditional SMS, RCS offers features such as high-resolution images, videos, and audio messages, as well as the ability to send group messages and conduct real-time chat. Until recently, RCS was exclusive to Google/Android devices. This year marks a pivotal moment as Apple has announced that it will support RCS in its Messages app with the iOS 18 update, set to release later this year. This means that users across all major platforms will soon be able to experience the enhanced capabilities of RCS for customer communication.

The Future of Messaging with RCS

The introduction of RCS technology marks a new era in customer communication via mobile. It integrates the simplicity of SMS with the advanced features typically found in messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. With RCS, businesses and users alike can benefit from:

  • Enhanced Media Sharing: Send and receive high-quality images, videos, and audio files seamlessly.
  • Better Security: Fully verified sender IDs ensure that mobile subscribers always know exactly who they’re communicating with, reducing spam and fraud risks.
  • Better Branding: Secure, branded messages build trust and drive better engagement. Your RCS profile will include your logo, branded banner, and slogan, which align with your organisation’s branding.
  • Read Receipts: Know when your messages have been read, providing a more interactive and engaging experience.
  • Typing Indicators: See when someone is typing a response, just like you would in popular instant messaging apps.
  • Group Chats: Engage in conversations with multiple participants, making it easier to coordinate and communicate with larger groups.
  • Business Messaging: Use RCS for customer communication in a more personalised and effective manner, providing them with interactive and informative content directly through their messaging app.

Key Advantages of RCS for Customer Communication

RCS offers a significant upgrade from traditional SMS, bringing messaging into the modern age with a focus on richer and more versatile communication. It eliminates the limitations of character count and supports a wide range of media formats, making it ideal for both personal and business use. With RCS, communication becomes more than just text; it becomes an immersive experience.

  • Rich Media Experience: Go beyond text with support for multimedia content, interactive elements, and more.
  • Improved Customer Engagement: RCS enables businesses to create more meaningful interactions with customers, fostering loyalty and satisfaction.
  • Brand Recognition: Strengthen your brand presence with customisation options that allow for branded messaging.

What’s Next for Mailmaster and RCS?

The option to use RCS with Mailmaster will give users an even more powerful tool for businesses seeking to enhance their customer engagement strategy. Whether you’re looking to improve customer support, increase marketing reach, or simply offer a better communication experience, Mailmaster with RCS will provide the solution. It becomes a far more interactive experience, allowing you to communicate with your customers even more effectively.

As Apple gears up to release iOS 18 later this year, the landscape of mobile messaging is set to change dramatically. Saascoms is committed to staying at the forefront of this evolution, ensuring that our users have access to the latest and most effective communication technologies.

Stay Tuned for More Updates

We’re excited about the upcoming changes and are committed to providing our users with the best possible solutions for customer engagement. Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to the launch of RCS in Mailmaster.

Contact Saascoms today to discover how RCS can transform your communication strategies and elevate your customer interactions.

Contact Saascoms

Saascoms Update – Entering Q3 2024

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Hello, and welcome back.
I cannot believe we have passed the halfway mark of 2024. 
Warm days and long evenings … well, we can dream!

Each quarter, I like to reflect on the progress we have made and the developments and challenges ahead. I think it is important to share this information with our clients, prospects and suppliers so you can understand our journey, commitment and roadmap.

Impressive Growth
Saascoms has shown remarkable growth, with a 58% revenue increase from Q2 2023 to Q2 2024. This growth is complemented by a strong prospect pipeline for Q3, reflecting our ongoing commitment to client-driven development and innovation.

Introducing ‘Resolution’
Our latest product, ‘Resolution’, is a fully configurable, white-labelled customer debt management portal. We developed this solution in response to client and prospect feedback, addressing the high costs and limitations of existing customer debt management/payment portals.

Key features include:

  • Integration with CRM for a seamless customer experience.
  • A self-service portal designed for the Collections & Arrears Industry.
  • User-friendly interface with inbuilt heatmaps to understand and then enhance the customer journey.
  • Competitive pricing reflecting our holistic revenue approach.

RCS Developments
With the upcoming support for RCS messaging in Apple’s iOS18 (Autumn 2024), Saascoms is ready to help brands leverage this advancement. RCS offers enhanced messaging capabilities with branding elements, providing a richer user experience. Saascoms is prepared to guide organisations through the adoption of RCS messaging to capitalise on this game-changing development.

Stay Connected
For ongoing updates and insights, follow our periodic email newsletters and LinkedIn posts (@saascoms).

Contact Us
To book a demo of “Resolution” or learn more about RCS messaging, get in touch with the Saascoms team. We are dedicated to providing innovative solutions that meet your technological and commercial challenges.

Thank you for being a part of our journey. Let’s continue to achieve great things together as we move forward into Q3 2024.

Best regards
Paul

 

World Emoji Day 2024: Celebrating the Universal Language of Emojis

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Emojis have transformed modern communication, becoming a universal language. Let’s look at their history, impact, and significance as we celebrate World Emoji Day 2024.

World Emoji Day, founded by Jeremy Burge of Emojipedia in 2014, has become a major event.

Every year on July 17th, we celebrate World Emoji Day, a global event dedicated to the colourful icons that have revolutionised how we communicate.

This annual celebration highlights the impact of emojis, their evolution, and their significance in bridging cultural and linguistic gaps. From their inception in the late 1990s to becoming an integral part of digital communication, emojis have come a long way.

Fun Fact:
The date for the day was chosen because the calendar emoji depicts July 17th.

The Birth of Emojis

In the late 1990s, Shigetaka Kurita, a Japanese interface designer, pioneered the creation of emojis. Combining the Japanese art of pictographs (known as “emojis” in Japanese) with digital communication, Kurita aimed to simplify the conveyance of emotions and context in text-based messages. Initially, emojis were a humble invention, but they soon revolutionised the way we communicate globally.

Emojis Go Global

With the rise of smartphones and instant messaging, emojis quickly gained popularity. Apple’s decision to include emojis in the iPhone’s keyboard was a turning point, making them accessible to millions of users worldwide. This integration allowed emojis to transcend language barriers, enabling people from diverse cultures to express themselves more vividly and authentically in their digital conversations.

Emojis in Modern Communication

Emojis have evolved beyond mere visual embellishments; they are now an essential part of our digital vocabulary. They allow us to convey emotions, thoughts, and ideas concisely and universally. From expressing joy and love ❤️ to sadness and surprise, emojis enrich our conversations, adding nuance and engagement.

A New Era of Expression

In recent years, emojis have evolved to reflect the diversity and inclusivity of our global society. With a growing collection of skin tones, gender options, and representations of various cultures, emojis now offer a broader spectrum of expression. This inclusivity fosters a sense of belonging and empathy among users.

The Business Impact of Emojis

Beyond personal communication, emojis have found their way into marketing campaigns, advertising, and branding strategies. Companies have realised the power of emojis in connecting with their audiences, creating a more relatable and authentic brand image. Emojis add a touch of playfulness, fostering positive customer engagement and enhancing brand loyalty.

Facts and Stats

Here are some intriguing facts and stats about emojis:

  • Facebook users send over 900 million emojis every day without text on Messenger
  • 65% of people believe that using emojis makes it easier to express emotions than calling on the phone
  • Over 10 billion emojis are used every day around the world
  • 44% of customers will be more likely to buy something if it’s advertised with emojis
  • The most used emoji is the Tears of Laughter face  , then the heart ❤️, and a third is the rolling on the floor laughing emoji
  • When creating push notifications, including emojis can increase CTR by 5%
  • The Tears of Laughter emoji remains a favourite on X. In fact, it’s the most popular emoji on the platform, with over 2,000,000,000 (two billion) uses, according to Emojitracker
  • ‘Smiling Face with Heart Eyes’ , and the ‘Birthday Cake  emoji — for all those birthday greetings Facebook reminds you about, remain firmly in the top 5
  • The brain identifies images just in 13 milliseconds, which is why emojis are a useful tool for communication
  • 50% of people are more likely to respond to a message if an emoji is included
  • Half of Instagram comments have an emoji included
  • If emojis are included in an email subject line, people are 56% more likely to open the email
  • There are more than 3,600 emojis on iPhones

With all of that said, let’s celebrate World Emoji Day 2024

Let’s celebrate the extraordinary journey of emojis and their impact on modern communication. Reflect on how emojis have enriched your digital conversations, brought a smile to your face, or helped you express yourself in unique ways.

Saascoms are customer contact experts. Contact us to discover how to effectively communicate with your customers.

Data Security – Keeping Customer Information Safe

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In today’s digital age, keeping customer data safe is of utmost importance. Ensuring that customer data is protected from breaches and unauthorised access is critical for maintaining trust and compliance with regulations.

Keeping Customer Data Safe

At Saascoms, all of our data is managed within the UK, adhering to UK laws and providing a secure environment for customers to use our contact solutions.

As the UK Government outline new proposals to strengthen and protect UK data centres
with tougher security and resilience measures to protect against potential disruption, we explore the benefits of UK-based data storage.

  • New proposals are outlined to better protect data storage facilities from cyber-attacks, physical threats, and extreme weather.
  • Minimum security and resilience requirements will be introduced, with a regulator ensuring compliance within the sector.
  • Changes will help safeguard UK national security, making it more attractive to potential tech investors.

Why Data Security is Crucial

Data security is vital for businesses to protect sensitive information from cyber threats. The implications of data breaches are severe, including financial losses, legal consequences, and reputational damage. With cyber-attacks becoming increasingly sophisticated, robust data security measures are essential to safeguarding customer data.

Data Storage within the UK

One of the significant advantages of a UK-based data security approach is that storing data within the UK ensures compliance with the UK’s Data Protection Act and GDPR, offering peace of mind to clients. Local data storage provides benefits such as reduced latency, better control, and higher security standards. UK-based data management ensures that all practices adhere to stringent data protection laws.

At Saascoms, we only ever store data in the UK, under the security of AWS.

Best Practices for Keeping Customer Data Safe

Encryption
Encryption is crucial for protecting data both at rest and in transit. Encryption methods, such as AES-256, are required to ensure that data remains secure and inaccessible to unauthorised parties.

Access Controls
Implementing strict access controls is essential to limit who can view or modify data. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is used to add an extra layer of security, ensuring that only authorised personnel can access sensitive information.

Regular Audits and Monitoring
Regular security audits help identify and mitigate vulnerabilities. Continuous monitoring of systems allows for the early detection of suspicious activity, enabling prompt responses to potential threats.

Employee Training
Training staff on data security best practices is vital. Employees are educated on recognising phishing attempts and other social engineering tactics, which are common methods used by cyber criminals to gain access to sensitive data.

Benefits of a UK-Based Data Management

Data sovereignty is a significant benefit of UK-based data storage, ensuring that data remains within UK jurisdiction. This approach builds trust and confidence among clients, knowing their data is handled locally. Additionally, local data management offers enhanced support and service.

Compliance with Regulations

Compliance with data protection regulations, such as GDPR and the Data Protection Act, is essential. Following best practices ensures adherence to these regulations, helping businesses avoid penalties and maintain high standards of data protection.

In Conclusion

Data security is crucial for protecting customer information and maintaining compliance with regulations. UK-based data storage offers significant advantages, including data sovereignty, enhanced control, and better support. By implementing best practices such as encryption, access controls, regular audits, and employee training, businesses can ensure their data remains secure.

Saascoms software (which holds confidential data) is developed in the UK so Saascoms has complete control and confidence in its security.

Contact Saascoms to discuss how our solutions can help you communicate more effectively with your customers.

cash vs card

Cash vs Card: Which is the Better Choice?

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Managing day-to-day spending is crucial for financial health. The debate of cash vs card is ongoing, with each method offering distinct advantages and drawbacks. Whether you prefer the tangible nature of cash or the convenience of cards, understanding how to manage your funds effectively is key.

cash vs card

Advantages of Using Cash

One of the biggest advantages of using cash is that it helps with budgeting. When you physically see the money leaving your hands, you become more aware of your spending. This can prevent overspending and help you stick to a budget. Additionally, cash is universally accepted. There’s no need to worry about whether a store or vendor accepts your card.

Another significant benefit is privacy. Cash transactions don’t leave a digital trail. This can be advantageous if you prefer keeping your purchases private. Furthermore, cash can be a lifesaver in emergencies. When electronic systems fail, having cash on hand ensures you can still make essential purchases. Using cash also means no interest charges or transaction fees.

Disadvantages of Using Cash

Despite its benefits, cash has its downsides. Carrying large amounts of cash can be risky and impractical. If lost or stolen, it’s unlikely you’ll recover it. Additionally, cash transactions don’t offer the same protections as card payments. For instance, if you need to dispute a purchase, cash offers no recourse.

Cash transactions are also harder to track without diligent record-keeping. More and more merchants and establishments have already gone cash-free and only accept card payments. Moreover, cash can be inconvenient. It requires regular trips to the bank or ATM. For some, this can be a hassle, especially if they live in areas with limited access to banking services.

Advantages of Using Cards

Cards, whether credit or debit, offer convenience. They are easy to carry and use. Most stores and vendors accept them, and they’re essential for online shopping. Additionally, cards come with protections. Credit card companies often offer fraud protection and dispute resolution. This can provide peace of mind when making large purchases.

Using a card can also help build credit. Responsible use of a credit card can improve your credit score. This can be beneficial for future financial needs like loans or mortgages. Using a card allows for tracking and management. Digital statements and spending alerts help in monitoring expenses. Another incentive is the rewards and benefit schemes. Many cards offer cashback, points, and other perks.

Disadvantages of Using Cards

However, cards are not without their drawbacks. The ease of swiping can lead to overspending. It’s easy to overspend when using a card. The lack of a physical exchange of money can lead to less awareness of spending. This can result in higher debt and financial strain. Additionally, cards come with fees.

Some cards have annual fees, and many charge interest on unpaid balances. These costs can add up and negate the convenience of using a card. Moreover, there is a risk of fraud. Your cards come with security risks. If your card information is stolen, it can be used for unauthorised purchases. Although protections exist, resolving these issues can be time-consuming and stressful.

Top Tips for Managing Funds with Cash vs Card

Cash Management Tips
1. Set a budget: Determine a weekly or monthly budget and withdraw only that amount.
2. Use envelopes: Allocate specific amounts of cash for different categories (e.g., groceries, entertainment) using envelopes.
3. Track your spending: Keep a simple log of where your cash goes to maintain awareness.

Card Management Tips
1. Automate alerts: Set up alerts for spending limits and due dates to avoid overspending and late fees.
2. Utilise apps: Use financial management apps to track and categorise your expenses.
3. Pay off monthly: Ensure you pay off your card balance in full each month to avoid interest charges.

Cash vs Card – which is better for you?

Choosing between cash and cards depends on your personal financial habits and needs. If you’re disciplined with spending and value convenience, a card might be the better option. On the other hand, if you prefer a tangible method of managing money and value privacy, cash could be the way to go. Whether you favour the tactile approach of cash or the ease of digital transactions, staying mindful of your spending is essential.

In Conclusion

Both cash and cards have their place in modern financial management. Understanding the benefits and drawbacks of each can help you make informed decisions. Ultimately, the best choice is the one that aligns with your financial goals and lifestyle.

Saascoms help you talk to your customers and help them talk to you.

Let us help you improve your customer communication

Revolutionising Credit & Collections: How AI Improves Efficiency & Customer Experience

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The Credit and Collections industry is undergoing a revolution driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
At Saascoms, we’re harnessing this powerful technology to streamline our processes and empower our clients. This translates to improved customer engagement and positive outcomes for everyone involved.

How AI is Revolutionising Credit and Collections.

We understand that some people may be concerned about the use of AI in credit and collections. However, we want to assure our clients that AI is used to improve efficiency and that human agents are still involved in the collection process.

So let’s peel back the layers of AI in the Credit and Collections sector and understand how everyone is benefiting.

AI: Tell me more!

AI refers to the development of computer systems and software that can perform tasks that would typically require human intelligence.
Tasks can include:

  • Problem-solving
  • Understanding natural language
  • Recognising patterns
  • Making Decisions

AI systems aim to simulate or mimic human cognitive functions such as reasoning, problem-solving, perception and language understanding.

Approaches to AI

1: Tag-based processing
Using keywords to be recognised within a conversation, which then assigns a preset workflow. Keywords such as “illness”, “off sick or “death” can be tagged as ‘Vulnerable’, “HMRC”, “Fraud”, and “Court Protection Order” can all be tagged as ‘Crime’.
Tag processing could be described as rudimentary, but when used in the correct context, it can be highly effective within your customer journey experience.
Example:

2: Natural Language Processing (NLP)
This is AI that understands the intent and sentiment within the customer conversation, it then automatically assigns the preset workflow or customer journey. NLP is essential for Chatbots, language translation and sentiment analysis.
Example:

3: Machine Learning (ML)
Machine Learning is a subset of AI that involves training algorithms on large datasets. ML learns patterns and makes decisions based on previous interactions and outcomes.

AI does not benefit from pure design, meaning you do not create it, and it simply works forever. AI requires awareness of improvement and feedback from agent activity.

Where does the data set come from?
We have established that to run “AI” you need data, and the right sort of data is key.

There are two types of data sets, or Large Language Models (LLMs):

Open Source
Open Source comes from a wide range of public and commercial data sets. For example, research institutes, universities and Government agencies. It can also be obtained from crowdsourcing, i.e., from companies and research projects that use general public collected information shared through online platforms. Social media is another source of data, as are data marketplaces—companies & organisations that operate within data markets where they sell datasets.

Controlled/Closed Source
This refers to datasets that are not openly or freely available to the public. Usually, the data is proprietary and has restricted access. Your customer data, used within your systems, would be an example of this. Limited sharing and data security offer important operational benefits.

Did you know Saascoms has its own closed LLM data specifically trained for Credit & Collections, having analysed over 130 million customer interactions?

How can AI help you with Credit & Collections?
By using AU technology correctly across all of your non-voice channels, you can increase productivity by freeing up valuable agent resources, as well as providing an enhanced customer experience.

  • Real-world examples of AI being used in Collections are;
  • Allow AI to ID&V your customers before assigning them to an agent.
  • Allow AI (after ID&V) to assist with simple requests, which include balance checks, request statements, reporting a change of circumstance, and completing an I&E.
  • Watchguard for customer vulnerability. Saasbot language is designed to follow TEXAS, IDEAS and CARERS. Send links to advise bureaus when a vulnerability is detected, for example, Step Change Macmillan etc.
  • Provides out-of-hours overwatch for FAQ’s and simple queries.

AI Legislation and Compliance
The government is drawing up plans to regulate AI, with concerns based on data security, human rights, and safety.
We collectively need to ensure that AI does not display biases against particular groups if trained on large datasets scraped from the internet, which could include racist, sexist, or other undesirable material.
Open source data “scrapes” the internet for its information. As a business, you will be responsible for the responses it provides to your customers.
Closed source data is a much safer option.

If you use AI, you should be able to demonstrate:

  • Safe, Secure and Robust: Prove that risks from AI are managed
  • Transparency: Be able to explain when and how systems-making decisions are being used and risks are mitigated.
  • Fairness: That you are complying with UK laws regarding quality, DPA, and discrimination.
  • Accountability: Compliance oversight, accountability for outcomes.
  • Contestability: A process or route to allow customers to dispute the AI outcome or decision.

What would Saascoms recommend?
We think conversational AI is a great service, and when approached with a clear plan, it can become a highly impactful tool within your customer engagement strategy.
Our top tips are:
1: Start with one channel. Whether that is live chat, two-way SMS, or email.
2: Use controlled/closed data providers.
3: Start with “Tag” and “NLP” in the first instance.
4: Work with your tech partner to move towards a semi-supervised environment. Allow the AI engine to suggest a response to your customer, or perhaps the next task, Allow a human to supervise the interaction, i.e., an agent to tag and label each interaction with a sentiment and intent score. This will allow the algorithm to move towards Machine Learning (ML) and then true AI automation.

An example of a recent conversation between a customer and a Collections company—a real-world example. This highlights how AI can help.
(Disclaimer: the personal information has been altered to protect data.)


In conclusion, AI is revolutionising the Credit and Collections industry, and Saascoms is at the forefront of this change. By harnessing the power of AI, we can streamline processes, improve customer engagement, and achieve positive outcomes for everyone involved.

Contact us to learn how our AI-powered solutions can help you improve efficiency, improve engagement, and provide a better customer experience. The benefits of implementing AI to assist your business are numerous, and the results now speak for themselves.

Let us help you improve your customer communication.