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Sprinkle a taste of Christmas

By
Grace Stevens
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Christmas – the most wonderful time of the year is finally upon us. It’s the chance to abandon the chaos of our everyday routine and instead revel in the comfort and joy of precious family time. From decking out our homes in festive lights and cheer to staying up late to leave Santa some homemade cookies and milk – what makes this time extra special is the way loved ones gather around to indulge in past traditions or craft entirely new ones.


Whichever way you are spending this magical time, it just wouldn’t be Christmas without delicious foods and customary treats like crumbly mince pies, moist fruit cakes and sumptuous roasts, all washed down with overly delectable desserts and warm, jovial tipples. (The new year resolutions are still quite some days away!). 


Grace Stevens, award-winning TV chef, brilliant baker, and unapologetic Christmas lover shares some of her most cherished Christmas traditions, as well as a selection of her much-loved holiday recipes to help you celebrate the season with traditional trimmings, magic, and magnificence in abundance. 


Grace’s top three ways to enjoy a memorable Christmas 

1. Choose to bake not buy 

One of the first signs that the Christmas season has arrived in our home is the smell of freshly baked treats. In fact, the minute I start baking with cinnamon and ginger, my family knows that it is Christmas time, as these smells are synonymous with the festive season. 


I especially enjoy making home baked gifts like shortbread biscuits, tarts, or pretty tea cakes. Not only do they taste delicious, but they are made from the heart and show the recipient just how much they mean to you. Even better is the fact that you can get the whole family involved, especially young children if you are baking for teachers and grandparents. 

2. Create personal traditions 

Christmas time comes with a huge helping of nostalgia but over time this can begin to lose charm and perspective. Reinventing common Christmas traditions or putting your own spin on old favourites creates an intimate set of habits and rituals that are unique to your family, and which will bring a whole new meaning to the season.


Our family for example has dessert for breakfast on the 16 of December with steaming hot waffles and ice cream and lashings of runny chocolate spread. It’s our own little holiday tradition which we have done for years, and for us, fondly marks the start of the holidays. 


3. Don’t overload the schedule 

It’s easy to want to do as much as possible during these precious few days that you have together with loved ones, especially if they are coming from afar. However, a few things done fabulously is way better than lots of things that are rushed.


Take time to make meaningful memories and don’t clutter the days with lengthy to do lists that will cause nothing but stress. Simple things like baking and decorating a gingerbread house can be so much fun if done with all the family (but just try and forget about the mess). Music is also a great way to get everyone loose and into the festive vibe, as is spending an afternoon doing absolutely nothing but rewatching your favourite Christmas movies.  Remember it’s not what you do, but who you do it with that counts. 

Grace’s top two indulgent Christmas recipes 

1. Crème Brulee 

This delicious and simple French dessert is so perfect for the festive season as you can prepare it way in advance, which means more time raising a toast with your favourite people. Simply pour it into individual ramekins and refrigerate, and then only pull out and blowtorch the sugared top when you are ready to serve. I love to watch as everyone excitedly cracks through the glass-like crust – it always creates such delight. 

2. Pesto and Cheese Twist Bread

Having lots of family around means having lots of mouths to feed. This twisted bread is flavoured with basil pesto and Parmesan cheese and is incredibly moreish and addictive.   Its versatility makes them a guaranteed hit at any Christmas party buffet table – be it a great showstopper snack, the perfect addition to a cheeseboard or the ideal pairing to a warm soup. Bake them well in advance and watch them fly out of the bread bin. 

Uber Eats Cravings Report reveals fastest delivery done in 113 seconds

By
LnT Desk
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South Africans are looking for quick delivery, and Uber Eats has proved this is possible, as the fastest delivery time recorded this year was 113 seconds in Cape Town City Centre. The order contained two packets of sweets, 1 mini lighter and a Type C to USB cable.

This data is based on the 2022 Annual Cravings Report released by Uber Eats. The report provides a snapshot of the most popular, the most unusual, and some of the most unique orders on the platform. The data has revealed a few telling trends about South Africa’s eating habits throughout 2022…

  • The city that never sleeps: Cape Town is topping the charts again with the most orders  between 12 am and 4 am! Early bird or Night Owl – Uber Eats has you covered!
  • Ka-ching: One user saved over R8000 in delivery fees by using Uber Eats’ membership program, Eats Pass.
  • Ice Ice Baby: Ice remained one of the top-selling grocery items ordered with over 500 000 bags of ice sold this year!
  • Vegan obsessed: the City of Cape Town has claimed the title of Vegan Obsessed, with the most vegan orders this year, followed by Johannesburg and Durban.
  • Pap power: It’s true that South Africans love pap with almost anything as it was one of the year’s top orders.
  • Some like it hot and in bulk!: the most expensive order this year was close to R13 000, which was for over 30 curries ordered from the same restaurant.
  • Stuck on repeat: The Uber Eats magic you know and love wouldn’t exist without exceptional delivery people. One delivery person drove over 1200 hours bringing delicious meals, treats and essentials to Eaters throughout the year – that’s like watching your favourite movie over 570 times or singing the National Anthem over 100 000 times. One delivery person also completed almost 9000 deliveries within the year
  • Around the Earth and back: Another delivery person travelled enough kilometres to circle the earth more than twice
  • Loyalty runs deep: one Eater ordered from the same restaurant 348 times this year, talk about having a favourite!

Using new technologies to enable a better future

By
LnT Desk
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  • OPPO has unveiled the first product under its OHealth brand, the OHealth H1 family health monitor, alongside its second self-developed chip, the MariSilicon Y Bluetooth audio SoC, and OPPO Air Glass 2, empowering users with truly intelligent living experiences.
  • Through its belief in Virtuous Innovation, OPPO will open up more possibilities to empower a better future together with more partners.

21 December, Johannesburg – OPPO today held its annual technology event, OPPO INNO DAY 2022, in an online format streamed live. Themed ‘Empowering a Better Future’, the event showcased OPPO’s determination to enrich its four Smart Initiatives in smart entertainment, smart productivity, smart health, and smart learning to deliver more innovation for good and build an inclusive and more positive future for all.

Enjoy a smarter life with OHealth H1, MariSilicon Y and Air Glass 2

As part of its four Smart Initiatives, OPPO has invested a significant amount of resources in developing its smart health technology. Not only did OPPO establish the OPPO Health Lab in 2021 to develop proactive approaches to help users build healthy lifestyles, this year OPPO also created a new smart healthcare sub-brand, OHealth.

During INNO DAY 2022, OPPO unveiled the first product under its OHealth brand, the OHealth H1 family health monitor. The OHealth H1 combines six health data monitoring functions intended for family use into a single device, including measurement of blood oxygen, ECG, heart and lung auscultation, heart rate, body temperature and sleep tracking. Through high-precision sensors and industry-leading health algorithms, the OHealth H1 will help users take better care of the health of the entire family. Unlike the industrial designs of traditional medical equipment, the OHealth H1 is a super-light device that weighs just 95g and features aesthetic rounded edges and a concentric oval design. This makes it easy for users to take the OHealth H1 with them anywhere, helping them to integrate regular health measurements into their daily routines.

The OHealth H1 sets the stage for OPPO’s ambition to build a bridge to better healthcare, offering smart, professional, and convenient healthcare solutions to users, hospitals, and clinics.

Following the first self-developed dedicated imaging NPU, MariSilicon X, OPPO unveiled the second member of the MariSilicon family — the all-new MariSilicon Y Bluetooth audio SoC at the event. One of the first SoC to use the most advanced N6RF process technology, MariSilicon Y introduces a brand-new, self-developed Pro Bluetooth Pack that increases the Bluetooth bandwidth by a massive 50% compared with the highest spec Bluetooth SoCs on the market. Equipped with the exclusive URLC codec technology and a dedicated NPU with up to 590 GOPS of on-device computing power, MariSilicon Y can transmit an unprecedented 24-bit/192kHz ultra-clear lossless audio through Bluetooth for the first time ever, providing users with all the benefits of wireless connectivity with the same audio quality as a wired connection while opening up new possibilities in spatial audio experiences. Empowered by MariSilicon Y, users can enjoy top digital audio quality through wireless Bluetooth earbuds and headphones.

OPPO’s second self-developed MariSilicon Y Bluetooth audio SoC

During the event, OPPO also demoed its latest Assisted Reality glass — OPPO Air Glass 2. Weighing only approximately 38g, OPPO Air Glass 2 features a super-lightweight, robust design that includes the world’s first resin SRG-diffractive waveguide lens developed by OPPO. These lenses will support vision correction and further customization, making them almost indistinguishable from regular glasses. OPPO Air Glass 2 will be able to make phone calls, conduct real-time translation, provide location-based navigation, convert voice into text for people with hearing impairments, and provide many more smart experiences. The new glasses are intended to demonstrate all-new possibilities in human-machine interaction and showcase OPPO’s technological exploration of its four Smart Initiatives.

OPPO Air Glass 2

Empowering a better future through Virtuous Innovation

“When facing the type of challenges that the technology industry is currently coming up against, we believe that the only way forward is to continue innovating and breaking new boundaries,” said Pete Lau, Senior Vice President and Chief Product Officer at OPPO. “Under our brand proposition of ‘Inspiration Ahead’, OPPO will continue to bring users superior products and technology that build smarter lives for all. We will also work with more partners to empower a better future through Virtuous Innovation, creating more possibilities in smart connected experiences.”

Over the years, OPPO has continued to build up its own technology ecosystem by joining hands with global partners to create an open, inclusive, and thriving community. More than 300,000 developers and 700,000 creators have distributed their products and services through OPPO’s Open Platforms. OPPO has also strengthened communication and supported global developers and programmers through the OPPO ColorOS Hackathon.

In May this year, OPPO launched the OPPO Research Institute Innovation Accelerator to seek more solutions in accessible technology and digital health together with technology professionals and entrepreneurs. In late August, OPPO announced the top 10 proposals selected from among 536 entries from 39 countries and regions. The ten teams were each awarded a grant of approximately USD $46,000 along with opportunities for investment, technological support, commercial partnerships, and global promotion. OPPO shares a common belief with all teams in using the power of technology to improve lives and will continue to drive innovation for good.

By pushing the boundaries of technology through its belief in Virtuous Innovation, OPPO continues to open up new possibilities in smart connected experiences through technologies like the OHealth H1, Marisilicon Y, and Air Glass 2. OPPO is committed to openness and inclusiveness, inspiring greater collaboration, innovation, and possibilities to empower a better life.

About OPPO

OPPO is a leading global smart device brand. Since the launch of its first mobile phone – “Smiley Face” – in 2008, OPPO has been in relentless pursuit of the perfect synergy of aesthetic satisfaction and innovative technology. Today, OPPO provides a wide range of smart devices spearheaded by the Find X and Reno series. Beyond devices, OPPO also provides its users with ColorOS operating system and internet services such as OPPO Cloud and OPPO+. OPPO has footprints in more than 60 countries and regions, with more than 40,000 employees dedicated to creating a better life for customers around the world.
Please visit: https://www.oppo.com/en/

Smartphones that match the festive season mood

By
LnT Desk
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It’s the festive season, which means you’ll be spending more time outdoors or ticking bucket list items with friends and family. Why not get yourself, or a loved one a smartphone that complements this glorious season?

With a range of impressive smartphones, the HUAWEI nova Series will certainly have a favourite for you to select from. Here’s some of the top picks from the HUAWEI nova Series.

The HUAWEI nova 9 inherits the nova Series’ unique aesthetic and sophisticated design, bringing powerful performance and features that assist users to capture and create exceptional content.

Or you can get the HUAWEI nova 9SE, which is any creatives dream, allowing more possibilities for vlogging. It features a 108 MP high-res camera and a 66 W HUAWEI SuperCharge, ensuring you take quality photos for as long as you need. With the front and rear dual view video, you can shoot videos that bring memorable interactions to life, by recording from both the rear and front cameras, to capture your reaction to the scene unfolding before your eyes.

Explore the camera quality of the HUAWEI nova 10 Series

The HUAWEI nova 10 Series was designed to complement the fashionable lifestyles and trending aesthetics of the youth.

You can take breathtaking portraits with the HUAWEI nova 10 or HUAWEI nova 10 Pro. Thanks to the upgraded HUAWEI Multi-Vison Photography and 60MP Front Ultra-Wide Camera you can live life to the fullest and capture more of what the human eye can see.

Or use the HUAWEI nova 10SE’s Front/Rear Dual-View Video, to capture the festivities around you and yourself simultaneously. The feature gives you the best of both worlds, enabling you to split the screen of your smartphone and document what’s in front of you, while recording your response and expressions in front of the screen.

Whether you need cutting-edge technology and AI features, multi-device capabilities, fast charging, an exceptional camera or a stylish design, you can get this and more, by choosing the HUAWEI nova Series.

Partnership Between Spot and RCS Increases Shopping Choices for Cardholders

By
Partner Content
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Spot

Your shopping experience has become more versatile just in time for Christmas

Spot has partnered with RCS, the top consumer finance and financial institution in South Africa, to provide RCS cardholders with the ability to shop anywhere that accepts Mastercard by adding money to their Spot account. This means that RCS customers can now shop using their RCS credit not just at RCS retail stores, but at any store that accepts Mastercard.

Adding money to your Spot account with your RCS card is quick, easy, and best of all, it’s free and instant!  Now you can get your shopping done anywhere with your Spot card, both in-store and online. 

All you have to do is:

1.    Sign into your Spot app.

2.    Tap the Add Money button.

3.    Select RCS Card

4.    Enter the amount you’d like to transfer and click Next.

5.    Enter your RCS card details & follow the prompts. 

Once the transaction is complete, the funds will be credited to your Spot account instantly and you can start using your Spot card to shop anywhere. Make your last-minute Christmas shopping more enjoyable and convenient with Spot and RCS – add money to your Spot account for free and start shopping today.

Time to capture your memories

By
Partner Content
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Globally, almost 93% of internet users are watching videos online. In fact, this has become one of the most popular ways to educate, entertain, and keep informed of everything going on in the world around us and with family and friends. We can think of no better way to share our festive season ventures than through short video clips posted on social media.

But let’s face it, there are so many programs available that it can be difficult to know where to begin when making a video blog, or vlogging as it is also known. Of course, why not use TikTok, which is by far the most well-liked among the younger generation.

Experience next-level fun with TikTok

At the end of last year, TikTok topped 656 million downloads worldwide. In South Africa alone, TikTok has over 6.4 million users aged mainly between 15 and 34. Of those, six million people use the app every single day. No wonder that many consider TikTok to be the platform of choice to create and post short vlogs. There’s even those who feel that TikTok could well grow past YouTube in the online video creation stakes in the not-too-distant future.

What makes it such a popular platform and why is it a wonderful way for you to upload your crazy December holiday content on? Well, the answer lies in its user-friendliness.

Launched in 2016, it began by featuring videos ranging in length from 15 second to 10 minutes containing content such as pranks, stunts, tricks, jokes, and dances. From creating split screen duet videos with your bestie from the other side of the world, to adding effects like filters, background music, and stickers, you can supercharge your vlog at the swipe of a finger.

Become a pro video creator with the InShot- Video Editor & Maker

Video creation has become simpler and fun, with the InShot- Video Editor & Maker. The app helps you capture all of life’s moment easily and edit them to share on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, IGTV, Facebook, Messenger, Musical.ly, Tik Tok, Twitter and more.

You can use features such as the video trimmer and video splitter to cut videos to the length you need, split it into two or more clips and still maintain your footage in great HD quality. The video merger that enables you to combine multiple video clips into one video. And, you can add filters and effects that can turn your moment into a movie styled video.

 

If you have captured your video and ready to share on social media but not sure about the suitable ratios you need for each platform, don’t worry. InShot has made it easy for you to fit your video in any aspect ratio for Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and more.

Capture your day in a vintage style video with the 90s – Glitch VHS & Vaporwave Video Effects Editor

We all love a vintage effect video that looks like an old film, don’t we? If you are an old soul, then you’ll love the 90s – Glitch VHS & Vaporwave Video Effects Editor, which takes you back to the 90’s with retro VHS effects. The cool app records aesthetic videos with numerous powerful real-time glitch and vaporwave retro video filters, ranging from RGB glitches, VHS, trippy, sketch, grainy, pixelated filters, retro 3d vaporwave video effects, to vaporwave effects.

You can also layer with impressive, animated texts, stickers frames, music and more.

These three video apps make it easy for you to create content that is worthy to watch. Best of all, the platforms are completely free to use, so you can take your family and friends with you, albeit virtually, wherever you’re headed these holidays.

Perhaps it’s that perfect coastal escape, or a few days in the bushveld. Or perhaps, you’ve got something more extreme planned like bungee jumping or white-water rafting. Whatever’s on your activity list this December, take TikTok, InShot-Video Editor & Maker or 90s – Glitch VHS & Vaporwave Video Effects Editor with you, and create video memories to last a lifetime.

 

The ultimate guide to gift

By
LnT Desk
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HUAWEI-P50-Pocket-Premium-Edition

Buying a present for a tech enthusiast this Christmas? Whether you’re gifting or a relative, the right tech product could be a real game changer for the average user, and a dream come true for gadget lovers – which is why careful consideration is needed.

Read on to learn about stylish designs of laptops, smartphones and wearables that could be the perfect fit for your gifting needs.

The HUAWEI MateBook Series with 12th Gen Core

Possibilities are endless when you have a laptop that works smarter, not harder. College is the time that many start seeing the value of a great laptop, as it enables students to focus on what matters most – being productive and getting good grades. For those whose time in college turned them into bonafide techies, they can be rest assured that the HUAWEI MateBook Series lives up to every task.

Both young professionals and digital nomads, will love that HUAWEI MateBook Series comes with various stylish designs, Premium Editions and lightweight bodies, which makes a worthy companion for trendy users who are always on the move.

The HUAWEI P50 Series for all content creations needs

Recent trends dictate that the best online content is those that look most natural and true-to-life. To truly be the best at their craft, the content creator needs a high-definition smartphone camera to portray their lifestyle in the most authentic way. With the HUAWEI P50 Series, content creators will be able to fulfil all those expectations with one device.

The HUAWEI P50 Series returns to the philosophies that sit at the heart of high-end photography, with a True to Life camera ethos, revolutionary HUAWEI XD Optics and revamped camera experience. If your loved one gets excited at exceptional camera qualities – then this smartphone range is perfect to capture the beauty of life through photography.

High-performance smartwatches and a fitness band to improve your loved one’s lifestyle

Wearables are on the 2022 trends and are known for their exceptional designs, and innovative capabilities to capture health and fitness. From monitoring exercise, sleep patterns, heart rate, stress-level tracking and SpO2 monitoring. The HUAWEI Wearables range can provide an improved overview of your health, while you are rested and on the move. The improved interface and wireless changing make the range even easier to fall in love with.

The HUAWEI nova Series is a winner amongst the youth

The   HUAWEI nova Series sets the scene for youth who love innovation, style and technology, at their fingertips. With advanced AI features, sophisticated style, and mind-blowing camera features, the nova Series sets itself apart from other smartphones in the market. Each model is built on high standards.  With ultra-slim bodies, starry designs and two vibrant colours, the HUAWEI nova Series promises to be another trendsetter amongst the vibrant youth.

Treat your friend or family to an upgrade they deserve. Whether it’s a PC, smartphone, or wearables device, you can head to the official HUAWEI online store, for more detailed specifications and specials for the 2022 Christmas season.

What is the FIFA World Cup Trophy Made Of?

By
Athul Alexander
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Graphics/Design: Athul Alexander

Soccer is one of the world’s most popular sports with approximately 3.5 billion fans globally.

It was in Uruguay, in 1930, that the very first FIFA World Cup was held. It has occurred once every four years since then (except in 1942 and 1946 due to World War II).

This year, 92 years after its start, the 22nd FIFA World Cup tournament is scheduled to take place in Qatar. The highly anticipated event involves 32 national teams that will compete to win one of the most prestigious titles and a historic trophy.

So, what is the coveted FIFA World Cup trophy made up of?

The History and Composition of FIFA World Cup Trophies

Since its debut in the first FIFA World Cup tournament, in 1930, there have been two iterations of the World Cup trophy. Both trophies were made with a combination of metals and rare stones.

Until 1970, the Jules Rimet Trophy, designed by the French sculptor Abel Lafleur, glorified the winning team. A redesigned version of the trophy by Silvio Gazzaniga replaced the original in the 1974 FIFA World Cup tournament.

The Jules Rimet Trophy

Commonly called the Coupe du Monde (French for World Cup), the Jules Rimet trophy was officially renamed in 1946, honoring the then FIFA president Jules Rimet on his 25th Anniversary in office.

The trophy had a height of 35cm and weighed 3.8kg. It was made of gold-plated sterling silver and featured Nike, the Greek Goddess of Victory, holding an octagonal cup. The base of the trophy was made from a semi-precious stone called lapis lazuli. Golden plates were attached to each side of the base and they held the names of the winning teams from 1930 to 1970.

Since the beginning, it was agreed that the first team to win the World Cup three times would get to permanently keep the trophy. In 1970, Brazil marked its third victory by beating Italy in the finals and took the Jules Rimet trophy home.

However, in 1983, the trophy that even survived World War 2 was stolen from the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) headquarters in Rio de Janeiro and was never found. The only original piece of the Jules Rimet trophy in existence is the base that was replaced in 1954 to accommodate more winning-team names.

The FIFA World Cup Trophy

After handing over Abel Lafleur’s original trophy to Brazil in 1970, FIFA held a design competition in search of a new World Cup trophy. The association received 53 submissions from seven countries and Silvio Gazzaniga’s design of two human figures holding the Earth in their hands won the competition.

This new trophy is 36.5cm tall and weighs 6.17kg. It is made from 5kg of 18-karat gold and two layers of malachite. The base of the trophy is 13cm in diameter and the names of all winning teams since 1974 along with the years are engraved on it. This current iteration of the World Cup trophy can accommodate the names of 17 winning countries and years.

Unlike the Jules Rimet trophy, the current iteration of the trophy will not be handed over to a team definitively. It permanently belongs to the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and is secured at its Zurich headquarters.

However, a gold-plated bronze replica of the cup referred to as the World Cup Winners’ Trophy is given to every winning team.

By

Graphics/Design:Athul Alexander

Source:https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/what-is-the-fifa-world-cup-trophy-made-of/

Zoho launches new tools for Zoho Desk to deliver higher-value customer experiences

By
Partner Content
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Andrew Bourne

Zoho Corporation, a leading global technology company, today launched new tools for Zoho Desk, the anchor application in the company’s customer service platform, to help customer service teams evolve with the changing needs of customers and meet heightened business expectations. Zoho Desk, which has achieved 40% year-over-year revenue growth for the past five years in South Africa and 45% globally, now serves more than 100K businesses around the world. The platform has also witnessed a phenomenal adoption across the MEA region, achieving 580% CAGR over the past five years.

 

New capabilities in Zoho Desk include Blended Conversations—a seamless combination of human-driven and bot-powered conversational service experiences—as well as several refinements to the user interface to make it simpler, faster, and more accessible to users with a wide spectrum of different needs. These additions enable customer service agents to improve engagement and deliver higher-value customer experiences (CX). Zoho Desk also includes integration with Goldtel PBX, enabling South African businesses to call their customers directly from the product interface, get contextual information about the customer they are calling, and gather analytics.

 

“”During these challenging economic times, the best companies are doubling down on customer retention while simultaneously trying to do more with less,” said Andrew Bourne, Regional Manager, Zoho Africa. “Great service experiences address this by forming the bedrock of sustainability through economic downturns. Blended Conversations in Zoho Desk addresses exactly this outcome by cleverly combining human and bot agents while also reducing friction, frustration, and costs-to-serve.”

 

To help small and micro businesses transform their customer service operations by empowering them with an easy, and value-rich helpdesk solution at an affordable price point, Zoho Desk has launched an Express Edition.

 

Blended Conversations for Zoho Desk allows customer service agents to deliver the best experience in the moment by delegating the majority of manual and transactional tasks to bots, while remaining in control of the overall service experience. With fast and easy deployment that does not require external help, Zoho Desk allows brands to scale their conversational service experiences through higher agent productivity without compromising on the quality of CX.

 

This experience is a culmination of Zoho’s Instant Messaging (IM) Framework and Guided Conversations, a low-code builder for self-service experiences. The IM Framework allows organizations to integrate any messaging service they use with Zoho Desk, and comes pre-integrated with services like WhatsApp, Telegram, Line, WeChat, Messenger, and Instagram. Guided Conversations for Zoho Desk allows business users to build powerful self-service flows that are useful throughout the customer journey, and help customers quickly and securely manage their relationship with the organization. It offers service teams tighter collaboration and integration with other Zoho marketing apps at no extra cost, including Zoho’s CX Platform and Zoho CRM Plus, for example.

 

Zoho also announced a technological overhaul of the user interface to include options to support: cognitive and dyslexia challenges; visual impairments including astigmatism; animation reduction for those with seizure disorders; customization capabilities for colour-blindness. This is the company’s biggest step towards improving digital accessibility to date.

 

Zoho continues to build a system of experiences that focuses on every aspect of the customer journey, giving every stakeholder greater ability to add value to CX, from planning and creating diverse customer experiences to delivering and evolving them for the future. Zoho’s CX offerings help organisations of all sizes enable employee productivity, improve stakeholder collaboration, and increase customer success. Specifically, Zoho Desk’s integrated omnichannel approach supports entire service teams to connect with customers and with one another. On the business side, it enables high-quality consistency and reliability. Customers, in turn, have better overall end-to-end experiences with the brand, which ultimately drives loyalty and trust.

 

Disclaimer: All trademarks, product names, and company names cited herein are the property of their respective owners.

 

Pricing

Zoho Desk starts at ZAR 180 user/month (billed annually) for the Standard Edition and goes up to ZAR 525 user/month (billed annually) for the Enterprise Edition. A new pricing tier called the Express Edition priced at ZAR 105 user/month (billed annually) is also available, to help startups and small businesses leapfrog into a customer service platform instead of using spreadsheets and email clients to serve customers. 

 

Zoho Privacy Pledge

Zoho respects user privacy and does not have an ad-revenue model in any part of its business, including its free products. The company owns and operates its data centers, ensuring complete oversight of customer data, privacy, and security. More than 80 million users around the world, across hundreds of thousands of companies, rely on Zoho everyday to run their businesses, including Zoho itself. For more information, please visit: https://www.zoho.com/privacy-commitment.html

 

About Zoho

With 55+ apps in nearly every major business category, Zoho Corporation is one of the world’s most prolific technology companies. Headquartered in Chennai, India, Zoho is privately held and profitable with more than 12,000 employees. For more information, please visit: www.zoho.com/

Business Travel: What to expect in 2023

By
Bonnie Smith, GM FCM Travel SA
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As travel demand surges and prices rise, certain key trends are beginning to emerge. This according to Bonnie Smith, GM FCM Travel South Africa, who draws on Q3-2022 data to explain the current state of play – and how 2023 will be all about balancing the needs of people, profit and planet.

“While FCM’s global Q3 data showed the highest peak in travel for many years, we know that rising travel costs are having a significant impact. Budgets are under pressure and companies, from SMEs to large multinationals, will be taking a closer look at both their travel requirements and projected costs for airfares and accommodation in 2023.”

In many ways, says Smith, travel will remain exciting and dynamic, and travel managers, bookers and travellers can expect the following as businesses welcome a new year and new opportunities.

  1. Finding new ways to manage costs

Corporate procurement teams will lean on their TMC’s expertise and negotiating skills to help manage costs. This includes buying in advance; reviewing routes and contracts; avoiding peak times; and mixing things up by trying new travel suppliers and accommodation options.

  1. A return to advance booking

Smith hopes that 2023 will see an end to last-minute bookings.

“Advance booking days globally averaged 25 days in Q3-2022, and long-haul international advance booking days jumped to 40 days – 10 days up from 2019. This is good news, not only because it shows that traveller confidence is returning, but because last-minute bookings are very, very expensive.”

  1. An increase in airline seat capacity

Smith says Q3-2022 hit a new peak for seat capacity in 2022, with global seat volume sitting at just 13% less than it was in 2019. “South Africa is also looking forward to increased capacity – and with more airlines servicing local and regional demand, we hope to see prices begin to stabilise too,” says Smith.

  1. More meetings and events

Demand for in-person meetings and events surged in Q3, and Smith believes the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector is only going to go from strength to strength.

“Business travel is so important in terms of knowledge sharing, strengthening company culture, and increased employee engagement,” says Smith. “Just book your team get-togethers early, because availability of hotels still remains tight.”

On that note, Smith says hotel occupancy has increased steadily over the year, and so have rates.

“Although still below 2019 rates, we’re expecting 2023 rates, on average, to climb a further 7% across all markets. This means it’s time to contract new fixed rates, using the RFP process to consolidate, ‘change up’ your hotels and see what new offers and value-adds suit your needs.”

  1. New priorities – and new tech

In a recent global survey, FCM Travel asked their customers, “Of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are implemented into your travel program?”:

  • 42% of respondents stated #13 – Climate Action;
  • 35% stated #3 – Good Health & Wellbeing; and
  • 32% stated #12 – Responsible Consumption & Production

Smith says that although travel programmes in South Africa are still cost-driven, FCM customers are becoming more serious about both sustainability and the health and wellbeing of their travellers.

“Interestingly, travel tech is going to play a big role in helping organisations achieve their environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals; diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) goals; as well as employee wellbeing goals,” says Smith. “This includes carbon calculators, offsetting flights, selecting ‘green’ suppliers and being more conscious of their travel behaviour.

“Travellers are already relying on online booking tools (OBTs) that offer a wide range of choice and fares, as well as mobile comms and travel alerts when they’re on the road. Now they’re also looking for tools to help them make the best decisions in terms of responsible, sustainable travel – and report on their progress.”

 

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