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The modern digitally-driven business landscape relies heavily on various types of data. The sheer volume of data being generated, collected, and stored across the digital environment globally is nothing short of mind-boggling. From personal information to sensitive corporate data, robust data privacy measures have become paramount, especially with the ever-increasing risk of potential data breaches. 

According to PWC, 92% of customers believe that a proactive approach to data privacy and management can mitigate data breaches and significantly reduce the misuse of their personal information. So, it’s not too strange that, when data breaches happen, over 6 out of 10 Americans blame the company instead of the cyber attackers. 

This is why 97% of companies plan to invest more in bolstering their data privacy plans and reap the benefits that come with it, including competitive advantage, consumer trust, or investor appeal. 

Archiving, the practice of systematically storing and managing data for long-term preservation, is crucial in ensuring data privacy. Let’s delve deeper into the significance of data archiving and explore the reasons why organizations and individuals should prioritize this practice.

Compliance with Regulatory Standards

Data privacy regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), have stringent requirements for the handling, storing, and retaining of personal information. 

Archiving enables organizations to meet these regulatory standards by securely storing and managing data for the required periods. Organizations that successfully implement proper retention policies, data classification, and privacy controls can ensure their data is handled according to legal requirements. Compliance avoids legal repercussions and helps build trust with customers, clients, and partners who value their privacy.

Protecting Sensitive Information

In today’s highly interconnected business environment, data breaches and cyberattacks pose a significant threat to sensitive information. Archiving safeguards this invaluable data by ensuring it is stored securely and that it remains inaccessible to unauthorized individuals. 

By implementing strong access controls, encryption, and data masking techniques, archiving reduces the risk of data breaches and unauthorized disclosures. Additionally, archiving solutions often offer advanced security features such as user authentication, audit trails, and tamper-evident logs, further enhancing data privacy.

Mitigating Data Loss

Data loss can have severe consequences, ranging from operational disruptions to reputational damage. Data archiving serves as a reliable backup strategy, protecting against accidental deletions, system failures, or natural disasters. 

When a business preserves multiple versions of data and maintains off-site backups through solid archiving methods, it can restore lost information and maintain business continuity. This enhances data privacy and ensures data availability when needed, minimizing the impact of potential data loss incidents.

Long-term Data Retention

Specific industries, such as healthcare, finance, and legal, have regulatory requirements for retaining data for extended periods. Archiving enables organizations to fulfill these obligations by securely preserving historical records while maintaining data privacy. 

By leveraging efficient storage and indexing techniques, archiving solutions ensure that data can be easily retrieved when required. Long-term data retention also supports data analytics, research, and trend analysis, providing valuable insights while still adhering to privacy protocols.

E-Discovery and Legal Preparedness

In the event of litigation or investigations, organizations must be prepared to produce relevant information promptly. Archiving facilitates e-discovery, the process of identifying, preserving, and retrieving electronic data as evidence. 

With a well-organized and searchable archive, organizations can efficiently respond to legal requests while maintaining data privacy and confidentiality. Archiving solutions often offer robust search capabilities, metadata tagging, and legal hold functionalities, enabling organizations to navigate the complex legal landscape effectively.

Streamlining Data Lifecycle Management

Effective data privacy requires a comprehensive data lifecycle management strategy. Archiving plays a vital role in this strategy by allowing organizations to identify and classify data, determine retention periods, and implement appropriate privacy controls. When you streamline the data lifecycle, proper information archiving helps reduce the risk of data privacy violations and ensures data is handled in a compliant and secure manner. 

Archiving solutions offer features such as automated data classification, retention policies, and disposition workflows, enabling organizations to enforce consistent and auditable data privacy practices throughout the data’s lifecycle.

Data Sovereignty and Residency

Archiving solutions often provide options for data sovereignty and residency, allowing organizations to store their data in specific geographic locations. This feature is critical for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions with differing data privacy regulations. A business that ensures its data remains within the legal boundaries of a particular region is capable of maintaining compliance and adhering to privacy requirements specific to each jurisdiction.

Preservation of Intellectual Property

For many organizations, intellectual property is a valued asset. When using archiving to safely keep and guard trade secrets, patents, copyrights, and other private information, it plays an important role in maintaining intellectual property. This is how businesses gain a competitive edge and avoid unwanted access or infringement, as they use data archiving best practices to secure the integrity and confidentiality of this valuable information.

Enhancing Data Governance and Auditing

Archiving supports robust data governance practices by providing organizations with a centralized repository for data management and control. It allows for auditing capabilities, tracking changes, and monitoring access to archived data. By maintaining a comprehensive record of data activities, archiving assists in demonstrating compliance, identifying potential privacy breaches, and supporting internal or external audits.

Facilitating Data Transparency and Accountability

Adequate data archiving promotes data transparency and accountability, which is essential for maintaining trust between organizations and their stakeholders. When organizations incorporate proper archiving practices, they can rest assured their data is accurately preserved, retrievable, and auditable. 

People may now see more clearly how their data is being managed, enabling them to exercise their right to privacy and decide whether to share it. Additionally, archiving promotes accountability by providing a reliable record of data access, changes, and disclosures. This can help organizations demonstrate compliance, address privacy inquiries, and build credibility with their customers and partners.

Conclusion

Data privacy has grown to be a significant concern for both individuals and corporations as the digital world develops. Information archiving acts as a fundamental pillar in ensuring data privacy as it helps with adhering to legal requirements, protecting sensitive data, minimizing data loss, enabling long-term data retention, assisting with legal readiness, streamlining data lifecycle management, and addressing additional needs like data sovereignty, intellectual property preservation, and data governance. 

Businesses that embrace archiving as a best practice can fortify their data privacy efforts, build trust across their customer base, and navigate the complex terrain of the digital age with the utmost boost in confidence.

Featured image by Dan Nelson on Unsplash

The post The Importance of Archiving for Data Privacy: Safeguarding Information in the Digital Age appeared first on noupe.

Why is it so important to take into account older adults? One person in eight on the planet is over 60, and they are more online than ever. Approximately one billion people aged 60+ are alive today. Most of them are healthy and active and have discretionary income. Moreover, it is growing faster than any other age group and is projected to be 20% of the world’s population (~2 billion people) by 2050. They are also the fastest-growing category of e-commerce shoppers.

Older people today are adopting technology more than ever before. From the use of the Internet, smartphones, tablets, and wearables to smart TVs and speakers, a growing number of older people are users. Ownership of smartphones, for example, increased from 70% to 77% among the 50+ population in the United States between 2017 and 2021. Moreover, during the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a significant rise in older adults’ motivation to use digital technology.

However, many older people still lack sufficient Internet connectivity or technological skill to use devices and consume digital services. It is estimated that two in five feel technology is not designed for them (pdf).

Opportunity To Integrate Older people Into The Digital World

More and more aspects of life are conducted on digital platforms: interpersonal communication, banking, healthcare, personal consumption, and exercising one’s rights are just some of them. Therefore, digital platforms that are challenging to use for older people have a negative impact on their quality of life. It prevents them from accessing essential services and integrating equally into society.

According to the inclusive design approach, one should take into account the needs of as many users as possible without stigmatizing or excluding a specific group by designing niche products.

If you adopt this principle, you can design a digital platform that serves a wide range of people, not just those aged 65+. Usually, a service that meets the needs of people aged 65+ will serve other audiences as well.

Adopting Age-appropriate Navigation And Orientation Practices

Advancing age can also bring with it a decrease in the rate of information processing, whether in understanding, thinking, or remembering. Plus, the ability to ignore distractions, focus on one stimulus, and perform several complex actions simultaneously also decreases.

Additionally, due to their age, some suffer from a decrease in executive functions that enable planning, executing, and delaying reactions. Therefore, there is a higher chance they will perform random actions such as clicking on unintended places, closing pages, or making errors when using apps. Some may have difficulty understanding that icons carry the same meaning across different apps or in dealing with situations that do not correspond with their expectations of the digital world. Despite such difficulties, it is essential to stress that the ability to learn from feedback — for example, via affirmations — does not diminish with age.

What Should We Do If We Want To Increase Their Engagement?

Here are a few guidelines to help you design a more inclusive product. Those guidelines can increase the usage of younger users but are highly crucial for older users:

Minimize The Number Of Required Actions And Create Shortcuts

Some people over 65 find it challenging to cope with information overload and multiple options.

Proper information architecture and hierarchy will indicate what is important to the user and require less effort. We should ensure that the required actions appear immediately and easily so that the user does not have to search for them. Some important ones to mention are white space, content placement, space, language, number of actions, and others. Below are these and some others listed with explanations:

• White space
  Reducing the number of elements on a screen, increasing the spacing between them, and retaining whitespace will make the screen feel less crowded and, therefore, clearer and more inviting. The added value is in the feeling of simplicity it creates. This improves the user’s sense of competence and ability to focus. Clear typography following one of the established typographic scales is relevant for websites, apps, and complex data systems.

• Dialog box
  A limited number of options prevents cognitive overload. Therefore, conduct a careful mapping of the digital platform, distilling out the most important actions and contents.
• Central placement
  The most important themes should be positioned at the center of the screen.
• Large & spacious
  The most important buttons should be enlarged and positioned prominently to allow immediate recognition.
• Clear language
  Topics should be clearly labeled, and the labels should be verified in usability testing. Complicated terms should be avoided since they might not be familiar to the target audience.
• Limited number of actions
  The number of steps (clicks and scrolls) necessary to achieve a goal should be minimized.
• Shortcuts and multiple/redundant paths
  Make it easy for users to reach their goals by providing multiple options, such as Quick Links, as seen in the example below.

What To Know About Navigation & Orientation?

Some people aged 65+ can experience a decline in memory recall. Some are also unfamiliar with the principles of the digital world. Therefore, to enhance their sense of control, the following principles should be adopted: rely on recognition, not memory; allow going back; design clear navigation keys; be consistent in design and operation; and provide indicators. Below we will discuss several principles to facilitate navigation.

• Recognition, not memory
  This principle means creating an interface where users do not have to use their memory to recall information. Instead, they will be asked to identify familiar and prominent components, such as quick access to previously visited pages or actions. The illustration below is an example of how Korea’s post office presents the main tasks on the main screen in a way that doesn’t require memory but recognition. Additional support is the use of color to help the users recognize how to navigate the site once they return to it.

• Indicators and feedback:
  • Emphasize the performed actions: Use breadcrumbs to indicate which links or buttons the user has clicked on and their location.
  • Create a conspicuous and permanent back icon that takes the user to a previous page/stage. This is in addition to the browser’s back and homepage icons.
  • Clear and prominent navigation buttons: Emphasize navigation buttons and add text to explain their function.
• Consistency
  Create an ongoing, consistent user experience using recurring items. Allow the users to learn the interface, generating a sense of success and building anticipation for the next stage. Pay attention to the location and design of fixed buttons that have the same function.
• Progress
  Create obvious hints, such as a progress bar, that help users to understand where they are in the process.
• Success & mistakes
  Highlight progress and successful actions. Additionally, indicate errors clearly and provide ways for easy recovery.
• Contact Us
  Choose a prominent location for the help options. Provide contact information using various channels, e.g., telephone number and email address.

Choosing components with an age-inclusive mindset can change our day-to-day decisions and allow us to create an easy-to-operate interface.

The following guidelines relate to changes in motor functions.

Creating An Interface That Is Easy To Operate

As age increases, it may be accompanied by difficulty in touching a specific spot accurately, regulating a click’s intensity, or performing quick actions, such as double-clicking. Therefore, the following principles should be ensured: space out the keys, avoid the need for a high degree of precision, avoid gestures requiring sensory regulation, and enable users to progress at their own pace.

• Large & spacious
  Design large and well-spaced elements.
• Individual pace:
  • When creating pop-up/toast messages, allow users to initiate closing or at least leave the messages visible for longer for slower readers.
  • Avoid menus that open on hover. Always use click-tap menus instead.
• Indication
  Provide clear scroll indicators (e.g., side arrows). Reduce the need for precision: Avoid small clicking areas, mouse hovering, and double-clicking.
• Ensure that the interface is responsive on all screens.
  For touch screens:
  • Click actions should not rely on touch intensity or precision.
  • Avoid, as much as possible, long strokes and drag gestures, and reduce scroll options. At the very least, provide clear indication and instruction, and offer alternatives, such as an arrow or button directing to specific places.
  • Avoid the need for very precise actions, such as in small clicking areas, and try to keep to the minimum size for comfortable tapping/clicking of at least 44×44 px.
  • Avoid actions requiring fine motor regulation such as spread, pinch, and rotate.

Let’s examine the homepage of three famous e-commerce websites in the eyes of an older user without going into details.

Aliexpress website, as seen in the image above, is a good example of an “unfriendly” website — it suffers from visual overload. Too many buttons and tags are emphasized, which makes it hard to focus older user attention. Moreover, given the visual overload, the side menu is easy to ignore, and many users will be required to use the search bar, which needs to be more dominant and rely on their recall of items, not recognition.

On the Amazon website (see the image below), the size of each category image may be distracting, requiring the user to scroll a lot and challenging his ability to navigate.

In contrast with these previous sites, eBay does better regarding visual overload; the dominance of the search bar and even the menu placement make it easier for older users to navigate.

Wrapping Up

Every designer would probably state that they want their website and app to be inclusive, easy to navigate, and user-friendly. Yet, as we have seen in our examples above, we need to create awareness to integrate details that would make it easier for older users to navigate the Internet. As we age, all of us will experience longer reaction times, changes in selective attention, attention-splitting, and changes in our motor functions. Therefore, designing for an older audience will achieve the goals of having an inclusive, easy-to-navigate, and user-friendly for our future selves as well.

To sum up, in order to create an easy operation and orientation of an interface, we should pay attention to the following:

• Large, spaced-out objects;
• Operation does not require fine gestures and precision;
• A minimum number of actions to achieve goals;
• The user should control the rate of progress;
• Reassuring notifications upon successful actions;
• Consistency of design and operation;
• Minimizing the number of choices the user must make;
• Highlighting the actions performed by the user.

The article is based on one of the chapters of the Log In guide. The guide was created within the framework of the National Initiative to Promote Digital Literacy Among Older Adults, which is a partnership between the Israel National Digital Agency and JDC-ESHEL.

Further Reading On SmashingMag

• “Creating Online Environments That Work Well For Older Users,” Barry Rueger
• “Keys To An Accessibility Mindset,” Daniel Yuschick
• “Useful Accessibility And Usability Examples To Help Improve Your Designs,” Thomas Bohm
• “Unconscious Biases That Get In The Way Of Inclusive Design,” Trina Moore Pervall

Retail management software helps businesses streamline operations and achieve efficient management of their retail activities. From inventory control to point-of-sale systems, this comprehensive software solution offers a range of features designed to enhance productivity and profitability. In this article, we will explore the benefits and functionalities of the retail management system and discuss how it can positively impact businesses of all sizes. 

Whether you’re a small boutique or a large chain, implementing the right retail management solution can revolutionize your operations and drive success in the competitive retail landscape. Consider the features and prices of these solutions and find the best fit for your business.

Key Features of Retail Management Software

Let’s explore the key aspects that top retail management software should encompass and how each feature contributes to enhancing efficiency and streamlining processes.

Point of Sale (POS) Systems

A reliable and efficient POS system is essential for seamless transactions and a smooth customer experience. The best retail management software includes advanced POS capabilities, such as barcode scanning, sales tracking, loyalty program, and integrated payment processing.

Inventory management

Managing inventory is one of the best factors that every retailer needs to focus on. By maintaining accurate inventory data, businesses can minimize stock outs, reduce excess inventory costs, and ensure optimal product availability. Now advanced inventory software will include features such as managing inventory level, syncing real-time inventory data, forecasting inventory demands, and creating purchase orders to send to suppliers.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Retail management software with CRM functionality allows businesses to track customer information, purchase history, and preferences. With a centralized CRM system, retailers can provide personalized experiences, targeted marketing campaigns, and effective customer support, ultimately fostering customer loyalty and retention.

Reporting and Analytics

Data-driven insights are essential for making informed business decisions. These insights help retailers identify trends, optimize pricing strategies, and identify areas for improvement, leading to data-backed decision-making and improved profitability.

Integration Capabilities

The best retail management software offers integration capabilities with e-commerce platforms, accounting software, and third-party applications. For example, Magestore retail management software can seamlessly integrate with Magento platform, ERP systems such as Netsuite, SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, and accounting systems such as QuickBooks, Xero, and Sage.

Top 5 Best Store Management Software

Magestore Retail Software PWA

Magestore is a leading retail management software provider known for its comprehensive and customizable solutions. With a focus on enhancing the efficiency of retail operations, Magestore retail software offers a range of features designed to optimize inventory management, streamline point-of-sale systems, and provide personalized customer experiences.

Key Features:

• Inventory Management: Real-time stock tracking, stock transfers, low stock notifications, automated replenishment, and advanced demand forecasting, ensuring optimal stock levels and minimizing stockouts.
• Point of Sale (POS): Integrated POS system, barcode scanning, multiple payment methods.
• Customer Management: Customer data, loyalty programs, personalized promotions, self-checkout system.
• Reporting and Analytics: Sales reports, real-time inventory reports, and performance analytics.
• Integration: Seamless integration with Magento eCommerce, accounting tools, and ERP systems.
• Multi-Store Management: Multi-store retail management software, centralized management of multiple store locations, including inventory and sales.
• Supplier management: Create and automate purchase orders based on the available stocks and demand forecast. 

Pricing: 

The price is flexible and depends on many factors such as the number of stores, complexity, and your support demand.

Lightspeed Retail

With a user-friendly interface and robust features, Lightspeed Retail offers comprehensive solutions to manage inventory, streamline point-of-sale transactions, and drive customer engagement.

Key Features:

• Inventory Management: Centralized inventory control, automated purchasing, and stock tracking.
• Point of Sale (POS): Customizable POS system, integrated payments, offline mode.
• Customer Management: Customer profiles, loyalty programs, targeted marketing campaigns.
• Reporting and Analytics: Sales reports, inventory analysis, employee performance tracking.
• Integration: Integrations with e-commerce platforms, accounting software, and more.

Pricing: 

Starting from $99/month. Lightspeed Retail offers different pricing plans based on business size and specific requirements. 

Square for Retail

Square for Retail is a comprehensive store management software solution offered by Square, a well-established and trusted brand in the payment processing industry. Designed specifically for retailers, Square for Retail provides user-friendly features and integrated payment capabilities to streamline operations and enhance customer experiences.

Key Features:

• Inventory Management: Automated stock tracking, purchase orders, and inventory alerts.
• Point of Sale (POS): Easy-to-use POS system, contactless payments, offline mode.
• Customer Management: Customer profiles, email marketing, customer feedback collection.
• Reporting and Analytics: Sales reports, inventory analytics, employee sales tracking.
• Integration: Integrates with Square’s ecosystem, including Square payments and other tools.

Pricing: 

Starting from $60/month. Square for Retail offers transparent and competitive pricing, with additional transaction fees based on payment processing. 

Epicor Retail Cloud

Epicor Retail is a comprehensive retail management software solution designed to meet the complex needs of retailers across various industries.

Key Features

• Point of Sale (POS) System: Epicor Retail offers a flexible and scalable POS system, enabling retailers to efficiently process transactions, accept various payment methods, and provide personalized customer service.
• Inventory Management: The software provides robust inventory management capabilities, including real-time inventory tracking, automated replenishment, and advanced demand forecasting, ensuring optimal stock levels and minimizing stockouts.
• Customer Engagement: Epicor Retail offers customer relationship management tools to help retailers build customer loyalty through personalized promotions, targeted marketing campaigns, and enhanced customer service.

Pricing: 

Epicor doesn’t publish their prices on the website, so you can contact them directly for more information

Retail Pro

Retail Pro is a widely recognized and comprehensive retail management software solution trusted by retailers worldwide. It provides a wide range of features and capabilities tailored to meet the specific needs of retail businesses.

Key Features:

• Point of Sale (POS) System: Customizable POS interface, barcode scanning, and support for multiple payment methods.
• Inventory Management: Real-time inventory tracking, automatic reordering, and stock transfer capabilities.
• Reporting and Analytics: Sales reporting, inventory analysis, employee performance tracking, and comprehensive analytics.
• Integration: Integrates with various third-party systems, including e-commerce platforms and accounting software.

Pricing: 

For detailed pricing information and tailored solutions, it is recommended to visit the official Retail Pro website or contact their sales team.

Which Types of Businesses Need Retail Management Systems?

Retail management software is suitable for a wide range of businesses operating in the retail industry. Here are some types of businesses that can benefit from using software for retail stores:

Brick-and-Mortar Retail Stores

Whether it’s a small boutique, a department store, or a chain of retail outlets, retail management software helps businesses efficiently manage inventory, streamline point-of-sale transactions, track sales, and analyze customer data.

Omni-Channel Retailers

Retailers with both online and physical store presence can benefit from a retail management solution that enables seamless integration between various sales channels. This helps maintain consistent inventory, pricing, and customer information across different platforms. Besides, to help increase customer satisfaction with omnichannel support, retailers can use an AI chatbot to interact with their customers on eCommerce platforms.

Specialty Retailers

Businesses specializing in specific product categories, such as electronics, fashion, or home goods, can use retail management software to effectively manage and track their unique inventory requirements, including product variants, sizes, and colors.

Wholesalers and Distributors

Retail management software can be utilized by wholesalers and distributors to manage inventory levels, handle sales orders, and track shipments to retail customers efficiently.

Franchise Operations

Franchise businesses operating multiple retail locations can benefit from retail management software to ensure consistency in inventory management, pricing, and reporting across all franchise units.

Conclusion

It’s important for businesses to assess their specific requirements, scale, and budget when considering this software for retail shops. Pricing plans may vary based on factors such as business size, additional features, and implementation scope. Consulting with the respective software providers and exploring detailed pricing information will help businesses make informed decisions.

Featured image by Clark Street Mercantile on Unsplash

The post Best Retail Management Software to Streamline Your Operations appeared first on noupe.

You may wonder to know that Microsoft Outlook has more than 400 million active users globally, making it the most used platform for email communication. Most businesses, even tech giants prefer it using Outlook Add-ins development to streamline their business communication and generate leads faster. 

In this blog, we will learn about Custom Outlook Addins, and their step-by-step process of development, setup, and installation. Let’s get started. 

What exactly is an Outlook add-in?

An Outlook Add-In is a small piece of software that works in conjunction with Microsoft Outlook. An Outlook Add-In is often used when a user is viewing or composing an email to provide a limited but useful set of functionalities.

Add-Ins may be created by developers for all of Microsoft’s major Office programs. A Word Add-In may allow you to insert specific content (for example, from a text or image library) into a document.

What functions does an Outlook Add-in have?

•   Outlook add-ins may help in searching the content of an open email for a certain Customer or Case number, allowing you to show them relevant information from your main system.
•   It allows users to effortlessly copy and paste emails into your CRM system. Alternatively, it may scan the body of an open email for a specific Customer or Case number, allowing you to show them relevant information from your main system.

Is Outlook Add-In Development Difficult?

Outlook Add-Ins are, indeed, the most advanced members of the Microsoft Office 365 Add-In family. They frequently demand lengthy platform capability determination, the usage of the Graph API (or, in some cases, the EWS API), the exchange of an Outlook token for a Graph API token, and so on.

How Do I Set Up Outlook Add-Ins?

•  Users install your Outlook Add-In (either individually or for their entire association). Some Add-Ins are available through App-source (Microsoft’s business software store), while others can be installed directly by your clients using Outlook or their Azure Active Directory tenant.
•  When you open an email after installing your Add-on, the icon(s) for your Add-In should appear on the ribbon (the position varies by platform). When the user clicks on your Add-In’s icon, your Add-In appears, typically in a window on the right-hand side of the email.
•  The Add-In works in the same way that an App does within Outlook. The operations of the Add-In generally read some information from the email and make it available to your primary programme.
•  Access to the email server from which the email was served may be required for more complex Add-Ins. For example, these Add-Ins require access to attachments or threads. To obtain critical information, Microsoft exposes APIs such as the Graph API to these Add-Ins.

 Prerequisites

1. Install create-react-app

npm install -g create-react-app

2. Install Yeoman

npm install -g yo

3. Install Office Add-in Project Creator

npm install -g yo generator-office

How to create an Outlook Add-in using React?

Create the add-in

An Office Add-in may be made using Visual Studio or the Yeoman Office Add-in generator. In contrast to Yeoman, which creates a Node.js project that can be maintained using Visual Studio Code or any other editor, Visual Studio creates a Visual Studio solution. To create and test your add-in locally, make the appropriate selection and then follow the on-screen instructions.

Create the add-in project

1. Go to the Visual Studio menu bar, and choose File  >  New  > Project.
2. In the list of project types under Visual C# or Visual Basic, expand Office/SharePoint, choose Add-ins, and then choose Outlook Web Add-in as the project type.
3. Name the project, and then choose OK.
4. After Visual Studio generates a solution, Solution Explorer shows the two projects in the solution. The Message-read.HTML file opens in Visual Studio.

<body class="ms-font">
    <div class=”content-main">
        <h1>prop</h1>
        <table class="ms-Table">
            <thead>
                <tr>
                    <th>Prop</th>
                    <th>Value</th>
                </tr>
            </thead>
            <tbody>
                <tr>
                    <td><strong>Id</strong></td>
                    <td class="val"><code><label id="id"></label></code></td>
                </tr>
                <tr>
                    <td><strong>class</strong></td>
                    <td class="val"><code><label id="class"></label></code></td>
                </tr>
                <tr>
                    <td><strong>Message</strong></td>
                    <td class="val"><code><label id="Msg_Id"></label></code></td>
                </tr>
                <tr>
                    <td><strong>From</strong></td>
                    <td class="val"><code><label id="from"></label></code></td>
                </tr>
            </tbody>
        </table>
    </div>
</body>
'use strict';


(function () {


    Office.on Ready(function () {
        $(document).ready(function () {
            loadItemProps(Office.context.mailbox.item);
        });
    });


    function loadItemProps(item) {
        $('#id').text(itemId);
        $('#class').text(class);
        $('#Msg_Id').text(Msg_Id);
        $('#from').html(from.displayName + " &lt;" + from.emailAddress + "&gt;");
    }
})();
HTML,
body {
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%; 
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
}


td. val {
    word-break: break-all;
}


.content-main {
    margin: 10px;
}

    });

Can I use the generator for Office Add-in development?

• Yes, you can. You can use pure HTML, Angular, React anything you like!

Is it good to use TypeScript for Office Add-in?

• Yes, VS Code has great support for TypeScript

How do I install an Outlook add-in?

1. Open Visual Studio, click the menu bar and select File > New > Project.
2. In the list of project types under Visual C# or Visual Basic, expand Office/SharePoint, choose Add-ins, and then choose Outlook Web Add-in as the project type.
3. Name the project, and then choose OK.
4. Here you will see two projects appear in Solution Explorer. The MessageRead .html file opens in Visual Studio.
5. Navigate to the Settings > Integrated apps > Add-ins page in the admin center.
6. Choose an option and then follow the steps.
7. Make your add-in selection if you chose to add an add-in from the Office Store.
8. You can sort the available add-ins into three categories: Suggested for you, Rating, and Name. The Office Store only provides free add-ins. Paid add-ins are not currently supported. Accept the terms and conditions after selecting an add-in to proceed.
9. To designate whom the add-in is deployed to, select Everyone, Specific users/groups, or Just me on the next screen. To find certain users or groups, utilize the Search box.

•    Choose Deploy.
•    When the add-in is activated, a green tick displays. To test the add-in, follow the instructions on the website.
•   When you’re finished, click Next. If you’ve only deployed to yourself, you can change who has access to the add-in to add more users.

Step-by-step process of Outlook Add-in development using React.js

Given below is the step-by-step process available for Outlook Add-in development using React.js. 

Step 1: Create a Development Environment

• To begin, ensure that Node.js and NPM (Node Package Manager) are installed on your machine. These tools are required for installing and managing dependencies. Make a new directory for your project and launch a terminal or command prompt from within it.

Step 2: Develop a new React.js application.

• To build a new React.js application, enter the following command in the terminal:

npx create-react-app outlook-addin

This command will generate a new directory named “Outlook-addin” that contains a basic React.js project structure.

Step 3: Install Outlook Add-in Requirements

• Enter the project directory by typing:

cd outlook-addin

Install the following dependencies for developing Outlook Add-ins with React.js:

npm install @microsoft/office-js-helpers office-ui-fabric-react

Step 4: Set up the Office.js Helper and the Office UI Fabric.

• Open your project’s src/index.js file and add the following import statements at the top:

import { initializeIcons } from '@uifabric/icons';

import { initialize } from '@microsoft/office-js-helpers';

• Then, before rendering the React app, execute the initialize Icons() and initialize() routines. This guarantees that the required Office.js Helper and Office UI Fabric configurations are correctly set up:

initializeIcons();
initialize();


ReactDOM.render(
  <React.StrictMode>
    <App />
  </React.StrictMode>,
  document.getElementById('root')
);

Step 5: Create an Outlook Add-in Component 

• Make a new file called OutlookAddin.js in the src directory. The core component for your Outlook Add-in will be contained in this file. Add the following code to the file:

import React from 'react';


function OutlookAddin() {
  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Welcome to Outlook Add-in Development!</h1>
      {/* Add your Outlook Add-in UI components here */}
    </div>
  );
}


export default OutlookAddin;

Step 6: Integrate the Add-in Component 

• Remove the old code from the src/App.js file and import the OutlookAddin component. Substitute the OutlookAddin component for the App component:

import React from 'react';
import OutlookAddin from './OutlookAddin';


function App() {
  return (
    <div>
      <OutlookAddin />
    </div>
  );
}


export default App;

Step 7: Create and test the add-in

• To build the React app, enter the following command in the terminal:

npm run build

• When the build process is finished, a build directory is generated in your project directory. Modify the SourceLocation value in the manifest.xml file in the public directory to point to the generated app:

<bt:Urls>
  <bt:Url id="messageReadTaskPaneUrl" DefaultValue="https://localhost:3000" />
</bt:Urls>

• To start a local server, save the file and then run the following command:

npm start

• This will open a new browser window with your Outlook Add-in.

Step 8: Install the Add-in in Outlook.

• You must side-load your Add-in to test it in Outlook. Navigate to the “File” tab in Outlook. Choose “Options” and then click!

Conclusion

Creating Outlook add-ins using React.js has a number of advantages, such as giving front-end web developers a comfortable environment to work in and enabling the development of dynamic, reusable UI components using the React component model. We looked at the step-by-step approach to creating an Outlook add-in with React.js.

In this blog, we explored the architecture of Outlook add-ins, the structure, and requirements of Outlook add-ins as well as how add-ins interact with Outlook.

Featured image by Kevin Ku on Pexels

The post A Step-By-Step Guide on Outlook Add-in Development appeared first on noupe.

Words — both good and bad — travel far.

So, what your customers experience and then talk about with their peers (online/offline), sets the tone for your sales graph.

Plus, customer feedback is important for businesses to better understand their needs, wants, and desires. This key information can then be used to improve the product or service you’re offering and make it more attractive to future customers.

For example:

You may have seen ads for a new car model with a statement like — The features that set this vehicle apart include: X, Y, and Z. This means that the manufacturer has taken customer feedback into account when designing the car. In fact, they want to know what features are most important to potential customers so they can make sure to include them in their product lineup.

Interestingly, customer satisfaction plays a much bigger role in influencing consumer behavior than price and other factors. That’s why most companies look for repeat business — they know that happy customers lend credibility to their brand and are less likely to defect to competitors.

In this article, we explore the key differences between reviews and testimonials (the two forms of customer feedback) and a few ways you can land more poppy words of customer appreciation.

Reviews vs. Testimonials — What’s The Difference?

Length And Detail

Reviews

Reviews are to-the-point assessments that allow customers to share their opinions and experiences regarding a product or service. They provide a quick summary of the customer’s viewpoint — enabling potential buyers to make informed purchase decisions. Plus, this conciseness allows quick scanning, efficient information gathering, and comparison of multiple products with ease.

[Source]

They often focus on specific aspects — like quality, durability, functionality, and customer support efficiency. For example, reviews are critical in eCommerce as they offer insights from previous customers, helping you weigh pros and cons. They can be in the form of star ratings accompanied by comments that highlight strengths or weaknesses.

Testimonials

On the other hand, testimonials are more detailed and personalized accounts of a customer’s experience. They delve deeper into the customer’s narrative — providing a comprehensive and in-depth perspective. 

[Source]

They often highlight specific challenges faced and the outcomes or benefits experienced from using a product or service. Service-based businesses utilize testimonials to showcase their expertise and build trust.

Plus, they include additional details like the customer’s name, photo, and sometimes their profession or location — making them more credible. Testimonials can be featured on websites, social media, marketing materials, or shared in video format to effectively communicate positive impact.

Source And Platform

Reviews

When customers want to share their experiences and opinions about products or services, they often turn to third-party review platforms — like Yelp, TripAdvisor, Amazon, Google Reviews. And dedicated review sections on ecommerce websites act as central hubs for customer feedback. If you run an eCommerce or subscription business on Shopify, there are plenty of third-party apps that can help you capture reviews from your customers. 

These third-party review platforms are the goto resources for potential buyers and users who are seeking information and insights before making a purchase. 

[Source]

Unlike testimonials, which are carefully selected and displayed by businesses, reviews on these platforms are typically un-curated. They provide a more authentic and balanced representation of the customer’s experience, as they include both positive and negative feedback.

Also, while testimonials are a direct testament to the brand and their offering, reviews can often relate to elements that are external. For example, if your business uses a billing system that is unreliable, or if your physical store is located in a mall that does not offer free parking, these criticisms can often show up against your own product or service. 

The transparency offered by these platforms allows future buyers to assess the reputation and quality of a product or service. They can gain access to a range of perspectives and consider the various positive and negative aspects highlighted by different customers.

Testimonials

Testimonials are feedback directly provided to a company by satisfied customers. They’re usually obtained through specific requests or surveys. And are displayed on the company’s own platforms — such as their website, social media profiles, or marketing materials — to establish trust and credibility with potential customers. A sales-driven organization may also showcase testimonials in their PowerPoint slides to prospective clients. 

[Source]

Unlike reviews, testimonials are carefully handpicked by the company, and usually undergo some level of editing to correctly reflect their strengths. Companies seek out testimonials to gather positive feedback that clearly demos the value they provide.

While testimonials may be edited for clarity or grammar, the core message conveyed by the customer remains intact. The editing process aims to present the testimonials in the best possible light without compromising the brand authenticity. Given that testimonials are pivotal in conversion optimization, marketers typically run a lot of A/B tests with respect to the specific words used, presentation, and associated call to action. 

Content And Tone

Reviews

Reviews provide a diverse range of feedback — from positive and negative to neutral perspectives. This offers a well-rounded view of a product, service, or experience. 

Customers share specific details about their experience in reviews, providing an in-depth assessment. They discuss the pros and cons, highlight liked or disliked features, and address any encountered issues. By including such specific information, reviews offer key purchase worthiness insights for other customers or users.

[Source]

The tone of reviews varies based on individual experiences and writing styles. They also reflect the level of customer engagement and satisfaction they experience. Some convey enthusiasm and satisfaction, praising the positive attributes, while others express frustration or disappointment, pointing out the lacks.

Reviews offer customers a free-speech platform to express their genuine opinions and feelings about a product. This emotional element adds depth and authenticity to the feedback which directly translates into true buying advice — which they may not get any other way (well, because company’s sales reps only shine a spotlight on the pros and almost never the cons).

Testimonials

Testimonials at their core exist for promotional purposes, focusing on highlighting the positive aspects of a product or service. They aim to showcase benefits, value, and success stories associated with the customer’s experience, creating a positive perception.

To do so, they emphasize transformation, improvement, or satisfaction, demo-ing how the customer’s situation or life improved due to the product or service in focus.

[Source]

Plus, testimonials highlight measurable success metrics, reinforcing the effectiveness and value of the endorsed product or service.

Testimonials have a highly positive tone — often expressing gratitude and admiration for the company’s offerings. This is precisely why the best and most compelling feedback are carefully curated and edited, to build trust and credibility.

How To Capture More Reviews And Testimonials For Your Business?

Before you start collecting more testimonials and reviews from your happy (or unfortunately, dissatisfied) customers, please make sure you’re respectful of their time and preferences. Make it clear that their feedback is valuable and appreciated. 

Let’s take a quick look at a few ways you can increase the likelihood of capturing more reviews and testimonials to promote your business and build trust with potential customers:

• Reach out to your happy and satisfied customers directly and request their feedback. You can send personalized emails or SMSes asking them to share their thoughts about their experience with your product or service.

• Implement survey tools (like Jotform) to capture customer feedback and reviews. This can be done through online surveys, email surveys, or even feedback forms on your website. Make sure to ask specific questions that encourage customers to quickly share their experiences and opinions.

• Offer incentives or rewards to customers who leave reviews or provide testimonials. This can be in the form of discounts, exclusive offers, or entry into a giveaway. Incentives can motivate customers to take the time to drop a review.

[Source]

• Reach out to the satisfied customers who have provided positive feedback and request their collaboration for creating video or textual testimonials. Offer assistance and guidance in the process — such as providing interview questions or helping with video recording/editing, if needed.

• Simplify the process of leaving reviews or testimonials. Provide clear instructions and direct links to review platforms or testimonial submission forms. The probability of your customers dropping a review is directly proportional to the ease of doing so.

• Get social with your customers on social media platforms. Encourage them to share their experiences publicly by mentioning or tagging your business in their posts. Monitor social media mentions and reviews to respond promptly and encourage further engagement.

• Focus on delivering exceptional customer service and a positive overall experience. Ultra-happy customers are more likely to voluntarily leave reviews or provide testimonials without being prompted. An omnichannel customer service that maximizes positive experiences make customers happy.

• After a purchase or interaction with your business, send follow-up emails or messages to customers. Thank them for their support and encourage them to share their feedback or leave a review. Timing is crucial, so consider sending these requests while the positive experience is still fresh in their minds.

Final Words

The game is all about happy customers. If you keep your customers satisfied, they’re likely to refer you, and it won’t really matter which format you use to land chest-puffing reviews or testimonials.

However, it is worth considering the differences here, because each form of feedback has a unique place in your overall business strategy. Review these formats side by side and see what makes sense for your business and for your customers.

Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay

The post Reviews vs. Testimonials [Differences + What’s Best for Your Business] appeared first on noupe.

Microsoft is making the bold decision to replace its iconic Calibri default font with Aptos, a sans serif typeface based on 20th-century Swiss typography. This change may come as no surprise to those familiar with Microsoft’s hunt for a new font style in recent years. But for anyone who has grown accustomed to Microsoft’s trademark typeface, the decision to switch to Aptos might be an unexpected shock.

Choosing a font for your project is one of the most important steps you’ll take in the process; it’s the point at which you finalize the tone of your content. And so, to give you a fresh voice for each new client each month, we write this roundup of the best new fonts we’ve found. Enjoy!

Amidst the battle for AI chatbot supremacy, the team behind Google’s Bard has released a new update detailing some monumental changes. Top of the list is Bard’s long-anticipated entry into Europe. With the AI language model now supporting 40 languages – including Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, Hindi and Spanish – Bard seems set to capture the market and rival ChatGPT during the remainder of 2023.

Every designer knows that a strong brand identity is essential for a company that wants to embed itself in the minds of its customers. And when it comes to impact, there’s nothing stronger than a typographic logo.

Society is growing to rely on Artificial Intelligence more and more. Over the years AI has become embedded in everyday life, such as our smartphones and devices that control smart technology in our homes. One of the major components of AI is its ability to continuously learn so that it is constantly getting better and becoming more efficient. There are so many capabilities and it’s hard to imagine the limits of this technology. One such capability is to help businesses better understand their customers.

With customer expectations higher than they have ever been, it is important for companies to adapt and continue to be aware of those expectations. One report shows that about 80% of customers would prefer not to do business with a brand after just one bad experience. This shows that the bar is extremely high for companies to get it right from the beginning. That’s where AI can help.

There are plenty of people who have already come to embrace the idea of AI-enhanced CX (AI/CX). It has been found that 70% of executives believe their industry is ready to adopt AI/CX and three out of four predict AI will have a vital role in the future of their organizations.

When used in a contact center, artificial Intelligence can also save a business time and money, which is always a plus. However, being able to tap into the knowledge behind what drives customer engagement is key to success. The great thing is that AI will do the work for you and you get all the benefits. So, this is what AI can do for you.

Improving Customer Service

Having a responsive and helpful customer service department is essential to any business that wants to be successful.  90% of consumers say “immediate” response time is very important when they have a question. Customers need to be able to have direct access to businesses to file complaints or resolve any issues they may have. So having different channels where people can express those things is necessary for companies to retain customers. Multiple kinds of AI-powered software have been developed to enhance the customer experience.

Chatbots are one way that artificial intelligence can improve customer service. They are very relevant in today’s world, as 67% of people expect to use messaging apps to talk to businesses. They can easily answer frequently asked questions or simpler questions that do not require intervention from a customer service representative. They’re also available 24/7 so people have access at all times, without the need for shift workers. 

Receiving feedback from customers is one of the best ways for companies to know how they are doing and what they need to improve. AI is a tool that can exceed what the standard survey provides. For example, AI can facilitate online focus groups in real-time and opens up a channel for communication, where you can have a conversation with people and participants don’t have to give one-sided responses. 

Predicting Behavior

Being able to predict customer behavior has a major impact on the way companies conduct their business. In predicting behavior, brands can offer a more personalized experience and drive sales. Artificial intelligence can capture and analyze customer data to a much higher extent than ever before.

Programs, like Google Analytics, Facebook Ad Insights, Adwords, and CRM data are designed to track customers across platforms and generate reports with information about people’s online habits. They will track things such as which websites people visit and specifically what products they are looking at. They can get very detailed to even include how long someone stays on a page and how often they return.

By knowing ahead of time how people shop and what products/services they are looking for, brands can plan accordingly. They are able to design their websites in a way that draws people’s attention to exactly what they want and makes them more user-friendly. They can also put their time and effort into funding the design of products that they know people want. 

Targeted Marketing

Marketing has drastically changed over the years. Traditional marketing no longer makes the cut and now people listen more to ‘influencers’ and spend so much of their time on social media, where they are seeing ads bombarding them in a whole new way.

It’s no coincidence when someone logs onto Instagram and sees ads for products they specifically like. That is because these ads are tailored for and targeted at each individual. AI is to thank for that. Algorithms are built into these platforms that run based on AI technologies and machine learning to make recommendations on content for users. It can almost be eerie in the ads that users see, especially if someone has just been searching for that very product being advertised.

Having AI keep up with customer data allows brands to know exactly how to customize their marketing tactics for each person. This keeps the customer drawn in and clicking that add to cart button. It also helps prevent churn and retains the best customers by detecting when they are starting to lose interest and can launch new campaigns to keep their attention.

Artificial intelligence is only going to continue improving and has so much potential in businesses. Brands are in a unique position, compared to those in the past, in the way they can use technology to tap directly into customer insights. By having a better understanding of customers’ expectations and habits, a company can completely transform itself to cater to its customers. The customer experience is everything. And AI is a powerful tool that can revolutionize the way customers interact with a brand. So, to get started with integrating AI to create a better customer experience, check out your options with LiveVox.

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