Sat.May 11, 2019 - Fri.May 17, 2019

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Toast Launches Payroll Software For Restaurants

PYMNTS

Restaurant management platform Toast has launched Toast Payroll & Team Management, a payroll and HR solution designed for the restaurant industry, the company said in a release. The new service makes payroll easier by automating it, and it also streamlines onboarding and reduces compliance risk. If combined with Toast Point of Sale, the new product integration will let owners instantly onboard and manage employees, keep track of hours throughout all locations, and make sure everyone is paid

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2018-19 KSM Annual Review: Looking Back, Looking Ahead

Katz,Sapper&Miller

KSM has come a long way from our days as a small, dedicated CPA firm. Over the years, we have grown to become one of the nation’s leading names in our industry—and we are proud of both where we have been and where we are headed. Check out KSM's 2018-19 Annual Review to learn about the history of our firm, what we are thinking, and where we are headed.

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Online Retailers Face New Threats From Hackers

PYMNTS

Death, taxes and data breaches – those are perhaps the only sure things in life, and new evidence is emerging that hackers are finding increasing profit in targeting online retailers. The news comes amid yet another online retail cyberattack, this one targeting Japan’s Fast Retailing, the company that owns the Uniqlo retail chain. A recent report from KrebsonSecurity said that “until quite recently, credit card data stolen from online merchants has been worth far less in the cybercrime undergrou

Retail 87
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As P2P Payments Spreads Its Wings, Challenges Loom

PYMNTS

The spotlight burned brighter for peer-to-peer (P2P) payment services in the first quarter of 2019, with those payment methods finding popularity among more consumers. However, P2P’s future growth will depend on solving problems related to data privacy and other issues — at least, according to some observers. Perhaps the biggest story in P2P, though, is the ongoing battle between P2P providers Zelle (operated by Early Warning Services ) and Venmo (owned by PayPal ).

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Forecasting Failures Are Costly: Here's How To Fix Them

Speaker: Dave Sackett

Traditional budgeting and forecasting methods can no longer keep pace with today’s rapidly evolving business environment. Static budgets, rigid annual forecasts, and outdated financial models limit an organization’s ability to adapt to market shifts and economic uncertainty. To stay ahead, finance leaders must leverage a future-forward approach—one that leverages real-time data, predictive analytics, and continuous planning to drive smarter financial decisions.

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Taco Bell To Open ‘The Bell’ Hotel

PYMNTS

To provide consumers with an immersive way to experience its brand, Taco Bell is launching The Bell: A Taco Bell Hotel and Resort in Palm Springs, California for a limited time this summer. The property’s amenities, from poolside cocktails to guest rooms to breakfast choices, will boast a “Taco Bell twist,” the quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain said in an announcement , which described the concept as a “tacoasis.” Taco Bell ‘s Chief Global Brand Officer Marisa Thalberg said

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IBM Launches Supply Chain Anomaly Detection Tool

PYMNTS

IBM announced the launch of a new supply chain management solution deploying artificial intelligence (AI) to detect anomalies in the supply chain. In a press release issued Tuesday (May 14), IBM announced its Business Transactional Intelligence tool is now available to mitigate the risk of supply chain disruptions. As part of IBM’s Supply Chain Business Network, the BTI tool facilitates access to data of supply chain processes, including procure-to-pay and order-to-cash interactions.

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What 98 Pct Of Consumers Miss About Protecting Their Cards From Fraud

PYMNTS

From finding a nearby restaurant to finding a date, smartphone location controls are used by consumers for many cases. These mobile controls, however, also offer consumers a powerful tool for dealing with arguably higher stakes: the risk of credit card fraud. Location controls can be used to prevent merchants from charging consumers’ credit cards if their smartphones aren’t close by, and restrict purchases to a particular geographic area or country.

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Digital Marketplaces’ Growing Role In The Gig Economy

PYMNTS

The gig economy has operated — and thrived — in a gray area. There has been a question as to whether workers are actually employees or contractors. The classification is far less nebulous as the Labor Department weighed in on the side of companies like Uber and Taskrabbit last month and suggested that gig workers were contractors. This means these workers won’t qualify for the federal minimum wage or overtime, and will be responsible for their share of Social Security taxes.

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Is Social Banking The Key To FIs Capturing Gen Z?

PYMNTS

Persuading customers to choose one bank over another is never an easy task, and it’s only become more challenging in the saturated digital banking space. Today’s customers expect more features and support from their mobile and digital banking tools, and coming up with the right customer service and engagement has become essential for banks and FinTech firms looking to grow their user bases.

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Customer Service’s Future: Humans And Machines In Cahoots

PYMNTS

The robots are coming, and they are going to take our jobs. A simplification, perhaps — but if one were looking for the simplest statement to explain the narrative following the era of automation, that would probably be it. In a world where customers can order on mobile, use a touchscreen or talk to an artificial intelligence (AI)-based bot, the service industry will no longer need human workers, because machines will be able to do all of those jobs.

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Are Robots Replacing You? Keeping Humans in the Loop in Automated Environments

Speaker: Erroll Amacker

As businesses increasingly adopt automation, finance leaders must navigate the delicate balance between technology and human expertise. This webinar explores the critical role of human oversight in accounts payable (AP) automation and how a people-centric approach can drive better financial performance. Join us for an insightful discussion on how integrating human expertise into automated workflows enhances decision-making, reduces fraud risks, strengthens vendor relationships, and accelerates R

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Have Consumers Fallen Out Of Love With Robots?

PYMNTS

We confess: We hate doing household chores, cooking and running errands – and we suspect you do, too. And the promise of a modern-day version of Rosie from the Jetsons to do all of those chores has always sounded pretty good to us. In fact, we wrote in an article last year that we are frankly disappointed we can’t buy one yet. This is not to say there aren’t plenty of amazing gadgets we can buy in the same family as the robot butler: smart speakers, self-driving cars, self-operating vacuum cle

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Why Visa Brought Earthport Into Its Orbit

PYMNTS

In payments, to gain technology, reach and new use cases (and, sometimes, all of the above at once), the debate has always boiled down to “build or buy.” To that end, Visa has taken the “buy” path, and said last week that it gained control of Earthport , having bought the U.K.-based firm for a reported $257 million in a deal announced late last year.

B2C 74
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Fixing Some Of The Big Problems In Payments And Commerce

PYMNTS

Cyber fraud can be a corporate killer if complacency sets in – but there’s an answer for that. There are also fixes in the works when it comes to business travel expense management. Artificial intelligence is set to fuel all kinds of innovations, and Visa is certainly making its plans. Meanwhile, fresh PYMNTS research takes a deep dive into trade credits and what could be improved in that area.

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Call Centers Get Smarter — Thanks To AI

PYMNTS

Call centers are experiencing increasingly greater volumes, with more than 55 billion agent-assisted calls being handled each year in the U.S. alone. Any business with a call center needs an efficient way to respond to this high volume of customer inquiries. To maximize call centers’ capabilities and efficiency, operators are turning to a host of tools and technologies, including voice recognition and artificial intelligence (AI).

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Book of Secrets on the Month-End Close

Based off SkyStem's popular e-Book, the book of secrets to the month-end close will be revealed in this one-hour webinar. Learn leading practices when it comes to building a strong and sustainable month-end close that has room to grow and evolve. Learn about the power of precise estimates, why reconciliations are critical to closing the books, how and when to automate, and how the chart of accounts play into your close process.

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Uber, Lyft Struggle To Keep Drivers On Board

PYMNTS

With Uber and Lyft now publicly traded companies, the two are facing pressure from investors to grow at a fast clip, which means hiring and retaining more drivers. According to a report in The Wall Street Journal , both Uber and Lyft , which saw their stocks fall after their initial public offerings, are placing recruiting and retaining drivers on top of their priorities list.

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How APIs Customize The B2B Buying Experience

PYMNTS

The B2B eCommerce landscape is nearing a $1.8 trillion valuation , as corporate buyers begin to demand the same online purchase experience in their professional lives that they have in their personal lives. Yet, as the B2B world has quickly figured out, fulfilling demands for a seamless, integrated and efficient online purchasing process can’t happen the same way it does in a B2C setting.

B2B 71
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How Retailers Could Turn Smart Vending Into A $15B Market By 2025

PYMNTS

As technology reshapes the way buyers access goods and services, consumer expectations are moving targets, and merchants that hope to survive can’t afford to fall behind. In the unattended retail space, vending operators are also becoming more aware of the shifting behaviors of their shoppers and the need for swift and digital payment options.

Retail 71
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Packing Robots Coming To Amazon Warehouses

PYMNTS

Amazon, which has been adding automation to its shipping and delivery services, is mulling deploying packaging machines at warehouses, which would scan packages as they come off the conveyor belt and place them in custom boxes. Citing two people who worked on the project, Reuters reported on Monday (May 13) that the technology is installed at some of its warehouses.

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How To Break Digital Transformation Barriers And Accelerate AI Adoption

Speaker: Anna Tiomina, MBA

AI is reshaping industries, yet finance remains one of the slowest adopters. Concerns over compliance, legacy systems, and data silos have made finance teams hesitant to embrace AI-driven transformation. But delaying adoption isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about staying competitive in a rapidly evolving landscape. How can finance leaders overcome these challenges and start leveraging AI effectively?

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The Future Of Customer Service Is Humans And Machines Working Together

PYMNTS

The robots are coming, and they are going to take our jobs. A simplification, perhaps – but if one were looking to find the simplest statement explaining the narrative following the era of automation, that would probably be it. In a world where customers can order on mobile, use a touchscreen or talk to an AI-based bot, the service industry will no longer need human workers, because machines will be able to do all of those jobs.

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Impossible Foods Notches $300M Investment

PYMNTS

Ahead of a potential initial public offering (IPO), meatless burger maker Impossible Foods said it has notched a $300 million investment in its newest funding round. The raise by the firm, which is backed by celebrities like Katy Perry and Serena Williams, shows the increasing appeal in plant-based foods that aim to have a meat-like taste, Reuters reported.

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Mastercard Revs Its Payments Innovation Engine

PYMNTS

Take a minute and think of the morning rush at a favorite coffee shop. The beverages roll off what amounts to an assembly line before landing on the far counter. Consumers’ names are written in marker on the sides of the cups, with the baristas sometimes exchanging personal greetings with their regular customers. It’s a mix of mass, frenzied activity and personalization.

Gaming 68
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WeWork Heads Toward IPO With $47B Valuation

PYMNTS

WeWork is now worth $47 billion as it gears up to go public in what could be the largest IPO of this year. WeWork is heading to the public markets at the same time as the high-profile IPOs of Uber and Lyft had appeared to disappoint. Lyft is down double digits since its debut in late March and Uber ended its first trading session down more than 7 percent.

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New Software & You: Elevating Your Tech Stack

Speaker: Joe Wroblewski, Senior Sales Engineer

Is your tech stack working for you—or are you working for it ? 🤖 In today’s world of automation and AI, technology should simplify workflows—not add complexity. Seamless integration and interconnectivity are key to maximizing productivity, optimizing workflows, and improving collaboration. Join expert Joe Wroblewski for a practical and insightful session on how you can build a smarter, more connected tech stack that drives efficiency and long-term success!

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To Optimize Supply Chains, Big Data Must Have The Need For Speed

PYMNTS

Supply chain management strategies are top of mind for many organizations at a time when Brexit, trade disputes, tariffs and an overall sense of geopolitical volatility have businesses recognizing the need for resiliency through operations and business partners. In this environment, blockchain has surfaced as a technology heralded by many as the disruptive force that can address some of the modern threats to supply chains, from cyberattacks to vendor risks.

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Staring Down The Sharing Economy’s Big Trust Moment

PYMNTS

One of the more interesting – and perhaps even amusing – parts of human nature comes from the assumptions we attach to examples of growth and success. Once someone proves himself a winner, or something proves itself a winning proposition, many of us, despite knowing better, give into assumptions that growth and success will keep on flowing with relatively minimal effort.

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Japan’s Uniqlo Hacked; 460K Accounts Compromised

PYMNTS

Japan’s Fast Retailing, the company that owns the Uniqlo retail chain, said that data from upwards of 460,000 customer accounts was compromised by hackers from April 23 to May 10, according to a report by CNBC. The company said: “It was confirmed on May 10, 2019 that an unauthorized login by a third party other than the customer occurred on the online store site operated by our company.”.

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The Fearlessly Weird Approach To QSR Dining

PYMNTS

Most businesses, particularly new businesses, advertise their intention to be “different,” unique” or to “stand out from the crowd.” That is more or less to be expected, and those phrases come pre-loaded into the new business starter kit. But few go with the term “fearlessly weird” as &pizza (pronounced “and pizza”) Co-Founder and CEO Michael Lastoria has done with his business — a term he first coined in an interview with QSR Magazine.

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The Human Side of Finance: The Intersectionality of People, Culture, Adaptability, and Resilience

Speaker: Melissa Hurrington

Finance isn’t just about the numbers. It’s about the people behind them. In a world of constant disruption, resilient finance teams aren’t just operationally efficient. They are adaptable, engaged, and deeply connected to a strong organizational culture. Success lies at the intersection of people, culture, adaptability, and resilience. Finance leaders who master this balance will build teams that thrive through uncertainty and drive long-term business impact.

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Walmart, Target Take On Amazon With Faster Fulfillment

PYMNTS

Retailers are promoting faster shipping options in the wake of news that Amazon plans to speed up Prime shipping from two days to just one: Walmart , in one case, is offering NextDay delivery on a selection of items from its website. (The company also points out that that offering comes “without a membership fee.”) To use the service, consumers visit the company’s website to find eligible items and add them to their carts.

Retail 65
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Popular Millennial Site Bleacher Report Dives Deep Into Sports Betting

PYMNTS

Bleacher Report, a millennial-focused sports website, has been steadily expanding into the sports betting space, attracting a new generation of gamblers who don’t consider sports gambling a bad thing, according to a report by CNBC. About a year ago, the Supreme Court changed the laws on sports betting, and many companies are now integrating odds into their sports coverage.

Sports 64
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Business Expense Card Company Pleo Raises $56M In Funding Round

PYMNTS

Danish FinTech company Pleo, which touts a “business spending platform” that simplifies the expense management process for employees, has raised $56 million in a series B funding round, according to a report by TechCrunch. New York-based growth fund Stripes led the funding round, and Founders, Creandum and Kinnevik also participated. The new round brings the company’s valuation to slightly under $500 million, and the total amount raised so far to $79 million.

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Bitcoin Gets Second (Or Third, Or Fourth) Wind

PYMNTS

Fundamentals? Or merely a blip? A 60 percent surge in a month – for anything, really, be it stock or bond or digital currency – is nothing to sneeze at, but it could be something to see with wonder. Or to make one wonder why. Bitcoin, that marquee name in cryptocurrency, has seen its price swell by roughly that 60 percent number through the last few weeks, to about $8,000.

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Demo SkyStem’s Award Winning Month-End Close Solution & Earn $100

Is your finance team bogged down by endless data requests and disorganized spreadsheets during the month-end close? It’s time to consider a better option – automate with ART! SkyStem’s solution works alongside your ERP to transform the close and account reconciliation process and speed up month-end work. Explore SkyStem’s ART - the award-winning account reconciliation automation platform - and receive a $100 Amazon gift card as a thank you for your time.