PYMNTS
MAY 10, 2018
Synchrony Financial announced today (May 10) that it will acquire Loop Commerce , the digital gifting platform used by retailers to make every product giftable. Using Loop’s GiftNow feature, consumers shopping for someone else at a participating retailer can send any product to any recipient using only their email address and then schedule a time for that item to be delivered, including in real time.
Katz,Sapper&Miller
MAY 9, 2018
Katz, Sapper & Miller’s Randy Hooper will participate in the 2018 American Trucking Associations (ATA) National Accounting & Finance Council (NAFC) Conference.
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PYMNTS
MAY 11, 2018
Robots aren’t going to take over the world, but humans could use them for some scary stuff. That’s Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’s take on artificial intelligence (AI), according to CNBC. And in the wake of Google ’s latest tech revelation, many experts are agreeing with him. Google revealed its human-sounding AI assistant Google Duplex during this week’s I/O conference.
PYMNTS
MAY 11, 2018
Americans could stand to get a few more hours of rest each night. According to the CDC , about one-third of all Americans between the ages of 18–70 are not getting the recommended 7–8 hours of sleep a night — or, in a lot of cases, even getting close to it. “As a nation, we are not getting enough sleep,” Wayne Giles, MD, director of CDC’s Division of Population Health, said in the study, before noting that Americans need to change their lifestyles (going to bed at the same time each night, risin
Speaker: Danny Gassaway and Wayne Richards
Finance leaders are prioritizing efficiency and digital transformation, yet many hesitate to automate due to uncertainty. Without a clear understanding of its impact, organizations risk falling behind competitors who are leveraging automation to drive productivity and cost savings. Join Wayne Richards and Danny Gassaway from AvidXchange for a practical guide on bringing accounts payable (AP) automation to your organization.
PYMNTS
MAY 9, 2018
As restaurant operators seek to bolster sales in the face of weak traffic growth, Yum! Brands’ Pizza Hut is bringing beer delivery to approximately 100 of its restaurants in California and Arizona. The restaurant chain had begun testing the service in Phoenix back in December, Reuters reported. The new rollout will include cities such as Tucson, Prescott and Winslow in Arizona, and Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Sacramento and Santa Barbara in California.
PYMNTS
MAY 11, 2018
Coupa has rolled out enhancements to its business spend management (BSM) solution, the firm revealed this week. The enterprise spend management company announced at its annual Inspire conference the addition of voice activation using Amazon Alexa to manage inventory, locate items, and reorder stock. This feature, via Coupa Inventory, is available only in an Early Access Program (EAP).
Accountant Advocate brings together the best content for small business accounting professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
PYMNTS
MAY 7, 2018
There are some things that happened so predictably they became like laws. Transistor density on microchips doubled every year and a half, so we started calling it Moore’s law, until it started slowing down. SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program , colloquially known as food stamps) customers are easily assumed to be digital outsiders, but Propel is rewriting that rule.
PYMNTS
MAY 7, 2018
Since at least the time of ancient Rome, human beings have been saying some variation on the expression “fortune favors the brave.” It has many permutations — “nothing ventured, nothing gained” or (our favorite) “go big, or go home” — but they all get at approximately the same point: Want a big reward, better be willing to take a big risk. This week in PYMNTS and commerce, we had plenty of players pushing in the spirit of said ancient wisdom, to greater and lesser effect.
PYMNTS
MAY 8, 2018
Disruptions to the small business banking and lending landscape over the last decade have completely overhauled entrepreneurs’ relationships with FIs. Today, small businesses are often frustrated with their banks, and access to financing can be a challenge. A survey previously released by the Federal Reserve found that small businesses face an 80 percent chance of rejection when applying for a bank loan.
PYMNTS
MAY 10, 2018
After nearly three years, the transition to EMV in the United States still has its challenges. In an interview with PYMNTS, National Business Systems VP David Riley noted a lack of awareness in the field for smaller firms across several verticals. The executive stated that the simple cash register — and what that hardware can do, and how — has undergone a series of transformations over the last few decades, reaching the point where EMV protection and integrated payments are both affordable and e
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It's the time of year to give our close process some TLC. Join us in this one hour webinar where we discuss how to adopt leading practices and infuse technology into the month-end close process to improve our experience and increase our productivity during month-end and quarter-end close. Learning Objectives: This course's objective is to understand how the month-end close can be improved with automation and adoption of leading practices.
PYMNTS
MAY 11, 2018
One of the small joys of travel is waking up a bit later than expected, then skipping the check-out desk on the way to a cab or shuttle bus, the morning off to a strong start because there was no need to wait in a line. That’s one of the driving ideas behind a new service that Marriott International recently launched for Chinese travelers going overseas — a service that also helps to demonstrate how the country’s growing tourist class is changing payments and retail.
PYMNTS
MAY 8, 2018
Drive.ai , the California self-driving car startup, announced Monday (May 7) that it is launching an on-demand self-driving car service pilot in Frisco, Texas. In a press release , Drive.ai said that starting in July — and in conjunction with the Frisco Transportation Management Association, it will offer rides to more than 10,000 people in self-driving vehicles.
PYMNTS
MAY 7, 2018
The airline industry, in conjunction with Deutsche Bank, is trying to challenge credit card companies with a new digital payment system to purchase plane tickets. According to a report in the Financial Times , the real-time electronic payment system is being designed to save the airline carriers billions of euros in transaction fees. The payment systems, which will enable travelers to purchase web-based tickets, will be rolled out in Europe starting toward the end of this year.
PYMNTS
MAY 11, 2018
Apple and Goldman Sachs Group are in the midst of bringing a joint Apple Pay-designated credit card to market. The news comes at a critical juncture in the product lifecycle of Apple Pay. It’s been more than three years since the launch of the mobile wallet and, as classic business theory goes, this moment in time should mark the top of the S-curve for a new product — the point where it is at peak adoption.
Speaker: Jennifer Hill
Payroll compliance is a cornerstone of business success, yet for small and midsize businesses, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of federal, state, and local regulations. Mistakes can lead to costly penalties and operational disruptions, making it essential to adopt advanced solutions that ensure accuracy and efficiency.
PYMNTS
MAY 11, 2018
They started out selling gum, and now they’re selling tossed salads. Modern vending machines have come a long way since the first coin-operated machines were introduced in the 1880s. Now, they are a thriving, global business. Between now and 2021, the American interactive kiosks market is projected to grow by an annual rate of 7.2 percent. In 2016, the market generated $717 million in revenue, 30 percent of which came from food and beverage kiosks — the largest share of total revenue of any cate
PYMNTS
MAY 11, 2018
Innovation implies a break from the conventional ways of operating a business. Ultimately, innovation is oxygen for companies in almost any vertical, as competition demands new products and services, improving customer experiences in unexpected ways. It’s no secret that the regulatory landscape is shifting quickly, requiring firms catering to those very customers through innovation to safeguard them at the same time, especially when it comes to their data.
PYMNTS
MAY 8, 2018
Equifax , the embattled credit scoring company that was the subject of a massive data breach last fall, provided several congressional committees in the Senate and House with more information on the data compromised in the breach. In a press release , Equifax said the additional details do not identify additional stolen data or new customers that were impacted, nor do they require more consumer notifications.
PYMNTS
MAY 11, 2018
Welcome to Five at Five , your late look at some of the freshest payments news of the day — news you might have missed. Today’s stories include a discussion on why Macy’s eCommerce success does not impress Morgan Stanley and the details behind the joint pursuit of payments by Apple and Goldman Sachs. Google is drawing criticism for robots — specifically, their interactions with humans — and there is a fresh measure of Americans’ debt burdens.
Speaker: Sierre Lindgren
Fraud is a battle that every organization must face – it’s no longer a question of “if” but “when.” Every organization is a potential target for fraud, and the finance department is often the bullseye. From cleverly disguised emails to fraudulent payment requests, the tactics of cybercriminals are advancing rapidly. Drawing insights from real-world cases and industry expertise, we’ll explore the vulnerabilities in your processes and how to fortify them effectively.
PYMNTS
MAY 10, 2018
Capital is the lifeblood of economies, and of the companies (and yes, of course, individuals) that collectively make things and provide services … and in the age of FinTech, the capital comes digitally and across innovative channels. The initiatives are far-flung and varied, but each is marked by a common thread of serving small business needs as both the lenders and the borrowers seek growth.
PYMNTS
MAY 9, 2018
Walmart announced earlier on Wednesday (May 9) that it inked a deal to invest in Flipkart for $16 billion, giving the retailer a 77 percent stake in the India-based eCommerce company. In a press release , Walmart said the deal still needs the approval of regulators in India, but that once that step is completed, the retailer will own 77 percent of Flipkart.
PYMNTS
MAY 7, 2018
A Russian state-owned fund is trying to attract investment to the tundra and swamps of Siberia through a digital token sale backed by Siberian diamonds. According to The Financial Times , the plan will start a trial this month, where investors can buy a share in a diamond for as little as $10. If all goes well, future token sales will include the region’s forests, gas and gold, as well as its fresh water and fish.
PYMNTS
MAY 10, 2018
To reduce markdowns and break out of a lull in sales, H&M is turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and Big Data to tailor its merchandising mix in its brick-and-mortar stores. The fashion retailer is using algorithms to gain insights from returns, receipts and data from loyalty cards to improve its bottom lines, according to news source Retail Dive reports.
Speaker: Debra L. Robinson
CPAs know the drill: taxes, compliance, rinse, repeat. But what about the sneaky cash flow that’s quietly messing with your organization’s success? It’s time to step into the spotlight and expose the “dirty little secrets” of cash flow to fuel strategic growth. By upskilling your accounting practices and shifting focus from tax compliance to the strategic movement of money, you can transform your role from reactive accountant to proactive financial strategist.
PYMNTS
MAY 8, 2018
Small businesses (SMBs) prefer not to seek funding to finance their innovative endeavors, according to new research from BMO Wealth Management , which suggests SMBs are missing out on opportunities to drive growth. A survey of more than 1,021 small businesses in the U.S. published in BMO Wealth Management’s “ Creating Wealth through Business Improvements ” report on Monday (May 7) found that 60 percent of small businesses have never sought funding to support investment in innovation.
PYMNTS
MAY 7, 2018
Accelerating payments mean financial institutions have less time to identify fraud before a transaction clears and settles. With Same-Day ACH now a reality in the U.S., FIs are kept on their toes to mitigate this risk. In its analysis of the Same-Day ACH rollout, NACHA found no evidence that it led to an increase in fraud attempts or successful breaches.
PYMNTS
MAY 11, 2018
The NYPD is fighting back against ATM tampering with a device called the “Skim Reaper.”. According to CBS News in New York , the device can detect if an ATM or gas pump has been compromised. Credit card skimmers steal more than $1 billion from U.S. customers each year, according to the Secret Service. For its part, the NYPD has four full-time, trained detectives tasked with finding skimmers, but says the problem is too widespread to be stopped with those resources.
PYMNTS
MAY 5, 2018
Some things in life are predictable. The passage of seasons, the flow of time and, of course, quarterly earnings reports. Rain or shine, four times a year analysts and investors in publicly traded companies get a behind-the-scenes look at their investments wrapped around a summary of a financial performance for the quarter that just closed. There is a predictable rhythm to these reports.
Speaker: Aaron Berson
Managing spend is more than a cost cutting exercise – it's a pathway to smarter decisions that unlock efficiency and drive growth. By understanding and refining the spending process, financial leaders can empower their organizations to achieve more with less. Explore the art of balancing financial control with operational growth. From uncovering hidden inefficiencies to designing workflows that scale your business, we’ll share strategies to align your organization’s spending with its strategic g
PYMNTS
MAY 11, 2018
The latest iteration of Google Maps is slated to launch this summer, TechCrunch reported, with a slew of new features that tie into exploring surroundings, rather than just focusing on getting from here to there. The tech trade publication wrote on Friday (May 11) that the forthcoming exploration tools are geared toward personalization, aided by artificial intelligence.
PYMNTS
MAY 7, 2018
Whether robots will take our jobs or take over the mundane tasks for humans to shift to more strategic operations, one thing is for sure: Automation is changing the workforce. For small businesses, technology adoption often means more time for business owners and entrepreneurs to focus on strategic initiatives, instead of the repetitive, manual tasks on their to-do lists.
PYMNTS
MAY 11, 2018
The former head of the Vatican bank is answering tough charges of money laundering and embezzlement, according to news from Reuters. Angelo Caloia, 79, is the highest-ranking Holy See financial official to stand trial. He, along with lawyer Gabriele Liuzzo, 95, stand accused in a trial within the Vatican that began on Wednesday (May 9). However, Liuzzo is reportedly in ill-health and was unable to attend.
PYMNTS
MAY 11, 2018
As FinTech firms grow in popularity with their personalized services and sleek mobile apps, HSBC looks to compete by launching a multi-account app for customers in the U.K. The new app, which was dubbed “Connected Money,” garnered 13,000 downloads within one day of its rollout, Reuters reported. Through the app, users can take a look at their accounts at up to 21 different banks.
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Bleisure travel — where employees combine work and leisure — has been around since the advent of corporate travel and is here to stay. Successful bleisure policies strike a balance between employee preferences and company goals — workers report a 64% improvement in work-life balance, while companies benefit from reduced travel costs and increased workforce innovation.
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