Therefore in order to acknowledge some of the greatest contributors of excellence in the remittance services space, Insights Success has shortlisted “The 10 Most Trusted Remittance Service Providers, 2018”

1. November 2018
www.insightssuccess.com
The Age of Disruptive
Banking through Digital
Payment Solutions
Digi payments Tech Talk
Chatbots: A Dynamic
Digital Gesture for
Creative Entrepreneurs
10
The
MostTrusted
Remittance
Service Providers
2018
Industry Insight
An Insight on the
Opportunities in the
Big Data Industry

4. lobalization and Digitization have made the world quite small. While the former has opened gates
Gfor infinite business opportunities, the latter has made the process faster and convenient. The duo
has given birth to various industries and those industries have changed the course of various other
businesses. Remittance is one such industry and is growing rapidly. It is impacting economies positively,
especially in developing countries, while promoting the efficiency of cross border money transfer on
global platforms.
In recent studies, it was shown that the second largest financial inflow the developing countries receive is
in the type of remittances. It helps economies in numerous ways, direct and indirect, including raising the
spending capacities of the families of individuals that send the money, which further leads to increased
saving as well. Evidently, such activities on a collective level have an effective impact on GDP and
National Income.
Recently, the industry has witnessed various changes and these changes have resulted in increased pace in
its steady growth. It is leveraging the available technology in order to increase the productivity and the
overall quality of services. Among those technologies, Bitcoin is such that has changed the course of
online transfer. With the help of Bitcoin, transferring money across the globe becomes very easy and real
Editor’s Note
Easing Cross-Border
Money Transactions

5. fast. Additionally, the charging fees are much lower than the traditional portals such as FOREX
agencies and banks.
However, it is believed by the industry experts that along with other technological advancements, the
traditional methods including banks and other private firms should also be upgraded in order to ease
the process. There must be a standardized approach to communicate and operate within each station
through which money is transferred.
If everything goes as per the plan, the remittance industry will witness huge competition. the
customers will be highly benefited as they will enjoy easy services with little or no fees. However,
the companies will face difficult times seeking new opportunities to make money. That being said,
the industry is heading towards new pinnacles of opportunities and will continue to do so.
There are several companies that have helped the industry blossom and reach to the heights where it
is today. Therefore in order to acknowledge some of the greatest contributors of excellence in the
remittance services space, Insights Success has shortlisted “The 10 Most Trusted Remittance
Service Providers, 2018”
Bhushan Kadam

6. CONTENTS
Industry Insight
An Insight on the Opportunities
in the Big Data Industry
Articles
Reforming Benchmarks
leverage existing sap
solutions with
cloud procurement
Pitching Excellence
Eminence at
the Edge
Brand Vision
Brand Building:
The Right Way
10
18
28
Digi Payments
The Age of Disruptive Banking
through Digital Payment Solutions
Editor’s Pick
Data Center Security:
Controlling Possible Threats
Tech Talk
Chatbots: A Dynamic Digital
Gesture for Creative Entrepreneurs
14 26
34 40

7. AlipayHK:
Establishing a Cashless Future
BitSpark:
A Global Leader in
the Blockchain
Remittance Space
EasyPay:
An Inclusive Digital
Payment Platform
in Albania
Small World
Financial Services:
A Leading Cross-Border
Payments Provider
12
24
32
38

8. www.inonic.com

9. sales@insightssuccess.com
Corporate Ofces:
November, 2018
Database Management Stella Andrew
Technology Consultant David Stokes
Circulation Managers Robert, Tanaji
Research Analyst Patrick James
Steve, Avdhut, Alan, Vishnu
Anish MillerManaging Editor
Art & Design Director Amol Kamble
Associate Designer Tejas Kulkarni
Visualiser David King
Senior Sales Manager Passi D.
Business Development Executives
Marketing Manager John Matthew
Jenny FernandesAssistant Editors
Ishan Mittal
Art & Picture Editors BelinPaul
Co-designer
KhannaJayant
Peter CollinsBusiness Development Manager
Sales Executives
David, Kevin, Mark, Avinash
SME-SMO Executives
Prashant Chevale, Uma Dhenge, Gemson, Prasad
Online Marketing Strategists
Alina Sege, Shubham, Vishal
Digital Marketing Manager Marry D’Souza
Technical Specialists Amar, Pratiksha
Technical Head Jacob Smile
Copyright © 2018 Insights Success, All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in
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Reprint rights remain solely with Insights Success.
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Executive Editor
Contributing Editors
Abhishaj Sajeev
Sharad Chitalkar
Editor-in-Chief Pooja M. Bansal
Bhushan Kadam
Mayur Koli

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CORPORATE OFFICE

11. Management BriefCompany Name
CEX.IO
cex.io
Oleksandr Lutskevych
CEO
Maxine Ryan
COO
EasyPay
easypay.al
IronFX
ironfx.com
Midpoint
midpoint.com
MOIN
themoin.com
MoneyGram
moneygram.sg
Markos Kashiouris
CEO
David S. Wong
CEO
Alex Holmes
CEO
Small World
Financial Services
smallworldfs.com
Nick Day
CEO
Linda Shomo
Founder & CEO
AlipayHK
alipay.com
Bitspark
zephyr.bitspark.io
Jennifer Tan
CEO
Ebrahim Nonoo
CEO
BFC Group Holdings
bfcgroupholdings.com
BFC Group Holdings specialise in the provision of
money transfer, foreign currency exchange and
wholesale currency services.
BitSpark is a leading financial company where business
individuals are able to buy and sell worldwide currencies by
using stable coins, crypto currencies pegged to fiat assets.
CEX.IO offers cross-platform trading via website, mobile app,
WebSocket and REST API, providing access to high liquidity
orderbook for top currency pairs on the market.
EasyPay is an Albanian FinTech company, born with an idea to
offer customers an ‘easy’ to ‘pay’ concept from their
mobile phone.
IronFX is the award-winning Global Leader in Online
Trading, with 10 trading platforms and over 200 tradable
instruments in forex, spot metals, futures, shares, spot
indices and commodities.
Midpoint is an international payments service offering it’s
customers live mid-market foreign exchange rates via our
patented matching technology.
Moin is a FinTech company that provides optimal
overseas remittance solutions.
MoneyGram is a global provider of innovative money
transfer and payment services.
Small World Financial Services Group Ltd is the leading
company that provides omni-channel, cross border payment
services for consumers and businesses.
AlipayHK is an electronic wallet operated by Alipay Financial
Services (HK) Limited and supervised by the Hong Kong
Monetary Authority.
Ilseok Ian Suh
CEO
10
The
MostTrusted
Remittance
Service Providers
2018

12. Companies that have already
invested in SAP find that
they can achieve even better
results from their existing investment
with cloud technology and
eProcurement. After the initial
investment, companies find certain
roadblocks preventing mass user
adoption and diminishing cost
savings. Issues such as inability to
stay connected, lack of insight into
data, and complex and fragmented
business rules stop businesses from
using the full power of SAP. As
cloud application technologies
advance, companies gain the benefits
of rapid deployment cycles,
increased self-service tools, and
faster performance. Vroozi delivers
on the promise and power of
eProcurement in the Cloud with
seamless integration into SAP.
SAP users looking to the cloud
generally face a few questions,
including:
Ÿ How can I benefit from using
cloud procurement?
Ÿ Will my transition to the cloud be
cost-effective?
Ÿ How will my business processes
be affected by cloud technology?
To understand the benefits of cloud
technology to existing SAP users,
let’s evaluate three procurement
strategies that highlight the power of
cloud procurement.
Value Realization
.
Return on Investment (ROI) is a
central factor in any procurement
strategy. Buyers and trading partners
of cloud procurement solutions need
to feel confident that solutions will
lead to cost savings and higher
productivity and efficiency. Users
quickly see returns by focusing on
user adoption, compliance, and spend
management. Spend Management
allows companies to visualize
purchasing spending patterns and
usage and drives employees to
leverage preferred pricing with
contract suppliers. To increase user
adoption and compliance, the cloud
empowers a mobile workforce with
the right resources and experience so
everyone stays connected and
available so that business is not
disrupted. As user adoption and
compliance frameworks increase
with cloud-based systems,
organizations gain immediate cost
savings in procurement by
decreasing transaction costs and
preventing spend leakage with your
supply chain.
Efficiencies
Process efficiency is key for a
successful, healthy business. Cloud
technology enables better processes
by keeping everyone connected
through a mobile experience and
automating transaction tasks through
the use of machine learning and
pattern matching. With a centralized,
unified system, cloud automation can
yield immediate benefits in
requisition to invoice and payment
business processes and reduced
Leverage Existing
SAP Solutions
with Cloud Procurement
10 November 2018
Reforming Benchmarks

13. Brad Hill, Director of Global
Sales & Marketing of Vroozi
is a passionate leader and is
responsible for expanding the
Vroozi Product Suite, Brand
Adoption, Partnership Network
& ensuring our customers
receive an unparalleled
experience with Vroozi. Brad
spent the last 20 years building
Enterprise Sales and Product
strategies with leading IT
Services organizations. His
entrepreneurial strategies have
served a vast number of
Fortune 500 industries and
verticals. He is also an aspiring
mechanic and frustrated golfer,
two good reminders to keep his
day job.
About the Author
Brad Hill
Director of Global
Sales & Marketing
Vroozi
errors and issues leading to higher
productivity and decreased
processing costs. Further, by
allowing employees to interact with
cloud procurement via smart Phones
and tablets, business can continue to
move with efficiency and speed.
IT Cost Savings
Perhaps no determinant is more
important in realizing the benefits of
cloud technologies versus traditional
on premise software is in IT Cost
Savings. Systems and applications
which required large physical
infrastructure and monetary
investments can now provide
inexpensive and scalable solutions
through the Cloud and cloud
infrastructure providers. A
procurement solution that integrates
with SAP is easier to access, less
expensive, and takes a fraction of the
implementation time companies once
faced with traditional software
solutions. Cloud technology relieves
the user of hidden costs such as
hardware, consultants, infrastructure,
maintenance, and costly upgrade
cycles, providing lower risk and
lower total cost of ownership.
Conclusion
The cloud offers little upfront
expense, automatic upgrades, and
pre-integrated best practices which
allow organizations to focus on
business growth and improved
operating margins. Vroozi’s
eProcurement solution that takes
SAP solutions to the cloud empower
users with better returns, better
processes and higher savings, so their
overall SAP investment’s ROI is
accelerated.
According to IDC, spending on
Cloud computing is growing at 4.5
times the rate of IT spending since
2009 and is expected to continue
growing at more than 6 times the rate
of IT spending from 2015 through
2020. (via Forbes) This massive
growth is easily understood when
businesses understand the power and
value of cloud solutions. With the
Vroozi Platform, companies can take
advantage of robust eProcurement
technology delivered in the Cloud
and integrated seamlessly with SAP.
11November 2018

14. Establishing a Cashless Future
AlipayHK is an electronic wallet operated by Alipay
Financial Services (HK) Limited and supervised by
the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. Alipay
Payment Services (HK) Limited (APSHK) is a joint
venture established and managed by CK Hutchison
Holdings Limited, a conglomerate spanning over 50
countries and by Ant Financial Services Group, a leading
global technology and financial services company and the
parent company of “Alipay”.
Currently, over 35,000 local retail outlets have supported
AlipayHK for payment, covering large chain stores,
convenience stores, drug stores, supermarkets, fresh
markets, taxies, restaurants, and others. Features of the
AlipayHK also include payment on Taobao and TMall, P2P
transfer, remittance, electricity payment, telecom payment,
entry tickets and F&B vouchers for The Racecourse,
purchase of insurance products offered by a third party, e-
coupons, etc. making Hong Kong residents’ lives more
convenient by integrating mobile payment into daily lives.
AlipayHK had 1 million users in March but saw a 50
percent surge in growth to 1.5 million users by the end of
June.
According to the “AlipayHK Smart Payment Popularity
Index” that is conducted by the Hong Kong Productivity
Council in July, 82% of the respondents have heard of the
AlipayHK brand and 22% of them have also become
familiar with the App. The survey also reflects that
AlipayHK’s mobile payment brand is currently most
popular among Hong Kong people.
A Customer-Centric Approach
AlipayHK is mainly reaching the customers that are
Overseas Filipino Workers residing in Hong Kong. Until
the Remittance service innovation by AlipayHK, the OFW
had to go through a long process of queuing for hours and
filling out forms just to send money home. With the
innovative application of blockchain technology to the
service, AlipayHK has made the process easier with more
options of sending money to home. AlipayHK applied
blockchain technology into its e-wallet to streamline the
remittance process. The introduction of such innovation to
remittance radically improves the speed of delivery,
enhances transparency of the process and drastically
reduces costs while ensuring better security measures while
sending money across borders.
At the same time, AlipayHK has partnered up with a
popular e-wallet in the Philippines, GCash, to ensure that
this innovative approach is implemented across both ends
of the process so it is as effortless and smart as possible for
its users. This service between GCash and AlipayHK
provides round-the-clock, real-time money transfer between
Hong Kong and the Philippines at a competitive exchange
rate with much lower transaction fees than available on
market. Now, with a few taps through AlipayHK’s mobile
phone application, money can be transferred within seconds
to a GCash user.
A Momentous Journey
Since the establishment of this joint venture on March 8,
the number of app users has surged from over 1 million to
1.5 million, and the number of merchants who accept
AlipayHK has increased from 10,000 to 35,000. Many
users and merchants in Hong Kong have recognized
AlipayHK and its scaling services of cashless transactions.
AlipayHK is dedicated to build a comprehensive lifestyle
platform, covering four pillars of daily life - food, clothing,
housing, and transportation. Everything can be paid with
this app, such as online and offline merchants, electricity
bills, telecom payment, property management fees, and
taxis etc. The app has also developed a smart mobility
solution called “EasyGo,” to solve the pain points of local
10
The
MostTrusted
Remittance
Service Providers
2018
AlipayHK:
12 November 2018

15. We hope to bring a little
change in the payment method
for the public, in exchange
for more time for Hong Kong
people to realize their dreams
and change the world.
“
“
Marching towards a “Cashless Society”
The unmanned store offers business incentives to
merchants. The new payment technology reduces the
current high cost of doing business in Hong Kong so that
more resources are allocated to invest in product design or
marketing strategy that will help the business to grow
rapidly in the market.
The company has also introduced a smart mobility solution
named “EasyGo”, which provides Hong Kong people with
a choice of public transport payment. With EasyGo, people
can travel without cash or transit stored value cards, leading
Hong Kong people towards a cashless society.
Apart from a mobile payment solution, the EasyGo
payment terminal has other capabilities such as destination
notification, Wi-Fi sharing, and real-time terminal
monitoring.
Prospects to Become a Super Lifestyle App
The app will mainly focus on promoting mobile payment
development and finding suitable scenes to integrate its
services with four major daily necessities of Hong Kong
citizens: clothing, food, housing, and transportation. The
company targets to develop a super lifestyle app with 4
goals: Acceptance, Convenience, Easy-to-use and Secured
data. The company believes that AlipayHK will become the
most popular electronic wallet in Hong Kong.
traffic so that the public can have a seamless travel
experience in Hong Kong.
The Visionary of AlipayHK
Jennifer Tan, the CEO of the company announced the
concept of “new retail, new experience” at the time of
establishing the venture. This concept was a revolutionary
idea by the company’s CMO and for the first time, the
concept was executed with great planning and brought a
new retail experience to the people of Hong Kong. Then
AlipayHK brought a real unmanned store to public in
September caught the attention of several people in less
than a month’s span. During the campaign period, it drove
more than 100% new user registration compared to the
same period last year. It also aroused the public’s
enthusiasm and discussion for setting up an unmanned store
in Hong Kong.
Entry into the store is a two-step process. First, the
customer smiles for a facial recognition system, generating
a QR code on a screen outside the entrance, which the
customer then scans to open the doors. The company seeks
to raise awareness of mobile payments through the
unmanned store, which comes into play when a customer
reaches the check-out point.
Unlike traditional cashier, unmanned store customers
simply walk through a sensory gate where all on-hand
products are automatically detected, and then pay within a
few quick taps on their phones via the AlipayHK app. The
whole process is automated, hence making the store an
“Unmanned” one.
—Jennifer Tan
CEO
AlipayHK
13November 2018

16. In this era of changing technologies, the Big Data
domain has evolved in a very short period of time. It
plays the most pivotal role across all industries. The
ability of Big Data to mine critical data has radically altered
the dynamics of the way businesses function, drive sales,
and attract customers. It has become an essential
component of business strategy nowadays. A business tastes
success by uncovering insights locked inside data. The
overlaying trends will examine the evolving ways
enterprises can realize better business value with Big Data
and how improving business intelligence can help
transform organizational processes and the customer
experience. There is a demand for better data management
from most of the business executives for compliance and
increased confidence to steer the business. It will help them
in more rapid adoption of Big Data and innovative and
transformative data analytic technologies.
Insight-driven Organizations
In this present year, businesses will move beyond just data
handling to leveraging the insights that Big Data uncovers.
As understanding, managing, and manipulating Big Data
has now become fairly ubiquitous, most of the companies
have the ability to deal with it. Mining data will be the
center of attraction and it will help effectively to meet
organizational requirements and for precise targeting of
products and services. An insight-driven approach will
facilitate an evolved customer experience, competitiveness,
advanced security and operational efficiency.
Cyber security Applications
Today, everyone is dependent on the digital technology and
our dependence has reached an unprecedented level. Cyber-
attacks have also become much more prevalent. An
increased occurrence of ransomware has been registered
across the globe and cyber criminals are now targeting
personal data and devices. Concerning the prime industry,
cyber security can only be possible through big data
analytics which will become a major area of investment and
will grow swiftly. It is necessary for the enterprises and the
government agencies to upgrade their security systems to
next-generation software which can address ultra-modern
security threats.
Analytics across the enterprise
It can be said that the analytics will not remain isolated to a
few departments like marketing and risk management. On
the other hand it will infuse the entire enterprise. To
understand the dynamics of business operations, data
analytics will be utilized and will also reveal ways and
means to increase efficiency. Hence to derive overall
business strategy, insights from multiple departments will
be integrated and redundant processes will be eliminated. It
will also help the departments to increase efficiency,
growth, and productivity.
Bridging the talent gap
If the demand expands further, the talent gap in data
analytics will soar. It is expected that organizations and
academic institutions will collaborate closely to generate
skills and talent to meet the demand for data engineers. The
functions of all corporate employees will be expected to
understand, appreciate and work with analytics since it
emerges as one of the key instruments in every
organization. The academic institutions are also looking
forward to put together degree programs in data science.
IoT and People
There will be a transition from Internet of Things (IoT) to
Internet of People (IoP). Interactions, predictive analytics
around human behavior, and other subjective areas will
grow and start to filter all industry verticals. For example,
hospitals will increasingly deploy machine learning
techniques to predict the likelihood of the relapse of a
disease. This will enable them to work out a patient’s
readmission precisely at the time of the initial discharge.
An Insight on the Opportunities
in the
Industry
14 November 2018
Industry Insight

17. Business-science collaboration
Businesses will have to learn and deploy traditional, scientific techniques of pattern-matching and artificial intelligence for
analytics use cases. For example, techniques to analyze gene sequences in DNA are being used in text-matching algorithms to
process bulk emails. It is expected to see very close collaboration between data scientists and the scientific community. For
example, image processing is widely used in ‘tagging’ in social media, while voice recognition is used in apps.
Technology
There will be brisk moving in the organizations from on-premise platforms to cloud and hybrid environments. Around 44
percent of applications used by Fortune 500 organizations are already on the cloud, and more than 50 percent of IT
applications will move to the cloud by the end of the year. There will be a rise in demand for analytics tools that are simple,
flexible, and capable of handling a variety of data sources. Hadoop enables to store an extremely large volume of data at a
significantly lower price point and hence it will continue to become increasingly popular. The share of unstructured data in
the data warehouse will continue to increase, which will further cause for Hadoop. Hadoop, now, is past the business
relevance and scalability assessment phase and its adoption is expected to accelerate strongly.
We are advancing towards a completely new era in the domain of analytics. Big data is disruptive and it has paved the way
for pioneering ideas and innovative techniques across industry verticals. It is now driving the stream of disruption and
expanding the scope of opportunities for previously untouched market segments. Organizations need to leverage Big Data
analytics to its full capacity so as to thrive in this competitive world.
15November 2018

20. xecutive summary
ESince Internet of Things technology
started to gain mainstream traction,
multiple platforms, solutions and
strategies have been developed. At the
moment there are more than 450
‘platforms’ commercially available.
Yet, realistically speaking, most of
these have been designed for a very
specific function on out-dated
technology and mostly down a vertical
application path.
Similarly, gateway players have
developed powerful gateway
technology with a portion that
generically aggregates data to the
cloud.
Why? Well, historically, technology
companies argued that the best way to
quickly create commercial value was
to develop a strong vertically
integrated application encompassing an
ecosystem of partners.
The quickest way to show value was to
focus on a vertical and go after it. We
have a different view.
once mass adoption took place. This
was followed by an implosion which
saw a huge number of concepts, ideas
and investments disappear. A similar
trend is developing in the adoption of
IoT and in digitalisation in general.
Part of the demise of this is because
they were too early on the initial curve
and either ran out of cash, were unable
to build what they said they could, or
saw new, sexier, more agile technology
drive competitors closer to adoption.
The .com bomb was a rationalisation
and a reality for companies and their
investors resulting in fortunes being
made and lost in the hype. Timing is
key in driving Big Tech. If you’re too
soon, you are potentially busy
developing a concept that will not only
age quickly but give competitors
plenty to learn from and piggy back off
The true power and differentiator
in IoT.nxt resides in our full IoT
stack capability encompassing the
edge and the cloud.
Background
Our thinking from the outset has been
that we wanted to adopt thinking and
develop tech that creates horizontal
interoperability between multiple
systems and platforms in a technology
agnostic manner.
In 2002, it was all about the cloud.
Amazon Web Services was launched
and, when OPC Unified Architecture
was released in 2006 enabling secure
communication between devices, data
sources and applications, adoption of
IoT began to rise. The early adopters
developed their projects with the cloud
in mind. The thinking being a simple
connected mindset where billions of
sensors will be deployed and easily
spin up supercomputers at low cost in
the cloud to process all of this valuable
Big Data… how could they go wrong?
During the .com bomb era, people ran
around with amazing ideas that they
thought would take over the world
18 November 2018
Pitching Experience

21. allowing them to develop better tech that is more relevant
and value driven. Often a cool idea is exactly that - a cool
idea, but without real substance it doesn’t get wide
commercial adoption. The commercial viability ultimately
sits with the ability of a product to produce ‘real value’,
whether quantitative or qualitative.
And then there are the guys who make it.
Amazon, Alibaba, Google. They were unprofitable for a
number of years before they started to bear fruit simply
because they played the long game. They saw past the hype
and created products of real value. They made sure they
will be relevant in future economies.
The importance of timing
Timing is everything, and tech is hard to time
We entered this market at the perfect time. Two years in,
our solution is strong and businesses at enterprise level are
rallying to adopt Big Data technology. They’re embracing
VR, AR, AI, cognitive, algorithmic machine learning
technologies as they become a reality.
As irrelevant solutions are being seeded out, the IoT.nxt
approach to the problem of IoT is making us a major
contender; cementing our position in the market.
If we look at the solutions currently available, we
understand more than most of these ‘platforms’ have all
been built in the cloud. Five years ago everything was in the
cloud, it is therefore unsurprising that it is still dominating
IT discussions.
Anyone who has, up until this point, embarked on an IoT
initiative, has probably
1. built a solution that resides in the cloud;
2. leverages the power of the cloud and its ability to
centralise and leverage processing power from the
supercomputers that exist there;
3. adopted a top down approach incorporating the
cloud as the central power behind the application.
The competitive landscape
Looking at the IoT industry and where the ‘competition’
and ‘incumbents’ are in the current IoT cycle, it is evident
that IoT development are in a perfect bubble that I believe
is not far from rationalisation. I think it will be less severe
than 2000 as I think investors have been more calculated;
but there certainly will be a correction in the not so distant
future. Driving my belief in this is that you need this type of
event for eminence to be created. People need to start
understanding where the true value lies. The companies that
have the ability to lock into this IoT business value
proposition and convert that into investor value will survive
and will gain eminence. There are a number of great
technologies and concepts available but only the ones that
are able to truly unlock value will remain.
What sets us apart
The IoT.nxt approach has been somewhat different, defying
the norm and, to date, it is my firm belief that ours is the
only company that has this unique approach. Addressing the
problems of interconnectivity from the bottom up, our
solution acknowledges the power of the cloud and Big data,
but also acknowledges that power is greatly diminished or
even nullified if the edge layer is not correctly managed.
Our definition of interoperability and data orchestration is,
at times, diluted by platform players claiming to provide the
same. They don’t.
The general platform interoperability discussion talks to
cloud interoperability. This is a hugely complex play that
causes massive headaches for some of the most influential
players as they try to fathom how to seamlessly integrate
multiple platforms. API’s are the talk of the day, with the
current solution to solving this dilemma, but it is simply not
sustainable or practical. On a whiteboard it might look great
having several platforms integrated via API and then
plugging into some ESB via microservices, but I challenge
to you to construct all of that and take into consideration the
small part all of these guys initially did not deem necessary
– the edge.
This methodology is hugely reliant on smart sensor
technology that has the ability to push data into the cloud.
There’s a heavy reliance on networks and, as a result,
‘platforms’ are struggling to grapple with edge technology,
all the while hopeful that a 5G, no, 20G network will
resolve this problem.
At almost all the international conferences we have
attended in the last 24 months the major discussion has
been Big Data and smart sensors, so most of the more
mature platforms have been designed around the premise of
them being able to receive data directly from the sensor.
19November 2018

22. The problem now is how to talk back
to the sensor or machine and, more
importantly, how to do this cross
platform. An even bigger issue
creeping to the forefront of discussions
are regarding ecosystems in which near
real-time data feeds are crucial.
Yet still, the focus is on the cloud and
understandably so, especially if you
have invested millions into a
technology that is reliant on the cloud.
We do not believe this.
For some time now we’ve been saying
that the edge is eating the cloud.
We’re not implying that the cloud will
lose relevance. What we’re saying is
that a true IoT ecosystem will become
less and less reliant on the cloud and,
in fact, that ecosystem design will rely
heavily on edge capabilities.
A natural oversight, but a crucial detail
destined to form an integral part of this
industry’s ability to commercialise in
the near future. The IoT industry is
inhibited by an inability to create
interconnectivity and
interoperability at the edge.
Retrofit and decrease the barrier to
entry and sweat the assets.
Correctly designed and engineered,
edge technology enables edge
interoperability and, more importantly,
the ability to retrofit into legacy
systems. Legacy systems, to a large
extent, were disregarded, with current
players relying on the ‘rip and replace
‘mentality that has governed and, to a
degree, plagued the IT industry since
the beginning, befuddling brands that
have become household names.
This mentality of winner takes all is
not congruent with the ideation of a
connected world and certainly does not
embrace the concept of true scalability.
Having to rip out and replace existing
technology and infrastructure on your
journey towards digitalisation
introduces a huge amount of additional
complexity, disruption and a cost, all of
which makes it a difficult sale to the
business, contributing to the slow
adoption rate of the 4th Industrial
Revolution.
So whilst the ‘big dogs’ are all trying
to figure how they can develop and
ensure technology lock-in to secure
future revenue, they’re contributing
towards the mixed message that is
being sent out to the market, diluting
the value of IoT technology as a tool to
unlocking real business value.
Value is a simple exercise for any
business leader – Look at expenditure,
then ROI. Satisfied? Great. Here’s the
next question - is it relevant to my
business?
All data is not the answer.
When we enter into discussions with
big companies, the issue of legacy
investments in technology at the edge
comes up without fail. Remember that
everyone is selling some type of cloud
platform that is going to ‘change the
business’, but that cloud engine is
reliant on edge data i.e. devices,
sensors, machines, protocols, PLCs,
SCADAs, CCTV, access control
systems - the list goes on and on.
Clients start considering negotiating
with each vendor and realising that,
much like when our 1000 piece holiday
puzzles has 1 missing piece can ruin
the picture and make the whole
exercise seem futile. It’s the same with
many of the algorithms and predictive
applications - the true power of these
platforms lie in their ability to provide
companies with insights. For this they
are 100% dependent on having the
correct, filtered, aggregated, curated,
secure, real-time data from the edge,
and they need all the pieces of the data
puzzle to build the Big Data picture.
In every environment, on every piece
of the puzzle there is information that
is critical to the task at hand, and then
there’s other information that isn’t
needed in real-time. Things like
whether a device needs to be serviced
in a weeks’ time, whether stock is
going to be depleted by the end of the
month, etc. Now consider a sensor
having a fixed normal range, and only
recording exceptions rather than all
data all the time - you’re able to reduce
the amount of data passed by around
60%- 90% in real time monitoring
environments, as a basic statistic.
We are throwing away the rule book.
While the rest of the industry
scrambles to figure out how to
showcase the exponential value of IoT
whilst also attempting to lock clients in
to their technology stack, we’re taking
the IoT rule book and throwing it out
of the window.
We don’t care what technology our
clients have now, and what technology
they will have in five years’ time. We
don’t talk about vendors, we talk
protocols. We’re driving our clients to
get to Big Data quicker, using what
they have, thanks to our trademarked
Raptor.
Raptor technology is the missing link
in most of the discussions around
digitalisation. A normalised, edge
layer of physical and virtual
intelligence that can be retrofitted,
deployed and connected seamlessly
into an ecosystem of existing
technologies and things, radically
reducing the cost and time of having
to develop multiple edge integrations
into disparate cloud applications.
The IoT.nxt Power-play
Being able to retrofit onto all deployed
devices, whether analog-, or IP-based
has a huge benefit.
20 November 2018

23. Ÿ It reduces disruption to business processes,
Ÿ cost of implementation,
Ÿ cost of training,
Ÿ cost and impact of enterprise-wide change management,
Ÿ reduces vulnerability and cyber risk because of less
technology disparity at the edge,
Ÿ reduces data moving across the network that
Ÿ reduces the cost of the network and network congestion,
Ÿ reduces processing required at the cloud platform level as
the data has already been curated at the edge,
Ÿ reduces the cost associated with maintenance of edge
integrated gateways,
Ÿ has less attack surface at the edge as the gateways are
rationalised and
Ÿ simplifies real-time subsystem integration
All of this allows us to better leverage the power of our
cloud platform as we can now understand the up-, and down-
stream effects of an event-triggered occurrence and effect
dynamic and seamless recalibration and interoperability
throughout ALL edge connected devices.
We ensure that all the pieces of the puzzle are in the box, and
ready to be pieced together to create the big picture.
Conclusion
Edge normalisation of data at the edge gateway layer form
the foundation for rapid digitalisation and digital
transformation. The disruption that everyone talks about is
vested in the ability for an organisation to continue its
business but iteratively and rapidly start to address the core
issues within its business through digitalisation. This leads to
more visibility on a real-time basis allowing for dynamic
recalibration back into the business ecosystem to achieve
optimised levels of production and efficiency that bring
about change and new ways of doing the same thing, better.
Peer-to-peer intelligence and learning will further drive this
thinking – Raptor thinking - making us even more relevant
as the necessity to drive edge analytics and decision making
in critical business environments nullifies the cloud. Are you
with me?
If you control the edge you unlock the cloud, a bottom up
approach.
21November 2018

26. BitSpark:
A Global Leader in the Blockchain Remittance Space
In recent years, the introduction of the increasingly
comprehensive cross-border payment and settlement
mechanism has been used for covering multiple
currencies and has been marked as an important step to
further expand the financial co-operation across the
globe.
To cope with this increasing demand and to promote the
safety and efficiency of foreign currency payments,
BitSpark a Hong Kong based Fintech Company has
been providing a bank-less alternative for de-risked
money transfer business since 2014.
Currently, BitSpark is a leading financial company where
business individuals are able to buy and sell worldwide
currencies efficiently at a better rate by using stable
coins, crypto currencies pegged to fiat assets. Through
BitSpark’s secure web and mobile platform or premium
service, the individuals are also able to pay out to banks
and cash pick-up shops in the Philippines, Indonesia,
Ghana, Nigeria and Vietnam by leveraging
cryptocurrency without any exposure or prior
knowledge.
Exemplifying Leadership
George Harrap, the CEO of BitSpark is from an
Electronics Engineering background and has been
involved in Bitcoin since 2011. He has also been
involved in every aspect of the market and seen it grow
and mature. George has a deep knowledge and
understanding of the Blockchain technology, the market
and the use cases while engaged in the Fintech space
through consulting on a few projects with fortune 500
companies. This has led him to eventually launch a very
own startup company, Bitspark.
Today under the leadership of George, BitSpark has won
numerous international awards and is the pioneer in the
bitcoin /blockchain remittance space which is rapidly
expanding to cater new customers and geographies.
Additionally, as a general speaker at Hong Kong and at
overseas financial technology events, he is dedicated to
spread the knowledge and understanding of some of the
breakthroughs accomplished in the Fintech industry. He
is also particularly identifying the use cases and
conveying these to his audiences in the best way
possible.
Maxine Ryan is a Hong Kong based entrepreneur who
is passionate about freedom of financial services for
people. In 2014, she Co-founded Bitspark to help
business owners send money better via cryptocurrency
solutions worldwide. She worked along with her team
members to launch ICO, $ZEPH, a rewards token for
Bitspark’s 180+ pegged cryptocurrency network
whereby users of networks are incentivized via rewards
and the company contributes buybacks to the market via
its profits. Maxine also frequently speaks at tech and
finance events, has been featured in Bloomberg Live and
listed in Forbes 30 under 30 in 2018.
Leveraging Crypto Currencies and Vaults
Traditionally, money service businesses require a bank
account in order to operate regardless if a person owns a
store front or an online remittance platform. But the De-
10
The
MostTrusted
Remittance
Service Providers
2018
24 November 2018

27. We help you
convert cash
to cryptocurrency
globally, without banks.
““
typically require conversion against a G20 currency such
as the USD. This reduces the need for middlemen which
will significantly reduce the cost to send money for end-
customers.
Future Aspiration
Since its inception into this disruptive market, BitSpark
was the leading company to conduct a cash-in and cash-
out remittance. But today, there is a growing demand in
the usage of crypto currencies for remittance purposes
and several crypto remittance companies are entering
into the market. However, BitSpark is unique in the
sense that it can accept cash as a method of deposit,
which isn’t offered by several companies. Additionally, it
has the ability to create stable coins pegged to the
national fiat and cross huge barriers of entries among
other traditional players.
BitSpark’s goal is to build an international network of
inclusion points that allow customers to buy and sell
cryptocurrency using both fiat and digital assets. The
vision of the company is to enable any user to update a
balance, convert to any currency and cash-out at any
inclusion point. Focusing on the vision of the company,
George states “A key indicator of success would be when
customers are able to make micropayments more
frequently without incurring high cost in
underserved countries.”
risking practices have made it increasingly difficult for
these businesses to operate or to even exist. Therefore,
BitSpark has created a solution that leverages crypto
currencies and vaults for businesses to operate as a
money transfer operator without the need of a bank.
On the other hand, MSBs would normally need to
prefund balances to transfer money via wire transfers
which are also costly and time consuming. The
conversion and settlement of currencies exchange rates
are dependent on banks, correspondent banks and layers
of brokers and distributors. With the help of BitSpark
solutions, MSBs can be used to prefund cash or crypto
currencies such as Bitcoin and can be able to settle
transaction in fiat currency in a normal way. BitSpark is
leveraging the 24/7 crypto market to settle transactions
and obtain rates that are typically above mid-market by
1-4%.
Being a pioneer in the blockchain remittance space,
BitSpark is dedicated to ensuring the switch to using
cryptocurrencies for remittances is as convenient and
seamless as possible; even for those with very little
exposure or knowledge about cryptocurrency. Since
there are limited formal channels for businesses to
choose cryptocurrency, therefore BitSpark is providing
options and solutions for businesses that are seeking
faster and more cost effective ways to transfer money
into their account. Hence, BitSpark uses pegged
cryptocurrencies to directly convert between currencies
which are extremely beneficial for exotic currencies that
—Maxine Ryan
COO
25November 2018

28. The way people make payments are changing faster due to the improved integration of digital technology. This has
benefited the industry with increased competition and consumer demands.
The changes can be witnessed in Travel, E-commerce, Household Bill payments etc. The recent integration of technology in
payment solutions makes transactions fast and seamless and can be done at the comfort of your homes.
Although we are witnessing a considerable change in the payment solution industry, there is still a consistent use of the cash
and cards, which solely depends on the geographical setting. In some places, people prefer cash and cards, while in other
places, they encourage the more use of digital solutions; for example: The United States and Canada. Analysis has shown that
The Age of
Disruptive Banking
through
Digital
Payment
Solutions
26 November 2018
Digi Payments

29. in these areas, they are likely to switch completely to
technology enabled payment solutions.
The payment solution processes will become more
innovative because of the following disruptive trends;
· Digital Banking and Remote Payment Approval
As the younger aged masses are turning up to technology
more than the traditional mediums, there is a notion that
most payment solutions will be done through digital-
enabled mediums rather than cash or cheque. This will
result in more engagement of mobile phones and digital
software applications.
Various business outlets are accepting more of mobile
payment which is helping them to improve customer
experience. The addition of instant alerts, appreciation
notifications and instant payment delivery is making this
innovation more interesting.
· Customer-Focused Strategy as a Priority
One retained customer is one attained success. ~
Chidiebere Moses Ogbodo
Customer experience post business encounter is what
makes a difference in the industry. Digital banking solutions
are improving the way customers feel after making their
payments. In the past years, one need to stand in a queue in
the bank before they can make even the smallest
transaction, but the integration of technology innovation has
reduced the stress to the lowest level. We can witness
improved services and instant expense management which
is helping everyone that is using this medium to stay above
the crowd
· Improved Customer Satisfaction through Rewards
A customer tends to check back on the sales-person who
gave them a tip or discount after purchase. This is also
applicable in payment solution. After people makes a
purchase online or even via cards and the seller offers them
a certain percentage of discount, they will always want to
come back. The good news is that most business enterprises
are supporting this idea in collaboration with the finance
institutions.
· FinTech Collaboration and Expansion of Networks
The innovation in payment solution is incorporating
feasibility of resource management between the financial
and non-financial organizations. Through this development,
the result will lead to easy merging of both the traditional
medium of resource management concepts with the recent
and digitalized concepts. Various financial organizations
that may not be able to handle the process of migrating
from the traditional format to the digitalized platform finds
ease in doing so by partnering with technology companies.
Organizational growth is measured both in market value,
infrastructure and the extent of their networks. The
integration of digital technology advances in payment
provisions helps especially the finance-oriented
establishments to easily expand their reach, even to the
most hidden places in the world. This helps to touch the
lives of people no matter the class and status and it repays
with tremendous customer growth.
· Improved Security and Payment by Codes
Security is huge concern when money is involved. People
are so conscious and very inquisitive about how their
money will travel from the sender to the receiver. In so
many cases, they will even think that such platforms as
digitalized mediums are not trustworthy as a single wrong
number can direct their money to unknown destination.
The transaction as of the old was true cheques. But today,
there will be a limited need for those methods, rather,
payment will simply be done by inputting a certain
username and password and your dashboard will be opened.
Through this page, you can easily make every payment. The
age of digitalization is turning the whole process into code-
based and this raises the question of how to stay safe. It is
also believed that for security purposes, the instant
notification of transaction, linking of secured email and
encryption to individual data and disaster-recovery
provisions will lead the innovation to better direction. This
concern has a big deal with blockchain, augmented reality,
IoT and biometrics.
You may be asking how the future will look like with tech-
enabled payment solutions. As the world is growing and
globalization is gaining a good ground, people blends in to
what they see that is working well. So, as digital payment
solution is making even the life of the lay man on street
easy, more people in the near future will completely adopt
this innovation. It will not harm the financial institutions,
but it will be great if they can migrate or better integrate
some form of technology strategies in their financial
solutions. This change may be slow, but it will be consistent
as the technology changes are not giving room for
procrastination.
27November 2018

30. Led by Candice Simons,
the CEO of Brooklyn Outdoor, a
longtime industry leader who
returned to Detroit from Chicago to
launch the entrepreneurial venture.
The company’s multiple divisions
include Outdoor, Experiential,
Events, and hand painted. Brooklyn’s
clients include national brands like
General Motors, Adidas, Warner
Brothers, Sprint, and Amazon.
Simons also founded the Detroit-
based lifestyle blog company,
J’adore Detroit.
She has been recognized for her
work with both companies by Crain’s
Detroit Business 40 under 40,
DBusiness 30 in their 30s,
Entrepreneur 360, Detroit Young
Professionals Vanguard, Summit
International Marketing and
Creative Awards, MichBusiness, and
Enterprising Women of the year
2017.
About the Author:
28 November 2018
Brand Vision

31. The Right Way
n an increasingly saturated market, it is becoming
Iincreasingly harder to reach your target consumer
through traditional channels. Brooklyn Outdoor is
fortunate enough to be at the center of the oldest form of
advertising – outdoor advertising aka out-of-home
advertising. This is the only format of advertising that
cannot be turned off in the digital age. This is an exciting
time for this highly regarded industry to cut through the
clutter and provide our key consumer with exactly what
they need and where at point of purchase. We have had our
ups and downs as a startup over the past five years battling
our goliath competitors but have proven ourselves as a
worthy opponent – just as our industry has stood the test of
time. Just as we have built our own brand, our specialty is
helping our customers build their brands just the same way
through outdoor advertising, event marketing, experiential
marketing, and more.
Out-of-Home (aka OOH) advertising is the catalyst for
brand building. Advertisers can segment audiences and
market campaigns more specifically than ever before and
choose to reach consumers by multicultural audiences,
general market audiences, age, etc. This long term and
“always on” strategy is one that allows brands to be and
feel as though they are everywhere to the targeted segment
in the desired market. This is because OOH reaches almost
the entire population and is the best mechanism for bright,
in-your-face messages.
Consumers are increasingly on the go, and while on the go
they are seeing various types of placements and advertising
as they go about their daily routines. Reaching an audience
at the bus stop, at the intersection, in a taxi, or during the
commute has a tremendous impact on the modern consumer
– especially when paired with mobile advertising. These
various touch points allow brands and products to resonate
with potential customers in a subtle, yet impactful way, as
they go about their daily routine.
Digital out of home (DOOH) advertising is quickly
becoming one of the fastest growing, technically advanced,
and most interactive advertising formats for businesses to
reach consumers.
DOOH advertising promises brand safety as it eliminates
the risk of crisis by association. Promoting company
content on social media platforms assumes the risk of
having ads placed next to problematic or politically
controversial content. However, in DOOH there is no
uncertainty because advertisers know exactly where ads
will appear and often make the site selections internally.
Additionally, DOOH advertising eliminates the potential
marketing threat of ad-blocking. The biggest concern with
most digital formats arises when an audience is able to
avoid certain advertisements by shutting them off and
media companies fraudulently account for proof of
completion.
Due to this inefficiency, the word “digital” naturally brings
concern to potential advertisers; however, with DOOH, ad-
blocking is not possible for digital signage because it
cannot be blocked, filtered or turned off. Real people are
seeing our ads and formats.
When it is done correctly and thoughtfully, the public
accepts digital DOOH more so than any other media
formats due to the creative advancements in this exciting
format. It becomes more than a selling tool for our clients –
it becomes something much larger and more impactful.
Brand Building:
29November 2018

32. Innovation and Trends
= Data-Driven Campaigns
Real-time data feeds can be integrated into digital displays,
as a result, clients are able to produce a very clear picture
and snapshot of the “now” for target audiences. Innovation
is the name of the marketing game these days, and DOOH
does just that.
With the strategic and thoughtful use of data and
technology, in addition to a general market campaign, a
client can create a truly powerful and unique experience for
their target audience. OOH advertising is THE top medium
to create the lasting connection and visibility that an
audience needs to take action at point of purchase.
= Beacons
Beacons are real-world data generators that are insanely
accurate. With them, you can turn your OOH advertising
locations into signals, which help to pinpoint a specific
target audience and market to them directly. This innovation
allows the world of mobile and OOH advertising to further
connect and maximize the most efficient exposure possible.
This cutting-edge technology proves extremely useful to
reach consumers in specific situations that naturally warrant
waiting time like the airport, bus station, or even hospital.
Strategically sending creative messaging via smartphones to
consumers in these particular situations makes them much
more likely to engage with the brand or product.
Recently, COACH used beacons at the Hong Kong
International Airport to engage customer participation in a
cutting-edge OOH campaign. The beacon-based, social
media campaign prompted participants to share a photo
with hashtag #CoachPreFall2016 to enter a drawing to win
merchandise from the collection.
Beaconstac reports, “to participate, passengers, had to go
near a beacon hoarding (with the Bluetooth switched on
their smartphones), go on WeChat and shake their phones.
The beacons installed in the advertising media would then
communicate with passengers’ smartphones and take them
to the campaign landing page.”
As a result of strategically placing beacons in a high-impact
area with predictable wait time, Coach was able to engage
customers and create a lasting impression of the brand
while maximizing exposure through virtual outreach.
Hand Painted Mural Advertising Originally popular in the
20th century, hand paint murals are making a comeback in
vibrant cities with strong artistic communities like Detroit,
Brooklyn and Los Angeles. By commissioning local artists
to create brand-promoting murals, advertisers connect with
communities on a more powerful level. Using local artists
to create advertisements, authentically generates interest in
the community and results in public relation opportunities
not typically open to run of the mill billboard placements.
Additionally, hand paint murals take time to create. While
painting, artists attract attention from pedestrians and street
traffic. The process of the mural’s creation can be used as a
marketing asset in itself. Time lapse videos of the process
from start to finish can be used to supplement OOH
advertising campaigns.
= Action
OOH advertising is a tried and true method in initiating
audiences to take action. Over threequarters of Americans
have been noted as smartphone owners, which is an
enormous number of potential customers ready to interact
and engage with brands at the tip of their fingers.
A recent Nielsen study states that OOH generates more
online activity per ad dollar spent when compared to radio,
television, or print. Because of OOH exposure, consumers
interact with brands via social media.
Because we are always turned on and, on the go,, OOH’s
unsurpassed ability to bridge the gap between audience and
brand will ultimately drive action from consumers.
About the Company
Brooklyn Outdoor is a Detroit-based independent outdoor
advertising agency. The company was founded in 2013 and
has subsequently emerged as a national and regional force
in the outdoor advertising industry with satellite offices and
full-time sales representatives in Detroit, Chicago, New
York, and Los Angeles.
30 November 2018

34. EasyPay:
An Inclusive Digital Payment Platform in Albania
Headquartered at Tirana, Albania and founded in
the year 2010, EasyPay is an Albanian
FinTech company, born with an idea to offer
customers an ‘easy’ to ‘pay’ concept from their mobile
phone. This inclusive e-wallet platform allows people to
make real-time payments by saving their time and
money while reducing discomfort. On the other hand,
people can make use of its mobile application to pay for
over 40 services including utility bills, police fines,
education fees, internet, top-ups, e-commerce etc.
In addition to this, customers can credit their EasyPay e-
wallet either with cash or cashless using their mobile
phone or to one of the company’s 350 agents who are
present across the country. By providing such safe and
inclusive top up alternatives, both the banked and the
non-banked population can have access to digital
financial services and make real-time online or mobile
payments. Recently, the company has entered into the
remittance business and partnered with Ria Money
Transfer, the second largest Money Transfer Operator in
the world. This partnership has allowed EasyPay to offer
competitive money transfers to the low and middle-
income households in the Albanian market.
Apart from providing conventional money transfers
through Ria Money Transfer, the Albanian customers
who live and work abroad can directly pay their family’s
utility bills using the EasyPay mobile application. This
way, these customers who send money to their families
for bill payments can directly pay for these bills
comfortably from their homes. This benefit is offered to
specific audiences; those who prefer digital channels
with a simplified procedure, where EasyPay eliminates at
least two steps to make the process easier in order to
reduce their time and cost.
Driving Financial Innovations
During the last eight years, experts of EasyPay, operating
in the Albanian market have learnt never to
underestimate the local culture and mentality. Hence,
they have been constantly focusing on educating the
population about its products and services apart from
finding the right business model for success. EasyPay
found itself lucky to be the first operator to enter into this
sector in Albania, right in time when there was a huge
gap in the market that needed to be filled. This led the
company towards success as one of the leading fintech
companies in the region, but this would have never
happened without the company’s talented and passionate
team of young Albanians who are truly driving the
financial innovation breakthrough in Albania.
It is a result of their hard work that EasyPay is now
recognized as a leading FinTech company in Europe,
which has also reflected through its ranking as one of the
Top 3 Fintech companies for Financial Inclusion in
Europe, awarded by the European Fintech Awards 2017.
In the year 2015, it has been awarded as the Best ICT
Company in Albania, by the Albanian Government as
well. These achievements were also admired by the
10
The
MostTrusted
Remittance
Service Providers
2018
32 November 2018

35. We build our products and
services byprioritizing their
requirements and objectives
so our customers have a
fantastic experience and a
easy life.
““
The Lady of Balkans
Linda Shomo, the Founder and CEO of EasyPay has
an extensive executive experience of over 23 years in the
IT industry. Prior to EasyPay, Linda held IT management
roles in various global financial institutions such as the
American Bank of Albania, First Data International etc.
Linda has received many awards and recognitions for her
leading role in the financial revolution including ‘Woman
of the year, 2014’ by ICT Awards and ‘Women in
FinTech Powerlist 2017’ by Innovate Finance. Apart
from this, Linda is also a board member of various
Albanian IT, Financial and Women associations. She is
also actively contributing as a mentor and jury member
in the startup ecosystem and Financial Industry in
Albania. She was a special invitee in the International
Money Transfer, Remittances & Cross-Border Payments
Conference (IMTC) 2018 for EMEA held in Brussels,
where she gave an exclusive speech for Ria and
EasyPay.
international and local media companies such as The
Banker, and they invited EasyPay for an exclusive
interview in their Financial Times offices in London.
EasyPay has also been featured in Let’s Talk Payments,
The Fintech Times and The Paypers. Recently even
Microsoft also did a dedicated coverage of EasyPay in
their media channels. Further, with less than two years of
operation in the remittance sector, the company has
experienced a 300% YoY growth whilst its agent’s
network has driven the company to gain an upper-hand
among them through increasing the number of agents to
350 agents all over Albania.
Exploring Possibilities
Presently, EasyPay’s goal is to expand its services into
several regions especially in Kosovo and Macedonia
where it has discovered similar gaps in the market.
Addressing this challenges the company is looking to
offer
cross-border payments in respective regions. It is also
planning to provide online money transfers in Albania by
viewing the present potential of the digital channels in
the country. Apart from utilities and money transfers, it
has recently introduced new products like tax and
microloan payments which help to offer cross-selling to
the remittance beneficiaries in Albania.
—Linda Shomo
Founder & CEO
33November 2018

36. Data Center Security:
The rise in cyber-crimes is one of the main causes of
Data center outages. As per the recent survey
conducted by industry insiders, cyber-crime caused
22 percent data center outages in 2015 opposed to 2 percent
outages in 2010. Adding to all these, now most of the data
centers are re-evaluating their security policies after the
recent WannaCry ransomware attack.
Data center outages cause companies to loss revenue in
many ways. However, the costliest loss is service
interruption and loss of IT productivity. So, the
organizations are now realizing that traditional security is
no longer secure enough to secure any data center. A recent
study has found that 83 percent of traffic travels east/west
within the data center, which stays undetected by the
perimeter security. In this environment, when an attacker
infiltrates the perimeter firewall, then can jump across the
system with ease, extract information and compromise
valuable data. Additionally, data centers can fail due to
trespassers or a terrorist attack or by natural calamities.
So, how can one secure a data center in the best way
possible from any kind of cyber threat? Don’t worry we’ve
got you covered, with the points below.
As the first step, one should Map the Data Center and flag
the hackers within the virtual and physical infrastructure.
The CSOs and CIOs with a system map of their systems
can react to any suspicious activity and take steps to stop
data breaches. Being able to visualize different traffic
patterns within a network helps to understand threats, that
eventually elevates the level of security.
Understanding and measurement of traffic flow within
the data center boundary are very important. In the case of
any interruption in traffic across east/west vs north/south,
protected vs unprotected one can get to know about a threat.
Additionally, vulnerable zones and unprotected traffic need
to be monitored for a better result.
Firewall rules need to be defined and implemented as per
requirements. Additionally, one should allow traffic only
after thorough verification and selectively allow
communication to ensure maximum protection. The key is
to identify, what;s legal and secured and what can be
blocked to enhance security.
One needs to Build a Team with executives who
understand how traffic flows within the premises and can
access & secure information, take necessary measures to
secure important assets along with the implementation of
roadblocks for the attackers.
Security must move as fast as a data center’s technology
adoption
and integration. Security Strategy Should Change
Alongside the Technology and it should not be treated as
an add-on option. Additionally, businesses also should
ensure that their virus protection, signatures other
protection features are up to date for better protection.
Businesses should Identify and Place Controls over high-
value assets, which will help to reduce risk. However, older
security solutions are completely blind to new threats, new
security companies have produced latest solutions that
protect data in the virtual world.
Access Restriction also needs to be imposed. Every
business should thoroughly check a person’s background
before giving the access to a prized possession. Access to
the main site and the loading bay must be limited,
Controlling Possible Threats
34 November 2018
Editor’s Pick

37. additionally, two-factor authentications and fortified interiors with security guards and roving patrols would help to
safeguard the employees and the data center.
Installing Surveillance Cameras around the data center, alongside removing signs which may provide clues to its function
helps to locate an intruder. A buffer zone between the data center and all the entry points will limit unlawful trespassing to a
great extent. Additionally, the data center needs to be far away from the main road and it should not have any windows other
than administrative purposes for better security.
A data center should Check Test Back-Up Systems regularly as prescribed by the manufacturer. It should also ensure to
make a list and of Do’s and Don’ts in the event of an attack. Recovery plans and security plans also need to be checked
thoroughly.
Data centers are always a Soft Target for The Terrorists, as an attack on them can disrupt and damage major business and
communication infrastructure. So, security needs to be taken seriously and to do that proactive steps should be taken to limit
the impact of a terrorist attack.
Trained Security Guards needs to be posted inside a data center and they should be well trained. Security officers must
undergo strict site-specific training to monitor surveillance footage. Depending on the size of data center and the number of
security cameras multiple security officers may be required on duty. Security officers dedicated to inspecting surveillance
footage helps when it comes to securing a data center.
Disaster Recovery is very much important, that must be in place. If the data center stops functioning after an attack or
natural calamity, it must have a way to restore operations as soon as possible. To be ready for a disaster and to evaluate the
disaster recovery plan, it’s necessary to train staffs well and experience simulated disasters.
To avoid these obstacles, one needs a fair bit of knowledge of new security systems, solid plans, and comprehensive
visibility. The more work a data center can do up front in the above-mentioned areas the better the chances of success with
lesser outages.
35November 2018

40. Nowadays, customers expect to be able to transfer
money in a quick, seamless and secure way. In
an industry once dominated by banks, now new
and innovative cross-border payment providers are
entering the market and rapidly gaining ground. Payment
providers have been able to create a new marketplace
and increasingly capitalize the power of big data,
analytics and the cloud to create customer-centric
models.
Based in London, United Kingdom, Small World
Financial Services Group Ltd provides omni-channel,
cross border payment services for consumers and
businesses to over 180 countries worldwide, including
direct to bank account, cash pick-up in minutes, credit to
mobile wallets and home delivery.
Small World delivers its services internationally to
consumers and businesses through a number of channels:
via one of its 84 stores globally, over the phone with one
of its call centres, digitally in 21 countries via website
and mobile app, and through its global network of over
6,000 authorized sending agents.
The Driving Force
Since founding Small World back in 2005, Nick Day
(CEO) has been the driving force behind its growth and
expansion, managing Small World through its first
transaction sent from Peckham to Lagos back in 2006 to
reaching the recent milestone of 75 million transactions.
Under his leadership, the company has acquired a
number of smaller businesses with very strong local
operations, allowing Small World to extend its service
worldwide.
Cross-Border Payment Services
Small World is a leading omni-channel provider of cross-
border payment services for consumers and businesses.
Customers can send money abroad, whether sending to
their family, paying a bill, or making a critical
investment. Customers benefit through Small Worlds
ability to process and send payments quickly with low
charges and competitive exchange rates. In addition to
this, having a reliable service means customers trust the
company, knowing that their money can be transferred
on time at any time of the day.
Small World have spent over a decade building a product
that can integrate their services into hundreds of partner
banks, post offices and mobile operators around the
world. They have bypassed the existing expensive and
slow infrastructure of the typical banking world in order
to get payments to customers quickly, securely and at a
low cost.
Benefitting the Customers across the Globe
The cross-border payments industry has often been
viewed as complex, with strange terminology, opaque
fees and low levels of transparency. With Small World,
customers have easy access to a variety of international
payments services. They can choose the interaction
which is most convenient for them by transacting via the
mobile app or website, visiting a store, calling one of the
10
The
MostTrusted
Remittance
Service Providers
2018
Small World
Financial Services:
A Leading Cross-Border Payments Provider
38 November 2018

41. Our mission is to bring our
customers a simple, trustworthy,
transparent and a very fast way
to get their money
where they want it to
be and a very fast way to
move their money.
“
“
The Future Relationship
Small World remains focused on becoming the leading
cross-border payment provider, and continuing to expand
its global reach and market share. Innovative technology,
relationships with partner banks, and a strong focus on
regulatory compliance have proved invaluable in
propelling the business forward, and are crucial in
enabling Small World to deliver the speed, value and
convenience that customers require.
payment experts in Small Worlds call centers, or visiting
one of the conveniently located agents. Some of the
benefits gained by the customers are:
Firstly, being an omni-channel provider in the market,
Small World gives customers the ability to transfer
money digitally either online or via the app, by visiting
their nearest agent or store, or by placing a transaction
over the phone with customer services. This level of
convenience allows customers to choose how they want
to interact and gives them autonomy over how they send
their money.
Secondly, with its huge network of direct partnerships
and integrations with banks and financial institutions
around the world, Small World has the ability to deliver
money within seconds. This has generated a huge
advantage for their customers in this increasingly real-
time world. “Customers just want to know that the
money is there, and there is no need for them to wait any
more” says Nick.
Finally, Small World can process the payment at a low,
highly competitive cost. This high level of service at low
price points has helped the company to earn the loyalty
of over 3 million customers in over 5,000 country
corridors worldwide.
—Nick Day
CEO
39November 2018

42. he arrival of Chatbots is considered to be an incredible breakthrough in the realm of business or any kind of
Tentrepreneurships. It is one of the smartest innovations by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language
Processing (NLP) that businesses can count on. The Chatbot is a software that can be programmed to carry out a
certain set of actions all by itself, like a wind-up toy, in text or spoken formats. The capability of the bots to learn from
the past interactions and grow in itself, makes it more attractive and interesting. Chatbots work in two different ways.
Firstly, predefined responses are given from an existing database, based on the keywords searched by customers. The
smart machine based bots attract their knowledge from Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Computing and adapt their
behavior based on the customer interactions.
Applicability of Chatbots in Business:
The applicability of these chatting bots is quite relevant in this era of digital glory. As the new tech-savvy generation of
customers is always connected to the social platforms, they definitely expect a seamless and less time consuming
customer experience with the brands they love. Econsultancy found in a research that 57% of customers prefer live chat
to email or a phone call. There’s no surprise that consumers today are appreciating chatting or texting more than any
other forms of communication. To address this priority of the customers and outgrow in this competitive business world,
many business giants are adopting these virtual agents.
40 November 2018
Tech Talk

43. Tech-Talk
A Dynamic
Digital
Gesture for
Creative
Entrepreneurs
CHATBOTSCHATBOTS
It’s a Smart Trend for Entrepreneurial Venture:
With the widespread adoption of the artificial intelligence, the human interaction and connectivity has taken a fascinating
turn. This extremely sophisticated and versatile tool can be helpful in crafting any small or big business plan. Apart from
being awesome in resolving customer care queries, Chatbots can be a part of an entrepreneurial strategy in many ways.
That’s where the appeal of Chatbots lies. There are many different approaches to navigate this
connectivity tool throughout the business venture. Let's have a look at some of these approaches:
As every organization has a unique set of customers, the Chatbots must be programmed in accordance with customer
journey. Knowing the finer details of the customer journey from A-Z, might be proved as the foundation for success. As
AI is enacting a larger role in business reforms, having accurate foresight and experience is the most needed prerequisite
to program the bot.
After programming the bot, it should be designed in a way that would enhance customer success by advancing them
down the sales funnel. A microscopic view of the customer service and sales data always helps in this regard. One should
have a good grasp on:
41November 2018

44. Ÿ Which patterns and questions are asked the most?
Ÿ How the responses can be programmed to answer all of
them?
Ÿ And most importantly, in what way all the necessary
information can be provided to bring people from
awareness stage to a decision?
In order to guide the customer seamlessly through the sales
funnel with the help of the intelligent bot, an entrepreneur
needs to put himself/herself in the shoes of the average
customer and develop the bot around their path to success.
To build strong relationships with customers, another
smarter way is to “humanize” the Chatbot. People generally
want to buy something from other people, not from a robot.
Therefore, programming responses needs to be done in a
way that reflects the character and personality of the brand.
The Chatbot need to be designed with a tinge of human
empathy with the authentic brand voice.
Lastly, with the changing digital landscape, customer
mindsets are also always in the verge of change. To stay on
the top of the game, one must have to consistently analyze
the data and evolve the bot accordingly.
Future of Chatbots:
Chatbots are currently being utilized as easy and fun ways
on websites, social platforms and smartphones to assist
customers in their interactions with a brand. Even if the
Chatbots are still in rudimentary stage, we can expect a lot
more progressions in this trend. With the gradual evolution
of Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning, the Chatbots
will become more empowered to edify the conversational
interface of businesses. Chatbots are going to get a lot
smarter, more intelligent and indistinguishable from a
human being with the advancement of AI. However, it will
definitely take some trials and errors before the chatting
robots master and adopt the delicacies of polite
conversation.
Also, it’s quite predictable that the cost of Chatbots will
eventually get cheaper as the adoption of it increases across
multiple domains. An example is Facebook’s decision to let
third-party applications build Chatbots in their platform has
drastically lowered the price.
Conclusion:
It really amazes us how far technology has come up in the
last several years in the digital marketing arena. However,
some things will always remain the same. Even if
everything gets automated in the future, nothing will
minimize the appeal of optimal user experience. The bots
can be used to automate a huge chunk of the marketing
process, but without making the process dull and
impersonal. Only then these marvels of technology will be
able to make wonders.
42 November 2018