Tag: Enterprise IT

JCB and NTT Com to Demonstrate Multifunctional Mobile Wallet App

TOKYO, Oct 8, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – JCB Co., Ltd., Japan's only international payment brand, and NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com), the ICT solutions and international communications business within the NTT Group, announced today that they will conduct a demonstration test for JCB Mobile Wallet (tentative name), a one-of-a-kind feature[1] that guarantees the original foreign currency exchange rates for a certain period. JCB and NTT Com personnel will participate in the test, which will be conducted until the end of November, prior to the scheduled launch of commercial services in Japan and other Asian markets next year.
JCB Mobile Wallet (tentative name)



The multifunctional app, which enables users to instantly create JCB brand virtual prepaid cards, provides a range of useful services, including cashless payments, mobile remittances, account settings and map-based searches for JCB merchants, for the convenience of international students, businesspeople and international residents in Japan. Features include:

– Multi-Currency
Users can exchange home currency to 22 other currencies, with the choice of either a real-time rate or a guaranteed period rate. Guaranteed period rates are a one-of-a-kind feature. Any currency not used within fourteen days is exchanged back at the original rate.

– Multi-Account
Multiple sub-accounts are offered for families and businesses. For example, a parent could charge up the sub-account of a child studying abroad with money whenever needed, 24/7. For corporate accounts, companies can easily manage the balance of sub-accounts when employees travel overseas on business.

– Multi-Service
Many useful services are bundled with the app, such as reserving restaurants and taxis.

The demonstration will be used to confirm the functionality and practicality of the app's user interface and user experience for various functions and services developed by JCB and NTT Com. It will also test NTT Com's system for the Home Currency Anywhere®[2], which manages rate-guaranteed foreign currency information[3] comprehensively and quickly by leveraging NTT Com's API Gateway as a Service[4] to centrally manage the APIs of Home Currency Anywhere® and other services.

The new app will be compatible with mobile contactless payment systems and other payment environments in many countries and regions using Near Field Communication[5], QR codes and linkage to credit cards.

In the future, expanded functionality will be realized through the planned incorporation of NTT Com's Wallet Exchange®[6] service to enable online transfer and management of electronic money in various currencies. Also, the measures will be incorporated to ensure that JCB Mobile Wallet offers robust security for customer transactions.

[1] According to research by JCB and NTT Com.
[2] Home Currency Anywhere® is a service provided by NTT Com that distributes information about rate-guaranteed foreign exchanges and transactions through a secure environment. Foreign exchange rates guaranteed for a certain period of time enable end users, such as travelers, businesspeople and overseas residents, to exchange currencies without having to worry about fluctuating rates. Please see https://www.ntt.com/en/about-us/press-releases/news/article/2019/1112.html.
[3] Foreign currency exchange based on foreign exchange rates will be carried out by NTT Com's partner company M-DAQ Pte. LTD. Please see https://www.m-daq.com/.
[4] API Gateway as a Service centrally manages API connections with other services for quick and easy deployment across API connections and data formats of each service. Please see https://www.ntt.com/en/about-us/press-releases/news/article/2017/0614.html.
[5] Near Field Communications (NFC) is an international standard wireless communication technology, defined by ISO as a non-contact IC card interface standard, for wireless connection with NFC-equipped mobile phones or NFC-compatible credit cards over short distances of a few centimeters.
[6] Wallet Exchange® is an NTT Com online service that uses Home Currency Anywhere® to charge electronic money accounts with various currencies. A user can convert their electronic money from home currency into foreign-currency in overseas travel destinations, and later can reconvert any unused e-money back into the home currency at the original rate within 14 days.

About JCB

JCB is a major global payment brand and a leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Its acceptance network includes 34 million merchants in the world. JCB cards are now issued in 24 countries and territories with more than 140 million cardmembers. As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with hundreds of leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase merchant coverage and cardmember base. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. For more information, please visit: www.global.jcb/en/

About NTT Communications

NTT Communications solves the world's technology challenges by helping enterprises overcome complexity and risk in their ICT environments with managed IT infrastructure solutions. These solutions are backed by our worldwide infrastructure, including industry leading, global tier-1 public and private networks reaching over 190 countries/regions, and more than 500,000m2 of the world's most advanced data center facilities. Our global professional services teams provide consultation and architecture for the resiliency and security required for your business success, and our scale and global capabilities in technology world are unsurpassed. Combined with NTT Ltd., NTT Data, and NTT DOCOMO, we are NTT Group.

– Website: www.ntt.com
– Twitter: https://twitter.com/nttcom
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nttcomtv
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ntt-communications

Media inquiries
Kumiko Kida, Ayaka Nakajima
Corporate Communications
JCB Co., Ltd.
+81-3-5778-8353
jcb-pr@jcb.co.jp

Masaki Nomoto, Aoi Funagoshi
Public Relations, Corporate Planning
NTT Communications
+81-3-6700-4010
pr-cp@ntt.com

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Triller to Offer Live Streaming Starting on October 12th

LOS ANGELES, CA., Oct 8, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Beginning on October 12th, 2020, Triller users will have the ability to livestream content, further expanding Triller's capabilities as the social platform's user-base grows. This new feature will offer creators a new way to monetize their content.

With a paywall feature and donate now, creators will be able to go live at any time opening up additional monetization routes.

"We always want to put our artists first. Go live was one of the first things our influencers wanted. In response, we designed a program that is the best and most sophisticated go live technology there is. This will be game-changing for influencers," said Bobby Sarnevesht, Chief Triller Officer and Executive Chair. "We find it disturbing that TikTok takes such a big share of the artists work," he continued.

While other social platforms do give creators the opportunity to monetize their live-streams, a majority of the money raised often goes to the platform itself. Triller, however, continues to be an artist-first application. With the well-being of creators being at the core of its business model, Triller will make sure that 70% of all money raised during live streams goes directly to the artist. Triller has also designated $5 million in 'go live' backlog that has been pre-purchased for influencers on a first-come, first-serve basis. The first 10 influencers who hit 100,000 concurrent viewers will each get 50K donations directly from the company. This is the first of many up and coming monetization programs for influencers. "We have already done internal tests, and if influencers use their IG and other social to encourage their followers to join their go live, this is a relatively easy metric for them to hit," said Mike Lu, CEO of Triller.

"This generation has a huge appetite for live-streamed content, as we see how live-streamed events across social platforms have accumulated millions of viewers simultaneously. We want our users to know that we continue to update our app and add new features based on what we know will improve the experience for them based on their feedback," continued Bobby Sarnevesht.

This latest development is the final integration of Halogen Networks into the platform, which Triller acquired this June with the intention of giving Triller users the opportunity to watch live events, including sports, musical acts, and more.

ABOUT TRILLER

Triller is an AI-powered music video app that allows users to create professional-looking videos in a matter of seconds. Pick a song, select the portion of the song you want to use, snap a few takes, and with the tap of a button, you have a celebrity-quality music video starring you and your friends. Triller relies solely on organic growth and has more than 250 million downloads, with celebrities like Alicia Keys, Cardi B, Marshmello, Roddy Ricch, and Eminem regularly using the app to create their own music videos. Triller recently was acquired by Proxima Media. For more information, visit www.triller.co and follow @trillervids on Instagram.

CONTACT:
press@triller.co

SOURCE: Triller

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Epazz DeskFlex Expands to Latin America; Mexico as the Pioneering Country to Adopt Multi-Language Desk Booking Software Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic

CHICAGO, IL, Oct 7, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – via NewMediaWire — Epazz, Inc. DeskFlex (OTC: EPAZ), a provider of mission-critical cloud-computing software solutions and blockchain business solutions, announced today that the DeskFlex desk booking software system is developing multiple language packages to accommodate Latin American companies for their gradual return to the office.

According to Accenture, approximately 80% of executives agree that employees will have to collaborate with other teams and departments and work around projects or services and product lines instead of job roles. More industries are implementing remote work and agile teams as a result of the pandemic. While the physical office may differ, the future of employment is flexible remote working. Several companies implemented a flexible scheme that allows workers to work from home and promote the sharing of office spaces intended for their activities. Employers redesigned their post-pandemic offices to attract and retain talented employees, foster collaboration among workers, and reduce real estate costs. DeskFlex desk hoteling software addresses these concerns in making offices safer for employees to return to the office by alternating team member schedules and limiting bookable workstations.

DeskFlex's meeting room scheduling software pushes forward in making safer offices for returning workers and the development of multi-language software packages to attract new business in Latin America. The new DeskFlex room scheduling software will have Spanish and Portuguese translations as the first development of the many languages. Several companies in Mexico and Spain expressed interest in implementing the DeskFlex room booking software in their organizations. The downloadable DeskFlex mobile applications will also sport a multi-language interface to accommodate more international clients.

DeskFlex's room booking system seeks to achieve reduced incidences of Coronavirus contamination in offices, schools, business establishments, lecture halls, activity areas by upgrading its software systems to meet COVID prevention measures. DeskFlex's COVID-compliant software helps companies screen elevated body temperature and mask-wearing, maintain social distancing with the dynamic scheduling feature, and sanitize the premises with the automatic desk sanitation feature.

According to Shaun Passley, Ph.D., CEO of Epazz, Inc., "We are optimistic in the movement of our products across borders and have quickly added multi-languagues packages to attract companies in Latin American countries."

About DeskFlex.com

DeskFlex is a desk booking solution and room reservation software useful in booking conference rooms, meeting rooms, workspaces, desks, car parking spaces, and office equipment. DeskFlex meeting room scheduling system helps office managers accommodate remote workers' time in the office, reducing rent and facility costs. DeskFlex lets employees reserve desks in advance or claim desks right away. It adjusts the telephone switch (PBX), so calls ring at the "desk du jour." DeskFlex includes check-in, point-and-click floor maps, a web browser, a local kiosk, Outlook integration, and conference room scheduling.

About Epazz, Inc. (www.epazz.com)

Epazz, Inc., is a leading cloud-based software company that specializes in providing customized cloud applications to the corporate world, higher-education institutions, and the public sector. Epazz BoxesOS(TM) v3.0 is a complete web-based software package for small- to mid-size businesses, Fortune 500 enterprises, government agencies, and higher education institutions. BoxesOS provides many of the web-based applications organizations would otherwise need to purchase separately. Epazz's other products are K9Sky.com kennel software and the Provitrac applicant tracking system.

SAFE HARBOR
This is the "Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: certain statements contained in this press release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "may," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," and "continue" (or the negation thereof) or similar terminology. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results or those implied by such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that no forward-looking statement is a guarantee of future performance and that actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. Epazz, Inc. assumes no obligation and has no intention of updating these forward-looking statements. It has no obligation to update or correct information prepared by third parties that are not paid for by Epazz, Inc. Investors are encouraged to review Epazz, Inc.'s public filings on SEC.gov and otcmarkets.com, including its unaudited and audited financial statements and its OTC market filings, which contain general business information about the company's operations, results of operations, and risks associated with the company and its operations.

CONTACT: For more information, please contact
Investor Relations
investors@epazz.net
(312) 955-8161
www.epazz.com

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

OIO to launch blockchain consulting and development services in Indonesia

SINGAPORE, Oct 2, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – SGX-listed OIO Holdings Limited ("OIO") is pleased to announce its entry into the Indonesian market with a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") with PT. Infiniti Teknologi Indonesia ("Infiniti").

Under the MOU, OIO will cooperate with Infiniti to support companies across various Indonesian industries planning to adopt blockchain-based technology in their business operations, with the aim of unlocking new growth areas and addressing operational inefficiencies. The MOU is effective for 2 years from 2 October 2020, unless mutually agreed between the parties for early termination or for further extension.

Background to the Partnership

OIO aims to be a leading provider of cost-effective and innovative solutions based on blockchain to further power the growth of enterprises in Asia. In partnership with Vietnam-based Infinity Blockchain Group ("IBG"), OIO currently markets consultancy and software development services for enterprises seeking to adopt easy-to-use and highly cost-effective blockchain solutions across numerous industries – such as, shipping, construction, logistics, and others. OIO's vision is to help our enterprise customers solve their real-world problems by providing them with appropriately customised blockchain solutions.

Being headquartered in Singapore, a leading global blockchain cluster, places OIO in a strategic position to access the growing demand for enterprise blockchain solutions. According to market intelligence firm International Data Corporation ("IDC"), the Asia-Pacific region accounts for approximately 19.3% of global blockchain spending. Even after accounting for COVID-19 related spending slowdowns, IDC expects blockchain spending to grow at a five-year Compound Annual Growth Rate of 55.3% for the Asia Pacific region (ex-Japan) and 57.1% worldwide – with global spend estimated to reach $14.4 billion by 2023[1].

Indonesia Market

Today, Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous nation, the 10th largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity, and a member of the G-20[2]. Strong macroeconomic fundamentals plus the growing number of both public and private sector blockchain projects in the country, have made Indonesia an attractive market for OIO to support with our customised solutions.

At the start of 2018, Bank Indonesia (BI) announced that it needs about two years to complete a study about the possibility of issuing a digital rupiah currency[3]. In August that year, the Indonesian Blockchain Association along with other organisations such as the Indonesia Chamber of Commerce and Creative Economy Agency, and Hara (a blockchain-based agritech startup) came together to launch Indonesia's first blockchain hub[4]. A year later, the Indonesian government's Creative Economy Agency also was reported to be using blockchain technology to protect artists' copyrights by helping musicians who have loaded their work to the database to track and monitor downloads and usage online, and calculate royalties due[5].

Historically, Indonesia has followed a democratic philosophy of strong regional autonomy. As such, each of the 33 provinces have their own unique features arising from provincial empowerment. This "administrative decentralisation" is also reflected in the differing standards, procedures, and IT systems between regions. This also means that service providers operating with centralised information systems will struggle to expand their services across the many differing regional standards and protocols[6].

While this feature of the Indonesian IT terrain may be an obstacle to traditional players in the tech industry, it is a boon for newer innovators who can leverage on blockchain's features that allows it to share data across multiple parties while keeping the database decentralised. OIO has recently identified potential project requirements from various industries in Indonesia, particularly in supply chain management across the many small islands in the country.

"We are thrilled to enter the Indonesian market with our partner PT. Infiniti Teknologi Indonesia. We believe we can leverage our experience and resources in the blockchain industry to help further propel the economic success story that is Indonesia today."
– Taku Edatsune, Head of Finance and Administration of OIO Holdings.

"We see the rise of potential needs for blockchain technology to solve the social and economic problems in Indonesia. Indonesia due to its diverse political and dispersed geographical nature, is best served by a decentralised technological solution. Hence our blockchain based collaboration with OIO."
– Syarifuddin Tanzil, Infiniti Teknologi Indonesia.

The OIO – PT. Infiniti Teknologi Indonesia Partnership

Through this partnership, OIO and Infiniti will market and execute blockchain-related consulting and software development services to enterprises in Indonesia, leveraging on OIO's reputation as a Singapore-listed company, IBG's software development resources, as well as Infiniti's local networks of enterprises in Indonesia.

The goal of the partnership is to promote greater implementation and adoption of blockchain solutions across industries in Indonesia, thereby resolving existing business and social issues by leveraging on the unique advantages accorded by blockchain.

1. IDC. 2020. Worldwide Blockchain Spending Guide. [online] Available at: https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=IDC_P37345 [Accessed 7 August 2020].
2. The World Bank. 2020. The World Bank In Indonesia. [online] Available at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/indonesia/overview#1 [Accessed 27 September 2020]
3. Indonesia-investments.com. 2018. Bank Indonesia Studies The Use Of Central Bank Digital Currency | Indonesia Investments. [online] Available at: https://tinyurl.com/ydaf6geu [Accessed 1 October 2020].
4. Maulani, A., 2018. Indonesia Blockchain Hub Launches To Bring Greater Awareness Of The Technology | E27. [online] e27. Available at: https://e27.co/indonesia-blockchain-hub-launches-20180817/ [Accessed 1 October 2020].
5. Unctad.org. 2015. Indonesia Adopts Blockchain To Grow Music Industry IP. [online] Available at: https://tinyurl.com/yb9v3y7a [Accessed 1 October 2020].
6. FORKAST. 2020. Indonesia's decentralized island society makes blockchain a must-have. [online] Available at: https://tinyurl.com/ycopc2gd [Accessed 27 September 2020]

About OIO Holdings Limited

OIO Holdings Limited ("OIO") is a Singapore Exchange-listed firm whose core businesses are the provision of mechanical and electrical ("M&E") engineering services, and blockchain-related agency and consulting solution services. Over the years, OIO has developed extensive expertise as an M&E engineering services and solution provider. It has built up a strong network with well-established customers who are often engaged in luxury resorts or well-known projects in Singapore and the region such as Sengkang General Hospital and Sheraton Towers Singapore Hotel.

OIO has recently expanded into blockchain-related businesses which include sales agency business, software development agency business and blockchain-related consultancy businesses. OIO's vision is to be the best service partner and provider of innovative technology solutions to power the growth of enterprises in Asia.

Website: www.oio.sg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oioholdings/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/66361073/
Telegram: https://t.me/oio_singapore

Service contact:
Sam Lay, Head of Business Development, OIO. email: enquiry@oio.sg
Company contact:
Taku Edatsune, Head of Finance and Administration, OIO. email: press@oio.sg or investor.relations@oio.sg

This press release has been reviewed by the Company's sponsor, PrimePartners Corporate Finance Pte. Ltd. (the "Sponsor"). It has not been examined or approved by the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited (the "Exchange") and the Exchange assumes no responsibility for the contents of this document, including the correctness of any of the statements or opinions made or reports contained in this document.

The contact person for the Sponsor is Ms Gillian Goh, 16 Collyer Quay, #10-00 Income at Raffles, Singapore 049318, sponsorship@ppcf.com.sg.

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Smart Cybersecurity Summit to Help Companies Build Resilience Beyond the Crisis

SINGAPORE, Sep 28, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Cyber Security World Asia today announced the launch of its latest conference & exhibition, the Smart Cybersecurity Summit, taking place on 11th March 2021 at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

The theme of the Smart Cybersecurity Summit will be Singapore's Cybersecurity: Building Resilience Beyond the Crisis.

Dominic Pinfold, Event Manager, said, "The Smart Cybersecurity Summit is a response to the opening up of the Singapore MICE industry to live events, and the Cybersecurity industry having managed one of the most dramatic changes to everyday life in living memory.

"With 2020 witnessing a huge migration to working from home, and an expanded and more complex perimeter for organizations to defend against, the Smart Cybersecurity Summit is launched for IT Security professionals to share their successes and learnings with each other in a safe, live environment."

The Smart Cybersecurity Summit will offer a safe environment for a group of exclusively-invited IT Security professionals to network, and learn from a free-to-attend conference that includes closed door roundtable sessions, open panel discussions and insight from industry visionaries. Conference tracks will focus on topics like Strategy, Architecture & Operational Security; Risk, Management & Governance; Cybersecurity Culture, and more.

The exhibition, limited to 30 leading cybersecurity vendors, will present Singapore's latest and most forward-thinking technology innovators and service providers.

The Smart Cybersecurity Summit has been guided in terms of content format and theme by the honorary Advisory Board comprising of:

– David Siah, APAC VP Southeast Asia and Australasia, Centre for Strategic Cyberspace + International Studies
– Andy Woo, Regional Director & Co-founder, Pacific Tech Pte Ltd
– Magda Chelly, Head, Cyber Advisory, Asia, Marsh Asia
– Dan Tinsley, Global Head of Threat Management, Cyber Defence Operations & Intelligence, Dyson

On the launch of the Summit, Andy Woo, Regional Director & Co-Founder of Pacific Tech said, "Pacific Tech is excited to hear the return of live events for Singapore's IT Security industry. As the region's leading IT Security Value Added Distributor, we are keen to share how organisations are building resilience and being proactive in securing their IT infrastructure."

The Smart Cybersecurity Summit is accepting speaker, and sponsorship applications. Visitor registrations will open in the coming months.

For more information on the Smart Cybersecurity Summit, visit www.cybersecurityworldasia.com/scs2021

For media enquiries, kindly contact Nic-cole Chia at n.chia@closerstillmedia.com.

About CloserStill Media

CloserStill Media specialises in international professional events chiefly in the technology markets, across five global territories. Its portfolio includes some of the UK's fastest-growing and award-winning events including Cloud Expo Europe and Data Centre World. Having delivered unparalleled quality and relevant audiences for all its exhibitions, CloserStill Media has been repeatedly recognised as a leading innovator with its teams and international events winning multiple awards in Europe and Asia including Best Marketing Manager – four times in succession – Best Trade Exhibition, Best Launch Exhibition, and Rising Star – two years in succession – among others.

For more information, visit www.closerstillmedia.com.

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Study Finds 90% of Responding Organizations Experience Challenges with Financial Close Process

DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE, Sep 25, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Trintech, a leading global provider of integrated Record to Report software solutions for the office of finance, today released a study evaluating organizations' use of ERP systems and financial software during the global COVID-19 pandemic and its impact. Nine out of ten respondents said they experience challenges with the financial close process, with the top challenges being 1) a time-consuming process, 2) the risk of experiencing manual errors, and 3) under-supported to achieve their goals.

A commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Trintech surveyed 336 finance and IT leaders globally on challenges experienced in digital transformation efforts. Respondents reported their organizations' processes and strategies are rife with challenges due to data accuracy and lack of collaboration. However, there are opportunities for organizations to pinpoint their problem areas and utilize modern technology and strategic approaches to help propel themselves toward long-term success.

Key findings include:

– Complex environments cause challenges with executive collaboration and financial close technology. Organizations operate in complex ERP environments and use an average of nine different vendors and 18 instances across the enterprise globally which leads to disconnects in collaboration and communication among the C-Suite and other leadership stakeholders and trouble with data availability and accuracy. This increases the risk of financial misstatements and potentially incorrect insights. 44% of respondents cited errors due to manual processes as one of the biggest challenges during financial closes.

– Adopting advanced technologies can benefit the entire organization. Many organizations can benefit from supplemental financial close applications that work across this complex and disparate ERP environment while also introducing advanced technological capabilities such as AI that benefit the entire organization. Currently, CFOs spend almost 17% of their work week analyzing financial information and only 12% on business strategy-related activities. Advanced technologies can free up time and help CFOs spend more time on strategy.

– The financial close process will be overhauled in the age of AI. Eighty percent of respondents said AI will play a large or central role in their organization's next wave of financial management technology. Organizations must take advantage of and invest in technologies like AI, robotics, automation, and risk management so the finance office can overcome its own challenges while leading the way in the organization for the ROI on these advanced technologies.

"Prior to the pandemic, we heard many business leaders say digital transformation is a priority, but too many overlook finance as a crucial and foundational element of this transformation. Investing in the right technology to maintain business continuity in a remote environment and beyond is no longer a "want", it's a critical need," said Teresa Mackintosh, CEO at Trintech. "This survey revealed that complex ERP environments hinder the ability to produce necessary financial statements and track key metrics to get a true view of the business. Looking to supplemental solutions that integrate across these complex ERP environments to ensure data accuracy, automation, and collaboration in the C-Suite are paramount to ensuring long-term success for your organization."

According to the study, "Finance teams are notorious for lagging behind their enterprises' digital transformation efforts, though not for lack of trying. While many large enterprises focus on their technology teams, they overlook the transformational necessity of the finance teams, leaving them with outdated systems and frustrated employees and lacking skill sets. To effectively position themselves for long-term success, organizations must deliver on these increasingly challenging demands in the short run and find a way to manage the complexities that come with being an enterprise-level organization."

Key Recommendations:

Growing pressures due to rising customer expectations, fast pace of change, and the ongoing impacts of the pandemic will force organizations to invest in modern finance solutions or face perilous consequences. This in-depth survey yielded several important recommendations:

– Organizations need to make bold investments in finance for business survival and growth. Decision makers must overhaul their current thinking and recognize that great finance systems – including clear visibility and controls – can make or break the business. Leaders need accurate, real-time financial information through streamlined financial close software to make important decisions about business health and investments.

– The right technology will bring consistency and automation to critical financial processes. Respondents said they prioritize integration, breadth, and automation when selecting financial software. These characteristics are critical to solving issues around fragmented data, inconsistent processes, and out-of-date information that can drag down business success.

– Make sure to invest in governance and CFO-CIO collaboration for best results. Leading organizations must combine people, processes, and technology for best results in modern finance systems. The technology is a starting point, but real success can only happen when key stakeholders are aligned and clear on roles and responsibilities.

– Push the limits of AI in core finance processes. All financial software aims to automate and reduce manual effort, but leading solutions are changing the game with real learning and intelligence. Go beyond the buzzwords and ask your supplier for real examples and references from customers who can speak to the power of real AI.

Please tune in to our webinar, "Leveraging Advanced Technology to Succeed in a Complex Financial Close", on October 16th to hear more about our survey findings and recommended next steps. https://pr.report/6H-IMBOJ

About Trintech

Trintech Inc., a pioneer of Financial Corporate Performance Management (FCPM) software, combines unmatched technical and financial expertise to create innovative, cloud-based software solutions that deliver world-class financial operations and insights. From high volume transaction matching and streamlining daily operational reconciliations, to automating and managing balance sheet reconciliations, intercompany accounting, journal entries, disclosure reporting and bank fee analysis, to governance, risk and compliance – Trintech's portfolio of financial solutions, including Cadency® Platform, Adra® Suite, and targeted tools, ReconNET™, T-Recs®, and UPCS®, help manage all aspects of the financial close process. Over 3,500 clients worldwide – including the majority of the Fortune 100 – rely on the company's cloud-based software to continuously improve the efficiency, reliability, and strategic insights of their financial operations.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Trintech has offices located across the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, France, Ireland, the Netherlands and the Nordics, as well as strategic partners in South Africa, Latin America and Asia Pacific. To learn more about Trintech, visit www.trintech.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Media Contact:
Adrienne Kim
Vested
917-765-8720
trintech@fullyvested.com

SOURCE: Trintech, Inc.

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Study Finds 90% of Responding Organizations Experience Challenges with Financial Close Process

DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE, Sep 25, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – Trintech, a leading global provider of integrated Record to Report software solutions for the office of finance, today released a study evaluating organizations' use of ERP systems and financial software during the global COVID-19 pandemic and its impact. Nine out of ten respondents said they experience challenges with the financial close process, with the top challenges being 1) a time-consuming process, 2) the risk of experiencing manual errors, and 3) under-supported to achieve their goals.

A commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Trintech surveyed 336 finance and IT leaders globally on challenges experienced in digital transformation efforts. Respondents reported their organizations' processes and strategies are rife with challenges due to data accuracy and lack of collaboration. However, there are opportunities for organizations to pinpoint their problem areas and utilize modern technology and strategic approaches to help propel themselves toward long-term success.

Key findings include:

– Complex environments cause challenges with executive collaboration and financial close technology. Organizations operate in complex ERP environments and use an average of nine different vendors and 18 instances across the enterprise globally which leads to disconnects in collaboration and communication among the C-Suite and other leadership stakeholders and trouble with data availability and accuracy. This increases the risk of financial misstatements and potentially incorrect insights. 44% of respondents cited errors due to manual processes as one of the biggest challenges during financial closes.

– Adopting advanced technologies can benefit the entire organization. Many organizations can benefit from supplemental financial close applications that work across this complex and disparate ERP environment while also introducing advanced technological capabilities such as AI that benefit the entire organization. Currently, CFOs spend almost 17% of their work week analyzing financial information and only 12% on business strategy-related activities. Advanced technologies can free up time and help CFOs spend more time on strategy.

– The financial close process will be overhauled in the age of AI. Eighty percent of respondents said AI will play a large or central role in their organization's next wave of financial management technology. Organizations must take advantage of and invest in technologies like AI, robotics, automation, and risk management so the finance office can overcome its own challenges while leading the way in the organization for the ROI on these advanced technologies.

"Prior to the pandemic, we heard many business leaders say digital transformation is a priority, but too many overlook finance as a crucial and foundational element of this transformation. Investing in the right technology to maintain business continuity in a remote environment and beyond is no longer a "want", it's a critical need," said Teresa Mackintosh, CEO at Trintech. "This survey revealed that complex ERP environments hinder the ability to produce necessary financial statements and track key metrics to get a true view of the business. Looking to supplemental solutions that integrate across these complex ERP environments to ensure data accuracy, automation, and collaboration in the C-Suite are paramount to ensuring long-term success for your organization."

According to the study, "Finance teams are notorious for lagging behind their enterprises' digital transformation efforts, though not for lack of trying. While many large enterprises focus on their technology teams, they overlook the transformational necessity of the finance teams, leaving them with outdated systems and frustrated employees and lacking skill sets. To effectively position themselves for long-term success, organizations must deliver on these increasingly challenging demands in the short run and find a way to manage the complexities that come with being an enterprise-level organization."

Key Recommendations:

Growing pressures due to rising customer expectations, fast pace of change, and the ongoing impacts of the pandemic will force organizations to invest in modern finance solutions or face perilous consequences. This in-depth survey yielded several important recommendations:

– Organizations need to make bold investments in finance for business survival and growth. Decision makers must overhaul their current thinking and recognize that great finance systems – including clear visibility and controls – can make or break the business. Leaders need accurate, real-time financial information through streamlined financial close software to make important decisions about business health and investments.

– The right technology will bring consistency and automation to critical financial processes. Respondents said they prioritize integration, breadth, and automation when selecting financial software. These characteristics are critical to solving issues around fragmented data, inconsistent processes, and out-of-date information that can drag down business success.

– Make sure to invest in governance and CFO-CIO collaboration for best results. Leading organizations must combine people, processes, and technology for best results in modern finance systems. The technology is a starting point, but real success can only happen when key stakeholders are aligned and clear on roles and responsibilities.

– Push the limits of AI in core finance processes. All financial software aims to automate and reduce manual effort, but leading solutions are changing the game with real learning and intelligence. Go beyond the buzzwords and ask your supplier for real examples and references from customers who can speak to the power of real AI.

Please tune in to our webinar, "Leveraging Advanced Technology to Succeed in a Complex Financial Close", on October 16th to hear more about our survey findings and recommended next steps. https://pr.report/6H-IMBOJ

About Trintech

Trintech Inc., a pioneer of Financial Corporate Performance Management (FCPM) software, combines unmatched technical and financial expertise to create innovative, cloud-based software solutions that deliver world-class financial operations and insights. From high volume transaction matching and streamlining daily operational reconciliations, to automating and managing balance sheet reconciliations, intercompany accounting, journal entries, disclosure reporting and bank fee analysis, to governance, risk and compliance – Trintech's portfolio of financial solutions, including Cadency(R) Platform, Adra(R) Suite, and targeted tools, ReconNET(TM), T-Recs(R), and UPCS(R), help manage all aspects of the financial close process. Over 3,500 clients worldwide – including the majority of the Fortune 100 – rely on the company's cloud-based software to continuously improve the efficiency, reliability, and strategic insights of their financial operations.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Trintech has offices located across the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, France, Ireland, the Netherlands and the Nordics, as well as strategic partners in South Africa, Latin America and Asia Pacific. To learn more about Trintech, visit www.trintech.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Media Contact:
Adrienne Kim
Vested
917-765-8720
trintech@fullyvested.com

SOURCE: Trintech, Inc.

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

CITIC Telecom CPC and ASTRI Transform Customer Experience with AR-based Operations and Maintenance Solution

HONG KONG, Sep 24, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – CITIC Telecom International CPC Limited (CITIC Telecom CPC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CITIC Telecom International Holdings Limited (SEHK: 1883) and the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited (ASTRI) have introduced a jointly developed Augmented Reality (AR) solution designed to transform field engineers' operations and maintenance processes. Branded DataHOUSE AR Remote Hand Service (AR Remote Hand), the solution leverages wearable Augmented Reality (AR) technology and brings CITIC Telecom CPC's field engineers and its customers to a new era, enabling them to slash the time and cost of troubleshooting and maintenance for achieving better results.



Mr. Esmond Li, CEO of CITIC Telecom CPC (left) and Mr. Hugh Chow, CEO of ASTRI announced the launch of "DataHOUSE AR Remote Hand Service", an AR solution jointly developed to transform field engineers' operations and maintenance processes.


(From the left) Mr. Daniel Kwong, Chief Information and Innovation Officer of CITIC Telecom CPC, Mr. Esmond Li, CEO of CITIC Telecom CPC, Mr. Hugh Chow, CEO of ASTRI and Dr. Lucas Hui, Chief Technology Officer of ASTRI pictured to celebrate the success of the partnership and AR-based Operations and Maintenance Solution.


The "DataHOUSE AR Remote Hand Service"meets the growing customer demand for support in managing the increasing complexity and diversity of equipment used today in data centres via the state-of-the-art solution. It enables field engineers across multiple locations to overcome the challenges of multiple languages and skillsets in multi-technology environments; as well as to manage installation and maintenance issues more efficiently and cost effectively, resulting in improved customer satisfaction



The AR Remote Hand Service employs AR glasses to stream real-time intelligence, troubleshooting logs, graphics and encrypted data from back-end systems to on-site engineers and maintenance staff, boosting field productivity by up to 50%. By wearing the glasses, field engineers do not have to stop their work to communicate with back-end support teams via a laptop or phone, nor to refer to a paper manual. The AR Remote Hand provides field engineers with a heads-up display for remote visualisation in real time as they install, maintain or troubleshoot equipment, thus speeding up the whole process.

Global-Local Service Enabler
CITIC Telecom CPC and ASTRI share the same vision in driving innovation and enhancing customer experience. Through the partnership, both companies not only take the latest AR technology to the next level, but also bring those benefits to a wide range of industries.

The new DataHOUSE AR Remote Hand Service meets the growing customer demand for support in managing the increasing complexity and diversity of equipment used today in data centres via the state-of-the-art solution. AR Remote Hand enables field engineers across multiple locations to overcome the challenges of multiple languages and skillsets in multi-technology environments; as well as to manage installation and maintenance issues more efficiently and cost effectively, resulting in improved customer satisfaction.

With the DataHOUSE AR Remote Hand Service, remote support teams share the same view as on-site engineers which reduces the need for and expense of travel time. This ability to work effectively from remote locations is also helping CITIC Telecom CPC's customers and staff stay safe in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure safe operations and maintain service infrastructure availability by the global remote service support teams, CITIC Telecom CPC is using DataHOUSE AR Remote Hand Service in its China Data Center operations to assure regional customers' business operations continuity.

"We are delighted to see the results of our strategic partnership with ASTRI in the launch of AR Remote Hand Service," said Mr. Esmond Li, CEO of CITIC Telecom CPC. "The partnership has provided us with a solution that significantly strengthens our managed services offerings, greatly enhances the customer experience and is revolutionising the industry's operations and maintenance capabilities. DataHOUSE AR Remote Hand is an innovative remote maintenance service adopted in data centre scenarios, which leverages AR intelligent operations and maintenance technologies. This is only the first step and we will not stop here. Through collaborating more innovative thinking, we expect to enhance the service to cope with more scenarios and bring more value and better customer experience to enterprises."

"Our strategic collaboration with CITIC Telecom CPC has demonstrated the success in leveraging next generation technology in real-life applications that benefit our people and society, in this case smart industrial applications and field service management solutions for Hong Kong enterprises," said Mr. Hugh Chow, CEO of ASTRI. "We are delighted that our applied research has proven effective in enhancing CITIC Telecom CPC's customer experience, improving operational efficiency and boosting business resilience, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. ASTRI, as a bridge of innovation and technology, will continue to strive to create economic value and societal impact via technology transfer and commercialisation in building a smarter and safer Hong Kong."

In their collaboration, ASTRI focused on developing the software platform and customisation, while CITIC Telecom CPC provided related information and opinions based on its experience with business cases in various scenarios and applications. This ensured the solution could effectively address enterprise customers' needs across a range of industries. The result is a solution that offers a wide array of benefits in service provisioning and remote location visualization and communication capabilities:

Intelligent Service Provisioning without Boundaries

Field engineers managing complex equipment and procedures for on-site service previously required significant time and effort which reduced efficiency. Thanks to the innovative wearable AR technology, the AR Remote Hand service now substantially reduces the time and cost for field service provisioning while boosting capabilities. Customers can solve problems faster while minimising downtime and expense.

1.) Intuitive AR-Guided Installation, Troubleshooting and Maintenance: With AR Remote Hand, field engineers recognise any device with a designated QR code and access real-time intelligence, graphics, and encrypted data from back-end systems streamed on-site. Field staff can access virtual step-by-step guides or even 3D manuals via AR glasses, without the need to interrupt work to check information on a laptop or in a manual.

2.) Historical Records Analysis: Using a pre-set routine (e.g. gestures), on-site engineers can review a device's historical record (e.g. customers' network traffic or cloud CPU history), to speed up data analysis and troubleshooting, while cutting downtime and cost.

3.) Seamless Communication and Collaboration with Back-end Support: Field engineers previously communicated with back-end support via email or phone, making it difficult to describe a troubleshooting situation. Removing distance and language barriers, back-end engineers now view real-time images streamed via AR glasses through an AR operations console, improving operational speed and quality. Its powerful video conferencing feature also offers engineers instant support and fosters off-site collaboration between global operations and maintenance teams. In addition, back-end engineers can give field engineers clear instructions via 3D AR labelling.

AR-Enabler Acts as Customers' Remote Hands

While enterprises promote cross-regional operations and continuously develop businesses, the kinds of IT equipment used are diversified with fast upgrades, making daily IT operation and maintenance management difficult. In the past, maintenance of IT equipment was done by on-site professionals who would need to investigate and analyse the issues on-site in order to identify the solutions. However, the experience and capability of IT staff can vary. When an enterprise's IT and maintenance staff face situations they cannot fix or when its professional engineers are not able to go for on-site support, urgent maintenance can be delayed, compromising the enterprise's efficiency and putting it at risk.

In exceptional circumstances, such as the current pandemic, it's difficult for enterprises' IT staff to travel to data centres and manage their equipment. Equipped with the latest AR glasses development, CITIC Telecom CPC's DataHOUSE AR Remote Hand serves as customers' remote hands. It not only shows the status of on-site equipment as customers watch in real time from offices or other locations, but also lets customers to provide live instructions to CITIC Telecom CPC's on-site engineers as they troubleshoot equipment issues without physically being in the data centre.

"At CITIC Telecom CPC, we are constantly innovating to improve the customer experience," said Mr. Daniel Kwong, Chief Information and Innovation Officer of CITIC Telecom CPC. "We plan to extend the AR Remote Hand service for further customer use and will enlarge the list of equipment support. Adding AI applications for the AR glasses will be the next milestone as we work to deliver even more intelligent diagnoses. For example, when a field engineer sees the status of the target-fixing equipment through the AR glasses, they will be shown a number of possible causes for the problem, with each cause ranked with a percentage according to how likely it is to be the source of the problem."

Game-Changing Innovation in Algorithm Design

Innovation Never Stops. The innovative AR Remote Hand solution is the result of the hard work of CITIC Telecom CPC's data scientists and R&D experts based in Chengdu, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. In addition to developing the solution using AR technology, CITIC Telecom CPC's innovation team recently received an award that highlights its engineers' expertise in data science and algorithm design.

CITIC Telecom CPC's Data Science professionals won the "Tianchi Big Data Competition" organised by Alibaba Group in a fierce competition with over 900 teams from industry leading companies and top universities. The team helped ELEME Inc., an online food delivery platform, to optimise their food ordering and delivery with better algorithms to provide the best routes for their riders with full consideration of the location of food stores, the time needed for food preparation, traffic on the rider's route, service coverage in delivery areas, peak hours for food ordering, and customer waiting times.

The judges expressed their impression of the team's innovative thinking and algorithm calculation results, not only to achieve the fastest delivery time but also the shortest extra waiting time for customers. In the future, we expect the algorithm developed by the team will continue to add value for businesses of different industries and for the social community in a range of scenarios, such as optimising traffic flow or improving plane flight paths.

About CITIC Telecom CPC
We are CITIC Telecom International CPC Limited ("CITIC Telecom CPC"), a wholly owned subsidiary of CITIC Telecom International Holdings Limited (SEHK: 1883), serving multinational enterprises the world over by addressing their specific ICT requirements with highly scalable tailored solutions built upon our flagship technology suites, comprising TrueCONNECT(TM) private network solutions, TrustCSI(TM) information security solutions, DataHOUSE(TM) cloud data center solutions, and SmartCLOUD(TM) cloud computing solutions.

As a leading Global Local ICT Solutions Partner with worldwide footprint across East to West and native presence, we truly live our motto, "Innovation Never Stops." Being a preferred Digital Society Enabler, we lead our key markets at the forefront of pioneering ICT development, embracing AI, AR, Big Data, IoT, and other cutting-edge emerging technologies to transform technical potential into real-world value for our customers, helping them achieve higher productivity, agility, cost-efficiency, and ultimately, Digital Globalization.

As one of the first managed service providers in Hong Kong to achieve ISO 9001, 14001, 20000, 27001, and 27017 ICT-related certifications, CITIC Telecom CPC delivers on our superior quality commitment through a broad global self-managed infrastructure encompassing some of the highest growth markets in Asia, Europe and America, with over 140 points of presence, 18 Cloud service centers, 30+ data centers, and two dedicated 24×7 Security Operations Centers.

For more information please visit www.citictel-cpc.com

About ASTRI
The Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) was founded by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 2000 with the mission of enhancing Hong Kong's competitiveness in technology-based industries through applied research.

ASTRI's research and development strategic focus covers five areas of applications: Smart City; Financial Technologies; Intelligent Manufacturing; Health Technologies; and Application Specific Integrated Circuits through its mandate as the Hong Kong branch of the Chinese National Engineering Research Centre.

Our core competence in various areas is grouped under five technology divisions, namely Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Analytics; Communications Technologies; Cybersecurity, Cryptography and Trusted Technologies; Integrated Circuits and Systems, and IoT and Sensors.

ASTRI seeks to develop technologies that address the needs of industries, institutions and communities in Hong Kong; as well as nurture talent to create economic value and societal impact. To date, ASTRI has transferred more than 750 technologies to the industry and owns more than 850 patents in the Mainland, the US and other countries.

For further information, please visit www.astri.org.

Media Contacts:

Rowena Leung
CITIC Telecom International CPC Limited
(852) 2170 7536
Email: rowena.leung@citictel-cpc.com

Jeanette Kwok
Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute
(852) 9103 0633
Email: jeanettekwok@astri.org


Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

New independent analyst report shows increased importance of API and microservices strategies

SINGAPORE, Sep 22, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – According to the Forrester report: "Good API strategy and design are a key foundation for digital transformation. By opening access to digital business capabilities, APIs drive agility to optimise customer experiences, create dynamic digital ecosystems, achieve operational excellence, and build platform business models. With cloud-native architectures gaining momentum, API management vendors have been investing in features for combined microservices-plus-APIs implementations."

The Forrester Wave™: API Management Solutions, Q3 2020 report is a timely reminder of the importance of both APIs and microservices in helping businesses meet today's extreme challenges. APIs and microservices are not only fundamental to rapidly adopting digital business models but are the key drivers to IT-based innovation.

Software AG is successfully helping companies to accelerate and succeed with their API initiatives with its webMethods API Management platform. It allows customers to rapidly develop and deploy APIs and cloud-native microservices providing the speed, scalability and flexibility fundamental to digital business models e.g. addressing tens of millions of mobile, or even locked-down, customers and users. These cloud-hosted microservices-based applications provide the reliability and the scalability which ensures that customers receive the highest service quality, maintaining and building loyalty in today's disrupted and volatile markets.

In addition, Software AG's webMethods API Management platform automatically exposes all microservices as APIs providing total API governance and management. "Overall, the solution is flexible enough to support a wide range of API strategies, especially for customers that are ready for the strong governance and discipline necessary to ensure strategic success of one's API program," noted the Forrester report.

According to Dr Stefan Sigg, Chief Product Officer at Software AG: "It is all about the business outcomes that drive the adoption of API Management and microservices frameworks. The speed of innovation and the agility of transformation programs will distinguish the successful ways out of the crisis. Software AG's approach of de-coupling gateways from an API portal and the introduction of AppMesh to close the semantic gap between applications and modern infrastructure environments are the key ingredients in delivering differentiated value into core business processes".

Software AG focuses on preserving freedom of customer choice. The Forrester Wave™ reported that: "With the elements of its solution architected as independent-but-integrated products, Software AG's customers can adopt its solution via different paths. For example, its portal supports gateways from other vendors, and its Engage module adds on very useful capabilities for API hackathons and beta programs. As a buyer's API program maturity grows, it can add formal lifecycle management with CentraSite, which provides a strong foundation for disciplined API programs."

Software AG was evaluated among 15 software vendors on 26 criteria across three categories: current offering, strategy, and market presence. The Forrester Wave™ shows Software AG with the top score in the current offering category and among the highest scores in the strategy category, and stated that "The firm's vision and future investments encompass key business and technical aspects of API value and technology features, including extended ecosystems, API product management, multi-cloud environments, and edge computing."

As industries across the Asia Pacific region reel from the economic turmoil brought about by COVID-19, the role of APIs will become even more pronounced, given the need for accelerated innovation speed and digital transformation.

"As more organisations in the region embrace the API-driven economy, Software AG is even more committed towards developing innovative solutions that help fuel success in API implementation and consumer engagement. We will continue to focus on developing our API management offerings to ensure that our clients have the agility, speed and strengthened capabilities to thrive in a highly digitalised world," said Anneliese Schulz, President for Asia Pacific & Japan, Software AG.

A complimentary copy of the The Forrester Wave™: API Management Solutions can be downloaded here. https://tinyurl.com/yxobrk5h

The Forrester Wave™: API Management Solutions, Q3 2020 is authored by Randy Heffner with Christopher Mines, Abigail Livingston, and Kara Hartig.

About Software AG

Software AG reimagines integration, sparks business transformation and enables fast innovation on the Internet of Things so businesses can pioneer differentiating business models. Software AG gives customers the freedom to connect and integrate any technology – from app to edge. It helps free data from silos so it's shareable, usable and powerful – enabling businesses to make the best decisions and unlock entirely new possibilities for growth. Learn more about Software AG at www.softwareag.com. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Media Contact:
PRecious Communications for Software AG
Charlene Pe / Jann Wee / Rajiv Menon
softwareag@preciouscomms.com
+65 6303 0567

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Epazz DeskFlex Room Booking Software Is Receiving Increased Demand From Universities and Colleges Struggling to Reopen After COVID-19 Lockdowns

CHICAGO, IL, Sep 22, 2020 – (ACN Newswire) – via NewMediaWire — Epazz, Inc. (OTC: EPAZ), a mission-critical provider of cloud-based business solutions, announced today that DeskFlex room booking software for universities is receiving a growing number of requests from schools, colleges and universities that are struggling to reopen their campuses after COVID-19 lockdowns.

Many educational institutions are seeking tools and technologies to help manage social distancing and contact tracing in order to go back to school. DeskFlex's room booking software has anti-COVID features that help secure schools, colleges and universities as they continue to open this fall. DeskFlex room scheduling tools provide thermal scanner features, mask detection and interactive TV screens placed at entranceways to monitor students, faculty and school employees when entering the premises.

DeskFlex room booking software continuously improves its complementary hardware devices, including the FlexCube QR code scanner, contactless conference room display screens, Bluetooth beacons and lobby kiosks.

According to the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), there must be a better contact tracing process, better testing and personal protective equipment before schools can reopen safely. DeskFlex room reservation software has COVID-compliant features, including a contact tracing tool, mask detection, thermal scanning and social distancing to help school administrators monitor everyone entering school premises and track those who have possibly been contaminated.

Under Mayor Bill de Blasio's proposal in New York City, schools are reopening using a hybrid model, under which students will attend in-person classes only a few days in a week. The schools limit classroom capacity to 12 students to comply with social distancing recommendations from health experts and the CDC. DeskFlex will benefit from these recommendations because our software makes it possible for schools to maintain capacity limits for each classroom, social distancing protocols and anti-coronavirus measures.

According to Shaun Passley, Ph.D., CEO of Epazz, Inc., "We are confident that DeskFlex classroom scheduling software can provide exceptional and insightful solutions to schools, colleges and universities for safeguarding their students, faculty and from the infection."

About DeskFlex.com

DeskFlex is a desk booking solution and room reservation software for conference rooms, workspaces, desks, car parking spaces, equipment, hoteling and hot desking that helps office managers accommodate the needs of mobile workers while reducing rent and facility costs. DeskFlex lets employees reserve space in advance or claim desks right away. It adjusts the telephone switch (PBX) so calls ring at the "desk du jour." DeskFlex includes check-in, point-and-click floor maps, a web browser, a local kiosk, Outlook integration and conference room scheduling.

About Epazz, Inc. (www.epazz.com)

Epazz, Inc. is a leading cloud-based software company that specializes in providing customized cloud applications to the corporate world, higher education institutions and the public sector. Epazz BoxesOS(TM) v3.0 is a complete web-based software package for small- to mid-size businesses, Fortune 500 enterprises, government agencies and higher education institutions. BoxesOS provides many of the web-based applications organizations would otherwise need to purchase separately. Epazz's other products are K9Sky.com kennel software and the Provitrac applicant tracking system.

SAFE HARBOR

This is the "Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Certain statements contained in this press release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "may," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe" and "continue" (or the negation thereof) or similar terminology. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results or those implied by such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that no forward-looking statement is a guarantee of future performance and that actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. Epazz, Inc., assumes no obligation and has no intention of updating these forward-looking statements. It has no obligation to update or correct information prepared by third parties that are not paid for by Epazz, Inc. Investors are encouraged to review Epazz, Inc.'s public filings on SEC.gov and otcmarkets.com, including its unaudited and audited financial statements and its OTC market filings, which contain general business information about the company's operations, results of operations and risks associated with the company and its operations.

CONTACT:
For more information, please contact
Investor Relations
investors@epazz.net
(312) 955-8161
www.epazz.com

Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com