Tag: VoIP

Why Investing in a VoIP Phone System is Crucial to Standing Out in the Recruitment Space

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Image of an ipad with a business phone dashboard and an iphone with the contacts page of a virtual business phone system on a purple background

Finding and retaining talent is a process recruiters know requires going beyond dissecting a CV. It’s essential that recruiters connect with candidates to discover their personality, passions and goals in order to create success stories.

Personalised and regular communication with candidates is the best way to learn more about them. This is especially important in the initial screening stages and phone calls are still the best way to do this.

Furthermore, creating high quality matches between candidates and employers requires a high degree of efficiency and effective management of communications between the two. This is where VoIP phone systems become crucial.

Making the switch from time consuming and costly traditional recruitment management strategies to digital solutions will streamline the recruitment cycle and save you money. Let’s dive into 3 key reasons why VoIP is important to stand out in the competitive recruitment market…

Shorter recruitment cycles

One of the most time consuming processes in recruitment is the initial screening. Manually analysing individual CVs and cover letters in detail is not an optimal process whereas a quick phone call with candidates helps to identify whether they’re the right fit for the role instantly. VoIP phone systems make this so much easier to keep track of as you can integrate your phone system with your CRM software. This allows you to automatically generate tickets, contact cards and keep track of candidate progress after each call. This simplifies the process of monitoring the status of job applications and keeping track of open positions, saving your team time.

 

Keeping a full talent pipeline

CRM integrations with your VoIP phone system also ensures you keep a full talent pipeline. Efficient recruitment teams need to ensure they have a steady flow of candidates through their recruitment process to proactively match candidates to new opportunities. Effective management of the talent pool is crucial to achieving this. Recruiters often neglect candidates in their contacts within the initial screening to interview stage due to inefficient tracking of the progress made by each candidate. Organising your database and keeping up communication with candidates in your contacts with personalised phone calls ensures your talent pool doesn’t lie stagnant.

 

Eliminate cognitive bias

Using VoIP phone systems integrated with talent management software provides recruiters with a comprehensive breakdown of candidate and employer analytic data. This helps to create better matches between candidates and employers as decisions made based on data eliminates cognitive bias. In the long term, this improves talent retention as matching the right candidates and employers improves satisfaction from both ends – addressing a key pain point for recruiters.

Build trustworthy relationships

Being the bridge between the talent pool and employers, recruiters need to effectively manage these relationships. A key part to successful recruitment is building trust with candidates and employers which comes from thoughtful communications. This can often be hindered by outdated phone technology resulting in missed calls, dropped connections and poor call quality.

VoIP phone systems operate using Wi-Fi or data connections which allows for crisp call quality and high reliability so you don’t have to worry about dropped connections. The technology is also designed to ensure you never miss calls with added features such as auto attendant and call forwarding. This makes sure candidates and employers can rely on your services and foster long term relationships.

We can help you to achieve all of this – Devyce is the modern business phone system designed for your recruitment team. You can integrate key CRM software such as Hubspot with Devyce and get access to a Teams Management Portal where you can view key call data metrics to measure your team’s performance. We also support set up of call features like call forwarding to ensure a smooth experience for your clients and candidates.

There’s no question that the digital age has definitely impacted the world of recruiting. By using Devyce in combination with effective CRM software, you can tailor a set of features and benefits to suit your team’s needs, improving your recruitment journey whilst making an impact in the recruitment space.

WhatsApp Business Number: How To Get A Virtual Number For WhatsApp Business

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WhatsApp is one of the most widely used instant messaging apps with over 2 billion users worldwide [1]. 68% of these users report that WhatsApp Business is the easiest way to contact a company [2]. This means your current and potential customers’ primary messaging channel is likely WhatsApp and therefore WhatsApp Business provides a great opportunity to enhance your customer experience. 

Launched in 2018, it has increasingly gained popularity amongst SMEs as a simple and cost effective customer communications channel. The ability for businesses to quickly connect with their consumers in a more personal and engaging way is what sets WhatsApp Business apart from traditional customer service channels such as email. 

In this article, we’ll break down everything you’ll need to set up WhatsApp Business and get started on elevating your customer service experience.

How it works:

WhatsApp Business is a free to download app which looks and works the same as WhatsApp Messenger except with added business features such as: business profiles, automated responses, quick replies and access to analytic data. Customers can contact a company by messaging the company’s WhatsApp Business account from their personal WhatsApp messenger. 

 

Things to know before set up:

We’d recommend using WhatsApp business with a virtual number. Even though there’s an option to migrate your personal WhatsApp number to the business platform, we don’t recommend doing this to protect your privacy. Opting for this also means you won’t be able to move those chats back to your personal account should you wish to. 

In order to set up WhatsApp Business, you’ll need a working phone number that you can receive calls and texts to. The platform will verify that the number is in operation by sending a one-time-passcode (OTP). Don’t worry, to get a second phone number you don’t need a new sim or additional handset… you can get a virtual phone number!

 

What is a virtual number: 

Virtual numbers are phone numbers that don’t operate via traditional phone lines such as those provided by phone contract providers. Instead, they work by facilitating calls and texts over a wifi/data connection meaning virtual numbers can be used on any device capable of connecting to the internet. This will allow you to have an additional working number on your phone without needing a different sim card.

However, it’s important to note that WhatsApp often won’t work with a VoIP virtual number. This is because Meta want to prevent WhatsApp Business being used to spam users and are banning the use of VoIP numbers to sign up. So even if your virtual number works now, there’s a chance it won’t in the future. The best approach is to get a virtual number issued by a company providing real operating phone numbers. 

 

How to get a virtual number:

There are currently various virtual number providers on the market offering packages of all shapes and sizes. Choosing your ideal provider may depend on your business needs. We’d recommend getting an affordable, simple and secure service like Devyce Starter when you first set up your WhatsApp Business account. 

Devyce Starter gives you a virtual number through the Devyce app that you can get the OTP for your WhatsApp business account verification sent to. It only costs £3.99 a month (without VAT), and there’s no long-term commitment. Stay as long as you like! Devyce also offers free inbound calling and messaging as well as voicemail. If you wish to, you can also upgrade for outbound calling, which means you can use your number throughout your business.

The best part? Devyce has an exclusive deal with a UK mobile network. The numbers that Devyce issues are real UK mobile phone numbers meaning they’re much less likely to be cut off by WhatsApp in the future. 

To get your Devyce number, first head to our sign up page and purchase the Devyce Starter plan. You’ll then be instantly set up with an account which you can use to sign in on the Devyce app (downloadable from your app store). Once your app is up and running, you’ll be able to use the number to set up WhatsApp Business.

With just a few simple steps, we make it easy for you to start boosting your business’ customer experience. Get your virtual number now with Devyce Starter! 

References: 

[1] https://backlinko.com/whatsapp-users

[2] https://www.tyntec.com/blog/four-advantages-using-whatsapp-business-api#:~:text=Research%20shows%20customers%20prefer%20messaging%20businesses%20via%20WhatsApp,is%20the%20easiest%20method%20for%20contacting%20a%20company

What is BYOD and how small businesses can benefit

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What is a BYOD policy? 

BYOD stands for ‘bring your own device’ whereby employees are permitted to bring/use their own personal devices for work such as phones and laptops. Many businesses are adopting this option for employees due to its countless benefits. A BYOD policy is particularly relevant in the current professional climate as employers continue navigating flexible working. Such policies play a key role in supporting hybrid working due to benefits like cost savings and increased productivity. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the key benefits BYOD offers to small businesses and how you can implement them.

 

Cost savings

The biggest benefit of a BYOD policy is cost savings which is especially important for growing small businesses. It’s estimated UK SMEs spend upwards of £2000 per year to purchase business phones for employees [1]. This doesn’t include the additional costs to maintain, replace or upgrade devices for employees. For a growing business, it’s important to evaluate your spending and ensure your budgets are optimised to accommodate developing areas. Opting for a BYOD policy can save you a great deal in the long term as most employees have their own devices that can be used for work.

 

Increased productivity

Another perk of employees bringing their own devices is that they’re already familiar with the device. This can increase efficiency and productivity as it eliminates the need for training and time spent looking up how to do specific tasks using those devices.

 

Increased mobility

It can be a hassle to carry around two phones and remember to charge both so allowing employees to use their own helps to facilitate flexible/hybrid working policies. Since the devices are the employees’ own, they’re able to freely work from anywhere whether it be at home, remotely or even going into the office.

However, there are also concerns to implementing a BYOD policy that should be taken into account. Perhaps the biggest concern for businesses is privacy and security of company data. As employees are using their own phones which go with them everywhere, it can increase the risk of loss/sensitive company data being accessed by someone outside of the organisation. 

Additionally, employees are unlikely to have the same level of anti-malware software as that of business devices which increases the risk of data breaches. To overcome this, businesses should invest in cloud technologies which facilitate secure remote storage of data over a network of servers that operate using the internet. This means that if anything happens to the device, the data remains untouched as you’re able to ensure robust security on the cloud servers you use. Employers can also include training for employees on safe usage. As employees may be working from anywhere, it’s important to make sure they are educated on the risks of accessing work programs and data in public spaces where wifi connections aren’t secure. 

 

Employees may also struggle with work life balance if using their own devices for work as it opens them up to receiving/seeing work notifications after hours. It can be tempting for employees to give the email or message they received a ‘quick look’ when it pops up but this can lead to a cycle of letting work bleed through into personal lives and lead to an overall lower productivity level during work hours and possibly even a burnout.

 

The ideal solution is to invest in cloud business phone systems. A great one to check out is Devyce – designed for SMEs. Devyce brings simplicity and security to your business phone experience while also providing you a perfect balance between work and personal at the switch of a ‘Do Not Disturb’ button. This means you can set your business hours and ensure you don’t receive notifications outside of those hours, solving the problem of impaired work life balance resulting from BYOD policies. 

Get started building your BYOD policy with the Devyce virtual business phone system over on: https://devyce.com/teams-plan/

 

References: 

[1]

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2019/08/uk-sme-businesses-spend-2052-a-year-on-telecom-services.html

10 Reasons Why Customers Choose Devyce

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What are the reasons our customers choose Devyce you ask? 

Here are the top ten reasons why our happy customers chose us and what you could benefit from by switching to Devyce for your small business:

  • Improve efficiency

We know the feelings. Carrying around two phones can get frustrating. Then getting confused which phone to use for a call and accidentally using your personal phone to call a client. Also feeling irritated from having to switch between Apple and Android systems if your work phone is not a system you are particularly used to. So inefficient right?

Devyce solves this problem by providing you two numbers on your phone. 

Your Devyce phone number is stored in the cloud and phone calls/texts are sent over the internet instead of traditional phone lines which means you can have an additional operating number on your phone.

  • Save money with affordable pricing

We help our customers cut down on a costly business expense by removing the need for a work phone. With Devyce, you don’t need to sign up for expensive handsets and contracts for your employees as they can bring their own device. 

Our pricing plans (hyperlink to price page) are simple, affordable and transparent. No hidden fees, no lengthy contracts that are hard to get out of and an easy sign-up process. Within minutes you’d have an operating UK number ready. Save time and money for your business so you can focus on the more important things. 

  • Improve Sustainability

While saving money and time for your business, why not contribute to saving the planet as well? Deloitte global predicts that around 146 million tonnes of CO2 or equivalent emissions will be generated from smartphones in 2022 and 83% of these emissions comes from the manufacturing, shipping and first year usage [1]. 

It’s estimated that 910kg of CO2 is generated per employee working in offices each year [2] and the use of a work phone contributes to this figure. Using Devyce decreases your yearly in office carbon footprint, helping to promote more sustainable practices within SMEs.

  • Fast and reliable

Our customers are always able to receive those essential business calls wherever they are. 

Devyce works by facilitating calls and texts over the internet. This means all you need is a strong internet connection either over wifi or 4G/5G. 

Advancements in internet access technology means staying connected wherever you are, has become increasingly easy. You’ll rarely have to worry about downtime which can happen more often with traditional phone line services. Never miss business calls again with Devyce. 

  • Improve work life balance

It can be difficult to switch off from the workday when your work phone is still pinging or maybe even still getting calls. Many people find it hard to resist looking at their work phone out of work hours “just in case” there is something important that has popped up. From there it can be easy to fall into the rabbit hole of responding to work notifications well past business hours. 

Devyce have helped our customers improve their work life balance with a single button. We have a handy ‘Do Not Disturb’ feature where you can set the business hours after which you won’t receive notifications. 

  • Work from anywhere 

Take your Devyce anywhere… and we mean, anywhere in the world. Over 50% of our customers currently use Devyce abroad. Whether you are travelling for business or working remotely abroad, you can keep your UK phone number operating from there while also saving your business money on roaming costs. 

If you have a phone number attached to your business that you’d like to keep using while abroad, you can easily port your number to us (if you need help with this, contact us here: https://devyce.com/contact-us/). All of this means you can facilitate remote working for your business and even hire globally, further saving you money from lack of need for office space. 

  • Easily manage your teams

It can be tricky to stay on top of your team’s client call activity with a remote or hybrid based working model. For rapidly growing businesses, you might also struggle with managing a fast-growing team. Devyce makes this easier by providing team leaders with access to a Team’s Management Portal on our Teams Plan (hyperlink to pricing page). 

From the portal you can quickly allocate/de-allocate numbers and create call forwarding pathways or groups within your team. This means you can easily keep numbers operating while an employee is away and quickly route client calls to the right person, allowing you to create a seamless customer service experience for your business. 

  • Monitor the performance of your calls

Get access to a variety of key metrics like in/outbound call durations to monitor your performance as well as analysis tools. These can be easily navigated on the Team’s Management Portal and allows you to keep track of how well your business calls are performing, optimise your calls to drive KPIs and achieve those all-important business goals. 

  • Streamline your customer relationship management

Ensure that all your customers are taken care of by integrating a CRM platform like Hubspot with the Devyce Team’s Management Portal. This allows you to stay on top of individual customer queries and makes sure you never miss business calls. It also allows your team to have access to customer query logs so that any member of your team can quickly provide help. Streamlining your customer support flow is crucial to any growing business and Devyce helps you take that extra step for your customers. 

  • Flexible scalability

Whether you are growing or taking a step back before the next stage in your business, you can easily activate/deactivate numbers on your network to grow (or downsize) your Teams Plan. Our affordable price point also makes it easy for you to scale the usage to your businesses’ needs whether you are just starting out or already a medium sized enterprise, Devyce is flexible. 

To quote The Sound of Music: 🎵These are a few of (ours & our customers’) favourite things about Devyce. Our customers have thrived from using Devyce and we’re pretty sure your business will benefit too 😉 

If these 10 reasons aren’t quite enough to convince you yet and would prefer to see Devyce in action before you commit, that’s no problem! It’s super easy to book a demo with us here https://devyce.com/demo/ 

 

References:

[1] https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/insights/industry/technology/technology-media-and-telecom-predictions/2022/environmental-impact-smartphones.html

[2] https://observablehq.com/@mrchrisadams/how-do-i-work-out-the-carbon-footprint-of-providing-space-to-w

Black History Month

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It’s October which marks Black History Month! A month that has been celebrated annually in the UK since 1987. This marks a time when we come together and acknowledge our diverse culture and celebrate the history and achievements of black heroes both past and present that have contributed to making our society a better place.

Black History Month originated from Carter G Woodson, who wanted to challenge the assumptions at the time that ‘the negro had no history’. This resulted in Carter founding the Association for the Study of Negro and History in 1915, which aimed to encourage research and protect and preserve black history and culture. However, the idea was first brought into the UK, in the 1980s by Akyaaba Addai Sebo to eradicate discrimination and promote the importance of equality across the UK [1].

In the US and Canada, black history month is in February, whilst in the UK and Ireland, we celebrate it in October. Why? This is because, Akyaaba Addai Sebo chose it, as it fell in line with the start of the academic year and therefore thought it would inspire young people. Alongside the fact, October is traditionally when African leaders unite and settle their differences, so it was chosen as a month to reconnect [1].

Being part of the tech industry, we undoubtedly recognise the multitude of black engineers and leaders that have pushed for change in the tech industry. As well as pushing technology forward through the invention of numerous products and features that have set the stage for technologies we still rely on today and inevitably will in our future. Here, we share three extraordinary examples of black pioneers that have made a large contribution to the tech industry.

 

  1. Firstly, we must obviously discuss the incredible legacy of Marain Croack. She is an inventor in the voice and data communication field [2] and is best known for envisioning and developing the technology that is responsible for Voice Over Internet Protocol. This invention has meant we can make calls over the internet instead of a phone line. Which Devyce know all about and have you to thank for contributing to an integral part of our business!
  2. John Henry Thompson, ‘the father of Lingo programming’ [3] invented Lingo, a scripting language that displays visuals in computer programmes. His programming language is embedded into Macromedia Director and popular Adobe Programmes [4]. Essentially, his work has helped combine the world of art and tech in video games, graphic design, web design and computer graphics today. Both designers and Adobe users should thank Thompson!
  3. Lastly, Kimberley Bryant, is an excellent modern-day example of an inspirational black leader that is making positive change in the tech world. Kimberley founded Black Girls CODE, whose mission is to help young women of colour get into the tech world by introducing them to numerous science and technology concepts. Currently, Black Girls CODE has reached 30,000 women and has taught over 50,000 hours [5]. It is clear that her actions have already helped so many young women. Her drive to change the narrative within the tech industry surrounding diversity in STEM, will undeniably have a positive impact on our future, as it will increase the number of female black, tech founders, entrepreneurs and leaders. 

    Of course, there are also many more inspirational leaders and influencers, and we encourage you to explore more! 

    You can also celebrate this month by:

  • Raising money for a charity that is dedicated to helping the lives of ethnic minorities.
  • Shopping from blacked owned businesses or supporting them in other ways by sharing them on social media platforms, with friends and family.

References: 

[1] https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/black-history-month-2022-uk-why-is-it-important-why-celebrated-in-october-a4250966.html 

[2] https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/marian-croak#:~:text=Croak%20is%20a%20prolific%20inventor,computer%20or%20other%20digital%20device. 

[3] https://blog.adafruit.com/2015/02/26/john-henry-thompson-invented-lingo-programming-used-in-macromedia-director-and-shockwave-african-american-history-month-2015-blackhistorymonth/

[4] https://tisch.nyu.edu/itp/events/fall-2017/dice-with-john-henry-thompson#:~:text=John%20Thompson%20invented%20lingo%20programming,design%2C%20animation%2C%20and%20graphics.

Five Digital Trends to Watch in 2022

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Keen to know what digital trends await us in 2022?

Look no further… Here are the top five digital trends to look out for in 2022!

The Digital Transformation

2020 was the year the world stood still, the pandemic forced the world to lockdown, keeping people indoors and focused on survival. 2021, however, was a year of transformation; according to research done by The McKinsey Global Institute, people, businesses and society as a whole, transformed entirely, not just surviving the present, but anticipating and enhancing the future.

The pandemic has forced the world to adapt to a ‘new normal’, in which we rely on technology to work, connect with family and keep up with news. The digital world is constantly growing and adapting to make our lives easier; here are the top digital trends to watch out for in 2022.

1. The Metaverse

In October 2021, Mark Zuckerberg announced the new name of Facebook, ‘Meta’. Indicating a transformation into the ‘metaverse’, a virtual reality space in which users can live and interact with other users in a completely virtual landscape, essentially a fictional world.

This new trend in technology opens the doors wide open to endless possibilities of virtual and augmented reality, which many of us are unfamiliar with. This shared ‘virtual world’ can be reached by using VR headsets, AR glasses and smartphone applications.

People are already predicting that 2022 will be the year of the Metaverse. Not only will it be a space for users and gamers to live and play, but also holds the possibility of becoming a space in which brands can market themselves and create brand awareness.

Perhaps the Metaverse will be the new way we consume content, shop and live; one cannot be certain of the direction it will go, however, it is definitely a top trend to watch in 2022.

 2. NFTs

The digital economy is not a new concept, as cryptocurrency is widely used across the world, with currencies like Bitcoin or Litecoin. Cryptocurrency is any form of currency that exists online, in the virtual space, that uses cryptography to complete transactions.

The new cryptocurrency to watch in 2022, however, is NFTs (Non-Fungible Token). NFTs are the digital equivalent of non-fungibles, such as any singular digital asset, like a GIF, meme or digital artwork. NFTs can be bought and sold just like any other cryptocurrencies, used to buy both physical and digital things.

2021 saw a boom in NFT sales, hitting nearly three billion dollars in sales in the first six months. However, many tech companies have stated that NFTs are underused in the digital world, particularly in the gaming industry.

Jessica Rovello, the CEO of Arkadium, claims that gaming platforms, such as Ubisoft, should embrace the untapped market of NFTs. Rovello argues that 2022 will be the year the value of NFTs will truly be understood and take off.

The avenues for NFTs are limitless, starting with gaming, there are no restrictions on where they can take us. The Frankfurt School Blockchain Centre, for example, has predicted a market of roughly £1.1 trillion for tokenized assets, in industries beyond gaming, such as real estate, business and retail.

3. Connection

The rise in these major digital developments place more pressure on connection across the world. Digital trends rely on a faster connection, something that cannot be compromised in 2022.

5G and WiFi 6, according to Jerry Paradise, who works at Lenovo, is the future of high speed connection, also ensuring internet safety and reliability.

Some of us may already have noticed 5G popping up on our phones, however, it is not the mainstream. But, in 2022, we can expect 5G to become the standard for our phones. By 2030, it is predicted that, according to Statista, 5G technology will be marketed in the billions. 2022 is the time to embrace 5G connection, bringing you faster internet, faster data transfer and less delay.

4. Social focus on Mental Health and Digital Burnout

As the digital space grows, as does the pressure to stay digitally present and relevant. 2020 and 2021 have been years of ongoing lockdowns, forcing us to spend more time online, and constantly supply new content, resulting in digital burnout.

Vibely, a new social platform, reported that 90% of creators subscribed felt the effects of burnt out, significantly so that 71% thought about deleting their social media completely.

In 2022, we will see a continuation of a trend seen in 2021, in which content creators and brands on social media pay attention to self-care and the importance of setting digital boundaries. There is no doubt that a big digital trend of 2022 will be reassessing our relationship with social media and how to navigate healthier practices within the digital world.

For example, we have already seen Instagram testing out a new feature, called ‘Take a Break’; that has been trialled in the US, UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The ‘Take a Break’ initiative is a feature that gives users a reminder to have a break from using the app, for periods of time they chose; this will also be paired with tips from Instagram on what you can do during the break to increase your mental health.

It is certainly an interesting feature and, perhaps, the beginning of a new, healthier way we interact with technology.

Read more about burn out, and practices to avoid it, here: https://devyce.com/2022/02/09/how-to-keep-your-work-and-personal-life-separate/

 

5. VoIP systems

There is no doubt that the digital world has expanded and will continue to do so in 2022. The mobility of digital technology has greatly transformed the way we use our phones, tablets and computers, in our work and personal lives; technology is not limited to one single use, you can use your TV to make calls, and your phone to watch TV.

For businesses, big and small, digital mobility has allowed companies to optimise efficiency and productivity, particularly through communications. Not only can colleagues communicate more effectively, but teams can serve customers or clients to their best ability. Spending on communication is predicted to reach a new high in 2022, as the demand for effective and wireless communication solutions continues to grow. Business Wire, in 2020, reported that the VoIP market is predicted to grow to $183.7 billion by 2027, (roughly 137 billion pounds).

Businesses are switching to VoIP systems simply because of the digital benefits they offer. VoIP systems support the digital transformation and trends of recent years, with features such as AI for customer service, virtual receptionists, call forwarding and call recording.

Also, landlines are becoming more and more obsolete over the last ten years, giving rise to VoIP systems in the home, not only in businesses. VoIP systems are definitely a trend to watch in 2022 and beyond.

Explore Devyce’s plans here to get started using a VoIP system for personal or work use: https://devyce.com/pricing/

Sources
https://whatsnewinpublishing.com/6-big-digital-trends-to-watch-in-2022/
https://bigthink.com/the-present/digital-trends-2022/
https://later.com/blog/social-media-trends/
https://saucelabs.com/blog/2022-is-coming-eight-mobile-app-development-trends-to-look-for
https://financesonline.com/voip-trends/
https://www.exchangewire.com/blog/2022/01/14/predictions-2022-next-wave-blockchain-the-metaverse-and-more/

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