Milan Mathew

iScripts has a different way of approach on customer requirements and their projects. We really understand the pain and effort of customers during the phases of developing a solution for their dream business. We treat our each account with utmost care by assigning dedicated developer with QA through out the project. Experienced project manager for each account keeps the project on track and make sure meeting the deadlines. While iScripts meet business requirements using the innovative scripts at very low cost, we do development services at nominal rates and at this time we’re proud to share the story of a project that we did for school domain where admin and users can do ad space management at most fast and smartest method.

8to18 Digital is a unique initiative by a team of professionals created with a vision of managing youth activities such as athletics in educational institutions such as schools or campuses for young talents aged between 8 and 18. To people who are not familiar with the terminology, let us first discuss what Sales Automation is all about. Sales automation is the process where the time-consuming and manual sales process are made to run smoothly with lesser labour and hence using the remaining for better and efficient services.

iScripts has been in the game of developing customized software products with the highest quality and services since 2013. The years of expertise has gained us a lot of new learning experiences every time we engage in a project. One such project was the development of the Sales Automation Tool or the SAT for 8to18 Digital. 8to18 Digital has been a consistent customer and contacted us to render them a customized software to manage their sales process which will result in better conversion rates and optimization of the outbound sales. This platform was created to sell advertising space across its web properties, IE; to sell the available ad inventory to local advertisers.

The SAT tool provides a unique opportunity for its users to utilize and capitalize the ability for the consumers namely, the parents and students, to work with local businesses for the betterment of themselves and the institution. The tool works in a very user-friendly way where the complete process just gets completed in thee simple steps. First, is to select the school/ educational institution, second is to pick the slot and lastly is to pay.

SAT users will have to log into the platform using their unique login credentials to gain complete access to different sales tools employed in SAT such as collaterals, forums, display of the available inventory within their territory and other useful tools. This tool helps in outlining a streamlined process that will provide integrated content and performance functions to be organized in a step-by-step flow. The purpose of this is to provide a very simple and easy-to-use order entry process to complete a transaction between the client payment and billing. The software enables third-party systems to access the inventories and book slots based on which it receives priority above the usual sales representatives.

The system was mainly formulated using the following languages: PHP(LAMP), MySQL, Apache, Linux and Angular JS. The mobile application devised is integrated with the following features: Adtech, Content Management, Ad API, CRM integration, Automated Work Flow, Document Management System, and Advertising and Marketing. The SAT eases the complete sales force process which on the other hand will help in improving the productivity with the effective use of human resources and other functionalities.
You can avail a free consultation on any of our products or services, here.
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This blog is all about how barter networks work. But before that, what is really meant by the term, “bartering”? Is it some form of mere exchanging of simple goods or swapping commodities?

What is Bartering?

Bartering in simple terms means exchanging or swapping items without exchanging money or currency. In the barter system, there is a fair trade between both the parties where both of them get the items that they need in an even amount to as what they involve in the exchange process.

For example, a farmer has a few numbers of sacks of rice grain available but requires a milling machine. A vendor has a milling machine and requires a few sacks of rice. Here the farmer and vendor can take part in the barter system exchanging their commodities of equal value.

The world economy revolves around the trading system. Trading is the most basic economic concept involving the buying and selling of goods or services in exchange for money or exchange of goods or services. The concept of trade dates back to the Stone Age and was then conducted within a smaller scale of transactions and within a short radius of the region. Trade has a large significance in the journey of mankind to explore the world and not stay within geographical boundaries.

In the earlier days, the majority of traded goods were hunting tools and stones of greater value and used the bartering system for trading. Obsidian was among the most traded product in the earlier days in exchange with other commodities such as livestock, spices, metals, precious stones, etc. In the later stage, the invention of the wheel eased transportation hence brought in a lot of opportunity for traders.

Trading is hence considered to be a system that brought people together for mutual benefits apart from the conventional meetings or gatherings that were part of the customs and traditions of the regions. Trading is possible with an exchange of four different transactions.

• Coins or currency: It is the most commonly used transaction system in the present days which is not just restricted to physical currency but also as online cashless transactions with Debit or Credit cards and Internet banking.
• Barter transactions: Cashless trades in exchange for goods or services, or both.
• Virtual Currency: The newest medium of exchange such as Bitcoins, to avoid foreign exchange risks.
• Cryptocurrency: Another new exchange medium innovation using secure cryptography for secure digital transactions.

Let us discuss some common types of barter transactions.

Bartering with Consumer Merchandise

This is the basic barter system that works on the concept of, “double coincidence of wants”. Here, both parties involving in the transaction will equally benefit valued goods.

Bartering using Consumer Services

Here, a barter transaction occurs when one professional agrees to provide a service in exchange for another. For example, if Person A is an accountant and needs a legal representative whereas Person B is a legal officer and requires an accountant, they both can join hands with each of them benefiting from the mutual transaction.

Modern Advertising Services

This is the most common B2B bartering transactions involving the trading of advertising rights. In this reciprocal system, a company provides it available ads space for a second company for the right to advertise at the second company’s ad space.

Another easy example to understand the concept of bartering is a homeowner and a tenant. If you are a tenant and need a home to stay whereas you find a homeowner who would like a tenant to stay and maintain the home, there occurs a bartering deal between the two. Bartering is not restricted within a mutual transaction between two consumers but can extend to a bigger circle which can be broadly called a  trade ( exchange process involving three parties), multilateral trade ( exchange process involves more than three parties) or simply, a barter network.

What is a Barter Network?

Let us look into an example to understand the concept of barter networks. A hotel owner has a few unoccupied rooms that do not bring in any income to the hotel. He can sell these unsold rooms to a barter exchange network member and hence earn income from these rooms. The member who bought the rooms need not be the person in need for the rooms, like in one-to-one barter exchange systems but might be a service provider who can give away the rooms to a single person or many persons. Trade dollars is the medium of transaction and also buy other products or services from the barter exchange network. Barter networks are hence no direct swapping or exchange transactions but are part of a cycle of buyers and sellers.

They were the same as traditional buying and selling with physical money and requires preparing and payment of reporting and taxes, respectively or as required depending on the rules and regulations of the region of website operation.

Barter Networks erases the impractical situation that arises due to the absence and difficulty to find people to gather with “double coincidence of wants”, and hence will improve the flexibility of the complete barter exchange system.

Bartering has been in the business for a long time with its roots extending from around 9000 BC. As for every system in the universe, even bartering has its pros and cons. Let us discuss them in detail next.

Advantages of Bartering

• You can exchange or swap goods easily without involving any form of cash.
• Both parties enjoy the exchange and get the goods they need.
• The flexibility in trade options.

Disadvantages of Bartering

• It can become impractical when you will need a certain good but in exchange, the opposite party will not need your available goods.
• It can also be inefficient when the exchange will not involve an equal swapping for the value of goods.
• Inflation and deflation in the market trends can affect the trade process.
• The lack of consumer protection as the seller identity need not be legitimate.
• One cannot avail any warranties.

Such cases finally resulted in the economy to use coins and currency in exchange for goods and services.

The trend of bartering is increasing nowadays when you exchange something in a good condition but is not of use to you with someone who needs it in exchange for an article that you need from the same person or another person. Swap.com, U-exchange.com and Craglist.com are some of the used barter trade platforms. If you would like to create a professional barter exchange network website like this you can use swap clone scripts like the iScripts eSwap. The software allows you to create websites that provide options for direct swapping, or regular barter network that will use virtual currency and credit points during transactions or a mixed model that provides both direct and barter network swapping and can even use online payment gateways for the transactions. A few steps away and you will have your own online bartering network website!

Are you in the process of beginning your independent business venture? Then, here are some aspects you should consider while breaking down your business model. Firstly, you must know what drives the economy? ‘Supply’ and ‘Demand’ are the key factors fueling businesses and the economy as a whole. Demand is simply the consumer’s requirement and ability to buy a product or service and supply is the quantity that providers are willing to bring into the market.

Before launching a business into the mainstream you as a business person must be aware of the demand for your product or service will have. The basic determinants for demand are the price of products/ services, price of related products/ services, the consumer’s income, their tastes, expectations and the potential buyers in the market.

What are On Demand Services and How do they Work?

In this instant world scenario where smartphones are ruling most households, on-demand services and solutions are gaining a lot of attention. To make things easy, on-demand business as the term suggests are businesses that provide services on demand, just a click away on your mobile device or desktop. The on-demand business connects digital marketplaces and tech organisations to fulfil consumer demand with immediate access to products and solutions.

The Gen C is now all about such on-demand services like Uber being the greatest quoted example where there is immense scope for creativity, curation, connections and community. The whole process works in a simple flowchart beginning with the end user or the consumer placing an order of the desired product or service through a website or a mobile application. The user inputs the required parameters and sends a request to the supplier or service provider for the product or service. The supplier or service provider then completes the whole process by providing the desired entity and receiving the payment. With the onset of on-demand service providers, managing bookings and orders has got extremely easy.

There are many benefits for the on-demand economy including cost-effectiveness, flexibility and scalability. The millennials and generation Z is all about small businesses and startups. But are these two different concepts?

Difference between Small Businesses and Startups

Before starting a new venture it is important that you decide whether you want is to begin a startup business or a small business. While both these terms point to a fresh new beginning of a business idea in the market they differ with the ideologies followed. Startups are based, to begin with, a greater vision to the future to turn into a major company whereas small businesses mainly focus on staying in the business for longer periods.

Startups need not be a smaller version of a big organization but is an independent entity that promotes stellar ideas and strategies and wants to create a place not only in regional or national markets but also in international markets. They might not start with profit from day one and will require better investments on the go. Whereas, small businesses are self-sustaining organizations that generate revenue from day one. Small businesses usually only eye the local or regional markets where they are sure to generate profit margins easily. They do not require major investments and hence will be smaller in size and sales incomes compared to startups.

Once you have decided on the business choice, next comes in the methodology to promote your business. Nowadays, there are several options for startups to go for. Apart from sales and marketing strategies the way the business reaches the common people or the public is now of greater importance with Customer Experience being the vital factor in potential sales.

Among the major business models prevalent to date, on-demand business models are the most efficient choice. On-demand businesses are here to stay in the market and are the quickest and the largest growing commerce sectors in the digital world.

On-Demand Business Model for Startups

In this era where mobile devices or smartphones are greatly used, on-demand services can easily get the right in the market. From visiting stores after travelling through tough and packed roads, difficulty in parking, selecting products and above all the long queues for billing can all be erased with on-demand services online. The digital world has progressed significantly such that you can now order things at the comfort of your home and get them delivered at your doorstep.

Gaining motivation from the fast delivery boys in town, on-demand businesses are now fastly growing to conquer the commerce sector with a large margin. On-demand businesses are the most simple business models for startups. All you need is a perfect Uber for X clone script that can be customizable for your business requirements. One such an open source turn-key solution for on-demand services is iScripts UberforX. This premium e-commerce software serves the needs of various on-demand services that come along with its own mobile application. A well-designed website and a user-friendly mobile app are all that you need to launch your dream on-demand startup venture. Once the idea is designed in a real frame, the next point arises is the target audience and their demand. This is where on-demand platforms have the advantage of being accessible to customers at just a click away.

The major advantage of implementing the on-demand business model is the openness of the system that is nor confined to any industry or location. The system can be applied for all major industries include health, fitness, clothing, taxis, household services, tutors, design and development services, tourism, etc. With the closeness of connecting suppliers or service providers to customers, it is easy for end users to select from the large variety of options and also get hands-on best deals and offers. Apart from the usual picture of immediate deliveries you can also incorporate scheduled deliveries for customers who would prefer the same as for special events like anniversaries, birthdays, formal events, etc. Being beginners in the business industry it is vital to create and maintain long term connections with similar interest groups and businesses which can aid to the growth of your startup. A successful on-demand platform will be ones that do not compromise with accuracy, quality, punctuality and feedbacks. Staying connected with the customers positively and retaining them is one of the best strategies to build your potential customer strength.

This business model has been gaining appreciation with its closeness to the consumers where you can get immediate insights on the business performance. With Customer Experience becoming the most vital factor for business success stories, on-demand startup businesses can win hearts with their fast deliveries and quality services.

The world of business is developing day by day and staying updated on the new trends is inevitable. When considering B2B or B2C, Customer Experience or in short CX is highly essential.  

B2B and B2C

B2B and B2C are the most common terminologies used in the sales and marketing fields nowadays but what do they actually mean? Introducing the terminologies, B2B is the abbreviation for Business to Business and B2C, Business to Consumer. B2B is a form of business transaction which involves buying and selling between a manufacturer and a wholesaler or a wholesaler and a retailer whereas B2C transactions involve selling the products or services directly to the end-users or consumers.

Let’s consider a generic topic to understand these terminologies better. We all do visit the grocery stores or supermarkets at least once a week. The products placed at these stores from fruits and vegetables to the personal care and electronic and stationery products are all bought from other suppliers such as farmers (manufacturers) or wholesalers. This is a simple example of a B2B relation. Whereas, when you buy a product from the store it creates a B2C relation including the store and you as its participants. With the onset of online technologies the range in which such businesses can extend to have increased tremendously. Apart from purchasing directly from shops people nowadays buy products online from e-commerce platforms which also provide fast deliveries. We now have provisions to not only communicate, sell and buy from within a country but also indulge in such activities with foreign countries as well. All thanks to the advancements in technology.

Types of B2B

With this increasing scenario in B2B, the importance of Customer Experience has become the highest factor that determines the sale and profit margin of the product for the manufacturers or wholesalers. The different types of B2B resources can be broadly classified into the following:

• Company websites
  Websites providing details about the services provided by an agency to business. For example, marketing solutions, audit services, etc.
• Product or resource suppliers
  Here one business provides products or resources to another at the desired price from a warehouse or godown. For example, a construction company buys the required building materials like steel, cement, pipes, etc from a construction material supplier and hires labourers or employees from a hiring agency.
• Information sharing/ Broker websites
  Such websites provide information on other business and their services to another such as business listing websites.

Until a few years back, entrepreneurs focused primarily on price-led marketing for creating brand value but the plot has now changed with them touting to value-centric approaches to retain the customers and create brand awareness.

Let us now consider another simple example. We all love pizzas and having pizza delivered at your doorstep hot and fresh is just what you would like it to be, right? Pizza delivery is nowadays made in less than 30 minutes. The customer that is you in this example will be extremely satisfied if you receive the pizza fresh and hot within the mentioned time. And in addition, when the pizza is tasty and mouth relishing you would definitely want to rate the business a 5-star, isn’t it? This is where value-based approaches for better CX or Customer Experience has its importance. Quality products and timely delivery with appreciable and uninterrupted customer service are the major tokens to lead the CX game in B2B.

In formerly discussed B2B categories, for a customer to be content about the products or services he/ she receives will need a proper followup from the product/ service provider such as customer support or order tracking facility. In the comparison of B2B and B2C transactions, a major difference occurs in the quantity and price of the products purchased by the buyer. Hence, proper tracking of the products from the initial stage of the order i.e; enquiry, proposals, sales and delivery post-sales is essential. Even today, many of the top companies follow the conventional methods of tracking the services manually on paper and offline documents which has to change. The market is now flooded with such online order tracking software that you can equip along with your services to track each minuscule of the order placed.

Use of an Online Order Tracking and Delivery Software for better CX in B2B

We all love to shop but spending time at the shops and waiting in the long queues for billing can be tiring. E-commerce websites hence provide us with the ease of purchasing products online in the comfort of our home. Even the most common and popular e-commerce websites like Amazon and Flipkart have all installed an order tracking and delivery system that provides the details regarding the order, quantity, pricing, packing, shipment and delivery which increases our confidence in purchasing from such websites again.

Implementing such value-based marketing strategies is the new trend which will create more lead conversions for your products and your brand. The online order and delivery tracking platforms help the customer to easily trace his/ her orders hence avoiding the struggles of calling the customer representatives for the details and status each time. This will in turn help in preventing the customers to be agitated related to the delivery and will hence benefit the brand value of your business.

In B2B, as the products are ordered in bulk and include a heavy financial investment, and passes along different stages as the former of pricing and permissions employing a real-time order tracking system can be beneficial in the long run. This real-time order and delivery tracking software include the products, its quantity, price details, order placement, billing, shipping and delivery details.

Recent studies have proved that around 78% of B2B buyers have preferred suppliers providing them with the facility of tracking and tracing their orders above the ones that do not. People prefer to have transparent and professional dealing with the provider to make sure they have invested in the right hands. A real-time online tracking and delivery platform has many advantages with a few major ones listed here. The application helps in keeping the customers updated on the following:

• The items in the order (easy to cross-check for any missing or extra items in the order).
• The billing details (from enquiry, pre-sales and post-sales).
• The order status (such as in progress, packed or shipped).
• The delivery status (reached the delivery hub and out for delivery).
• Delivery time and route used by the delivery person.
• Post Sales Customer Support.

Implementing an online tracking system will help in gaining the customer’s trust which will help in efficient customer retention for your business. If you are still on the lookout for an effective and user-friendly online order tracking and delivery software, you have reached the right place!

The iScripts LocoLogic is devised to fulfil these requirements in the most efficient way. This real-time online order tracking and order delivery platform consists of three variants which you can choose from.

1. Supplier Model
   This is ideal for warehouse and shipping company management where the suppliers can view the details regarding the orders and track its status along with added benefits such as reports for important entities.
2. Crowdsourced Delivery Model
   This model is ideal for delivery/ driver management. The software is a great platform for crowdsourced drivers such as Postmates.
3. PL model
   The PL model is a combination of the above-mentioned where the user can access both the order and delivery on a single platform. End customers can also track their order status using the dedicated order tracking mobile applications provided.

Let your customers now feel confident in buying your brand with these simple steps to apply in your business. A trustworthy and professional brand is always a customer favourite and happy customers are our profit!