Author page: Xienan Shaw

Cloud computing is the process of data storage and processing on the internet. It ensures data management in a non-physical mode, that way users do not need equipment to manage their data physically.

Cloud computing, however, comes in different modes of usage which includes:

– Private cloud,
– Public cloud, and
– Hybrid cloud.

Private cloud, as it sounds is private. Private individuals and businesses own and operate private clouds over a private network. Public cloud is performed on a more public platform. Business owners and individuals thereby handle their accounts on this public platform. Lastly, the Hybrid cloud is a joint operation of both private and public platforms.

Why cloud computing is of more benefit to you as a user;

Accessibility: One significant advantage of cloud computing is that users easily get any data needed at any point in time on the spot. The user does not need to have a specific or unique device before the user receives the data. Cloud computing also requires no special technical expertise before a user gains access to it. This advantage increases the productivity and efficiency of the user.

Pay as you go: Another great benefit is that cloud computing is a very cost effective mode of usage. Its policy allows users to pay for only the resources used. Therefore, it does not use a bulk like mode for payment which makes it a lot easier to maintain.
Information security: Cloud usage has the option of increasing security on desired information. This comes in the form of putting a password on the file or data encryption. This makes it difficult for a third party, who has not been given exclusive access to the file, to open such files.

Easy file transfer and exchange: This especially comes in handy for users who are always on the move and still yet need a form of storage for communication and business interaction with clients. For instance, a user uploads a file on cloud storage and then gives their client access to such file. The client can also communicate back through the same medium. It increases the efficiency of service, productivity and ensures that the work always gets done.

Data Recovery: Asides information storage and management, cloud computing also serves as a good source of backup plan for information. One can lose valuable data saved locally, either by losing the device on which it was stored or even by things such as a virus infection on the device. However, one can regain data stored over the cloud even on a device different from the one used for the primary storage.

Cloud computing supports increased accessibility, productivity, efficiency and top of it all; it is very cost effective thereby making it a necessary and essential mode of computing for progressing platforms.

As we take advantage of the opportunities the internet has to offer it is critical that online security becomes a priority. As Xero partners and customers, you are all operating online and with this comes a need to be vigilant about keeping sensitive data and information secure from hackers and cybercriminals – the same way you keep your home or your car safe by locking it. Statistics from online security software vendor Norton show that globally 689.4 million (31%) people were affected by cybercrime in the past year. Additionally 63% of people also believed it’s become harder to stay safe and secure online over the past five years. The fact of the matter is that the impact of cybercrime has become a reality for all businesses. We continually remind all of our customers – small businesses, accountants and bookkeepers – to ensure that they are taking precautions to keep their data safe from hackers.

As the Head of Security at Xero I have a team working around the clock and throughout every timezone to monitor and detect suspicious activity. We identify patterns of malicious activity and after discovering harmful activity we then take the appropriate steps to notify users and guide them through protecting their account. Protecting our platform against cyber attacks is a top priority and we are constantly evolving our systems to ensure they are as robust as possible. However, a system is only as good as the weakest link in the chain. Security needs to be strong on all fronts and it’s important that our small businesses and advisors are invested in protecting themselves and their customers from attacks. As a business it is your responsibility to safeguard not only your own information but more importantly that of your customers who have entrusted you with sensitive data. By keeping informed about cybersecurity and instilling the importance of security practices throughout your business, together we can build a stronger, more secure online community.

Here are some simple, easy-to-implement steps that will help you better protect your information and that of your clients online.

Have strong, unique passwords

I cannot stress the importance of having strong passwords enough. One of the most common ways that people’s accounts get taken over is through people successfully stealing or “cracking” your password. Always use a strong, unique password for each site you log in to. While this may seem extreme, particularly in an age where we have multiple logins, having different passwords will help prevent a compromise of one login becoming a compromise of many. You can use Password-manager software to help you navigate your multiple logins, and to generate strong passwords for you. We would also advise that you clearly communicate the importance of password hygiene to your staff, in particular that reusing personal passwords, e.g. for social media sites, is not acceptable.

Use 2SA

2SA or Two-Step Authentication essentially equates to having that extra deadbolt on the door. 2SA works by having two layers of security, firstly through you entering your existing password and then through another verification code generated by an app on your smart device. Having 2SA enabled for your Xero account significantly reduces the risk of account takeover, as stealing your password isn’t enough to get access.  2SA (or 2FA, MFA or 2SV) is extra important for your email account, which is usually the means to hackers being able to reset your passwords for other sites.

For more information about Xero login and 2SA, visit our new landing page.

Update your software

Security threats are changing all the time and new software vulnerabilities are identified every day. Keeping your operating system and applications up to date is your first line of defence against many attacks.  Set your system preferences to update automatically and delete applications that you don’t use.

Having up to date anti-malware (anti-virus) software is another simple but effective way to protect yourself. Anti-malware software will scan your attachments and downloads as you use them and alert you to any malicious software detected. Make sure your anti-malware software is updated regularly so that it will be able to detect any new viruses, trojans, ransomware, etc.

Security is of the utmost importance for Xero and like every other online business we have to be constantly vigilant about phishing attacks and account takeovers. We all have the responsibility to ensure we are utilizing security procedures and continually investing in online security. As an online community we need to work together to make sure we are all protecting one another and keeping our data secure from cyber criminals.

For more information visit Xero’s Security page, get updates on the latest security issues on Xero’s security noticeboard or forward suspicious, Xero branded emails to phishing@xero.com.

UX is about putting the customer first – who would be a more suitable candidate for the pole position? Your ecommerce store is for them, so it should be designed for them. They’re the person who you want to satisfy the most, and engaging in UX allows you to accomplish this. It can help to turn your site from a means-to-an-end, to a steamrolling ecommerce powerhouse. In a cutthroat global economy with ruthlessly fierce competition, your site absolutely must stand out in order to excel. UX is a tool that can help you achieve this.

Though complex in nature, UX doesn’t have to be expensive. We’ve hand-picked a few of the most cost-effective UX practices that can make a big impact on your webstore and that you can start using right away!

Reduce Cognitive Load (Eraser at the Ready)

Every element and word on your webstore needs to be absorbed and understood by your users. This is called cognitive load – the mental effort being exerted by the user’s working memory. The more cognitive load that you burden your users with, the more stressed and discouraged they’ll become. This is why it’s essential to seize your proverbial eraser, and remove everything that is unnecessary from your webstore.

Pioneering UX professional Steve Krug advises the following:

Get rid of half the words on each page, then get rid of half of what’s left

– Krug’s Third Law of Usability

Using concise language is one way to reduce cognitive load and speed up the user’s journey. It’ll also reduce the noise level of the page, make your important content more prominent, and result in each page being shorter.

“Happy talk” such as “Welcome to our webstore” should be avoided at all costs. The primary reason people come to your site is to purchase goods and this kind of unnecessary fluff just serves as a hindrance. Consider removing gratuitous pronouns like the “Our” in “Our products”, or the “My” in “My account”. Try to re-write any sentences that might be just a tad too overinflated and wordy. With a little effort, you’ll end up with a more succinct site.

Design for Scanning, Not Reading

Your webstore isn’t primarily a blog; most people aren’t arriving at your site with the intention of filling their heads with knowledge, they’re turning up to make a purchase. Over 20 years ago, usability god Jakob Nielsen discovered that people don’t read websites, they scan them. You should keep this top-of-mind whenever writing or reviewing copy for your website.

There’s many UX aspects involved in creating a scannable ecommerce site, with four of the best being conventions, gestalt theory, well-formatted text, and visual hierarchy.

1. Conventions

Being conventional may be considered dull and unoriginal by some, but it’s a fundamental part of a good design. Elements that adhere to convention are instantly understandable, and so require little cognitive effort. This means that you should think twice before including a whacky, animated “Add to cart” button on your webstore, or a navigation menu that just uses icons because it looks super-cool.

Users don’t want to mentally strain their way through the shopping experience, they want to make purchases as quickly as possible, and then get out of there. Using conventional elements throughout your design will give it a comfortable, recognisable facade. You can suffuse your site with originality using shape and colour; leave conventional elements such as search, navigation and forms to their effective predecessors. They were designed that way because they work.

2. Gestalt Theory

Gestalt theory is a complex psychological theory which explains how we perceive the world, but for the sake of UX, it’s a principle of proximity. A simplification of this principle is as follows: things that are close to each other, similar in design, or enclosed within a border are understood to be related.

This is the reason that designs with little whitespace tend to baffle us – we just can’t figure out how to separate the content into manageable and understandable chunks, because it appears to be one gigantic mesh of information. Using ample whitespace, or placing a border around your elements, gives each section a unique identity and clear purpose, allowing your users to easily distinguish and navigate your webstore.

3. Well-formatted text

Well-formatted text will enable your customers to quickly find the information that they’re seeking. This can be achieved by using concise, large headings to group information (Gestalt theory again); short, quickly-consumable paragraphs; bullet lists whenever possible, and the highlighting of key words. Lists of links should include the most important and relevant words first.

4. Visual Hierachy

Visual hierarchy is a scale of importance, it illuminates where your attention should be focused, with the option to consume less important content if desired. The more priority something has, the more prominent it should be.

Importance can can be increased using size, weight, colour, or additional surrounding white space. A classic example is colouring your “Add To Cart” button with a hue that stands out in your webstore – painting it the same shade of blue as your header background just means that it’s less likely to be spotted, with potentially expensive consequences. Similarly, a product’s name is more important than its description, so using the same font size for both is communicating that they have the same priority. Good visual hierarchy encourages your customers to focus on what they should be focusing on.

A/B Testing

The most UX-savvy design team in the world can’t anticipate a user’s every desire or action. Every one of us is beautifully unique, and our behaviour exhibits this fact. With A/B testing, you can present different customers with two slightly altered designs, in order to determine what works best for their particular nuances. A simplified example best illustrates this:

Test name: “Complete purchase” button on checkout

If we want to understand which text on the button at checkout performs best we would test two variations:

Design 1: Button uses the text “Complete purchase”

Design 2: Button uses the text “Complete sale”

Conversion goal: Clicking on the button and completing the sale



Randomly displaying the two different designs to customers over a period of time will help you to determine which one converts best.

A/B tests can be set up with Google Analytics or Crazy Egg, both of which are available to install for free in Neto’s add on store. 

Conclusion

UX doesn’t have to be time-consuming or difficult. With the above practices, you can make radical improvements to your webstore’s design, which will enhance the overall experience and increase the likelihood of purchases. Guide your customers effortlessly through your webstore – make UX a primary focus.

Assigning the correct employee to the right job at the right time is crucial for business success, especially for companies with a mobile workforce. So why don’t some managers give it more of their attention?

Sometimes it’s because they refuse to let go of their primitive tools – paper-based timetables, rosters and worksheets, or whiteboards – rather than invest in transparent, up-to-the-second and easy-to-use cloud-based technology. Sometimes the job of handling work and leave schedules isn’t seen as a priority or is given to someone who doesn’t fully understand the demands of the business or the relative merits of individual staff members.

Here are seven things that business managers can do straight away to improve employee morale and performance, reduce stress and help serve their customers better.

1. Assign the right worker for the job

Allocating a job to the best available employee might be the single most important thing managers do. This can be a difficult task when some staff are on leave or sick, but capable and reliable staff will ensure the job gets done quickly and effectively and increase the chance a one-off client will turn into a regular customer. Giving specific work to staff who lack experience or whose technical skills are underdeveloped might give your business a bad name and potentially damage workplace morale.

2. Get to know the team

More than just knowing what professional talents your employees bring to work, it’s important to get a sense of who they are and what interests them. As well as making for a happier workplace, it will help build team spirit. It’s vital for staff wellbeing that managers have a sense of when and how staff prefer to work, and that their wishes will be accommodated whenever possible. Knowing the way individuals tick may also help determine who are likely to work well together, especially when they’re out in the field in front of your customers.

3. Build a flexible roster

Of all of the things that motivate a workforce, offering individuals flexibility is one of the most important. Allowing staff to leave early for family reasons or rostering them off on specific days are not likely to hurt the business but will encourage employees to be more reliable and perform even better when they are at work. Just as important is having a repeatable and logical way for all staff to apply for leave, especially for annual holidays. A cloud-based document system, even Google Docs, will help keep everyone aware of who will and won’t be available.

4. Give plenty of notice

Posting rosters and job schedules at the last moment might give the manager more flexibility to accommodate late work but it does nothing to help staff plan their lives away from work. Managers should ideally give employees at least one week’s notice of their upcoming shifts. But there should always be a plan B …

5. Have a contingency plan

Things change all of the time; it’s the nature of business. How managers deal with change will be a measure of how effective they are at running the business and the staff roster. It’s important to have the tools to communicate changes quickly (see point 7) but also be conscious of the various skills your employees have – one of them might need to step into someone else’s shoes without affecting business performance or customer relationships.

6. Plan for the worst … and the best

Just as managers need to allow for illness or family dramas, they need to be able to ensure enough staff are rostered on when the telephone is running hot. This might be for certain hours, days or months, or around certain events, such as Easter or Christmas. For businesses that depend on seasonal work, there could be nothing worse than having to turn down jobs simply because not enough service staff are available. Again, clear-thinking managers will plan well in advance by creating a sharable document that indicates when the workload is expected to be particularly hectic, and they will communicate this to staff ahead of time.

7. Invest in the right technology

Mobile workforce management software, such as Geo allows everyone in the business to see what is happening with every job, every customer and every staff member in real time. When the inevitable happens, and jobs are cancelled, postponed or switched around, managers can alert all employees of the changes straight to their mobile devices, with revised job and customer details available immediately.

Old-fashioned paper-based systems made it too easy for information to be misunderstood or job orders misplaced. Even worse were staff rosters on a whiteboard or pinned to a wall. Unless all staff were in the office at the right time, how could they know that the roster or schedule has changed, and how it affected them? Modern, reliable cloud-based systems go a long way to minimise business mistakes and serious misunderstandings with employees and customers.