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Bitstamp Will Add Ether Trading to Cryptocurrency Exchange … – CoinDesk

European cryptocurrency exchange Bitstamp will launch new trading pairs for ether next week.

Beginning on August 17, Bitstamp will add markets denominated in US dollars, euros and bitcoin for the ethereum-based digital currency. As part of the release, Bitstamp also revealed a new pricing structure for its markets, which unifies the fees it assesses among the exchange'strading pairs.

In an effort to promote the new markets, Bitstamp will waive trading fees for those pairs until October 1. It will continue to offer discounts through the end of the year.

Bitstamp is one of the last major cryptocurrency exchanges to list ether. In statements, the exchange indicated that it will add support for additional assets, framing the unified fee structure release as part of that process.

Founded in 2011, Bitstamp is one of the world's oldest bitcoin exchanges. According to data from CoinMarketCap, Bitstamp operates the third most voluminous exchange in US dollar terms, reporting about $43 million in trades over the past 24 hours.

The addition of ether comes amid new developments in that digital asset's market. As CoinDesk reported yesterday, ether prices crossed the $300 line for the first time in a month.

Ether markets have subsided somewhat since then, trading at roughly $294 at press time.

Image via Shutterstock

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Cryptocurrency Investment Fund Completes $1.8 Million ICO … – CoinDesk

A digital asset investment project has netted close to$1.8 million through an initial coin offering (ICO).

The Digital Developer Fund closed its ICO this morning, raising6,429 ETH worth roughly $1.85 million at current prices over a month-long period. Thecompany behind it, based in the Cayman Islands, had previously invested in domain names through a venture dating back to 2010.

The effort is one of the latest to use cryptographic tokens to represent shares in an investment firm. According to materials published on the Digital Developers Fund website, token-bearers will receive quarterly dividends distributed through an ethereum smart contract. Any netprofits generated through the fund will also be issued to token-holders.

As is the case with many ICOs, the sale was blocked to prospective buyers from the US. Other recent examples of this strategy include district0x, a blockchain-based marketplace project that raised $9 million through an ICO at the start of the month.

Token sales have accelerated in recent months, as shown by data from CoinDesk's ICO Tracker. Nearly $1.7 billion has been raised to date through the model, with more than $500 million during July alone.

That month also saw a major release from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on the topic. The agency publishedits findings from an investigation into The DAO, the ethereum-based funding vehicle that sold $150 million worth of tokens at the-current prices, only to later collapse following a debilitating code exploit.

The SEC saidthat DAO tokens constitute a kind of security, and that other tokens may fall under this definition.

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The leader in blockchain news, CoinDesk is an independent media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. Have breaking news or a story tip to send to our journalists? Contact us at [emailprotected].

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Cryptocurrency Wallet Jaxx Announces Support for Cofound.it-Approved Tokens – CoinJournal (blog)

Blockchain projects listed on Cofound.it will see their tokens automatically approved for integration into Jaxx, a multi cryptocurrency and digital token wallet. A new partnership formed between the two companies is intended to support and promote the best and most innovative projects in the blockchain space by improving their tokens liquidity.

This will mean the crypto community has immediate access to hold, transmit, and swap some of the worlds best cryptocurrencies natively and securely within their Jaxx wallet, said Jan Isakovic, CEO and co-founder of Cofound.it.

Singapore-based Cofound.it provides a blockchain-powered platform that connects startups with investors and experts for funding and advice. It aims to create a full startup ecosystem, using the power of the blockchain to fuel interactions, Isakovic told Reuters.

We believe that the key advantage of token crowdsales are not funds collected, but the fact that the funds come from engaged supporters. They act as evangelists and early adopters, helping fuel very fast initial growth when compared to traditional startups.

The platform intends to become the place where the best startups in the blockchain industry go to expand their potential and find investment. It would also be a venue where experts with proven track records offer their expertise, and where investors go to find the best projects to support.

Cofound.it distributes its own cryptocurrency called CFI, which holders can use to pay for services on the platform such as early access to listed token crowdsales, and project submission. CFI are also used to pay partners and experts who participate and contribute on the platform.

Besides Cofound.it tokens, others that will launch directly into the Jaxx wallet include Santiment, Maecenas, Musiconomi, Digital Assets Power Play, and X8currency, the companies said.

Anthony Di Iorio, founder and CEO of Jaxx and Decentral, said the partnership with Cofound.it gives a stamp of approval to the currencies and projects hosted and trading within our ecosystem.

We are confident that through our partnership with Cofound.it, Jaxx will help to bring greater stabilization and further growth to the entire blockchain community via our universal command center for universal technologies which is needed to mature the nascent crypto market, he added.

Jaxx is currently undergoing a significant platform expansion with more tokens integrations to come in the near future. Jaxx currently supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, DASH, and Litecoin, among other cryptocurrencies.

The wallet also enables crypto-to-crypto exchange with in-wallet conversion via Shapeshift.

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Russian social network VKontakte allows cryptocurrency advertising – FinanceFeeds (blog)

The advertising of cryptocurrencies should be responsible, with no empty promises and fake guarantees allowed.

Russias social network VKontakte (VK) is allowing the advertising of cryptocurrencies, effective August 8, 2017. The announcementwas made by the social network yesterday.

The network now permits the advertising of cryptocurrency exchanges, blockchain services, training platforms, as well as media, startups and businesses involved in cryptocurrency mining and Bitcoin.

There are some requirements: the services and entities advertised should not be banned in Russia. Also, the advertising of cryptocurrencies should be responsible, with no empty promises and fake guarantees allowed. Advertising including promises of fast and passive returns, easy fortune and suspicious success stories will not be permitted on the network.

The announcement comes as Russian businesses and even the Russian authorities are warming up to the world of blockchain and cryptocurrencies. The Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communicationsexpects that the implementation of legal provisions for distributed ledger technologies (such as blockchain) will happen not later than in 2019. And although blockchain is not yet regulated in Russia, this technology is not banned.

The Bank of Russia has markedly softened its stance regarding blockchain and cryptocurrencies too. Back in 2014, the Russian megaregulator issued a warning against Bitcoin and its likes. This stance, however, has markedly change and numerous Central Bank officials have reiterated that the regulator has never effectively banned cryptocurrencies. In fact, the Bank of Russia is reported to be working on the development of a national virtual currency.

Given this, there seem to be little restrictions on the advertising of cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin exchanges, blockchain products, etc.

Lets note, however, that concerns have been rising of the growing number of fraudulent schemesinvolving cryptocurrencies in Russia. One of the reasons for this trend is the lack of regulation of cryptocurrencies. Another reason is the low level of public knowledge concerning this market segment.

A recent surveyconducted by the NAFI analytical center among 1,600 respondents across 42 Russian regions, has shown only 28% of those surveyed are somewhat informed about crypto currencies. The percentage of those who heard the term crypto currency for the first time thanks to the survey is 72%.

Among those knowledgeable of crypto currencies, 38% think that this is a good investment. Nearly half of those who are familiar with crypto currencies believe that this is a temporary phenomenon.

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Russian launches world’s first Jewish cryptocurrency | The Times of … – The Times of Israel

A Russian entrepreneur has launched the initial offering of a cryptocurrency aimed primarily at the Jewish market on Wednesday that would conform to Jewish law and offer participants interest-free loans.

BitCoen is billed as the first kosher crypto currency in the world according to the website. It promises to give 10 percent of earnings to charity and says it can be used at 110 reception points including kosher restaurants and stores.

It is the brain child of Vyacheslav Semenchuk, a serial entrepreneur who has launched more than 30 startups.

According to the website, the new currency absorbed all the advantages of the digital world and combined them with values, customs and ancient foundations within the framework of Jewish law.

Vyacheslav Semenchuk (Facebook)

The ICO (Initial Coin Offering) is planned for October 9. So far the venture has attracted investments of over $42,000. Semenchuk himself invested $500,000 in the project, INC. news site reported, and he hopes to attract up to $20 million.

In addition to conforming to Jewish law, members of the kosher cryptocurrency will be able to receive interest-free loans.

The currency will be administered by a body called the Council of Six made up of six respected members of the Jewish community each representing a different area of expertise business, politics, finance, technology, social activities, culture represented by the six-pointed Magen David Jewish star.

The name of the currency BitCoen, is a play on the most popular cryptocurrency Bitcoin and the Hebrew word Kohen, referring to Jews from the priestly class.

The launch received support from one of the two chief rabbis of Russia, the Chabad-affiliated Rabbi Berel Lazar.

We expect that the cryptocurrency will cover all Jewish communities around the world, Lazars press secretary, Michael Lidogoster, said in a statement. The main guarantor of stability here is the fact that the keys to managing the cryptocurrency will be in the hands of the most respected members of the community, and not in the hands of some programmers.

BitCoen joins more than 800 cryptocurrencies traded globally.

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India Close to Finishing Work on Cryptocurrency Rule Proposals – CoinDesk

India's government has reportedly completed work on a proposalthat outlinespossible steps for regulating cryptocurrencies.

According to local media sourceBusiness Line,the report, submitted by an intergovernmental body put together in April, has been delivered to the Indian Ministry of Finance.

It's contents are currently unknown, though media reports in recent weeks suggest that at least some of the panel's participants want to adopt a more restrictive stance. Other sources have indicated that India may ultimately move to establish some kind of tax policy for cryptocurrencies.

As previously reportedby CoinDesk, the committee was established in order to examine the current framework in for cryptocurrencies in the country. Startups in India that work with bitcoin or blockchain have called for an inclusive stance from the government, particularly in light of confusion among consumers about the tech's exact legal status.

It's not clear when the Indian Ministry of Finance will publishthe report or in what form that release will take.

Meanwhile, efforts to examine the regulatory environment for the tech continue to expand.

CoinDesk reported earlier this week that theSecurities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has unveiled a broad advisory committee that will research blockchain and other technologies. The goal, according to SEBI, is to see whether the tech could be applied to its own regulatory processes.

India temple image via Shutterstock

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Quantum Computing Market Worth 495.3 Million USD by 2023 | 08 … – Markets Insider

PUNE, India, August 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

According to the new market research report on the"Quantum Computing Marketby Revenue Source, Application (Simulation, Optimization, and Sampling), Industry (Defense, Banking & Finance, Energy & Power, Chemicals, and Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets this market is expected to be valued at USD 495.3 Million by 2023, at a CAGR of 29.04% between 2017 and 2023. The major factors driving the growth of the quantum computing market include increasing incidences of cybercrimes, early adoption of quantum computing in the automotive and defense industry, and increasing investment by government entities in the quantum computing market.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )

Browse33 Market Data Tables and29 Figures spread through109 Pages and in-depth TOC on"Quantum Computing Market - Global Forecast to 2023"

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/quantum-computing-market-144888301.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report

Revenue realization from software would led quantum computing market during the forecast period

The software acts as an interface between the user and the quantum computer. The quantum computer offered by the key players is coupled with the appropriate software. The software are offered by a range of market players, such as D-Wave Systems Inc. (Canada), 1QB Information Technologies Inc. (Canada), QxBranch LLC (US), and QC Ware Corp. (US), to improve the operational efficiencies of the quantum computer. In the quantum computing market, the software segment is expected to earn maximum revenue during the forecast period. Need for compatible software in upcoming quantum hardware and services would act as strong drivers for the growth of quantum computing market for the software segment during the forecast period.

The energy & power industry would grow at the highest rate during the forecast period

The quantum computing market in the energy & power industry is expected to witness a CAGR of 39.11% from 2017 to 2023. This growth is mainly attributed to the lucrative opportunities present in the nuclear and renewable sector. Applications such as energy exploration, seismic survey optimization, and reservoir optimization are expected to lead this industry in the quantum computing market.

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Simulation expected to hold the largest share of the overall quantum computing market in 2017

Simulation is used in various industries such as healthcare, automotive, entertainment, banking & finance, and defense. The companies, such as D-Wave Systems Inc. (Canada), 1QB Information Technologies Inc. (Canada), and QxBranch, LLC (US), would be providing a platform to enhance the availability, usability, and accessibility of simulation in the quantum computing market in the next 4 years. Moreover, developments in this area such as the launch of quantum computing simulator by QxBranch LLC (US) for the Commonwealth Bank of Australia would drive the growth of the quantum computing market for the simulation application.

Asia Pacific is likely to grow at the highest rate due to the growth of developing and developed economies in this region

The quantum computing market in Asia Pacific (APAC) is expected to be commercialized by 2019. The growth of quantum computing in APAC would be mainly driven by China, Japan, and South Korea in various industries such as defense, healthcare & pharmaceuticals, chemicals, banking & finance, and energy & power.

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The report profiles the most promising players in this market. The key players in this market are D-Wave Systems Inc. (Canada), 1QB Information Technologies Inc. (Canada), QxBranch LLC (US), and QC Ware Corp. (US) and Research at Google-Google Inc. (US).

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Artificial Intelligence (Chipsets) Market by Technology (Deep Learning, Robotics, Digital Personal Assistant, Querying Method, Natural Language Processing, Context Aware Processing), Offering, End-User Industry, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2022http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/artificial-intelligence-market-74851580.html

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China uses a quantum satellite to transmit potentially unhackable data – CNBC

China has demonstrated a world first by sending data over long distances using satellites which is potentially unhackable, laying the basis for next generation encryption based on so-called "quantum cryptography.

Last August, China launched a quantum satellite into space, a move which was called a "notable advance" by the Pentagon.

Using this satellite, Chinese researchers at the Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS) project, were able to transmit secret messages from space to Earth at a further distance than ever before.

The technology is called quantum key distribution (QKD). Typical encryption relies on traditional mathematics and while for now it is more or less adequate and safe from hacking, the development of quantum computing threatens that. Quantum computing refers to a new era of faster and more powerful computers, and the theory goes that they would be able to break current levels of encryption.

That's why China is looking to use quantum cryptography for encryption. QKD works by using photons the particles which transmit light to transfer data.

"QKD allows two distant users, who do not share a long secret key initially, to produce a common, random string of secret bits, called a secret key," the researchers explained in a paper published in the journal Nature on Wednesday.

"Using the one-time pad encryption this key is proven to be secure to encrypt (and decrypt) a message, which can then be transmitted over a standard communication channel."

State news agency Xinhua called the encryption "unbreakable" and that's mainly because of the way data is carried via the photon. A photon cannot be perfectly copied and any attempt to measure it will disturb it. This means that a person trying to intercept the data will leave a trace.

"Any eavesdropper on the quantum channel attempting to gain information of the key will inevitably introduce disturbance to the system, and can be detected by the communicating users," the researchers said.

The implications could be huge for cybersecurity, making businesses safer, but also making it more difficult for governments to hack into communication.

China successfully sent the data over a distance of 1,200 kilometers from space to Earth, which is up to 20 orders of magnitudes more efficient than that expected using an optical fiber of the same length, the researchers claimed. It's also further than the current limits of a few hundred kilometers.

"That, for instance, can meet the demand of making an absolute safe phone call or transmitting a large amount of bank data," Pan Jianwei, lead scientist of QUESS, told Xinhua.

The Chinese government has made the development of the space sector a key priority. For example, it has laid out plans to get to Mars by 2020 and become a major space power by 2030.

And China has global ambitions for its QKD. It sees its satellite system interacting with ground-based QKD networks to create a global secure network.

"We can thus envision a space-ground integrated quantum network, enabling quantum cryptography most likely the first commercial application of quantum information useful at a global scale," the researchers said.

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Global Cloud Computing Market in Education Sector to Grow at a CAGR of 26% by 2021: Driven by the Increasing … – Business Wire (press release)

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Global Cloud Computing Market in Education Sector 2017-2021" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

The global cloud computing market in education sector to grow at a CAGR of 26.13% during the period 2017-2021

The increasing availability of online learning resources and the rising adoption of blended learning in various educational institutes across the globe is expected to boost the demand for the education technology market. In addition, the rising need for implementing experiential and project-based learning, particularly for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects, is accelerating the market growth. The surging demand for the integration of emerging technologies such as cloud computing, AR (augmented reality), VR (virtual reality), big data, and data virtualization with conventional teaching methodologies is expected to enhance the learning experience of students. This has also led to the growth of the education technology market in the last few years.

Global Cloud Computing Market in Education Sector 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.

Key Vendors

Other Prominent Vendors

Key Topics Covered:

PART 01: Executive summary

PART 02: Scope of the report

PART 03: Research Methodology

PART 04: Introduction

PART 05: Market landscape

PART 06: Geographical segmentation

PART 07: Market segmentation by service models

PART 08: Market segmentation by end-user

PART 09: Decision framework

PART 10: Drivers and challenges

PART 11: Market trends

PART 12: Vendor landscape

PART 13: Key vendor analysis

PART 14: Other prominent vendors

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/nrc9lb/global_cloud

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Salesforce Apps Add Functionality to Cloud Computing – Talkin’ Cloud

Salesforce apps extend the functionality of the CRM cloud platform, and an online marketplace offers many choices. And there is little doubt that Salesforce is the leading value-added cloud business platform. But the maker of CRM software also had foresight to realize that not every business need could be anticipated. Or that one solution would be appropriate for every enterprise. So it set out to create a marketplace where independent software vendors (ISVs) could offer their wares for use in conjunction with Salesforcean exchange for Salesforce apps that is something like the App Store for iPhones.

Accordingly, Salesforce AppExchange was born in 2006. Experts state its about choice and giving customers freedom to build the best suite through best-of-breed applicationsnot something that comes out of the box and works for only a portion of businesses. Talkin Cloud asked industry insiders to discuss the more utilitarian Salesforce apps that add functionality for MSPs and other cloud businesses.

Salesforce Apps for Contracts and HR

Some of the stickiest problems cloud companies face include contract reviews and human resources (HR). Of course, there have been many standalone solutions designed to tackle these problems from DocuSign and Adobe Sign to PeopleSoft and Workdayin fact there are Workday Salesforce apps connectors. But there was something about building Salesforce apps atop Salesforce that motivated three C-level executives to leave DocuSign and go to Conga, a document and contract automation solution, which describes itself as No. 1 among all paid Salesforce apps in Salesforce AppExchange.

Conga Composer is one of the most popular and most downloaded apps on Salesforce AppExchange, says Sienna Quirk, product marketing director, Conga. Built on the Salesforce platform, Composer helps users optimize their Salesforce investment by removing roadblocks associated with document creation. Composer enables users to build and distribute robust, sophisticated documents including presentations, sales documents and reports by merging data from any standard or custom object into templates.

This should help customers save manual work every month, improve report generation time and eliminate excessive spending by automating document generation, according to Quirk. Composer is a slam dunk for big and small enterprises looking to cut admin tasks and streamline business processes, Quirk says.

For Salesforce apps that can make or break the job in HR, some industry insiders recommend Sage People, which transforms productivity among HR departments across the world. According to these experts, Sage People Salesforce apps enable increased engagement, performance and retention, while making it easier for companies to acquire talent. For example, a current Sage People customer improved productivity and reallocated time and resources with Salesforce, enabling one HR generalist to oversee 100 employees, versus 65 without the software.

Salesforce Apps for Professional Services, Financial Management

From a pipeline efficiency standpoint, professional services can be major beneficiaries of Salesforce apps. For example, according to its Salesforce AppExchange listing, Kimble is the most feature-rich professional services automation solution on the platform. It goes on to state that its proven end-to-end management solution reduces complexity across the business allowing Kimble clients to grow 25 percent faster than competitors.

It also claims users can benefit from performance metric accuracy that Kimble apps provide, including for utilization, effective rates, sales pipeline and revenue forecasting. According to Kimble, users find increased profitability, less time spent manually forecasting or sifting through leads and that processes allow for minimal monthly variability. As proof, Kimble says a current customer reduced monthly close dates from five days to one day due to Kimble software.

Of course, FinancialForce, which claims to be the No. 1 ERP solution native to Salesforce, has Salesforce apps available for professional services automation as well as financial management. Having heard from FinancialForce earlier in the year regarding the state of the cloud and Salesforce apps, the company is more specific now about how integrating its Salesforce apps into Salesforce works.

Native to the Salesforce platform, integration between the front and back office is streamlined and seamlessrather than bolted onenabling FinancialForce to unify data across the enterprise in real time, says Fred Studer, CMO, FinancialForce. By integrating predictive insights into its financial management, professional services automation and human capital management, FinancialForce allows businesses to optimize time and talent with customers at the center.

For example, FinancialForce customer Greenway Health, after a merger with two other companies, had three different service management systems. To keep its key business applications on one platformwith one customer record across CRM, finance and servicesGreenway selected FinancialForce professional services management. FinancialForce has saved the company 1,040 hours a year because it no longer wastes time identifying customers, opportunities, projects and schedules, Studer says.

Salesforce Apps to Protect Data Quality

We all know that a CRM system like Salesforce is only as good as its data. The various customer records that result from sales, leads, touches and so on need to be correctly correlated with the customer account information or it is useless. One of the largest hazards to this data quality comes from the possibility that duplicate accounts and account contacts may be created. Salesforce apps that can successfully execute data deduplication, or dedupe data, will go a long way toward protecting data quality.

At the end of the day, any database depends on the quality of data stored, says Amar Trivedi, president and founder, Amdee, a website design and development agency. Duplicate data is a menace. We have helped many clients clean up their Salesforce instance because it had duplicates. By using DupeCatcher Salesforce apps we know we will alleviate the possibility of duplicates and keep the database clean. With a clean database, clients can focus on making real connections and having accurate data to present to their boards and committees.

For example, Amdee works with clients who use Salesforce as a case management tool. And when cases are entered, contacts are created manually.

When we dont have a deduplicator, we end up with multiple contacts and accounts, Trivedi says. This creates a huge issue. Then you can have the same contact being served by two different case managers because they were created twice.

Emulate Deal Data in Salesforce Apps for Future Success

Every successful sales organization holds up its biggest deals that have been closed and challenges its salespeople to emulate them. Scientifically speaking, the art of the sale is just thatmore art than scienceSalesforce apps makers have made progress pushing the envelope. Salesforce apps have been developed that capture every step of the sales cyclefrom critical success factors that won deals to meeting and email trackingand dynamically add them to the system. Some of these are the most highly trafficked plugins on the Salesforce AppExchange.

The Bigtincan AI-powered sales app is the most downloaded sales-enablement app in Salesforce AppExchange, says David Keane, co-founder and CEO, Bigtincan, a mobile-first sales-enablement platform. Multichannel sales teams for MSPs use the app to gain on-demand access to marketing materials and sales data so they always have the right information at the right time during every phase of the sales cycle.

According to Keane, one of the biggest benefits for MSP sales teams is just-in-time learning. It enables them tap their portfolio of products to understand and address customers cloud needs, while having up-to-date information on their product portfolio.

Salespeople use the app to shift sales conversations quickly, without losing prospect interest, Keane says. Each and every user has the ability to seamlessly emulate successful deals gone by. The app is a de facto personal sales assistant that knows who the next meeting is with and what specific pieces of marketing content will resonate with them. The app uses AI to analyze historical knowledge of every related deal that has closed in the past, surfacing recommendations based on best practices.

Salesforce Apps for Sales Call Scheduling

Ask any salespersons and one of their top concerns will be the amount of time they have to devote to scheduling, confirming and completing sales calls. To resolve that issue, it seems an entirely new crop of scheduling Salesforce apps has come on the scene recently.

One problem can be the tendency for even top Salesforce growth hacks to make appointments outside of the CRM platform, where they go untracked. In fact, most calls, emails and social touches happen outside the system, according to some tech CEOs.

Salesforce is an indispensable tool for many sales teams, but it has one key gap: it doesnt help reps execute selling activities, says Manny Medina, CEO, Outreach, a sales engagement platform. This is where Outreach comes in. Reps do their work, and it automatically logs all activity in Salesforce and analyzes which activities drive the best outcomes so reps become more effective.

Outreach claims its customers land 30 percent more opportunities and drive 10 percent to 25 percent more revenue.

Another Salesforce apps maker, Confirmed, a one-click instant scheduler, thinks the solution to getting more sales appointments made and verified is to reduce the friction of the process. For example, if the customer is offered a range of times that fit her calendar and can choose one with a single mouse gesture, sales reps call quotas will fill much faster.

Confirmed makes it easier for your prospects to say yes to your meeting requests, and less likely to say no, says David Radin, CEO, Confirmed. Your invitations by email, SMS or LinkedIn allow your prospect to choose, in a single click, the best time to meet and the best place to meet. Then, follow-on workflow makes sure snafus dont happen due to mistakes in scheduling.

Confirmed claims its Salesforce apps increase customer meeting acceptance rate by 14 percent to 25 percent and decrease time and effort to schedule meetings for sales teams as well as logs reps communications into the appropriate Salesforce records.

Another competitor among scheduling Salesforce apps, TimeTrade, actually does function directly within Salesforce, and helps users leverage the power and experience of Salesforce in a new way, according to the company. Benefits to sales teams using TimeTrade include:

An appointment-driven, personalization solution, TimeTrade empowers businesses to connect with their customers, partners and employees in new ways, says Gary Ambrosino, CEO, TimeTrade. Customers can book and receive meetings from within Salesforce to generate more qualified leads, hold more conversations and close deals faster.

According to TimeTrade, more than 500 of the worlds most successful brandsincluding the largest banks, retailers and healthcare systemsrely on TimeTrade to power live customer conversations and improve the customer experience.

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