UAE pension authority sees sharp rise in subscribers

GPSSA has seen a total of 7,451 employers registered with it as of June 2023.

ABU DHABI: The General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA) has reported a notable surge in contributors and registered employers, according to the statistics released for June 2023. The data revealed that the number of contributors rose to 104,038, marking a significant increase, compared to 87,982 contributors during the same period last year. Moreover, registered employers rose from 7,451 in the previous year to 10,568 as of June 2023. The report further disclosed that pensioners reached 19,548 by June 2023, compared to 18,318 in June 2022. Similarly, the number of beneficiaries stood at 8,368, showing a slight decline from the 8,432 beneficiaries recorded during the same period last year. In terms of insurance expenses, the data indicated that the value of expenses in June 2023 amounted to Dh397,799,391, higher than the Dh396,086,188 reported during the corresponding period in the previous year. These statistics were unveiled during the fifth board meeting for 2023, chaired by Mohamed bin Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs and Chairman of the Board of Directors at GPSSA.

During the meeting, Al Hussaini presided over the approval of minutes from previous meetings and led discussions on the progress of past decisions and recommendations made by the board. The meeting also approved various decisions and recommendations presented by sub-committees, including the Investment Committee and the Internal Audit and Risk Committee. Furthermore, the board reviewed and approved GPSSA’s final financial statements for 2022, which will be submitted to the UAE Cabinet Ministers for final approval. Additionally, they examined the investment performance report for 2022 and the first half of 2023, followed by discussions on other important topics on the meeting’s agenda.

 

5 of the best high-yield savings accounts with no minimum balance

Make sure your high yield savings account charges no monthly fees, which can chip away at the interest you earn over time.

With federal interest rates high  and another potential rate hike on the horizon  now is a great time to save. But even among the best high-yield savings accounts with no fees or other costs, there can be a significant barrier to entry. Some of these accounts require steep minimum deposits or ongoing balances to either open your account or earn interest. If you don't already have $1,000 or even $5,000 to deposit into your new account, you may not qualify to earn the great interest it offers. That's why you should look at all the details of a new account before you open it. There are a number of competitive high-yield accounts today  even some that offer near the highest available APYs  that require no minimum at all. To earn interest with these accounts, all you have to do is open it and make a deposit in any amount.

Why you need a high yield savings account today

High yield savings account interest rates are significantly higher than traditional savings accounts.

Savings are an essential part of any smart financial plan. Whether you're building an emergency fund or setting aside money for a big purchase, a healthy savings account can help you reach your financial goals and cover unexpected costs without going into debt. And every little bit you can set aside counts. The easiest way to boost your savings is with a high-yield savings account. High-yield savings accounts are a popular financial tool for many reasons, including the ability to earn much more interest than you can with a regular savings account. If you don't already have one, now is the perfect time to consider opening one. See today's high-yield savings account rates here to find out how much you could be earning.

 

Online Business in Dubai

It’s no secret that the future of digital retail is hugely exciting. So, who could blame you for wanting to launch an online business in Dubai? The world has fallen in love with the convenience and abundance of shopping online. In fact, ecommerce rode a tidal wave of growth during 2020. While many brick and mortar businesses over the past couple of years have experienced a significant contraction, others flourished to expand their businesses online. The pandemic catalysed a huge shift toward the digital marketplace, and many small business owners are now jumping on board. It can be a good way to earn money, with plenty of opportunities for passive income as well. This was the case across the globe and it was certainly no different here in Dubai. If you are interested in starting an online business, you’ve come to the right place. Your online business idea could become a reality, faster than you think. We’ve prepared the ultimate guide to starting a successful online business in Dubai. We’ll walk you through all of steps you’ll need to launch and operate your e-commerce store successfully.

Why start an online business in Dubai?

Starting an online business offers a range of benefits for established companies and aspiring entrepreneurs alike. As many local businesses have found, starting an online business in Dubai is not as difficult as you might think. Whether you are opening up your existing business for transactions made via a website or app, or starting a new e-commerce-driven venture, the path to online success remains the same. Truthfully, anyone wishing to start an online business with the willingness to work hard can quickly see their online business ideas earn big money.

The Benefits of Online Business Online shopping is now one of the most popular activities globally. In 2020, retail e-commerce sales worldwide amounted to USD 4.28 trillion. Of those,18% of retail sales have been attributed to e-commerce. In the UAE, the e-commerce market saw a huge leap in 2020, recording a USD 3.9 billion market value and a 53% year-on-year increase. And by 2025, experts foresee that e-commerce in the UAE will reach USD 8 billion. In a recent study on the digital transformation in MENA and Pakistan, 53% of MENA consumers say they are doing more of their shopping online now compared with before the pandemic started. The lifestyle perks of initiating an online business in Dubai are incredibly appealing. Firstly, you’re really your own boss. Once you set up the important business essentials like writing a business plan (if required), creating your own website, setting up an eCommerce store and building a social media presence – you’re ready to hit the ground running.

Magento As one of the most dependable and effective e-commerce systems, Magento is widely regarded among online retailers. In fact, Magento is popular for large businesses and enterprises looking toward growth. Magento excels at scalability and performance, which is why it accounts for over a quarter of the e-commerce market. This platform is used by companies such as Burger King, Huawei and Liverpool Football Club. For enterprise-level online shops, Magento is regarded as the most suitable ecommerce platform. Because Magento is geared toward enterprise-level companies, it’s not an easy platform to navigate. As such, you’ll likely need the help of developers to build and run a Magento-based online business in Dubai.

Deciding What To Sell Online 

        According to Shopify, there are a few things that can help when it comes to refining a good online business idea and deciding on a service or products to sell: 

• Solve a customer pain point What are the challenges that your potential customers are currently facing? Consider what ways you can help them and make their life easier. 
• Appeal to enthusiastic hobbyists Is there a specific niche market that you understand really well? 
• Go with your passion Sometimes, your passion could be an excellent source of inspiration for a product or service. 
• Consider your professional experience  What are you good at? You may have certain technical skills that can be marketable. 
• Capitalise on trends  Stay on top of what is new and exciting in the market. 
• Read customer reviews on existing products and look for insights into how their needs could be met in a better way 
• Browse what’s trending on online marketplaces through this list 
• Research products with higher profit margins.

Shopify  has quickly become the world’s most popular, fully-managed ecommerce platform since its launch in 2004. It is used by over 1 million retailers around the world with more and more companies choosing to migrate over from existing platforms. Its popularity is, to a large extent, due to its simple and easy-to-use interface and excellent app marketplace. Unlike Magento, Shopify is a software as a service (SaaS) monthly membership service and includes website hosting, domain hosting and mail hosting. There are many great themes for your store, both paid and free, with almost any feature you might want to use to sell your product. You should understand that Shopify is developed in a proprietary coding language called “Liquid.” If you need something very customised for your brand, you will need to hire a Shopify developer to modify or write the template code for you. That said, if you are happy to use a theme without requiring deep customisations, you can create a stunning website and online business brand using Shopify.
 

Online Business in Australia

Online business is very profitable today, so many people want to start running it but do not know what it takes. Online business is especially popular in the USA, Europe, and Australia. As far as Australia is concerned, one of the most in-demand areas for business here is online casinos.

Decide On a Niche Before starting the process of registering your business, you need to decide for yourself what you want to do. Today, there are a huge number of online business ideas that offer lucrative prospects and a good chance of making a net profit. In this matter, you should focus only on your preferences and desires. Yes, there is a list of the most profitable and promising niches, but if you are not interested in such business areas, you should not start because you should enjoy what you do. Think about what attracts you the most, maybe an online cosmetics or clothing store, or maybe advertising or the sale of other services. You can choose whatever you want. It is also very important to assess the risks, how productive your idea can be, or vice versa. It is also important to calculate the approximate costs that await you. This will help you decide which direction to go next. 

Register Your Business Officially In order for your business to become legal, you need to register it. it is not allowed to have an informal business in Australia that will not be approved by the relevant regulatory authorities. You will need a lot of patience for this process. You have to collect a whole bunch of different documents and go to different government agencies and institutions. Once you get the ABN, you can do business legally. Some people mistakenly believe that they can hide from the government that they are doing business in secret so as not to pay taxes, but this is a flagrant violation of the law, so you should definitely go through the stage of registering your business and make it legal. Only in this way will the way of making big money legally be open for you. 

Get Your Domain Name Since you have decided to build an online business, you need to create your own domain name. For your activity, you will definitely need your own website through which you will sell your goods or services. The domain name must be recognizable and unique so that when they hear it, your customers know exactly that they are talking about you. A well-chosen domain name is a sure step to success. Your site will be guaranteed popularity if it has a good-sounding name. This is purely a marketing strategy, make yourself visible and get the first results. 

Registration For Taxes Any business in Australia is subject to taxation. If you make a profit, then you are obliged to pay taxes to the state because this serves as the basis for a stable economy of the country. You are required to provide true information about yourself, your business, and your sources of income. If you hide some data, you will have to pay a fine, or you will be held liable. Successful tax payment guarantees you a safe and profitable working environment for your business, so do not neglect this point. 

Effective Advertising In order for your services to become well recognized, you need advertising. Today this is the most popular and effective method by which you can ensure the rapid promotion of your business. In order to get quality advertising, you need to contact a dedicated marketing agency or find a video blogger who can talk about your site on social networks. The advantage of ordering advertising from bloggers is that information about your business will be recognized by a large audience, and you will become more recognizable. 

Website Design If you want to have a lot of clients, you need to design your website. It should be as easy to use as possible, have a comfortable interface, and a stylish design that would meet modern standards. If you cannot cope with this task on your own, you can hire a specialist who will do it for you in a very high quality and beautiful way. Clients are attracted by a beautiful picture, so the site must be aesthetically pleasing, and for this, it is important to maintain a balance of colors, graphics, and animations. Do not add too many details to the home page, limit yourself to brief information about your services and their benefits, let the client become interested in your business and want to continue acquainting with your products. What will creating a design bring you?

• Uniqueness. You will be different from others in the market for your service. 
• Recognition. Customers will begin to recognize your brand. 
• Relevance and trendiness. 
• Connection with your audience.

 Create a Customer Reward System In order for customers to be interested in using your services, create a favorable environment for them. It is very important to show respect for consumers and show them that you value and respect each client and are ready to meet them halfway in solving any issue. In order to encourage regular customers, it is necessary to introduce a system of discounts and bonuses. This is a very important step in helping you build more trusting relationships with your customers. The bonus system will allow you to effectively interact with people and show them your genuine interest in their situation. You can also implement a system that will congratulate customers on important holidays and give them generous discounts. Rest assured, this works 100% in the field of online business. 

Find Reliable Suppliers If your business is related to the sale of goods, you need to build your own database of reliable suppliers from whom you will purchase products in bulk on favorable terms. This is very important because in this way you will protect yourself from fraud and financial losses. In addition, long-term cooperation with suppliers will open up even more profitable prospects for you. Protect Your Rights This is a very important point that, unfortunately, business beginners often neglect. It often happens that someone has decided to use your name or site name for their own purposes. You must protect your intellectual property and not allow anyone to use your ideas. Otherwise, you may find yourself in a very unenviable position when you have to prove that you are the owner of a particular business idea.

STARTING AN ONLINE BUSINESS

If you want to start an online business, you have landed in the right place; in this post, we will tell you all about the important things that you have to consider before starting an online business; before you read about the important things to; consider you need to know that the trend of online business is increasing every turning day, and so it is best if you try your luck in the digital market instead of wasting your investment in the traditional business world. Online businesses are easy to manage and require less investment than the digital market. 

TOP THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO CONSIDER BEFORE STARTING AN ONLINE BUSINESS!

                Out of hundreds of things, we have mentioned the most important ones that you need to take into consideration before starting an online business: 

RESEARCH AND MARKET KNOWLEDGE

                Before starting an online business, you need to make sure that you spend ample time on research. You need to invest days, if not weeks, in market research. It would be best if you find out all about the industry you want to invest in. You need market knowledge and research even if you think your idea is unique. You need to find out what your competitors might be and what kind of challenges you can face in the digital market. Know that the online market is quite competitive and so you need to know all ins and outs when you are planning on executing an idea.

HAVE A SOLID BUSINESS PLAN 

                Before you jump into the digital market, you should have a solid execution plan. If you have no business plan, you cannot grow and be successful. You need a plan which would include information about the niche you want to work on, your target market, the budget you are ready to spend on the business. It would be best if you also highlighted your short-term and long-term goals. 

KNOW YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE 

                You need to consider who your target audience is. When you are launching a new product or service in the digital market, you need to make sure that you know who your target customers will be. Some online businesses target customers directly, whereas some target businesses. But the most important thing that you need to know is that the revenue of your business depends on your customers. So make sure that you know who they are and make sure that your services are catered according to their needs. When starting an online business, you need to make your customers’ requirements your priorities. 

CHOOSE THE RIGHT PRODUCT RANGE 

                When starting a new online business, you need to consider your product range. You need to be very careful while selecting the products and services you want to offer. You need to check other similar entities offered by your competitors in the market. You need to make your stuff better and cheaper than the products already available in the market. Offering the same things to customers is not a good idea. 

PICK THE BEST DOMAIN NAME AND SITE

                The most stable platform to start your online business is the website. Indeed, you can quickly make a presence and generate sales on social media. Still, eventually, you have to shift to the website platform to grow and be successful. When starting a new business, you need to consider getting the best domain name and site location. If you don’t choose the right domain name or site location, you will face a lot of trouble in branding your business.

The Best Phone Systems for Small Business

What is a business phone system? 

        A business phone system is a multiline phone system that often includes such features as unlimited calling, automated menus, ring groups to call multiple employees simultaneously, voicemail-to-email functionality and call recording. Types of business phone systems include Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), private branch exchange (PBX) and key system unit (KSU). The best phone systems for small business use VoIP technology, which allows you to use your business internet connection for the whole system. 

The Best Business Phone Systems

Dialpad 

Nextiva 

8×8 

RingCentral 

Ooma 

Zoom 

Vonage 

GoToConnect 

net2phone 

Windstream 

Grasshopper

• Small businesses that need phone, video, chat, SMS and fax are turning to cloud-based business phone system providers that offer all-in-one unified communications via the internet. 
• Most cloud-based service providers offer great call quality and reliability with uptimes of 99.999% and higher. 
• Business owners should look for communications platforms that integrate with the other productivity tools and CRM software they currently use. 
• This article is for business owners shopping for a new business phone system for unified communications.
• VoIP, or cloud-based, phone systems have largely replaced traditional landlines in business settings. Today’s modern phone service providers offer unified communications across phone, video, chat, text and fax with key software integrations that help companies make better use of every conversation that takes place. While some systems offer SIP trunking to integrate with older on-premises telephone hardware, most service providers work exclusively through the cloud with no hardware required to facilitate calls. Calls can still be taken on a traditional-looking IP desk phone, but most users opt for a headset with a desktop application or simply their mobile device. Today’s best business phone systems offer a wealth of call management tools, with virtual receptionists, advanced call routing, custom business hours and many other helpful features to ensure that calls are never sent to a voicemail box when someone’s available to answer.