Singapore Consumer Interest Group

There is no one standard to setting up an effective customer relationship management for all types of companies, but the goal is the same: to make the loyal customers happy and to create reasons for prospective customers to buy your merchandise and/or services. With the help of an effective CRM software, however, it will be easier for companies in Singapore to focus on improving other aspects of the company.

These are the advantages and disadvantages of choosing a CRM system, such as cloud CRM, for your business.

CRM Helps Both Large and Small Companies

Although a CRM software seems sophisticated for startup companies, client relations can be greatly improved for both small-time and large corporations because it can be integrated easily with any existing system. A cloud CRM, for example, will not need a high cost of setup because the service provider is responsible for the software maintenance and updates.

Better Data Organization

Having a CRM system means you can build up a customer database for more competent operations of your business here in Singapore. With a comprehensive lead management software, it’s easier to handle clients, organize processes and increase your company’s overall bottom line.

Sales reports and forecasting can be generated with the touch of a button and there is room for fewer errors because everyone has the same access to the same set of data. Better data organization also leads to better team communication, allowing the employees to focus on improving customer relationship management.

Software Provides Various Features

Traditional sales management tools cannot provide additional features such as accurate sales and forecasting, data sorting, up-to-date consumer contacts, and data filtering. It also has reporting templates, lead management, sales tracking that can be integrated easily with other existing software in the office. With these new tools, your account management team can handle most of the problems associated with keeping loyal customers interested in the products and/or services and manage prospects for future sales.

Security Can Be an Issue

By partnering with a third-party provider, there are issues regarding the security of the data especially when it comes to customer profiles and transactions. The centralized erp software is also vulnerable to data hacking and might be too dependent on the provider to continue operating. Fortunately, the software provider in Singapore can find solutions for these setbacks, such as backup systems, better supervision, and encryption safeguards.

CRM Might Be Difficult to Navigate

An automated client managing solution will reduce instances of human error, but it also takes away the human element in the business. It will also take some time for the employees to learn how to operate the new CRM software not just for generating the usual sales reports but for other tasks as well. This problem can be addressed, however, with a proper training right after the new system is introduced in the office. Add to that an effective technical support that might be an added cost if the third-party service provider cannot provide you with one.

Podcasts have become more popular over the years – they’re a good way to reach an audience that you wouldn’t otherwise connect to with just your blog. Because more and more people listen to it every day, starting one is a great for bringing in potential traffic.

Here are some tips to follow when starting a podcast:

1. Invest in a quality microphone
Audio quality is crucial – the mistake of buying a cheap microphone affects your chances of having a base following severely even if you have everything else covered. If done right, the technical aspects of each podcast should be invisible to your followers.

You can also look up quality mics that are available in your area. The same goes for other equipment. If you’re looking to produce a video with your podcast, your room should be well-lit. Any editing should be done cleanly and professionally.

2. Keep the room soundproof
Your workspace is particularly important when starting a podcast. When you look at professional recording studios, you’ll notice that they’re covered head to toe in soundproof padding to prevent the microphone from picking up unwanted noise.

However, you don’t have to rent a room and cover it in soundproof foam. There are many ways to keep your audio quality high, such as noise-cancelling microphones, or even pop filters to filter P’s and T’s.

3. Stay consistent with your release dates
Planning your episodes, from the number to the topics, so you have a clear idea on what you want from your podcast. For instance, you can set a topic for each week or month, and each episode for that time period will be talking about an aspect of that topic.

Like blogs, podcasts need to be consistent with their release dates – if you air a new episode every Wednesday, for instance, stick to it. When you have a regular schedule with your content, all you need to worry about is creating and editing.

4. Keep your interviews interesting
If your format is focused on interviews, start with interviewees who are both relevant and/or compelling. You might even ask more prominent personalities to do an interview with you, but this can be a little more difficult to pull off.

Interviews through the phone or over the internet run the risk of having a lower quality. As much as possible, do your interviews in person – not only do they improve the audio, but it also makes you both feel more comfortable, and the conversation more engaging.

Now that you’ve decided on doing a sport, the next thing to ask yourself is which one you should start with. There are a lot of sports to go around – the best thing you can do is to just go out and try what you fancy one at a time. You can even pick one at random!

But if you’re still not sure as to how to go about picking a sport you’ll enjoy, read on to find out how you can find the one that you’re sure to enjoy.

1. Think about activities you enjoyed as a kid
Did you use to play basketball? What about biking when you were a child? Chances are, there would have been at least one or two outdoor physical activities that you enjoyed when you were growing up.

If so, now would be a good time to go back to them. Even if it turns out you don’t enjoy one sport as much as you used to anymore, it still can’t hurt to give it a try.

2. Consider your body type
Different body types are suited for different sports. Physiologists have managed to define three major body types – endomorph, mesomorph, and ectomorph.

Endomorphs have pear-shaped bodies with fat on the upper arms and thighs, and are more suited to strength sports such as weightlifting.

Mesomorphs are builds with the classic “v” shape – narrow hips and slender waist – and respond well to any sport as well as cardio and resistance training.

Lastly, there are ectomorphs. These builds are light and thin, which are best suited for endurance sports such as marathons, or even tennis or soccer, where height is an advantage.

If your build doesn’t exactly fall into one of these types, consult a fitness trainer to find out which one you are.

3. Consider ones that are “beginner-friendly”
Walking, swimming, or Ultimate Frisbee should be good choices especially if you really don’t know how or where to begin, or if you’re unwilling to splurge on equipment.

These sports are great for all body types and sizes, and membership fees (if any) are usually affordable.

Remember that when choosing a sport, it should be one that you enjoy doing the most. Give a sport a try-out period of three weeks to see if it grows on you. If it doesn’t, move on to the next one.

Japan is popular for being high-tech and inventive. Although some parts of the country are quite too much, you’ll get used to it after a few days of stay. In fact, many expats find these things amazing and useful, and sometimes get too comfortable with it that they find it difficult to get back to their normal western lives after a month of stay.

Here are some of the bizarre yet amazing things you would wish your country has once you encounter them in Japan.

1. Capsule Hotels
Capsule hotels look as if they were made for a dystopian sci-fi film. These hotels are basically dozens of life-size boxes with cozy bed in them where people can rent to sleep for a couple of hours.

2. Digital Toilets
For most travelers, the digital toilets in Japan’s airports and shopping malls are the first sign of how unique the place is compared to other countries. It’s just amazing how Japan came up with this idea and how these digital toilets haven’t yet adopted in other parts of the world.

3. Takotamago
This food is possibly one of the tastiest and most unique looking foods on Earth. Takotamago is a street food made from baby octopus with cooked egg stuffed in its head for added taste.

4. Rabbit Island
Offshore the eastern part of Japan sits Okunoshima or ‘The Rabbit Island.’ By taking a short ferry ride, you can watch and feed hundreds of cute bunnies.

5. Unique Vending Machines
In western countries, vending machines only sell the usual items—coffee, snacks, softdrinks and cigarette. In Japan, their vending machines sell more than those the aforementioned. You can purchase all sorts of stuff, including sake, canned goods, surgical masks and even fresh produce.

6. Akihabara Adult Shops
Akihabara is a spot in Tokyo that features many different shops and boutiques. Among the most popular are the sex boutiques and the 18+ anime rental shops. However, you can only enter these places if you’re of legal age.

7. Unique Kit-Kat Varieties
Westerns got excited when strawberry and white chocolate variants of Kit-Kat were released, but Japanese took it a notch higher with way more options. Imagine getting your chocolate fixings with unique flavors like sake, wasabi and sweet potato.

8. Edible Sakura
Sakura is the national flower of Japan, but many are surprised to know that it is also used to flavor and garnish desserts. Recipes with cherry blossoms in them are even more popular during the spring season when most of Japan is covered in soft pink carpet of blooming sakura.

The land of the rising sun just shines its light on many different things, including these unique things. ‘Made in Japan’ may be stamped on many electronics, but you’ll find a whole lot more bizarre and high-tech stuff when you visit the country.

Cervical cancer among women is quite common. Fortunately, cervical cancer can be treated successfully and even prevented with the right protection and detection methods. However, the public needs to be educated properly about the disease to get the right diagnosis and treatment as early as possible.

Who Can Get Cervical Cancer?
Like almost any type of cancer, anyone is at risk of getting cervical cancer, however, there are factors that will increase a person’s chances of contracting it. One such factor is getting infected by human papillomavirus (HPV), which can be spread through intimate contact with an infected partner, skin contact with an infected person, and contact with warts caused by HPV. Although most HPV types are not necessarily deadly, some of these can lead to cancer.

A person is also at risk of getting cervical cancer if he/she is a smoker, has a weak immune system, is overweight or obese, has a low diet of fruits and vegetables leading to poor nutrition, has had a history of or has an untreated chlamydia infection, or has family members with a history of cancer. An active sexual life increases the risk because the person is also exposed to different sexually-transmitted infections, which can weaken the immune system and serve as entry point for bacteria, fungi, and viruses.

What are the Symptoms of Cervical Cancer?
Like most cancers, cervical cancer is usually asymptomatic during the first stages, however, it will show signs when the disease is at its advanced stage; such as pelvic pain, pain during intercourse, unusual discharges (usually watery or bloody with foul odor), and bleeding after intercourse and/or between periods or after menopause.

There are two types of cervical cancer will require different treatments; these are; adenocarcinoma or a type of cervical cancer that starts at the glandular cells in the cervical anal; and squamous cell carcinoma or a cervical cancer that starts at the squamous cells that line the outer part of the cervix. The latter is the more common between the two among cervical cancer patients in Singapore.

How is Cervical Cancer Prevented?
Cervical cancer can be prevented with the right information about how it is transmitted. If you have an active sexual life, you can perform preventive steps to avoid getting this type of cancer. One is by having routine Pap tests, the easiest way to detect cancer in the cervix. A woman aged 21 is recommended to undergo this type of test every few years, or more frequently if sexually-active.

You will also be encouraged to practice safe intercourse to prevent STD and to get vaccinated if you’re aged between 9 to 26 years. Doctors in Singapore recommend the vaccine to young girls before they become sexually-active.

Survival rates of patients with cervical cancer in Singapore has increased over the years according to the Ministry of Health, through education of the public about the illness. Cervical cancer can also be treated successfully, especially if the condition is diagnosed early.

Do you feel sluggish at work despite getting a good night’s rest? Maybe it’s time to change your usual breakfast menu to help you start your day with enough energy.

Cream Cheese and Smoked Salmon
The combination of a brain food (salmon) and dairy will give you enough energy and concentration power to last until lunchtime.

Healthy Quesadilla
Create your own healthy quesadilla with egg, cheese, tomatoes, and lots of green vegetables. You will never look for an unhealthy in-between-meals snacks with this as breakfast.

Quinoa Oatmeal
Whole grains such as quinoa will help you feel full for the rest of the morning. First, boil quinoa, cinnamon, almond milk, nutmeg and vanilla, then simmer for 15 minutes. Serve it with peanut butter, bananas, almonds, and cinnamon.

Breakfast Casserole
This might be a hassle to prepare, but you can cook a casserole the night before and heat it up in the morning. The casserole should have sausages, spinach, egg whites, sweet potato, zucchini, and spices for a complete treat.

Blueberry and Peanut Smoothie
Do you prefer drinks for breakfast? This smoothie contains milk, peanut butter, yoghurt, and wild blueberries for your fill of protein and antioxidants.

Scrambled Eggs and Chicken Sausages
Who says eggs and sausages aren’t healthy breakfast options? Just make sure to use as little oil as possible when cooking the chicken sausages and scrambled eggs.

Barley, Apple, and Cinnamon
First, cook the barley for 35 minutes then add brown sugar, walnuts, nutmeg, cinnamon, and milk. Stir until the milk is absorbed before serving with apples as toppings.

Tofu and Tomatoes
If you’re a vegan, you can substitute eggs with nutritional yeast to create scrambled tofu, then roast tomatoes and plenty of seasoning for a tasty treat.

Egg Quiche
For this recipe, you will need eggs, yellow onion, tomato, baby spinach, and cheddar cheese. Whisk the eggs and other ingredients and bake for 20 minutes.

Bell Pepper and Avocado on Toast
Too lazy to prepare meals in the morning? Just place sliced avocadoes, cottage cheese, and bell pepper on toasted bread and you’re ready.

Egg and Bacon Wrapped in Cheese and Spinach
Egg and bacon may be standard breakfast meal for some people, but that doesn’t mean they make up a complete meal. Create an egg mixture in a skillet, then add the spinach, bacon, cheese, onion, and flavoring. Bake until the egg sets then roll before serving.

Almond Macha
If you love green tea, you can add a little twist to your usual breakfast beverage with almond butter, two types of fruit, one green vegetable, and seeds, cinnamon or oats.

Farro and Yogurt Parfait
For this recipe, boil the farro for 10 minutes then drain the water. Combine yogurt and honey/jam in another bowl before assembling the parfait. Place the yogurt first, fruits next, and nuts last.

Playgrounds are great spaces for children to stretch out their legs and run around in open space. They can be a great place for them to meet friends and develop social and kinesthetic skills, all while learning and having fun. There are many indoor playgrounds that can cater to the most active child; from pools to jungles, here are some of the best indoor playgrounds that can be found here in Singapore.

1. KidsSTOP at Jurong East
They say that the best way to teach a child is through play, by engaging their minds through hands-on activities and exercises in imagination. KidsStop does just that, giving children a playground where they can learn about science and art. KidsSTOP is the first science center for children, and comes with various spaces where children can learn about many areas of knowledge, including astronomy, nature and music. This playground is perfect for kids 18 months old to 8 years old. It is open daily from 9:30am to 1:30pm, then at 2 to 6pm.

2. Clip ’n Climb
For those of you with children who can’t seem to stop climbing on top of tables or chairs, this is the playground for you. Hone your child’s motor skills at Clip n’ Climb, an indoor climbing theme park located at the Our Tampines Hub. This park has over 19 walls in different themes, so that you could choose your own difficulty. For those who are tired of the usual wall climbing experience, try your hand at their Dry Ice wall, a wall without footholds; you are given ‘ice picks’, a pair of wooden sticks which you can drive through the wall to climb upwards.

3. Amazonia at Great World City
This playground calls itself the ‘first fully-themed and integrated family entertainment center’ in Singapore. With the large space of Amazonia, children can pretend to be explorers in an exciting Amazon jungle, or be Tarzan and swing from branch to branch. With 4D party rooms and glow in the dark 3D golf, even the most active kid will take a while to get bored. Even parents can have a bit of fun and play with their kids in one of their space-ball areas.

4. Splash at Kidz Amaze
Splash is the first indoor water playground in Singapore, and boasts a gigantic structure: about 23,000 square feet of fun and adventure. This playground is shaped like a huge dome over a shallow pool of water, with a large playground structure in the middle. Five slides of varying lengths and heights, as well as other fun spots, like showers of water from high atop the structure, provide a lot of opportunities for play and adventure

Most sophisticated government, commercial, and industrial buildings in Singapore have several interconnected security systems in place that monitor, identify, and alert occupants during security threats and emergencies. Let’s look at the perks of using modern CCTV systems in combination with high-tech door access systems like biometric door access system.

• There are various types of biometric door access system for all types of public and private buildings in Singapore such as face recognition, voice identification, biometric thumbprint or fingerprint scanning, card and pin access doors, and many more
• Biometric doors are not just used for keeping unauthorized personnel out of specific areas, but biometric technology in general can be used for general facility access, inventory control, locking vehicles, locking smart phones, security of machinery, and time and attendance monitoring

• Biometric door technology eliminates the tendency of employees to lose keys, cards, IDs, and passwords used in traditional door access systems
• Live biometrics can be used to scan heavy-traffic areas like public places in real time, allowing security personnel to continuously monitor for threats
• The fingerprint scanning and facial biometric can be used in combination with other door access systems such as auto open and lock entry points to upgrade current security measures
• The biometric door camera can also function as a security camera connected to the intercom system to allow faster security response in case of threats or emergencies
• The footage from an office camera can serve as additional resource for evidence in case the biometric door access systems have been bypassed by an unauthorized person

• There are two options in most CCTV camera types such as the IP camera and the analog camera depending on the security level required in a building
• Installing a surveillance camera such as the more sophisticated IP CCTV can act as a visual crime deterrent, because criminals are less likely to target facilities that have high-tech security systems
• Small businesses and offices in Singapore can install an analog camera instead of an IP camera and still enjoy the same benefits of a more secure perimeter at a lower cost
• A security camera can be installed on blind spots around the perimeter to augment security measures already in place
• Security cameras can be easily integrated with other technology solutions such as biometric system and intercom system to help easier identification of unauthorized personnel

• Both the biometric system and CCTV are low-maintenance technology as long as the occasional servicing is met
• The CCTV camera not only monitors potential security threats or gathers footage for evidence of a crime, but it can also be used to monitor employee activity
• Besides security, these cameras can be used to solve disputes among clients or customer or between employees because the footage can serve as evidence
• The biometric door access and IP camera can help track movement of employees, deliveries of merchandise, and operations within the premises as part of the record-keeping process

It may be a bit costly to live in Singapore considering it is a first world country but then again, this should challenge us. Sometimes it’s not about spending money but rather saving it. Now, how far do you think a dollar can get you? Well, this might sound ridiculous but you can actually still purchase some things for a dollar.maybe you’d want to do this because of the challenge, or maybe you have a dollar and have no idea what to do with it. Either way, this article wants to help you know what you can actually purchase for a single dollar. Yes! For a single dollar! Although most of these things can be bought for a dollar, some of the prices may vary depending on the location of your purchase.

Here are a few things you can actually buy for a dollar:

1. 1.5 liters of coke
Yup, if you’re looking for a refreshment, a dollar can get you 1.5 liters of coke. Why not? Coke is a great drink that is tasty and enjoyable and the best part is 1.5 liters of coke is quite a lot. It could even last you more than a day. Well, three days to be exact depending on how much coke you drink during the day.

2. 3kms on a bus
If the inner adventurer wants to go somewhere around Singapore, why not take a bus? 3kms may not be a lot but the bus routes are pretty surprising and may take you to really nice places. Who knows, you might stumble upon some treasure within those 3kms.

3. 3 apples
An apple a day keeps the doctor away, right? Well, an apple a day is a great way to stay healthy. Apples are also a great meal as there are so many things you do with apples. Well, the bright side is you can get 3 apples for a dollar. Depending on where you buy, of course.

4. 2 metro stops
Similar to a bus, getting you 2 stops over through metro is a way to quench your thirst for adventure and if you’re looking to get somewhere, maybe somewhere you haven’t been before, you can get through 2 metro stops with the price of a dollar.

5. 1 Chinese egg tart
A Chinese egg tart is a great dessert! But can also be eaten as a snack or basically whenever you feel like eating it. Unlike most cakes, you can get a Chinese egg tart for the price of a dollar. It may not be much but it’s really affordable.

6. 1 BBQ chicken wing
Ah yes, a good barbecue chicken wing can be bought at a price of a dollar. This can be found at your local hawker center of course. A dollar isn’t much but for a good meal, a dollar is definitely worth it.