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5 Important Things Investment Firms Should Look for When Choosing a Custodian, Presented By Global Custody Solutions

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A custodian’s duties and responsibilities are numerous, including interacting with your clients, overseeing securities transactions, removing fees from accounts, posting dividends, and sending statements. In other words, they act as your business extension, reflect your RIA (registered investment advisor), and impact clients. Since their roles touch all aspects of a business, you cannot overlook the importance of selecting the most suitable custodian. Read on to learn five essential things investment firms must consider during your vetting process.  

The Importance of Personal Relationships

Every RIA understands the worth of a personal relationship. Most of your business’s success depends on the capacity to develop a robust personal relationship with your clients. However, custodians’ support and personal services are becoming hard to find, with some custodians choosing to route registered investment advisors through call answering services. This often translates into working with someone who knows very little about your practice. Moreover, it could take longer to receive the resolution and support you require. Therefore, it is paramount to understand your custodian’s strategy for service and ask the right questions before materializing a business partnership.

Key questions you could ask include:

  • Will you reach a seasoned team member directly, or will you be sent to a call answering agent?
  • Who will you contact should you have concerns or require support?
  • Can you have one-on-one meetings?
  • What is their average response time?

Assess Technology

Each custodian utilizes technology platforms. It is essential to examine every custodian’s solutions and flexibility for managing everyday transactions like portfolio management, trading, and financial planning. Some smaller custodians might not provide advanced technology platforms that allow you to access your accounts online. Ensure you select a firm that will assist you to do business seamlessly, and quickly.

As technology advances, it’s imperative you select a firm that adapts fast. Choosing a company that is slow to improve technology could result in future business frustration and losses. Choose a more technologically advanced custodian who will streamline your processes.

Compare Pricing

Financial institutions charge transaction and custodial fees for the maintenance and management of accounts. Often custodial fees are charged for management tasks, such as storing and collecting dividends and interest of your investment and sending statements. Please note, custodial fees could affect your business returns. Choosing a company with competitive pricing can help maximize your savings growth and investment returns.

Additionally, depending on how you want to use accounts, you should compare fees like paper statement fees, overdraft fees, account closure fees, and wire transfer fees. Although these costs might not be the basis of your final decision, remember to include them when evaluating all custodians. It will prevent surprises along the way.

Check Whether the Custodian Has the Right Services and Products

There are many custodians, providing a wide selection of specialties, services, and products. It is crucial to choose one that meets your business needs. Create a checklist of what you need, and then engage a firm that ticks the most boxes.

Many people are unaware of one-stop shops that offer trust services, banking, and custody and use several vendors for the services. If you take the time, you could acquire them all in one location at a competitive cost.

Understand the Firm’s Reputation and Stature

Since you trust your custodian with what you value the most, your business, you should know of their reputation in the market for offering outstanding customer care services and protecting financial assets. Check whether the firm has received any outside recognition for their services and how reputable they are in your sector.

Ideally, financial experts would collaborate and share business ideas, increasing your practice’s economies of scale, while still maintaining the capability to brand your business as a trusted institution. That was the concept behind the establishment of Global Custodian Solutions, and we will continue to execute this mission on behalf of our members. For years we have been dedicated to the success of investment advisors. We make decisions and use strategies that allow you to strictly prioritize your clients. Our experienced team innovates, collaborates, and works to deliver exceptional value and world-class services irrespective of your business complexity or RIA size.

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Artificial Intelligence’s Function in Changing Worker Engagement in the Digital Age

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The emergence of the digital age has brought about a transformation in business operations and employee engagement as a result of the pervasive usage of technology in all facets of business. Businesses in the modern knowledge economy understand that employee engagement is essential to their success because it has a direct impact on customer satisfaction, productivity, and innovation. In this context, organizations are redefining employee engagement thanks to the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), which is also enabling creative methods of cooperation, communication, and productivity.

AI is redefining employee engagement, which means that workers will have greater power in the future. Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to significantly boost productivity and overall business performance through improving communication, offering personalized experiences, delivering predictive insights, augmenting learning and development, and fostering employee well-being. Organizations that successfully use AI to engage their will have a distinct competitive advantage in the future in the increasingly digital business environment.

Artificial Intelligence is being used in many offices as a revolutionary tool that is changing the way workers interact, communicate, and work together.

AI has the potential to transform employee engagement in the following specific areas by fostering a learning and development (L&D) culture:

Customizing the Work Experience for Employees: Artificial Intelligence helps to create a more individualized work environment by interpreting work habits, preferences, and feedback. Furthermore, organizations can raise employee satisfaction and engagement levels by tailoring benefits, development, and communication plans to the needs of their workforce.

Increasing Communication: It’s common knowledge that AI-powered chatbots provide real-time assistance, respond to inquiries, and give staff members 24/7 self-service options. AI may also analyze communication patterns to identify problem areas and recommend appropriate solutions to get rid of possible obstacles to employee productivity. It is also possible to automate regular HR tasks like payroll processing, benefit administration, and appointment scheduling. By doing this, HR specialists are able to devote more of their bandwidth to important tasks like employee engagement.

Enhancing L&D: Powered by AI, personalised training content can help transform the learning process, helping match employees’ skills, interests and professional goals more efficiently. Besides augmenting the learning experience, it empowers employees to take complete charge of their career growth.

Promoting Predictive Analytics: By discovering certain trends and patterns in employee behaviour, AI ensures organisations can proactively address issues that could impact engagement. For instance, AI could predict employees who are likely to leave the organisation, providing an opportunity for timely intervention to improve retention. What’s more, as per their skills, past performance and interests, AI could even recommend alternative career paths.

Providing Improved worker well-being: Artificial intelligence (AI) can evaluate worker well-being by examining data related to workload, stress, and work-life balance. Implementing programs that support a healthy workplace culture and provide individualised choices may also increase employee engagement levels. Research indicates that almost 70% of workers feel more at ease conversing with artificial intelligence than with people. Furthermore, AI can assist staff members in overcoming persistent obstacles by anticipating cases of burnout.

Fostering an Inclusive work Environment: AI will eventually be in a position to eliminate unconscious biases in decision-making. Employee productivity will increase and workplace happiness will increase as a result. Offices can become more efficient and raise employee satisfaction levels by encouraging a diverse and inclusive work environment.

In summary,

Artificial Intelligence has a lot of potential to redefine employee engagement. Organizations must, however, be mindful of a number of issues, including data privacy and ethics, as AI continues to advance and find new applications. Businesses using AI-powered tools must ensure sufficient transparency when using employee data and respect individuals’ privacy.

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Rico Suarez’s Journey: From Gig Worker to CEO Transforming the Moving Industry with Muvr

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Introduction

In today’s dynamic gig economy, the story of Rico Suarez stands out as a beacon of innovation, determination, and transformative leadership. From humble beginnings as a gig worker in the moving industry, Rico’s journey to founding Muvr and becoming its CEO encapsulates the essence of entrepreneurial spirit. This detailed exploration uncovers how Rico’s firsthand experiences shaped a tech company revolutionizing the gig economy and moving services.

The Genesis of an Idea

Rico’s foray into the moving industry began in the bustling streets of Los Angeles, where he quickly identified the sector’s systemic inefficiencies. The challenges were manifold: unpredictable work hours, lack of transparency in job assignments and earnings, and the physical toll of moving tasks. Yet, it was within these challenges that Rico saw the potential for radical innovation.

Early Struggles and Epiphanies

Working various gigs, Rico encountered the common pitfalls of the gig economy—irregular income, minimal job security, and no clear path for growth. These experiences, however, didn’t dishearten him; they ignited a resolve to create a better system not only for himself but for others in similar situations.

Engage with Rico’s journey on Instagram and LinkedIn.

Laying the Foundation for Muvr

The concept for Muvr was born from Rico’s vision to streamline the moving process with technology, thereby enhancing efficiency, transparency, and worker satisfaction. This vision was ambitious: a platform that could offer reliable moving services to customers while providing gig workers with stable work opportunities, fair compensation, and respect for their labor.

From Concept to Reality

The road from concept to reality was fraught with hurdles. Building a tech platform required resources, technical expertise, and industry partnerships that Rico initially didn’t have. Determined, he immersed himself in learning about technology, business management, and the intricacies of the moving industry.

The foundational principles of Muvr were simple yet revolutionary:

  • Empowerment: Giving gig workers control over their schedules and earnings.
  • Transparency: Clear pricing and policies for customers and movers alike.
  • Efficiency: Leveraging technology to optimize moving processes.

Growing Pains and Milestones

As Muvr transitioned from startup to tech innovator in the moving industry, Rico faced numerous challenges. Each obstacle, from securing initial funding to scaling operations across Los Angeles and beyond, provided valuable lessons in resilience and adaptability.

Building a Team and Community

Key to Muvr’s growth was assembling a team that shared Rico’s vision. By fostering a culture of innovation, inclusivity, and continuous learning, Muvr quickly became more than a company—it became a community. This sense of belonging and shared purpose has been instrumental in navigating the complexities of the gig economy and moving industry.

Discover the Muvr story and Rico’s vision.

Innovations and Impact

Under Rico’s leadership, Muvr introduced several industry-first innovations, from an app that matched customers with movers in real-time to initiatives aimed at improving gig workers’ well-being. Each innovation reinforced Muvr’s commitment to changing the moving experience for everyone involved.

A New Paradigm in Moving

Muvr’s impact extends beyond logistical improvements; it has fundamentally altered how customers view moving services and how workers perceive their roles within the gig economy. Through Muvr, moving has become not just a service but an experience characterized by dignity, respect, and mutual trust.

Rico Suarez Today: Visionary and Leader

Today, Rico Suarez is celebrated not just as a successful CEO but as a visionary who continues to inspire with his commitment to innovation, community, and the future of work. His journey from gig worker to industry leader with Muvr serves as a powerful narrative of what’s possible when passion meets purpose.

The Road Ahead

The future looks bright for Rico and Muvr, with plans for expansion, new services, and continued advocacy for gig workers. As the moving industry evolves, Rico’s journey remains a guiding light, showcasing the transformative power of empathy, innovation, and unwavering determination.

Stay connected with Rico and follow his endeavors on Instagram and LinkedIn.

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Delta Unveils NVIDIA Omniverse Digital Twin and Efficient AI Server Solutions at GTC

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At the NVIDIA GPU Technology Conference (GTC), Delta, a provider of Internet of Things (IoT)-based smart green solutions, showcased its cutting-edge digital twin platform, which was created on NVIDIA Omniverse with the goal of improving its smart manufacturing capabilities. Exhibited also was Delta’s ORV3 artificial intelligence (AI) server infrastructure solution, which boasts 97.5% efficient power supplies and an extensive range of state-of-the-art DC/DC converters, power chokes, and 3D vapor chambers to facilitate GPU operations.

“We are honored to be the only provider of power and thermal management solutions at NVIDIA GTC 2024,” stated Mark Ko, vice chairman of Delta. “We showcased the NVIDIA Omniverse-powered digital twin we have developed, which underscores our superior expertise in next-generation electronics manufacturing. Using the newest technologies, we are eager to contribute to pushing the envelope on energy efficiency in the field of artificial intelligence.”

Digital twins and synthetic data, which can increase productivity and efficiency before actual production begins, are hallmarks of the new era of AI-powered manufacturing, according to Rev Lebaredian, vice president of NVIDIA’s Omniverse and simulation technologies. Delta is able to virtually connect individual production lines and compile data from a variety of devices and systems in order to construct a digital twin of its business processes by building its digital platform on NVIDIA Omniverse. It can also create artificial data using NVIDIA Isaac Sim to train its computer models to 90% accuracy.

Delta utilizes NVIDIA’s state-of-the-art technologies to assist in enabling GPU ecosystems’ energy efficiency. At NVIDIA GTC, Delta is showcasing an integrated Open Rack Version 3 (ORV3) solution for AI server infrastructure with server power supplies that have an energy efficiency as high as 97.5%. This is in addition to the NVIDIA Omniverse-based digital twin, which the company applies to specific production lines. SD-WAN, ORV3 18 kW/33 kW HPR power shelves, battery backup unit, mini UPS, and a liquid cooling system are additional components of the solution. Common redundant power supply units with 54 V DC output are also included. Included in the showcase was a broad range of GPU ecosystem-supporting DC/DC converters, power chokes, and 3D vapor chambers.

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