PYMNTS
AUGUST 15, 2017
The growing popularity of mobile order-ahead is hardly news in the restaurant industry, where customers — especially millennials — crave the convenience, speed and personalization of a mobile ordering experience both in quick-service restaurants (QSRs), coffee shops and fast-casual dining environments. Here at PYMNTS, we’ve followed the trend closely, both in our regular coverage and in our Mobile Order-Ahead Tracker.
Katz,Sapper&Miller
AUGUST 18, 2017
Katz, Sapper & Miller’s Not-for-Profit Services Group will host “Not-for-Profit Accounting Update: A Conversation with the FASB” Oct. 10 in Indianapolis.
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PYMNTS
AUGUST 17, 2017
When it comes to open banking, there’s a clear choice in place: by fiat, which includes formal processes, or by evolution, which would imply letting the market dictate what happens. In Europe, of course, PSD2 looms large and soon, and financial institutions have been handed a roadmap for implementation of data sharing. Here in the United States, the road is less clearly defined.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 14, 2017
APT 28, a cyber spying group that is suspected to be connected to military intelligence in Russia , was likely behind a cyberattack of hotel guests in countries mainly in Europe in July. Researchers at FireEye, the security firm, said in a research report covered by Reuters that the Kremlin hackers were aiming to steal the password credentials for business travelers and Western government officials using Wi-Fi networks in hotels mainly in eight countries in Europe.
Speaker: Victor C. Barnes, CPA, MBA
In the climb from contributor to leader, the rules quietly change. But if you’re aiming for the summit, the air gets thinner, and what got you here won’t be enough to get you to the top. 🗻 What made you successful early in your finance career—technical accuracy, sharp analysis, flawless execution—won’t be what carries you to the next level. The higher you go, the more your effectiveness depends on how you connect, adapt, and communicate.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 15, 2017
Aldi, the discount grocery chain, is gearing up to test home delivery with Instacart at the end of August. According to a report, if the pilot goes well the test will expand to parts of Atlanta, Dallas and Los Angeles. The latest move is part of the company’s big expansion plans. In June it acquired around 1,700 stores and plans to invest $3.4 billion to expand into 2,500 locations around the country by the end of 2022.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 14, 2017
Wells Fargo is facing a fresh lawsuit contending the bank’s Merchant Services Unit overcharged small businesses for the payment processing of their credit card transactions. According to a news report on CNN.com , citing a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, Wells Fargo also hit business owners with “massive early termination fees” and targeted business owners who weren’t as savvy, by using “deceptive language.
Accountant Advocate brings together the best content for small business accounting professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 17, 2017
The Securities and Exchange Commission is getting into the bitcoin market, saying it will regulate the popular digital currency and other cryptocurrencies. According to a report in Seeking Alpha , the SEC said the cryptocurrencies are subject to federal securities laws. “Offers and sales of digital assets by ‘virtual’ organizations are subject to the requirements of the federal securities laws,” said SEC Chairman Jay Clayton, according to the report.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 18, 2017
Cryptocurrencies are experiencing a bit of an identity crisis right now. While there are many parties involved that are deeply invested in it, others are skeptical about its true value. In this year alone, we’ve seen bitcoin valued at just under $1,000 in January to over $3,000 in May and soaring over $4,000 this past weekend. One of the major factors impacting the most recent leap in bitcoin value is the recent hard fork to develop a new cryptocurrency dubbed Bitcoin Cash.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 18, 2017
Paging Dr. Alexa: How are you feeling? It may not be long before virtual, voice-controlled assistants can tell and answer accordingly. Mattersight VP of Product Andy Traba says the tech’s all there, and it’s just a matter of time before our friendly home bots pick up the decidedly human skill of empathy. Mattersight analyzes call center phone conversations to determine which language patterns correlate to which outcomes.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 14, 2017
Berlin-based fintech Billie announced it will now offer small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) invoice financing, following an agreement with internet technology and financial services provider Wirecard. Crowdfund Insider reported Billie will offer SMBs and freelancers the opportunity to pre-finance their invoices by purchasing all liabilities from third parties and settling the outstanding amount.
Speaker: Kim Beynon, CPA, CGMA, PMP
The most overlooked, yet most critical, element of transformation is preparing people for change. Automation and AI aren't just technical upgrades, they’re cultural shifts which can challenge identities. That’s why change management isn’t a side project—it’s the foundation. In finance, where precision and process rule, navigating change can feel especially disruptive.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 17, 2017
With more consumers moving to mobile transactions over visits to branches, some banks are considering closing brick-and-mortar locations to reduce operational costs. The price of real estate is prompting even the largest players in the banking world to scale back their branch operations. Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America and Citi, to name a few, all scaled back their physical bank branch locations between 2012 and 2016, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
PYMNTS
AUGUST 18, 2017
Retailers are retailers, not security experts. Too often, their best efforts can create friction at the point of sale for consumers, which leads to shopping cart abandonment and lost revenue, all while feeding the illusion of “too much security.”. It goes without saying that eCommerce security is paramount as cybercriminals get smarter and more creative.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 14, 2017
Africa is getting its own version of Amazon. Or at least, Nairobi, Kenya, is, with potential to one day see this marketplace representing all major cities across Africa. The software-as-a-service (SaaS) eCommerce platform is called Sky.Garden, and merchants use its virtual shelves to peddle everything from mobile phones and electronics to fashion, from household items and décor to art, and even safety equipment.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 12, 2017
Kool-Aid kind of gets a bum rap. After all, it’s pretty hard to stay relevant for 90 years – in the food and drink category, no less – and yet, Kool-Aid is still going strong. It’s even flavored in much the same way as it was when Edwin Perkins first set up shop in Hastings, Nebraska in 1927. “We have a significant level of awareness,” said Andrew Louie, brand manager of refreshment beverages at Kool-Aid’s modern corporate parent company, Kraft.
Speaker: Mark Gilham, FCCA, CPP
Finance used to be the function that counted, now it's the one that’s counted on. 📊 For accounting firms, controllers, and finance leaders, expectations are rising faster than headcount. Businesses want agile forecasts, granular analysis, seamless reporting, and smart automation—often without added resources while demanding uncompromised accuracy and compliance.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 18, 2017
There has certainly been a myriad of new tech devices and gadgets entering the scene over the last few decades. One connected device that some may have thought would not have lasted as long as it has is seeing a major upswing in the United States — smartwatches. According to NPD Group Connected Intelligence Wearables Survey, “ WEAR Report Industry Overview and Forecast , ” smartwatches are not going anywhere any time soon.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 14, 2017
Turnarounds are not easy work — just ask the team at JC Penney. As of the end of Q2, the numbers aren’t quite what the long-suffering retail chain was hoping to see. Same-store sales and earnings both clocked in under analyst estimates, and net losses grew to $62 million, or 20 cents per share, from the $56 million, or 18 cents per share, reported in the same time frame last year.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 17, 2017
It can be argued that some of the toughest buyers to keep in mind when planning out retail strategies are teenagers. With each passing decade, the buying patterns of teens undoubtedly and unequivocally see a shift alongside the advances in technology. While one day a teen may be into shopping strictly online, another day may see an offline preferred experience or a mixture of both, and retailers must be at the ready to transform engagement efforts at any given time.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 18, 2017
This week in retail, there has been news coming in from opposite sides of the spectrum. We saw a huge surge in bitcoin’s value , expansions in speedy home deliveries , Amazon’s increasing presence and Gartner’s research on increasing global IT spend. Bitcoin’s year has seen its fair share of ups and downs in value. In addition to this, other cryptocurrencies have popped up, and recently there was a hard fork with the development of Bitcoin Cash.
Advertiser: Paycor
Great leadership development is the key to sustainable business growth. Are you ready to design an effective program? HR can use Paycor’s framework to: Set achievable goals. Align employee and company needs. Support different learning styles. Empower the next generation of leaders. Invest in your company’s future with a strong leadership development program.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 18, 2017
Payments are the connective tissue between businesses today. And, as digital avenues find their way into every nook and cranny of a digital consumer and merchant’s journey, the risks involved in managing and processing those transactions between banks, merchants and consumers heighten. Helping banks manage those risks in the face of this changing landscape is what Singapore-based Jewel Paymentech CEO Sean Lam says gets him and his team fired up every day.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 16, 2017
Target is hoping to catch up to rivals such as Kroger and Walmart in the ongoing grocery war. The company announced Monday, Aug. 14, that it has added former executives from Walmart and General Mills to its food and beverage team in a renewed effort to bolster its $15-billion-per-year grocery business, which according to Fortune accounts for about 20 percent of the company’s sales.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 16, 2017
Finding a bargain in your favorite department store is always a thrill. Digging through the racks in the back of the store just to find that they have something in your size or something that fits in just the right spot in your home has become something of a way of life for Americans, especially after the 2008 recession hit. As a result, stores like T.J.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 15, 2017
Optimization: it’s what separates the procurement wheat from the chaff. It goes without saying that, in a business setting, it is always optimal to do and earn more while expending less, and that’s a capability that technology and automation have unlocked for many businesses. Procurement organizations that have seized those capabilities have taken their business from good to great, raising it to a world-class level.
Speaker: Cheryl J. Muldrew-McMurtry
Distributed finance teams are rewriting how the back-office runs, and attackers are taking notes. Disconnected workflows, process blind spots, and rising cyber threats are more than just growing pains—they’re liabilities. The challenge isn’t just going remote. It’s building resilient systems that protect accuracy, control, and speed across every transaction and touchpoint.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 14, 2017
Facebook has reportedly entered the market in China, anonymously launching a new photo-sharing app earlier in the year. According to a report, the app, dubbed Colorful Balloons, was rolled out earlier in 2017 but does not include the Facebook name. Facebook confirmed over the weekend that it had launched the Chinese app. The app was released through a separate company based in China.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 16, 2017
Alipay, the Chinese digital payment arm of Alibaba, announced news that it has teamed up with online review website Yelp to bring Yelp’s local content to millions of Chinese travelers directly within Alipay’s mobile lifestyle and payment app. In a press release, Alipay said that with the beta launch, any of Alipay’s more than 520 million users visiting North American cities, such as New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco, can now easily discover, plan, make reservations, share
PYMNTS
AUGUST 16, 2017
After a few quarters that would charitably be described as rough sailing, the team at Target had some positive signs of progress to announce with its latest earnings reports. Sales during Q2 managed to come in ahead of analyst estimates, and the retailer boosted its earnings forecast for the rest of 2017. Investors liked the sound of that and sent Target’s share up 4.9 percent on the news.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 14, 2017
A new study has found that implementation of digital technology has enabled procurement organizations to reduce their full-time workers by an average of 29 percent, lowering labor costs by 22 percent. Research by The Hackett Group finds both buyers and sellers benefit from the technologies that automate processes, accelerate communication and shrink the distance between a global web of suppliers and customers.
Speaker: Frank Taliano
Documents are the backbone of enterprise operations, but they are also a common source of inefficiency. From buried insights to manual handoffs, document-based workflows can quietly stall decision-making and drain resources. For large, complex organizations, legacy systems and siloed processes create friction that AI is uniquely positioned to resolve.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 15, 2017
Subscription boxes have slowly worked their way into becoming a staple of the modern home. From Birchbox to Blue Apron , Stitch Fix and BarkBox , there doesn’t seem to be a corner of the retail industry that doesn’t have its own version. Through these companies and more, consumers are able to check out products on a smaller scale without breaking the bank.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 18, 2017
Releaf is a new B2B marketplace that aims to help African businesses network and find partners they can trust. According to news from TechCrunch , the startup, which is currently taking part in Y Combinator, has signed up about 1,000 African businesses since its public launch in Nigeria on August 3. Releaf’s founders — Chief Executive Isaiah Udotong, Chief Operating Officer Ikenna Nzewi and Chief Technical Officer Uzoma Ayogu — knew they needed to address cultural differences when building thei
PYMNTS
AUGUST 14, 2017
PayPal, the digital payments company, is rolling out two new technology Innovation Labs based in India, where FinTech startups are currently flourishing. According to a news report , with technology like digital payments, artificial intelligence and virtual reality rapidly becoming commonplace around the world, PayPal will use the innovation labs to benefit the economy in India.
PYMNTS
AUGUST 18, 2017
The battle to become eCommerce king wages on, and it looks as though Walmart is making moves to elevate its web assets in this space. Earlier this year, Walmart announced its decisions to acquire men’s clothing line Bonobos and vintage women’s clothing eCommerce site ModCloth. Both of these brands are a major coup for the discount retailer as the demographic falls into the millennial arena.
Speaker: Claire Grosjean, Global Finance & Operations Executive
Finance teams are drowning in data—but is it actually helping them spend smarter? Without the right approach, excess spending, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities continue to drain profitability. While analytics offers powerful insights, financial intelligence requires more than just numbers—it takes the right blend of automation, strategy, and human expertise.
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