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wanders-in-wonderland · 7 months ago

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Technical Mastermind

Note: This is a fun little dual-POV story I put together, honestly mostly just self-indulgent fluff and a sprinkle of spice but hope y'all enjoy!

I look up from my computer when I hear a knock at my office door. My coworker pokes her head in and smiles at me, “Hey! The new tech guy’s first day is today, come meet him!” Her voice drops to a theatrical whisper, “He’s cute too!”

I let out a soft laugh and glance down at my screen for a second. “I’ll be right out, just gonna finish up this email.” She nods and gives me a wink before disappearing from my doorway.

I follow her out a few moments later, following the sound of excited chattering to the break room. All my coworkers are gathered there, along with a man who I presume to be the new tech guy. Who is indeed cute.

I walk up and introduce myself with a smile. “Hey! I’m part of the analytics team, it’s really nice to meet you!”

He smiles back at me and for a second I’m stunned by the dimples and warmth in his face. He is very cute. “It’s nice to meet you too. I’m here for all your tech needs if anything comes up,” his voice is smooth and it sends a shiver down my spine that I try to repress. Now is not the time to get the hots for my brand-new coworker.

He sticks his hand out for me to shake and I slide mine into it. His fingers grip mine firmly, the warmth in his hand making me want to melt into him.

I let out a soft laugh, “Sorry, my hands are always freezing, my office is so cold for some reason.” He chuckles and lets my hand go, “No need to apologize." I catch a whiff of his cologne and it makes me melt a little more, he smells delectable.

Before I can respond, I hear someone call his name and we both turn to see our manager come over, asking for his help with a software integration. I smile at them both, “Well, that’s my cue, I’ll let you get to doing your job. It was lovely to meet you.” I step away and give a little wave before I walk over to the espresso machine to make myself an afternoon pick-me-up.

My coworker sidles up next to me, “I told you he’s cute!” I laugh and glance back over at the new tech guy, taking in his tall, fit form, the cross of his arms making his biceps bulge while he nods along to whatever our manager was saying.

“And you were not wrong,” I say back to her, grabbing my finished coffee and adding cream and sugar.

She leans in with a devious look on her face, “You guys would make a really cute couple.” I almost choke on my sip of coffee and I shoot her a playful glare. “I literally just met the man! I don’t know anything about him. AND we work together.”

She shrugs, “None of those things sound like deal breakers.” I let out a laugh and glance back at him. We would make a cute couple but I am not about to open that can of worms, especially not with a guy I met five minutes ago who made no indication of being interested in me.

I spend the next few minutes chatting with my coworker before heading back to my office to finish up my work. I feel eyes tracking me as I reach the door of the break room and I turn to see the new guy looking at me. Our eyes meet and he flashes me another smile, dimples on full display. I smile back and slip out of the room, walking back to my office with a little extra pep in my step.

—

Today, I met the woman I’m going to marry. She doesn’t know it yet but that’s okay, she’ll learn soon enough. My first day on the job could not have gone better. I was meeting all of my coworkers when she walked in, wearing that gorgeous skirt showing off her sexy legs and a pink blouse that made her creamy skin look so delicious.

I saw the way she shivered at the sound of my voice, the way her eyes glazed over a little when our hands touched. She’s perfect and her body wants mine and soon her mind will too. I couldn’t get her out of my head, not even when my new boss was talking me through some new software update the firm is undergoing. Lucky for me, I’m damn good at my job and could do it with just a fraction of my attention.

I kept most of my gaze on her while she giggled with her coworker, the sound of her laugh making me determined to be the one to make her make that noise next time. She caught me staring right as she was leaving but the smile she sent my way and the glow on her face was all I needed to be sure that she wanted me just as much as I wanted her.

By the end of the workday, I’d already pulled every single file about her from the company database. After that it was easy enough to hack into the company’s security cameras to get me access to the feed of her office so I could keep eyes on her during the day. It was even easier to hack into her accounts to see her emails, calendars, and everything else my girl had on her work computer.

By the time I got home, I’d already come up with a plan to get access to her personal computer and phone. In the next few days, I’ll pay her home a visit while she’s in the office to set up my own cameras and make a copy of her keys. She’s mine and I plan on taking very good care of her.

—

The next morning, I step into my office and log onto my computer only for the entire thing to crash. “What the fuck?” I groan softly, this has never happened before and the timing is terrible because I’m supposed to be on a meeting in 30 minutes. I grumble with annoyance before I trudge out of my office, hoping to find the new tech guy and praying that he’s here this morning and knows how to fix my stupid computer.

His office door is open and I see him sat in front of his computer, typing away. I linger for a moment outside his door, the yummy scent of his cologne wafting out of his office towards me. I knock softly against his door frame and flash him a sheepish smile when he looks up. “I’m sorry, am I interrupting something?”

He flashes those dimples at me again and shakes his head. “Not at all, what can I do for you?” I bite my lip and sigh before responding.

“I think I broke my computer.”

He stares at me. Oh my god, he thinks I’m an idiot.

“I mean, I don’t know, I logged in and then it crashed and now it’s on the blue screen of death and I have a meeting in 30 minutes and I can’t access anything.” I blurt out my words and want to dissolve into a puddle because now the hot tech guy definitely thinks I’m incompetent.

“Let me see if I can fix it,” he says, not missing a beat and he stands from behind his desk. Fuck, he’s so tall, I could climb him like a tree. I give myself a mental slap and smile brightly at him, praying my face isn’t beet red.

He gestures to the door and we walk out together. “Thank you so much, I’m sorry for being a bother, I promise I’m usually not this technologically inept.”

He laughs very gracefully at my bumbling, “You’re not a bother at all. Plus, this is what the company pays me for, so thank you for keeping me employed.” I giggle at that. So he’s hot and funny.

We enter my office and I let him sit at my desk to tinker with the computer. I stand behind him, discreetly taking in deep breaths of his smell while staring blankly at the screen as he opens some kind of code sequence and enters a bunch of letters and numbers before giving a contemplative hum.

“Good news is I know what’s wrong. Bad news is it’s gonna take a bit for me to fix it up. But, I can remote access into your account from my computer and you can take your meeting in my office so you don’t run behind.” He turns to look at me.

“Oh my god, yes, that would be perfect. Thank you so so much!” Thank you tech gods for gracing me with this savior of a man. I beam at him and he shows me his pretty dimples again.

“Here, let’s get you set up on my computer first and I’ll come back to deal with yours.”

20 minutes later, I’m sat in his very comfy chair, breathing in more of his yummy scent, in his very nice and warm office that is far better than my freezing one, logging onto my meeting from his computer.

—

She’s so fucking adorable when she needs help. I could barely contain my excitement this morning while I waited for her to come into the office and inevitably find me to solve her newly manifested computer problem. And I made her laugh, the sound spilling from her lips so sweetly.

Now, I’m in her office while she’s preoccupied for at least another hour in that meeting. My girl is so trusting too because she left her phone, her personal laptop, and her purse all in her office without a second thought. This is too easy.

It takes me no time at all to plant a bug into her phone that mirrors it onto my own and a similar tweak of her laptop’s code gives me remote access whenever I want. I slip into her purse and grab her keys, stepping out of the office to go down the street to the hardware store to make a quick copy of her house key and her car key. I make one last stop at her car, sliding a tracker under the hood before heading back into the office.

A glance at her calendar tells me she’s still got 30 minutes left in her meeting. I easily delete the bug I’d planted in her work computer to create this glitch in the first place and restore it to its functioning form before leaving her office, putting everything back in its place.

I stop by the break room and make two cups of coffee. One black for me and another with cream and sugar, exactly the way I’d watch her make it yesterday afternoon. I slip into my office quietly, smiling at her when her eyes meet mine. I slide the cup of coffee to her and her eyes widen and she mouths a thank you at me.

I smile and shake my head before slipping back out of my office to let her finish her meeting. My chest feels warm when I step out. It feels really fucking good to take care of my girl, and I hope she sees how good of a provider I would be for her. How she’d never want for anything ever again and I can’t wait to make her mine.

—

I’m giddy for the rest of my meeting after he’d dropped off a cup of coffee for me, made exactly how I like it. This man is the stuff of dreams, I swear. My meeting wraps up and I finish off my caffeine before I get up to look for him.

He’s in my office, back facing the doorway, tinkering with the thermostat on the wall. I knock softly and he spins around to look at me, holding a screwdriver as he rubs the back of his neck sheepishly.

“You mentioned your office being cold. I think I fixed it,” he flashes me a smile. My mouth forms an O as I stare at him in amazement. If we weren’t coworkers and literally met yesterday, I would totally get down on my knees and suck his cock right here, right now. Where has this man been all my life?

“I- thank you so much, you didn’t have to do that at all. And thank you for the coffee, it was perfect, and for letting me use your office, and for fixing my computer,” I’m rambling now but I can’t stop. Seeing his dimples again makes me finally stop talking and I give him a shy smile.

“No problem at all, everything’s all sorted. Your computer is all set and it shouldn’t give you an problems anymore.” His words almost make me sad, maybe I should figure out how to fuck up my stuff again just so he can come and fix it for me.

“Thank you again, really. You’re a life saver.”

“Of course, let me know if you need anything, you know where to find me.” He tips an imaginary hat at me and I giggle as he walks out. Yum, my office now smells a little bit like him.

I spend the rest of my day half-heartedly focusing on work while my thoughts keep drifting back to that dimpled hunk of a man who seems so perfect.

—

I spend the rest of my day sorting through all the new information I’ve gathered on my girl and doing just enough work to make it seem like I’m a model employee. Her phone gives me an unfiltered glimpse into her life and I’ve discovered enough about her to know with certainty that she is fucking perfect.

I also find that she spent several minutes last night googling me and stalking my few social media profiles. It makes me smile to know that my girl is interested in me too. I’m looking through her other apps when I see a text come in. It’s from one of our coworkers, asking if she’s going out for the weekly office happy hour tonight. She responds quickly with an affirmative. And then she sends a follow-up message: “I’m gonna invite the tech guy too!”

Our coworker agrees and my chest feels warm again, clearly, my girl is thinking about me too.

I hear her footsteps come down the hall to my office and I quickly click out of my incriminating files before she knocks on my office door and pokes her head in.

“Hi, do you want to come out for drinks with the rest of the office tonight? It’s just a causal, weekly happy hour, no pressure!” Her eyes are alight with hope and excitement and it makes me want to grab her and kiss her. I restrain myself and instead send her a smile and agree. Her whole face lights up and I have to grip the armrest of my chair to keep myself in place. She says she’ll send me the details and walks off, her perfect ass swaying as she retreats down the hall.

—

I’m bouncing on my heels a little as I stand with a few other coworkers at the bar down the street from the office. My gaze keeps lingering on the door, trying to get a glimpse of the man I’m waiting for. Someone next to me makes a joke about something and I laugh with the rest of the group, too distracted to contribute anything of substance.

Suddenly, I feel a warm hand against my back and I smell his cologne. I turn around to face him and smile. His hand leaves my back and I want to complain but hold it in. He smiles at me and greets the rest of the group.

“I’ll go get us some drinks,” he says. Someone makes a request for beers and everyone else calls out their agreements. I don’t bother to say that I’d prefer something else, I’ll just grab something later after this round.

He steps away and comes back a few minutes later with our drinks, placing a pitcher of beer on the table with empty glasses. Then, he comes back again with a different drink in his hand. “This one’s for you,” he says, handing it to me.

I stare at him in shock. How did he know I don’t drink beer? And how could he possibly know my favorite drink is an espresso martini?

He smiles at me, “I asked them to make it decaf so it doesn’t keep you up.”

I think I swoon. I know for a fact my panties are drenched right now. “I- Thank you so much, how did you know?”

He flashes me that fucking smile again and my pussy clenches. “I’ve seen how much coffee you drink, so I took a wild guess.”

I beam at him and take a sip, letting out a happy sigh at how good it tastes. I get distracted by a coworker asking me a question and my attention gets pulled into an animated conversation.

—

She’s so pretty like this, face flushed from the alcohol and laughter. I’m standing close to her but not close enough. I want to sling my arm around her shoulders and pull her towards me so she can lean on me. I want to trail my fingers up and down her back and draw absentminded circles over her skin while we talk. There’s so much I want to fucking do but I can’t yet, I have to wait.

I’m caught in some conversation with a few guys from the office about a new client the firm is taking on. I check my watch and decide I’ve spent enough time here and I’d much rather head home and do some more research on my girl.

“I’m gonna call it a night, I’ve got an early morning tomorrow,” I say, giving a wave to the rest of the group. I see her perk up at my words, “I’m gonna head out too! See you guys tomorrow!”

I knew she’d take her leave when I brought it up. My girl’s got an early morning workout class tomorrow. I know that from her calendar and because it is the perfect time for me to slip into her home and install my cameras.

We walk towards the exit together and head back towards the office.

“Did you drive today?” I ask, already know the answer is no because it’s Thursday and she always takes the train just in case she goes to happy hour and drinks. Because my girl is responsible. She shakes her head, “No, I took the train but I think I’ll just grab an Uber home.”

I shake my head, “Let me drive you home, I didn’t drink tonight anyway.”

“No, I can’t ask you to do that! I’m sure you have things to do!” She says, looking at me with wide eyes and flushed cheeks.

“Not at all, it’s no problem, let me take you home. Where do you live?” As if I really need her to answer that, I already know her address.

“I feel like you’re always doing favors for me and we’ve only just met,” she laughs and gives me her address. “Thank you so much,” she says, glancing up at me shyly.

I smile, “It’s not a problem.”

I’m a perfect gentleman when I drive her home, our conversation never lulling during the ride. The drink she’s had tonight has made her extra liberal with her laughter and I love it. I drop her off at her place and bid her goodnight.

—

The next morning, I track her location as she goes to her workout class, leaving her apartment empty. It’s so easy for me to slip into her apartment using my copy of her key.

I take my time, looking through her belongings, seeing the decoration of the space, noting what her pantry staples are, what her favorite brands of skincare are. And of course, I go poking around in her bedside table where I find a plethora of different sex toys my horny girl has. The thought of using any one of them on her makes my dick strain in my pants and I almost get sidetracked before I remember my purpose for being here today.

I hook up several tiny cameras, concealing them around her apartment so that, to an untrained eye, nothing would seem out of place. The cameras give me live video and audio feed and I take a moment to double check that the connection is secure before I take one last glimpse around her apartment and take my leave.

I get back to my car parked a few blocks down and pull up the live feed on my phone just in time to see her come home from her workout class. The clarity of the cameras is exquisite, capturing every angle of her. I groan as I watch her strip out of her workout outfit, her perfect perky tits spilling out of her sports bra and her tight ass on display.

I slide lower into my seat, my gaze fixed on her as she steps into the shower. I can’t stop myself from sliding a hand into my pants, palming my cock, the friction making me hiss. She soaps up her body teasingly, putting on a show almost like she knows I’m watching.

Fuck, she’s perfect. I groan as I stroke my cock with intention, the pent up desire burning through my veins. I want to be there with her in that shower, I want to run my fingers through her hair, to rub soap up and down her body, tease her and make her feel so fucking good.

I don’t last very long, it’s almost a little embarrassing how fast I cum, watching her shower. I clean myself off and head to the office, where I spend every single moment daydreaming about her gorgeous body and trying not to rush into her office and ravish her against her desk.

—

It’s the evening now, and I’m watching her settle in for bed, the several different cameras giving me every possible angle of her gorgeous form as she crawls into bed. I watch her grab her phone as she snuggles down into her covers and I pull up my mirrored copy of her device to see what she’s looking at.

It starts with cat videos and random TikToks and then I watch as she switches to a different app. Tumblr. My eyebrows raise when I see what she types into the search bar: rape fantasy. I watch her scroll through pictures, videos, text posts, watching as she starts to get hot and bothered. It looks like my pretty girl has a dark side.

I watch as she kicks the covers off her body and she slides a hand down into her pajama bottoms. I see her bit her lip as her hand starts to move beneath her clothes. She’s reading something absolutely filthy and the cameras in her room are picking up on her soft whimpers as she plays with herself.

Fuck, I fumble with my belt and undo my pants enough to pull my rock hard cock out. I let out a low groan as I fist the base of my cock, my breath harsh as dark tendrils of pleasure rush through my body. I keep an eye on the cameras, watching as she writhes on the bed, her pretty moans and cries going straight to my head as the pleasure builds inside of me.

I hear her whines pick up and I know she’s close to cumming. And then, I hear it over the camera. She whimpers out a name. My name. It’s enough to send me over the edge and I curse as I cum all over my hand, my vision going white for a moment before it clears just in time for me to see her ride out the waves of her own orgasm, still whimpering my fucking name.

My breathing is harsh as I sit back in my chair, watching as she comes down from her high and puts her phone away to curl up and drift off to sleep. I groan as I bask in the warm pleasure. I’m going to make all her little fantasies come to life and she’s going to keep moaning my name like my fucking slut.

—

I’ve waited long enough and I can’t wait any longer. Every single fucking day, I see her pretty smile and hear her intoxicating laugh at the office and every night, I stroke my cock to the sound of her whimpers while she plays with her dripping little pussy. I know she’s perfect for me. I know she wants me because every time I see her, I see her pupils dilate and her eyes glaze over when I stand too close.

It’s time for me to make her mine. I wait for her to go to bed after she rubs her sensitive little clit and cum all over her fingers. I’m going to give her the best orgasm of her life tonight and she’s never going to have to rely on herself to make that pretty pussy feel good because I’ll do it for her gladly.

I slip into her apartment when I know she’s asleep and I creep into her room. She’s so fucking pretty, laid on her bed, wearing those shorts that show off her ass and a tank top that barely covers her tits. I’m going to fuck her and make her mine.

I strip out of my clothes and slide into the bed with her. I pin her underneath my body and use one hand to hold both her wrists above her head and another to cover her mouth. I watch as she jerks awake, her eyes wide with fear as she whines into my hand.

“Shh, shh, it’s me, don’t be scared, darling. I’ve got you,” I purr into her ear and grind myself against her body, my hard cock pressing against her softness. I watch as her wide eyes take me in and I see that fear slowly transition into arousal. I laugh and dip my head and lick her jawline and kiss her neck.

She whimpers into my hand again. “Such a good girl for me, you’ve been teasing me at work, flaunting your pretty little body, looking at me with your fuck me eyes, did you think I wouldn’t do anything about it?” I growl into her ear.

I kiss her jaw softly, “I’m going to let your hands go but be a good girl for me and keep them above your head.” I slide my hand down her body and I pull the neckline of her top down so her pretty tits bounce free.

She’s such an obedient girl as she keeps her hands still for me. I keep my hand over her mouth and lean down to capture a straining nipple in my mouth while my free hand goes to pinch at the other. I hear her muffled moan behind my hand and I groan in response. “Fuck, you taste so good.

I let her nipple go and trail my hand down her body, pulling her shorts and panties down to reveal her dripping cunt. “Fuck, you’re so fucking wet, all for me, isn’t that right?”

I loosen my hand so she can speak and she whimpers and nods. That’s not good enough, I land a hard slap against her cunt and she lets out a short scream. “Answer me, are you wet for me, darling?”

“Yes! Yes! I’m so fucking wet for you, please!” Her voice is breathless and I reward her with a soft stroke of her hard clit that makes her whine.

I slide a finger inside of her warmth and she arches her back. “Oh fuck, please, that feels so good.” She sounds so fucking good like this.

I pull out my finger and smirk at her when I hear her whimper is desperation. I reach up and press my finger, wet with her pussy, against her mouth. “Open up,” I purr and watch as she obeys to take my finger into her mouth.

“Good girl,” I murmur, sliding a second finger into her mouth and pushing in deep, the sound of her choked gag making my cock stiffen even more. “That’s it, take it like a good girl.”

I use my other hand to rub at her clit while I make her choke on my fingers. “You like this, don’t you? You like gagging on my fingers like a fucking whore, huh? You like me rubbing your clit like this? Are you going to cum?” I growl, feeling her pussy clench and her little clit pulse at my words.

Her mouth is too preoccupied to speak but I can tell by the way she’s writhing that she’s close because it’s the same way her body shakes every time she cums while I watch on the camera. I keep up the attention on her clit and press my fingers to the back of her throat. I feel her shatter in my hands, her cry of pleasure muffled by my fingers and her pretty pussy falling apart for me as she cums.

I let her ride out her pleasure before I pull my fingers out of her mouth and capture her mouth in a bruising kiss. When I pull away, she’s whining and begging, “Please, please, fuck me, please, I want your cock.”

I laugh, “Such a cum drunk little slut, huh? I give you one orgasm and now you’re begging for my cock? Fuck, you’re perfect.”

Her blown out pupils meet mine and I know that in that moment, I’m hers forever. I would do anything and everything for her and right now, I’m going to fuck her until she breaks around my cock.

I lean down and kiss her harshly, lining my cock up with her weeping cunt. “Scream for me,” I groan as I slam my cock home inside of her. She does exactly what I tell her to do, she screams. “Fuck, you’re so fucking tight, darling,” I set a punishing pace with my hips, every single thrust slamming her into the bed.

Her pussy grips me like a vice and I can feel every shudder and shiver of her body as she gives in to the pleasure. I brace one hand against the bed and the other goes to wrap around her throat, choking her just enough to make her lightheaded.

Her cries echo in the space around us, every single sob leaving her lips urging me on. Her face is flushed as her body gives in to the pleasure I’m forcing onto her. I watch as her eyes flutter closed and her pussy starts to milk me rhythmically and I know she’s close. She lets out a broken whine and I speed up my hips, every thrust rubbing against her pulsing walls.

“Come on, cum for me, pretty girl. That’s it, feel good for me, FUCK!” I feel her cum around me, the shuddering of her cunt pushing me over the edge as she screams my name. I groan as I bury my face into her neck, panting harshly as I try to regain control of my body. I pull myself off of her, the slide of my cock out of her tight cunt making both of us gasp, and I collapse next to her on the bed.

She rolls over and presses herself against me, looking up at me with her pretty eyes.

—

“You know you could’ve just asked me out, I would’ve said yes,” I tease, running a hand up and down his chest.

He laughs as he wraps an arm around me and pulls me close, “I know but this way is more fun, don’t you agree?” I smile and nod.

I snuggle into his arms, “I wanna watch the video of this.” I feel his entire body go rigid. “What?” He asks, his voice hesitant and tinged with disbelief.

I giggle, “You know, the footage from all the cameras you installed in here.”

I didn’t think he could be more still but he does. “What are you talking about?” His voice is low and panicked.

I look up at his face and giggle at his dumbfounded expression. “What, you think I didn’t know you came in here and put cameras everywhere?” I lean up and press a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Don’t be embarrassed, I think it’s fucking hot,” I say.

He blinks at me. “How- how did you know?”

I bury my nose into his chest and take a deep breath. “Your cologne. I knew as soon as I came back from my workout class that morning that you’d been in my apartment. And it’s not hard to notice all the cameras, you’re slick but not that slick.” I tease him gently.

He lets out a breath and gives me a low chuckle. “Fuck, you’re too smart for your own good,” he laughs. I giggle, “I also know you planted that bug on my computer that day. And you mirrored my phone.”

He shakes his head and laughs disbelievingly. “How did you figure those out? You can’t smell cologne through a phone, can you?”

I smile, “No but I can reverse engineer your code.” He blinks back at me. “I double-majored in computer science in college, I know my stuff,” I beam at him.

He presses his lips against my forehead. “Is there anything you don’t know?”

I shake my head.

“Fuck, you are absolutely fucking perfect for me. I love you, my little mastermind.”

I giggle, “I love you too, tech guy.”

#nsft concept #dark fantasy #rap3 fantasy #cnc stalking #stalker kink #stalker yandere #stalker bf #stalking fantasy #obsessive love #wanderswrites

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carriesthewind · 1 year ago

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Yeah so anyway, I'm making my response to this fucking garbage its own separate post in case people want to reblog it without having to reblog a scare-mongering lie.

This video pisses me the fuck off whenever I see it, and today I'm not in the mood to just scroll past.

Wow! Am I being lead to panic by scaremongering algorithm fodder completely unsupported by real evidence?! test:

The reason you think something exists is just what you're being told by a nefarious *them*, there is actually a conspiracy behind it!

I, an ordinary person with no expertise who critically examines the world around me, have uncovered this conspiracy.

"That's what they're telling you." (put the emphasis wherever appropriate for the conspiracy of your choice - in this case, it's on *telling*)

This new tech thing is actually a bad idea and the old school method was better - which clearly proves there must be a secret conspiracy, because why allow the possibility of incompetence and investor tech-hype when you can instead assume a highly-competent evil conspiracy?

I will now tell you my conspiracy theory while scrolling rapidly through a document without pausing or allowing you to actually read any of it. This allows me to look like I have proven my claims while doing nothing of the sort. Because do you really think someone could do that? Quickly flash a document on screen and just lie about what it says?

But Owl! This is real! A user upthread found the patent and it *does* prove it!

Yeah. I read the linked patent. Did you?

Let's quote the "real purpose" hidden in the patent, as claimed out in the video:

"The real purpose of these screens is to use the little camera at the top right here to scan your face and use AI facial expression analysis to judge whether or not you like the packaging designs of the product you're looking for."

This is complete made up horseshit.

First, let's look where the reblogger directs us, to column #4 on page 17:

"Preferably, each retail product container further comprises customer-detecting hardware, such as one or more proximity sensors (such as heat maps) , cameras, facial sensors or scanners, and eye-sensors (i.e., iris-tracking sensors). Assuming cameras are employed, preferably cameras are mounted on doors of the retail product containers. Preferably, the cameras have a depth of field of view of twenty feet or more, and have a range of field of view of 170 degrees with preferably 150 degree of facial recognition ability. Preferably, software is employed in association with the cameras to monitor shopper interactions, serve up relevant advertisement content on the displays, and track advertisement engagement in - store." (emphasis added and references to figures removed for readability)

That is the extent of the "nonconsensual data collection."

Now, to be fair, there is some stuff on page 18 and 19 which kinda-sorta-maybe has at least some relation to the claim in the video:

"Preferably, the controller/data collector is configured such that as a shopper stands or lingers in front of a given retail product container, the display associated with the retail product container changes yet again. At this point, preferably the controller/data collector has been able to use the customer-detecting hardware to effectively learn more about that particular customer, such as gender, age, mood, etc. The controller / data collector is configured to take what has been detected about the customer to determine which advertisement and other information to present to that particular customer on the display associated with the retail product container in front of which the customer is standing. By tracking shopper data in parallel with which advertising content is being served on all displays within the viewing range of the shopper, the retailer and the brands are better served, providing new analytics. As such, the system provides advertising, influence opportunities at the moment of purchasing decision, optimizing marketing spend and generating new revenue streams....

"Additionally, preferably all inputs collected by the IOT devices will be analyzed locally as well as remotely (via cloud) to provide the feedback inputs for the system to push more relevant/targeted content, tailored for the consumer. The analytics are preferably conducted anonymously, images captured by cameras are preferably processed to collect statistics on consumer demographic characteristics: (such as age and gender). This data is preferably subsequently analyzed for additional statistics for the retailers that are valuable for in-store merchandise layout design and smart merchandizing, including the ability to track the shoppers “traffic” areas, known as “heat maps”, areas were [sic] customers would concentrate more and spend more time exploring, etc." (emphasis added and references to figures removed for readability) (And note the repeated emphasis on preferably - they don't have a patent to do any of this.)

Which, like, not great! I fucking hate the idea of shit like this! But there is literally nothing here about monitoring your expressions to sell the data about how you react to packaging!

This isn't a nefarious plan hidden in the patent. It's tech bros adding on totally sick ideas about how they can sell this shit to walgreens. (Because to be clear, I'm sure walgreens's corporate office would love to collect and sell this kind of information. But just because they would, doesn't mean they can or are. And this patent sure as hell doesn't prove it.)

Because let me be clear: the image capture of consumers is so irrelevant to the product that it literally isn't even included in the claims section of the patent.

Because the patent is quite explicit and detailed about the idea they are selling big retails stores on - this is a better, new, innovative, tech-driven way to "provide an innovative advertising solution"! (The words "AI," "intelligent," and "machine learning" are deployed liberally, but in the same way that "blockchain" was a few years ago. It's advertising tech hype.)

I want to make it clear - the OP in the video is straight up lying to you. Whether for fun or profit or just attention, I don't know and I don't care. If you shared this, you probably should have know better, but everyone makes mistakes. OP, on the other hand, is just a fucking liar.

But Owl! What about "the senators looking into this"?

I don't know how to tell you this, but thing linked about is a press release by a politician's office. That doesn't mean it's not true, but it's not evidence on it's own. Like, the letter linked in the link included links to sources, but is not itself evidence (ooh, layers of links to actually get to a source, my favorite)(actually my computer wouldn't even goddam open the links to the source, I had to independently search for it).

Anyway, the letter to Kroger linked in the press release by the senators contains a single sentence and a single link relevant to the claim here (linked for your convenience because it sure as hell wasn't for mine). Unfortunately, this article is itself based on a goddam press release (That isn't linked! Again, you're welcome.)

And when we finally get to the underlying fucking source. "In addition to transforming the customer experience and enhancing productivity for associates, the EDGE Shelf will enable Kroger to generate new revenue by selling digital advertising space to consumer packaged goods (CPGs) brands. Using video analytics, personalized offers and advertisements can be presented based on customer demographics." So it's purporting to something *kind of* like the claim in the video, but an entirely different format completely unrelated to the thing the video is scaremongering about.

Now Kroger did actually start using the advertising screens in 2023. And you can believe what you want about the data privacy claims and the claims about not using video, just sensors (which remember is entirely consistent with the patent). But remember: being skeptical of a company's claims is fine and good! It does not mean you have proven they are lying, and it especially does not prove you have claimed they are doing something extremely specific! And most of the articles, and the letter from the senators, are (much more reasonably) concerned about so-called "dynamic" or surge pricing. (Which is not related to the screens.)

Like goddamn. Aren't there enough real problems with surveillance and price-gorging to be concerned about without having to make up fake ones? Hell, why can't we at least be concerned with the real problems with those dumb screens, which is that the a) make shopping harder and b) catch fire?

#misinformation #disinformation #patent conspiracies

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probablyasocialecologist · 1 year ago

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Consider the ways oil and gas are already entwined with big tech. The foundation of the partnership between Big Tech and Big Oil is the cloud, explains Zero Cool, a software expert who went to Kazakhstan to do work for Chevron and chronicled this in Logic magazine. “For Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, as well as a few smaller cloud competitors like Oracle and IBM, winning the IT spend of the Fortune 500 is where most of the money in the public cloud market will be made”—and out of the biggest ten companies in the world by revenue, six are in the business of oil production. What are oil companies going to do with the cloud? Apparently, Chevron—which signed a seven-year cloud contract with Microsoft—generates a terabyte of data per day per sensor and has thousands of wells with these sensors. They can’t even use all that data because of the scale of computation required. “Big Tech doesn’t just supply the infrastructures that enable oil companies to crunch their data,” explains Zero Cool; they also provide analytic tools, and machine learning can help discover patterns to run their operations more efficiently. This is another reason why Big Oils need Big Tech; they have the edge when it comes to artificial intelligence/machine learning. “Why go through the effort of using clean energy to power your data centers when those same data centers are being used by companies like Chevron to produce more oil?” Zero Cool asks, also noting that one of the main reasons oil companies are interested in technology is to surveil workers.

Holly Jean Buck, Ending Fossil Fuels: Why Net Zero is Not Enough

#fossil fuels #Ending Fossil Fuels #big data #big tech

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mariacallous · 2 days ago

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President Donald Trump’s administration has dramatically expanded its work with Palantir, elevating the company cofounded by Trump ally Peter Thiel as the government’s go-to software developer. Following massive contract terminations for consulting giants and government contractors like Accenture, Booz Allen, and Deloitte, Palantir has emerged ahead. Now the data analytics firm is partnering with those companies—offering them a lifeline while consolidating its own power.

Palantir has become one of the few winners in the Trump administration’s cost-cutting efforts, receiving more than $113 million in federal spending since the beginning of the year, according to The New York Times. Palantir’s US government revenue has grown by more than $ 370 million compared to this time last year, according to the company’s most recent quarterly earnings report. Before making remarks at last week’s AI Summit in DC, Trump thanked a variety of cabinet secretaries and tech leaders, including Palantir chief technology officer Shyam Sankar. “We buy a lot of things from Palantir,” Trump said. “Are we paying our bills? I think so.”

Instead of replacing these more traditional contractors, Palantir’s software is becoming the core tool deployed by them in government systems, placing Palantir in a newly central role.

The White House itself is thrilled by this partnership: “The Trump Administration has high-standard [sic] when spending American’s hard-earned tax dollars—which is why agencies have partnered with Palantir, a top-tier American company renowned for their longstanding history of innovation, results, and increasing government efficiency,” says White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers.

Palantir did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In April, WIRED reported that Palantir was working alongside IRS engineers to build what sources called a “mega API,” which would unify all data across the agency. An API, or application programming interface, enables applications and databases to exchange data and possibly compare it against other interoperable datasets. Once completed, this mega API could become the “read center of all IRS systems.” Immigration and Customs Enforcement contracted Palantir for $30 million to track self-deportations in April. The company has also won federal contracts more recently, like a $795 million award from the Pentagon in May to expand its Maven Smart System program. The total contract ceiling for the Army’s Maven program is now $1.3 billion.

This growth comes as some of the companies Palantir has chosen to partner with have lost billions in government contract cuts. In April, defense secretary Pete Hegseth announced plans to cut $5.1 billion in IT consulting contracts with companies including Accenture, Booz Allen, and Deloitte. In a memo announcing the cuts, Hegseth said that the Pentagon would be forced to bring more of its IT work in-house.

“These contracts represent non-essential spending on third party consultants to perform services more efficiently performed by the highly skilled members of our DoD workforce using existing resources,” Hegseth wrote.

Palantir’s partnerships with these companies vary, but each one makes it easier for Palantir to extend the reach of its software and AI technology across the federal government. With Accenture’s government branch, Palantir will train and certify at least 1,000 Accenture workers on its Foundry software as well as its AI tech, according to an Accenture press release The companies also said that together they could create “a 360-degree view” of government agency budgets, something the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has sought to build and use to review federal spending. (Palantir partnered with Accenture before in 2022, but this is the first partnership to focus on US government clients.)

“We are teaming up with Accenture Federal Services to accelerate AI across the U.S. Government, working to address federal agencies’ highest-priority operational challenges,” Palantir posted to X last month.

"What makes this partnership so uniquely powerful is Accenture’s expertise working with the federal government and our ability to bring commercial capabilities to government solutions, combined with Palantir’s deep experience in government software," Julie Sweet, chair and CEO of Accenture, said in a press release. “Together, we will harness the ever-growing power of AI to help the federal government succeed in its critical mission to modernize and reinvent its operations—with stronger data flows, transparency and resilience—to better serve warfighters, citizens and all its stakeholders.”

Accenture did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

While Palantir has become a major government contractor in its own right, partnering with contracting giants could enable the software company to scale at a much faster rate, leveraging long-standing relationships these larger contractors have with virtually every federal agency. “It's actually a pretty savvy business decision on the part of both Palantir, then also what you would call a traditional, more legacy-oriented, like defense or just government contractors,” says Jessica Tillipman, associate dean for government procurement law at George Washington University. “If they’re newer to certain areas and others have that footprint, that’s how it would benefit Palantir.”

Last week, Palantir and Deloitte announced a partnership that includes what they call the “Enterprise Operating System” (EOS) to unify data across organizations. At government agencies like the Internal Revenue Service and reportedly at the Social Security Administration (SSA), Palantir is already working to combine agency datasets, allowing what were previously disparate datasets to communicate with one another more easily.

"Deloitte shares Palantir's commitment to decisive action and a dedication to delivering meaningful, lasting results for commercial and government clients," said Jason Girzadas, Deloitte US CEO, said in a press release announcing the partnership. "Expanding our preferred relationship at this pivotal moment provides our clients with Palantir's latest advances in AI, combined with Deloitte's engineering scale and deep sector experience."

Deloitte did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Palantir struck some of these deals prior to Trump taking office as well. In December of last year, Booz Allen partnered with Palantir specifically, working together on building out defense IT infrastructure.

“To have one company monopolize and become the gatekeeper of software in the government, to become an ‘app factory,’ for the government, in a sense, where they're in every agency, they're part of the defense complex and the intelligence complex, brings huge concerns regarding fairness, regarding competition, and puts Palantir in a very unique position that maybe has never existed,” says Juan Sebastián Pinto, a former Palantir employee and critic of the company.

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ragsy · 10 months ago

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OC Masterlist (in alphabetical order)

Monster of the Week:

🐕 Dogmark (Mark "Dogmark" Kessler) (he/him)

A normal human guy in his late twenties/early thirties who got cursed to be a cannibalistic dogman. Extremely socially anxious, very fight-or-flight driven, struggling to come to terms with his monstrosity. Currently an NPC in an active game.

Tag: #oc dogmark | Visual reference

📚 Emily Song (she/her)

A real type-A woman in her thirties. She has a degree and a job and a fiancé and a dad who went missing five years ago and suddenly reappeared out of nowhere, ranting and raving about having been in some bizarre surreal other world. She doesn't believe in the supernatural. She thinks he needs help. Currently an NPC in an active game.

Tag: #oc emily | Visual reference

🚬 Everett (any pronoun, but defaults to he/him)

Some manner of immortal eldritch horror given human form, using his powers of influence over people to grow his Youtube channel and Twitch audience. He doesn't want your soul, he just wants your impressionable teen's expendable income. Currently being played as a warlock in a dnd capaign, despite the fact that he is from a motw setting. Don't worry about it.

Tag: #oc everett | Visual reference

🐟 Fishwoman (Diane Fishwoman) (she/her, it/its)

An emotionally constipated humanoid fish person (age unknown) who spends her free time daydrinking and stealing things. She's friends with benefits with Sloane, though she'd never admit to how much the "friends" component of that means to her. Not currently in any active games.

Tag: #oc fishwoman | Visual reference

🚪 Kenneth Song (Uncle Kenny) (he/him)

A goofy, soft-hearted widower and retired dentist (age 65) who recently escaped a five year internment in a liminal horror dimension called the Other Place. Trying his best to reconnect with his daughter. Currently in an active MOTW game (Searcher playbook)

Tags: #oc kenneth, #vistas from the other place | Visual reference | Playlist (YouTube version)

🍂 Mary Song (she/her)

A level-headed and analytical Voice of Reason, as well as a middlingly talented spellcrafter. She died suddenly at age 32, survived by her husband (Kenny) and daughter (Emily), and has been haunting their respective narratives ever since.

Tag: #oc mary

🧙‍♂️ Maximus Celestino (Max) (he/him)

Retired software programmer who died and came back wrong. Now he sees ghosts, has magic powers, and plays synths in a rock band while dressed as a wizard. Chill stoner grandpa vibes. Currently in an active MOTW game (Spooky playbook)

Tag: #oc maximus

🔫 Rye (they/he)

A human soul who got forged into becoming a living .38 caliber pistol. Has a human form and a gun form, but is bound to their wielder in some sort of toxic codependency situation. A bit of a weasel motormouth. Planned for a future MOTW game (Forged playbook)

Tag: #oc rye

🚙 Sloane (Agent Hill) (she/her)

A broad-shouldered tough-as-nails action butch. Makes her living doing field missions, getting monsters and other supernatural beings out of sight. She has a curse on her left arm that's slowly spreading to the rest of her body, but she hasn't told anyone besides her immediate superiors about it. Despite her hard exterior, she's got a warm heart that genuinely cares about the people she protects. Currently in an active MOTW game. (Professional playbook)

Tag: #oc sloane | Visual reference

Dungeons and Dragons

✨ Arjibi (Arji the Fool) (he/him, they/them)

Farmboy turned stage magician turned adventurer! He's a sweet silly boy with big expressive eyes and too much joy for his twinky body. Also, statistically speaking, he's your friend now. Dragonborn sorcerer (draconic heritage). Currently in an active campaign.

Tag: #oc arjibi | Visual reference | Defunct inspo blog: @arjibi-time

🤖 M.A.G. (Mechanical Autonomous Guardsman, aka Maggie or Mags) (it/its)

Once a mindless patrol construct, now mysteriously gifted with self awareness and holy powers. It's driven by duty to protect others first, and curiosity second. It's learning how to be a person! A little bit like a cross between Big Bird and Levi Scavengersreign. Warforged Paladin, oath of the crown. Currently in an active campaign.

Tag: #oc maggie | Visual reference

🧪 Professor Dewlap (Finneas Carlton Dewlap) (he/him)

Mad scientist. Cantankerous old bitch. Blew himself to smithereens in a freak lab accident, currently climbing his way back out of the afterlife. Dragonborn artificer. Currently in an active campaign!

Tag: #oc professor dewlap | Visual reference

⚔ Sir Dillion (Sir Dillion Fontaine Sargasso) (he/him)

Chivalrous medieval knight in shining armor with a fish for a head. Broad of chest, kind of heart, dumb of ass. Triton fighter (cavalier subclass), campaign completed!

Tag: #oc sir dillion | Visual references

Miscellaneous

🦎 Lizardsona (any pronoun)

This is literally just my fursona. Some sort of lizardy muppetty creature.

Tag: #lizardsona | Visual references

🐲 Marginalia (Marge) (any pronoun)

A medieval scribe's drawing of a dragon, come to life. Also sort of a quasi-fursona, though I don't use them very often.

Tag: #oc marginalia | Visual references

#ragsycon exclusive #oc masterlist #last updated 7/22/25

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tycseo · 3 months ago

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10+ ways technology is changing Public Relations

For brands seeking impact and longevity, technology is becoming the secret weapon in public relations. With real-time data, targeted outreach, and automation tools, agencies now deliver faster, smarter, and more effective PR campaigns. Let's explore how this shift is happening and what it means for the future.

1. AI-powered media monitoring

Artificial Intelligence tools help PR teams track brand mentions, competitor activity, and industry news in real-time. This allows faster response to potential crises and more relevant outreach to journalists and influencers.

2. Social listening tools

PR isn’t just about talking anymore—it’s about listening. Social listening tech helps brands understand public sentiment, uncover trends, and identify potential advocates or critics.

3. Data-driven storytelling

With analytics and insights readily available, PR professionals now craft stories backed by real data. This increases credibility and allows targeted messaging that actually resonates.

4. Influencer collaboration platforms

Digital PR platforms simplify influencer discovery, outreach, and campaign tracking. This helps brands collaborate authentically and measure impact more precisely.

5. Smart press releases

From embedding multimedia elements to tracking reader engagement, digital press releases are now interactive, measurable, and far more effective than their traditional counterparts.

6. Real-time crisis management

Thanks to instant alerts and social dashboards, PR teams can manage a brand crisis the moment it arises—often before it snowballs.

7. Content automation tools

Scheduling tools and AI-assisted writing software streamline content calendars, freeing PR professionals to focus more on creativity and strategy.

8. SEO-integrated PR

Public relations now works closely with SEO, ensuring that brand messages are not only newsworthy but also searchable and shareable.

9. Virtual events & digital launches

Tech allows brands to host press events, product launches, and panel discussions virtually—expanding reach and cutting costs.

10. Blockchain for transparency

Blockchain is starting to play a role in PR, offering transparency in advertising metrics and media spending.

11. Media database platforms

Smart databases help PR professionals find and pitch the right journalist for every story, improving outreach efficiency.

How agencies are adapting

Leading agencies are now blending traditional expertise with cutting-edge tools to create agile PR strategies. The modern-day campaign isn’t just pitched—it’s programmed, measured, and optimized in real-time.

Moreover, TYC Communication, a premier online PR company in Delhi, has consistently embraced innovation to stay ahead in the PR landscape. From data-led media strategies to influencer collaborations and digital storytelling, their comprehensive PR services help brands stay visible, relevant, and respected. Whether it’s for startups or established businesses, TYC offers tailor-made communication solutions powered by technology and driven by creativity.

#digital marketing #social media marketing #public relations #seo #branding

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erponein · 24 days ago

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In the early stages of business, a simple CRM tool often feels like a miracle. It helps you track leads, store customer data, and manage your interactions without much fuss. But as your business expands, that once-efficient tool may begin to feel more like a constraint than a solution. What was once enough to get by might now be holding you back.

Modern growth demands more sophisticated systems that go beyond managing contact lists. Businesses require deeper automation, insightful analytics, scalable integrations, and seamless collaboration. If your current CRM feels like it’s lagging behind your operational pace, it may be time to consider a more advanced, tailored approach.

Your CRM Feels Like a Spreadsheet with Fancy Features If using your CRM feels eerily similar to updating Excel sheets, it’s a red flag. Many entry-level tools offer basic tracking without truly streamlining your workflow. You’re spending too much time on manual updates, hunting for scattered data, or copy-pasting between tools.

An effective CRM should reduce admin work, not replicate it. Once you find yourself buried in repetitive tasks, it’s a clear sign your system lacks the automation and sophistication your growing business needs.

Limited Customization Is Blocking Productivity As businesses mature, so do their processes. What worked during the startup phase may no longer suit a scaling operation. If your CRM restricts how you structure pipelines, assign permissions, or create custom workflows, it becomes more of an obstacle than an enabler.

The right solution should mold itself to your business, not the other way around. Modern platforms allow deep customization, which supports specific industry needs and departmental nuances.

Data Silos Are Becoming the Norm Your sales team uses the CRM. Marketing uses another tool. Customer support? Probably relying on emails and spreadsheets. When departments work in isolation, data becomes fragmented.

Without a single source of truth, it’s difficult to get a 360-degree view of customer interactions. This disjointed communication can damage the customer experience and reduce internal efficiency. A more integrated system enables alignment across teams and fosters a unified strategy.

Reporting Feels Like Pulling Teeth If generating reports from your CRM involves exporting data, manually creating graphs, or compiling information from various sources, you’re working too hard.

Advanced systems offer real-time dashboards, predictive analytics, and customizable reporting that empower decision-makers with immediate insights. These capabilities become essential as you scale, helping you react faster and strategize smarter.

Mobile Access Is Either Clunky or Absent A modern workforce is mobile. Your team needs to access critical information on the go – whether in a client meeting, at a trade show, or working remotely.

If your CRM doesn’t offer a fluid mobile experience or limits functionality outside the office, it’s falling short. The inability to stay connected from anywhere is a productivity killer in today’s fast-paced environment.

The CRM Slows Down as You Grow Basic CRM tools often aren’t built for scale. As your contact lists grow, workflows become more complex, and integrations expand, performance may suffer.

Frequent lagging, data syncing issues, and feature limitations can create operational bottlenecks. A scalable infrastructure becomes critical when your business reaches this stage, demanding a solution designed for enterprise-level use.

You’re Still Handling Tasks Manually That Should Be Automated If your team is manually assigning leads, sending follow-up emails, or updating statuses, you’re missing out on the power of automation. These tasks, while minor individually, add up to hours of lost productivity.

Smarter systems can automate customer journeys, trigger responses based on behaviours, and nurture leads with minimal intervention freeing your team to focus on strategy, not process.

Integrating Other Tools Feels Like an Engineering Project Your CRM should act as the hub of your tech stack. Whether it’s marketing automation, invoicing, support platforms, or your ERP – smooth integration is essential.

If syncing tools feels like reinventing the wheel each time, or if you’re constantly working around compatibility issues, it’s a sure sign that your CRM isn’t playing well in the digital ecosystem. A system built with interoperability in mind is crucial for long-term growth.

Customer Insights Are Incomplete Understanding the customer journey is vital. If your current CRM only shows a snapshot perhaps a sales interaction but not support history or marketing touchpoints – you’re missing valuable context.

A comprehensive CRM should aggregate data across channels and departments to offer holistic insights. These insights fuel personalization, better service, and ultimately, stronger relationships.

Your Team Actively Avoids Using the CRM Perhaps the most glaring sign of all: if your team dreads logging into the CRM or frequently bypasses it altogether, it’s time for a change. Tools should make work easier, not harder.

Poor user interfaces, confusing navigation, or lack of relevant features can kill adoption. A new solution should prioritize usability and align with how your team actually works.

Moving Beyond Basic: What to Look for Next Outgrowing a basic CRM is a positive sign – proof that your business is evolving. The next step is investing in a platform that grows with you. Consider:

Advanced automation features Customizable dashboards and workflows AI-driven analytics Deep integration with ERP systems Scalable cloud infrastructure Strong support and training resources At this stage, consulting with a seasoned development partner makes all the difference. Whether you need a bespoke CRM system or want to integrate CRM functionality into an ERP framework, expert guidance ensures a smooth, future-proof transition.

Conclusion: Time to Elevate Your Operations Outgrowing your CRM is not a setback – it’s an opportunity. Recognizing the signs early helps you stay ahead of inefficiencies, empower your teams, and deliver exceptional customer experiences.

Rather than patching over limitations, consider a purpose-built solution that aligns with your strategic goals. The right partner, be it a CRM or ERP software development company will help you architect a system that turns complexity into clarity and growth into a repeatable process.

Your CRM should evolve with your business. If it’s not, it’s time to rethink what your technology should do for you.

#erp software #erp system

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ecommerceknowldge · 1 month ago

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The Power of Upskilling: Why Investing in Yourself Is the Smartest Move You’ll Ever Make

In today’s fast-paced, constantly evolving world, the only thing more expensive than investing in yourself is not doing it.

Upskilling — the process of learning new skills or enhancing existing ones — is no longer optional. It's a necessity for staying competitive in the workforce, pivoting to new career paths, and adapting to a world where change is the only constant.

Whether you're a fresh graduate, a mid-career professional, or a business leader, this post will help you understand why upskilling matters, where to start, and how to make learning a lifelong habit.

Why Upskilling Matters More Than Ever

1. Rapid Technological Advancements

Automation, AI, and digital transformation have reshaped industries. According to the World Economic Forum, 44% of workers’ core skills will change by 2027. Skills that were in high demand five years ago may now be outdated.

Jobs aren't necessarily disappearing — they’re evolving. That means individuals must continuously adapt or risk being left behind.

2. Career Growth and Mobility

Upskilling doesn’t just help you survive — it helps you thrive.

Want a promotion? Looking to switch industries? Trying to freelance or start a side hustle? Upskilling bridges the gap between where you are and where you want to be.

For example:

A marketer who learns data analytics becomes more valuable.

A teacher who gains expertise in EdTech can unlock new career opportunities.

A finance professional with coding skills can transition into fintech.

3. Increased Job Security

In uncertain economic times, employees with in-demand skills are often the last to go. Upskilling makes you indispensable. Employers view proactive learners as assets — people who are flexible, forward-thinking, and ready to take on new challenges.

4. Personal Satisfaction and Confidence

Beyond career advantages, learning something new boosts your self-esteem. Mastering a new tool or concept builds confidence and adds a sense of achievement. Lifelong learning is directly linked to better mental health, cognitive ability, and even happiness.

Identifying What to Learn

Not all skills are created equal. Here’s how to identify what you should focus on:

1. Align With Industry Trends

Start by researching current trends in your field. What tools, software, or certifications are becoming standard? Websites like LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, and even job boards can offer insight into what’s in demand.

2. Pinpoint Skill Gaps

Look at your resume, job performance, or feedback. Are there areas where you consistently feel underqualified or reliant on others? That’s your starting point.

For instance, if you’re in marketing but struggle with Excel or Google Analytics, that’s a practical gap to close.

3. Balance Hard and Soft Skills

Hard skills (e.g., coding, SEO, data visualization) are measurable and job-specific. Soft skills (e.g., communication, emotional intelligence, adaptability) are often what make or break long-term success.

According to LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report, soft skills like creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking are increasingly valued by employers.

How to Upskill Effectively

Upskilling doesn’t have to mean going back to college or spending thousands. With the right strategy, you can learn faster, smarter, and more sustainably.

1. Set Clear Goals

Vague intentions (“I want to get better at digital marketing”) rarely produce results. Instead, try: ✅ “I will complete a Google Ads certification within 30 days.” ✅ “I will write one blog post a week to practice content writing.”

2. Use Online Platforms

Some great learning platforms include:

Coursera – Offers university-led courses, many for free.

Udemy – Affordable, practical skill-based learning.

LinkedIn Learning – Career-focused, bite-sized lessons.

edX – Ivy-league content in flexible formats.

YouTube – A goldmine for free tutorials.

Don’t forget podcasts, newsletters, webinars, and even TikTok or Instagram accounts focused on education.

3. Apply What You Learn

Knowledge without application is wasted. If you’re learning copywriting, start a blog. If you’re learning a coding language, build a small project. Application cements learning and gives you portfolio pieces to show potential employers.

4. Join a Community

Learning with others keeps you accountable. Join Slack groups, Reddit communities, Discord servers, or local meetups. Networking with people on the same journey also opens up career opportunities.

5. Track and Reflect

Keep a simple progress log. Write down what you learned each week, what worked, and what didn’t. Reflection helps identify plateaus and gives you clarity on your next steps.

Upskilling at Work: Make It a Two-Way Street

If you’re employed, your workplace may be willing to sponsor courses or give you dedicated learning hours. Upskilling benefits your employer too — so don’t hesitate to ask.

Here’s how:

Propose a specific course or certification.

Explain how it’ll improve your job performance.

Offer to train others on what you’ve learned.

Employers appreciate initiative and are often happy to invest in employees who invest in themselves.

Final Thoughts: Build a Habit, Not Just a Skill

The most successful people don’t upskill once — they build a habit of learning.

Start with 30 minutes a day. Read a chapter. Watch a tutorial. Experiment with a new tool. Upskilling isn’t a race; it’s a lifestyle.

Remember: your career is your responsibility. In a world where industries change overnight, the most future-proof investment isn’t in stocks or crypto — it’s in you.

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theendearingdesigner · 3 months ago

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Simplest Way to Track Social Media Marketing ROI?

Social media marketing is vital for modern businesses, but many struggle with one crucial question: "Is our social media investment paying off?" If you've been searching for a straightforward way to measure your social media ROI without getting lost in complex analytics, this guide is for you.

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What is Social Media ROI?

Social media ROI measures the value your business gets from investing time, money, and resources into social media marketing compared to what you put in. This value comes in various forms:

Direct revenue from social media campaigns

Lead generation and customer acquisition

Website traffic increases

Brand awareness growth

Community building and engagement

Understanding your social media ROI helps determine if your strategies are working and where to focus your resources for maximum impact.

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Why Tracking Social Media ROI Matters

Smarter decision-making: Know where to allocate your budget based on what's actually working.

Accountability: Justify your social media investments to stakeholders with hard data.

Performance optimization: Identify your most successful content, campaigns, and platforms.

Resource allocation: Make informed decisions about where to spend your time and money.

Competitive advantage: Use data insights to refine strategies faster than competitors.

...

The Simplest Method for Tracking Social Media ROI

After analyzing various tracking methods, the most effective yet straightforward approach combines UTM parameters with Google Analytics for website traffic and online conversions, supplemented by unique promo codes for direct sales attribution.

Here's how to implement this method in 5 simple steps:

Step 1: Define Clear, Measurable Goals

Start by establishing what you want to achieve with your social media efforts. Your goals should be SMART:

Specific: "Increase website traffic from Instagram by 20%" rather than "Get more traffic"

Measurable: Include numbers that can be tracked

Achievable: Set realistic targets based on your resources

Relevant: Align with broader business objectives

Time-bound: Set a specific timeframe

Common measurable social media goals include:

Generate X leads per month from social media

Increase website traffic from social channels by X%

Achieve X direct sales attributed to social media campaigns

Grow follower count by X within a specific timeframe

Improve engagement rate by X% over a defined period

Step 2: Identify Your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Select KPIs that directly relate to your goals:

For brand awareness:

Reach

Impressions

Follower growth rate

Brand mentions

Share of voice

For engagement:

Likes and reactions

Comments and replies

Shares and retweets

Click-through rate (CTR)

Engagement rate

For website traffic:

Website visits from social media

Referral traffic

Bounce rate of social traffic

Average session duration

For lead generation:

Number of leads from social media

Conversion rate of social media leads

Cost per lead (CPL)

Lead quality

For sales conversions:

Direct sales attributed to social media

Conversion rate from social media traffic

Revenue generated from campaigns

Return on ad spend (ROAS)

Step 3: Calculate Your Investment Costs

Track all costs associated with your social media efforts:

Advertising budgets for paid campaigns

Content creation costs (photography, videography, copywriting)

Staff time allocated to social media management

Software and tool subscriptions

Any other resources directly invested in social media

Be thorough here—accurate cost tracking is essential for true ROI calculation.

Step 4: Implement Simple Tracking Methods

For website traffic and conversions - UTM parameters + Google Analytics:

Create unique UTM parameters for all links shared on social media using Google's Campaign URL Builder or a similar tool

Structure your UTMs consistently:

utm_source = the platform (facebook, instagram, linkedin)

utm_medium = the type of traffic (social, paid_social)

utm_campaign = your specific campaign name

utm_content = the specific post or ad

Set up goals in Google Analytics to track conversions from social media traffic

Create regular reports showing traffic and conversions from each social channel

For direct sales attribution - Unique promo codes:

Create platform or campaign-specific promo codes (e.g., INSTA25, FB25)

Share these unique codes in your social media content

Track redemptions at checkout to directly attribute sales to specific platforms or campaigns

For broader impact - Platform analytics:

Use built-in analytics tools from each platform (Meta Business Suite, Instagram Insights, TikTok Analytics, etc.) to track engagement metrics and audience growth.

Step 5: Calculate Your ROI Using a Simple Formula

The fundamental formula for social media ROI is:

Social Media ROI = ((Value Generated - Cost of Investment) / Cost of Investment) × 100

For example:

If your e-commerce business generated $50,000 in sales from social media referrals

And you spent $18,000 on social media marketing

Your ROI would be (($50,000 - $18,000) / $18,000) × 100 = 178%

For B2B companies measuring lead value:

If you generated 100 qualified leads valued at $200 each (total value: $20,000)

And your social media costs were $4,000

Your ROI would be (($20,000 - $4,000) / $4,000) × 100 = 400%

...

Real-World Success Stories

Galaxy Theatres: By implementing targeted Facebook and Instagram campaigns with proper tracking, they achieved a 72% increase in ticket sales and significantly grew their Instagram engagement.

Incontact: This B2B company trained their sales team on social selling techniques with careful ROI tracking, resulting in a 215% increase in revenue.

Retro Kids: The toy company lowered their cost per acquisition by 31% and increased their return on ad spend to 4.27 through strategic social media campaigns with proper attribution.

...

Key Takeaways for Simple, Effective ROI Tracking

Focus on goals that matter to your business. Don't try to track everything—concentrate on the metrics that directly impact your business objectives.

Be consistent with your tracking methods. Use the same UTM structure and tracking processes every time to ensure accurate data.

Combine quantitative and qualitative data. Numbers tell only part of the story—customer feedback and sentiment are also valuable.

Start simple and build complexity over time. Begin with the basic tracking methods outlined here, then add sophistication as you become more comfortable.

Review and optimize regularly. Check your social media performance data at least monthly and adjust your strategy based on what's working.

By following these straightforward steps, any business can effectively track their social media ROI without getting overwhelmed by complex analytics or expensive tools. The key is consistency in tracking and a focus on the metrics that directly connect to your business goals.

Remember: The goal isn't perfect attribution, but rather a consistent framework that helps you make better decisions about your social media investments.

...

This article (https://theendearingdesigner.com/simplest-way-to-track-social-media-marketing-roi) was first published on The Endearing Designer.

#Social Media Marketing #Marketing Tips #Digital Marketing #Marketing Strategy #Social Media ROI #Content Marketing #Online Marketing #Marketing For Beginners #Track Your ROI #Marketing Hacks #Small Business Marketing #Social Media Tools #Business Growth #Marketing Guide #Social Media Tips #social media

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fieldez · 4 months ago

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Empowering Businesses with Field Service Management Apps by FieldEZ

In today’s fast-paced digital world, businesses operating in service-oriented industries face increasing pressure to streamline operations, deliver prompt service, and manage field teams efficiently. That’s where field service management apps come in — revolutionizing the way companies handle service delivery, sales, and retail operations on the ground.

One such pioneer in this space is FieldEZ Technologies, a company offering a suite of innovative products — ServiceEZ, SalesEZ, and RetailEZ — tailored to transform field operations across industries. These solutions are designed to empower organizations with workflow automation, real-time visibility, and optimized task allocation.

What are Field Service Management Apps?

Field service management apps are mobile and web-based solutions that help businesses manage their off-site personnel and operations. These tools assist in automating job scheduling, dispatching, tracking field agents, managing inventory, generating reports, and more. By adopting a reliable field service management software, companies can ensure improved productivity, enhanced customer satisfaction, and cost-effective service delivery.

FieldEZ’s Suite of Field Service Management Apps:

FieldEZ offers a well-integrated suite of products — each catering to different business needs, yet built around the core goal of streamlining field operations.

1. ServiceEZ — ServiceEZ is built for businesses that offer on-site customer services, such as maintenance, repairs, or installations. This solution enables organizations to assign tasks, track technicians in real-time, collect service feedback, and manage billing, all from a single platform. With built-in workflow automation, ServiceEZ ensures that service teams are always in sync and operating at maximum efficiency.

2. SalesEZ — SalesEZ is designed to assist field sales teams by offering features like route planning, client meeting tracking, order management, and performance analytics. It transforms the traditional sales process by providing data-driven insights and empowering sales reps with real-time access to customer history and product details. With this field service management app, businesses can close deals faster and build stronger client relationships.

3. RetailEZ — RetailEZ focuses on streamlining retail execution and merchandising activities. Whether it’s managing shelf stock, tracking promotional campaigns, or conducting retail audits, RetailEZ offers smart tools to monitor field operations. The field service management software supports offline access, customizable workflows, and geo-tagging, making it an ideal fit for consumer goods and retail industries.

Key Benefits of Field Service Management Apps:

Implementing field service management apps like those offered by FieldEZ can drive significant improvements in operational efficiency:

Enhanced Productivity: Automates repetitive tasks and ensures field agents spend more time on value-adding activities.

Real-Time Visibility: Managers can track location, task progress, and performance metrics of field personnel in real-time.

Improved Customer Satisfaction: Faster service delivery, prompt updates, and error-free operations result in better customer experiences.

Data-Driven Decisions: Access to analytics and reports helps businesses identify gaps and optimize workflows.

Seamless Communication: With integrated messaging and notification systems, teams can stay connected on the go.

Workflow Automation: The Game-Changer

One of the standout features of modern field service management software is workflow automation. FieldEZ’s apps allow businesses to create customized workflows that automatically assign tasks, send reminders, generate invoices, and trigger alerts. This reduces manual errors, saves time, and ensures operational consistency across departments.

Final Thoughts:

As the demand for efficient field operations grows, businesses must embrace digital transformation tools to stay competitive. FieldEZ’s field service management apps — ServiceEZ, SalesEZ, and RetailEZ — offer comprehensive solutions tailored to industry-specific needs. With powerful features like real-time tracking, workflow automation, and seamless reporting, FieldEZ empowers organizations to elevate their service standards and achieve operational excellence.

Investing in the right field service management software is no longer optional — it’s a strategic move toward future-ready field operations.

#field service #field service management #field service software #management software #services #fieldez #apps

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coredgeblogs · 4 months ago

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The Pros and Cons of YouTube Automation: What You Need to Know

Hey there, fellow content enthusiasts!

YouTube has become an integral part of almost everyone’s lives. Out of the 5.17 billion social media users worldwide, 52% access YouTube. As per February 2025 statistics, globally, there are more than 2.7 billion monthly active users. Here, we are talking about the world of YouTube automation. Understanding the mechanics of automating a YouTube channel can be a game-changer, irrespective of whether you're a professional, a seasoned creator, or just starting.

Let's break it down together!

What is YouTube Automation?

YouTube automation isn't about bots or artificial intelligence running your channel; instead, it refers to outsourcing the production and management of YouTube videos. It comprises tools and software to streamline various aspects of managing a YouTube channel. In this model, a team is hired to handle various tasks such as video editing, scripting, voiceovers, and thumbnail creation while you oversee the process. As the owner of the channel, you play a project manager’s role, ensuring content is regularly created and uploaded. This allows you to scale your channel without doing all the heavy lifting yourself. This may range from scheduling the uploads and optimization of video SEO, creating videos using AI, and even generating content ideas.

The goal?

To increase efficiency, save time, and help your channel grow without burning out.

Benefits of YouTube Automation:

Time Efficiency

One of the biggest benefits of YouTube automation is the ability to save time instead of spending hours on scripting, recording, and editing videos. Imagine, that while you focus on creating stellar content, your assistant handles the nitty-gritty tasks. That's what automation offers! You free up valuable time to brainstorm and produce engaging videos by scheduling posts and managing uploads automatically.

Consistent Content Delivery

Consistency is the key to tasting success and it’s the same for YouTube as well. To keep the audience engaged and vying for more, automation ensures the content is published at optimal times. No more struggling to push the "publish" button!

Enhanced Analytics:

Automation tools, help in understanding the viewer’s behaviour and preferences by gaining access to in-depth analytics. These analytical approaches help in more strategic content planning.

Scalability

Looking to increase your channel's reach? With YouTube automation, scaling makes it much easier to manage multiple videos or even multiple channels, ensuring a stable flow of content without burning out. You're not limited by your individual capacity because you're outsourcing the work

Enhanced SEO:

To rank the videos higher in search results, tools like TubeBuddy and VidIQ assist in keyword research, tag suggestions, and thumbnail optimization.

Creativity without burnout:

By outsourcing the tasks your brainy space is free to explore creative ideas without the constant pressure of doing everything yourself. This helps reduce burnout, which is common for solo YouTubers juggling multiple roles.

Potential Drawbacks:

While the benefits sound wonderful it's necessary to weigh them against the challenges. Let's discuss the potential downside of YouTube automation.

1.Loss of Personal Touch

Personal touch may go for a toss due to automated responses and scheduled posts. Over-reliance on automation might alienate your audience because viewers recognize genuine interaction.

2. High upfront costs -Starting an automated YouTube channel attracts an upfront cost that would be required to pay for team members like script writers, video editors and voiceover artists plus there are costs for tools too, like stock.

3.Risk of Spammy Content

Automation may lead to monotonous or low-quality content without careful supervision, which YouTube's algorithms may flag as spam. So, quality control remains indispensable.

4.Policy Violations

Adherence to YouTube’s terms of service is necessary to continue the channel. Some automation practices may potentially lead to channel suspension because of the violation of YouTube's terms of service. It's essential to stay informed of the platform policies to avoid unintentional breaches.

5.Fierce Competition- With numerous content creators, YouTube is saturated and standing out is a daunting task. Your channel could struggle to gain traction without opting for a unique angle or strong strategy to compete against thousands of others because automated channels usually focus on popular niches.

Popular Automation Tools:

Ready to explore some tools that can streamline your YouTube journey? Here are a few favourites:

TubeBuddy

An important browser extension that offers tag suggestions, keyword research, and bulk processing features to augment your channel's performance. Having TubeBuddy is like having a YouTube SEO expert murmuring in your ear as you create and optimize your videos.

Jasper

An AI-powered tool helps in maintaining a stable flow of content that assists in generating engaging video scripts and topic ideas.

SocialPilot

Suitable for managing and scheduling content across various platforms, ensuring consistent posting that augments audience engagement.

VidLQ- Primarily many SEO automation tools focus on keyword research and optimization, but vidIQ is different. It improves SEO, competitor analysis, and audience insights.

Zapier: Workflows are automated between YouTube and other apps by Zapier, like posting notifications to social media.

AIStudios: Uses AI for content creation, audience engagement, video editing, and audience engagement.

For YouTube creators, productivity is increased by these tools by streamlining tasks like video editing, SEO management, and audience engagement.

Best Practices for Use:

Here are some best practices to keep in place to make the most out of YouTube automation.

Balance Automation with Personal Rendezvous: For routine tasks, use automation tools to save time and streamline processes but personal interaction with your subscribers or live audience is very much essential through comments and regular sessions.

Review Regularly Automated Content: Always, keep a tab on your scheduled automated posts to ensure they remain relevant, high-quality, and align with your channel's goals and values.

Stay Informed on Policies: To ensure your automation practices remain compliant, keep yourself regularly updated on YouTube's terms of service.

Tailored Responses: While using automated replies, maintain a human touch while communicating to avoid sounding robotic.

To enhance efficiency and growth in YouTube’s strategy, integrating automation can be a powerful way. However, it's crucial to maintain an equilibrium to keep the genuineness and personal connection that your audience cherishes.

Happy creating!

#sovereign ai #youtube #youtube automation #cloud computing

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