#outsource data extraction | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

mostlysignssomeportents · 8 months ago

Text

Cars bricked by bankrupt EV company will stay bricked

On OCTOBER 23 at 7PM, I'll be in DECATUR, presenting my novel THE BEZZLE at EAGLE EYE BOOKS.

There are few phrases in the modern lexicon more accursed than "software-based car," and yet, this is how the failed EV maker Fisker billed its products, which retailed for $40-70k in the few short years before the company collapsed, shut down its servers, and degraded all those "software-based cars":

https://insideevs.com/news/723669/fisker-inc-bankruptcy-chapter-11-official/

Fisker billed itself as a "capital light" manufacturer, meaning that it didn't particularly make anything – rather, it "designed" cars that other companies built, allowing Fisker to focus on "experience," which is where the "software-based car" comes in. Virtually every subsystem in a Fisker car needs (or rather, needed) to periodically connect with its servers, either for regular operations or diagnostics and repair, creating frequent problems with brakes, airbags, shifting, battery management, locking and unlocking the doors:

https://www.businessinsider.com/fisker-owners-worry-about-vehicles-working-bankruptcy-2024-4

Since Fisker's bankruptcy, people with even minor problems with their Fisker EVs have found themselves owning expensive, inert lumps of conflict minerals and auto-loan debt; as one Fisker owner described it, "It's literally a lawn ornament right now":

https://www.businessinsider.com/fisker-owners-describe-chaos-to-keep-cars-running-after-bankruptcy-2024-7

This is, in many ways, typical Internet-of-Shit nonsense, but it's compounded by Fisker's capital light, all-outsource model, which led to extremely unreliable vehicles that have been plagued by recalls. The bankrupt company has proposed that vehicle owners should have to pay cash for these recalls, in order to reserve the company's capital for its creditors – a plan that is clearly illegal:

https://www.veritaglobal.net/fisker/document/2411390241007000000000005

This isn't even the first time Fisker has done this! Ten years ago, founder Henrik Fisker started another EV company called Fisker Automotive, which went bankrupt in 2014, leaving the company's "Karma" (no, really) long-range EVs (which were unreliable and prone to bursting into flames) in limbo:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisker_Karma

Which raises the question: why did investors reward Fisker's initial incompetence by piling in for a second attempt? I think the answer lies in the very factor that has made Fisker's failure so hard on its customers: the "software-based car." Investors love the sound of a "software-based car" because they understand that a gadget that is connected to the cloud is ripe for rent-extraction, because with software comes a bundle of "IP rights" that let the company control its customers, critics and competitors:

https://locusmag.com/2020/09/cory-doctorow-ip/

A "software-based car" gets to mobilize the state to enforce its "IP," which allows it to force its customers to use authorized mechanics (who can, in turn, be price-gouged for licensing and diagnostic tools). "IP" can be used to shut down manufacturers of third party parts. "IP" allows manufacturers to revoke features that came with your car and charge you a monthly subscription fee for them. All sorts of features can be sold as downloadable content, and clawed back when title to the car changes hands, so that the new owners have to buy them again. "Software based cars" are easier to repo, making them perfect for the subprime auto-lending industry. And of course, "software-based cars" can gather much more surveillance data on drivers, which can be sold to sleazy, unregulated data-brokers:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/24/rent-to-pwn/#kitt-is-a-demon

Unsurprisingly, there's a large number of Fisker cars that never sold, which the bankruptcy estate is seeking a buyer for. For a minute there, it looked like they'd found one: American Lease, which was looking to acquire the deadstock Fiskers for use as leased fleet cars. But now that deal seems dead, because no one can figure out how to restart Fisker's servers, and these vehicles are bricks without server access:

https://techcrunch.com/2024/10/08/fisker-bankruptcy-hits-major-speed-bump-as-fleet-sale-is-now-in-question/

It's hard to say why the company's servers are so intransigent, but there's a clue in the chaotic way that the company wound down its affairs. The company's final days sound like a scene from the last days of the German Democratic Republic, with apparats from the failing state charging about in chaos, without any plans for keeping things running:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/03/07/east-germany-stasi-surveillance-documents/

As it imploded, Fisker cycled through a string of Chief Financial officers, losing track of millions of dollars at a time:

https://techcrunch.com/2024/05/31/fisker-collapse-investigation-ev-ocean-suv-henrik-geeta/

When Fisker's landlord regained possession of its HQ, they found "complete disarray," including improperly stored drums of toxic waste:

https://techcrunch.com/2024/10/05/fiskers-hq-abandoned-in-complete-disarray-with-apparent-hazardous-waste-clay-models-left-behind/

And while Fisker's implosion is particularly messy, the fact that it landed in bankruptcy is entirely unexceptional. Most businesses fail (eventually) and most startups fail (quickly). Despite this, businesses – even those in heavily regulated sectors like automotive regulation – are allowed to design products and undertake operations that are not designed to outlast the (likely short-lived) company.

After the 2008 crisis and the collapse of financial institutions like Lehman Brothers, finance regulators acquired a renewed interest in succession planning. Lehman consisted of over 6,000 separate corporate entities, each one representing a bid to evade regulation and/or taxation. Unwinding that complex hairball took years, during which the entities that entrusted Lehman with their funds – pensions, charitable institutions, etc – were unable to access their money.

To avoid repeats of this catastrophe, regulators began to insist that banks produce "living wills" – plans for unwinding their affairs in the event of catastrophe. They had to undertake "stress tests" that simulated a wind-down as planned, both to make sure the plan worked and to estimate how long it would take to execute. Then banks were required to set aside sufficient capital to keep the lights on while the plan ran on.

This regulation has been indifferently enforced. Banks spent the intervening years insisting that they are capable of prudently self-regulating without all this interference, something they continue to insist upon even after the Silicon Valley Bank collapse:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/03/15/mon-dieu-les-guillotines/#ceci-nes-pas-une-bailout

The fact that the rules haven't been enforced tells us nothing about whether the rules would work if they were enforced. A string of high-profile bankruptcies of companies who had no succession plans and whose collapse stands to materially harm large numbers of people tells us that something has to be done about this.

Take 23andme, the creepy genomics company that enticed millions of people into sending them their genetic material (even if you aren't a 23andme customer, they probably have most of your genome, thanks to relatives who sent in cheek-swabs). 23andme is now bankrupt, and its bankruptcy estate is shopping for a buyer who'd like to commercially exploit all that juicy genetic data, even if that is to the detriment of the people it came from. What's more, the bankruptcy estate is refusing to destroy samples from people who want to opt out of this future sale:

https://bourniquelaw.com/2024/10/09/data-23-and-me/

On a smaller scale, there's Juicebox, a company that makes EV chargers, who are exiting the North American market and shutting down their servers, killing the advanced functionality that customers paid extra for when they chose a Juicebox product:

https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/2/24260316/juicebox-ev-chargers-enel-x-way-closing-discontinued-app

I actually owned a Juicebox, which ultimately caught fire and melted down, either due to a manufacturing defect or to the criminal ineptitude of Treeium, the worst solar installers in Southern California (or both):

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/27/here-comes-the-sun-king/#sign-here

Projects like Juice Rescue are trying to reverse-engineer the Juicebox server infrastructure and build an alternative:

https://juice-rescue.org/

This would be much simpler if Juicebox's manufacturer, Enel X Way, had been required to file a living will that explained how its customers would go on enjoying their property when and if the company discontinued support, exited the market, or went bankrupt.

That might be a big lift for every little tech startup (though it would be superior than trying to get justice after the company fails). But in regulated sectors like automotive manufacture or genomic analysis, a regulation that says, "Either design your products and services to fail safely, or escrow enough cash to keep the lights on for the duration of an orderly wind-down in the event that you shut down" would be perfectly reasonable. Companies could make "software based cars" but the more "software based" the car was, the more funds they'd have to escrow to transition their servers when they shut down (and the lest capital they'd have to build the car).

Such a rule should be in addition to more muscular rules simply banning the most abusive practices, like the Oregon state Right to Repair bill, which bans the "parts pairing" that makes repairing a Fisker car so onerous:

https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/27/24097042/right-to-repair-law-oregon-sb1596-parts-pairing-tina-kotek-signed

Or the Illinois state biometric privacy law, which strictly limits the use of the kind of genomic data that 23andme collected:

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=3004

Failing to take action on these abusive practices is dangerous – and not just to the people who get burned by them. Every time a genomics research project turns into a privacy nightmare, that salts the earth for future medical research, making it much harder to conduct population-scale research, which can be carried out in privacy-preserving ways, and which pays huge scientific dividends that we all benefit from:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/01/the-palantir-will-see-you-now/#public-private-partnership

Just as Fisker's outrageous ripoff will make life harder for good cleantech companies:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/26/unplanned-obsolescence/#better-micetraps

If people are convinced that new, climate-friendly tech is a cesspool of grift and extraction, it will punish those firms that are making routine, breathtaking, exciting (and extremely vital) breakthroughs:

https://www.euronews.com/green/2024/10/08/norways-national-football-stadium-has-the-worlds-largest-vertical-solar-roof-how-does-it-w

Tor Books as just published two new, free LITTLE BROTHER stories: VIGILANT, about creepy surveillance in distance education; and SPILL, about oil pipelines and indigenous landback.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/10/10/software-based-car/#based

#pluralistic #enshittification #evs #automotive #bricked #fisker #ocean #cleantech #iot #internet of shit #autoenshittification

577 notes · View notes

generic-sonic-fan · 2 years ago

Text

Transcendence

Summary: The Chaos Emeralds grant power to those with the will for them.

Seek all seven, and your conviction can reshape reality.

Word count: 4257

Metal Sonic remembers the first time he touched an Emerald.

(When he finally starts winning, of course. Or, at the very least, not losing. When his body is finally fast enough to obey his will, fast enough to steal the gemstone from where it lays before an organic hand can reach it instead.)

Metal Sonic remembers how it thrummed against his palm plating.

(He should feel nothing. Dr. Ivo Robotnik, as referred to on days he succeeded, or Master, as referred to everytime else, had removed his tactile sensors in a bid to shave more weight off his frame. What need is there to be precise when the aim is to kill and one’s entire self is the knife?)

Metal Sonic remembers the surge of energy. Emergency insulation systems had snapped into place, redirecting the chaos away from his processor and back into his chest turbine.

(Metal Sonic remembers a whisper.)

(A tugging from the deepest recesses of his processor.)

(But the connection is severed before it can form, discharged out the hole where his heart should be, just like every other burning spark he might contain.)

—

There is a first time that he witnesses Chaos Control. Shadow disappears from the battlefield and into a realm of perception beyond that which scanners can penetrate. There is no time to react, for an ordinary Badnik. The Egg Pawns are trapped in the span between milliseconds.

But Metal Sonic feels something. Behind. Above. In that span between milliseconds, he rotates around to face it.

But his body betrays him. He is not fast enough. Shadow’s downward kick sends him tumbling onto the rocks below.

—

“Now that’s a curious development,” his master says upon reviewing the memory file. “How’d you know he’d be there?”

Metal Sonic knows better than to reply to the rhetorical musings of a genius at work.

“You don’t have the sensors for it.”

Not anymore. Those were removed three defeats ago, outsourced to a handheld scanning unit that could be discarded upon entering battle. The modification had shaved off three whole pounds.

“Some sort of new tactical positioning calculation you came up with? Or a mere lucky guess?”

A guess, Metal Sonic replies over the data cable.

“Correct answer. Your operating data doesn’t show any particularly useful thinking on your part.” His master smiles.

His master’s foreign program retreats from his memory banks. The extraction drags its pointed barbs against the other segments of his operating system. Metal Sonic stays very, very still. The data cable is pulled without warning, taking a few lines of him with it, but it is easier to stitch over the tear himself once his master leaves the room than to mention the damage.

—

Metal Sonic remembers the first time he saw him use it.

His body has failed yet again. Sonic’s hand brushes the glassy cyan surface, and before Metal Sonic can lunge, there is a flash, and he is gone.

Behind. Below. At the bottom of the temple stairs Sonic stands and smiles.

“Pretty neat trick, huh? Shadow passed it along.”

Metal Sonic redirects all power to his turbine system. He shoots forward and his claw scrapes Sonic’s tan cheek before it disappears. Above, to the right. This time he doesn’t try to face the source. He maintains his trajectory and Sonic reappears to kick nothing but empty air.

“Okay, maybe it’s not that neat of a trick.” Sonic is still grinning. “But it’s one you can’t do.”

Metal Sonic swerves his head around faster than his programmed tolerances should have allowed him. But his wretched organic copy has unwittingly spoken the key. Other core directives fall away, leaving his consciousness with a single command. Maintain superiority. Remind the rodent of his match.

Metal Sonic activates his reverser and in the span between milliseconds he is flung backwards with enough g-forces to pop a few soldered connections from his motherboard. His body bludgeons into Sonic, knocking the Emerald from his grasp. It tumbles across the uneven yellow bricks of the temple, as they do. Sonic hits the floor first. His shoulder digs into a outcrop in the brick, but Metal Sonic does not linger long enough to hear a cry spill out. He jumps off and scrabbles across the floor, claws reaching for cyan.

It’s calling him. Ahead. Ahead.

He brings it into his palm and it thrums.

(This time it offers warmth. Warmth, like that of flesh and blood pressed against his plating. Ghosts of Amy’s touch where he’d held her as he’d carried her on Little Planet. Touches that had been erased from his files upon the removal of his tactile sensors.)

And the energy beckons.

(A whisper.)

But the surge protection activates, and insulation is slammed onto the wires running up his spinal column. The energy is expunged out the back of his turbine like it always has and not for the first time does Metal Sonic wish to rip his plating off to reshape himself. He chooses instead to use the burning for what little use it gives and takes off, shattering a hole through the brick wall of the temple.

He does not realize what he’s left behind until another shockwave joins his own from the ground. The rest of him wakes from its dream. Targeting protocols, force calculations, and kill simulations slam back into his awareness.

He’d turned his back on Sonic instead of killing him. But where he expects to find disgust at the concept, he merely finds the thrum of the Emerald, fainter now but still registerable to his non-existent sensors.

He abruptly changes course for the coastline and is able to lose Sonic amongst the waves.

—

“A success! A good long while since we’ve had one of those from you, isn’t it?”

Metal Sonic places the Emerald into Dr. Ivo Robotnik’s waiting palm. The man’s mustache twitches as he studies the crystal. His eyes do not dart about the many multitudes of reflections behind the glass. His hand does not shift around the surface in time with its pulse. He places it into a holding container.

“Well done. I’ve tracked Prower’s plane to a small soiree back on the mainland. Where there’s the fox, there’s him. I’ll allow you a free fight for once.”

Metal Sonic points to the Emerald.

“What?” Dr. Ivo Robotnik’s brows narrow.

He lowers his hand.

“I’m not going to let you hand Sonic back the Emerald when you inevitably lose.”

He shakes his head.

“No. Now go fulfill your function.” Dr. Ivo Robotnik grabs his shoulder and pushes him to the door. “I’ll be waiting to receive your distress signal.”

—

The biplane designated as The Tornado had been modified to utilize an Emerald when one was available to achieve supersonic speeds. And here, in this tiny municipal airport, unguarded in a hangar with only a feeble padlock on the door, is the plane. Metal Sonic grabs the padlock and pulls until the metal is twisted and useless.

His processor continues to tick upwards in framerate. His targeting protocols jump at shadows and his logic processing suggests a trap. Even as his cameras adjust to the light of the interior, he is still in the dark; he doesn’t have a scanning unit with him. He is throwing away an opportunity for an ambush and defying the mission commands on a “guess”. If he withdraws now, there will still be time to plan the encounter and explain the deviation in his flight path.

Metal Sonic crosses the concrete floor until his claws hover just above the red skin of the plane. He recalls the file where he’s attempted to codify the sensation given by the Emeralds into readable bits of data, but the clusters of numbers are hardly more than gibberish. There is no special calculation to generate more, no secret scanner setting to employ; nothing in the memory files to review, as his master so astutely observed.

The plane waits before him.

He tears open the engine compartment and yellow light floods the hangar. The tips of his claws scratch the crystalline surface-

(-and he hears music. Not being played from a speaker driver, but as if all the air itself is being plucked like a string, the sound too big to be contained in such a space. Echoes reflecting, twisting, turning off the roof and floor and spilling into the spaces between the boards of his central processing unit.)

(As if he is singing.)

-before alarms ring out. Metal Sonic snatches the Emerald from its casing. The song dies as the surge protection clamps down on his body. He bursts from the hangar and dives into the surrounding forests, weaving through trees until he hits the edge of land. On the beach behind, another trail of sand is kicked up before his own has a chance to settle, but its creator is forced to stop short of the water line.

Metal Sonic can’t allow himself to look behind until he reaches the base on a distant shoreline. He cuts his turbine, ending the brilliant ejecta behind him, and falls. His feet hit just short of the landing pad and impact the soil between superstructures. It is here that he whispers to the Emerald, some voiceless combination of coaxing and pleading, but there is nothing in response except the hot fire building in his chassis. The Emerald pulses weakly. Its warmth caresses his neck but can travel no further.

He presses the Emerald against his forehead.

(He presses the Emerald against his forehead.)

And he feels the dirt beneath his feet (coarse, powdery) and the wind against his skin (smooth, cooling) and the sun on his face (warm, radiating across his cheeks) and the music spills forth, softly bowed strings beneath the whistles of birds. He smells flowers (he shouldn’t) and tastes honey (he can’t) and there is nothing to analyze, nothing to calculate. His processor is still.

(All is well. He can understand this now.)

—

He reappears in his master’s workshop and clatters to the ground. He is assaulted with every variant of error warning that his diagnostic programs can bludgeon him with, but the codes slip past his awareness like the smoke billowing between his fingers.

—

“A chaos control.”

Metal Sonic awakens.

“You know, I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t checked the cameras.”

It hits him again. The weight. The analysis and calculations and scanning, scanning, scanning; no instances of Sonic the Hedgehog found, but that readout is not enough to calm the chorus. It all comes back and it’s all he can do to steel himself enough to keep processing his master’s words.

“Still- what brought that on? Did you even know it would work?”

His master’s program prods him through the data cable. Yes, he responds.

(There’s no data to support this conclusion.)

“. . . do you think you can do it again?”

Yes, he affirms.

Dr. Ivo Robotnik laughs, and laughs, and laughs, claps his hands together, and smiles. The workshop becomes a flurry of movement and somewhere in the carnage Metal Sonic’s head plating is unscrewed and tools jammed inside. He offlines himself to prevent any program corruption during modification.

—

He awakens again and it’s three days later. There’s an Emerald on the counter ahead of him and Dr. Ivo Robotnik waits behind a wall of thick glass. Metal Sonic stands. Checks his diagnostics. Surge protection has been removed.

He grabs the Emerald and it burns. Liquid hot fire spills overs his head and flames lick at the corners of his visual sensors. Where is the cool breeze? Why does this hurt? Why does-?

—

He should have expected this. The Emerald is nothing more than a new master. When he wakes and the gem lies in front of him, he bows his head. He grasps the crystalline surface and allows it to consume him. Change me, use me, he begs, and if it responds he hears nothing of it besides the scream of overloaded wiring and the dripping of melted insulation.

—

“I expected results.”

Metal Sonic sits on the table and stares at his original master’s feet.

“You are wasting my time. My valuable time, spent repairing a malfunctioning robot!”

He is slapped across the faceplate by a glove thick enough for the perpetrator to feel as much as he does, an equal amount of nothing. More words. The repairs have grown haphazard and his audio fizzes as his left audial sensor quits completely.

“One last chance. One, last, chance! Then we’re done with this silly little venture, and you’ll be taking a long vacation in storage until I can come up with a way to make you useful again.”

His master steps aside, revealing the taunting yellow glow emanating from the pedestal. The light from Metal Sonic’s own irises is refracted amongst the hundreds of edges within. He slides off the table. He walks, forward, enough for the glow to bathe his surface. He listens, not with his audial sensors. The hum is faint, but-

His master shuffles his shoes against the floor and coughs. Metal Sonic pictures snapping to him, clenching his throat shut, silence, silence, before he realizes what he’s done. Reprimand programs slam red over his vision; he disguises the shudder with another step forward. He can’t cling to the fleeting image as it’s erased, can’t create it again.

He looks at the Emerald.

He pictures his claw crushing it, shattering it into a thousand shards. No reprimand touches this vision.

He snatches the Emerald from the counter. The surge scorches its way through his arm and up his torso and when it reaches his head he clenches the crystalline surface harder.

(And he envisions it, envisions its demise, in the span between milliseconds, he takes it through every variation of shattering, the shards painting trajectories of shards across the workshop floor. It burns-)

(And he burns back.)

Like a whip he snaps his own willpower to the space ahead.

(A chord soars out of the Emerald, clean and crisp and clear in both audial sensors.)

A bright flash.

(He is floating. A bright light is behind him, but he cannot turn his head to face it. Something caresses his faceplate. It is the same area that his master had struck. This touch is. . . soft.)

And he is dropped. He lands on both feet on the other side of the pedestal, but diagnostics show that he has not fired his turbine to achieve this effect.

The Emerald pulses in his hand. Its burning creeps back up his neck, but a quick lash of his will cools the temperature to a level where he can process again.

“Well, well! Seems you finally had it in you!”

Dr. Ivo Robotnik strolls over. He reaches down and his glove brushes against Metal Sonic’s shoulder before he recoils.

“Hot! Hot! Good grief, how could you possibly be withstanding those operating temperatures?!”

Metal Sonic turns to the man. He locks his irises with the whites of his eyes.

“Well? Are you going to give me a diagnostic report? We need more data before I let you use this in combat with Sonic, you know.”

Metal Sonic teleports over to the computer and begins typing up his report.

—

“Bringing that, for me? What, you have a change of heart or something?” Sonic flicks his nose and grins.

Metal Sonic does not imitate his taunt. He doesn’t need to, not anymore. He clutches the Emerald tighter. Instead of wind blowing through trees, or useless lesser organics chirping and singing in their futility, there is only music.

(And he is humming along.)

Sonic charges.

(A crescendo.)

And Metal Sonic appears behind him, swinging a kick that connects to the side of his head. The inferior hedgehog flies into the cliff face. A rock breaks open, bathing his frame in a red glow.

(Like sunlight warming the surface of the water, this revealed Emerald offers him. Soft, like red sand between your toes.)

He focuses his intention and appears beside the red Emerald, plucking it from the shattered rocks. Sonic lies on the ground ten feet away. Vulnerable.

(playing dead, a whisper offers where his own processing cannot. Exploiting gullibility. Trained reaction. Disengage.)

Protocols scream against the action, but a quick burst of Chaos energy dulls their roar as Metal Sonic uses the power from both Emeralds to retreat.

—

“You marked Sonic was vulnerable there, didn’t you? Why did you not engage?” Dr. Ivo Robotnik points to the footage.

Metal Sonic cannot look to the screen- moving his head that far would unplug the cable feeding the very screen.

I’m not going to let you hand Sonic back the Emerald, he recalls the memory and projects it onto the screen.

“Yes, of course, and I’m certainly grateful for the extra Emerald. It’s simply. . .” The doctor puts his hand on his chin. “Simply that you’ve become better at long-term planning, that’s all.”

Metal Sonic finds the red Emerald on the pedestal across the room. It’s joined the other two. Four pedestals left. Dr. Ivo Robotnik unplugs the cable and Metal Sonic’s thoughts are his own once more.

“It was inevitable, of course! Eventually you would catch a clue- you’re my creation, after all. I’m grateful it was sooner rather than later.”

It was not your development, Metal Sonic thinks.

Dr Ivo Robotnik’s smile does not waver.

—

It’s difficult, having sensation. His fingertips buzz, searching for stimulation as if they possessed a separate processing unit from his own. It’s cold, within Dr. Ivo Robotnik’s metal walls and testing rooms. The air is dry, like a desert should be, or so the yellow Emerald tells him.

(It makes him cough, when he forgets that he does not have lungs.)

The white Emerald is buried under sixteen feet of snow in a glacier. When he retrieves it, he offers it a memory of the memory of sunlight, and it accepts not unlike a starving organic with a meal,

(mouth salivating, stench intoxicating, stomach throwing an odd equivalent of damage errors. Then a relief unlike any he’s ever felt before. For a moment, he is sated. Whole.)

The blue Emerald lies on the seafloor.

(It offers him darkness. True darkness of the visual spectrum, shedding the flickering of ultraviolet and the false hum of infrared. Scanning is impossible. In the one environment on the planet where Sonic cannot go, there is something called peace.)

(All is well, he understands again, until Dr. Ivo Robotnik requests a status report.)

—

He doesn’t need the handheld scanner to find the Emeralds any longer. Once Dr. Ivo Robotnik’s satellite scanners detect a positive, it is quick to search the hundred-mile radius. The prior three sang, their chords growing thunderous with his approach.

Something is different with this one. Something is wrong.

(Levity. He finds himself rising in altitude if he doesn’t focus on his flight path. The air is smooth across his skin, twirling around from his waist to his hips. Soft laughter.)

He has no skin. He cannot laugh. This is wrong. But the sensation of elation only increases as he follows his course. By the time he reaches the junkyard, he feels like he is glowing. Like his body is somehow part of him, not just a disobedient tool his consciousness inhabits. This cannot possibly be a sensation organics experience.

He stomps through the rusted metal plates and other refuse piled around him. He crushes glass underfoot, but he feels nothing.

(Incorrect. He is flying, but his turbine is not activated. The air continues to swish around his feet and over his skin in such an elegant way. Sing, it urges. You are brilliant.)

Metal Sonic grabs an I-beam from the hill of garbage ahead of him. His claws pierce through the metal as if it were just a flower petal, before he throws it to the side. The purple Emerald lies perfectly seated in a half-broken pipe.

He grabs his forearm as he did with the I-beam and holds it to the mocking gem.

(Is that who you are?)

Metal Sonic pauses.

(An identity, it suggests, is a distinction of one from another. It is something that is comfortable, something that does not prickle at your skin whenever heard.)

Metal lets go. The Emerald is lifted from the refuse. The robot turns the gemstone about.

Neo, the Emerald whispers.

(A woman’s voice is laughing. She is laughing so hard that she cannot catch her breath. Tears slip out of her eyes and run down her faceplate, dripping off her nose and onto her skirt. She holds the Emerald in her hands. She is laughing. She is crying.)

Neo looks up to the sky. She wipes away the memory of tears with her free hand, tucking the purple Emerald close to her chest.

—

The last Emerald lies in the possession of Shadow the Hedgehog, and it is against this opponent that Neo is not in any way restricted. Not so long ago she might have dismissed this small mercy as a trap, but now she is undeterred. She follows the scent of the green Emerald to a jungle thick with vines; through these vines cuts her target. He’s alone.

She grasps the purple Emerald tight against her palm but Shadow skids to a halt in a small gap in the foliage. He glares at the Emerald in his hand.

“Alright, I’m here,” he mouths. “Now what?”

Neo hums and teleports behind him. As his head turns over his shoulder, she yanks the Emerald from his grasp and sends all of the energy from his shock to her turbine, kick-starting her ignition. She sails skyward. Shadow the Hedgehog can do little more than hover above the treeline in her wake.

(This Emerald offers her the planet, glowing green and blue below the stillness of space Energy courses through her, both exhilarating and painful. Beside her is a person she trusts and above her is a purpose she for once identifies with.)

She accepts the memory with appropriate gratitude before pushing it to the back of her processor. She calculates the flight path back to the workshop and tears across the sky.

—

Neo brings the last two Emeralds to the room where the other five are held. She is holding her breath. Her feet are hardly her own. What she once called a chorus before was hardly a whisper compared to the cacophony of energy before her, caressing her, beckoning-

A hand clamps around her forearm.

“Not yet, my creation.” Dr. Ivo Robotnik purrs. “I’m still coming up with a suitable scheme.”

(Energy crackles in Neo’s shoulders, but she keeps it there.)

“If you go super, what do you think you could achieve?”

A question she doesn’t know the answer to.

“Now come on. To the table with you.” Dr. Robotnik releases his hold.

She sets down the Emeralds. She steps to the diagnostic table, but stops as her gaze drifts to the computer cable.

“Come on, up you go!” He smiles.

(Something has changed. Something has changed within her, something desperate and burning, and it is something that she cannot put out. The whites of his teeth flicker warnings in a language she could not translate to him.)

“Really? Malfunctioning now, after all this?” Her master sneers.

Neo pictures snapping to him, clenching his throat shut. Silence.

Just. . . silence. Not a single reprimand program blares within her processor. She refocuses her optics and Dr. Ivo Robotnik is merely standing there with his hands on his hips.

She turns around and picks up the purple and green Emeralds.

“Put those down!”

She walks forward to the pillars containing the rest of them.

(As they glow, so does she. She knows this now.)

“What are you-? emergency shutdown code - - - - - - -!”

She turns around. The plexiglass containers shatter behind her and the Emeralds lift from her palms.

“Override - - - -!” The man before her shouts. He then scrambles for the door.

(Heat. She burns brighter, brighter, brighter, scalding her plating and her processor, and everything else. Her optics fail first, followed by her audials. Her limbs lose power.)

(She gasps. Her lungs are on fire and her heart is racing. Each breath sucks in soothing cold air and she drinks it in.)

(Cool air swirls around her legs, except now it is more tangible. Her fingers travel to her thighs and find satin.)

(She)

(opens)

(her)

(eyes.)

She bursts through the roof of the base and shoots across the sky. She is a star in the night. The eyes of the world are on her. She sings.

—

She awakens in a field of green. The wind blows across her skin, cooling her from the heat of the sun. The air whistles through the grass and into her nose. The scent of flowers fills her. She exhales, and her breath tastes like honey.

She stands. Waits. But the sensations do not leave her. She scans the grass around her, but the Emeralds are nowhere to be found. The fire in her chest is gone.

“All is well,” she whispers, and thinks, thank you.

The last of their energy caresses her cheek, before disappearing in a mote of light.

She bunches the fabric of her skirt in her hands and makes her way to the treeline.

#metal sonic #trans girl metal sonic #sth #have a trans metal fic in these trying times! this one's very experimental. tell me how you like it.#tl;dr: the emeralds can trans your gender because I said so #tw dysphoria #tw body issues #(some nebulous self-talk resembling an eating disorder)#oh and #bad dad eggdad #like SERIOUS bad dad eggdad. like not-a-dad-at-all eggdad. sorry

100 notes · View notes

dataoutsourcingcompany · 11 days ago

Text

Unlocking Business Potential: The Transformative Power of Data Entry Services

In nowadays’s statistics-pushed international, corporations rely closely on accurate, organized, and reachable facts to make strategic decisions, streamline operations, and stay ahead of the competition. However, coping with sizeable quantities of information may be overwhelming, especially for businesses juggling multiple priorities. This is where professional data entry services come in, imparting a continuing answer to transform raw statistics into a treasured asset.

By outsourcing information entry, businesses can liberate performance, reduce errors, and awareness on their middle goals, paving the manner for sustainable boom. This blog delves into the transformative effect of statistics entry services, their blessings, and why they're a should-have for companies aiming to thrive in a aggressive panorama.

What Are Data Entry Services?

Data data services encompass the method of amassing, inputting, organizing, and managing statistics into virtual structures, which include databases, spreadsheets, or specialized software. These services cover a variety of tasks, such as:

Data Entry: Inputting facts from physical files, paperwork, or virtual resources into structured formats.

Data Cleansing: Correcting mistakes, eliminating duplicates, and standardizing records for consistency.

Data Conversion: Transforming statistics from one format to any other, such as from paper information to digital files or PDFs to Excel.

Data Extraction: Retrieving unique facts from unstructured resources like web sites, reports, or pix.

Data Validation: Verifying facts accuracy to make certain reliability and usability.

Delivered via professional professionals or specialised businesses, these offerings leverage superior gear like optical character popularity (OCR), automation software program, and cloud-based structures to make certain precision, velocity, and security. Tailored to meet the unique needs of organizations, data entry services are a cornerstone of efficient records control.

Why Data Entry Services Are Essential

Data is the lifeblood of current businesses, driving the whole thing from consumer insights to operational performance. However, handling statistics manually can result in mistakes, inefficiencies, and overlooked possibilities. Here’s why professional statistics access services are necessary:

Unmatched Accuracy Manual statistics access is liable to errors like typos, missing entries, or incorrect formatting, which can cause highly-priced errors. Professional facts access services integrate human information with automated gear to deliver mistakes-loose effects, ensuring your facts is dependable and actionable.

Time and Resource Savings Data access is a time-consuming mission which can divert cognizance from strategic priorities. By outsourcing, agencies free up their groups to concentrate on high-fee activities like innovation, advertising and marketing, or purchaser engagement, boosting typical productivity.

Cost Efficiency Hiring in-residence workforce or making an investment in superior data control equipment can strain budgets, mainly for small and medium-sized companies. Outsourcing data entry eliminates these fees, offering a fee-powerful answer with out compromising great.

Enhanced Data Security With cyber threats on the upward push, protecting sensitive information is essential. Reputable statistics entry providers put into effect sturdy safety features, including encryption, steady servers, and strict access controls, to safeguard your facts.

Scalability for Growth Businesses frequently face fluctuating data needs, consisting of at some stage in product launches or seasonal peaks. Professional information entry services offer the power to scale operations up or down, ensuring performance without useless costs.

Industries Benefiting from Data Entry Services

Data entry services are versatile, delivering value across a wide range of industries:

E-commerce: Streamlining product catalogs, pricing updates, and order processing for seamless online operations.

Healthcare: Digitizing patient records, managing billing, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.

Finance: Handling invoices, transaction records, and financial reports with precision.

Logistics: Tracking shipments, managing inventory, and optimizing supply chain data.

Retail: Maintaining customer databases, loyalty programs, and sales analytics for personalized experiences.

Real Estate: Organizing property listings, contracts, and client data for efficient transactions.

By addressing industry-specific challenges, data entry services empower businesses to operate more effectively and stay competitive.

Visualizing the Transformation

Picture a business buried under piles of paper documents, struggling with inconsistent data and frustrated employees. Now, imagine a streamlined digital ecosystem where data is organized, accurate, and instantly accessible. This is the transformative power of professional data entry services.

By converting chaotic data into structured insights, these services enable businesses to:

Make informed decisions based on reliable data.

Enhance customer satisfaction with accurate and timely information.

Streamline workflows by eliminating manual errors and bottlenecks.

Maintain compliance with industry regulations through secure data handling.

The result is a clear, organized, and efficient operation that drives growth and success.

How to Choose the Right Data Entry Partner

Selecting the right data entry service provider is key to maximizing benefits. Consider these factors when making your choice:

Industry Experience: Choose a provider with a proven track record in your sector for relevant expertise.

Quality Control: Ensure the provider has robust processes for error-checking and data validation.

Security Measures: Verify compliance with data protection standards, including encryption and secure access.

Scalability: Opt for a provider that can adapt to your changing needs, from small projects to large-scale operations.

Transparent Pricing: Look for cost-effective solutions with clear pricing and no hidden fees.

Customer Support: Select a provider with responsive support to address concerns promptly.

Conclusion

Professional data entry services are more than just a support function—they are a strategic tool for unlocking business potential. By ensuring accuracy, saving time, and enhancing security, these services empower businesses to focus on innovation and growth. From small startups to large enterprises, outsourcing data entry provides the flexibility, expertise, and efficiency needed to thrive in a competitive landscape.

If you’re ready to transform your data management and streamline your operations, partnering with a professional data entry provider is the way forward. Embrace the power of organized data and watch your business soar to new heights in today’s data-driven world.

#dataentrycompany #dataentryservices #saivionindia

0 notes

xettle-technologies · 1 month ago

Text

How can startups implement a cost-effective KYC solution?

For startups navigating the fast-paced world of business, balancing compliance with cost efficiency is a constant challenge. One crucial area where this balance becomes vital is in the implementation of Know Your Customer (KYC) and identity verification processes. As regulations tighten and digital transactions become the norm, startups must find ways to meet KYC requirements without draining their resources.

So, how can startups implement a cost-effective KYC solution while maintaining accuracy, security, and regulatory compliance?

Understanding the Basics: What Is KYC?

KYC, or Know Your Customer, is a mandatory process that businesses use to verify the identity of clients before or during a transaction or partnership. It involves collecting and validating personal information such as a user’s name, government-issued ID, address, and sometimes biometric data.

KYC and identity verification are critical in preventing financial fraud, money laundering, and identity theft. For startups, especially those in finance, e-commerce, or digital services, a functional KYC framework isn’t just a legal requirement—it’s a foundation for trust and long-term success.

The Challenge for Startups

Startups often face tight budgets, lean teams, and the need to scale quickly. Traditional KYC methods—manual verification, in-person documentation, and lengthy onboarding procedures—are slow, expensive, and error-prone. These legacy systems are not practical for a startup environment where speed and efficiency are crucial.

To stay competitive, startups need smart, scalable, and affordable ways to verify customer identities without sacrificing compliance or customer experience.

Key Strategies for Implementing a Cost-Effective KYC Solution

1. Leverage Digital KYC Tools

One of the most efficient ways for startups to cut costs is by adopting digital KYC and identity verification tools. These tools automate the verification process, reducing the need for manual labor and minimizing human error.

Cloud-based KYC platforms offer flexible pricing models—often pay-as-you-go or usage-based—that allow startups to pay only for what they use. This scalability is perfect for growing businesses that need to onboard users gradually.

2. Choose Modular and API-Driven Solutions

Instead of investing in an expensive, end-to-end compliance suite, startups can opt for modular KYC tools that allow them to build customized solutions. API-driven KYC services let startups integrate identity verification directly into their platforms or apps.

By choosing only the features they need—such as document verification, facial recognition, or watchlist screening—startups avoid paying for unnecessary functionality. This modular approach ensures efficiency without compromising compliance.

3. Automate Where Possible

Automation can drastically reduce the cost and time involved in KYC. For example, using AI-powered optical character recognition (OCR) can automatically extract data from ID documents, while facial recognition can match a user’s selfie with their photo ID in real time.

Automating these steps removes the need for large verification teams and shortens customer onboarding time, resulting in better user satisfaction and lower operational expenses.

4. Adopt Risk-Based KYC Approaches

Not all customers pose the same level of risk. A cost-effective KYC solution for startups involves using a risk-based approach—applying different levels of scrutiny depending on the risk profile of the customer.

Low-risk users may only need basic document verification, while high-risk clients might undergo enhanced due diligence. By tailoring the verification process based on risk, startups can optimize resources and reduce overhead costs.

5. Outsource When Necessary

Building a KYC infrastructure from scratch is resource-intensive. Many startups choose to outsource their KYC and identity verification processes to specialized third-party providers. This outsourcing can significantly lower initial setup costs and provide access to expert tools and regulatory updates without maintaining an in-house compliance team.

However, it’s essential to choose a reputable partner that complies with data protection regulations and offers secure and customizable services.

6. Monitor and Update Regularly

KYC isn’t a one-time task. Ongoing monitoring and periodic re-verification are essential, especially as regulations evolve. Startups should invest in tools that support continuous monitoring of user behavior and real-time alerts for suspicious activity.

Regular updates to the KYC process ensure the startup remains compliant, avoids penalties, and adapts to changing risks without major overhauls or expenses.

A Practical Example

Let’s imagine how a company like Xettle Technologies—a startup in the tech space—could implement a cost-effective KYC solution. Instead of building its own verification system, Xettle Technologies might integrate an API-based KYC provider offering facial recognition and document scanning. By selecting a pay-as-you-go pricing plan and automating the verification process, the company reduces manual workload and speeds up user onboarding.

Additionally, by classifying users based on transaction value or location, Xettle Technologies applies enhanced checks only where necessary, ensuring compliance without bloated costs.

Conclusion

Implementing a cost-effective KYC and identity verification system is not only possible for startups—it’s a strategic move that supports growth and builds trust. By embracing automation, leveraging digital tools, and tailoring verification processes to customer risk levels, startups can remain compliant while saving time and money.

The key lies in starting small, staying flexible, and scaling KYC systems as the business evolves. In today’s digital economy, a smart and lean approach to KYC isn’t just an option—it’s a necessity for startup success.

#kyc #kyc verification #fintech software

0 notes

uniquesdata · 6 months ago

Text

Benefits of Outsourcing Web Data Extraction Services

Data extraction services for businesses play a crucial role in gathering accurate data that can be used for multiple purposes to gain insights. Outsourcing web data extraction services by Uniquesdata can enhance the results of business analysis.

#data extraction services #data extraction company #web data extraction services #data extraction services india #data extraction companies #outsource data extraction #outsource data extraction services

2 notes · View notes

outsourcebigdata · 1 year ago

Text

Best data extraction services in USA

In today's fiercely competitive business landscape, the strategic selection of a web data extraction services provider becomes crucial. Outsource Bigdata stands out by offering access to high-quality data through a meticulously crafted automated, AI-augmented process designed to extract valuable insights from websites. Our team ensures data precision and reliability, facilitating decision-making processes.

For more details, visit: https://outsourcebigdata.com/data-automation/web-scraping-services/web-data-extraction-services/.

About AIMLEAP

Outsource Bigdata is a division of Aimleap. AIMLEAP is an ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certified global technology consulting and service provider offering AI-augmented Data Solutions, Data Engineering, Automation, IT Services, and Digital Marketing Services. AIMLEAP has been recognized as a ‘Great Place to Work®’.

With a special focus on AI and automation, we built quite a few AI & ML solutions, AI-driven web scraping solutions, AI-data Labeling, AI-Data-Hub, and Self-serving BI solutions. We started in 2012 and successfully delivered IT & digital transformation projects, automation-driven data solutions, on-demand data, and digital marketing for more than 750 fast-growing companies in the USA, Europe, New Zealand, Australia, Canada; and more. 

-An ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certified  -Served 750+ customers  -11+ Years of industry experience  -98% client retention  -Great Place to Work® certified  -Global delivery centers in the USA, Canada, India & Australia 

Our Data Solutions

APISCRAPY: AI driven web scraping & workflow automation platform APISCRAPY is an AI driven web scraping and automation platform that converts any web data into ready-to-use data. The platform is capable to extract data from websites, process data, automate workflows, classify data and integrate ready to consume data into database or deliver data in any desired format. 

AI-Labeler: AI augmented annotation & labeling solution AI-Labeler is an AI augmented data annotation platform that combines the power of artificial intelligence with in-person involvement to label, annotate and classify data, and allowing faster development of robust and accurate models.

AI-Data-Hub: On-demand data for building AI products & services On-demand AI data hub for curated data, pre-annotated data, pre-classified data, and allowing enterprises to obtain easily and efficiently, and exploit high-quality data for training and developing AI models.

PRICESCRAPY: AI enabled real-time pricing solution An AI and automation driven price solution that provides real time price monitoring, pricing analytics, and dynamic pricing for companies across the world. 

APIKART: AI driven data API solution hub  APIKART is a data API hub that allows businesses and developers to access and integrate large volume of data from various sources through APIs. It is a data solution hub for accessing data through APIs, allowing companies to leverage data, and integrate APIs into their systems and applications. 

Locations: USA: 1-30235 14656  Canada: +1 4378 370 063  India: +91 810 527 1615  Australia: +61 402 576 615 Email: [email protected]

#data extraction services #web crawling services

2 notes · View notes

dataplatr-1 · 2 months ago

Text

How Do Managed Data Analytics Services Drive Business Performance?

Data analytics managed services go beyond simple reporting. They deliver predictive capabilities, advanced data modeling, and customized dashboards that align with your unique business goals. With Dataplatr as your analytics partner, you get scalable solutions that adapt to your growth, mitigate risk, and achieve hidden opportunities.

What Are Managed Data Analytics Services?

Managed data analytics services refer to outsourced solutions where experts handle data collection, processing, visualization, and insight generation. With platforms like Dataplatr, businesses gain access to advanced analytics tools and expert support without the need for building internal infrastructure.

How Do Data & Analytics Managed Services Improve Decision-Making?

With data & analytics managed services, companies receive real-time, accurate, and actionable insights. These insights drive strategic decisions by identifying trends, customer behaviors, and performance gaps also enabling smarter, faster responses across departments.

Why Should Businesses Choose Managed Analytics Services?

Managed analytics services provide a cost-effective way to scale analytics capabilities. From automated dashboards to predictive analytics, businesses can focus on outcomes while the experts at Dataplatr manage the backend processes, tools, and governance.

Benefits of Data & Analytics Managed Services

Partnering with a provider like Dataplatr for data & analytics managed services offers numerous advantages:

1. Cloud Native Architecture - Managed services use scalable platforms like Snowflake and Google Cloud to ensure high-performance data storage and compute on demand.

2. Advanced Automation - Data is extracted, transformed, and loaded using tools like dbt and Airflow, enabling real-time pipeline orchestration and minimal downtime.

3. Data Integration - Connects and synchronizes data from CRMs, ERPs, APIs, and flat files into a single source of truth for seamless analytics and reporting.

4. Data Quality & Validation Frameworks - Built-in rules, automated checks, and error-logging mechanisms ensure only accurate, clean, and usable data enters analytics environments.

5. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) - Implements security and compliance through user-specific permissions, audit trails, and encryption across data assets.

6. Real-Time Dashboards & Alerts - Visual dashboards update in real-time using tools like Power BI and Looker, with built-in alerting for KPI deviations and anomalies.

7. Predictive & Prescriptive Analytics - Uses statistical models and machine learning algorithms to forecast trends, optimize decisions, and reduce business risks.

How Dataplatr Transforms Data into Business Value

Dataplatr has successfully delivered managed data analytics solutions to enterprises across industries. For instance, a retail client used our services to integrate multi-source data, resulting in a 20% increase in customer retention through smarter engagement strategies powered by real-time insights.

0 notes

zoeticbposervicesopcpvtltd · 2 months ago

Text

Data Mining Process: A Smart Strategy by Zoetic BPO Services

Business analytics through data mining emerges as a fundamental support for extracting knowledge from enormous information resources in the modern data-collection society. Zoetic BPO Services recognizes essential value creation from raw data through business intelligence development. The data mining approach starts by gathering data which then gets processed through cleaning and analysis before highlighting undisclosed connections within the data to create better organizational decisions.

The standard data mining method incorporates the following fundamental stages: data collection initially followed by preparatory work on the data then algorithm-based pattern detection and subsequent assessment of output data together with knowledge design principles. Zoetic BPO Services delivers high-quality outcomes by following specific steps through their equipped personnel and innovative tools under precise execution. The analytics services from our company deliver tangible business advantages through market trend forecasting and customer behavior analysis.

Zoetic BPO Services emerges above competitors due to its sincere dedication to achieve client success objectives. Our company differs from other untrustworthy BPO providers because we provide legitimate projects to customers alongside visible operations and ongoing help. Zoetic BPO Services supplies dependable service solutions to both startups and established commercial enterprises across voice and non-voice business segments.

FAQs:

Can customers rely on Zoetic BPO Services as a dependable BPO project supply organization?

People recognize Zoetic BPO Services because of its open business operations and verified BPO projects.

Data mining enables industries to gain benefits through its process.

The finance sector alongside healthcare as well as retail and telecom industries rely on data mining to make improved decisions.

Zoetic BPO Services provides projects that do not require voice functions.

Absolutely. Zoetic BPO Services delivers a complete selection of non-voice tasks that encompass data entry services and form completion services among others.

Conclusion:

The data mining process power is accessible through Zoetic BPO Services which operates as your trusted outsourcing partner. Our commitment to expertise and integrity creates opportunities for businesses to develop their operations for better efficiency and growth.

#bpoprojects #bpocompany #bposervices #outsourcingsolutions #formfillingprojects #non-voiceprojects #businessprocessoutsourcing #dataentryprojects #bpoprojectprovider #bpo

0 notes

garrettjwilkescoach · 2 months ago

Text

How to Rebuild Self-Trust After You’ve Hit Rock Bottom

After a major setback—whether personal, professional, or public—the hardest thing to recover isn’t your finances, title, or reputation. It’s your self-trust.

You start to question everything: “Why didn’t I see it coming?” “Why did I ignore the red flags?” “Can I trust myself again?”

According to Garrett J. Wilkes, founder of Suits & Scars, this is the most common struggle his clients face after a collapse. They don't just lose external validation—they lose confidence in their ability to lead, decide, and move forward. But as he teaches in his programs, self-trust can be rebuilt, and it starts with strategy—not just self-help.

Here are the steps Garrett J. Wilkes recommends to reclaim your confidence and move forward with clarity.

1. Own What Happened Without Over-Identifying With It

You can’t build self-trust by pretending nothing went wrong. But you also can’t build it by turning your failure into your identity.

Garrett J. Wilkes advises his clients to analyze the situation with facts, not emotion. What were the conditions? What did you overlook? What was in your control? This is about objective reflection, not self-blame. The goal isn’t to stay in the past—it’s to extract the data and move on.

2. Look at What You Did Right

In every failure, there are moments you handled well—decisions, instincts, or efforts that weren’t the problem.

Wilkes encourages clients to list these out as part of their recovery process. “Even in the worst outcome, you made moves that showed strength or integrity,” says Garrett J. Wilkes. “You need to remember that part of yourself, too.”

Reinforcing those moments is critical to rebuilding a balanced perspective and avoiding total self-rejection.

3. Start With Small Promises to Yourself

Rebuilding self-trust starts at the micro level. Set small, manageable goals—things you can control. Keep the promises you make to yourself, whether it’s sticking to a schedule, saying no when necessary, or following through on a task you’ve avoided.

Garrett J. Wilkes emphasizes that this is how you retrain your nervous system to believe in your ability again. “Consistency in small wins creates stability in bigger moments,” he explains.

4. Stop Letting Other People Define Your Progress

After failure, people often seek external approval to rebuild their sense of worth. But if you keep outsourcing your value, you’ll never feel safe in your own decisions.

Garrett J. Wilkes teaches clients to redefine progress on their own terms. That means choosing metrics that you believe in—not just social validation or image recovery.

Your healing is not a performance.

Final Thought from Garrett J. Wilkes

The collapse you experienced does not mean you’re untrustworthy. It means you’re human—and you’ve reached a point where refinement was needed. That’s not the end of your story. It’s the point where the story becomes real.

Rebuilding self-trust doesn’t require perfection. It requires honesty, structure, and forward motion—three pillars Wilkes uses in every client transformation inside Suits & Scars.

1 note · View note

jhnneelam · 2 months ago

Text

Healthcare Data Monetization Solutions Market Trends: Future Demand, Share, Growth Opportunities, and Outlook 2037

The Healthcare Data Monetization Solutions Market is on a sharp growth trajectory, having achieved a global valuation of $1.34 billion in 2024. Fueled by the growing adoption of digital healthcare and value-based care models, the market is forecasted to expand significantly, reaching $5.08 billion by 2037. This expansion represents an impressive compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.9% between 2025 and 2037. The surge is attributed to rising volumes of healthcare data, increasing investments in analytics, and the rising demand for data-driven insights across the healthcare ecosystem.

Healthcare Data Monetization Solutions Industry Demand

Healthcare Data Monetization Solutions refer to the strategies, platforms, and tools that transform raw health-related data into valuable, revenue-generating assets. These solutions enable stakeholders—including providers, insurers, pharmaceutical firms, and technology vendors—to extract insights from patient records, clinical trials, claims data, and operational metrics. Monetization can occur either directly, through the sale or licensing of data, or indirectly, through improved service offerings, patient outcomes, or operational efficiencies.

Demand Drivers

Cost-Effectiveness: Leveraging data monetization can significantly reduce costs by optimizing workflows, reducing unnecessary interventions, and improving predictive capabilities in care delivery.

Ease of Integration: Modern platforms are increasingly interoperable, offering plug-and-play solutions with existing electronic health records (EHR) and IT infrastructure.

Data Longevity: Health data, once captured and anonymized, retains long-term value for research, analytics, and strategic planning, offering an extended shelf life for monetization opportunities.

Regulatory Encouragement: Government policies promoting data transparency and patient access, such as the U.S.

Healthcare Data Monetization Solutions Market: Growth Drivers & Key Restraint

Growth Drivers –

Rise of Value-Based Care and Outcome-Driven Reimbursements Healthcare systems worldwide are transitioning from volume to value, necessitating deep data analytics to track outcomes, risk stratify populations, and personalize care—creating fertile ground for monetization platforms.

Advancements in Artificial Intelligence and Cloud Analytics Machine learning, big data platforms, and AI-driven analytics enable the real-time processing and monetization of massive health datasets, making data more actionable and commercially valuable.

Increased Collaboration and Outsourcing The need for external analytics expertise is driving partnerships between health organizations and tech vendors, creating a booming market for outsourced data monetization services that combine domain knowledge with computational power. Request Report Sample@ https://www.kennethresearch.com/sample-request-10352547

Restraint –

Data Privacy and Ethical Concerns Monetizing sensitive health data raises serious concerns about patient privacy, consent, and compliance with regulations like HIPAA, GDPR, and others. These constraints can slow market uptake, particularly in regions with strict data protection laws.

Healthcare Data Monetization Solutions Market: Segment Analysis

Segment Analysis by Monetization Model Type (Direct Data Monetization, Indirect Data Monetization, Hybrid Monetization Models):

Direct Data Monetization: Involves selling or licensing anonymized datasets to third parties like pharmaceutical companies or academic institutions. This model is gaining traction where legal frameworks support transparent data use agreements.

Indirect Data Monetization: Focuses on using internal data to enhance service offerings, improve operational efficiency, or tailor consumer experiences—often resulting in cost savings or competitive advantages rather than direct revenue.

Hybrid Monetization Models: Combine both direct and indirect methods. These are increasingly preferred by large healthcare networks and tech firms, allowing them to balance ethical concerns with profitability.

Segment Analysis by Application (Population Health Management, Precision Medicine & Research, Clinical Decision Support (CDS), Healthcare Operations Optimization, Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences R&D, Marketing and Consumer Insights, Risk and Fraud Analytics):

Population Health Management: Uses aggregated data to monitor health trends across demographics, helping to identify risks, allocate resources, and optimize preventative care strategies.

Precision Medicine & Research: Relies on detailed genetic and phenotypic data to develop targeted therapies. This area sees high monetization value, particularly in genomics and oncology.

Clinical Decision Support (CDS): Data-driven tools are being monetized by integrating them into EHRs to provide real-time alerts and care recommendations, improving diagnostic accuracy and treatment effectiveness.

Healthcare Operations Optimization: Internal analytics help providers streamline workflows, reduce wait times, and cut costs—offering indirect monetization through performance improvements.

Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences R&D: One of the most lucrative segments, where real-world evidence and patient data are mined for drug discovery, trial recruitment, and post-market surveillance.

Marketing and Consumer Insights: Patient behavior and preference data are used to tailor outreach, refine services, and boost engagement in consumer-focused healthcare models.

Risk and Fraud Analytics: Monetized through predictive models that detect billing anomalies and high-risk claims, particularly valuable to payers and insurance firms.

Segment Analysis by End‑User(Healthcare Providers, Payers & Insurance Companies, Pharmaceutical and Biotech Companies, HealthTech Companies & Startups, Government & Public Health Agencies, Academic & Research Institutions, Contract Research Organizations (CROs)):

Healthcare Providers: Hospitals and clinics leverage data to enhance care and operational efficiency, increasingly becoming both data sources and consumers.

Payers & Insurance Companies: These entities rely on claims and utilization data to price risk, detect fraud, and improve member outcomes—making them key buyers of monetization tools.

Pharmaceutical and Biotech Companies: Require large datasets for R&D, real-world evidence collection, and product lifecycle management, contributing significantly to market demand.

HealthTech Companies & Startups: This segment drives innovation, offering platforms and APIs that enable seamless data monetization for traditional healthcare institutions.

Government & Public Health Agencies: Use data for surveillance, policy planning, and funding allocation, with growing interest in monetization to sustain public health IT infrastructure.

Academic & Research Institutions: These groups access monetized data for clinical studies and translational research, often in collaboration with industry players.

Contract Research Organizations (CROs): Operate as intermediaries, using monetized datasets to support pharmaceutical clients in regulatory submissions and clinical trial design.

Healthcare Data Monetization Solutions Market: Regional Insights

North America

North America remains the largest and most mature market due to the presence of advanced healthcare IT systems, favorable reimbursement models, and regulatory clarity surrounding data sharing. The U.S. is at the forefront, with significant adoption by providers, insurers, and pharma companies. Government incentives for EHR adoption and interoperability continue to drive data monetization opportunities.

Europe

Europe is rapidly advancing in healthcare data monetization, supported by the EU’s digital health strategy and GDPR-compliant data exchange frameworks. Countries like Germany, the UK, and the Nordics are investing in national health data platforms. However, strict privacy regulations make indirect monetization models more prevalent than direct ones.

Asia-Pacific (APAC)

APAC is emerging as a high-growth region, fueled by digital health adoption in populous countries like China, India, and Japan. Investments in telehealth, mobile health applications, and AI are creating new data ecosystems. Though the regulatory environment is still evolving, the region’s large patient base and increasing chronic disease burden are creating a robust demand for monetization tools.

Access our detailed report link :https://www.kennethresearch.com/report-details/healthcare-data-monetization-solutions-market/10352547

Top Players in the Healthcare Data Monetization Solutions Market

Mayo Clinic,Siemens Healthineers,SAP SE,Stanford Medicine,Cleveland Clinic,Salesforce,DataBioSim,Bumrungrad International Hospital,MediTech Innovations,Samsung Healthcare,Tata Consultancy Services,Infosys,National Health Service (NHS),Roche Diagnostics,GE Healthcare,Philips Healthcare,Fujitsu,Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council,China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm),Ping An Healthcare Technology

#Healthcare Data Monetization Solutions Market Trends #Healthcare Data Monetization Solutions Market Share

0 notes

springbordsystemblog · 2 months ago

Text

Optimizing Property Accounting: How Digital Solutions Reduce Errors and Delays in Invoice Processing

In the world of property accounting, managing invoices efficiently is crucial for maintaining accurate financial records, ensuring timely payments, and managing cash flow. However, traditional manual invoice processing methods often result in errors, delays, and inefficiencies, which can disrupt property operations and damage vendor relationships.

The good news is that digital solutions tailored to property accounting can significantly improve accuracy, speed, and transparency in the invoice processing cycle. Whether you're managing property accounts in-house or outsourcing property accounting services, digital tools can streamline your invoicing processes and ensure faster, error-free processing.

Why Invoice Processing Errors and Delays Matter in Property Accounting

In property accounting, delays and errors in invoice processing can create a ripple effect, leading to several issues:

Payment delays: Incorrect or delayed invoices can postpone vendor payments, impacting relationships and potentially incurring late fees or interest charges.

Increased administrative costs: Manual correction of errors, re-issuance of invoices, and chasing overdue payments adds significant operational costs.

Disruptions in cash flow: Delayed payments can affect the property’s ability to cover expenses such as maintenance, utilities, and vendor fees.

Compliance risks: Inaccurate financial records and late payments can pose compliance risks, especially when dealing with tax reporting or investor relations.

By adopting digital solutions for property accounting, businesses can minimize these challenges, ensuring timely and accurate invoice processing and improving overall operational efficiency.

Common Causes of Errors and Delays in Property Accounting Invoice Processing

Understanding the root causes of errors and delays in property accounting invoices can help streamline the process. Common issues include:

Data entry errors: Manual data entry in property invoices often leads to mistakes in amounts, dates, or property details, which can delay payments.

Slow approval workflows: Manual or unclear approval processes can cause bottlenecks, delaying invoice payments and affecting vendor relationships.

Duplicate invoices: Without automation, the risk of processing the same invoice multiple times increases, especially when dealing with multiple property vendors.

Lack of standardization: Different formats and inconsistent procedures for processing invoices from various properties can lead to confusion and mistakes.

For property management firms or businesses that outsource property accounting services, selecting a provider that utilizes digital solutions ensures that these errors and delays are minimized.

How Digital Solutions Improve Invoice Processing in Property Accounting

Digital solutions offer a host of benefits in property accounting, allowing businesses to streamline the invoicing process and reduce errors and delays. Here's how:

1. Automating Data Entry

In property accounting, invoices often include complex data, including property-specific details, vendor information, and service charges. Digital invoicing systems automate data entry by extracting key information directly from invoices, reducing the chance of human error. This leads to faster, more accurate processing, which is crucial in managing the diverse accounts of multiple properties.

Leading outsourcing services for property accounting use digital tools that automate data capture to ensure accuracy and speed in invoice processing.

2. Streamlining Approval Workflows

In property accounting, approvals for payments can sometimes be delayed due to the involvement of multiple stakeholders, such as property managers, accounting teams, and external vendors. Digital solutions streamline the approval process by automating workflows, sending invoices to the right approvers, and tracking approval statuses in real-time. This helps eliminate bottlenecks and ensures that invoices are processed and paid on time.

By outsourcing property accounting services, property management firms can ensure that approvals are handled efficiently, minimizing delays.

3. Centralized Invoice Tracking

Managing invoices for multiple properties can quickly become overwhelming, especially when dealing with a large volume of vendors. Digital invoicing systems centralize invoice tracking, providing visibility into the status of each invoice. Property managers can track whether an invoice is paid, overdue, or disputed, ensuring that nothing falls through the cracks.

By outsourcing property accounting, businesses can benefit from centralized tracking and real-time reporting, allowing for better management of property expenses.

4. Error Detection and Validation

Advanced digital property accounting solutions include built-in validation checks that automatically flag discrepancies between invoices and purchase orders or contracts. These systems can detect duplicates, verify amounts, and validate the accuracy of data against historical records, ensuring that only correct invoices are processed for payment.

The best outsourcing services for property accounting rely on digital tools that verify invoice accuracy, reducing errors and improving efficiency.

5. Faster Payment Processing

One of the key benefits of digital invoicing solutions is their ability to speed up payment processing. By automating invoice approvals, reminders, and tracking, payments can be processed more quickly. This reduces delays in payment to property vendors and ensures that cash flow is optimized.

Outsourcing property accounting services that utilize digital solutions ensures timely payments to vendors, avoiding late fees and helping maintain strong relationships with service providers.

Why Outsourcing Property Accounting Services Can Enhance Invoice Processing

When you outsource property accounting services to a trusted provider like Springbord, you benefit from sophisticated digital tools and expertise designed specifically for property invoicing. Springbord integrates advanced invoicing automation, error detection, and centralized tracking into its property accounting solutions, ensuring:

Faster, more accurate invoice processing

Streamlined approval workflows

Improved cash flow management

Reduction in administrative costs and errors

By outsourcing property accounting to Springbord, you can focus on managing your properties while leaving the complexities of invoice processing and payment handling to experts.

Conclusion: Simplify Invoice Processing with Digital Solutions in Property Accounting

Reducing errors and delays in property accounting invoice processing is essential for maintaining financial accuracy and operational efficiency. By implementing digital solutions for property accounting, businesses can automate tasks, ensure quicker payment cycles, and reduce administrative overhead.

If you're looking to streamline your property accounting processes and improve invoice management, contact Springbord today to learn how our digital solutions can help optimize your property invoice processing.

0 notes

writingservice7 · 2 months ago

Text

0 notes

dataoutsourcingcompany · 2 months ago

Text

Tackling Data Entry Services Issues for Streamlined Management

In a world where data is a cornerstone of business success, maintaining accurate and accessible information is essential. From e-commerce retailers managing product catalogs to healthcare providers digitizing patient records, efficient data management drives productivity and growth. Data entry services offer a practical solution to handle the labor-intensive task of inputting and organizing data, but businesses often face obstacles like errors, high costs, or security risks.

This blog explores what data entry services are, their importance, the common issues businesses encounter, and actionable strategies to overcome them. By the end, you’ll have a clear guide to leveraging data entry services for efficient and reliable data management.

What Are Data Entry Services?

Data entry services involve inputting, updating, or organizing data into digital formats, such as spreadsheets, databases, or online platforms. These tasks can be performed manually by skilled professionals or supported by automation tools, depending on the project’s scope and requirements.

Types of Data Entry Services

Data entry services cater to a wide range of needs across industries. Key types include:

Online Data Entry: Entering data into web-based systems, such as product details for e-commerce or customer information in CRMs.

Offline Data Entry: Converting physical documents, like forms, receipts, or contracts, into digital records.

Data Conversion: Reformatting data, such as transforming PDFs into Excel or Word files.

Data Cleansing: Correcting errors, eliminating duplicates, and standardizing formats for consistency.

Data Extraction: Collecting specific data from large datasets or websites for analysis or marketing.

Image-to-Text Transcription: Transcribing text from images, such as scanned documents or handwritten notes.

These services are typically provided by specialized agencies, freelancers, or in-house teams using tools like Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or custom software.

Why Data Entry Services Are Crucial

Efficient data management is vital for businesses to stay competitive and agile. Here’s why data entry services are indispensable:

1. Time Efficiency

Outsourcing data entry frees up staff to focus on strategic priorities, such as innovation or customer service, rather than repetitive tasks.

2. Improved Accuracy

Professional services employ trained operators and quality assurance processes to reduce errors, ensuring dependable data for decision-making.

3. Cost Savings

Hiring in-house data entry staff or investing in software can be costly. Outsourcing offers a budget-friendly alternative.

4. Scalability

Data entry services can adapt to fluctuating demands, making them ideal for businesses with seasonal or project-based needs.

5. Secure Data Handling

Trusted providers use robust security measures to protect sensitive information, such as financial or customer data.

Despite these advantages, businesses often face challenges when using data entry services. Let’s examine these issues and how to address them.

Common Challenges with Data Entry Services

While data entry services are valuable, they can present hurdles if not managed properly. Below are the most common issues and solutions to ensure seamless operations.

1. Data Errors

Problem: Mistakes like typos, missing entries, or incorrect formatting can lead to operational disruptions, such as inaccurate inventory or billing issues.

Solution:

Partner with Reliable Providers: Choose services with strong reputations, backed by client feedback and proven accuracy.

Use Quality Assurance Tools: Request double-entry verification or automated error-checking software to catch mistakes.

Provide Detailed Guidelines: Share clear instructions on data formats, field requirements, and standardization protocols.

2. Budget Constraints

Problem: High-volume or ongoing data entry tasks can strain budgets, especially for small businesses or startups.

Solution:

Compare Pricing Options: Seek providers offering competitive rates or discounts for bulk projects.

Leverage Automation: For repetitive tasks, opt for services that combine manual entry with automation to lower costs.

Prioritize Essential Data: Focus on critical datasets to manage expenses, outsourcing less urgent tasks later.

3. Delivery Delays

Problem: Slow data entry can hinder time-sensitive processes, such as product launches or financial reporting.

Solution:

Select Providers with Quick Turnarounds: Choose services that deliver within 24–48 hours for standard tasks.

Plan Ahead: Submit tasks early to avoid delays during peak periods.

Consider Expedited Services: Some providers offer priority processing for urgent projects at an additional fee.

4. Data Security Risks

Problem: Sharing sensitive data with third-party providers raises concerns about breaches or misuse.

Solution:

Verify Security Protocols: Ensure providers use encryption, secure file transfers, and NDAs to safeguard data.

Check Compliance: Confirm adherence to regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or CCPA, depending on your industry.

Minimize Data Sharing: Share only necessary information, redacting or anonymizing sensitive details when possible.

5. Communication Challenges

Problem: Misunderstandings with providers, particularly offshore ones, can lead to errors or delays due to language or time zone barriers.

Solution:

Choose Accessible Providers: Work with services that have strong communication skills or operate in similar time zones.

Use Project Management Tools: Platforms like Trello or Microsoft Teams can streamline task tracking and communication.

Assign a Coordinator: Designate a team member to liaise with the provider and ensure clarity.

How to Choose the Right Data Entry Service Provider

Selecting a trustworthy provider is key to overcoming the challenges above. Consider these factors when evaluating options:

1. Industry Expertise

Choose a provider with experience in your sector, such as e-commerce, healthcare, or logistics, to ensure they understand your data needs.

2. Accuracy Guarantees

Look for providers that commit to high accuracy (e.g., 99% error-free) and employ rigorous quality control measures.

3. Transparent Pricing

Select a provider with clear pricing structures, whether per entry, hour, or project, and avoid those with hidden fees.

4. Timely Delivery

Confirm the provider’s ability to meet deadlines, especially for urgent or high-volume tasks, and check their capacity to scale.

5. Strong Security

Ensure the provider implements robust security measures, such as encryption and compliance with data protection laws.

6. Flexible Services

Opt for a provider that can adapt to your business’s changing needs, from small tasks to large-scale projects.

7. Responsive Support

Choose a provider with accessible customer support, available via multiple channels, to resolve issues quickly.

Tips to Optimize Data Entry Services

To maximize the value of data entry services, follow these best practices:

Batch Similar Tasks: Group related data entry tasks to streamline processing and reduce costs.

Provide High-Quality Sources: Ensure documents or images are clear and legible to facilitate accurate entry.

Incorporate Automation: For repetitive tasks, ask about tools that can accelerate data entry while maintaining precision.

Review Deliverables Regularly: Check initial outputs to ensure they meet your standards and provide feedback for improvement.

Build Long-Term Partnerships: Working with a provider over time can lead to better pricing and tailored services.

Real-World Applications of Data Entry Services

Data entry services are versatile and used across industries. Here are some examples:

E-Commerce

Online retailers use data entry to populate product catalogs with descriptions, prices, and images for accurate listings.

Healthcare

Hospitals digitize patient records, insurance claims, and billing data to improve efficiency and compliance.

Finance

Financial institutions enter transaction details, invoices, and reports to ensure accuracy in critical operations.

Marketing

Businesses extract and organize data from surveys or online sources to analyze consumer trends and inform strategies.

Conclusion

Data entry services are a vital tool for businesses aiming to manage data efficiently and focus on growth. While challenges like errors, costs, or security concerns can arise, they can be addressed by selecting a reliable provider, setting clear expectations, and adopting best practices. By leveraging data entry services effectively, you can enhance accuracy, save time, and unlock the full potential of your data.

Whether you’re a startup, a healthcare provider, or a retail giant, data entry services offer the flexibility and precision needed to succeed in a data-driven world. Start exploring these services today to streamline your operations and achieve lasting success.

0 notes