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API
API is a programming interface for interaction. API is an abbreviation of the English words Application Programming Interface, literally translated as "application programming interface" or "application programming interface". Pronounced "API", although the mispronunciation of "API" can often be heard.
An API is a set of ready-made (predefined) constants, functions, arguments, procedures or classes provided by any library, application (program), web service, or even an operating system. API is used to connect (interact) external applications (in relation to each other).
API is a powerful tool for interoperating web services. With its help, you can seriously expand the functionality of an existing application or content management system (CMS).
Using the API, you can use the functionality of SMS or email newsletters, integrate an online payment service into an online store, and much more. For example, when placing an order on the website of an online store, a message about the order status is generated, which is sent via the API to the SMS-mailing service (a ready-made module for the CMS site is installed or a separate functionality is written to interact with the service), from where the equipment sends an SMS message to the number client.
Among the web-API, the following types are distinguished:
SAAS
SaaS is the provision of services of access to the use of application software on a regular basis. Access is paid as a subscription - monthly, quarterly, annually, etc. SaaS is short for Software as a Service. The SaaS model is sometimes referred to as “cloud,” and SaaS-based services are sometimes referred to as cloud-based.
SaaS involves the launch of the required software (software) on the servers of the service provider. Clients connect to the functionality via the Internet from mobile devices (smartphones, tablets) or personal computers. It is possible to use "thin clients" or terminal access. Standalone applications are the opposite.
SaaS benefits
STANDALONE
Standalone-application ("Stand" and "Alone", which literally translates as "stay alone") is software (software) that does not need any additional programs and dependencies for its installation and functioning, in contrast from SaaS.
In stores selling licensed software, standalone applications have an alternative name - a boxed version (or box), due to the fact that the delivery set assumes the presence of accompanying documentation, a license (license key) and the medium itself with the program written on it, ready for installation.
The advantages of such applications include:
Disadvantages:
For example, a standalone application for the Vkontakte social network will run without a browser, and the token (the program's access key to the service via the API) is already embedded in the executable code.
Examples:
PAYMENT SYSTEM VISA
VISA is an international payment system based on bank cards of the same name, issued in almost all countries of the world (cards are served in more than 200 countries).
The owner of the payment system is Visa Inc., an American multinational company. VISA is a recursive acronym for Visa International Service Association. VISA inc. founded in 1958, then still as "BankAmericard Service Corporation". It was a subsidiary of Bank of America. The main purpose of its existence is to service cards issued by the Bank of America. However, in 1976, a rebranding was made and the issued bank cards received a new logo and name - VISA.
In Russia, VISA cards have been issued since 1988. For the first time such bank cards were issued by Intourist JSC to the Soviet Olympic team going to Seoul for the Olympic Games. In 1989, Sberbank of the USSR became the very first member of the VISA system in the USSR.
The global processing center VisaNet is responsible for processing bank card payments, which is able to analyze more than 500 transaction characteristics in one millisecond. About 65,000 transactions worldwide can be processed per second.
VISA card types
The system involves the issuance and maintenance of three types of cards:
About 30 types of various VISA cards are used in circulation. The most popular ones are:
ELECTRONIC COMMERCE (ECOMMERCE)
Electronic commerce or ecommerce - a section of the economy, where the interaction with the customer and/or operations (transactions) made through electronic networks and communications. Today, e-commerce is increasingly understood to mean the sale of goods or services over the Internet.
E-commerce includes such areas as:
The main types (schemes, business models) of e-commerce include:
CASH CARD
Cash card is one of the types of bank cards. Issued to legal entities and individual entrepreneurs, tied to a current account. Its main purpose is to replace a checkbook and a written announcement for a cash installment.
It is more convenient for an entrepreneur or an official of an organization to manage funds on an account.
Cash card benefits
PAYMENT SYSTEM AMERICAN EXPRESS
American Express (abbreviated as AmeEx or AmEx) is an American company whose main products are credit and debit cards, as well as traveler's checks, postage and money orders. The company also provides travel services. In addition, American Express is an international payment system that works with bank cards of the same name.
The company has existed since 1850. At the beginning of her career, she was engaged in cargo transportation.
In Russia, the first representative offices were opened back in 1887 (they were engaged in postal and money orders), however, due to the 1917 revolution, all of them were closed.
Since 1923, the dealerships have reopened.
In 1957, the first office was opened in Moscow, where travelers checks were issued for foreign travel.
Since 1989, American Express has launched bank cards in Russia (then the USSR).
Currently, the exclusive right to issue AmEx cards is owned by Russian Standard Bank.
American Express bank cards
THIRD PARTY LOGISTICS (3PL)
3PL (from the English Third Party Logistics) are separate or complex logistics services provided as outsourcing (with the transfer of part of the authority to a third party).
The 3PL service provider acts as a platform with the available technical resources to solve logistics problems. Thanks to an integrated approach, a 3PL provider can completely cover the needs of logistics and replace its own similar service or department within the company.
Typical functions of a 3PL provider
Benefits of using 3PL services
NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION (NFC)
NFC (short for Near field communication) is a short-range wireless communication technology designed to exchange data. It is used in mobile devices, bank cards and other devices for various purposes.
NFC was announced in 2004 and is now widely adopted due to its key features.
NFC technical features
However, the use of NFC is not limited to this. The technology is used, for example, in interactive advertising systems (including in interactive message boards), for quick pairing of two Bluetooth devices (the information itself is transmitted via a high-speed Bluetooth channel), as well as Wi-Fi or UWB, in addition to NFC tags can be used as access keys (in entrances, apartments, cars, lockers, etc.) or personal identifiers.
PAYING AGENT
The principal paying agent has several meanings depending on the scope of the term.
Attribution signs
Not all legal entities or individual entrepreneurs can be classified as paying agents. The latter are distinguished from simple intermediaries by the following features:
EXTENDED BANKING DAY
In most cases, the standard business day does not exceed 8 hours (this is the normal working day of the accounting department or finance department), but some banks offer extended working hours to their customers.
The terms of the extended business day are also not regulated by law, so the bank independently arranges the work of the services and departments involved in making payments so as to maximize the interval during which full processing of all incoming reporting documents is possible.
Some credit institutions offer payments up to 23 hours 59 minutes every day.
Due to the fact that qualified personnel are involved in processing all such transactions, an almost round-the-clock operation and an extended operating day entail an increase in the cost of settlement and cash services in comparison with a standard operating day.
BANK OPERATING DAY
Operational day is the time during which operations for crediting, debiting, transferring clients' funds and other operations and transactions are accepted and carried out.
According to the "Regulations on the rules of accounting in credit institutions located on the territory on your country, approved by the Bank that the duration of the operating day of credit institutions set according to internal rules.
The time for processing payments (business day) must be specified in the customer service agreement (both individuals and legal entities).
Documents accepted for processing after the end of the business day are recorded and posted on the next business day. On weekends and holidays, the bank has the right to take into account transactions on the day of the transaction (a separate transaction day opens) or on the first business day.
Many banks offer clients different schedules for conducting transactions on accounts, depending on the type of cash settlement service and the range of services included in their structure. The longer the trading day is, the higher the cost of the cash settlement package.
CALL TRACKING
Call tracking is one of the marketing tools aimed at assessing the effectiveness of the telephone channel of communication with customers.
Most often, call tracking is used to analyze and evaluate a specific advertising channel via telephone. Less often - for a comprehensive assessment of customer behavior (the method is possible with the large-scale use of web analytics systems)
The essence of the assessment method is that all incoming calls are received through a special software and hardware complex (office PBX or virtual PBX), which provides the ability to:
Call tracking types
Call tracking can be:
HOLDING (PRE-AUTHORIZATION)
Holding is a procedure for reserving the withdrawal amount in favor of paying for a product or service from a bank card account.
Technically, the procedure for debiting funds using holding is as follows:
As you can see from the diagram above, reserving funds on the client's card allows you to minimize problems after errors on the part of the seller and the acquiring bank. If the payment is not successful due to a technical malfunction of the terminal, cashier error, etc., the blocked amount will simply return to the balance of the card account after the time specified by the issuing bank.
The holding time can be about 1 - 30 days.
Very often, online stores and services (including payment acceptance services) use holding. A multi-stage payment system with advance reservation allows them to be confident in the client's solvency. In this case, a term such as "pre-authorization" is used. During the reservation of funds, the store can verify the availability and quality of the goods, prepare them for sale and transportation. And if all is well, send a confirmation for the final debiting of funds from the client's account.
If the purchase was carried out with currency conversion (rubles on the card account, and the store accepts dollars), then the actual conversion of the rate will be made according to the data at the time of writing off, and not reservation (holding). As a result of the conversion operation, additional funds can be debited or, conversely, replenished. In the first case, if there is a lack of funds, a negative balance may form (technical overdraft).
Often there are situations when, due to technical errors of the terminal or the cashier, the amount is not actually debited, and it remains in the hold state, and then the repeated payment procedure may not go through (there is not enough money in the account due to blocking for the amount of the first transaction) or the client will receive several notifications about the deduction of the same amount (double debit). In fact, the money from the account was not transferred anywhere and will be returned automatically to the account immediately after the expiration of the holding period.
To speed up the process of unlocking funds, you can file a problem statement with the bank that issued your card (issuing bank).
VIRTUAL BANK CARD
A virtual card is a bank card designed primarily for making payments on the Internet. It has all the necessary details inherent in plastic bank cards, but the carrier itself (plastic) is not provided directly.
A virtual card must have a number, CVV2 or CVC2 code, and an expiration date. Owner's last name (holder's name) is an optional attribute. It can be credit, debit, or prepaid.
Some banks may issue a physical plastic virtual card, but it, like other virtual cards, is not accepted for payment at cash desks and bank terminals. The presence of a plastic carrier only increases the validity of the card.
SMPP
SMPP is a technology (communication protocol) for sending and receiving short messages in peer-to-peer networks. Short Message Peer-to-Peer, short message for peer-to-peer network.
SMPP is used to transfer messages such as:
If we talk about the seven-layer network model (OSI), then SMPP data transmission occurs at layer 4 (transport layer - TCP).
The format of the packet (data block) SMPP is as follows:
SMPP protocol structure.
An example "Hello, I am SMS" message would look like this in SMPP:
SPIN TEXT
Spin text is a technology that allows you to generate various message texts based on a special replacement template. The English word "spin" is translated as "rotation".
In fact, there is a rotation of the blanks of the text. Words to be replaced (rotated) are indicated in mailing templates in a specific format.
This approach allows you to avoid blocking for sending spam, when the same (duplicate) messages are easily tracked by the operator.
The service for sending SMS messages must be able to work with spin text. This can be a separate service with its own tariffication or an option of basic functionality included in the standard payment for mailings.
Information about the possibility of sending spin text should be checked with the service representatives or in the official documentation. There you should also familiarize yourself with the format of recording the phrases to be replaced.
Example of writing spin text
{Good afternoon | Hello | Hello | Hello}, dear customer, our company {Company | Company} is pleased to {introduce | share | announce} a new service...
Words in curly braces will be rotated on every submission. Thus, you can achieve the multiplication of one message.
Calculations
In the given example, the number of replicated messages will be 4 * 2 * 3 = 24 pcs.
To get the final number, you need to multiply the number of changing words.
That is, if the text contains two templates with replacement of 4 words in each, the output will be 4 * 4 = 16 different messages.
The first template is 5 different words, the second is 3, the third is 6, then the output will be 5 * 3 * 6 = 90 different texts.
To calculate how many people will receive the same messages, it is enough to divide the number of recipients by the number of different texts.
For example, in a mailing list for 5000 people, no more than 53 identical messages will be sent if 96 unique texts are generated based on the template.
5000/96 = 52, 08 (3)
You can do the reverse calculation.
Many mailing services recommend sending no more than 100 identical messages.
That is, it is necessary to create a template that can generate at least 5000 clients in the database/100 identical messages = 50 unique texts.
CORPORATE BANK CARD
A corporate card is an impersonal bank card (there is no information about the holder on the front side), tied to the current account of a legal entity. It can be debit or credit.
The main purpose of corporate cards is to replace checkbooks required for the withdrawal of accountable cash. The corporate card account can be replenished in cash (it means depositing funds for conducting business activities, and not accepting payments from individuals or legal entities).
Benefits of using corporate bank cards
Often, rates for basic transactions on a current account without using cards and with cards differ in the amount of commissions and limits. Issue, re-issue, annual service of the card are issued as separate articles.
WEB ANALYTICS
Web analytics is a system for collecting information about visitors (users) of a site, web game, application or mailing list.
There are many different analytics services (metrics), as well as ways to assess the required parameters.
So, using web analytics, you can track:
Integration of web analytics
Server/site logs can be the object of analysis (most often this function is implemented by internal software solutions on the server, such as Webalizer, AWStats, etc.). However, the most detailed and reliable picture is given by web analysts who receive data through a special code embedded in the code of web pages (applications, games, etc.). This is a special browser script that does not load the site server.
It is possible to embed the counter code only on those pages for which the webmaster wants to receive the required information.
In the case of mailings, the integration of analytics occurs through the formation of special links, since the scripts that implement the operation of the counter code are not launched in emails.
In Russia, the most popular analytics systems are Google Analytics, Yandex.Metrica, LiveInternet.
VOIP
VoIP is a technology for transmitting voice (voice, sound) over the Internet Protocol (over IP networks). VoIP is an English acronym for Voice over IP.
VoIP is a somewhat broader concept than IP telephony, since telephone communication over the Internet involves only making voice calls, and VoIP includes all methods of voice and sound transmission.
The difference between audio transmission and other types of data is that encoding and decoding of an audio stream must be performed "on the fly", that is, directly into the line. And the Internet is characterized by packet transmission of information, which imposes certain restrictions.
VoIP technology has become widespread due to the fact that it operates on the basis of already laid and working networks included in the global, as well as due to the low cost per minute, high quality of data transmission and resistance to interference.
The main protocol used for voice over VoIP is SIP (Session Initiation Protocol). Its essence lies in the fact that between the subscribers before the direct transmission of the encoded sound (transportation), the call is negotiated.
The VoIP technology diagram is shown in the figure.
VoiP workflow.
In addition to SIP, other transmission protocols are used, such as: IAX2, MGCP, SIGTRAN, SCTP, SCCP and others.
CARD ISSUING BANK
A card issuing bank is a credit institution that is a member of one or another payment system (local, such as MIR, or international, such as VISA or MaserCard), which issues (issues) bank cards.
In a general sense, an issuing bank is a bank that has the right to put into circulation (issue) securities, banknotes and other payment and settlement documents.
If most often only the central bank can issue banknotes, then a commercial bank can also initiate the issue of securities (bonds, bank cards).
In the case of bank cards, the issuing bank assumes the functions and obligations of issuing the cards themselves, opening and maintaining settlement accounts linked to them, as well as their settlement and cash services (provision of statements, accounting of transactions, etc.). In this case, the issuing bank is a member of a specific payment system (often several systems at once) and undertakes to comply with all the rules for the operation of this system. As part of the work, interacts with other participants, such as acquiring banks.
The issuing bank itself can be the acquirer at the same time.
ACQUIRING BANK
An acquiring bank is a bank that provides acquiring (acceptance for payment) of bank cards or money from electronic wallets, the issuance of cash to holders and other operations using special equipment:
The acquiring bank can be an issuer at the same time, as well as connected to several payment systems at once. Technical issues related to payment processing, transaction accounting, etc. can be transferred to specialized processing centers.
Services to legal entities and individual entrepreneurs in accepting payments from customers at points of sale are provided on the basis of an acquiring agreement.
Acquiring bank functions
- API
- SaaS
- Standalone
- Payment system VISA
- Electronic commerce (ecommerce)
- Cash card
- Payment system American Express
- Third Party Logistics (3PL)
- Near Field Communication (NFC)
- Paying agent
- Extended banking day
- Bank operating day
- Call tracking
- Holding (pre-authorization)
- Virtual bank card
- SMPP
- Spin text
- Corporate bank card
- Web analytics
- VoIP
- Card Issuing Bank
- Acquiring Bank
API
API is a programming interface for interaction. API is an abbreviation of the English words Application Programming Interface, literally translated as "application programming interface" or "application programming interface". Pronounced "API", although the mispronunciation of "API" can often be heard.
An API is a set of ready-made (predefined) constants, functions, arguments, procedures or classes provided by any library, application (program), web service, or even an operating system. API is used to connect (interact) external applications (in relation to each other).
API is a powerful tool for interoperating web services. With its help, you can seriously expand the functionality of an existing application or content management system (CMS).
Using the API, you can use the functionality of SMS or email newsletters, integrate an online payment service into an online store, and much more. For example, when placing an order on the website of an online store, a message about the order status is generated, which is sent via the API to the SMS-mailing service (a ready-made module for the CMS site is installed or a separate functionality is written to interact with the service), from where the equipment sends an SMS message to the number client.
Among the web-API, the following types are distinguished:
- REST (Representational State Transfer),
- SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol).
SAAS
SaaS is the provision of services of access to the use of application software on a regular basis. Access is paid as a subscription - monthly, quarterly, annually, etc. SaaS is short for Software as a Service. The SaaS model is sometimes referred to as “cloud,” and SaaS-based services are sometimes referred to as cloud-based.
SaaS involves the launch of the required software (software) on the servers of the service provider. Clients connect to the functionality via the Internet from mobile devices (smartphones, tablets) or personal computers. It is possible to use "thin clients" or terminal access. Standalone applications are the opposite.
SaaS benefits
- The client does not need to purchase the entire software package in order to take advantage of all the applications' capabilities One-time (capital) expenses turn into operational (regular) expenses - this property is very much in demand in most business models.
- Updating the software, installing it and other labor costs for maintaining or launching software systems with SaaS are not required. All you need is an Internet channel and a web browser (in the case of mobile devices, the browser can be replaced with a special application).
- Technical support (questions from users, prompt solution of software problems) is most often included in the cost of access.
- SaaS allows you to work even with resource-intensive applications without upgrading existing equipment. All processing is done on the server side of the service provider.
- Access to the functions of the application is possible from anywhere, from any workplace where there is Internet. The number of seats receiving the SaaS service can be easily adjusted (the option may affect the tariff plan). Most of the classic software systems are often tied to one workstation, require separate licenses and impose a number of restrictions on joint work with software. The SaaS service is free from such disadvantages.
STANDALONE
Standalone-application ("Stand" and "Alone", which literally translates as "stay alone") is software (software) that does not need any additional programs and dependencies for its installation and functioning, in contrast from SaaS.
In stores selling licensed software, standalone applications have an alternative name - a boxed version (or box), due to the fact that the delivery set assumes the presence of accompanying documentation, a license (license key) and the medium itself with the program written on it, ready for installation.
The advantages of such applications include:
- quick installation on a work computer (or other device);
- no need to request additional materials, fill out purchase forms, etc.;
- anonymity (most of the boxed versions of software do not imply registration of users in any services).
Disadvantages:
- self-installation and configuration of standalone applications is required;
- boxed versions can be purchased only from authorized dealers (in retail outlets);
- boxed (from the English - "Box") versions most often cost more than OEM (pre-installed) or Retail (retail, sold online) software licenses. Although all of the listed types of software fit the description of "Standalone".
For example, a standalone application for the Vkontakte social network will run without a browser, and the token (the program's access key to the service via the API) is already embedded in the executable code.
Examples:
- Operating system for PC (Microsoft Windows, Linux, Mac OS) or smartphone (Android, iOS).
- Office suite Microsoft Office or OpenOffice. In contrast, Google Docs is a SaaS product that can be accessed through a browser.
- Facebook mobile application. At the same time, the Facebook website will be SaaS.
PAYMENT SYSTEM VISA
VISA is an international payment system based on bank cards of the same name, issued in almost all countries of the world (cards are served in more than 200 countries).
The owner of the payment system is Visa Inc., an American multinational company. VISA is a recursive acronym for Visa International Service Association. VISA inc. founded in 1958, then still as "BankAmericard Service Corporation". It was a subsidiary of Bank of America. The main purpose of its existence is to service cards issued by the Bank of America. However, in 1976, a rebranding was made and the issued bank cards received a new logo and name - VISA.
In Russia, VISA cards have been issued since 1988. For the first time such bank cards were issued by Intourist JSC to the Soviet Olympic team going to Seoul for the Olympic Games. In 1989, Sberbank of the USSR became the very first member of the VISA system in the USSR.
The global processing center VisaNet is responsible for processing bank card payments, which is able to analyze more than 500 transaction characteristics in one millisecond. About 65,000 transactions worldwide can be processed per second.
VISA card types
The system involves the issuance and maintenance of three types of cards:
- debit (associated with the customer's savings account);
- credit (related to a credit account);
- prepaid (or prepaid cards, anonymous, with a pre-paid deposit).
About 30 types of various VISA cards are used in circulation. The most popular ones are:
- Visa Classic,
- Visa Electron,
- Visa Gold,
- Visa Platinum,
- Visa Virtual card.
ELECTRONIC COMMERCE (ECOMMERCE)
Electronic commerce or ecommerce - a section of the economy, where the interaction with the customer and/or operations (transactions) made through electronic networks and communications. Today, e-commerce is increasingly understood to mean the sale of goods or services over the Internet.
E-commerce includes such areas as:
- electronic marketing (e-marketing),
- electronic trade (English e-trade),
- electronic capital movement (EFT, an abbreviation from the English - Electronic Funds Transfer),
- electronic exchange of information (EDI, abbreviation from the English - Electroniс Data Interchange),
- electronic banking (e-banking or online banking),
- electronic money (e-cash),
- electronic insurance services (e-insurance).
The main types (schemes, business models) of e-commerce include:
- B2B (from the English Business-to-business), that is, from the seller to the seller. Only legal entities interact, no retail buyers.
- B2C (from the English Business-to-consumer), that is, from the seller to the consumer. The classic scheme of selling goods/services to retail customers.
- C2C (from the English Consumer-to-consumer), that is, from buyer to buyer. This is a scheme without the participation of legal entities or with their participation as intermediaries. This includes online auctions, message boards, etc.
CASH CARD
Cash card is one of the types of bank cards. Issued to legal entities and individual entrepreneurs, tied to a current account. Its main purpose is to replace a checkbook and a written announcement for a cash installment.
It is more convenient for an entrepreneur or an official of an organization to manage funds on an account.
Cash card benefits
- To withdraw or deposit cash to a current account, there is no need to visit a bank branch.
- Current account funds are available around the clock and seven days a week (via an online bank or self-service terminals).
- Provided that the SMS-informing service is activated, you will be instantly notified of account movements using a cash card.
- The security of funds in the current account is higher than using cash. To withdraw money, you need to know the PIN code, the card can be quickly blocked in case of loss or theft.
- In Depending on the conditions of service of cash-card, the bank may offer the service fast currency conversion. Such functionality can be useful, for example, for business trips abroad. There is no need to report on foreign exchange transactions and create a separate account in foreign currency.
- If the organization has several corporate cash cards, using your personal account, you can easily manage the limits for each employee or set uniform limits for all.
- There are no limits on payments with such cards, as, for example, in the case of cash (between legal entities).
PAYMENT SYSTEM AMERICAN EXPRESS
American Express (abbreviated as AmeEx or AmEx) is an American company whose main products are credit and debit cards, as well as traveler's checks, postage and money orders. The company also provides travel services. In addition, American Express is an international payment system that works with bank cards of the same name.
The company has existed since 1850. At the beginning of her career, she was engaged in cargo transportation.
In Russia, the first representative offices were opened back in 1887 (they were engaged in postal and money orders), however, due to the 1917 revolution, all of them were closed.
Since 1923, the dealerships have reopened.
In 1957, the first office was opened in Moscow, where travelers checks were issued for foreign travel.
Since 1989, American Express has launched bank cards in Russia (then the USSR).
Currently, the exclusive right to issue AmEx cards is owned by Russian Standard Bank.
American Express bank cards
- American Express Card,
- American Express Gold Card,
- American Express Premium Card,
- The Platinum Card,
- American Express Travel Card,
- American Express Design Card (with personalized card design),
THIRD PARTY LOGISTICS (3PL)
3PL (from the English Third Party Logistics) are separate or complex logistics services provided as outsourcing (with the transfer of part of the authority to a third party).
The 3PL service provider acts as a platform with the available technical resources to solve logistics problems. Thanks to an integrated approach, a 3PL provider can completely cover the needs of logistics and replace its own similar service or department within the company.
Typical functions of a 3PL provider
- Storage of stocks of goods in our own warehouse areas.
- Transportation (transportation) of goods in any direction.
- Accounting and management of inventory.
- Tracking cargo movements and notifying customers.
- Processing (packaging, preparation for transportation, etc.) of cargo.
- Preparation of accompanying (freight or import-export) documentation.
- Issued to the end customer (at points of issue or delivered to the address).
Benefits of using 3PL services
- Saving on one-time expenses of the company for opening its own delivery service. All expenses for a 3PL provider are operational.
- There is no need to hire your own staff of logisticians, keep records of goods, store goods, rent storage facilities, etc.
- Multi-stage deliveries are united and controlled by a 3PL provider, doing all the work for you, and deliveries with a small amount of goods can be cheaper due to the formation of groupage cargo (from different clients).
- The 3PL provider gives guarantees of its work. This means that you can always count on the timely and stable work of the intermediary company.
NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION (NFC)
NFC (short for Near field communication) is a short-range wireless communication technology designed to exchange data. It is used in mobile devices, bank cards and other devices for various purposes.
NFC was announced in 2004 and is now widely adopted due to its key features.
NFC technical features
- The effective range of the receiver-transmitter pair is only 10-20 cm, which makes NFC-enabled devices truly personal, even in places where there are many of the same devices. The short range significantly reduces the risk of radio signal interception.
- Despite the low data transfer rate, pairing of two devices takes place in just a tenth of a second (for example, Bluetooth technology allows pairing within 6 seconds).
- NFC allows information to be read even in the absence of an active electric power supply (the so-called passive mode, when one NFC device, being in the field of another, converts the field energy into an electric power supply current).
- The NFC standard allows you to work with RFID structures (Radio Frequency IDentification - "radio frequency identification").
However, the use of NFC is not limited to this. The technology is used, for example, in interactive advertising systems (including in interactive message boards), for quick pairing of two Bluetooth devices (the information itself is transmitted via a high-speed Bluetooth channel), as well as Wi-Fi or UWB, in addition to NFC tags can be used as access keys (in entrances, apartments, cars, lockers, etc.) or personal identifiers.
PAYING AGENT
The principal paying agent has several meanings depending on the scope of the term.
- In the financial sphere related to joint stock companies, a paying agent is a separate company or even a bank, to which the responsibilities for conducting transactions related to the shares of this company are fully delegated.
- In the case of securities (bonds), the paying agent is a third-party bank that is charged by the issuer with the obligation to pay and redeem interest to the owners/holders of the securities.
- In the case of payment systems, a paying agent is a separate legal entity (just not a credit institution) or even an individual entrepreneur, which is responsible for carrying out certain banking operations.
Attribution signs
Not all legal entities or individual entrepreneurs can be classified as paying agents. The latter are distinguished from simple intermediaries by the following features:
- the agent does not sell or transfer directly any goods or services provided by the main supplying company;
- he accepts only money or performs other operations with means of payment in favor of the supplier, but does nothing else to ensure that the payer has the right to receive the paid goods/services.
EXTENDED BANKING DAY
In most cases, the standard business day does not exceed 8 hours (this is the normal working day of the accounting department or finance department), but some banks offer extended working hours to their customers.
The terms of the extended business day are also not regulated by law, so the bank independently arranges the work of the services and departments involved in making payments so as to maximize the interval during which full processing of all incoming reporting documents is possible.
Some credit institutions offer payments up to 23 hours 59 minutes every day.
Due to the fact that qualified personnel are involved in processing all such transactions, an almost round-the-clock operation and an extended operating day entail an increase in the cost of settlement and cash services in comparison with a standard operating day.
BANK OPERATING DAY
Operational day is the time during which operations for crediting, debiting, transferring clients' funds and other operations and transactions are accepted and carried out.
According to the "Regulations on the rules of accounting in credit institutions located on the territory on your country, approved by the Bank that the duration of the operating day of credit institutions set according to internal rules.
The time for processing payments (business day) must be specified in the customer service agreement (both individuals and legal entities).
Documents accepted for processing after the end of the business day are recorded and posted on the next business day. On weekends and holidays, the bank has the right to take into account transactions on the day of the transaction (a separate transaction day opens) or on the first business day.
Many banks offer clients different schedules for conducting transactions on accounts, depending on the type of cash settlement service and the range of services included in their structure. The longer the trading day is, the higher the cost of the cash settlement package.
CALL TRACKING
Call tracking is one of the marketing tools aimed at assessing the effectiveness of the telephone channel of communication with customers.
Most often, call tracking is used to analyze and evaluate a specific advertising channel via telephone. Less often - for a comprehensive assessment of customer behavior (the method is possible with the large-scale use of web analytics systems)
The essence of the assessment method is that all incoming calls are received through a special software and hardware complex (office PBX or virtual PBX), which provides the ability to:
- recording data about calls (missed, answered, duration, which operator answered, etc.);
- recordings of conversations (mandatory notification of customers that a conversation is being recorded, the data is stored in a safe place that excludes access by unauthorized persons, no personal information is subject to disclosure without the user's consent).
Call tracking types
Call tracking can be:
- Automatic (tracking of the advertising channel occurs without human intervention).
- Static (when a separate tracking number is allocated for each advertising channel. This method is the most accurate. The disadvantages include a decrease in brand awareness, since a lot of phone numbers will be associated with the company).
- Dynamic (the Call-tracking system automatically matches the sessions of site users with incoming calls based on many factors. This method allows you to track in detail the client's path from the site to the order, however, the probability of correct matching, depending on the algorithms used, is only 50-80% Among other things, dynamic call tracking allows you to track search and contextual queries, on the basis of which you can calculate the profitability of a particular query, as a result, change the semantic core and correctly allocate budgets for SEO and context).
- Semi-automatic (with partial participation of operators who receive the call), for example, tracking by a promotional code (the method consists in the fact that the client, when connecting with the operator, names a promotional code that directly indicates the source of advertising. This method of tracking requires the participation of an operator, however, it allows with high accuracy define the advertising channel even with a limited number of phone numbers).
HOLDING (PRE-AUTHORIZATION)
Holding is a procedure for reserving the withdrawal amount in favor of paying for a product or service from a bank card account.
Technically, the procedure for debiting funds using holding is as follows:
- the seller forms an invoice for payment with a specific amount to be debited;
- the client presents a bank card (enters the details when paying online);
- the payment terminal sends a request to its bank (in the case of Internet acquiring, the request is generated through the payment form);
- the acquiring bank sends a write - off request to the issuing bank;
- the issuing bank reserves the requested amount on the client's account and sends a response about the possibility of debiting funds;
- having received a positive answer, the acquirer continues the payment procedure (for example, prints a receipt, etc.);
- clearing files confirming the successful purchase are sent to the issuing bank;
- Having received the clearing files, the issuing bank finally debits the funds from the cardholder's account and sends the transfer to the acquirer.
As you can see from the diagram above, reserving funds on the client's card allows you to minimize problems after errors on the part of the seller and the acquiring bank. If the payment is not successful due to a technical malfunction of the terminal, cashier error, etc., the blocked amount will simply return to the balance of the card account after the time specified by the issuing bank.
The holding time can be about 1 - 30 days.
Very often, online stores and services (including payment acceptance services) use holding. A multi-stage payment system with advance reservation allows them to be confident in the client's solvency. In this case, a term such as "pre-authorization" is used. During the reservation of funds, the store can verify the availability and quality of the goods, prepare them for sale and transportation. And if all is well, send a confirmation for the final debiting of funds from the client's account.
If the purchase was carried out with currency conversion (rubles on the card account, and the store accepts dollars), then the actual conversion of the rate will be made according to the data at the time of writing off, and not reservation (holding). As a result of the conversion operation, additional funds can be debited or, conversely, replenished. In the first case, if there is a lack of funds, a negative balance may form (technical overdraft).
Often there are situations when, due to technical errors of the terminal or the cashier, the amount is not actually debited, and it remains in the hold state, and then the repeated payment procedure may not go through (there is not enough money in the account due to blocking for the amount of the first transaction) or the client will receive several notifications about the deduction of the same amount (double debit). In fact, the money from the account was not transferred anywhere and will be returned automatically to the account immediately after the expiration of the holding period.
To speed up the process of unlocking funds, you can file a problem statement with the bank that issued your card (issuing bank).
VIRTUAL BANK CARD
A virtual card is a bank card designed primarily for making payments on the Internet. It has all the necessary details inherent in plastic bank cards, but the carrier itself (plastic) is not provided directly.
A virtual card must have a number, CVV2 or CVC2 code, and an expiration date. Owner's last name (holder's name) is an optional attribute. It can be credit, debit, or prepaid.
| Benefits | disadvantages |
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SMPP
SMPP is a technology (communication protocol) for sending and receiving short messages in peer-to-peer networks. Short Message Peer-to-Peer, short message for peer-to-peer network.
SMPP is used to transfer messages such as:
- SMS;
- EMS;
- USSD messages;
- WAP messages;
- voice mail.
If we talk about the seven-layer network model (OSI), then SMPP data transmission occurs at layer 4 (transport layer - TCP).
The format of the packet (data block) SMPP is as follows:
SMPP protocol structure.
An example "Hello, I am SMS" message would look like this in SMPP:
| PDU header | ||
|---|---|---|
| PDU content | ||
| command_length | 60 | 00 00 00 3C |
| command_id | four | 00 00 00 04 |
| command_status | 0 | 00 00 00 00 |
| sequence_number | five | 00 00 00 05 |
| service_type | 00 | |
| source_addr_ton | 2 | 02 |
| source_addr_npi | eight | 08 |
| source_addr | 555 | 35 35 35 00 |
| dest_addr_ton | 01 | |
| dest_addr_npi | 01 | |
| dest_addr | 555555555 | 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 00 |
| esm_class | 0 | 00 |
| protocol_id | 0 | 00 |
| priority_flag | 0 | 00 |
| schedule_delivery_time | 0 | 00 |
| validity_period | 0 | 00 |
| registered_delivery | 0 | 00 |
| replace_if_present_flag | 0 | 00 |
| data_coding | 3 | 03 |
| sm_default_msg_id | 0 | 00 |
| sm_length | fifteen | 0F |
| short_message | Hello, I am SMS | 48 65 6c 6f 2c 20 49 20 61 6d 20 53 4d 53 |
SPIN TEXT
Spin text is a technology that allows you to generate various message texts based on a special replacement template. The English word "spin" is translated as "rotation".
In fact, there is a rotation of the blanks of the text. Words to be replaced (rotated) are indicated in mailing templates in a specific format.
This approach allows you to avoid blocking for sending spam, when the same (duplicate) messages are easily tracked by the operator.
The service for sending SMS messages must be able to work with spin text. This can be a separate service with its own tariffication or an option of basic functionality included in the standard payment for mailings.
Information about the possibility of sending spin text should be checked with the service representatives or in the official documentation. There you should also familiarize yourself with the format of recording the phrases to be replaced.
Example of writing spin text
{Good afternoon | Hello | Hello | Hello}, dear customer, our company {Company | Company} is pleased to {introduce | share | announce} a new service...
Words in curly braces will be rotated on every submission. Thus, you can achieve the multiplication of one message.
Calculations
In the given example, the number of replicated messages will be 4 * 2 * 3 = 24 pcs.
To get the final number, you need to multiply the number of changing words.
That is, if the text contains two templates with replacement of 4 words in each, the output will be 4 * 4 = 16 different messages.
The first template is 5 different words, the second is 3, the third is 6, then the output will be 5 * 3 * 6 = 90 different texts.
To calculate how many people will receive the same messages, it is enough to divide the number of recipients by the number of different texts.
For example, in a mailing list for 5000 people, no more than 53 identical messages will be sent if 96 unique texts are generated based on the template.
5000/96 = 52, 08 (3)
You can do the reverse calculation.
Many mailing services recommend sending no more than 100 identical messages.
That is, it is necessary to create a template that can generate at least 5000 clients in the database/100 identical messages = 50 unique texts.
CORPORATE BANK CARD
A corporate card is an impersonal bank card (there is no information about the holder on the front side), tied to the current account of a legal entity. It can be debit or credit.
The main purpose of corporate cards is to replace checkbooks required for the withdrawal of accountable cash. The corporate card account can be replenished in cash (it means depositing funds for conducting business activities, and not accepting payments from individuals or legal entities).
Benefits of using corporate bank cards
- The ability to withdraw cash from the account 24/7 (24 hours a day and seven days a week) through the ATM network.
- There is no need to visit a bank to receive funds, write statements or write checks (an alternative to a checkbook).
- Automatic conversion into foreign currency during business trips to other countries (there is no need to open a separate foreign currency account and keep reporting on foreign exchange transactions).
- No restrictions on the minimum amount of transactions in settlements between legal entities (restrictions are set for cash, however, banks can set increased commissions for large amounts of transactions).
- Increased security of funds - you need to know the PIN code to withdraw cash. If lost, the card can be easily and quickly blocked.
- Convenient expense management. It is possible to control all expenses for corporate cards, set personal or group limits for cards, etc.
Often, rates for basic transactions on a current account without using cards and with cards differ in the amount of commissions and limits. Issue, re-issue, annual service of the card are issued as separate articles.
WEB ANALYTICS
Web analytics is a system for collecting information about visitors (users) of a site, web game, application or mailing list.
There are many different analytics services (metrics), as well as ways to assess the required parameters.
So, using web analytics, you can track:
- most viewed pages;
- requests for which users get to the site;
- the number of clicks on links (especially relevant for email newsletters and analysis of advertising traffic sources);
- commercial indicators of the site and main pages (bounce rate, conversion, reaching landing pages, etc.);
- time spent by the user on the site and his actions (for example, Webvisor in Yandex Metric);
- geography and audience segmentation according to various criteria;
- other parameters.
Integration of web analytics
Server/site logs can be the object of analysis (most often this function is implemented by internal software solutions on the server, such as Webalizer, AWStats, etc.). However, the most detailed and reliable picture is given by web analysts who receive data through a special code embedded in the code of web pages (applications, games, etc.). This is a special browser script that does not load the site server.
It is possible to embed the counter code only on those pages for which the webmaster wants to receive the required information.
In the case of mailings, the integration of analytics occurs through the formation of special links, since the scripts that implement the operation of the counter code are not launched in emails.
In Russia, the most popular analytics systems are Google Analytics, Yandex.Metrica, LiveInternet.
VOIP
VoIP is a technology for transmitting voice (voice, sound) over the Internet Protocol (over IP networks). VoIP is an English acronym for Voice over IP.
VoIP is a somewhat broader concept than IP telephony, since telephone communication over the Internet involves only making voice calls, and VoIP includes all methods of voice and sound transmission.
The difference between audio transmission and other types of data is that encoding and decoding of an audio stream must be performed "on the fly", that is, directly into the line. And the Internet is characterized by packet transmission of information, which imposes certain restrictions.
VoIP technology has become widespread due to the fact that it operates on the basis of already laid and working networks included in the global, as well as due to the low cost per minute, high quality of data transmission and resistance to interference.
The main protocol used for voice over VoIP is SIP (Session Initiation Protocol). Its essence lies in the fact that between the subscribers before the direct transmission of the encoded sound (transportation), the call is negotiated.
The VoIP technology diagram is shown in the figure.
VoiP workflow.
In addition to SIP, other transmission protocols are used, such as: IAX2, MGCP, SIGTRAN, SCTP, SCCP and others.
CARD ISSUING BANK
A card issuing bank is a credit institution that is a member of one or another payment system (local, such as MIR, or international, such as VISA or MaserCard), which issues (issues) bank cards.
In a general sense, an issuing bank is a bank that has the right to put into circulation (issue) securities, banknotes and other payment and settlement documents.
If most often only the central bank can issue banknotes, then a commercial bank can also initiate the issue of securities (bonds, bank cards).
In the case of bank cards, the issuing bank assumes the functions and obligations of issuing the cards themselves, opening and maintaining settlement accounts linked to them, as well as their settlement and cash services (provision of statements, accounting of transactions, etc.). In this case, the issuing bank is a member of a specific payment system (often several systems at once) and undertakes to comply with all the rules for the operation of this system. As part of the work, interacts with other participants, such as acquiring banks.
The issuing bank itself can be the acquirer at the same time.
ACQUIRING BANK
An acquiring bank is a bank that provides acquiring (acceptance for payment) of bank cards or money from electronic wallets, the issuance of cash to holders and other operations using special equipment:
- POS terminals (mPOS terminals for mobile acquiring, imprinters, etc.),
- self-service terminals (ATMs and payment points),
- WEB-interfaces (for Internet acquiring).
The acquiring bank can be an issuer at the same time, as well as connected to several payment systems at once. Technical issues related to payment processing, transaction accounting, etc. can be transferred to specialized processing centers.
Services to legal entities and individual entrepreneurs in accepting payments from customers at points of sale are provided on the basis of an acquiring agreement.
Acquiring bank functions
- Processing requests for authorization of bank cards.
- Transfer of funds received from cardholders to the current account of the organization in favor of which the payment was made.
- Conducting paper and electronic document circulation with participants in transactions within the framework of the service provided (buyers, legal entities, issuing banks, etc.).
- Fulfillment of other obligations assumed when connecting to a particular payment system (for example, distribution of stop lists with blocked card numbers, chargeback, etc.).