In an article we posted back in 2020 about improving management for remote employees, we pointed out that work-from-home numbers had been skyrocketing even before the pandemic. The numbers of WFH employees rose by 173% between 2005 and 2018, which speaks to why the trend won’t go away even when the pandemic is fully behind us.

As discussed in that article, there are numerous important ways to ensure that remote team members stay engaged –– from linking employee goals to those of the company, to helping employees set those goals, and more. Another way in which many companies are seeking to engage their remote teams, however, is through remote games. This can work in all sorts of different ways, but there are specific reasons for remote employees to be playing games. First, studies have indicated that gaming can relieve stress in trying times; second, there is research indicating that game breaks can improve productivity; and third, games give remote teams a way to socialize that doesn’t revolve around work.

Those benefits can apply to all kinds of specific games. But one that has been made particularly relevant –– thanks to the dominant video chat platform Zoom releasing its own version –– is poker. So in this brief guide we’re going to provide some tips for starting up a virtual poker night with your remote team.

Set it up – First, of course, you’ll need to set up the game. Zoom launched its own poker game last summer –– known then as Live Game Night, but since rebranded as AceTime Poker. The game is an app “embedded in Zoom Meetings” that any user can add to Zoom desktop. Once people have it, up to 10 can join a live chat with built-in virtual poker.

Distribute rules – The AceTime poker app revolves around Texas Hold’em poker, so you’ll next want to ensure everyone knows the rules. In broad strokes, it’s a game in which each player gets two cards, and then uses three of five communal cards to build a hand –– with some betting and decision-making mixed in, of course. But to ensure everyone on the team can have fun, it’s best to distribute a more detailed guide that people can read and refer to.

Distribute hand rankings – In addition to the rules, it’s for the best to distribute a clear chart of poker hand rankings as well. For any experts in the group this won’t be necessary. But for beginner and even intermediate players it will be helpful to be able to peek at a chart to assess the strength of a hand. Knowing quickly that your flush will beat the three-of-a-kind you suspect a coworker has, for instance, makes the game simpler and more fun. Meanwhile, a chart like this can also give probabilities for each hand, such that beginning players know what’s realistic to shoot for (probably not the 0.000154% chance of landing a royal flush!).

Set playful stakes – Finally, unless you have a team in which everyone is completely okay with cash betting, consider setting some playful stakes! Betting is part of Texas Hold’em, but you don’t have to use real money. The AceTime poker app sets you up to play with purely virtual chips to begin with. But from there, you can concoct rewards for the players who end the game with the most chips. A small gift cards, for instance, is a perfect touch if the business can swing it (even $10 worth is a fun prize).

And that’s about it! As you’re likely well aware at this point, the pandemic has given rise to lots of great games to play over video chat; people have found their way to chess, Pictionary, and plenty more. But thanks to Zoom’s own built-in app, a virtual poker game has also become an easy, fun way to engage your remote teams.

If you’re wondering how AI technology can hold natural conversations with customers and assume in the past that AI would only be capable of holding stunted, drawn out conversations, think again. To discover how AI is now as natural as speaking to a traditional human agent, simply continue reading. As in the last few years AI software has definitely come a long way and is nothing like the AI conversational software that was common a few years ago.

Modern AI is capable of understanding how real people think and speak:

You may be surprised to discover that modern AI is actually capable of understanding how real people think and speak. So if you assumed that AI would not be capable of carrying a natural, convincing conversation, think again. As contemporary AI will also continue to learn. So the more customers that your AI deals with, the better that your AI will become at speaking in a natural, realistic way. That your customers will be comfortable dealing with and will actually prefer to deal with, rather than traditional customer service agents.

So if you assumed that your team would need to manage and update your AI software manually, think again as your AI software should be able to continually update itself and learn, with every interaction that it has with a customer. Which means that you won’t need to spend as much capital on data scientists and engineers, who can be pricey to hire in the long term. So if you want to save your business valuable money, it’s well worth looking into this modern option.

Some forms of AI offer pre built conversational components:

Instead of having AI developed from scratch, you’ll be able to purchase a form of AI such as Thinking Machine which was developed by Replicant, which offers plenty of pre-built conversational components. Which will allow you to get your new AI solution up and running as soon as possible. So that you’ll be able to start reaping the numerous benefits of implementing AI into your business and customer service offerings in a short time frame. If you’re interested in buying innovative AI software from Replicant, make sure to conduct a bit more research into Replicant conversational AI, in order to discover more information.

It takes AI half the time to resolve customers’ queries or issues:

The number one reason why it’s worth investing in AI technology for your customer service needs is that it takes AI roughly half the time to resolve customer’s queries and issues. Which will increase your customer satisfaction scores!

In conclusion:

So if you are curious about streamlining your business‘ customer service processes, for the overall benefit of your business as your customer satisfaction scores will increase and your sales will increase. If so, it’s a great idea to learn more information about AI systems that can help your business such as Replicant’s award winning conversational AI software.

Marketing your business in the world’s third richest country means you stand to gain a whole lot. Learning to market successfully in the UAE is as simple as doing your due diligence in terms of research.

The digital advertising potential in the UAE skyrocketed in 2020 due to the pandemic, and business owners now have a market in the digital arena that is more active than ever before.

Let your operation in on the action, and take a look at a few simple marketing tips for spreading the digital word about your business in the United Arab Emirates.

Decide between in-house and outsourcing

Before you jump into the digital marketing scene, decide whether or not you want to tackle it alone. Outsourcing to a content marketing agency in Dubai could help you reap the benefits of your marketing content much faster.

Dubai is the most popular and busy city in the UAE, and there are plenty of opportunities to reach a hungry audience. In addition, outsourcing your digital efforts will be cheaper and more effective than doing it yourself.

Decide how much money you want to invest

You will need to be free to allocate a certain part of your budget to digital marketing. The cost is what you make it, but it can be somewhat expensive. The average monthly cost of marketing in the UAE for a small business can range from $2,500 to $12,000.

If you’re looking for a whole website design, your business needs to budget several thousand dollars for marketing expenses. The point is that there has to be a clear cut plan on what you can spend before you start making moves.

Choose the digital tools you want to use

There are many different ways to spread the word about your business in the digital realm. It’s time to decide which tools you’ll invest the most time and effort into utilizing.

The most common tools used in digital marketing are search engine optimization (SEO), email, social media marketing (SMM), and content marketing. You may choose to use all of them to create a well-rounded marketing approach.

Actively track the results of your efforts

After your digital marketing campaign has been fully launched, it’s important to keep an eye out for just how successful your efforts are proving to be. The more data you have concerning your marketing efforts, the more efficient you can make your campaign.

You’ll need to pay special attention to the traffic you’re drawing online, number of clicks, how long people linger, and your conversion rates. Use Google Analytics to get started on your data adventure, and make more informed decisions moving forward.