February 2018 - Page 6 of 8

Why Is Customer Onboarding More Than Just Customer Acquisition?

More Than Just Expanding A List

Customer on-boarding can be short and sweet or lengthy and involved, depending on your product or service. Upon signing up, their name goes on to a list of others. And doesn’t that feel good – to see your list grow?

But there’s more to gather than just names. What about picking information that could help you plan your business growth? What about information that could inspire or focus your marketing team?

Beyond The Name

Gender-based has come under fire lately, but there is still room to segment customers in this way. Some products are bought more by women, others by men. Most are largely gender neutral.

So, consider asking a gender question to verify your suspicions about who buys your product. But keep in mind this isn’t an easy question. 1&1.com says this best: as you segment your market by gender, you must “see the current social situation and contemporary needs of both sexes.”

It’s worth noting that you would need to see to the needs of those who do not identify male or female. Then you can confidently tweak your marketing to appeal to your target market.

Choosing The Right Medium

Carol Luther of the Houston Chronicle points out that younger customers are more likely to see your marketing message online or on television. Older clients and customers are more likely to see print ads in a newspaper or hear a radio spot. So, gleaning some data about age at onboarding can be very helpful.

Maps And Tracking

Consider asking where your customer is living. The US Census Bureau’s 2016 census data shows that people from rural areas in the US are more likely to own their home. And if a rural person owns their own home they are more likely to hold it free and clear – 44{ed162fdde9fdc472551df9f31f04601345edf7e4eff6ea93114402690d8fa616} for agricultural homeowners as opposed to 32{ed162fdde9fdc472551df9f31f04601345edf7e4eff6ea93114402690d8fa616} for their urban counterparts.

This is information that could be helpful to anybody in the construction or mortgage industries. Anybody with a product for older homes might like to know this as well. You can often gather location data during on-boarding by collecting IP addresses eliminating the need for a separate question.

Products Have Personalities Too!

Finding out other personality traits of your customer can help your marketing team modify the product presentation to better match their characteristics. Carol Kinsey Goman writes in Forbes magazine that mirroring has been proven to increase rapport among people.

Babies mirror and mimic their mothers, and we continue to echo our peers and acquantainces throughout our lives to develop relationships.

So, it stands to reason that by simulating our customers’ attitudes and lifestyle choices, a company can foster a closer relationship with its customers. That’s where onboarding comes in.

You’ll need to know those on your list who share these same attitudes as your product so that you can specifically tailor your marketing campaigns accordingly.

Loyalty At Onboarding Isn’t An Oxymoron

Likewise, you’ll want to identify prior or long-term customers. Just because they’re going through the onboarding process doesn’t mean they’ve never done business with you before.

Usually, people analyze sales data about the most recently and most frequent customers. A strategically worded question during on-boarding can increase the number of loyal customers you can identify. Ask prior customers who would like to come back to you!

https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolkinseygoman/2011/05/31/the-art-and-science-of-mirroring/#5b6ca1de1318

What is Recruitment 3.0?

The professional environment and the way people search for jobs is changing rapidly thanks to technology, globalization and various other factors, which means recruitment as an industry needs to change to keep up. There is no such thing as a job for life anymore, and more and more people change their entire careers, not just jobs, several times during their lifetime.

If companies and HR teams don’t keep up, they won’t be able to attract the best talent, and this could have a significant impact on the future of the whole company. After all, a company relies on people. So how does the future of recruitment look?

There are some fundamental differences between current hiring practices, and what is required for Recruitment 3.0 so let’s take a look at some of them here:

The Best Candidates are not Looking for a Job Right Now

One of the key issues with traditional recruitment is that it involves contacting people who are looking for jobs, so those on job boards or signed up with agencies, however, the likelihood is that the best candidate for your position is not actively looking. Market research shows that only 10{ed162fdde9fdc472551df9f31f04601345edf7e4eff6ea93114402690d8fa616} of the people with the skills you need are looking for a job at any one time, so that means 90{ed162fdde9fdc472551df9f31f04601345edf7e4eff6ea93114402690d8fa616} of all the suitable candidates you could be in touch with are not looking. With traditional recruitment you won’t be talking to them at all so are missing out on a huge talent pool.

What Makes a Good Job Candidate?

Traditionally, a candidate is only someone who has applied to you for a role, and whom you have invited for an interview. They only became a candidate because of that process. Recruitment 3.0 aims to turn that assumption on its head and redefine a candidate as anyone out there who has the necessary talent. It is up to the company to go out and create the candidates, not just wait for them to come to your HR department.

A Good Employment Brand is Essential

While most companies spend a lot of money on their corporate brand for marketing purposes and to sell their products or services, not many spend time developing an employment brand to attract the best talent and showcase what it’s like to work for the organization. This is a key factor which needs to change for Recruitment 3.0.

Creating a Talent Community

No-one can dispute the power of the internet and social media to bring people together and create engaging communication, but very few companies are taking advantage of this when it comes to engaging with a potential new talent pool for their workforce.

Many create job boards or post jobs on Twitter, but this is outdated. Recruitment 3.0 is about building talent communities, using brand ambassadors to spread the word about how great you are at work.

This was a very quick summary of some of the fundamental changes which Recruitment 3.0 will bring to the world of job hunting and talent acquisition. Companies need to progress with their HR and realize that the new era of recruitment is about building communities by listening and engaging with new talent.

LSI Keywords

Recruitment
Recruitment 3.0
What is recruitment 3.0?
What does recruitment 3.0 mean?
The future of recruitment
New era of recruitment
Job hunting
Talent pool
HR
Talent acquisition

Recruitment 3.0: The Next Stage in Company Hiring

In the professional environment, recruitment procedure has changed and updated itself with different versions across the decades. Currently, Human Resource departments are looking ahead to version 3.0, summarised by a need for considerable change in the way employees are hired to companies and adapting to the latest trends in job-seeking.

The concept was originally devised by Matthew Jeffery, a world-leading strategist in Recruitment and Branding. In 2011, he penned a document analysing the future of recruitment and how it would be impacted by updates to technology and company procedures.

A Several-Pronged Approach

As this occurs, previous recruitment models have gradually become obsolete, forcing businesses to keep pace with an ever-changing job market. Jeffery’s work identified six major trends that would be made more prominent in the years to come.

The first stated the importance of understanding that not everyone is looking for work. An HR department needs to skirt around this area and target those who are actively seeking employment. The second emphasised that everyone is a possible candidate, even consumers which encourage businesses to be more open with their recruitment process.

The third point argued for producing a particular employment brand, one which is highly recognisable and easy to engage with for applicants. It also gets a reputation for the business that goes beyond corporate identity, showing how it supports potential employees emotionally.

Point four engages with people psychologically, building a relationship that compels a candidate to apply for a business’ vacancy. Simply having a two-way conversation face-to-face is more personal than a blank set of company emails and can make a new employee feel more welcomed into a company.

Transparency and Moving Online

The fifth point promotes that you can’t control what people say, whether it’s an interview, appraisal or business meeting. Keeping an open channel with both employees and candidates is critical in this regard. The final point from Jeffery argues that building relationships and communities is key to adapting to each new employee.

The power of the internet and social media is also pivotal to this future of recruitment as it allows employers to communicate with thousands of possible candidates, communicating their current vacancies to attract more applications. However, Jeffery also said that while Facebook, Twitter and other networks have become de-facto job boards, they won’t immediately lead to fulfilled roles. Instead, they should serve as a tool to improve a company’s advertising while also engaging with potential candidates on a personal level.

Jeffery concludes his article by emphasising that a wide variety of skills will be needed to ensure a smooth and efficient process; this includes public relations, direct and indirect marketing, segmentation and Candidate Relationship Management (CRM) among others.

Considering his words: “What we do can make or break a company”, the nature of recruitment is sure to grow more important as the hiring process evolves into its third version. Depending on where technology progresses to in the future, this set of ideas could evolve even further.

(500 Words)

Keywords: recruitment, skills, employment, company, version, 3.0, Matthew, Jeffery, candidates, process, applications, people

Source: https://www.eremedia.com/ere/a-vision-for-the-future-of-recruitment-recruitment-3-0/

Borrowing Money at the Click of a Mouse

Why Borrow Online?

There are many reasons for somebody to choose to borrow money online versus more traditional routes, such as a bank or building society loan. You might be unemployed, have a poor credit rating, you may not be able to access a bank for a loan interview because of remoteness, or a busy schedule.

You may need to obtain money immediately without having to wait for a credit check. Perhaps you would simply prefer the convenience of doing it online, from the comfort of your home. Whatever your reasons for deciding that you want to borrow funds online, and whatever it is that you need the money for, there are a lot of different options available to you.

The decision you make should be tailored to your 2personal circumstances, and this article is intended to help you make that decision and inform you of the plethora of options available to you.

Online Banking

If you already have a bank account, then before looking into other sources of money borrowing, it is often worthwhile to log into your online bank account. From there, you may be able to apply for an overdraft or a temporary extension to your overdraft limit.

Interest rates and fees vary, so you will need to read carefully through the terms and conditions, and also make sure not to exceed your overdraft limit. Many banks offer this service instantly after filling out a short form via online banking service.

Also, you can also apply for personal loans through online banking, in fact, some banks have exclusive offers available only to online banking customers, so make sure you know what your bank is offering!

Payday Loans

If you need an instant solution to your money problems, and you know that you will be able to pay back the debt in the very near future (for example, because you have a payday approaching), then a payday loan may be a good option for you.

Payday loans are an emerging concept in India, with some organizations such as Money in Minutes and Rupee Land growing rapidly in popularity.

It is possible to borrow amounts of money up to 10,000 INR, and interest rates are commonly high, usually at approximately 1{ed162fdde9fdc472551df9f31f04601345edf7e4eff6ea93114402690d8fa616} interest per day. Therefore, when looking into using a payday loan, ensure that you will be able to pay the money back soon.

PayPal and Online Credit Cards

If you need to borrow money for online purchases, then a good option may be PayPal credit. PayPal credit works in much the same way as a regular credit card, with an annual interest rate of 17.9{ed162fdde9fdc472551df9f31f04601345edf7e4eff6ea93114402690d8fa616}. Application and approval occur almost instantly, making it ideal if you need the cash quickly.

In addition to this, there are often promotions running, and individual purchases can be bought with credit at a 0{ed162fdde9fdc472551df9f31f04601345edf7e4eff6ea93114402690d8fa616} interest rate for the first few months. If this seems like a good option for you, be sure to investigate the promotional offers available. Many online vendors, such as Amazon, also have their online credit cards which can be used for purchasing goods.

LSI Keywords: Borrowing, money, online, instantly, PayPal, bad credit, credit check, unemployed, personal loans, payday loan

A Look Ahead to India’s Top FinTech Trends in 2017

A Great 2016 Leads to a Greater 2017

Bigger, Better, Bolder Than Before

Just like the sequel to your favorite film that you watched in your neighborhood theatre, 2017 promises to top a fantastic 2016. 2016 has laid the groundwork impressively.

The year started with a bang, featuring UPI’s launch in February. Many other stories impacted the scene throughout the year. Then, in November, PM Narendra Modi’s televised address announced the demonetization of India’s two largest currency notes.

The landscape has shifted – and FinTech is shifting into high gear in 2017. Let’s look at the coming attractions:

The Blockchain Blockbuster

Invented by person/persons using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, blockchain has brought a wave of security into the Internet pool. Bitcoin and other blockchain based cryptocurrencies are offering a safe and speedy alternative to hard currencies.

Bitcoin transactions in the US in 2016 averaged $200,000 US per day. Goldman Sachs is a great believer in the tech and reports that it could bring global savings of $6 billion US per year. As India moves towards a cashless economy, blockchain tech will prove integral.

The government has created a panel to bring recommendations on cryptocurrency before the end of the third quarter this year. And the Ministry of Finance has suggested in the Watal Report that regulation for digital payments should be separated from central banking operations.

With the burgeoning interest and implementation in 2016 of e-currency, investment and savings are just two of many areas which are projected to see real revolution this year.

Biometrics and Other Security – Not Just for James Bond

How secure is secure? When it’s your money – you can’t be safe enough. Hackers pose a new age threat to everyone using the internet, but there are methods to bulletproof your online financial security that can – and should – be brought to market this year.

Authentication means that you can prove that it’s you and no one else verifying transactions and approving credit or loans. From fingerprint sensors to facial recognition to retinal authentication, the technology is here to be implemented – even on your smartphone with the proper app. As a bonus, you won’t have to remember all those passwords anymore. Look for enhanced security features to create even more consumer confidence.

Micro-Payments and P2P Steal the Show

With the new availability and affordability of smartphones, rural areas have also opened up to the opportunities of micropayments. The government’s digital literacy campaign is even showing consumers how to use e-wallets to make payments, along with other methods such as Aadhaar. And 30 million Kisan cards being converted to RuPay cards will allow farmers to skip the trips to the bank and make their transactions digitally.

P2P lending will surge with roughly 5.7 million Indian small businesses out there exploring their options. India has approximately 30 P2P platforms already. The government will be providing regulations to help safeguard the process as well.

If UPI isn’t enough already: look for UPI 2.0 to hit the market with a new set of bells and whistles. This is what makes the process more adjustable and personalized.

Robo-Advisors – Hasta La Vista, Loan Officer

Artificial intelligence, algorithms – FinTech. A.I. and big data analytics will streamline the lending process and bring it to real-time decision making. There are already 39 robo-advisory firms in India.

SMEs are benefitting from Government enhancement of credit programs, as per the PM’s December 2016 address. SMEs now qualify for funds worth two crores, rather than the previous one crore. FinTech enterprises are providing close to 40{ed162fdde9fdc472551df9f31f04601345edf7e4eff6ea93114402690d8fa616} of this year’s lending. A. I. will make that process even more attractive.

Investments? Yes – there are robo-advisors for that too. BigDecision, 5nance, and others are already helping with financial planning and will become more mainstream. Also, watch for more and more banks offering the chatbot option of customer service.

Go For Knowledge, Once You Have It Success Will Follow You

We’ve seen 2016 and the opportunities created. We know what trends to expect. What Sholay is to movies, FinTech is to our financial future. Now is the time to move boldly forward. India’s future lies in its innovators and its entrepreneurs – and that future has never looked brighter.

LSI Keywords

UPI, demonetization, FinTech, blockchain, Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, cashless economy, digital payments, e-currency, micropayments, e-wallets, Aadhaar, RuPay cards, P2P lending, UPI 2.0, Artificial intelligence, algorithms, big data analytics, SMEs, financial planning, chatbot

Sydney Contracts Negotiations

Sydney is a unique city that offers spectacular views whether you are exploring the city during the day or at night. If you’re in Sydney in anticipation of our Contract Negotiation Training Workshops, do not forget to visit Sydney Opera House which is one of the most well-recognized landmarks in Australia.

The Opera House in Circular Quay is a true masterpiece that showcases 20th-century architecture. With more than 40 weekly performances, a visit to Sydney Opera House will ensure you tick the experience off your bucket list.

Experience our negotiation workshops as you’re the city

This Australian city is also home to some of the outstanding coastal trails. Sydney boasts of a six-kilometer walking track that takes you through magnificent beaches. These beaches include Tamarama, Bondi, Clovelly, Bronte and finally the famous Coogee Beach.

Since our Contract Negotiation Training Workshop takes about three days, you will have a lot of time to explore the scenic views on the coastal trail. This trail starts off at Bondi Icebergs and concludes at Marks Park while offering numerous chances for visitors to swim along the trail.

Experience Australia’s Wild Side

Not only will you get to enjoy a walk on the beautiful path but you can finish with a sumptuous meal at Coogee Pavilion which is known for its attractive 270-degree views.

Are you a participant in our Contract Negotiation Training Workshop? Our negotiation experts can easily direct you to some of the great excursions and attractive sites in Sydney.

A short ferry ride north of Circular Quay will lead you to the Taronga Zoo. Taronga Zoo is known for housing more than 4000 exotic and native species that include Australian sea lions, tigers, gorillas, giraffes, kangaroos and koalas among others.

The flexibility of our Contract Negotiation Training Workshop will ensure you have the time to enjoy an up-close experience with the animals by going through the treetop ‘Wild Ropes.’

For those who may simply want a sleepover at the zoo, you can book the Roar & Snore experience which offers luxurious safari-style tents at the zoo.

Convenient Training Courses

The Contract Negotiation Training courses that we offer in Sydney are open to the public but can also be customized in-house to suit the needs of our clients. There are numerous hotels and other training venues that we can suggest if you require in-house training.

Similarly, we can also recommend accommodation venues if you want to participate in our public ‘Contract Negotiation Training Workshops.’ Food and accommodation are some of the things that people in Sydney take seriously.

MasterChef fans? You’ll love these options.

The city hosts many award-winning and innovative restaurants. You can sample tasty and natural products like the snow egg or wild blacklip abalone when you dine at the Quay. There are also other sophisticated menus in the city restaurants that have been applauded by some of the best food critics and chefs.

If our public course calendar does not have the Sydney dates that you prefer, we would be happy to facilitate your needs or reveal the next Contract Negotiations Training Workshop. These courses are also available in case you need online delivery.

Evenings and Weekends in Sydney

Get out and enjoy Sydney! There are many spectacular sights, treats and activities you’ll want to experience. As a historic city of good size, Sydney offers a little of everything.

Or stay even longer! You’ll find accommodations to suit your needs and easily accessible transportation.

During your Negotiations.com training, you’ll have evenings and weekends to get out and enjoy Sydney. In this free time, you’ll be spoilt for choice as to how you want to experience Australia’s most iconic city.

For Architecture, Shopping, and Opera

While in Sydney you have to see the beautiful Sydney Opera House. That’s the distinctive building on the harbor with the roof like a ships’ sails. It’s become the icon of Sydney. There are restaurants and shopping right there and, of course, the operas.

For the shoppers among you, Sydney offers many venues for that. One of them is the Queen Victoria Building built in the 1890s with stained glass windows and a vast cupola. It covers a full city block and offers 180 excellent fashion venues all in one place. There are even jewelers where you can purchase some of the famous opals Australia is known for.

The Nightclubs and Live Music

For your downtime after a day of training, there’s plenty of options. Nightlife, bars, clubs, and dancing can be found in the city center of Sydney.

There are a couple of ‘eat streets’ in the city center, too, for evening meals with your friends.

Sydney hosts a thriving music scene with local, national and world bands performing at various venues.

One classically Australian bar is the Bald Faced Stag Hotel, a venue for local and national acts almost every night of the week. Also recommended is the Marrickville Bowling Club. Your hotel will be able to direct you to any of these locations.

The Beaches, Trails, and Barrier Islands

Within the city’s boundaries is Sydney Harbor National Park. The area provides hiking, surfing, and diving. It also offers opportunities to learn about the first peoples, geography, and geology of the area. Learn about the Barangaroo, the Cadigal and the Bennelong – rich cultures that continue to influence the culture of Sydney and beyond.

Sydney is also known for Bondi Beach with its famous surfers and huge waves. It’s only 8 km (about 5 miles) from the city center with white sand beaches, ice cream vendors and beach bars nearby. They even have lifeguards and calmer pools at either end of the beach for the less adventurous swimmers and surfers.

An inland tour2

If you enjoy the countryside, good wine, and drink, then one of the food and wine trails just outside of Sydney might entice you. These are Australian things – an auto or hiking tour set up to take you through beautiful scenery along a route of eateries, breweries, and wineries. The tours can take anywhere from a couple of hours to a full day.

Sydney offers excellent accommodation and transportation. Choose from two-star through five-star hotels. Transportation is available via car rentals, buses, ferries and trains depending on your preferences.

Give Negotiatons.com Sydney a call for recommendations to fit your needs. We can provide you with websites and phone numbers when you sign up for your training. Don’t miss out on everything Sydney has to offer while you’re here!

Why live-in before marriage? Because it’s a boon

It’s the sort of thought that would bring our parents to a horrified halt. There is the real fear a grandparent might catch a whisper of it, and there will be a scene reminiscent of an Ekta Kapoor serial.

But ask the younger generations, and it’s common knowledge that it might just be the smart choice.

Try Before You Buy

Live together or learn how to live together, and however bad it might be to realize that you can’t do it, it’s still better than having to get a divorce.

Just don’t treat a live-in relationship like a trial, where you can bail out any time. If you aren’t serious enough to stick it out through the hard times, then it’s better just to break up. The idea is to try and avoid a messy break-up!

Low-Key Living

Even if you’re convinced that the two of you are going to get married and live happily ever after, it’s still a good idea to have a live-in relationship.

Why? Because then you learn to adjust together without all the stress and expense of a marriage hanging over your shoulder.

After a wedding, buying a new fridge or going on a vacation might be impossible because all of your spare cash is gone in the marriage. It creates a lot of extra stress when you’re learning how to adjust to a new person in your space.

Learn the Differences From A Roommate

I am a great roommate/flatmate. I’ve heard it from 7 out of 8 people I’ve lived with, so it has to be right! So I’m sure to have a great married life, right? Nah.

Treating a married life like having a roommate is going to end pretty badly!

Learn how to live with a spouse, how to live with someone permanently and deal with the problems that crop up. It will take time to unlearn behaving like a roommate.

Have Some Privacy

The minute you’re married, you’re going to have many well-meaning (or not!) relatives asking about your ‘plans.’ When the question is – are you going to give them a kid to play with?

Apart from offering them a fluffy toy and suggesting that kids aren’t toys, the other alternative is just to grin and bear it.

When you’re already trying to adjust to a new living situation, these small constant stressors can become unbearable.

Enjoy Yourself!

Following directly on from the above, once you’re married, in a way you’re everybody’s business. Your parents, your spouse’s parents, every relative you haven’t ever heard of will come out of the woodwork to explain the ‘realities of life’ to you.

Have a live-in relationship and enjoy the private time that you can have together without having to take into account roommates, relatives, and everyone else.

Whatever you do, always be honest with each other and learn how to take the little problems less seriously. It’ll make both marriages and live together much more comfortable!

Keyword: Live in before marriage

Why live-in before marriage is a boon

You’ve met a person, and realized that they’re THE person. So, the most natural next step is tying the knot. Right? Maybe not. How about living together for a while before calling the priest? It just might be the best decision you’ve made as a couple.

After the fireworks

While the initial stages of any relationship are arguably the most exciting and ‘through the roof,’ it should be borne in mind that your relationship will evolve. And time is critical here.

Marriage is a long-term commitment and decisions about it shouldn’t be made in haste. Living with your partner gives you that buffer time and brings you face to face with the realities of marriage and your relationship in general.

By cohabitating (that’s the fancy term for living together by the way) with your partner, you will experience how your lifestyle ties in with your partner’s.

Though mental and emotional compatibility is excellent, your lifestyle should not strongly conflict that of your partner’s.

Chores: Big and small

If you thought that was never going to happen, we’ve got news. Sharing a house and making it a home together requires a lot of effort.

You see, it’s easy to maintain oneself for an evening date. But when you know you’re going back to the same house after movie night, and there are clothes to remove from the washer, the leaking showerhead to fix and plants to water, things get real – real quick.

So, go ahead and share the apartment with your partner and get a dry run for what’s to come very soon. After all, practice never hurt anybody.

Money matters

Yeah, this is a big one that no couple likes talking about. Finances play a vital role in effectively running a household.

And if you are looking to take your relationship to marriage, living in together will provide you with the much-needed experience of dealing with money matters together. It’s important to know where the bread comes from and how bills stack up.

When you start living together things like budgeting and expenses and bills, come into play, and your partner’s spending habits stop seeming cute and surface up to something significant.

It’s best to have experience in handling finances together and sorting out spending habits before you say ‘I do.’

It may not be for you

There, I said it! As improbable and outlandish it may sound, one should not eliminate the possibility that they may realize at some point that marriage may not be their thing.

This is entirely normal and shouldn’t be ignored. So, the best way to test the waters for yourself and your partner would be to live together for a considerable period before marriage.

This also gives you an opportunity to deal with their pesky habits that you disagree with and see how they affect your relationship.

Marriage is the biggest (and probably the best) decision one makes in their lifetime. And the more effort behind the decision the better.

And also, what’s better than having a head start on the rollercoaster lives you would be living together for the rest of your lives? Hey, we’re just kidding, it’s not that scary.

LSI Keywords

Benefits of live-in relationships

Living together before marriage

Cohabitation before marriage

Live-in before marriage – Why this lifestyle deserves a chance

“Living together before marriage- can you imagine a bigger sin?”

Ah, yes! Yes, I can. But that’s a rant for another time.

Living-in is a big decision. And you shouldn’t consider it just because your parents believe their child in a live-in would cause the sun to explode, oceans to boil, and the end of the world as we know it.

The overbearing population aside, live-in is a part of relationships. It’s got its advantages and drawbacks. But, “what will people say” is not a viable enough reason to throw the idea in the dustbin.

Before you consider if live-in is the right next step for you and your partner, let me tell you why I think it’s worth the chance.

Know your partner inside-out

Every party puts their best foot forward when you have limited access to them. It’s human nature. But when you live together, you get to see things you wouldn’t have otherwise.

She hates pepperoni on her pizza. You often wake up to her coding at night. She’s just unable to share chocolates.

He always gets up after midnight for a snack. He wakes up with you snaked around him almost every morning. He can’t stand how you invite over every dog you meet.

Live-in relationships open doors to really knowing your partner. Their likes and dislikes, pet peeves – you get to glimpse who they are on a regular, boring, uneventful Friday night just as much as when you go out on a five-star date with them.

You have a roommate, with benefits

If you’re already spending a lot of your time with your partner, moving in is the cost-effective method for both of you. You’ll share:

Rent
Groceries
Dinner bills, and
Money

You earn, you spend. You share expenses for the facilities you both use. You save more as well. And you’ll always have someone to come home to.

Does that sound so bad?

A sudden avalanche of responsibilities? Not so much

Marriage is very much synonymous with responsibility, especially in India.

If you directly jump into a marriage. You don’t merely marry a guy or a girl – you marry into a family. You’ve got expectations, duties, parents, in-laws and a changed life.

And to top it, you have a spouse that you still need to befriend, never mind spending a lifetime with.

In a live-in, you have a partner whom you know well. The basic understanding is – we take one change at a time and adjust accordingly.

There is no flood of life-changes that you must handle. Responsibilities are mutually discussed and accepted or discarded.

Compatibility check? Yes, please!

It’s the best part of a live-in. You are free to walk out if you can see that things aren’t working well. The break-up could be ugly, or smooth, depending on how you handle it.

It’s a no-fuss, minimal-mess method to check whether or not two people are compatible.

Try getting out of marriage. The paperwork alone would tire your soul.

Try live-in- the drawbacks aren’t sensible enough to not try it anyway.

I often wonder, you may have too, why two consenting adults living together ruffles the feathers of a majority of our delightful Indian population.

The replies – “But, there is no social responsibility!”, “What if he takes advantage of you and runs away?”, “She is using you for money, can’t you see?”, “What face would we have left in the society?”, “Because he’s an engineer and you’re a nurse- where’s the match?”.

And the time-tested classic, “What would the neighbors think?”.

Like I said, not sensible enough!

Opt for a live-in if you want to. The social stigma can be paralyzing. Don’t let it hold you back.

If your partner is the one you like, trust, and see some of your future with, go ahead!

Keyword: live in before marriage

Month: February 2018