Email, websites, online bill paying, Amazon.com, FaceBook, Twitter, WI-FI, online banking; how did we survive prior to the internet? The virtual world is all around us and guess what; it’s only going to get more immersed in our everyday life as we look to watching TV and movies on our computer and connect our appliances to computer networks at home.
How does this affect our business? There is no question that data including audio and video are exploding online and helping sell more goods and services. Hand held devices such as iPhone’s and Blackberry’s are growing in popularity, devices that track the GPS to give us driving directions are here to stay. We therefore, if we own and operate a business, need to ensure we use technology how it was designed and this is as a tool to help us be more productive.
To make technology work for us in our business we need a plan. There is no point adding a new device to the existing technology in the business if it won’t work. You can buy the latest piece of Windows compatible software and try to install and run it on a MAC but if the MAC doesn’t operate the Windows software you are done. Similarly, if your computers are running Windows 2000 server software and the hardware breaks and needs replacing, you have to make sure the replacement hardware will work in the old server and the software.
So what goes into a Technology Plan? A good starting point is a breakdown by make and model number of each of the pieces of hardware in the business. You need this data for tax purposes anyway and it is necessary. This information should include any devices that are specifically used and taken out of the office by any employee. If that employee leaves, you obviously want the item returned for their replacement in good working order and condition, all the data on it. Your technology plan should also include how often the data is to be backed up, where copies of purchase receipts and warranties are to be stored in case the machine breaks down and needs to be replaced or is stolen and a replacement machine needs to be bought and replaced urgently.
A technology plan also needs to clearly outline for all employees how they can and cannot use the business technology. If the use of Social Network Marketing sites like FaceBook, LinkedIn or Twitter are not allowed, then that needs to be communicated. It could be this ban applies to some positions but allowed for others. For example, it may not be a good use of time for the accounting, technology and operational employees to use these media but it may be encouraged or indeed part of the sales and marketing plan to use these technologies. Technology is not simple and straight forward. It does require discussion, the creation of policies but also review of these policies.
Another important component to technology which is sometimes overlooked is the need for training. Businesses in the technology are constantly competing to maintain and increase market share. One of their most important strategies is to deploy new and better hardware and software than their competitor. This constant change of products means employees that use these new and upgraded products, to remain efficient, need to be trained and kept up to date.
To make sure the technology plan is kept relevant and up to date, consider having one primary and one secondary person responsible. Both people need to live and breathe technology. Their responsibility is to keep the technology plan current, but also escalate problems and just as importantly, relevant new ideas that will help the business. As the owner of the business, if you delegate managing the technology to another employee, make sure you understand the difficulties they face staying on top of it all. Technology is supposed to serve us and the business. Because of its constant changes and oftentimes being deployed before it is truly ready for the market it can be a bear.
Measuring the performance of the business is the role of the Performance Plan. Part 10 of this article series looks at the need to score and then tweak so the business knows its success meeting annual financial goals.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
If you are thinking of buying or selling your business in the New Year, how is your Technology Plan?
Technology Sales Lead ? Necessity Breakthrough
It is no secret that generating sales leads is an integral part of any business, but Technology Sales Lead is of equal importance?
Company profits can significantly grow with the aid of a dynamic sales team. Generating Technology Sales Lead is a real time job. It is about quantity-the more leads the more sales to close.
Prior to the internet age, sales personnel used to file business sales leads carefully and individually easily. Most Technology Sales Lead was confined to only one person and sharing them with others is often not done. Sales persons use to record their contacts in notebooks, planners, address books and even index cards. This old and conventional set up of tracking Technology Sales Lead is not in a way pro active in terms of promoting productivity.
Necessity spells great breakthrough . As technology progresses, with the advent of numerous ways of using the internet, Technology Sales Lead creation can be easily accessible and available to many. Competition is much stiffer. The clamor for better way of tracking sales leads was needed and automation was inevitable.
High dependence on basic contact information for Technology Sales Lead had to change with time. Technology Sales Lead for companies can lean towards more on personal aspect and strategies can be target focused.
There are numerous software available in the market today that offer a lot of different ways on how to make Technology Sales Lead easier. Information access and sharing is possible. Field personnel’s mobility can now be addressed soon. Reports generation and group prospecting can be available in real time an real sense. Given the availability of information to key company personnel as basis for marketing efforts, achieving the desired marketing output is more achievable.
Technology Sales Lead could be more rewarding if sales people are armed with relevant information. Knowing customer’s preferences and buying history will enable sales people to offer products or services tailor made to their clients’ needs easily. Selling with personal touch can close sales and promote repeat orders now.
Companies dealing in Technology Sales Lead with vigorous ad campaign efforts for their products and services will ultimately yield business sales leads. These are then filtered and grouped according to set parameters somehow. Without an automated way of doing this, valuable prospects may be unnecessarily filtered out and forever lost by this; and with it, possible company profits.
On the question whether to automate tracking sales leads or not, the answer is very clear.
No matter what the size of your business, Technology Sales Lead remains an integral part in forming your revenues. Learn how to do proper lead management with myprospecthill. Visit http://www.myprospecthill.com/
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Tag-org Launches New Products at Gitex Technology Week 2008
TAG-ITI will be presenting its broad range of services at GITEX 2008DUBAI—– September 8, 2008 ——– The Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAG-Org) is getting ready to launch new products at the GITEX Technology Week 2008 which takes place at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC), October 19-23, 2008.GITEX provides an excellent opportunity to learn from, and exchange views with, some of the leading experts within the ICT industry. Some of the new products to be launched include:
Also, TAG-ITI, TAG-Org’s ICT consultancy arm, which has seen strong growth over the past year and has successfully been awarded many projects across the Middle East, will be presenting its range of services at GITEX. Some of these include: – ERP consultancy- ICT and security auditing- ICT vendor selection – Business technology solutions – Web solution services TAG-ITI will offer the opportunity to
Process Excellence In Manufacturing With Bpm Technology
Manufacturing houses the world over have to deal with production and supply chain related issues, and this often calls for quick responses and timely intervention clubbed with innovative approaches. Not only does a manufacturing house have to deal with customers, but also with an array of distributors, suppliers, vendors, and its own workforce. While there have been various attempts in the past to streamline production processes through the use of various enterprise solutions, the results have been quite mixed. This is mainly because the focus doesn’t always remain on the business’ individual process requirements. Business units are broken down into smaller assembly units and each use stripped down process modeling with limited interaction. Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) typically only support production routing, production processes, and instructions for the work to be done. Hence, MES systems are focused only on production and are unable to execute processes, integrate multivendor applications or play a role in the planning, designing and building phase of manufacturing.
BPM to the Rescue
Business Process Management tools cure this exact pain. It gives businesses the ability to fine tune processes while eliminating any shortcomings, while also automating production processes in order to minimize errors and maximize reliability. Through effective BPM implementation a production house can also utilize its assets to the fullest, thereby getting the most out of its existing manpower and equipment. Besides, in going the BPM way a production house would have the ability to extend its channels of revenue, and this would also give the business an opportunity to gather pertinent customer data from various points of sale.
Managing the Supply Chain
Since this fast paced technological world that we now live in calls for quick fire and accurate decision making while also maintaining visibility, it is important that businesses and their respective supply chain collaborators work in tandem by quickly adapting to changing market needs and scenarios. Using a BPM solution to streamline a business’ entire supply chain network would help the business adapt to the latest trends, minimize wastage, and run on decreased operating costs.
Operations
When it comes to the operational aspect of any manufacturing business, one of the most common complaints involves the lack of synchronized data. If the operations part of a manufacturing house is not adequately integrated, it could very well lead to inaccurate reporting of data, loss of man hours, unnecessary inventories, inappropriate planning and decision making, etc. With the help of an integrated BPM solution, one can expect to have access to all information in real time.
Apart from the positives mentioned above, here are some more reasons why a production house would benefit by employing a BPM strategy.
Other benefits of using BPM solutions in production industries include the ability to run processes in accordance to specific business needs; reducing the possibility of delays in the supply of materials; using automatic notifications to correspond within various internal departments and with external sources like customers, vendors, and suppliers; as well as the ability to integrate one’s existing range of applications like SCM and ERP.
So do I see more manufacturing houses embrace this technology in the time to come? Of course!
Author
Kalpa ShahVice PresidentSkelta Software
Friday, July 23, 2010
Top Accredited Online Diplomas In Information Technology
Information technology is one of the leading employers in today’s economy. The popularity of information technology is fueled by the drive by many technology companies to capitalize on the wave of technological advancements that have consumed the industry. As a result, we have seen great leaps in Nano-technology, telecommunications and computer technology that are pushing the limits of man’s imagination.To gain afoot-hold in the field of information technology, one must get formal training on the systems, principles and mechanisms used within the profession. For individuals who are interested in the field of information technology, an online diploma in information technology is one of the easiest ways of gaining a sound knowledge of the industry. Online universities work in collaboration with leading information technology experts and companies to design their online courses. This ensures that the courses are current, applicable and relevant to the various happenings of this dynamic industry.The diploma in information technology is an extraction of the level 1, 2 and level 3 courses of the bachelor’s degree in information technology. As a result, the general online diploma in information technology takes an average of three years for completion. At level 1, students focus on basic mathematical and scientific courses that prepares them for the more specialized courses later on in the course. These subjects include calculus, circuits, physics and basic programing languages. At level 2, students start going into their core subject areas. This level entails subjects such as communication, information technologies, computers and processors and designing with visual basic. Level 3 entails studies in areas such as foundation and practice of e-business technologies, technologies for digital media and advance communication technologies.
Top Online Colleges for an Online Diploma in Information TechnologyWhen choosing an online college to pursue an online diploma in information technology, students must ensure that the university and its programs are accredited by the Department of Education. This accreditation will prove critical in the future when the time comes for employment or further studies. Many online colleges with grant credit exemption based only on the accreditation of the previous university.Some of the best universities offering Accredited Online Diplomas in Information Technology include:
Monday, July 19, 2010
Updated Technology Equals Easier Business Management
There is a segment of society that embraces antiquity and eschews modern technology and all that it brings. But this is unfortunately not the path that businesses need to take in order to be profitable and remain in business for a long period of time. The reason is that the global nature of doing business has changed the way businesses operate. The demands on a business are such that it connect and interface in a way that takes advantage of marketing paths which will bring business.
Technology has brought enhanced ways of doing business that have had a great impact on profitability. Consider the 800 number alone. This feature has helped increase business many times just by allowing customers and prospects to be able to make calls at no charge to a business. And, if you add onto this a PBX system, you can see very quickly that being able to handle calls and inquiries is made easier and more efficient.
Leading Edge, not Bleeding Edge. The overall outlook for businesses (especially the small businesses) is to follow leading edge trends, but not be the first to enter the foray into them. There is a certain amount of ’shaking out’ that needs to happen in a marketplace before the embracing of the technology can be fully realized. Many good business ideas and concepts are taken and made better which helps all to be able to benefit from them.
Keep Up With Good Trends. The good trends are those which are still fairly new, but also have a time-tested element to them. This would be true of an 800 number and PBX system. The phone has been around or generations, the 800 number is not new and the PBX system certainly is a proven business tool. But, put them together in a strategy that makes sense helps businesses become profitable while maintaining ease of use to customers.
Watch for tools. If there were ever at time to be on the look-out for business tools, this would be it. There are always new things being introduced and new trends to examine closely. But these are only beneficial if they are able to help a business become better than they are without bogging the business down. Such is the case with an 800 number and PBX system. The proper use of one of these systems insures that not only will it help the business grow, but it becomes the structure upon which the business operates. It is indeed one of the best tools around.
Network with Others. Information passes between business owner fast. It is imperative to keep in touch with others who are in like businesses in order to help each other perform to peak efficiency. You can learn a lot from the ways other businesses handle the same problems and issues you face on a day-to-day basis.
There is nothing wrong with looking back at that ‘good old days.’ In fact, there are still many things we can learn from those who have blazed the paths with great business models. But being able to add to that the modern tools that are needed to succeed in business will help you go farther than you ever imagined. An 800 number and PBX system will give you a great modern tool upon which you can build your business success for many years to come.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Bookmarking and Synchronization - the New Trends in Internet Technology
With more and more business allowing their employees to work outside the office, technology will need to catch up with consumer demands. Cell phones, Blackberries and Personal Data Assistants are replacing laptops computers for doing business on. Hand-held and mobile is the new trend in business technology and this is creating a demand for Internet tools such as bookmarking and synchronization programs.
Laptop computers for business use are starting to become obsolete. Sure, they are portable and one can access the internet from them, but the new trend in business technology is going by the way of mobile, hand-held devises that fit into a pocket. Cell phones and PDAs (personal data assistants) are becoming common business tools for busy associates on the run. They are small and powerful and now, able to do the same work as a laptop. These devices provide Internet connection, e-mail capability, and web browsing, as well as limited data entry function. The problem, however, comes with the Internet. On a computer, all the websites visited most often can be saved in your favorite folder. This folder provides quick access to links visited most often.
There is good news for users of the Internet! Bookmarks and bookmaking programs are now becoming available and the features on these will not only enhance the Internet used on regular computers, but on hand-held devises also. Three new services are out in the bookmark area, each different but providing outstanding services to enhance Internet use. The first one is Firefox Live Bookmark. Users can add their favorite links to it and Firefox actually keeps track of when these websites update their content. Users will always know when content has been added to their favorite websites without having to go there and recheck constantly. Firefox program can deliver the updated results as soon as they become available. It can also help with broken links. If a link is no longer valid, Firefox may help the user establish a good working link again.
The massive search engine Google is getting into the bookmark business also. The Google Desktop allows its users to be able to customize their sidebar and desktop with any features. Users can add weather, news, and sports, if they want, or just weather. The Google desktop also allows searches on the computer for files and emails to be performed quickly. It is like a massive search engine for your hard drive.
Blinkpro is a more advanced system than the other two that I have mentioned. It helps to protect your links should your computer system crash. It is basically a back-up system for the websites in your favorite folder. Blinkpro also enables users to share their links with others if they want or it keeps the sites private from other users. Finally, the program allows users to access their favorite links from any other computer, any place else. This tool can be immensely helpful if a user has many links saved at work, but needs to work from home. It reduces hunting for and resaving websites.
A final tool I need to mention that is now becoming available in computer synchronization. IBM is developing a program that enables users to speak and type more effectively and is making interfaces much more friendly. The biggest feature of this technology is that it helps to link computers with mobile phones, personal data assistants and other hand-held devices. This way, any devise you chose to use will have the same features and same information because each system will have shared with the other.
With more people taking their work outside the traditional office, the demand for more compatible technology is increasing. People need to stay connected with their data and clients and websites. The Internet is now offering tools to help people do just this. With the introduction of bookmarking programs, people can save information, have it updated automatically and change their share it with portable devises.
Synchronization allows computer and portable devise to share information. Mobile, portable, hand-held, on the go; these are all things that describe business today and programs like Firefox Live Bookmark, Google Desktop and Blinkpro are providing solutions to keep business connected.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Microsoft .net is a Technology That Connects Information, People, Systems and Devices
Microsoft .NET Application Development
About .NET
. .NET connects a broad range of personal and business technologies, enabling the access and use of important information, whenever and wherever it is needed. Built on XML Web service standards, .NET enables both new and existing applications to connect with software and web application to the services across platforms, applications and programming languages.
Radix’s Innovative .NET Solutions
Radix helps our clients? to design, develop and integrate business solutions based on the .NET platform. Radix?s Microsoft .NET team develops and delivers comprehensive solutions utilizing the full capability of .NET functionality. Our experienced Microsoft certified software architects develop and consult work with you to understand your requirements and demonstrate the capabilities of .NET framework and develop the system to the requirements.
Some of the key areas demonstrating our capabilities in this practice can be shortened as:
Microsoft .NET Solutions
Mobile Banking Technology
If technological revolution is at its peak, One of the notable sectors of the economy where technology is at it helm of affairs with respect to customer service is BANKING. Over the years has banking transcended from a traditional brick-and mortar model of customers queuing for services in the banks to modern day banking where banks can reach at any point for their services. In today’s business, technology has been on the predominant indicators of growth and competitiveness. Entry of new banks resulted in a paradigm shift in the ways of banking. The banking industry today is in the midst of an IT revolution. The combination of regulatory and competitive reasons have led to increasing importance of total banking automation in the banking Industry. . Information Technology has basically been used under two different avenues in banking. One is Communication and Connectivity and other is Business Process Reengineering, both basically focusing on increasing its customer reach. Information technology enables sophisticated product development, better market infrastructure, implementation of reliable techniques for control of risks and helps the financial intermediaries to reach geographically distant and diversified markets The latest revolution seems to happen with respect to mobile banking an attempt to leverage on the synergies of in telecom and information technology in the banking services.Today, Banks have welcomed wireless and mobile technology into their boardroom to offer their customers the freedom of paying bills, planning payments while stuck in traffic jams, to receive updates on the various marketing efforts while present at a party to provide more personal and intimate relationships. Mobile banking can be classified as Push vs. Pull and Transaction vs. Enquiry that is briefly given below:
oPush Based
oPull Based
oTransaction
Some of the other features where mobile banking has lent its hand are Fund Transfer & Bill Payment where the customers have the freedom of maintaining account through mobile. Mobile banking has also welcomed other financial services likeshare trading. The latest Information technology revolution enables sophisticated Enquiry Based banking services for Credit/Debit Alerts.
Some of the other outcomes of the Revolution in the banking industry are Minimum Balance Alerts, Account Balance Enquiry, Account Statement Enquiry, Cheque Status Enquiry, Cheque Book Requests and Bill Payment Alerts. The last time that technology had a major impact in helping banks service their customers was with the introduction of the Internet banking. However the biggest limitation of Internet banking is the requirement of a PC with an Internet connection, not a big obstacle if we look at the US and the European countries, but definitely a big barrier if we consider most of the developing countries of Asia like China and India. Mobile banking addresses this fundamental limitation of Internet banking, as it reduces the customer
Requirement to just a mobile phone. Mobile usage has seen an explosive growth in most of the Asian economies like India, China and Korea. The main reason that Mobile banking scores over Internet banking is that it enables