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Articles in Technology
Make Upgrading Easier!
Software: make sure your current hardware meets all the necessary requirements to run the new/more-advanced software products. New versions of software and different software brands can have specific computer hardware requirements. When choosing your new or updated software, make sure you...
SEO and Multiple Domain Names
Great article on Search Engine Guide today on how to manage multiple domain names. http://www.searchengineguide.com/stoney-degeyter/redirecting-alternate-domains-to-prevent.php Hidden nugget of info in the article. Be sure to register as many iterations of your domain name as possible....
(SEO)
Tried & True or Latest & Greatest?
My husband recently bought a smart cell phone to keep his calendar, contacts and email while on the go. It's a very "cool" phone! However, because so much battery power goes into the "smartness" of the phone, little power is left for the antennae so cell signal is low and...
Virtual Assistants...Help is in the Air!
You know you need help but you either don't want to hire an employee or don't know if you have quite enough work for a fulltime person. The solution may be a Virtual Assistant (VA). With this concept, you can buy blocks of time -some as low as 10 hours per month and instantly have an...
Mining Your Inbound Links
Once you've established a relevant keyword set for your website, a great place to start putting it use is in your site's inbound links. Inbound links are an important element of achieving high search engine rankings. Search engines take into account both the quality and quantity of...
(SEO)
Technology and Communicating with The Generation Y
More than likely you will be hiring a "Y" generation person (if not already) that is in their 20 somethings. They have grown up with multi-media and multi-communcating. They would rather text than talk at times and tend to prefer interacting electronically than one-one. At times the...
Translating Technology into English!
One of the greatest challenges small businesses face is separating the wheat from the chaff especially when it comes to making a decision about which technologies are best for the business & the best ROI. The problem becomes even more compounded when the best solution requires the...
The New Technology Driven Etiquette - Part One
We are all aware of the fact that more & more of our communications are digital (text) and that has created a number of challenges. Little did I know that missing those English writing classes would come back to haunt me. In the following series of articles I will cover various aspects of...
Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
Respecting the phases in the life-cycle of a document, information must be captured before it can be managed. During the capture phase, a document and its information are acquired and then converted into a format that is compatible with your ECM solution. The force driving this process is...
Rated 5 of 5 (Understanding and Using Document Management Software)
Using VM Software is an Option to Consider in an Upgrade
With many companies upgrading their proprietary business software today, they are finding that the norm requirements for the hardware network includes a 3 server environment....this can be costly both upfront and for ongoing maintanence. I recently helped a local distributer select, purchase and...
Five Worthwhile Applications to Track Your Website Activity
There are literally hundreds of applications and third-party services on the Internet that a business can use to track and analyze their website traffic. However many of them suffer from one of the following problems: offers too little or too much information overly complex statistics...
Rated 5 of 5 (How to Use Internet Technologies to Improve Your Business)
Linux is still alive and well
For those of you that like to cut your own technology paths, LINUX has been a good avenue to consider. Having its origin of being designed and developed by numerous contributors across the globe, it was designed to be a FREE alternative to the norm with a very open architecture. With all the...
Rated 1 of 5 (Business Technology)
The Life Cycle of a Document: Retrieval
The main objective for adopting a document management solution into your business process is to enable efficient retrieval of business critical information. Retrieval , the final phase in the life cycle of a document, is the actual finding of a document for quick and easy viewing ....
Rated 5 of 5 (Understanding and Using Document Management Software)
Recession? How can technology help?
**ANNOUNCEMENT** Postage will increase AGAIN in May 08'! It appears that we are heading for some form of economic downturn and one of the best strategies is to reduce operating costs and improve your bottom line - e-Business Methods can really help. Probably the #1 area of low hanging...
Sharepoint - what the heck is it?
In simple English, Sharepoint is a software product that allows you a tremendous expansion of ways to share information, especially with your staff. For example: We recently helped a company set up Sharepoint on their Intranet site. One of the objectives was to use this to centralize the...
Does a Website's Visual Design REALLY Matter
The entire world can learn about you through your website, but they can learn about your competitors that way, as well. Do you know if they're all stopping to look at your site, or are they simply skipping by to instead study your competitor? When a visitor can move on to a competing site...
Rated 3 of 5 (Developing and Implementing a Website)
Technology That Can Ease Staffing Issues
Let's pretend that a key member of your team just resigned, you've had two positions opened for months without any serious candidates and your phone is ringing off the hook with new work. You wonder - is there technology out there that could help in times like this. When you are working...
The Life Cycle of a Document: Archive
Easy tasks often couple with awkward explanations. I would contend that this follows because certain activities tend to define themselves as ‘routine', and thus, as something that we do not think about, but naturally do . For instance, if you were to consider the multiplicity of...
Rated 5 of 5 (Understanding and Using Document Management Software)
CyrberCrime: Part Two -The effects of CyberCrime on your busines
Whether your business is manufacturing, retail, wholesale, service, hospitality or high tech, it is probably experiencing some degree of employee & criminal theft via the Internet. The list of items stolen from employers is endless. In fact, it is estimated that 95 percent of all businesses...
CyberCrime: Part One - What is it?
Cybercrime is a term used broadly to describe criminal activity in which computers or networks are used to enable unlawful activity. Some examples: Hacking, child pornography, hate crimes, telemarketing/Internet fraud Employee Theft Spamming and copyright infringement Unauthorized...
Always Get a Ticket Number!
With any technology or business process, problems can arise. When it comes to dealing with phone companies (ANY of THEM) --either for voice lines or data connections -- here are some hard and fast guidelines to make sure you get resolution in a timely manner: 1) HAVE ALL YOUR ACCOUNT...
Losing Rights to Business Assets Through the use of Online Services
The growth of the Internet and its uses has enabled business to operate in new and profound ways. Businesses can now use online services that allow them to sit across the conference table from people around the world ( Skype ) or have multiple people work on a spreadsheet at the same time (...
Rated 4.8 of 5 (How to Use Internet Technologies to Improve Your Business)
Vista Users: Is your anti-virus package compatible with SP1?
With Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) soon to be available to all consumers and businesses, you'll want to make sure that your system is ready for the upgrade before you take the plunge. One of the main concerns with the new service pack is incompatibility with current software that you...
Rated 3 of 5 (Business Software and Applications)
When Your Image is On the Line
You may not think of your phone system as an advertising machine, but it can be a very powerful one if used correctly. There's two primary ways to immediately use get some marketing ROI out of your phone system: Promotion on Hold and Information-Only Mailboxes. Promotion on Hold If...
The Life Cycle of a Document: Manage
Like the individuals that fuel your business, documents are integral to performance. Documents contain imperative information and should be thought of as active resources. Instead of merely considering where you are going to put a document, begin to assess what you are going to do with...
Rated 5 of 5 (Understanding and Using Document Management Software)
Disaster Recovery Planning
None of us wants to think of the worst, but in technology it's a necessary evil to have contingency management plans in place. Some of you may be thinking, "Hey I'm still trying to get my Plan A in place, much less Plan B!" Yet, there's no denying that business interruption...
Helpful Accounting Software Resources
When it comes to finding accounting software for your business, it often becomes a case of too much information and not enough time to review it all. The following list of sites can be very useful in helping you narrow your search to only the solutions that will be the best fit for you and your...
Proactive Monitoring; How you can prevent disasters from happening.
This video explains how proactive monitoring can prevent disasters by taking a proactive approach.
CyGem, ltd. Data Center Tour Video
If you've ever been curious as to what the inside of a modern data center is like here is your chance. Once you see some of the features you can understand why you might want to put your data in such a facility.
Disaster Recovery Basics RTO & RPO
This video explains the basic concepts of disaster recovery. Once you understand recovery time objective, recovery point objective and your organization's budget you can select a disaster recovery plan that is correct for you.
Top 3 Mistakes Small Businesses Make With Technology - Part 1 Backup
Backup For most organizations data is one of their most valuable assets. Unfortunately, data backup is something that is easily overlooked or gets pushed to the back when more important issues like servicing clients and paying bills come first. Oftentimes someone has heard enough foresight...
The Millennial Generation and the Web
Let's say you've just been challenged to communicate with an online audience between 16 and 25 years old. You know that this age group uses a number of social networking tools. What you don't know is if you should be using them, too, and if so, how? When designing for a web audience,...
Simple Tools to Rid SPAM From Your Inbox for Good
Unsolicited email has become well more than a casual nuisance - it has become a productivity and security threat over the years. In fact recent reports show that SPAM email now accounts for about 95% of all email traffic on the Internet today. However there is hope for your inbox. There are a...
Rated 4.5 of 5 (How to Use Internet Technologies to Improve Your Business)
Cyber Crime - Identity Theft Via Your E-mail
Everyone receives a ton of "spam" or soliticting emails these days and I for one have gotten pretty good at just deleting them without opening - until the other day. Being tax season, I received an email from what it appeared to be from the IRS stating I had a small refund due. The...
The Life Cycle of a Document: Capture
The article, Document Management: Not Just for Small Businesses , references the idea of a document as having a ‘life cycle'. In order to refine your understanding, it is important to turn this idea into information. Let us begin by identifying the individual phases in the life...
Rated 4.77778 of 5 (Understanding and Using Document Management Software)
Managing the software selection process
Selecting new business software for your company can at times seem like an overwhelming task. By approaching this task as a "project," you may be able to greatly reduce the stress to yourself and your company by approaching the project in phases. As a member of the Project Management...
Rated 5 of 5 (Business Software and Applications)
Check Your VoIP Readiness
See how your data connection would support a VoIP call by clicking this link then select a dot on the Map nearest you: http://myvoipspeed.visualware.com VoIP is all about having enough bandwidth (a good Internet connection) to support a phone call that sounds better than a bad cellphone....
Search Engine Marketing Resources for the Small Business
We all know small and growing companies require their team members to wear many hats. The individual in charge of overall business strategic direction is often the same person answering the phone. Marketing your business is just one of many items on the daily (ever growing) to-do list....
Rated 3 of 5 (SEO)
Trouble Sending Email Attachments? Try Attachment Sharing Services
Email has become one of the cores of communication for any business and is one of the quickest, most cost effective ways for a business to get things done. However, email does suffer from some limitations. One of the most common struggles I see small (and large) businesses facing is being able...
Rated 4.88889 of 5 (How to Use Internet Technologies to Improve Your Business)
Trends in eMarketing
For those of you who attended my presentation (and those of you who did not and wish they did) I thought the following article from McKinsey was interesting. http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/article_abstract.aspx?ar=2048&l2=16&l3=16&srid=17
Is Your Website a Dead End?
Every morning I stop by a coffee shop to get my favorite tea. I have to drive through a newer shopping center in the suburbs to get there. Before the shopping center was constructed, engineers considered traffic flow and planned how the streets would be laid out. From a bird's eye view, I am...
Telecom Checklist for Moving a Business
In the midst of signing leases, arranging movers and buying furniture, it's easy to forget about your company's "front door," the lifeline of the business -phone lines and Internet connectivity ("telecom"). If you are planning to move this year, here are some...
Outgoing Caller ID: What Image are You Transmitting?
ATTENTION: Small Business Owners, Virtual Companies, One-Person Operations: A small business owner told us recently that his "problem" was Outgoing Caller ID. Once explained, lots of you can relate! Say you call a client from your home phone number. The client calls back on that...
Tie Everyone Together
The Customer Bill of Rights (according to me anyway!) says that customers must reach the right person the first time --regardless of which location they call. If your company has more than one location or employees who work remotely, you can tie everyone together for a better customer...
Technologies Home Based Businesses SHOULD BE considering today!
We all know that there is no silver bullet or one solution when it comes to using the right technology for a business. That needs to be driven by the type of business, the needs of the business & the owner(s), budget, etc. That being said, there are a number of technology driven...
Voice Over IP:
Many of you have heard of Voice Over IP (VoIP). In the commercial world, providers are right now using an acronym you will probably hear more about: S-I-P (pronounced "sip"). In function and purpose, a "SIP" (Session Initiation Protocol) Trunk is simply a phone line (and...
Document Management: Not Just for Large Businesses
Document management is a tool that can optimize your business processes. Great; but what does that mean? Let's get back to basics. In corporate jargon, document management solutions are often referred to as Enterprise Content Management or (ECM). AIIM, the international authority on...
Rated 4.91667 of 5 (Understanding and Using Document Management Software)
Is Your Business Up-to-Date With the Latest Credit Card Processing Regulations?
If you are an organization that processes credit or debit card information, including merchants and third-party service providers that store, process or transmit credit card/debit card data, you'll want to pay close attention to this information regarding the Payment Card Industry Data...
Rated 5 of 5 (Business Software and Applications)
You've Got Mail...The Timing of Your E-mails
Factor in timing, subject line and brevity to be sure others open and read your e-mails.Consider the barrage of e-mails that pours into your inbox each day. Nearly two-thirds of executives prefer to communicate via e-mail, according to a survey by Office Team. Is there a best day to send e-mails...
You've Got Mail.....Timing Your E-mail
Factor in timing, subject line and brevity to be sure others open and read your e-mails.Consider the barrage of e-mails that pours into your inbox each day. Nearly two-thirds of executives prefer to communicate via e-mail, according to a survey by Office Team. Is there a best day to send e-mails...
Should You Buy or Build Web Software
Think of web software projects like building a house or if it is a large project think of an apartment complex. Consider features you need verses want; build custom, buy prefab or out of the box; phased approach or all at once...these are just some of the questions you need to answer before...
Rated 3 of 5 (Developing and Implementing a Website)
Can I have the keys to my phone system, please?
Lots of business owners today have access to their computer systems, websites, email and other applications -- even if it's just to change a username and password. So why should your phone system be any different? It shouldn't, but unfortunately there are still many systems out there...
Don't Open Those E-mails! Danger-Danger!
The amount of spam has increased by 70% this year alone and the spammers are getting smarter & smarter. I consider myself a fairly careful perosn when it comes to opening spam emails but I came close to getting fooled the other day. What can happen? When you click & open a spam email,...
When do I need a T1?
If you're a business owner, you've probably heard of the term "T1" even if you don't want to get involved in your company's telecommunications. Many of my clients ask me if they need a T1. The answer is different today than even five years ago. First let me explain...
Getting started
As we all know, the "Thinking Green" movement is already taking off globally at velcoity speeds for all areas, including Technology. Now is a great time to think about some of the small ways we can all contribute to save resources in 08'. Personally, I am having a hard time...
Proactive Monitoring: Fixing Small Problems Before they Become Big Ones
When talking about disaster recovery often times we start by thinking of large scale disasters such as fire, flood or other traumatic events. The reality is that these events are far and few between. Depending on your location most experts estimate about a 1% chance of an event like this...
Bulletproof Internet
For most of us, the Internet is not a luxury; it's a mandatory business tool. Some of the daily tasks such as receiving e-mails and researching information on the Internet have become commonplace. For others, even more of their business functions have become completely dependent on the...
Protecting Small Business Data
Backup is a mundane technology function that is rarely given much thought until something bad happens and someone needs to restore critical data. There is nothing worse than realizing you have lost critical data and that your backup wasn't working properly. By understanding what your backup...
A simple problem to fix - to many cooks!
Large corporations have numerous standards, guidelines and documentation to make sure that everyone/anyone working on their technology stays on the same page. This limits miscommunication or no communication between the left hand and the right hand, especially when it comes to IT technology. I...
Rated 4 of 5 (Business Technology)
Are You the Favorite Website?
As children discover the world they start claiming pieces of it for themselves. I think my children's first word was "mine". As children grow older and build a place for themselves in the world, they start identifying their brands and become loyal followers (at least until the next...
Danger is Lurking!
We all remember when the Eastern US Power Grid failed a few years back and basically the east coast had little/no power for a couple of days. Just in our buildings or communities does the power go out - for even a minute or to - more often than we would like. Although there is not much we can...
Technology Strategy Part Three: Let's make it easy!
After the first of the year we all usually review the past 12-months (financials - if for no other reason - taxes) and devote some time to thinking about some business & marketing planning for the upcoming 12-months. This is the easiest way/time to also do a little Technology planning - you...
Technology Strategy Part 2: Incorporate CRM methods
CRM (Contact Relationship Management) is more than technology. Is it marketing, customer relations, history & document tracking, smart business practices and a whole lot more. How important is it to incorporate CRM into your business - marketing and technology strategy? It will directly...
Rated 3.33333 of 5 (Business Technology)
Technology Strategy vs IT Strategy - Part One!
What is the difference? To some - nothing! To most - a lot! Most people look at their IT strategy as it relates to data or their computer's or networks. It is usually an afterthought once the business & marketing strategies have been made or at least thought of. Rarely does their IT...
Rated 4 of 5 (Business Technology)
IT disruptions can cost 16% of revenue!
According to some stat's recently released by IBM, the bottom line negative impact of IT disruptions can cost a small business as much as 16% of it's annual revenue. At first, I thought 16% was high but then I started thinking about what disruptions really means or can include with the...
Rated 4 of 5 (Business Technology)
Don't Flash Your E-mail
So you have a fantastic idea for an e-mail campaign, you are going to send your clients and prospects an animation that will jump out, entertain and wow them as they view their e-mail. Good idea? No, the technology just does not support it. E-mail environments are unruly and are not...
What $ value is your data (intellectual Property) worth - if it was gone tommorow?
The answer: PRICELESS! I recently asked a Data Engineer, Tom Earle, what his thoughts were about the Top 3 mistakes we (users) make in regards to our back up systems and here is his response: "Whether your business is a large corporation, a small business or a home office, the information...
Pre-Planning does pay off!
When a business is looking to upgrade their software & system or take a good look under the covers, especially relating to security breaches within their existing system, many are either conducting a business process review & analysis to use as a base line for software product...
Technology Trends to Drive Marketing Budgets
As I develop marketing strategies with my clients I find that one of the most difficult question they struggle with is new ways to build ongoing relationships with their clients. A great example of a company that built a dialog with their customers is Crayola Crayons. They presented 14,000...
Rated 4 of 5 (Developing and Implementing a Website)
e-Business Methods #1 e-Invoicing
Converting to sending your invoices electronically (email) is easier than you think and can help improve your bottom line almost immediately. If you think of the cost of printed envelope, stamps, labor and snail mail - sending that invoice via snail mail can cost you $1.40-$2.50 or more. For a...
Rated 2 of 5 (Business Technology)
Disaster Recovery Plans
Most business owners don't feel that a disaster will happen to their business..... But they still pay for business insurance every year. One of the top 3 priorities of global corporations is business continuous planning in lieu of a disaster. The top two scenarios they are preparing for are...
Small-Firm Service from Big Business
Big businesses want to be agile enough to sell you only something you want exactly when you want it, to wish you a happy birthday every year and to make sure that all their employees know how you were treated each time you talked to the company. Many are counting on customer relationship...
Secrets of Technology for Small Business
Almost all businesses today use some form of IT technology today. Previously, the majority of the software was not integra table, which means that we had to look in a variety of places to get an answer. It also means that many businesses are duplicating efforts (data entry) to achieve a...
Rated 2 of 5 (Business Technology)
The Technology Trickle Down Affect
I recently attended an all day symposium for CIO's with over 100 attendees along with global companies like Sprint, Oracle & IBM. My objectives in attending were to; learn about new technologies and their applications; the technology visions of local CIO's; the innovative ways the...
VoIP SA - CRM: Friend or foe?
Many people today are unaware of or don't understand what VoIP or CRM stands for. (CRM) Contact Relationship Management Software; (VoIP) Voice over Internet Protocols are technologies currently being utilized by national & global Corporations. The simple explanation is that by using a...
Rated 5 of 5 (Business Technology)
