The man looking over the water gauges couldn't believe what he was seeing...
Just down the road, a few miles from his little control room, the giant tank holding Robinson Township's municipal water supply was draining down... fast.
He looked at the clock. Midnight. The thermometer registered an icy 20 degrees. Somewhere out there, among the Pittsburgh suburbs' 15 square miles of snow-covered neighborhoods and businesses, a water main was losing more than 3,000 gallons of water a minute.
He checked his dials again and did some quick calculations. The township's storage tank held 1 million gallons of water. At this rate, all of it would be gone before dawn.
But exactly where was the water leaking? Where was the pipe break?
He had no idea.
The answer came five hours later.
A ruptured water main in the town's commercial district drained off the majority of the township's supply and left six inches of standing water on the floor of a neighboring Toys "R" Us (not to mention - with little available water for the day, it forced schools to close).
You read about this stuff all the time. For cities around the country, water main breaks are a fact of life.
Or are they?
This is where one of the investing mega trends - the Internet of Things (IoT) - has a rising impact.
IoT to the Rescue
What if you could place sensors in underground water mains, fire hydrants and elsewhere within a piping system, each transmitting bits of data to the town water department?
Put dozens or hundreds of those sensors together, spitting out minute-to-minute information on flow rates and water pressure, and the location of a million-gallon water main break in the middle of the night is no longer such a mystery.
Most breaks, however, aren't so dramatic or obvious.
Think of a pinhole leak in an underground water main. It might seep a comparatively small amount of water - dozens or a few hundreds of gallons a day. But add up all those leaks in a network of pipes hundreds of miles long, and you're talking about a lot of wasted H2O.
For instance, Philadelphia's water department pumps 250 million gallons of water through its municipal system each day. Experts say about a quarter of the water never actually reaches the businesses and residences on the other end of its pipes. That's 60 million gallons of water lost today. And tomorrow. And the day after that.
Until recently, good luck trying to find even a small portion of those leaks. It's like trying to find a needle in a stack of needles.
Unless you have IoT.
Powering New Efficiencies
You can imagine how precious water is in a place such as Las Vegas. Well, the region's water district recently installed Internet-connected sensors to the buried water mains running right down the center of the Las Vegas Strip.
The devices monitor the physical integrity of the pipe walls on a real-time basis. Such efforts have helped the water district identify more than 1,600 leaks in its system and saved nearly 300 million gallons of water.
That's just one water system. Keep in mind, the United States has more than 150,000 city, county and regional water authorities. That's a lot of water saved (and a lot of money too).
The Internet of Things is about more than just detecting leaks in water mains, of course. But it demonstrates in just one way the growing use of the IoT and why it's such an investable mega trend.
Google is a type of search engine that gives the facility of browsing from various devices such as the laptop, mobile etc. Recently, Google developed material design so that it can unify the experienced users to use various Google platforms. The aim of this unification is to improve the overall technological experience of a user by making the interaction easier, simpler and more intuitive. Most people believe that the recent material design plan of Google surpassed iOS design. In the present writing, I will share my thoughts about this issue.
iOS design and Google's material design:
iOS is a mobile operating system manufactured by Apple Inc. It develops an adaptive layout so that your design can work from multiple devices. Two years ago, it has changed its design manual and has made it simple and user-friendly. It allows its designers to focus on animations and function rather than intricate visual details. Here UI or your user interface should be stripped down to the core aesthetic. The present iOS apps ensure perceptible feedback in response to every user's action. As a result, UX or user experience design of iOS develops and improves the quality of interaction between a user and all facets of the company. It's UX design helps to enhance customer's satisfaction and loyalty by improving the usability, ease of use, and pleasure provided by the interaction between the customer and the product.
On the other hand, recent Google's material design also helps its users' in various ways. The design of Google aims how Google can improve your life by making their technology smarter. It is said that the material design of Google surpassed iOS design in the sense that it provides more facilities and simple user-friendly attitude. It is not just a new UI rather a whole Google UX. The great features of this new design are-
• Great interaction with various technologies:
One of the main features of any material design is how it interacts with various technologies. The present material design of Google has a very seamless flow between interactions. For example: you are writing a very important article on your laptop but do not finish it and left it open. Don't worry, you can continue this writing from your watches, mobile, tablet or other technological devices because of Google's new material design.
• A seamless information flow between devices and smarter technology:
Another advantage of Google's material design is its quick and seamless information flow between devices and technologies. As a user, you do not need to worry that your messages or files are synced to a device, or you do not need to be bombarded with work emails while you're at home - and vice versa, pictures and text messages sent to you from last night won't be popping up while you're at work.
In short, Google's material design aims to unite Google's expansive product line under a rich set of design styles and principles. It exceeds the design of iOS in various levels. It helps its users to use technology in a very comfortable and homely way.
The world has gone Mobile. The number of smart phone users globally has grown exponentially over the past 5 years. The number of Android & iOS devices sold globally has crossed a billion mark each. Hence, it is no longer sufficient to have only a website for your business. Any business, small or large must have a mobile app. Let us look at some of the most important reasons why you should opt for a mobile app for your business:
1. Branding - A mobile application is the best way to create brand awareness for your business. You can use your logo, your business's tag line or a message that you would like your customers to connect with your business to create a brand recall. Every time a customer who has downloaded your mobile apps sees your logo in the form of the mobile app icon on their screen, they will recall you.
2. Increased Reach - Because of the sheer penetration of mobile phones and other mobile devices like tablets and the improved Internet connectivity in most parts of the world, the number of people you can reach through a app has increased tremendously. It is easier for your existing as well as potential customers to find out the right information about your products or services through your mobile app.
3. Create Customer Database & Profile - It is easier to collect customer data in terms of phone number and email id through a mobile apps. You can also allow your app users to login via their social media accounts like Facebook or Google. This will give you access to other valuable data like their areas of interest, their lifestyle choice, their shopping preferences, etc. This data can then be used by your marketing team to send out the right communication.
4. Increased Engagement - By building the right features in your app you can utilize it as a powerful way to increase engagement with your existing and potential customers. You can include features like social sharing and a help desk (for sales and service queries) in the app to improve direct communication with your customers. This will in turn help your business to connect closely with your customers.
5. Push Notifications - This is one of the biggest advantages of having a mobile apps. You can ask your Mobile App Development Solution provider to integrate a push notification feature in your app which will help you with your on-the-go marketing. Through this feature, you can send bulk messages to all the app users or specific messages to a sub-set of your app users based on the message. You can also communicate about the latest offers or discounts you are offering to your customers regularly through push notifications. Best of all, it doesn't cost you a penny to send out these messages, unlike SMS or Email marketing.
With the above advantages of having a for your business in mind, it is imperative to identify the right Mobile App Development Solutions provider for your business app. Solution Analysts has been helping small businesses globally with their Mobile App Development Services to create great which will add value to their businesses. To get a free quote for your Mobile Application or to know more about us, please visit our website today.
I am Cris, A great artist, Love to develop mobile application. I am working with Solution Analysts as Mobile Application Developer and have expertise in developing iBeacon, iOS Swift, Android, ionic, PhoneGap. Solution Analysts- A premier mobile Application Development Company in India, delivering Hybrid & Native and Mobile App Development Services across the globe since 2011.
Let us take a quick look into the three major types of analytic's tools commonly used by app developers.
Google Mobile App Analytics
One of the most widely used analytics tools, Google Analytics is considered to be the most powerful and robust of its kind. Starting off with web analytics, it gradually extended its support to mobile apps -
Google Mobile App Analytics.
Google Mobile App Analytics is ahead of others when it comes to in-depth analysis of e-commerce and revenue. It can help you track your transaction data I.e in-app payment and recognize areas that drive the maximum sales.
Other than recording user behavior data, Mobile App Analytics has an advanced sense of user demographics, giving it an edge over the rest. Offering its own set of categories, the advanced segment also allows developers to benefit more out of it by using their own custom segments, thereby, letting them customize reports related to their business area.
Although it supports both Android and iOS platforms, there is more Android related information than iOS.
Pros
Has an excellent e-commerce reporting ability.
Has an acute sense of user demographics.
Integration with Google Play for conversion tracking.
Comes as a free service
Cons
Lacks the retention analysis ability of Mixpanel.
Does not offer an easy way for mobile a/b testing.
Only for Android and iOS
Flurry
An exclusive analytics tool built for mobile apps, Flurry Analytics is another commonly used alternative for tracking mobile conversions. Flurry Analytics supports for almost every major mobile platforms like iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry and Java ME.
Although Flurry may tend to appear a little complex than Google mobile app analytics, the fact that its complex structure leads to deeper data access has made it a popular alternative to many others.
For every app you monitor here, you can either use the Flurry Classic dashboard or build up to ten custom dashboards. The data accumulated through dashboard functions is more detailed, for instance, it gives a better vision of the traffic acquisition scenario across various marketing channels like mobile ad networks, mobile web and email campaigns.
Apart from monitoring the 'user types' and user behavior based upon the apps used, Flurry Analytics, it will also track the devices types, operating systems, etc.
Pros
Not just restricted to iOS and Android.
Free service for mobile apps.
Offers multiple dashboards.
Cons
Does not have retention/cohort analysis ability.
Unlike Google Analytics, it does not identify crashes easily.
Strictly restricted to the mobile apps.
Mixpanel
Mixpanel is another popular analytics tool used to calculate user engagement for both mobile and web. Compared to Google Mobile App Analytics and Flurry Analytics, Mixpanel has the easiest user interface.
Mixpanel's SDK has segmentation tools that are capable of analyzing vital and complex questions. It enables you to ask more of your data, for eg. how your app's users invite friends, which Ad words campaign is giving you the highest number of paying users, etc. Mixpanel's funnel analysis can track where the user drops out during each event.
Mixpanel has a unique retention or cohort analysis ability that gives it an edge over the rest. Through this you will be able to track when and how often your customers return and engage with an app.
Its targeting system can also group a client's users into similar profiles and display their activity feed.
The only disadvantage this tool has is its limitation of 25,000 data interactions for the free service, thereby, requiring users to purchase the Premium service for greater visibility.
Pros
-The data segmentation can answer complicated questions.
- Can track the retention in user engagement.
-More focused towards measuring user engagement.
- Caters to both the mediums of mobile and web.
Cons
-Paid service. It is priced monthly based on how many data points and profiles have been used.
Designing any type of online website or blogging site can be a simple task if common mistakes are avoided. Without effective guidelines, it is easy to render a website that is both difficult to use, and extremely unattractive. With proper guidance, you can easily create a website design that is ideally suited to the purpose of your site while making it an experience that is both productive and pleasant.
Effective Content
Proper website design is not just creating something that is visually appealing, but also provides effective interaction as well. The purpose of quality and effective web design is to display the contents of the site to its best effect. To be effective at that, it must be designed in such a way that it retains the focus throughout the entire creative process.
Without it, the site can easily lose its aesthetic appeal or function because it is challenging to navigate. Web designs that are highly effective automatically enhance the site’s content along with the online user experience, instead of detracting from these basic needs.
The Layout
Layout of the website is crucial. In fact, layout is its central component. An effective web designer will use proper HTML structures and CSS (cascading style sheets) to create the site. Proper layout will have the necessary flexibility so that the design process remains consistent, no matter what the size or shape monitor or device is being used by the online visitor.
A part of the overall process of quality website design is selecting the best layout that strikes an effective balance between creating a site that is not dull or boring, while providing the ultimate user experience that is easy to interact with, and intuitive to understand.
The Navigation Process
Navigation is also another crucial component in the website design. It has intuitive links and menus, and is simple to understand and utilize. Quality navigation does not overload the online visitor with information, but simply assists the online visitor in helping them locate the information they need to solve their problem.
Effective Media
Webpages from 15 to 20 years ago were basic pages build with nothing more than text. However, today webpages are filled with all different types of media including text, video, imagery, audio, and a variety of multimedia components including animation. The designer that effectively incorporates each component into the website will have a major impact on the site usability. This includes choosing the right sizes and formats of each media used on the site.
As an example, online visitors tend to shy away from any page that utilizes huge amounts of text. If your site requires the display of a lot of text, it needs to be broken into smaller chunks to minimize the overwhelming effect. Other multimedia items that tend to be large in size also drive away online visitors, especially on small screens of mobile networks.
Coming up with creative website design does not need to be a challenging task. However, by avoiding the obvious, and incorporating the quality layout with good content and navigation, it is easy to keep create an effective website.
Effective Content
Proper website design is not just creating something that is visually appealing, but also provides effective interaction as well. The purpose of quality and effective web design is to display the contents of the site to its best effect. To be effective at that, it must be designed in such a way that it retains the focus throughout the entire creative process.
Without it, the site can easily lose its aesthetic appeal or function because it is challenging to navigate. Web designs that are highly effective automatically enhance the site’s content along with the online user experience, instead of detracting from these basic needs.
The Layout
Layout of the website is crucial. In fact, layout is its central component. An effective web designer will use proper HTML structures and CSS (cascading style sheets) to create the site. Proper layout will have the necessary flexibility so that the design process remains consistent, no matter what the size or shape monitor or device is being used by the online visitor.
A part of the overall process of quality website design is selecting the best layout that strikes an effective balance between creating a site that is not dull or boring, while providing the ultimate user experience that is easy to interact with, and intuitive to understand.
The Navigation Process
Navigation is also another crucial component in the website design. It has intuitive links and menus, and is simple to understand and utilize. Quality navigation does not overload the online visitor with information, but simply assists the online visitor in helping them locate the information they need to solve their problem.
Effective Media
Webpages from 15 to 20 years ago were basic pages build with nothing more than text. However, today webpages are filled with all different types of media including text, video, imagery, audio, and a variety of multimedia components including animation. The designer that effectively incorporates each component into the website will have a major impact on the site usability. This includes choosing the right sizes and formats of each media used on the site.
As an example, online visitors tend to shy away from any page that utilizes huge amounts of text. If your site requires the display of a lot of text, it needs to be broken into smaller chunks to minimize the overwhelming effect. Other multimedia items that tend to be large in size also drive away online visitors, especially on small screens of mobile networks.
Coming up with creative website design does not need to be a challenging task. However, by avoiding the obvious, and incorporating the quality layout with good content and navigation, it is easy to keep create an effective website.
Infinite scrolling pages are pages that allow users to scroll infinitely at the bottom of the page. Here the pages load more content as the user scrolls thus providing the user with never-ending amount of materials.
Although infinite scroll pages provide users with a lot of content, their main flaw is that they are not SEO friendly. The good side is that there are some measures that you can take to ensure that the pages become SEO friendly. Some of the measures that you should take include:
Including a sitemap
A sitemap is a list of pages that are in a website. The map is usually in XML format. In most cases, if the content that you are loading is separated into various units that have their own URLs, Google bots may be unable to find the content unless it's linked in a specific spot on one of the already-indexed pages.
When you include a sitemap you let the crawlers know about the full list of pages that are available in the website and as a result increase the ranking of the pages.
Creating a URL structure that accommodates infinite scroll
The URL that you use should be able to maintain the sequential nature required for an infinite scroll page. When creating the URLs you should be careful and avoid using relative-time based URL parameters. This is because using the parameters adds chronological complexity that reduces the SEO value of a page.
You should also avoid using code-based language in the URL. Avoiding code language aids in preserving an enhanced user experience. To be on the safe side you should use human language in your URLs. This is because the human language works best for both users and crawlers.
Using pushState
PushState is a HTML5 method that dictates how the loading process will take place. The method draws from the state object and the URL to load the content in the format defined by the pagination. Experts say that pushState tells the browser what to load and display.
If you want to modify your history, you should use replaceState. ReplaceState responds to the scroll actions and allows the users to scroll backwards and views the pages that were loaded in the pagination history.
These are some of the ways in which you can make infinite scroll pages SEO friendly. You should note that infinite scrolling is one of the many options of improving user interaction and retention; however, it's not ideal for every website. The design can work or fail to work on your website depending on what you want to achieve.
Although infinite scroll pages provide users with a lot of content, their main flaw is that they are not SEO friendly. The good side is that there are some measures that you can take to ensure that the pages become SEO friendly. Some of the measures that you should take include:
Including a sitemap
A sitemap is a list of pages that are in a website. The map is usually in XML format. In most cases, if the content that you are loading is separated into various units that have their own URLs, Google bots may be unable to find the content unless it's linked in a specific spot on one of the already-indexed pages.
When you include a sitemap you let the crawlers know about the full list of pages that are available in the website and as a result increase the ranking of the pages.
Creating a URL structure that accommodates infinite scroll
The URL that you use should be able to maintain the sequential nature required for an infinite scroll page. When creating the URLs you should be careful and avoid using relative-time based URL parameters. This is because using the parameters adds chronological complexity that reduces the SEO value of a page.
You should also avoid using code-based language in the URL. Avoiding code language aids in preserving an enhanced user experience. To be on the safe side you should use human language in your URLs. This is because the human language works best for both users and crawlers.
Using pushState
PushState is a HTML5 method that dictates how the loading process will take place. The method draws from the state object and the URL to load the content in the format defined by the pagination. Experts say that pushState tells the browser what to load and display.
If you want to modify your history, you should use replaceState. ReplaceState responds to the scroll actions and allows the users to scroll backwards and views the pages that were loaded in the pagination history.
These are some of the ways in which you can make infinite scroll pages SEO friendly. You should note that infinite scrolling is one of the many options of improving user interaction and retention; however, it's not ideal for every website. The design can work or fail to work on your website depending on what you want to achieve.
Sometime last year, a cousin of mine came hurriedly claiming that a single missed call could help Anna Hazare in his anti-corruption drive. The idea was to garner enough support from the people so that they could pressurize the government to accept the Lokpall Bill. Having spent donkeys years in the field of mobile marketing, I could do nothing but smile at his naiveté. Missed call marketing is one of the many strategies used by marketing to gather attention among the public.
SMS marketing is one of the best ways to promote products and services that are provided by any business. Today businesses no longer rely on traditional media for the sale of their services. Sending bulk SMSes is a cost efficient marketing tool for present day businesses. Mobile marketing is available in various forms and applications which simplifies the sending and receiving of promotional messages. The whole process is rendered quick and convenient. In the world of marketing, it is advisable not to be slow as if you miss a chance once, you miss it forever.
The bulk SMS software targets thousands of thousands of customers and it can be installed in the systems for streamlining the process. If you are to target so many customers with a single business message, it is not easy to manage things. The SMS software sends out SMSes in bulk to multiple audiences within a short span of time. This is why it is important for a business to know its clients who can be accessed through the database and receive the message with a single click. This would have otherwise been a complicated task.
Through this form of SMS marketing, companies can save huge costs which they would have otherwise had to pay the marketing and advertising agencies.The SMS software makes use of a short code which is also known as a short number. Short codes are special telephone numbers which are comparatively shorter than the full telephone numbers and are used for addressing MMS and SMS messages from the fixed phones or mobile phones of a certain provider. By sending bulk SMSes, you can simplify the marketing procedure of businesses across the world.
Marketers need to go for innovation in their techniques and the SMS marketing process is simply successful. People carry their mobile phones wherever they go and this growing trend has attracted the attention of marketers who want to cash in using bulk SMS services. With the software, you can send unlimited SMSes to the targeted audience which bridges the gap between the end user and the business providing these services. It takes the business to a new high. Consequently, the operations are improved and this translates into better revenues.
In the increasingly competitive world, businesses can thrive only by adopting competitive marketing strategies. Do not ignore the bulk SMS software which offers instant feedback.
SMS marketing is one of the best ways to promote products and services that are provided by any business. Today businesses no longer rely on traditional media for the sale of their services. Sending bulk SMSes is a cost efficient marketing tool for present day businesses. Mobile marketing is available in various forms and applications which simplifies the sending and receiving of promotional messages. The whole process is rendered quick and convenient. In the world of marketing, it is advisable not to be slow as if you miss a chance once, you miss it forever.
The bulk SMS software targets thousands of thousands of customers and it can be installed in the systems for streamlining the process. If you are to target so many customers with a single business message, it is not easy to manage things. The SMS software sends out SMSes in bulk to multiple audiences within a short span of time. This is why it is important for a business to know its clients who can be accessed through the database and receive the message with a single click. This would have otherwise been a complicated task.
Through this form of SMS marketing, companies can save huge costs which they would have otherwise had to pay the marketing and advertising agencies.The SMS software makes use of a short code which is also known as a short number. Short codes are special telephone numbers which are comparatively shorter than the full telephone numbers and are used for addressing MMS and SMS messages from the fixed phones or mobile phones of a certain provider. By sending bulk SMSes, you can simplify the marketing procedure of businesses across the world.
Marketers need to go for innovation in their techniques and the SMS marketing process is simply successful. People carry their mobile phones wherever they go and this growing trend has attracted the attention of marketers who want to cash in using bulk SMS services. With the software, you can send unlimited SMSes to the targeted audience which bridges the gap between the end user and the business providing these services. It takes the business to a new high. Consequently, the operations are improved and this translates into better revenues.
In the increasingly competitive world, businesses can thrive only by adopting competitive marketing strategies. Do not ignore the bulk SMS software which offers instant feedback.
Every business relies on computer technology, and all computer technology is vulnerable to cyber crime. A security breach in your small to midsize business can lead to significant loss and serious compliance issues. Here are 7 tips to help you secure your business's computers.
Determine Your Security Needs and Risks.
Take an inventory of your computer hardware, data and possible exposure. Where are your desktops, laptops, tablets, and smart phones? Who is using them and how? Who is able to access the data you collect, store or share? A security breach could cause extended downtime, fines or lawsuits. How would these affect your company?
Take the First Steps
Company computers and devices should be set up with strong passwords which are changed regularly. Protect your technology with anti-virus, anti-spam and anti-spyware software. Use encryption technology to protect wireless networks and email traffic. Use firewalls to prevent intrusions. Install security technology on all the mobile devices you and your employees use. Install updated security technology, encrypt data and use virtual private networks (VPNs) to enable secure remote access.
Update Your System
Download and install updates and patches for your operating systems and software immediately when they become available to fix or prevent security problems.
Back Up Your Files
Backing up the files you are working on has become a cliché, but the same thing applies to all of the data you produce, collect and share. Security breaches can cause you to lose everything you need to keep your business running. Backing up data to hard drives in your office is an excellent strategy, but offsite backup can save your business in the event of a fire or other catastrophe.
Train Your Employees
Human error can thwart even the most sophisticated computer security system. Employees must be educated on the necessity of using strong passwords and protecting them. Stress the importance of using strong passwords and protecting them. Point out the danger involved with opening texts or attachments from unknown senders, or clicking on questionable links in emails.
A recent problem is the habit of employees using social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Sharing private company information on these websites can expose your business to security exploits. Remind employees to be aware of who may be watching them when they enter passwords or view confidential data outside the office.
Secure Your Devices
Hackers and viruses are a constant threat, but the most common path to breaching company data is through the loss or theft of laptops and mobile devices. Employees need to be aware of their surroundings and be cautious not to leave company laptops, tablets or cell phones unattended, or exposed in a vehicle. If a device is lost or stolen, they should immediately report it.
Keep Family and Business Separate
Business computers and devices should never be used by family members for games or email, especially not by children. This puts your company's data at risk. It is also important for employees to be restricted in what they can use company computers for in the office. Consider restricting access to certain websites or prohibiting use of those computers for personal business.
Determine Your Security Needs and Risks.
Take an inventory of your computer hardware, data and possible exposure. Where are your desktops, laptops, tablets, and smart phones? Who is using them and how? Who is able to access the data you collect, store or share? A security breach could cause extended downtime, fines or lawsuits. How would these affect your company?
Take the First Steps
Company computers and devices should be set up with strong passwords which are changed regularly. Protect your technology with anti-virus, anti-spam and anti-spyware software. Use encryption technology to protect wireless networks and email traffic. Use firewalls to prevent intrusions. Install security technology on all the mobile devices you and your employees use. Install updated security technology, encrypt data and use virtual private networks (VPNs) to enable secure remote access.
Update Your System
Download and install updates and patches for your operating systems and software immediately when they become available to fix or prevent security problems.
Back Up Your Files
Backing up the files you are working on has become a cliché, but the same thing applies to all of the data you produce, collect and share. Security breaches can cause you to lose everything you need to keep your business running. Backing up data to hard drives in your office is an excellent strategy, but offsite backup can save your business in the event of a fire or other catastrophe.
Train Your Employees
Human error can thwart even the most sophisticated computer security system. Employees must be educated on the necessity of using strong passwords and protecting them. Stress the importance of using strong passwords and protecting them. Point out the danger involved with opening texts or attachments from unknown senders, or clicking on questionable links in emails.
A recent problem is the habit of employees using social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Sharing private company information on these websites can expose your business to security exploits. Remind employees to be aware of who may be watching them when they enter passwords or view confidential data outside the office.
Secure Your Devices
Hackers and viruses are a constant threat, but the most common path to breaching company data is through the loss or theft of laptops and mobile devices. Employees need to be aware of their surroundings and be cautious not to leave company laptops, tablets or cell phones unattended, or exposed in a vehicle. If a device is lost or stolen, they should immediately report it.
Keep Family and Business Separate
Business computers and devices should never be used by family members for games or email, especially not by children. This puts your company's data at risk. It is also important for employees to be restricted in what they can use company computers for in the office. Consider restricting access to certain websites or prohibiting use of those computers for personal business.
Telecommute is fast becoming a buzzword nowadays. The routine 8-5 office jobs are fast becoming a thing of the past as the work environment, job descriptions, and methods of doing work are evolving. People who work these days are no longer confined to physical offices because technological innovations have enabled the phenomenon that we now call telecommuting -- which means, in the simplest terms, working remotely.
Of course, there are certain things we have now that make telecommuting possible, and if it weren't for these innovations, we would all still be stuck in the caveman days of work. Here are some of the technological innovations of recent history that makes collaboration possible.
- The Internet: Of course the Internet. This particular invention was recently named the top innovation in the last 30 years, and for good reason. The Internet has made possible so many things that we now find ourselves in a position of being almost debilitated when we find ourselves disconnected. Being connected via the Internet has given us access to a vast storehouse of knowledge, and it has enabled us to share our own knowledge, too. It has certainly made a giant leap forward for the proponents of globalization, because through it, the world certainly became a much smaller place now that everyone, everywhere is connected.
- Laptops, tablets, and mobile devices: More and more people are choosing to take their work with them, and not just be stuck with a heavy desktop computer. While there are those who still prefer working on a good old trusty desktop, mobility is now becoming an important issue for many as they want to be free to pursue their own activities in their own time without having to compromise their work in the process. And because laptops are now getting lighter, carrying your work with you wherever you go is not as hard as it used to be. Along with the release of the tablet and other similar mobile devices, more and more working people are choosing to go mobile as it gives them more flexibility.
- Email: Where would we all be without email? Just by clicking the Send button, you get your message delivered right away to anyone anywhere (well, as long as they have Internet access, that is). Before email came into the picture, we had to rely on snail mail (those born and raised in the digital age are probably scratching their heads now and asking, "What?"), express mail, LBC/ FedEx/ and other similar courier services to have our messages delivered. Then we had to wait for days (sometimes weeks) for the much-awaited response. Can you really imagine doing business like that now?
- Webinars/ Video Conferencing: Attending seminars, workshops, and other similar activities in the past used to cost a fortune, so companies would most likely select a few delegates only and then spend for transportation, seminar fees, etc. Now, however, thanks to webinars, anyone interested can join, at much less cost. Employers no longer have to send their workers out because they can attend webinars right at work, or even in their own homes, and the cost is much less than going to actual location seminars. The learning and take-home experience is still pretty much the same, but it is not as much of hassle as it used to be.
The same concept applies with video conferencing. It used to be difficult to gather team members or stakeholders (especially in multi-nationals where some members are in other countries) located in various provinces/countries, and it was even harder to coordinate communication. But now, thanks to video conferencing, virtual meetings can be set up without having to worry about the logistics of having to get everyone to the office.
- Cloud Computing Technology: File cabinets? Boxes and boxes of documents? Directories full of business contacts? Sounds like any other typical office. The trouble with files like this, however, is that they run the risk of getting ruined -- whether by natural disasters, accidents, or some other mishap, physical documents are at risk of getting lost, stolen, or destroyed. Now imagine if you can put all that pertinent data in one place where you know it can't be harmed in any way. That is what cloud computing does for you -- it allows you to store everything you need all up there in the cloud, and as long as you have access to the Internet, then you can access your files, too. Any changes made to files found in the cloud will be automatically synced, saving you the trouble of having to go through so many files and doing a manual update. So if anyone from the team makes some edits on that presentation, you don't have to worry anymore about updating your copy, because it's already there.
These are just some of the innovations that have revolutionized the way we view work. These technologies have certainly brought people together and made collaboration not just possible, but now a normal way of life. Because of these technological innovations, working together has become so much easier, and work has certainly taken on a brand new perspective.
Of course, there are certain things we have now that make telecommuting possible, and if it weren't for these innovations, we would all still be stuck in the caveman days of work. Here are some of the technological innovations of recent history that makes collaboration possible.
- The Internet: Of course the Internet. This particular invention was recently named the top innovation in the last 30 years, and for good reason. The Internet has made possible so many things that we now find ourselves in a position of being almost debilitated when we find ourselves disconnected. Being connected via the Internet has given us access to a vast storehouse of knowledge, and it has enabled us to share our own knowledge, too. It has certainly made a giant leap forward for the proponents of globalization, because through it, the world certainly became a much smaller place now that everyone, everywhere is connected.
- Laptops, tablets, and mobile devices: More and more people are choosing to take their work with them, and not just be stuck with a heavy desktop computer. While there are those who still prefer working on a good old trusty desktop, mobility is now becoming an important issue for many as they want to be free to pursue their own activities in their own time without having to compromise their work in the process. And because laptops are now getting lighter, carrying your work with you wherever you go is not as hard as it used to be. Along with the release of the tablet and other similar mobile devices, more and more working people are choosing to go mobile as it gives them more flexibility.
- Email: Where would we all be without email? Just by clicking the Send button, you get your message delivered right away to anyone anywhere (well, as long as they have Internet access, that is). Before email came into the picture, we had to rely on snail mail (those born and raised in the digital age are probably scratching their heads now and asking, "What?"), express mail, LBC/ FedEx/ and other similar courier services to have our messages delivered. Then we had to wait for days (sometimes weeks) for the much-awaited response. Can you really imagine doing business like that now?
- Webinars/ Video Conferencing: Attending seminars, workshops, and other similar activities in the past used to cost a fortune, so companies would most likely select a few delegates only and then spend for transportation, seminar fees, etc. Now, however, thanks to webinars, anyone interested can join, at much less cost. Employers no longer have to send their workers out because they can attend webinars right at work, or even in their own homes, and the cost is much less than going to actual location seminars. The learning and take-home experience is still pretty much the same, but it is not as much of hassle as it used to be.
The same concept applies with video conferencing. It used to be difficult to gather team members or stakeholders (especially in multi-nationals where some members are in other countries) located in various provinces/countries, and it was even harder to coordinate communication. But now, thanks to video conferencing, virtual meetings can be set up without having to worry about the logistics of having to get everyone to the office.
These are just some of the innovations that have revolutionized the way we view work. These technologies have certainly brought people together and made collaboration not just possible, but now a normal way of life. Because of these technological innovations, working together has become so much easier, and work has certainly taken on a brand new perspective.
One of the first things is that it helps you grab attention online. This is by far the most difficult thing to do for any website. Being able to stand out in a crowd of sites and actually bring people to it will ensure that your page ranking on search engines also goes up. This can happen only when you have the right kind of web development processes in place.
With professionals handling your site you will be able to portray your business objectives in the manner you want. These professionals will take the time out to understand what exactly you are looking for and will be able to formulate how best to present it. Based on your requirements, they will be able to optimize the website to large extent with the use of designing and meta tags.
One advantage you have with professional services is that they view your website from the end user's perspective. This helps them make the website easier to navigate through. The simpler the navigation path, the better chances you have of visitors looking through what you have to offer. Research has shown the customers often take a few seconds to decide on whether they want to continue with the site or not. Professional website design services can help it get done.
The Internet can be a slightly complicated place and there are always technical glitches with a site that need to be looked into. For example, there has been a tremendous increase in the use of smart phones these days. Therefore websites need to be optimized so that they can be viewed on smaller devices in the right manner. Heavy designs and animation will load incorrectly thus making your site lose traction among smart device users.
Hiring the right kind of website design services is what will help you get the best for your website and give it the visibility it needs online. All this without cutting into your time in promoting your business.
Whether you're a small business looking to install a better phone system or computer network, or a large business needing an entire revamp of your existing phone or computer network system, there's bound to be wiring involved. And who should savvy businesses trust to wire their building or buildings with new or additional wiring? Well, an expert, of course. But what does "expert" in the IT & communications world actually mean when it comes to voice and data wiring?
Cabling Installer's Past Performance
Certainly a business looking to upgrade their phone and/or computer network cabling will want to choose an IT/communications company that has several years, if not decades of past experience installing cabling for internet-protocol phone systems and computer networks. Just as important as years of experience is type of experience though. An IT/communications company with a number of experienced professionals that install network cabling on a regular basis is certainly going to trump one that has, say, a licensed electrician who is permitted to install communications wire but doesn't have the expertise to design a highly functional network. In other words, the benefits of a professional cabling installation by a qualified IT/communications company is more about the expertise of the person or persons actually designing and doing the install.
Building Evaluation and Costs
When comparing IT/communications companies to hire, cost of install is obviously going to be a determining factor in decision-making. One way to know if an IT/communications company is evaluating cost efficiently is to not only request a proposal of their costs, but to meticulously evaluate that proposal in order to determine what each of the costs actually are and if they're really necessary.
In order for the IT/communications company to evaluate cost, they will surely need to survey your actual building. Determining proper pathways and capacities are critical to performance. What type of building you're in and the available places for wiring to be routed are also crucial. For example, an old Victorian converted into a business may need to have its walls opened up in order to install conduit tubing that wiring can fed through. A modern building is usually already equipped with conduit tubing. In addition, conduit tubing may not even be an option in a building that has concrete walls. In this case, running wiring along the girders of the building's frame may be an option or routing cabling along a surface raceway system. Some buildings will have such wiring exposed (in which case the professionalism of the wiring installation makes an aesthetic difference). Others will have ceiling panels that hide the wiring, in which case the installer would then focus more on functionality and performance.
Experts at Structured Cabling Bids.com note that, "Contractors who look around, nod their heads and say they will be in touch are not what you need. Focus your attention on structured cabling contractors who assess the physical aspects of the facility, ask questions about how your company uses voice and data communications and then really listen to the responses." Therefore, your cost proposal should include not only obvious price considerations like the cost of labor and materials, but also considerations about the building itself and about best practices. Beyond that, new VoIP phone systems and computer networks have a plethora of options and requirements. Therefore, it's important to be sure that the IT/communications company isn't just selling you "the whole package," but is instead able to sell you only what you need (without compromising performance)-with the option to add-on later if upgrades become necessary due to business expansion.
Cabling Installer's Certifications
This one is a "no-brainer." Only licensed cabling installers should be working on your cabling installation, and the IT/communications companies your business is evaluating should be able to show what licensing they truly have. A "low-voltage" electrician is licensed to install phone and network cabling, but will oftentimes have no clue about the technology itself, being that they're not an IT professional. That's when having someone on the IT team with an RCDD license is extremely valuable. A Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD) has licensed expertise in designing, integrating, and applying IT systems and their related infrastructure components. This means that the professional harbors the expertise to think ahead about your IT system in its entirety and create the best cabling design and computer network hardware design for your business. The RCDD licensee can make your IT system work, and make it work well, while maintaining it into the future of your business.
Location of Cabling Installer
Maintaining your VoIP phone system and computer network system going forward is best done by an IT/communications company that is at least relatively local to your business. This is because not everything in the IT world can be done remotely-especially when it comes to cabling or hardware. Your business needs someone who can, when remote access just isn't solving the problem, be there in a jiffy to keep your business running with minimal downtime. As tempting as it may be to go with a cheaper IT company that's farther away, perhaps in the nearest big city, going with a more local, licensed IT company is going to be the best decision for your business simply due to their ability to be on-site when it really counts.
Greg Wilkoff is the owner of Adept Networks who's specialty is business communication networks including voice and data cabling. He's seen many business owners spend far too much money on business phone systems that ultimately fail them due too incompatible equipment and network capabilities.
Certainly a business looking to upgrade their phone and/or computer network cabling will want to choose an IT/communications company that has several years, if not decades of past experience installing cabling for internet-protocol phone systems and computer networks. Just as important as years of experience is type of experience though. An IT/communications company with a number of experienced professionals that install network cabling on a regular basis is certainly going to trump one that has, say, a licensed electrician who is permitted to install communications wire but doesn't have the expertise to design a highly functional network. In other words, the benefits of a professional cabling installation by a qualified IT/communications company is more about the expertise of the person or persons actually designing and doing the install.
Building Evaluation and Costs
When comparing IT/communications companies to hire, cost of install is obviously going to be a determining factor in decision-making. One way to know if an IT/communications company is evaluating cost efficiently is to not only request a proposal of their costs, but to meticulously evaluate that proposal in order to determine what each of the costs actually are and if they're really necessary.
In order for the IT/communications company to evaluate cost, they will surely need to survey your actual building. Determining proper pathways and capacities are critical to performance. What type of building you're in and the available places for wiring to be routed are also crucial. For example, an old Victorian converted into a business may need to have its walls opened up in order to install conduit tubing that wiring can fed through. A modern building is usually already equipped with conduit tubing. In addition, conduit tubing may not even be an option in a building that has concrete walls. In this case, running wiring along the girders of the building's frame may be an option or routing cabling along a surface raceway system. Some buildings will have such wiring exposed (in which case the professionalism of the wiring installation makes an aesthetic difference). Others will have ceiling panels that hide the wiring, in which case the installer would then focus more on functionality and performance.
Experts at Structured Cabling Bids.com note that, "Contractors who look around, nod their heads and say they will be in touch are not what you need. Focus your attention on structured cabling contractors who assess the physical aspects of the facility, ask questions about how your company uses voice and data communications and then really listen to the responses." Therefore, your cost proposal should include not only obvious price considerations like the cost of labor and materials, but also considerations about the building itself and about best practices. Beyond that, new VoIP phone systems and computer networks have a plethora of options and requirements. Therefore, it's important to be sure that the IT/communications company isn't just selling you "the whole package," but is instead able to sell you only what you need (without compromising performance)-with the option to add-on later if upgrades become necessary due to business expansion.
Cabling Installer's Certifications
This one is a "no-brainer." Only licensed cabling installers should be working on your cabling installation, and the IT/communications companies your business is evaluating should be able to show what licensing they truly have. A "low-voltage" electrician is licensed to install phone and network cabling, but will oftentimes have no clue about the technology itself, being that they're not an IT professional. That's when having someone on the IT team with an RCDD license is extremely valuable. A Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD) has licensed expertise in designing, integrating, and applying IT systems and their related infrastructure components. This means that the professional harbors the expertise to think ahead about your IT system in its entirety and create the best cabling design and computer network hardware design for your business. The RCDD licensee can make your IT system work, and make it work well, while maintaining it into the future of your business.
Location of Cabling Installer
Maintaining your VoIP phone system and computer network system going forward is best done by an IT/communications company that is at least relatively local to your business. This is because not everything in the IT world can be done remotely-especially when it comes to cabling or hardware. Your business needs someone who can, when remote access just isn't solving the problem, be there in a jiffy to keep your business running with minimal downtime. As tempting as it may be to go with a cheaper IT company that's farther away, perhaps in the nearest big city, going with a more local, licensed IT company is going to be the best decision for your business simply due to their ability to be on-site when it really counts.
Greg Wilkoff is the owner of Adept Networks who's specialty is business communication networks including voice and data cabling. He's seen many business owners spend far too much money on business phone systems that ultimately fail them due too incompatible equipment and network capabilities.
Overhauling a communication platform can be really expensive; usually the biggest expense comes from replacing the handsets and the PBX. For businesses running on a budget you might want to look into SIP trunk. The protocol works on most new model PBX whilst older ones may need a slight upgrade using a SIP card. But generally the set up is far less expensive than completely replacing all your phone system components and you will be saving precious time in training your staff with new phones.
SIP trunk is a communication protocol that uses VoIP technologies; basically the system is a far superior and cost effective protocol that what traditional telephony platforms are using. The beauty of the SIP trunk is that it can be connected to almost all kinds PBX hardware without major and costly set up fees. On top of that SIP trunk is also known for better call rates compared to traditional analog lines and small business can save by as much as 70% on calling charges. There are just quite a few considerations that small businesses need to bear in mind for a successful deployment. However these requirements are basic business infrastructure components that are likely to be present in your office already.
Internet connection - The protocol is completely dependent on the internet and it is a must to have a reliable connection with reasonable levels of jitter and packet loss. 10 years ago this may be a problem but with the quality of broadband available in the market today is very easy to secure such connection especially with fibers and ADSL2 gaining popularity.
IP PBX - Like mentioned above a SIP enabled PBX is needed to run the protocol. Check with your chosen provider whether what you currently have will support SIP or if a SIP card is needed.
Border element - This will establish the connection between your local area network (LAN) and the Internet Telephony Service Provider's network (ISTP). Usually these are just LAN firewalls or an edge device that connects to the LAN. Your IT department or the ISTP should be able to discuss this with you in depth.
SIP line - The actual line provided by your ISTP will establish the connection between your network and public switched telephones. This enables your PBX to call or connect outside the network at business grade quality. The quality of the service provider's network is also important so be sure to assess it before signing up with them.
Lisa Harper is a SIP Trunking Engineer that that aims to help small to medium size businesses to take part in bigger markets and ultimately be an industry leader through effective communication stream.
SIP trunk is a communication protocol that uses VoIP technologies; basically the system is a far superior and cost effective protocol that what traditional telephony platforms are using. The beauty of the SIP trunk is that it can be connected to almost all kinds PBX hardware without major and costly set up fees. On top of that SIP trunk is also known for better call rates compared to traditional analog lines and small business can save by as much as 70% on calling charges. There are just quite a few considerations that small businesses need to bear in mind for a successful deployment. However these requirements are basic business infrastructure components that are likely to be present in your office already.
Internet connection - The protocol is completely dependent on the internet and it is a must to have a reliable connection with reasonable levels of jitter and packet loss. 10 years ago this may be a problem but with the quality of broadband available in the market today is very easy to secure such connection especially with fibers and ADSL2 gaining popularity.
IP PBX - Like mentioned above a SIP enabled PBX is needed to run the protocol. Check with your chosen provider whether what you currently have will support SIP or if a SIP card is needed.
Border element - This will establish the connection between your local area network (LAN) and the Internet Telephony Service Provider's network (ISTP). Usually these are just LAN firewalls or an edge device that connects to the LAN. Your IT department or the ISTP should be able to discuss this with you in depth.
SIP line - The actual line provided by your ISTP will establish the connection between your network and public switched telephones. This enables your PBX to call or connect outside the network at business grade quality. The quality of the service provider's network is also important so be sure to assess it before signing up with them.
Lisa Harper is a SIP Trunking Engineer that that aims to help small to medium size businesses to take part in bigger markets and ultimately be an industry leader through effective communication stream.
There is nothing more frustrating as a webmaster then waking up in the morning, firing up your browser to check your website only to find a message saying “This site has exceeded it’s bandwidth limits for the month”
It’s embarrassing, time consuming and not to mention costly if you are missing out on sales.
On the other side of the scale, it can be very costly to be on a larger web hosting plan or dedicated server and hardly even use the services it offers.
Good quality web hosting is not cheap, but you need to balance your business needs with what you can really afford to pay.
So what web hosting service should you be using? Good question!
In this article I’m going to be talking about the pro’s and con’s of both shared web hosting and dedicated web hosting packages. By the end of the article you should have some idea what your online business needs now and what it will need when it expands.
Shared Hosting
Shared hosting is what most small online businesses use. Shared hosting means that your site is on one server that also holds other peoples websites as well. Your website will not be the only one on that server. Very few small online businesses need the power of a dedicated server.
Most companies offer a few different types of shared web hosting services. The only difference usually being how much disk space you want or how much transfer allowance you need.
The major differences between each package really is how many domain names you can host, how much transfer (how many megabytes that are downloading from your website) you can have and how much disk space (how many files you can store) you need.
If you’re just starting out online and haven’t got a website up yet and not sure what you are doing exactly, start off with the small plan. That’s more then enough for a small site or blog for that matter.
Now if you run a larger website and you offer a lot of downloads, say for example you’re selling a rather large ebook, you might need the large service. Let’s say you have a 10mb ebook for sale, the large service this company offers would allow you to have roughly 2000 downloads of that package before you ran out of bandwidth (transfer).
Dedicated Hosting
Dedicated hosting is for the big boys. It’s for medium to big business looking to do a lot of work online. A dedicated server is just that, you’re own server. You get your own server just for your website which is unlike shared hosting as you have to share a server.
There are many different packages available with dedicated hosting depending on how much you want to spend. The more resources a server has, IE, RAM, Hard drive space, processor speed, the more it will cost.
You can see that a dedicated server allows you a lot more disk space and transfer allowance. It also allows you unlimited domain names. Dedicated servers are also known to be a lot more stable and allow you more control over your website and are perfect for a professional image.
There are two types of dedicated servers….
Managed hosting
Managed hosting offers you the support of a technical team looking after your server. They do all the updates and technical side of things for you. They will perform routine maintenance without you even asking. Managed hosting how ever does cost quite a lot more then un-managed usually.
Un-managed hosting
Un-managed hosting isn’t as support less as it sounds. Most dedicated servers do come with technical assistance and routine maintenance, but any support questions will more then likely cost you extra. If you need something added to your server, it will cost you a in maintenance fee’s. Rebooting your server should also come free with un-managed dedicated hosting.
Multiple Domain Name Hosting
Another thing you should look at is whether or not you want to host multiple domain names with your one hosting package. Both shared hosting and dedicated hosting can allow you to do this. A lot of share hosting services now allow this.
I recommend always using a web host that allows you to have multiple domain names with your one account. It really does solve the problem of having multiple hosting accounts for different domain names.
Other Things To Look For
Other things to think about when searching for a web hosting company is what you intend to do with your website.
Do you need a lot of technical assistance? If so, look for a hosting company with live 24/7 support. Do you want to create a blog, or lot’s of blogs? Then you will need to see if your web hosting company allows you to setup multiple MYSQL databases.
It’s embarrassing, time consuming and not to mention costly if you are missing out on sales.
On the other side of the scale, it can be very costly to be on a larger web hosting plan or dedicated server and hardly even use the services it offers.
Good quality web hosting is not cheap, but you need to balance your business needs with what you can really afford to pay.
So what web hosting service should you be using? Good question!
In this article I’m going to be talking about the pro’s and con’s of both shared web hosting and dedicated web hosting packages. By the end of the article you should have some idea what your online business needs now and what it will need when it expands.
Shared Hosting
Shared hosting is what most small online businesses use. Shared hosting means that your site is on one server that also holds other peoples websites as well. Your website will not be the only one on that server. Very few small online businesses need the power of a dedicated server.
Most companies offer a few different types of shared web hosting services. The only difference usually being how much disk space you want or how much transfer allowance you need.
The major differences between each package really is how many domain names you can host, how much transfer (how many megabytes that are downloading from your website) you can have and how much disk space (how many files you can store) you need.
If you’re just starting out online and haven’t got a website up yet and not sure what you are doing exactly, start off with the small plan. That’s more then enough for a small site or blog for that matter.
Now if you run a larger website and you offer a lot of downloads, say for example you’re selling a rather large ebook, you might need the large service. Let’s say you have a 10mb ebook for sale, the large service this company offers would allow you to have roughly 2000 downloads of that package before you ran out of bandwidth (transfer).
Dedicated Hosting
Dedicated hosting is for the big boys. It’s for medium to big business looking to do a lot of work online. A dedicated server is just that, you’re own server. You get your own server just for your website which is unlike shared hosting as you have to share a server.
There are many different packages available with dedicated hosting depending on how much you want to spend. The more resources a server has, IE, RAM, Hard drive space, processor speed, the more it will cost.
You can see that a dedicated server allows you a lot more disk space and transfer allowance. It also allows you unlimited domain names. Dedicated servers are also known to be a lot more stable and allow you more control over your website and are perfect for a professional image.
There are two types of dedicated servers….
Managed hosting
Managed hosting offers you the support of a technical team looking after your server. They do all the updates and technical side of things for you. They will perform routine maintenance without you even asking. Managed hosting how ever does cost quite a lot more then un-managed usually.
Un-managed hosting
Un-managed hosting isn’t as support less as it sounds. Most dedicated servers do come with technical assistance and routine maintenance, but any support questions will more then likely cost you extra. If you need something added to your server, it will cost you a in maintenance fee’s. Rebooting your server should also come free with un-managed dedicated hosting.
Another thing you should look at is whether or not you want to host multiple domain names with your one hosting package. Both shared hosting and dedicated hosting can allow you to do this. A lot of share hosting services now allow this.
I recommend always using a web host that allows you to have multiple domain names with your one account. It really does solve the problem of having multiple hosting accounts for different domain names.
Other Things To Look For
Other things to think about when searching for a web hosting company is what you intend to do with your website.
Do you need a lot of technical assistance? If so, look for a hosting company with live 24/7 support. Do you want to create a blog, or lot’s of blogs? Then you will need to see if your web hosting company allows you to setup multiple MYSQL databases.
No matter how large or small, 2013 is set to be a year in which all businesses need to make sure that they are as cost efficient as possible.
As the uncertain global economic situation continues, there are several ways to cut costs and increase efficiency. From the first weeks of the year, you will see real savings accumulate over the next twelve months. Here are a few suggestions to get the ball rolling:
1. Adopt flexible working practices
By cutting the need to travel, instant savings can be made; not least by cutting expenditure on rising fuel costs. Moving to conference calls rather than face to face meetings saves time and money without compromising efficiency.
Flexible working can help you to manage your workforce more efficiently, reduce costs and improve morale. With innovative use of remote office applications, workers can work flexibly in terms of hours and location, meaning savings across the business.
2. Consolidate to control costs
If you're going to shift operations to telecoms and IT, then it is imperative that you can be confident that you are doing so efficiently. 62 per cent of UK businesses have more than four suppliers for telecoms and IT alone. By switching to a unified communications package you can integrate applications on a single platform or device which results in real savings.
3. Make Sure Your Business is Energy Efficient
According to the Confederation of British Industry, businesses in the UK waste on average 10-20 per cent of the energy they buy. That translates to a great deal of money wasted and a comprehensive review of the ways in which your company uses energy can result in great savings.
Reducing the heating by a single degree can save 10 per cent of the annual heating budget. Consider Start by addressing out of hours consumption; this is where businesses waste thousands.
Simple things like turning computers and monitors off, ensuring that water consumption is kept within reason or reducing printing waste can save fortunes. Consider getting vehicle tracking devices on your company cars (here you can find fleet management on Expert Market, a B2B website).
4. Sub-let Space
Many offices operate within their physical means and leave space lying empty. Identify whether you are maximising the potential of your business suite. By sub-letting that space wisely, you can not only generate vital revenue rather than paying for space you're not utilising, but also build your business network. This is done by ensuring that a potential client or contractor sets up their office on your territory. The potential benefits are huge if you can snare the right tenant.
5. Review The Company Postage Spend
There is huge waste on postage. A shift to second from first class can mean at best 24 hours difference in delivery times, but very often makes no difference. Many companies send everything by second class, and watch how much that can save.
Even more cost effective is the leasing a franking machine, in spite of lease costs. Apart from removing the need to buy stamps, each frank also carries a 1p saving. This adds up to an average saving of 5 per cent, with many machines also providing free credit.
6. Content Marketing
Simply "advertising" your business is not enough in the competitive online market. Harnessing inbound marketing techniques will help you to attract the greatest number of people interested in your products and services.
It is far more cost effective and therefore profitable to find a targeted group of consumers or businesses, rather than scatter gun the entire market. Rewrite your website to exactly what it is you're selling and the type of customers you want to attract. In doing so, ensure that you meet higher SEO and page rank standards.
7. Harness Human Resources
Increased productivity and job satisfaction will always result in raise profits and this will come from ensuring your existing workforce is efficient and motivated. Frequently, the best money-saving initiatives and cost-saving improvements come from a skilled team of efficient workers.
The key is to instill a sense of ownership in the enterprise and keep workplace motivation high. By encouraging the cross-training of employees across the business workloads in different departments can be more effectively managed, in-house skill sets built and proliferated, and training costs that come with new hires and temps reduced or eradicated.
8. Switch to Open Source Software
Open-source software costs a fraction of the price of most of the major commercial products while still offering all, if not more, of the features. Adoption of open source solutions can drive down your IT budget but doesn't need to mean that you are sacrificing functionality in the name of saving money.
Aside from the attraction of saving money the open source option provides benefits in terms of security, the lack of vendor 'lock in' and, arguably, better quality.
These are just 8 ideas to get you started but throughout every business a simple review of working methods, allied with a bit of creative thinking, can transform your working methods and make a more efficient business far more profitable.
Sometimes you may know, sometimes you may not heard of Payoneer. Payoneer is one of the giant in online transactions. This is a popular money transferring method among the internet marketers and online workers. If you are working online with a foreign company, you may have to withdraw your money to your bank account. But for some countries this is a real big issue. That is because some payment methods are not approved due to different reasons (specially Paypal). The solution is the Payoneer Master card. By using Payoneer Master card you can withdraw from any ATM machine all over the world which supports master cards.
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Is Payoneer a Trusted Program?
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What are the loading methods which approve to claim this $25?
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Starting out in the business of Internet Marketing can be an exciting prospect. The thought of earning all that money that everybody else is earning from this industry is all too appealing. You jump straight in signing up for the one that looks most profitable, because the sales pitch said so, it's easy they say, anybody can do it, you don't need any experience they promise. How soon do those promises fade away when the cold realization kicks in that it's not that easy, the magic cash producing button cannot be found and you find yourself spending more money on tools and services you don't really understand until you have such a high learning curve that there are not enough hours in your day to get to learn everything you need to know.
Now if you look around there are people and companies on the Internet who promise to teach you everything you need to know about Internet Marketing. These people will teach you their way of doing things. This is OK if you have the time to devote to learning this industry and all of its twists and turns. Some people treat this as a hobby some as a fully-fledged business venture and whatever you decide that is OK but, and yes there is a but, you have to decide how much you are willing or indeed how much can afford to spend on starting your own Internet Marketing Business. This business costs money when you are starting
out and the investment has to be made if you are serious about earning a living from Online Marketing.
OK so you have decided that you want to give this a try. Ask yourself a few questions. What do I know about Internet Marketing? What do I need to know about Internet Marketing? Do yourself a favor a do some research. Find out what Marketing is all about. Find out what Internet Marketers do, how they sell and what they sell. Let me tell you it's about selling either yourself, your company, your services, your products or somebody else's products or services. Now ask yourself what do I have to sell? Chances are nothing if you are starting out. So where do you begin.
First and foremost set yourself a budget, how much are you willing to invest? Then set yourself a time limit. How long are you going to give yourself before you decide this is not for you? Have a long hard think before you do anything and then set your sights low to start. Where to now... well I'll save that for a later article. Be sure to follow.
Now if you look around there are people and companies on the Internet who promise to teach you everything you need to know about Internet Marketing. These people will teach you their way of doing things. This is OK if you have the time to devote to learning this industry and all of its twists and turns. Some people treat this as a hobby some as a fully-fledged business venture and whatever you decide that is OK but, and yes there is a but, you have to decide how much you are willing or indeed how much can afford to spend on starting your own Internet Marketing Business. This business costs money when you are starting
out and the investment has to be made if you are serious about earning a living from Online Marketing.
First and foremost set yourself a budget, how much are you willing to invest? Then set yourself a time limit. How long are you going to give yourself before you decide this is not for you? Have a long hard think before you do anything and then set your sights low to start. Where to now... well I'll save that for a later article. Be sure to follow.
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