Being able to use computers via a network when you are in another part of the office or even another part of the country is great, but how can you be sure that the computers are secure? The first thing that you need to realize is that you should not to let undue stress and worry, prevent you from using those programs and tools that will allow you to make your working life easier. In the same way that you would not remain at home in order to prevent a burglary taking place on your home, so you should not let the fear of unauthorized access to your computer network, put you off.
Ways in Which You Can Stay Safe
You will need to make sure that all your security programs and firewalls are up to date, and this not only includes programs used for remote access, but also internet connections, the operating system and messaging clients such as email and instant messaging. Most software programmers will offer free patches and updates for their software, whenever a weak point is discovered within their program.
Making Use of Security Software
No computer system is going to be secure without the addition of a good anti-virus program, and you do not always have to pay money for them, there are a lot of good, free anti-virus programs to be found on the internet. Enabling automatic updates are one of the ways in which to keep your anti-virus programs up to date against some of the latest threats.
One method of staying secure is one that is often overlooked by many people, and that is the need to be educated on some of the threats that can affect your computer network. Also, when it comes to passwords, it is also vital to have the strongest and most secure password, one that cannot be guessed easily by an outsider. It should also go without saying that you should not give your password out to anyone, also, avoid downloading programs or opening links in emails that you are not 100% sure about.
Some of the biggest security breaches are down to people that actually work for the company, rather than from any outside source. Therefore, it is vital that security passwords are changed, whenever anybody leaves the company, especially, if they are leaving your business in order to join one of your competitors. Changing security settings will prevent them from gaining access to sensitive information that may be of use to their new employers, which is something that can damage your business.
Ways in Which You Can Stay Safe
You will need to make sure that all your security programs and firewalls are up to date, and this not only includes programs used for remote access, but also internet connections, the operating system and messaging clients such as email and instant messaging. Most software programmers will offer free patches and updates for their software, whenever a weak point is discovered within their program.
Making Use of Security Software
No computer system is going to be secure without the addition of a good anti-virus program, and you do not always have to pay money for them, there are a lot of good, free anti-virus programs to be found on the internet. Enabling automatic updates are one of the ways in which to keep your anti-virus programs up to date against some of the latest threats.
One method of staying secure is one that is often overlooked by many people, and that is the need to be educated on some of the threats that can affect your computer network. Also, when it comes to passwords, it is also vital to have the strongest and most secure password, one that cannot be guessed easily by an outsider. It should also go without saying that you should not give your password out to anyone, also, avoid downloading programs or opening links in emails that you are not 100% sure about.
Some of the biggest security breaches are down to people that actually work for the company, rather than from any outside source. Therefore, it is vital that security passwords are changed, whenever anybody leaves the company, especially, if they are leaving your business in order to join one of your competitors. Changing security settings will prevent them from gaining access to sensitive information that may be of use to their new employers, which is something that can damage your business.
There are lots of companies, which involve field work in their operations. These companies are not restricted to just one or two industries; companies related to several industries send their employees out for field work. It becomes chaos for these organizations to track the progress in the work of their employees in the field. But it isn't a problem for those companies, which are ready to embrace new technology. Such companies can make good use of mobile field service apps to carry out such tasks smoothly.
Along with keeping the records of all the activities done by the employees in field, these apps offer some other valuable benefits as well. Let's have a look: -
Updates in Real Time : These apps track and record the jobs done by the workforce in field with the exact information about time and location. The best thing is that such an app updates the information in real time. Company can also track the location of the employee at any particular point of time through this app. It helps companies in keeping the accurate records about the duration of the employees' visits to various customers and the work done by them over there. It also exerts an impression on the employees that they are being tracked that discourages them from spending unnecessary time anywhere and as a result, the overall productivity enhances.
Increases Revenue : When employees are aware that their work is being tracked, they try to complete the jobs in short time and do more work. Also, the app adds the entire amount charged to the customers to the invoice without leaving any chances for omission. Moreover, the app records short customer engagements without any failure, which again leads to higher revenues.
Convenience : Such an app can make the jobs of the organization involved in field work convenient in several ways. As mentioned earlier it adds all the charges to the invoice automatically which itself is a big convenience. Also, it includes all the products and services provided in a single invoice and make the invoicing even more convenient. If organizations have to assign some work to the employees who are in field at that point of time, it can be done conveniently through the app. Besides, it provides offline access to inventory, price lists and other important documents which make the work of the employees quite easier.
Good Impression on Customers : Companies can make a very good impression on the customers by providing such apps to their employees. It also allows customers to sign directly on the smartphones. These things make loyal customers and these loyal customers do the promotion for the companies by word-of-mouth.
In a nut shell, imagine a couple of scenarios:
If your business work also includes field work, you must go for a mobile field service app. Mobile app development services are being provided at very reasonable charges these days. You can get a suitable offer that fits in your budget specifications perfectly by spending just a few minutes on the Internet. Just define your needs and start searching for an appropriate offer.
Along with keeping the records of all the activities done by the employees in field, these apps offer some other valuable benefits as well. Let's have a look: -
Updates in Real Time : These apps track and record the jobs done by the workforce in field with the exact information about time and location. The best thing is that such an app updates the information in real time. Company can also track the location of the employee at any particular point of time through this app. It helps companies in keeping the accurate records about the duration of the employees' visits to various customers and the work done by them over there. It also exerts an impression on the employees that they are being tracked that discourages them from spending unnecessary time anywhere and as a result, the overall productivity enhances.
Increases Revenue : When employees are aware that their work is being tracked, they try to complete the jobs in short time and do more work. Also, the app adds the entire amount charged to the customers to the invoice without leaving any chances for omission. Moreover, the app records short customer engagements without any failure, which again leads to higher revenues.
Convenience : Such an app can make the jobs of the organization involved in field work convenient in several ways. As mentioned earlier it adds all the charges to the invoice automatically which itself is a big convenience. Also, it includes all the products and services provided in a single invoice and make the invoicing even more convenient. If organizations have to assign some work to the employees who are in field at that point of time, it can be done conveniently through the app. Besides, it provides offline access to inventory, price lists and other important documents which make the work of the employees quite easier.
Good Impression on Customers : Companies can make a very good impression on the customers by providing such apps to their employees. It also allows customers to sign directly on the smartphones. These things make loyal customers and these loyal customers do the promotion for the companies by word-of-mouth.
In a nut shell, imagine a couple of scenarios:
- Imagine yours as a manufacturing business and you do provide your customers' after sales service.
- Now, you have mobile apps for your customers as well and all your product packets contain the QR code, using which the customers can download your app.
- The customers can check other products; send service requests, complaints etc. using the app only. No need to call your customer support, being in long queue.
- Now once a service request/complaint is registered in your backend system, your support team assigns that to a service executive of yours, based on city/area etc.
- The service executive automatically gets notifications of new tasks, their locations and other details. They can check the inventory and price instantly from the app itself, if any parts need to be changed etc.
- Once the executive reaches the location, they punch in and their location gets reported in your system. Once the job is done, the executive signs the task off and a notification goes to the customer instantly. They can close the complaint right in front of your executive.
- Substance of this entire story: communication and information, instantly, seamlessly, convenience for your customers, your employees and most important for you: a loyal customer and real time information at every point of communication, thus increasing the ROI.
If your business work also includes field work, you must go for a mobile field service app. Mobile app development services are being provided at very reasonable charges these days. You can get a suitable offer that fits in your budget specifications perfectly by spending just a few minutes on the Internet. Just define your needs and start searching for an appropriate offer.
Do research on Google+ weighing pro's and con's as a marketing tool for your business. -- Check
Weighed the pro's and con's for Google+ as a marketing tool for your business. -- Check
Create a Google+ profile, with a picture, description and links. -- Check
Created a business page on Google+ for your business with logo, descriptions and links -- Check
Build up a Google+ following.-- How?
So happy you asked!! Let me explain.
One of the biggest features and attraction points of Google+ is...
Circles
Circles are how you organise your list of friends, family, business partners, associates, customers and leads.
Circles give you greater control over who you share your content with. Targeted marketing at its best. That's to say if they have returned the favour and added you to their circles. Because you have added someone to your circles doesn't mean they have done the same, and for them to get your content on their newsfeed is if they have added you in return.
I have found, generally, most people I add to my circles add me back. No matter which social media you are in, offering value is still an excellent idea.
Sharing Your Circles
I was not, up until recently, aware that one could share your circles.
Sharing your circles is a great way for you to introduce one group of people to another group of likeminded friends, or business contacts. You might for example want to share a partner company circle with the new groups of leads you managed to generate.
Commenting On Other Google+ Members Status
The best way for people to become aware of your existence is by making yourself known by either introducing yourself, start commenting on status updates or posts, or starting a conversation. Like the age old saying. "If the mountain won't go to Mohammed, Mohammed will go to the mountain". The obvious advantage when it comes to engaging members with similar interests, is, you are building relationships and it's no secret having quality relationships betters your chances of success. Both in business and your personal life. A +1 is the first step in engaging, then sharing and commenting.
Having A Live Hangout
Being able to speak to potential leads, customers and followers via free video conferencing is awesome. Hangouts are becoming popular amongst businesses and users on Google+. Doctors consultations, group yoga classes, businesses meetings, brainstorms and master minds to name a few have all had airtime on a Google+ Hangout. It's an excellent way to establish your authority in your particular niche, a perfect example of who is it doing it great with Google+ Hangouts is Alex Mandossian. Hangouts are an excellent way to creating video blogs and you connect with YouTube... Need I say more?
Join A Community
Communities attract likeminded people sharing common interests and are a great place to start engaging. Similar to a Facebook group, communities may have discussion topics listed, so when a person adds a post, they choose which category within that community it belongs. A discussion topic, a hint or tip, or an introduction category for example. For the user this means we don't have to sift through content we aren't searching for at the time.
Sharing Great Content On A Regular Basis
Creating great content will be one of the very best tactics used to create followers. By becoming an authority in your niche and providing quality, high value content is vital and compulsory mo matter what social media you use, content is king. If you're not producing and offering value that interests people, no matter how hard you try and utilize the methods above, you won't get the following you desire.
Google+ has made a huge step in engaging the world with each other. They have made it free and accessible to anyone with an internet connection and a Google account.
Weighed the pro's and con's for Google+ as a marketing tool for your business. -- Check
Create a Google+ profile, with a picture, description and links. -- Check
Created a business page on Google+ for your business with logo, descriptions and links -- Check
Build up a Google+ following.-- How?
So happy you asked!! Let me explain.
One of the biggest features and attraction points of Google+ is...
Circles
Circles are how you organise your list of friends, family, business partners, associates, customers and leads.
Circles give you greater control over who you share your content with. Targeted marketing at its best. That's to say if they have returned the favour and added you to their circles. Because you have added someone to your circles doesn't mean they have done the same, and for them to get your content on their newsfeed is if they have added you in return.
I have found, generally, most people I add to my circles add me back. No matter which social media you are in, offering value is still an excellent idea.
Sharing Your Circles
I was not, up until recently, aware that one could share your circles.
Sharing your circles is a great way for you to introduce one group of people to another group of likeminded friends, or business contacts. You might for example want to share a partner company circle with the new groups of leads you managed to generate.
Commenting On Other Google+ Members Status
The best way for people to become aware of your existence is by making yourself known by either introducing yourself, start commenting on status updates or posts, or starting a conversation. Like the age old saying. "If the mountain won't go to Mohammed, Mohammed will go to the mountain". The obvious advantage when it comes to engaging members with similar interests, is, you are building relationships and it's no secret having quality relationships betters your chances of success. Both in business and your personal life. A +1 is the first step in engaging, then sharing and commenting.
Having A Live Hangout
Being able to speak to potential leads, customers and followers via free video conferencing is awesome. Hangouts are becoming popular amongst businesses and users on Google+. Doctors consultations, group yoga classes, businesses meetings, brainstorms and master minds to name a few have all had airtime on a Google+ Hangout. It's an excellent way to establish your authority in your particular niche, a perfect example of who is it doing it great with Google+ Hangouts is Alex Mandossian. Hangouts are an excellent way to creating video blogs and you connect with YouTube... Need I say more?
Join A Community
Communities attract likeminded people sharing common interests and are a great place to start engaging. Similar to a Facebook group, communities may have discussion topics listed, so when a person adds a post, they choose which category within that community it belongs. A discussion topic, a hint or tip, or an introduction category for example. For the user this means we don't have to sift through content we aren't searching for at the time.
Sharing Great Content On A Regular Basis
Creating great content will be one of the very best tactics used to create followers. By becoming an authority in your niche and providing quality, high value content is vital and compulsory mo matter what social media you use, content is king. If you're not producing and offering value that interests people, no matter how hard you try and utilize the methods above, you won't get the following you desire.
Google+ has made a huge step in engaging the world with each other. They have made it free and accessible to anyone with an internet connection and a Google account.
Cabling plays a significant part on how effective your internet speed will be. For any home or business, the cabling network speed is important. More people are turning to the fibre optic cabling for their internet needs even though the copper cabling is still the most favorable option. This is because most of the fibre optic cabling options has on offer high cable hardiness and are able to get stretched over long distances thus making a lesser issue of the logistics.
The fibre optic cabling also offers more stability in that, it ensures you of a one on one connection with consistent high speeds as opposed to the copper cabling that oscillates unpredictably between the low and high speeds with a dependency on the network traffic levels.
The various types of Fibre Optic Cabling
Right now, there are varied types of the fibre cabling that range from OM1 to OM4. As the oldest of the 4, OM1 has short wavelengths, tends to be used for lower bandwidth specifications and has the shortest distance too.
In this respect, OM2 is very much like OM1. However, the OM2 is generally associated with no problem a high bandwidth speed.
The OM3 on the other hand, is the very first fibre optic cabling to have the installation of a laser optimization thus making it an awesome choice for the ones who are looking for cabling that can be able to handle fast speeds.
The OM4 is designed similarly with the OM3 but on a higher level. It has sturdy cabling, very effectual laser optimization and can incorporate many multimode abilities.
Reasons as to why you will love the OM4
The OM4 cabling can handle so many different demands, high amounts of bandwidth and withstand the general wear and tear as it is the most suitable high speed fibre optic cable option. The increase on the demand for more reliable cabling and the rising network speeds are the simple reasons as to why the OM4 is popular. According to the experts, OM4 will soon set the new standard for the line network connections that are at the top of the game.
Conclusion
If you do not need to go shopping for a fibre cable in the future, acquiring the OM4 is the best thing you could ever do; especially with the recently reduced OM4 prices. I think it's a good bargain for what you're getting, so pick it if you are looking for the best of the best.
We at Trojan TechGroup certainly think that you will be getting yourself into an awesome bargain so if you are searching for the best in the industry, by all means, get the OM4.
We do the installation of any type of fibre optic cabling at your place of residence or at your business at prices that are competitive.
We at Trojan TechGroup can install OM4 (or any other type of) fibre optic cabling for your business or home at competitive prices, call us at 1300 303 506 for a free quote today!
The fibre optic cabling also offers more stability in that, it ensures you of a one on one connection with consistent high speeds as opposed to the copper cabling that oscillates unpredictably between the low and high speeds with a dependency on the network traffic levels.
The various types of Fibre Optic Cabling
Right now, there are varied types of the fibre cabling that range from OM1 to OM4. As the oldest of the 4, OM1 has short wavelengths, tends to be used for lower bandwidth specifications and has the shortest distance too.
In this respect, OM2 is very much like OM1. However, the OM2 is generally associated with no problem a high bandwidth speed.
The OM3 on the other hand, is the very first fibre optic cabling to have the installation of a laser optimization thus making it an awesome choice for the ones who are looking for cabling that can be able to handle fast speeds.
The OM4 is designed similarly with the OM3 but on a higher level. It has sturdy cabling, very effectual laser optimization and can incorporate many multimode abilities.
Reasons as to why you will love the OM4
The OM4 cabling can handle so many different demands, high amounts of bandwidth and withstand the general wear and tear as it is the most suitable high speed fibre optic cable option. The increase on the demand for more reliable cabling and the rising network speeds are the simple reasons as to why the OM4 is popular. According to the experts, OM4 will soon set the new standard for the line network connections that are at the top of the game.
Conclusion
If you do not need to go shopping for a fibre cable in the future, acquiring the OM4 is the best thing you could ever do; especially with the recently reduced OM4 prices. I think it's a good bargain for what you're getting, so pick it if you are looking for the best of the best.
We at Trojan TechGroup certainly think that you will be getting yourself into an awesome bargain so if you are searching for the best in the industry, by all means, get the OM4.
We do the installation of any type of fibre optic cabling at your place of residence or at your business at prices that are competitive.
We at Trojan TechGroup can install OM4 (or any other type of) fibre optic cabling for your business or home at competitive prices, call us at 1300 303 506 for a free quote today!
In present scenario, no other industry is booming like IT. This field is developing day by day; a large number of new products are arriving in the market that is easing our lives. Here presenting the list of 13 high technology based products that have given remarkable performance in the year 2013. These products are considered best in their categories.
BioShock Infinite:
BioShock Infinite is a game which takes all the players on an amazing journey and enthralls in its sequence of events. Its environment also stays according to the need.
Kindle Fire HDX:
This year many tablets arrived in the market out of which Apple's refreshed iPads. Samsung also made changes in its mini iPad and bought Nexus 7. Like the same Amazon has produced a high strength media consumption based tablet which is much better than others. The 7 inch Kindle Fire HDX is also mind-blowing in terms of its price and performance. This device is also known for its expertly integrated ecosystem.
Pebble Smart watch:
The Pebble comes under smart watch category and it is considered quite impressive. This watch is high technology based and proving the best among all. It has left behind the geek's fantasy in terms of technology. It contain e-paper screen, many useful apps with good battery life. These features are making it better than its counter parts.
iPhone 5S:
iPhone is an advanced mobile device that you can purchase. Its formidable power with an unmatched mobile OS is making it exclusive. This gadget has also won the heart of many Apple fans.
Leap Motion:
Leap motion is a wonderful device and gives an eye-opening experience. Its controller is a 1.0 device which comes with buggy software. It has capacity to get users attention.
Olympus OM-D EM-1:
It is a very perfect mirror less design based camera. It's in build with perfection has made it unique and enthusiastic amateurs for all the photographers. Its super-fast autofocus based customizable buttons makes users more fascinating about it.
13-Inch MacBook Pro along with Retina Display:
It is an ultra - thin design based laptop with is much better than its counterparts. It has firstly introduced the concept of ultra high retina display. Apple has done many remarkable things in its construction. This 13 inch MacBook is known for its outstanding performance.
Fitbit Force:
It is fitness tracker sports with an OLED display. It is a very smart device that can be put on your wrist. Along with its all amazing features its battery-backup is mind-blowing. It can track your movements but stays slightly bulky in size.
Bose QuietComfort 20i Noise- earphones:
Bose is considering an achiever in noise-cancelling headphones. It provides very comfortable earbuds that are well designed. To get connected with the world of music you must try to use it once.
Kwikset Kevo:
Kwikset Kevo is a wonderful unlock system by which we can open an unlock door with the help of a cellphone. It is powered by Bluetooth and its lock is touching sensitive, you just need to touch it for making it unlock.
Parallels Access:
Parallels Access is a wonderful machine that carries fun loving, useful and well designed apps. This work as an iPad and its entire features are quite similar to that gadget.
2014 Mazda6:
It is a car of similar to our lifestyles. In every way it's quite impressive. It carries Bluetooth connectivity so that you can make a free call. With the dashboard it carries a 5.8 inch touch screen.
Galaxy S4:
It is a hotly anticipated gadget of 2013. Galaxy S4 is technically sophisticated and carries many advance features that can certainly amaze you.
BioShock Infinite:
BioShock Infinite is a game which takes all the players on an amazing journey and enthralls in its sequence of events. Its environment also stays according to the need.
Kindle Fire HDX:
This year many tablets arrived in the market out of which Apple's refreshed iPads. Samsung also made changes in its mini iPad and bought Nexus 7. Like the same Amazon has produced a high strength media consumption based tablet which is much better than others. The 7 inch Kindle Fire HDX is also mind-blowing in terms of its price and performance. This device is also known for its expertly integrated ecosystem.
Pebble Smart watch:
The Pebble comes under smart watch category and it is considered quite impressive. This watch is high technology based and proving the best among all. It has left behind the geek's fantasy in terms of technology. It contain e-paper screen, many useful apps with good battery life. These features are making it better than its counter parts.
iPhone 5S:
iPhone is an advanced mobile device that you can purchase. Its formidable power with an unmatched mobile OS is making it exclusive. This gadget has also won the heart of many Apple fans.
Leap Motion:
Leap motion is a wonderful device and gives an eye-opening experience. Its controller is a 1.0 device which comes with buggy software. It has capacity to get users attention.
Olympus OM-D EM-1:
It is a very perfect mirror less design based camera. It's in build with perfection has made it unique and enthusiastic amateurs for all the photographers. Its super-fast autofocus based customizable buttons makes users more fascinating about it.
13-Inch MacBook Pro along with Retina Display:
It is an ultra - thin design based laptop with is much better than its counterparts. It has firstly introduced the concept of ultra high retina display. Apple has done many remarkable things in its construction. This 13 inch MacBook is known for its outstanding performance.
Fitbit Force:
It is fitness tracker sports with an OLED display. It is a very smart device that can be put on your wrist. Along with its all amazing features its battery-backup is mind-blowing. It can track your movements but stays slightly bulky in size.
Bose QuietComfort 20i Noise- earphones:
Bose is considering an achiever in noise-cancelling headphones. It provides very comfortable earbuds that are well designed. To get connected with the world of music you must try to use it once.
Kwikset Kevo:
Kwikset Kevo is a wonderful unlock system by which we can open an unlock door with the help of a cellphone. It is powered by Bluetooth and its lock is touching sensitive, you just need to touch it for making it unlock.
Parallels Access:
Parallels Access is a wonderful machine that carries fun loving, useful and well designed apps. This work as an iPad and its entire features are quite similar to that gadget.
2014 Mazda6:
It is a car of similar to our lifestyles. In every way it's quite impressive. It carries Bluetooth connectivity so that you can make a free call. With the dashboard it carries a 5.8 inch touch screen.
Galaxy S4:
It is a hotly anticipated gadget of 2013. Galaxy S4 is technically sophisticated and carries many advance features that can certainly amaze you.
Wireless Asset Tracking & Management in today's economy: A dollar saved is more valuable than a dollar earned
Return on Investment (ROI) has been on the tip of every company's tongue since the economy began its downward spiral. Whatever you purchase has to save you money or make you money in a calculated, measurable timeline or you don't buy it - bottom line. Contractors fighting fierce competition, plummeting profits and increasing costs need all the help they can get. On first glance, wireless fleet management can seem like a costly addition, and one that's difficult to justify. It's not a machine you can put to work or materials you can use on the jobsite. It's information for intelligent business decisions. It's how your machines are working on the jobsite. It's about increasing efficiency and cutting costs. And in this challenging economic climate you have to cut to increase profits.
The Challenge: you can't manage what you don't measure... correctly
Contractors face an interesting conundrum: equipment usage (from hour meter readings) is used for job billing, service scheduling, budgeting equipment purchases and estimating work. However, almost every contractor I have worked with will quietly admit that this information is inaccurate and out of date. Inaccurate in that the information is manually collected in the field and subject to a variety of "mistakes" such as fudging, hoarding practices, timecards and other gamesmanship. Out of date in that at best this manually collected data is delivered 1-2 weeks behind real time. So how can a contractor efficiently bill, maintain equipment, make buying decisions and bid with such erroneous, stale data? This article focuses on how contractors can, have been and will, leverage wireless asset monitoring systems that deliver the real time data necessary for increased fleet efficiency and containment of operational costs.
These savings come about from increased fleet utilization and optimization, more accurate jobsite billing, reduced equipment idling, real time asset reallocation, decreased service and repair costs and reduced insurance premiums. Let's take a look first at how the technology works and then the average savings a typical customer will realize in the first year after implementation.
How asset tracking and monitoring works
Wireless asset monitoring involves three basic components:
The transponder unit is typically about the size of a large ashtray and houses the GPS receiver and wireless radio. Wireless networks, the same used by mobile phones, provide communication between the transponder on the machine and the manager at the computer. The unit literally "calls" information such as: location, on/off status, usage data (on vs. working vs. idle time), and critical updates pertaining to machine health and unauthorized use directly from the asset to the software, cell phones, PDAs and email in real time. Additionally, the manager may "call" the unit from the software and request an update of this data, or other functions such as remote disabling of the asset, anytime with a click of the computer mouse. It is almost as if the machine has its own cell phone, from which it can call you and vice versa.
The Solution: what gets measured correctly gets done
Right sizing your fleet, a fleet size decrease of 5%-10% while maintaining the same level of work. Running an analysis quarterly, monthly, annually or whenever your budgeting needs arise of utilization by asset type based on actual run time makes it easy to see where your fleet has an excess and where you may need to add a machine. For example, you have 30 dozers in your fleet and requests are coming in for additional ones. A quick utilization report shows you have 15 dozers running at 80% utilization for the last quarter, 10 dozers at 50% utilization and 5 dozers at 20% utilization. The reality is that you don't need more dozers, in fact, you can shed a few to bring up the overall production of that asset class within your fleet - which also frees up the capital you had tied up in non-productive machines. I recently spoke with a customer of ours doing a round of "right sizing" and shipping underutilized assets off to auction, with an anticipated yield of $1-$1.3 million in cash. Formerly, those high value fixed assets were all sitting on their books and tying up capital and ownership costs, but with a few quick reports the fleet has become streamlined.
Improved jobsite billing of 10-30%. Some wireless fleet monitoring systems will empower you to designate boundaries on their mapping software which you label as your jobsites. As assets move into those areas, they are assigned to the job and as they move elsewhere they are reassigned automatically without manual entry. This allows you to run jobsite reports to see how much your assets are actually working, which in turn creates accountability at the jobsite level. No longer can machines be hoarded on jobs, while a similar asset is rented on a project down the road. Now you simply reallocate the machines within your own fleet first, before looking to rent another machine. Additionally, the any usage "fudging" is brought to light and the job is billed properly for the actual work performed by the equipment.
Reduced equipment idling by 1/3 on average. The hour meter is one performance metric, but it doesn't differentiate between "on time", "working time" and "idling time". Fortunately for you, a proper wireless monitoring system does. The obvious benefit: turning off the machine when it idles excessively, by implementing companywide idling goals and measuring them frequently. Reducing the idle time will dramatically cut your fuel bill in the short term and also give you a realistic usage barometer for that machine. Now you will schedule service not off the hour meter on the machine, but the true "working time" meter on the hardware unit- which means you will reduce the number of PMs required annually. Consider a service interval at 250 hours and a machine with 30% idle time, equating to 75 hours of idling per service. This means that every fourth PM is due to the idling hours alone, which is not a true indicator of usage. As you reduce your idling or simply schedule service off the actual "working" meter, you extend the P.M. interval and decrease the number required. Taking the example above, if you ran your service strictly off the true "working" meter then you would completely remove every fourth PM - and its associated costs.
Reduced service and repair costs of 15-40%: Using a wireless monitoring system provides a proactive service scheduling function (a report showing what is coming due) as well as a reminder if an asset is not serviced on time, thus preventing any from falling through the cracks. The result is fewer failures and thus less repair costs and equipment downtime.
Insurance savings of 20%-60%. Most wireless asset monitoring systems also double as theft protection systems with such features as nightly curfews, real time theft alerts, immobilization techniques, remote disable, geofences, etc. Ask your insurer what break they will give you for theft protection. If they can't justify it, then be sure to remind them that there is at least one underwriter out there offering at least 25% discounts on premium and a $10,000 theft deductible to contractors who invest in this technology
More bids, profitably. Armed with the real utilization information from previous jobs, your estimators will now map that to future bids. Rather than estimating, they are using actual numbers from identical work to make their bids more competitive and profitable.
Too good to be true? Consider the case of a customer coming up on their one year anniversary with our technology, having installed nearly 500 units on their equipment fleet a year ago. That investment has yielded a savings in excess of $3 million within 10 months from the exact same items discussed above, exponentially outweighing the cost to deploy. The investment today has paid for itself in the short term, and they are poised to be even more efficient and competitive as the economy turns around.
How to shop for and evaluate a wireless monitoring provider:
A quick Internet search for "construction equipment monitoring" or "equipment monitoring system" turns up dozens of results, so how do you select the right one for you? Here are some important factors to consider:
Return on Investment (ROI) has been on the tip of every company's tongue since the economy began its downward spiral. Whatever you purchase has to save you money or make you money in a calculated, measurable timeline or you don't buy it - bottom line. Contractors fighting fierce competition, plummeting profits and increasing costs need all the help they can get. On first glance, wireless fleet management can seem like a costly addition, and one that's difficult to justify. It's not a machine you can put to work or materials you can use on the jobsite. It's information for intelligent business decisions. It's how your machines are working on the jobsite. It's about increasing efficiency and cutting costs. And in this challenging economic climate you have to cut to increase profits.
The Challenge: you can't manage what you don't measure... correctly
Contractors face an interesting conundrum: equipment usage (from hour meter readings) is used for job billing, service scheduling, budgeting equipment purchases and estimating work. However, almost every contractor I have worked with will quietly admit that this information is inaccurate and out of date. Inaccurate in that the information is manually collected in the field and subject to a variety of "mistakes" such as fudging, hoarding practices, timecards and other gamesmanship. Out of date in that at best this manually collected data is delivered 1-2 weeks behind real time. So how can a contractor efficiently bill, maintain equipment, make buying decisions and bid with such erroneous, stale data? This article focuses on how contractors can, have been and will, leverage wireless asset monitoring systems that deliver the real time data necessary for increased fleet efficiency and containment of operational costs.
These savings come about from increased fleet utilization and optimization, more accurate jobsite billing, reduced equipment idling, real time asset reallocation, decreased service and repair costs and reduced insurance premiums. Let's take a look first at how the technology works and then the average savings a typical customer will realize in the first year after implementation.
How asset tracking and monitoring works
Wireless asset monitoring involves three basic components:
- A transponder unit mounted on the asset to collect data
- A communication medium to transmit the data
- A user interface, normally an Internet software package, where the manager views the data and converts it to useful information and reports
The transponder unit is typically about the size of a large ashtray and houses the GPS receiver and wireless radio. Wireless networks, the same used by mobile phones, provide communication between the transponder on the machine and the manager at the computer. The unit literally "calls" information such as: location, on/off status, usage data (on vs. working vs. idle time), and critical updates pertaining to machine health and unauthorized use directly from the asset to the software, cell phones, PDAs and email in real time. Additionally, the manager may "call" the unit from the software and request an update of this data, or other functions such as remote disabling of the asset, anytime with a click of the computer mouse. It is almost as if the machine has its own cell phone, from which it can call you and vice versa.
The Solution: what gets measured correctly gets done
Right sizing your fleet, a fleet size decrease of 5%-10% while maintaining the same level of work. Running an analysis quarterly, monthly, annually or whenever your budgeting needs arise of utilization by asset type based on actual run time makes it easy to see where your fleet has an excess and where you may need to add a machine. For example, you have 30 dozers in your fleet and requests are coming in for additional ones. A quick utilization report shows you have 15 dozers running at 80% utilization for the last quarter, 10 dozers at 50% utilization and 5 dozers at 20% utilization. The reality is that you don't need more dozers, in fact, you can shed a few to bring up the overall production of that asset class within your fleet - which also frees up the capital you had tied up in non-productive machines. I recently spoke with a customer of ours doing a round of "right sizing" and shipping underutilized assets off to auction, with an anticipated yield of $1-$1.3 million in cash. Formerly, those high value fixed assets were all sitting on their books and tying up capital and ownership costs, but with a few quick reports the fleet has become streamlined.
Improved jobsite billing of 10-30%. Some wireless fleet monitoring systems will empower you to designate boundaries on their mapping software which you label as your jobsites. As assets move into those areas, they are assigned to the job and as they move elsewhere they are reassigned automatically without manual entry. This allows you to run jobsite reports to see how much your assets are actually working, which in turn creates accountability at the jobsite level. No longer can machines be hoarded on jobs, while a similar asset is rented on a project down the road. Now you simply reallocate the machines within your own fleet first, before looking to rent another machine. Additionally, the any usage "fudging" is brought to light and the job is billed properly for the actual work performed by the equipment.
Reduced equipment idling by 1/3 on average. The hour meter is one performance metric, but it doesn't differentiate between "on time", "working time" and "idling time". Fortunately for you, a proper wireless monitoring system does. The obvious benefit: turning off the machine when it idles excessively, by implementing companywide idling goals and measuring them frequently. Reducing the idle time will dramatically cut your fuel bill in the short term and also give you a realistic usage barometer for that machine. Now you will schedule service not off the hour meter on the machine, but the true "working time" meter on the hardware unit- which means you will reduce the number of PMs required annually. Consider a service interval at 250 hours and a machine with 30% idle time, equating to 75 hours of idling per service. This means that every fourth PM is due to the idling hours alone, which is not a true indicator of usage. As you reduce your idling or simply schedule service off the actual "working" meter, you extend the P.M. interval and decrease the number required. Taking the example above, if you ran your service strictly off the true "working" meter then you would completely remove every fourth PM - and its associated costs.
Reduced service and repair costs of 15-40%: Using a wireless monitoring system provides a proactive service scheduling function (a report showing what is coming due) as well as a reminder if an asset is not serviced on time, thus preventing any from falling through the cracks. The result is fewer failures and thus less repair costs and equipment downtime.
Insurance savings of 20%-60%. Most wireless asset monitoring systems also double as theft protection systems with such features as nightly curfews, real time theft alerts, immobilization techniques, remote disable, geofences, etc. Ask your insurer what break they will give you for theft protection. If they can't justify it, then be sure to remind them that there is at least one underwriter out there offering at least 25% discounts on premium and a $10,000 theft deductible to contractors who invest in this technology
More bids, profitably. Armed with the real utilization information from previous jobs, your estimators will now map that to future bids. Rather than estimating, they are using actual numbers from identical work to make their bids more competitive and profitable.
Too good to be true? Consider the case of a customer coming up on their one year anniversary with our technology, having installed nearly 500 units on their equipment fleet a year ago. That investment has yielded a savings in excess of $3 million within 10 months from the exact same items discussed above, exponentially outweighing the cost to deploy. The investment today has paid for itself in the short term, and they are poised to be even more efficient and competitive as the economy turns around.
How to shop for and evaluate a wireless monitoring provider:
A quick Internet search for "construction equipment monitoring" or "equipment monitoring system" turns up dozens of results, so how do you select the right one for you? Here are some important factors to consider:
- Provider background and support. Scary but true: consider that the ICUEE tradeshow in 2007 had 12 vendors selling this technology and ICUEE 2011 had only 3. Now more than ever, make sure your provider has been in this business for years and has the capacity to support you through the product's life. Is the product and company proven or are you one of the initial guinea pigs? Are you buying from the OEM, dealer, reseller or another channel? Always be sure to identify where technical support and/or training will come from, and if there is an additional charge for those functions.
- Hidden Costs. The transponder unit will run between $300-$1200 USD and quantity discounts are often available. The monthly communication should be between $10-$40 per unit per month. Some manufacturers will levy an activation fee, annual maintenance fee, multiple user fee and/or software license fee so be sure to ask about these at the start.
- Long-term contract. Most providers require an airtime contract extending from anywhere between one to five years, similar to a mobile phone agreement. There are a few "no contract" manufacturers who bill month to month, giving you the option to stop service at any time.
- Automated delivery of reports. Most of the savings detailed in this article result from evaluation of activity reports, does this mean you need to log on and run these reports daily, weekly, monthly, etc or can you automate this process? A few systems empower you to setup delivery intervals and designate the person(s) to receive it as well as the time i.e. at 6 am Monday morning the shop superintendent will get the upcoming service report in his email inbox.
- Fleet coverage: Even if you don't plan to track both your trucks and equipment initially, does the provider offer an integrated system for both? You may start with your equipment and find truck tracking to be a logical next step. Will the same vendor provide both systems or will you be using one vendor for equipment tracking and another for your on road assets?
Among the most exhilarating photography shooting experiences, is marine photography. The interminable diversity of aquatic life and unbelievable sub-marine creatures presents underwater photography as one of the richest providing unique experiences in the world of photography. The type and durability of the camera determines the quality of images you would get. The skills and the camera therefore form the heart of underwater image capturing.
Underwater shooting started a couple of decades ago. Underwater explorers and scholars mostly carried it out. Fewer shots were taken because of the compact cameras used and the disk space was limited. Nowadays, sophisticated hi-tech digital cameras are used in carrying out underwater photography. This has raised the bar when it comes to general image quality bringing great underwater shooting experience. Anyone can take photos underwater but taking quality world-class shots requires some skills and little bit of experience. To get great and unparalleled shots underwater, read on, for you to note some basics.
Some Basics
Make your distance and the subject as close as 12 inches. This minimizes blur effects since water reduces contrast, color and sharpness. Your camera flash should be on at all times to make the best composition. The preferred mode is the forced flash mode. To achieve a better composition, it is necessary to get low while shooting at an upward angle and avoid centering the image. Shooting down at the subject is not advised.
Carry with you an external strobe to minimize backscatter and make sure it is away from your underwater housing. If not comfortable with this mode, use the automatic white-balance or the underwater mode. Setting your camera to the highest resolution is a priority accompanied by the lowest ISO to start with.
With the digital cameras, they offer the aperture priority mode/the manual mode. Be conversant with these modes as they offer flexibility in maintaining the equilibrium between the light from the camera flash and the natural light. When utilizing the natural light, make sure that the sun is behind you.
To capture accurately fast moving sea creatures, it requires a quick and a precise focus. This comes in handy with the use of the Spot Focus Mode. With this mode, you must learn how to focus on an area without taking any photo and recomposing.
Shutter speed is very important during underwater photography. Shutter speed gathers for the general sharpness of the image. It differs for still objects, slow moving objects and fast moving objects.
Most of the underwater photographs can utilize an increase in contrast during post-processing of the images. It is advisable not to overdo it.
Caring For Your Underwater Housing
Actually, seawater is indeed very harmful to your camera. When out of the water, dry the camera using a towel while removing sand using a blower.
Remove any sand or grease which may be on the O-ring area. The indented sections should be thoroughly cleaned using a cotton swap. Remember to put the camera into the housing carefully not to let the water in.
To carry out underwater photography, you need to know the lighting techniques, required equipment and some tips. Underwater photography is a rewarding experience but it comes with its own challenges. But once you comprehend the working of the camera, the properties of light, composition among other things, you will commence to create quality underwater photos.
Underwater shooting started a couple of decades ago. Underwater explorers and scholars mostly carried it out. Fewer shots were taken because of the compact cameras used and the disk space was limited. Nowadays, sophisticated hi-tech digital cameras are used in carrying out underwater photography. This has raised the bar when it comes to general image quality bringing great underwater shooting experience. Anyone can take photos underwater but taking quality world-class shots requires some skills and little bit of experience. To get great and unparalleled shots underwater, read on, for you to note some basics.
Some Basics
Make your distance and the subject as close as 12 inches. This minimizes blur effects since water reduces contrast, color and sharpness. Your camera flash should be on at all times to make the best composition. The preferred mode is the forced flash mode. To achieve a better composition, it is necessary to get low while shooting at an upward angle and avoid centering the image. Shooting down at the subject is not advised.
Carry with you an external strobe to minimize backscatter and make sure it is away from your underwater housing. If not comfortable with this mode, use the automatic white-balance or the underwater mode. Setting your camera to the highest resolution is a priority accompanied by the lowest ISO to start with.
With the digital cameras, they offer the aperture priority mode/the manual mode. Be conversant with these modes as they offer flexibility in maintaining the equilibrium between the light from the camera flash and the natural light. When utilizing the natural light, make sure that the sun is behind you.
To capture accurately fast moving sea creatures, it requires a quick and a precise focus. This comes in handy with the use of the Spot Focus Mode. With this mode, you must learn how to focus on an area without taking any photo and recomposing.
Shutter speed is very important during underwater photography. Shutter speed gathers for the general sharpness of the image. It differs for still objects, slow moving objects and fast moving objects.
Most of the underwater photographs can utilize an increase in contrast during post-processing of the images. It is advisable not to overdo it.
Caring For Your Underwater Housing
Actually, seawater is indeed very harmful to your camera. When out of the water, dry the camera using a towel while removing sand using a blower.
Remove any sand or grease which may be on the O-ring area. The indented sections should be thoroughly cleaned using a cotton swap. Remember to put the camera into the housing carefully not to let the water in.
To carry out underwater photography, you need to know the lighting techniques, required equipment and some tips. Underwater photography is a rewarding experience but it comes with its own challenges. But once you comprehend the working of the camera, the properties of light, composition among other things, you will commence to create quality underwater photos.
If you are similar to most people out there, technology fascinates and enthralls you, but there are also aspects of it that confuse and even overwhelm you (such as: why are there so many different products that seem to all offer the same thing, and which of these products should I purchase?); if you want to take full advantage of everything technology has to offer, however, it will be beneficial for you to know exactly what products are right for you, and why this is the case. As such, here is a closer look at exactly what laptops, tablets, and e-readers have in common, and which of these products best suit your needs.
Laptops: Laptops, of course, have been around longer than the other two items, and the virtues and benefits of a good laptop are probably well known to you already; with a laptop, you will have a complete personal computer that you can bring with you anywhere you go - and this means that you will be able to do everything from surf the Internet to edit your pictures to compose Word documents and PowerPoint presentations to just about anything else you can think of.
Tablets: On the other hand, many people wonder why they would need a laptop if they can get a tablet for even less money - with the assumption that the tablet can do the same things a laptop can do; the truth, however, is that tablets are not yet true laptop replacements (however much some of them claim to be!), as their computing power - not to mention their ease of use for true computing tasks - does not match up with real laptops. Of course, then the question becomes: "If it doesn't replace a laptop, why get one in the first place?" When it comes down to it, tablets are what could essentially be termed "luxury devices" (devices that are not "necessary," but that do offer a great deal in the way of positive uses), and the intuitive design and ease of use of most tablets make them the preferred device for surfing the web, playing games, interacting with others, and simply kicking back and relaxing.
E-Readers: And finally, a great number of people ask, "Why would I need an e-reader if I already have a tablet?" This is a fairly reasonable question to ask, but one thing this fails to take into account is that one of the big things detractors of e-books said, when e-books first began to become popular, was that they would rather read words off a page than deal with the glare of a computer screen; while reading from a tablet does not correct this problem, however (that is, while reading from a tablet is pretty much the same - as far as treatment on your eyes - as reading from a computer screen), e-readers use "e-ink." This makes the pages of an e-reader look and feel just like the pages of a book, making them a tremendous device for easy reading!
The best approach, honestly, is to own all three devices, as you can use your laptop for tasks, your tablet for relaxing, and your e-reader for reading - but this guide should give you an idea of where you should prioritize each item if you can only purchase one at the moment!
Laptops: Laptops, of course, have been around longer than the other two items, and the virtues and benefits of a good laptop are probably well known to you already; with a laptop, you will have a complete personal computer that you can bring with you anywhere you go - and this means that you will be able to do everything from surf the Internet to edit your pictures to compose Word documents and PowerPoint presentations to just about anything else you can think of.
Tablets: On the other hand, many people wonder why they would need a laptop if they can get a tablet for even less money - with the assumption that the tablet can do the same things a laptop can do; the truth, however, is that tablets are not yet true laptop replacements (however much some of them claim to be!), as their computing power - not to mention their ease of use for true computing tasks - does not match up with real laptops. Of course, then the question becomes: "If it doesn't replace a laptop, why get one in the first place?" When it comes down to it, tablets are what could essentially be termed "luxury devices" (devices that are not "necessary," but that do offer a great deal in the way of positive uses), and the intuitive design and ease of use of most tablets make them the preferred device for surfing the web, playing games, interacting with others, and simply kicking back and relaxing.
E-Readers: And finally, a great number of people ask, "Why would I need an e-reader if I already have a tablet?" This is a fairly reasonable question to ask, but one thing this fails to take into account is that one of the big things detractors of e-books said, when e-books first began to become popular, was that they would rather read words off a page than deal with the glare of a computer screen; while reading from a tablet does not correct this problem, however (that is, while reading from a tablet is pretty much the same - as far as treatment on your eyes - as reading from a computer screen), e-readers use "e-ink." This makes the pages of an e-reader look and feel just like the pages of a book, making them a tremendous device for easy reading!
The best approach, honestly, is to own all three devices, as you can use your laptop for tasks, your tablet for relaxing, and your e-reader for reading - but this guide should give you an idea of where you should prioritize each item if you can only purchase one at the moment!
During my lifetime I have witnessed and played a supporting role in developing some of the technologies that are being used today in providing food for many of America's tables.
I remember a period of American history before television, penicillin, polio shots, and frozen foods when farming was done the old fashioned way. Man had not invented pantyhose, air conditioners, dishwashers, clothes dryers, and the clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air and man hadn't yet walked on the moon.
Over the past half century, American technology has revolutionized just about every facet of life that we are accustomed to. Computers and IT (Information Technology) are at the forefront of many of the innovations that we take for granted today.
Take the food industry as an example. Fifty years ago or so, the farming industry was aided by many mechanical devices which were considered state-of-the-art for that time period. Even with the assistance of machines there were many farming task and other logistical considerations that had to be done by humans before the agricultural / farming products could be transported from field to table.
Today with the aid of computers and associated software, a farmer can get information on soil samples, figure out the best conditions for raising his crops, estimate ideal harvest times and weather conditions and so forth. The list goes on and on as to the amount of data that is available to streamline ideal farming conditions and produce windfall harvest increases daily.
Once the agricultural / farm products are produced the question of how to get them to market arises.
This is where transportation and logistics come into play. Technology plays a key role here. Scheduling, invoicing, inventory, storage and transporting plus many more pieces of this logistical puzzle must be addressed and this is where the computer and it's associated software shine.
In today's American society, it seems that time is at a premium and that everything must be done fast. I am not sure where this concept originated (probably during the production era.)
Many more of our citizens are eating out in restaurants, cafes and the likes today than in the past. Also, due to our technology advances, we are able to grow and harvest agricultural / farming products from all over the world and have them shipped here regardless of the season. We can obtain practically any food item of choice from practically any country in the world, for a price. Add the cell phone technology to this equation, which gives one the option to order practically anything at a moment's notice and presto!... We have a gastronomic utopia!
I remember a period of American history before television, penicillin, polio shots, and frozen foods when farming was done the old fashioned way. Man had not invented pantyhose, air conditioners, dishwashers, clothes dryers, and the clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air and man hadn't yet walked on the moon.
Over the past half century, American technology has revolutionized just about every facet of life that we are accustomed to. Computers and IT (Information Technology) are at the forefront of many of the innovations that we take for granted today.
Take the food industry as an example. Fifty years ago or so, the farming industry was aided by many mechanical devices which were considered state-of-the-art for that time period. Even with the assistance of machines there were many farming task and other logistical considerations that had to be done by humans before the agricultural / farming products could be transported from field to table.
Today with the aid of computers and associated software, a farmer can get information on soil samples, figure out the best conditions for raising his crops, estimate ideal harvest times and weather conditions and so forth. The list goes on and on as to the amount of data that is available to streamline ideal farming conditions and produce windfall harvest increases daily.
Once the agricultural / farm products are produced the question of how to get them to market arises.
This is where transportation and logistics come into play. Technology plays a key role here. Scheduling, invoicing, inventory, storage and transporting plus many more pieces of this logistical puzzle must be addressed and this is where the computer and it's associated software shine.
In today's American society, it seems that time is at a premium and that everything must be done fast. I am not sure where this concept originated (probably during the production era.)
Many more of our citizens are eating out in restaurants, cafes and the likes today than in the past. Also, due to our technology advances, we are able to grow and harvest agricultural / farming products from all over the world and have them shipped here regardless of the season. We can obtain practically any food item of choice from practically any country in the world, for a price. Add the cell phone technology to this equation, which gives one the option to order practically anything at a moment's notice and presto!... We have a gastronomic utopia!
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