The rapid development of the World Wide Web in recent years has led to an explosive growth of information on the Internet. Our contemporary lifestyle would be unimaginable without access to such a super-abundant cornucopia of valuable information and web surfing has now become an everyday occupation for even the most diverse sections of society.
This rapid expansion of web resources raises some new issues for all of us. How could you possibly remember; after a long search, the address of that crucial web page? How will you be able to return to the page without repeating a tedious web search through hundreds and thousands of pages?
The answer is obvious, you need a program that will allow you to easily create and manage a database of web resources. Of course, this database must be quick, intuitive and convenient to use.
One way to resolve this problem is to use your web browser’s bookmarks feature. Bookmarks are a popular term for the lists of web page links stored in web browsers, although they are called ‘Favorites’ in Internet Explorer. These web browser bookmark systems have some severe limitations. For example, each bookmark list will only be compatible with a specific web browser. If you use several different web browsers you will have to manage the bookmark system in each one. Web browser bookmark lists may become cumbersome to use when your bookmark list grows beyond a few items. Important features missing from web browser bookmark systems include:
- Powerful search functions;
- Synchronization of bookmarks between different computers;
- Detection and automatic deletion of duplicate bookmarks;
- Checks for availability of bookmarked web pages.
Specialist programs and web services that store and organize bookmarks are now available and they offer a comprehensive solution to these problems. They are called bookmark managers or bookmark organizers (in this article both terms have the same meaning). The difference between online (web-based) bookmark managers and standalone bookmark managers is in the location of the stored bookmark database and in the way that the database is accessed. Web services called ‘online bookmark managers’ store the user’s bookmarks on their remote servers and their bookmarks may be accessed from any browser. A standalone bookmark organizer is simply a program which runs on your local computer. It stores the bookmark database on a hard disk and allows access through its own built-in interface.
Here are some examples of web-based bookmark managers:
iKeepBookmarks.com - http://www.ikeepbookmarks.com
LinkaGoGo - http://www.linkagogo.com
Murl - http://murl.com
You can find more links to online bookmark managers here:
http://dmoz.org/Computers/Internet/On_the_Web/Web_Applications/Bookmark_Managers/
Bookmark management software can be found here:
Link Commander - http://www.resortlabs.com/bookmark-manager/linkcommander.php
Linkman - http://www.outertech.com/index.php?_charisma_page=product&id=5
Powermarks - http://www.kaylon.com/power.html
Any software catalog will contain plenty of links to bookmark managers. For example: http://www.snapfiles.com/shareware/misctools/swurlorg.html
Offline and online bookmark managers each have relative advantages and disadvantages due to their differing methods of database storage and access.
An online bookmark manager does not depend on any particular computer. If you have an Internet connection you can access your bookmarks from any computer in the world. You don’t need to synchronize the bookmarks on your home/work PC or notebook because they will all access the same bookmarks database. With an online bookmark manager you can access your bookmarks even when you are in an Internet cafe! Another advantage is that most of them are free. They will cost you time, though, because you access your bookmarks via an Internet connection. More importantly, most of the web interfaces are not as convenient as software based bookmark managers and don’t have so many useful features. For example, they can’t search for and delete duplicate database items. Here are some of the other potential disadvantages of using online bookmark managers:
1) You risk losing all your bookmarks if, for some reason, the web service closes down.
2) There is a danger of unauthorized access to your private bookmarks because your bookmark manager server may not be secure against hackers.
The advantages and disadvantages of offline bookmark managers are almost exactly opposite to those of online bookmark managers and will be discussed next.
Any offline bookmark manager is tied to the computer on which it is installed. It stores your bookmarks in a database (which usually has its own proprietary format) that is located on one of the hard drives. To use your bookmarks on several computers you will need to install the program on each computer and find a way to synchronize the bookmark databases. Most of the currently available bookmark organizers do have a database synchronization feature. Also, there are now devices with high data transfer speeds (e.g. flash drives) that can store an independent bookmark database and allow it to be shared between several computers.
Another disadvantage of bookmark manager software is the price. There are some free programs out there, but they don’t have a great number of features and technical support is often weak or unavailable. The programs that require payment are inexpensive, though, usually costing from $20 to $40. The user licenses of such programs will normally allow you to install the programs on all of your computers.
In my opinion, the disadvantages of standalone bookmark managers are minimal compared to their advantages. The location of both the program and database on the same computer guarantees you fast access to your bookmarks and high security from hacker attacks. The convenience of the program interface and the number of useful features are limited only by the power of the computer and the skills of developers.
So, how should you organize your bookmarks? Should you use an online or offline bookmark manager? I don’t think there is a definite answer. It all depends on your preferences and working habits. If mobility is your priority, if you travel often and wish to access your bookmarks no matter where you are and from any computer, then you should consider an online bookmark manager. If speed, ease of use, security and functionality is most important to you then an offline bookmark manager might be a better choice.
About the author:
Andrew Nemets is co-founder and CEO of Resort Labs - www.resortlabs.com, the software development company specializing in developing human to computer interaction systems, user interface improvements and routine tasks automation software.
The net is full of software packages to prevent, clean and remove Spyware & Adware from you PC. Most of these packages cost a substantial amount of money to purchase and keep up to date. If you’re anything like me, the last thing you need is another monthly subscription to pay.
So what to do then? Top sources all agree that Spyware & Adware are some of the leading causes of computer problems today, and they are right. An infected computer can become almost useless. Often times it is near impossible to remove all traces of the infection short of reinstalling your operating system again.
Subscription services and software packages are only one layer of defense against Spyware & Adware. These remedies are not always up to the task of providing complete protection, so there needs to be multiple layers, the first and most important one being an informed user.
Most Spyware & Adware infections can be prevented by having an understanding of the nature of these attacks, and staying up to date with new methods of exploitation. Keeping informed is not as difficult as you might think. Finding an up to date website that is easy to read and understand is key. Armed with the knowledge of what actions can lead to infections, your risk decreases exponentially.
So get informed and stay that way. You might be surprised how easy it is and the positive effect it will have on the overall security of your computer.
-Dave
D. David Dugan is the president of DD&C ( www.dugancom.com ), an IT Consulting and Solution Providing Organization, and is personally involved in updating spyware.dugancom.com.
IBM Lotus Notes with Domino email server is traditional document workflow management solution for large corporate business, where you need audit trail on approval cycle and decision making. Microsoft Business Solutions CRM is very cost efficient solution to automate sales process. It might be surprising, but we see good strata of clients who are willing to deploy and integrate both systems: MS CRM and Lotus Domino. In our opinion these clients are balancing ERP platform risks and trying to protect and deploy investments into Lotus licenses, while deploying new and already leading CRM solution - Microsoft CRM. In this small article we’ll give you the integration example - European division of one of the well known machinery manufacturer dealership network.
• Custom Lotus Database. In our case client had custom database, which was designed back in the beginning of 1990th. Some dealers had Lotus Notes Domino 4.0 and some of them had 6.0 and 6.5. Technical excurse - in Lotus Notes Domino 6.0 you can use Java 2 agents, and it seems to be platform independent (Microsoft Windows Server, IBM AS/400). To synch all the dealerships - the decision was made to upgrade across the network to Lotus Notes Domino 6.0 (to be a bit conservative)
• Domino Messaging. Obviously you have to have just one email server assigned to your url domain, and as traditionally Lotus Domino was the email server - the replacement with Microsoft Exchange 2003 (which is natural choice if you purchase Microsoft CRM) was not an option. With Alba Spectrum Technologies MS CMR Lotus Notes Domino connector you can switch email messaging to Lotus Domino
• Lotus & MS CRM events synchronization. IBM and Microsoft software designers designed CRM & Lotus events differently. Second phase of the project implementation will synchronize appointments, calendar events, etc. between Lotus and MS CRM.
• MS CRM ODBC lookups to Lotus database. As the second phase we plan to implement lookups from MS CRM Account to cases with custom fields and Lotus notes lookup tab. This tab will be realized as web .net application, integrated into MS CRM web interface. This web application will have machine serial number, warranty & service info. As you probably know in MS CRM 3.0 you can deploy custom table in link it to MS CRM object as one-to-many. The most important is that it will be synchronized by MS Outlook and will allow you as a salesperson to work offline.
You can always have us help you with MS CRM customization, implementation, support & MS CRM SDK data conversion. Give us a call: 866.528.0577 or 1.630.961.598, help@albaspectrum.com
Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer at Alba Spectrum Technologies ( www.albaspectrum.com ) - Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains, Navision, Axapta MS CRM, Oracle Financials and IBM Lotus Domino Partner, serving corporate customers in the following industries: Aerospace & Defense, Medical & Healthcare, Distribution & Logistics, Hospitality, Banking & Finance, Wholesale & Retail, Chemicals, Oil & Gas, Placement & Recruiting, Advertising & Publishing, Textile, Pharmaceutical, Non-Profit, Beverages, Conglomerates, Apparels, Durables, Manufacturing and having locations in multiple states and internationally.
Applicant tracking systems are either an human resource manager best friend or worst enemy. Either a company’s applicant tracking systems identify the best prospects BEFORE they join another company or not. Effective applicant tracking systems like time in a bottle enable HR managers to interview the best candidates. Ineffective applicant tracking systems cause a “bottleneck” that lets excellent job candidates slip through the system.
Hosted Solution - Applicant Tracking Systems
Applicant tracking systems and hosted solutions are a logical combination. While a company may install, debug, upgrade and program its own applicant tracking systems, the question is why? For companies in a niche employment market, it may make sense because the cost per employee of their applicant tracking systems is low. For example, a company reviewing say twenty resumes per hire. The cost of missing the one in a thousand employee of course is HUGE. Hosted applicant tracking systems are more likely to uncover the one in a thousand employee as well better average workers than as company’s own applicant tracking systems.
Search & Data Mining - Applicant Tracking Systems
A day late and a dollar short in the HR department can cost a company dearly. In some companies, just a few people review job applicants. Then there are holding companies in which many people mine the HR database for positions with related divisions in the group. The economy of scale offered by the joint applicant tracking systems reduces the overall employee acquisition cost for individual companies and the holding group.
Interview Sharing - Applicant Tracking Systems
How many employees are hired without a job interview at your company? Not many, that’s for sure. Effective applicant tracking systems recycle good job applicants back to the company’s database with added comments for other managers to review. Their comments may disqualify the applicant for a position, saving time spent and an additional needless interview. On the other hand, the comments may uncover the perfect candidate in a hard to fill position before they find a job with a different company.
Employee Satisfaction - Applicant Tracking Systems
Sometimes it seems companies are insensitive to potential employees. The hiring process is stressful for job seekers shuffled from person to person, concerned by salary and job benefits. Effective applicant tracking systems accelerate the hiring process and promote long term employee satisfaction. Also, happy employees refer their friends saving time and money in the long run.
RedMatch is a leader provider of www.redmatch.com/“>applicant tracking systems for companies seeking a hosted solution or installed www.redmatch.com/“>applicant tracking systems. For more information, visit www.redmatch.com/“> RedMatch.
At the end of 20th century we were seeing numerous publications on Oracle Financials international implementations, customizations and integrations. Then in 2000 Java platform showed up on the MRP scene and Oracle begun the move toward J2EE, EJB platform, together with Sun Microsystems and IBM. Currently we see software vendors consolidation - Microsoft acquired Navision (Attain & Axapta) and Great Plains Software (eEnterprise, Dynamics and Solomon), IBM is the owner of Lotus (Domino), Then SAP is now the owner of SAP Business One, which is the preferred solution for small businesses (however small is not actually that small - 10 to several hundred employees). OK, let’s stop philosophical excurse and concentrate on SAP Business One localized Brazilian Portuguese version.
• Named User Licenses Schema. SAP Business One set of modules, including CRM, Production/MRP, Sales, Purchasing, Inventory modules are available at the fixed price per named user. You can also have CRM only user licenses ( price at the 50% of the full named user license price)
• CRM Module. This is one of the most recently designed CRM solutions, where you can apply your intuition to analyze Client Relation Management pipeline, funnel, or simply click your mouse in order to understand your business sales process
intuitively.
• Drag and Relate. This is the feature of SAP Business One. You can quickly get the analytical diagram by dragging (and relating)
• So Paulo Manufacturing. Sao Paulo, being the largest megapolis in South America reserves its market niche as manufacturing and services center. This is why we consider ERP/Production/Manufacturing module of SAP Business One as cucial.
• Rio de Janeiro. Rio is the second megapolis in Brazil and we expect substantial influence of Rio ERP market on the SAP BO fate in Brazil. Rio is primarily the distribution place for the whole South America with its Atlantic port.
Please give as a call So Paulo 55-11-3826-3449, USA 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918! help@albaspectrum.com
Andrew is Great Plains specialist in Alba Spectrum Technologies (http://www.albaspectrum.com) - Oracle, SAP, Microsoft Great Plains, Navision, Axapta, Microsoft CRM Partner, serving clients in So Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Porto Alegre, Curitiba, Belo Horizonte, Recife, Manaus, Lisboa, Coimbra, Porto, Cascais and having locations in multiple states and internationally
OUTSOURCING: AN OVERVIEW
Businesses of all kinds can and do benefit from the tool of outsourcing every day. Businesses large and small have been outsourcing every day projects for many years. The businesses that use outsourcing as a tool to enhance and grow their business already know the value that outsourcing brings to their organization. Outsourcing is a business process term for what has literally become known as hiring a consultant, independent contractor, or freelancer to do a specific task or tasks for an organization in which the organization either does not have the time or the expertise to do on their own. The organizations that have used outsourcing for many years know that with the positives it brings to the organization that it is also important to have a well managed plan of action for hiring a consultant or contractor for a business task. This includes deciding which projects or tasks to outsource, whom to hire for these tasks, how to manage the project, how to agree on payment terms, and how to achieve the desired results. There are many forms of outsourcing ranging from outsourcing payroll to outsourcing package handling, to everything in between. Small businesses hiring a self-employed accountant to handle the corporate tax returns are in essence hiring a tax consultant. Large corporations that hire outside customer service firms to handle their customer support are outsourcing that function of their business to focus more on their core business functions. It is entirely possible to outsource practically every business process within an organization.
OUTSOURCING TOOLS
There are a wealth of tools available for the organization looking to outsource business processes. Companies such as SmartyLance.com, enable a business to post a project to a project marketplace and receive bids from experts in the field. These type of freelance sites match companies with freelance professionals, consultants, and independent contractors. There are many advantages for a business to use services such as SmartyLance. First, the marketplace enables businesses to use a centralized location to post their project, receive bids on that project, communicate with potential providers, choose a winning bid (either based on lowest cost or based on the credentials, expertise, or prior feedback of a particular provider), manage the project specifications, receive the delivered project and make final payment based on the terms of the auction. This centralized marketplace provided by SmartyLance greatly streamlines the entire outsourcing process and enables the business owner or manager to have greater control over the entire outsourcing process.
INCREASING COMPETITION
Competition is a complicated subject for many people. Ultimately, competition is good for the consumer, whether the consumer is an individual or a business, competition enables products and services to maintain high quality and low cost. Although many people dislike competition because it forces action to improve quality, the benefits to the overall economy even result in improved products and services for the very people that dismiss competition and the headaches it sometimes brings. Freelance marketplaces such as SmartyLance are no exception in that competition improves the overall quality and value for the project buyer and causes the freelance provider to adjust to market conditions in a practical, intelligent manner to win new business. The benefits to the company looking to hire freelancers are obvious. For example, Company A can compile a list of consultants to work on the design of their new company logo. This list may include a multitude of design firms from the same geographical area. Company A would be required to submit an RFP by contacting each design firm individually, stating the requirements of their project and requesting a quote based on the requirements. Many factors come into play in deciding which design firm Company A will choose. Chances are, that using this approach, Company A will end up paying too much for the project and will only have a handful of providers to choose from. Company B also must outsource the design of their new company logo. Rather than compile lists of design firms, which can result in overpriced quotes, Company B decides to post their logo design project to the SmartyLance marketplace. Doing so enables Company B to get competitive bids that help ensure that Company B gets the most competitive price for their project. By posting the logo design project to SmartyLance, Company B not only reduced costs associated with the project, they had access to specialists and skilled professional designers from around the world that were competing to give Company B the best cost and highest quality design for their money. The entire process was managed easily through Company B’s SmartyLance account enabling them to keep in contact, manage project specifications, manage competing bids, and send payment easily and securely through one of several different payment methods. An escrow account enabled Company B to ensure that payment wasn’t released to the provider until all project requirements were met. Company B successfully outsourced the logo design project and was able to save several hundred dollars. They also received the project several days quicker than Company A. In this example of Company A and Company B, we see that Company A had limited its ability to find a skilled professional and limited its ability to save money on the project. Company B took full advantage of all the resources and benefits of the SmartyLance marketplace and was able to save time and money. By outsourcing critical business functions that are not core business functions, the organization greatly benefits through a savings of time and money which in turn benefits us all through decreasing costs that are passed down to the consumer.
TO OUTSOURCE OR NOT TO OUTSOURCE?
That is the question many small business owners and large corporations alike are asking themselves each and every day. Risks are inherent in any new business strategy or thought process. However, like any business decision, risk can be managed. By intelligently choosing a provider that matches your intended skill requirements, carefully detailing and outlining your project requirements, and ensuring that you maintain the requirements within budget, the benefits can far outweigh the risks.
One of the more common fears among some larger organizations that may be reluctant to outsource projects is a fear of the unknown. This fear stems from the inherent inability to oversee each and every aspect of the project from start to finish and to evaluate each step along the way. Internal employees devoted to a project are more easily evaluated and can be guided through performance and work appraisals. Managers may feel that outsourced projects are more difficult to oversee and manage with an eagle eye. The fact of the matter is that so long as there are well-defined contractual obligations and project reporting requirements, an outsourced project can in fact result in a more manageable outcome than actually thought. Also, the talent pool and skills obtained that may be completely unavailable to the organization allow the organization to reach milestones and achieve success that may never have been possible with their current employees.
OUTSOURCING CONTROVERSY
The outsourcing controversy that is making headlines today is the public opinion of outsourcing jobs to other countries. This includes manufacturing of products, such as those that are “Made In China” as well as service outsourcing such as computer programming that is outsourced to skilled workers in India. One can argue that outsourcing projects overseas is taking opportunity away from workers in their native country. Others may contend that outsourcing projects, whether it’s overseas or in the same country is a great opportunity that will improve business processes, improve productivity, reduce costs and have an overall positive effect on the economy, thus creating more new jobs and specialized jobs in specific skill areas. All businesses are consistently looking for ways to increase productivity and lower costs. From an economic standpoint, increasing productivity and lowering costs are essential elements for business success. Business success, in turn leads to more growth, which leads to new job creation, be it in a more specialized skill area or through the development in new types of jobs in new specialized areas.
OUTSOURCED BUSINESS PROCESSES
As mentioned previously, practically any business process not related to the core business activity can be outsourced. Some examples of commonly outsourced business processes include:
Accounting and Finance
Graphic Design & Multimedia
Sales and Telemarketing
Web Design and Development
Administrative Support and Data Entry
Business Strategy, Advertising, Business Plans, Consulting
Legal, Contracts, Copyright, Corporate, Incorporation
Software and Technology, Database Development
Writing and Translation, Copy Writing, Creative Writing
Press Releases
A REWARDING CAREER
Having a specialty or skill in a particular business area can enable you to begin a career as a consultant or freelancer. Freelancing enables you to have the flexibility to work on your own and on your own schedule. You can choose which projects match your skill set and decide which types of freelance projects that you would be interested in working on. There are numerous sources available to find freelance work. Some sources include browsing freelance directories, job boards, and registering with talent auction sites such as SmartyLance. All of these resources are filled with potential jobs. In comparison, it seems that talent auctions are the most comprehensive resources offering the most flexibility to both the freelancer and the company hiring a freelancer. They offer the breadth and depth of listings and the simplicity to bid on numerous projects as well as services enabling the handling of the entire payment process through a service provider account with the talent auction site. Bidding on projects requires much discipline and planning. Before placing a bid or giving a quote on a project, the freelancer must take into account many factors including the length of time required for the project completion, the budget the service buyer can afford, and whether or not they can actually meet the requirements to complete the project. It is also important to keep in mind that developing relationships with service buyers can lead to more work in the future. Developing a relationship with service buyers and meeting or exceeding their project expectations will enable you to develop a client base that allows you to practically always have new projects to work on.
COMPETITION FOR PROJECTS
There will always be competition in all forms of business. Competition for freelance projects is fierce. One of the major ways to compete and win is to make yourself stand out from the rest of the crowd. You can start by fine tuning your resume. This will force you to think about your accomplishments as well as your exact skills and abilities. There are numerous services that can help you with your resume, including ResumeEdge. Using a service to help you with your resume will enable you to better explain your accomplishments and present them in a manner that will captivate and impress the reader. Especially if you are an independent freelancer, having your resume retooled by ResumeEdge will allow you to stand out in a crowded marketplace. Many freelance service buyers will wish to see a list of your accomplishments and your skills. If you register as a service provider with a freelance marketplace such as SmartyLance, they offer several different options that enable you to stand out above the crowd. First, there are different subscription levels when registering. There is a Limited subscription, a Novice subscription or a Professional subscription. Each higher level subscription offers more options to the service provider. Every service provider does have the ability to post a profile, detailing various information about their abilities. Limited subscriptions limit the cost range in which a service provider can bid. For example, a Limited service provider can only bid on projects with a price range less than one thousand dollars. Novice subscription service providers can bid on projects less than five thousand dollars, and Professional subscription service providers can bid on any service level project. Several added bonuses with the Novice and Professional subscription levels include the ability to purchase credential verification services as well as the ability to post “Buy Now” projects. Credential verification services enable you to post information related to your references, certifications, licenses, education and previous employment. Simply adding these options to your account gives you a special designation stating that your information has been checked and verified as being true and accurate by the freelance marketplace. This designation gives you an added level of credibility making you stand out from the rest of the service providers and enabling you to showcase your achievements and abilities, giving a service buyer confidence in choosing you to complete their project. This will undoubtedly lead to more work and more projects coming your way. In addition to verifying your credentials, you have the ability to showcase a portfolio of your previous work. This allows you to show the service buyers your achievements and your successes with previous clients. Showcasing your portfolio is another important aspect that gives the service buyer confidence in your ability. Finally, the higher level subscriptions enable you as a service provider to offer “Buy Now” solutions. Similar to purchasing products immediately without bidding as on major product auctions such as Ebay, “Buy Now” solutions enable freelance service providers and consultants to make a solution available to all service buyers for a specific set price. For example, a freelance graphic design firm may create a “Corporate Identity Package”, enabling a service buyer to purchase this package that may include the graphic design of a logo, along with designs for letterhead, business cards, and banner ads. Another example could be from a lawyer or legal consultant who creates an incorporation package that includes corporate setup and incorporation services for all fifty states, creation of shareholder agreements, employment agreements, and registered agent services all for a set price. These simple examples of “Buy Now” services enable freelance consultants and independent contractors to create easy options for service buyers who are looking for simple solutions and quick turnaround time. Service providers also enjoy creating these type of services because it enables them to focus on their core interests and abilities. Only higher level subscriptions such as the Novice or Limited subscriptions enable freelance service providers to post “Buy Now” projects. The beauty of these additional options as a freelance service provider is that you can focus on one specific aspect of your business. If you are a consultant for a graphic design firm and you simply enjoy creating and designing corporate logos and identities, then you can find work specifically in this area by posting your own “Buy Now” solution. If you are a lawyer working for your own legal firm and your passion is new business setups and incorporation services, then you can steer projects your way with a “Buy Now” solution posted on a freelance marketplace like SmartyLance.
CONCLUSION
These are only a few examples of the many opportunities that exist as a freelancer. Whether you are a small business, an individual, or a large corporation, this article simply serves as a guide to help you in your quest to use outsourcing to your advantage to help your business grow and flourish. Outsourcing, when done correctly, can benefit your business in so many different ways. The two most obvious benefits are a savings of time and money. From the freelancer’s standpoint, this article has been developed to help educate and guide you with the many options available to find work as well as to delve into the minds of freelance service buyers. Knowing their concerns and understanding the reasons for choosing one service provider over another will greatly benefit you by enabling you to increase your odds for getting new business. Understanding the concerns and needs of service buyers will lead to your gains as a service provider. If you are able to provide enough people with services that they wish to have, then you will always be in demand.
About the Author: Jack Thompson is a freelance writer, business consultant and entrepreneur. He has helped thousands of individuals and businesses across the world realize the benefits of outsourcing.
It’s about time someone spoke the
truth concerning outsourcing. The politicians sure
won’t. They prefer to do finger-pointing saying it
is “his fault”. It is those greedy manufacturers
who want to make bigger profits by having cheap
labor in Asia perform your task for less money.
Did anyone ever tell you that if it wasn’t for
outsourcing you might not have a job? Did anyone
ever tell you that the underwear, shoes, jewelry
and hundreds of other items you own would cost
much more if it wasn’t for outsourcing? Probably
not.
Sure, many tasks are being sent
overseas. Why? Just because it is cheaper? No,
because the manufacturer that item had to do it in
order to be able to compete with other companies
making a similar product. If your company or any
company cannot remain in business then they will
cease to exist and you will be out of a job. As a
former manufacturer I will tell you it is
dog-eat-dog out there and every company is doing
its best to maintain sales and profits. The
company did not go into business to make products
and give you a job; they went into business to
make money and if they can’t do that they (and
you) will be gone.
Profits is not a dirty word. Again if
it wasn’t for profits you would not have a job.
The guy who owns the small business or the
thousands of stockholders who own the big
companies expect that company to make money or
they will sell their shares and you will be gone
too.
When you work for someone you want to
do everything possible to contribute to their
bottom line. Turning of the extra lights, keeping
your machine properly maintained, getting a
shipment out to a customer even if it means
staying a few extra minutes and many other little
things that you know better than I.
Until about 1975 we did outsourcing
and no one objected to it. The widget manufacturer
stopped making screws and bought them from the guy
across town or in the next state who made exactly
what he wanted and at a price cheaper than he
could produce them in his widget factory. Now we
buy the screws from China and India at a price
that is half or less than those made in the USA.
If not each widget might cost dollars more and be
enough to lose business to a competitor. If the
widget company did not outsource there could be a
strong possibility they would go out of business.
Outsourcing is not a U.S. phenomenon. It is
happening to Canada, Germany, Japan, England,
France, Australia and many other countries. Even
Mexico is losing jobs to Asia because they can
produce the same quality goods and services
delivered here for less.
Outsourcing is not only here to stay, but
is going to expand as competition becomes even
more fierce.
F*R*E*E investment letter. http://www.mutualfundmagic.com
Author of best seller “If It Doesn’t Go Up, Don’t
Buy It!” Copyright 2004 Albert W. Thomas All rights
reserved. Comments to al@mutualfundmagic.com
Former 17-year exchange member, floor trader and
brokerage company owner.
Using online banking with QuickBooks is a huge time saver, but not if there are problems with it. One common source of problems is downloaded transactions that cannot be matched.
When transactions are downloaded from the bank or credit card company, QuickBooks assigns each a “Matched” or an “Unmatched” status, then places all of them into the Online Banking Center’s QuickStatement. The “Matched” status means only one thing: you previously entered the transaction into QuickBooks, then when the transaction cleared the bank and was downloaded, QuickBooks “Matched” the downloaded transaction with the transaction already entered.
The “Unmatched” status is where problems occur. The “Unmatched” status actually means one of four things:
1. It’s brand new. The transaction was not previously entered into QuickBooks. If this is the case, enter the transaction now. QuickBooks will assign it the “Matched” status.
2. It’s different. The transaction was previously entered into QuickBooks, but in a different amount than how it cleared the bank. If you are sure you already entered the transaction into QuickBooks, scroll through the bank register to find it. Once you do, change the amount to the downloaded amount. QuickBooks will automatically match it.
3. It’s already downloaded. Sometimes clients accidentally overlap download dates, meaning that they download the same transaction more than once. If there are entries in the register that have a small lightening bolt in the Cleared column, these have been downloaded already. QuickBooks will not match them to transactions in the QuickStatement, even if they are the same transaction.
4. It’s reconciled. This is similiar to #3, but instead of being previously downloaded, the transaction is reconciled. To verify if this is the case, scroll through the register and look for transactions with a checkmark in the Cleared column. Again, QuickBooks will not match them to entries in the QuickStatement, even if they are the same transaction.
Notice that once the first two situations are resolved, QuickBooks automatically matches them. But in the last two situations, QuickBooks will not match the transactions; they are unmatchable. If you determine that some downloaded transactions are unmatchable:
- Make sure that all matchable transactions are matched. You are going to delete the QuickStatement, and if you accidentally delete matchable transactions, you may later have to enter them manually.
- Once all matchable transactions are matched, click Done.
- QuickBooks will ask if you are sure you want to finish. Click Yes. You are now at the Online Banking Center main page.
- Delete the QuickStatement by clicking the Delete button located near the lower right corner.
That’s it. Your unmatched problems are over, and you now understand the process better. This will help you circumvent future problems when using online banking with QuickBooks.
About the Author:
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In our case - we serve Microsoft Business Solutions ERP and CRM products: Microsoft Great Plains, Microsoft CRM, Navision, Microsoft RMS, as well as we do customization and integration to these products. We would like to share with you our experience with financing through Microsoft Financial Corporation, the entity handling software financing for Great Plains, CRM, Solomon, Navision & Axapta.
• 0% interest financing. Well - this is probably a dream or something that should not be practiced (otherwise you compromise MRP list price). However, considering the nature of software - this is something that costs nothing to sell - assuming that all the software development expenses and costs are already behind. From time to time Microsoft Business Solutions practices this 0% financing. Right now (June 2005) new customers are enjoying this promotion
• Increasing Number of Clients - who use financing. Last year we saw clients who were trying to increase their market share, by fueling their efforts with financing of all the kinds, including MBS financing. This year we see regular clients, who are using financing just to stabilize cash flow. Some of these clients have enough cash to purchase the system, but they still finance.
• Car vs. House financing. This is classical American dilemma. In my personal opinion - you can not pay upfront the price of the real estate, so you use mortgage to finance you house. However, again this is my personal opinion - car financing is something you should probably stay away from, because car loses value as you leave the dealership place - you can not sell the car on your own for the same or similar price. Software is very challenging asset - from one side - ERP might be something your business get he market value on, from another side - if it is not implemented or implemented only half of the way - it might be the burden. Maybe you, as business owner have to do your homework long evening and weekend hours to decide on your MRP financing.
• Consulting Paradox. This is something I would prefer to keep silence about and tell when I face to face with the prospect. You can finance not only the software, but also the implementation. Imagine the situation, when Microsoft Business Solution Partner gives you the proposals where Software list price is k$25 and estimated services to implement the systems are another k$25. You can finance k$50. And if you catch 0% promotion - you finance services at 0% and the most amazing fact is - MBS Partner will get the money upfront from Microsoft Finance Corporation for both pieces (k$50)
• How to trade your system in? if you or MBS partner failed to implement - is it any known way to trade in the system. Well - this is the place where we would like to stress - consider first to be conservative and do not use financing…
Good luck with financing, implementation, customization and integration and if you have issues or concerns - we are here to help! If you want us to do the job - give us a call 866-528-0577 or 630-961-5918! help@albaspectrum.com
Andrew is Great Plains specialist in Alba Spectrum Technologies ( http://www.albaspectrum.com ) - Microsoft Great Plains, Navision, Microsoft CRM Partner, serving clients in California, Minnesota, Illinois, Washington, Florida, Arizona, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Canada, UK, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Russia
Customer Relationship Management, abbreviated “CRM,” is the term for a business strategy that is designed to improve customer service. CRM is also designed to increase customer satisfaction and gain new customers, thus increasing a business’ revenue. CRM is a term that can be applied to software and an entire business strategy.
How Does CRM Work?
Essentially, CRM works by gathering information about customers and analyzing the information collected. An example of this would be supermarket discount cards (I.E. Kroger Plus Cards, ACME cards, Giant Eagle cards, etc…). When a consumer scans his or her card, and then his or her items, the items that customer bought are entered into a database. This gives businesses an accurate idea of which customers buy what. Businesses then analyze this information. After analyzing the data collected, businesses can adjust their marketing campaigns and increase sales. Customer Relationship Management brings the company closer to the customer. CRM closes a “relationship gap” that can be formed between the business and its customers.
CRM is also useful for customer service. Businesses can use automated CRM applications to analyze customer complaints, or compliments, and change the business processes accordingly. Interestingly enough, CRM products also run many automated call-centers for businesses (I.E. customer service systems). CRM applications and practices are used to make businesses more efficient and improve customer satisfaction.
What Can a Business Gain From Using CRM?
There are many goals that businesses have when implementing CRM techniques and applications. The business wants to improve customer service, which will subsequently improve customer satisfaction. The business also wants to maximize revenue by advertising the right products to the right people. In other words, businesses want to know what customers want. Once a business finds what a customer wants through a CRM method, the business can then provide the customer exactly what he or she desires. This will lead to returning customers, and the gaining of new customers. CRM processes also are designed to monitor all of the contact between customers and companies. Maintaining a positive relationship with one’s customers is an essential element in business. Well-rounded CRM works to ensure that this element exists.
CRM Applications
CRM applications are applications that run on the same principals as Microsoft Word and Excel. There are many values that can be filled in. Once these values are filled in, the data needs to be analyzed and interpreted. A major advance in CRM application technology is the invention of applications, which can collect data, and analyze it at the same time. This new technology will make CRM even more effective and efficient.
Conclusion
For any business, successful Customer Relationship Management navigation is becoming increasingly important in today’s competitive business world. Customer expectations are always increasing, and business services must increase along with these expectations. CRM is the method through which businesses can connect with their customers and therefore serve them better. Businesses with successful CRM strategy and applications will notice a large increase in sales, customer satisfaction, and simply the overall success of the business.
For the latest news and information concerning CRM, visit http://www.crmblog.org. This site is
updated daily by Mr. Scott Hawksworth. To visit this article, go to
http://www.crmblog.org/2005/03/crm_101_custome.html.
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