July 24, 2010
Filed under: Business Tools — admin @ 2:13 pm
When 3G was first announced in the mobile community many providers instantly started offering plans for unlimited access to the high speed network in an effort to compete with each other.
In this new marketplace, unlimited plans were highly popular as they prevented users from suffering outrageous internet overage charges and the word unlimited in itself was very attractive to the eager mobile phone user, as it allowed free reign on a mobile phone. However, the future of unlimited 3G is now hanging by a thread as the mobile community continues to grow and bandwidth is quickly being eaten up.
While a huge amount of users is essentially the goal of the mobile market, the downside of this eventuality is that the more users are on the 3G network the slower it will run overall.
This has led to many major mobile carriers pulling their unlimited 3G plans from their offerings in an effort to reduce the traffic and congestion that heavily populated mobile usage areas suffer from. While this initially has led to widespread consumer outrage, the truth is that the move is more economical for consumers as well as practical for mobile companies than it may at first seem.
Leading mobile networks issued statements defending their similar decisions to remove unlimited 3G offers by explaining the average user consumption of data. These figures are relevant given the fact that they match up with most of the major mobile providers across the world as well.
According to the providers, only 2% of their entire unlimited 3G customer base actually consumed more than 2GB of data on a monthly basis. However, 3% of their customer base contributed to 40% of the network usage. The assumption that can be gleamed from these statistics: most people are overpaying for services that they do not need, and those that actually utilize it are a burden to the rest of the mobile society.
Thus, while the disappearance of unlimited 3G network packages or the restriction of the term “unlimited” from the market may at first seem negative, the truth is that smaller package offerings will save the average consumer a large amount of money over a contract time span and help reduce the amount of congestion that the 3G networks are facing.
Additional options such as free sim cards only deals that offer 3G access as needed will help to relieve the price tag and congestion over the networks, creating a better 3G network for all, even if it does have limits.
June 24, 2010
Filed under: Business Software, Business Tools — admin @ 1:08 pm
United Planet has incorporated a special “page wizard” with Intrexx 5, the latest version of its popular enterprise portal software. This new wizard allows companies to make their business data and web applications ‘mobile’ in no time at all. It will enable companies to provide their employees with access to important business information via smartphones and tablet PCs even when they are out of the office.
According to IDC, the number of mobile employees is to increase to around 1.2 billion by the year 2013. This will result in a corresponding increase in demand for mobile business solutions – whether to communicate with employees in the field or to provide supervisors and management access to important information whilst they are away from the office.
The new page wizard (www.unitedplanet.com/en/mobile) simplifies the process of converting applications and forms from an organisation’s intranet, with a simple ‘point and click’. Without programming, a company can create its own mobile applications in three easy steps:
• Step one: Set up the core web application with Intrexx and select the mobile device that will be used to access the application, e.g. iPhone or BlackBerry.
• Step two: Select the preferred page type and data fields that are to be displayed on the device.
• Step three: Intrexx automatically suggests a complete application page, optimised for the selected device and featuring the typical buttons and workflows. Edit the page according to meet your business needs and create the final layout.
Axel Wessendorf, CEO of United Planet, is convinced that the new iPad will play an important role as the move to ‘go mobile’ accelerates: “The possibilities are enormous: just imagine the benefits when employees are at a conference and have easy access to all company information – without having to boot up their chunky laptops.”
To show companies what an effective balance of work in the office and out-of-the-office can look like in modern times, United Planet has created a sample enterprise portal that can be accessed via a desktop PC as well as via a mobile device. To access the portal, just follow this link www.intrexx.com/motorsportlimited and log in with PeterM (no password needed).
June 21, 2010
Filed under: Business Tools, Business equipment, Marketing — admin @ 11:53 am
Exhibitions have a long standing history of bringing together buyers and sellers, both at B2B and B2C level. Their expansion throughout the decades is obvious as today more and more businesses from a wide amount of industries, spanning from aviation to weddings get popup gazebo to use in order to use the event as an effective promotional tool and generate brand awareness for their business. Trade shows present businesses with the opportunity to create brand recognition with their potential customers that they may not otherwise be able to reach.
Trade Shows by nature are specific to every market, for which means that the visitors who are attracted to the specific events will mostly be the businesses target audience. This gives them the opportunity to be recognised by potential customers and promote what they have to offer. In addition trade shows are a way for companies to strengthen and reinforce current customer relations as not only do they give customers the platform to express positive criticism, they also obtain the assurance that the company that they’ve bought from previously are continuing to promote their commodities and are seeking to enhance brand awareness. For some industries, trade shows can be on a local, national or international level. This gives companies the chance to specifically pinpoint niches based upon geographic positioning or the mass-markets. The benefit of this is that the marketing message expressed to its customer base can be modified appropriately in order to it generates the highest possible interest.
Exhibitions are just one of the very few marketing methods that allow for two-way communication between current or potential customer with the businesses that they may consider buying from. This makes it an exclusive and popular marketing tool as client grievances or enquiries can be dealt with face to face whilst presenting companies the chance to obtain valuable feedback from previous and present customers. Trade shows are also a great way for businesses to showcase their current and forthcoming product lines which works well because they can either increases of a product that is in the final stages of the product life cycle or whet the appetite of those at the show with what is coming soon in the future and draw up a list of potential customers.
In relation to demonstrating the products and services, it gives business executives the chance to walk around the show themselves and check up on what competitors are doing and provide ideas on how their business can improve what they’re selling.
But with so many companies exhibiting, how can businesses distinguish themselves from the competition? There’s a number of means that can be used in order to lure the masses, which is the first step to generating leads. Visibility is crucial and having a stand adjacent to the entrance, near the refreshments or toilets can all be influential positions to be located in. The down side is that these premium spots are sold at… a premium and are normally the first to be taken. In the event that this transpires, there is an abundance of display stands and popup gazebos easily available to acquire and many are able to be personalised with a company name, logo or motto which can be identified straight away and draw interest.
Complimentary or heavily reduced promotional gifts are additional way to create awareness to a company’s stand. If this is not feasible, visitors often expect brochures as a minimum. If budgets permit, free branded gifts such as pens and key rings can retain an individual’s knowledge of a company and often they can be sourced at low cost. Imagination can often be key here.
Trade Shows can be an emphatic way for businesses to generate business whilst reinforcing existing relationships with consumers which makes them a serious contender as one of the best marketing mediums to generate a high ROI.
June 3, 2010
Filed under: Business Tools — Alan @ 11:04 am
The Government must make increasing basic broadband speeds an obligation in order to help SMES sustain recovery as they grow according to the FSB (Federation of Small Business).
The FSB positively received efforts by the Government to note the importance of broadband by tackling the problem of missing broadband in areas where customers and small businesses could benefit. In order to address the problem, the Government has appointed a new Broadband Minister.
However, in a new report by the FSB titled ‘Broadband: Steps for an Incoming Government’ the FSB states that SMEs are not able to trade as efficiently online as they could due to the lack of reliable and fast speed broadband and are urging the new Broadband Minister, Ed Vaizey, to put measures into place that will confront this problem.
Rural area small firms are not receiving the services they are promised by their broadband providers according to research from the FSB that shows almost 33% of all SMEs are told they will receive internet speeds of 2Mbps to 4Mbps with an incredible 94% claiming that they did not receive these speeds.
The slow broadband speed reduces the overall productivity of SMEs but reliable and fast broadband speed in the future could help SMEs strength their economic growth and business reach creating up to 60,000 new jobs and adding an additional £18b to the GDP in the UK.
In order to meet this goal, the FSB is asking that reliable and fast broadband is immediately put into place across the UK by the Broadband Minister.
April 27, 2010
Filed under: Business Tools, IT — admin @ 12:43 pm
Dubai has emerged in the last decade to reinvent itself away from being an oil producing nation into a major world player in the business, retail and entertainment markets. Its gigantic investments into all kinds of infrastructure, now means that it competes with the main Western destinations for all kinds of amenities such as hotels, conventions, theme parks and sports.
One of its major emerging sports and entertainment events is the Dubai Tennis Championships which is now very much a part of the main international tennis circuit and is jockeying for position against the big competitions such as Wimbledon.
The Dubai Tennis Championships now attract all of the big names in the tennis world, as well as a serious following from those that love the sport. As it has grown in popularity the event has also grown complexity, meaning that it now attracts large numbers of players as well as huge crowds who want to see and be seen at one of the world’s great sporting occasions.
All of this requires an incredible amount of very complex and in-depth organisation on all kinds of levels in order to ensure that all goes well and there are no major logistical problems in holding a competition.
In order to fulfil these requirements the Dubai Tennis Championships have teamed up with Xerox in order to take advantage of their in-depth knowledge of all kinds of essentials from basic printing right up to communicating with hundreds of different organisations spread across the globe in all time zones.
Xerox is also an extremely fundamental part in dealing with the world’s press and giving them everything that they need to cover the event in real time and in depth, so that the right information can be provided to a world audience.
Watch this promotional video to see how Xerox are helping out.
Xerox provides a range of products and specialist services to Dubai Tennis Championships allowing them to focus on what they do best. Visit xerox.com
Filed under: Business Tools, Legal — admin @ 8:31 am
IT Governance, the information security and governance experts, are launching a new toolkit that provides everything an organisation needs to comply with the UK’s Data Protection Act (DPA) by using the BS10012 standard.
BS10012 is the British standard that specifies the requirements for a personal information management system (PIMS). By defining a best practice approach for managing personal information, the standard makes it possible for management and external auditors to assess an organisation’s compliance with, among other things, the requirements of the DPA. BS10012 is intended for use by organisations of all sizes in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.
IT Governance’s DPA Compliance with BS10012 Documentation Toolkit includes step-by-step guidance on establishing a BS10012 PIMS and provides a complete set of the necessary documentation, from a Fair Processing Notice through to a procedure for handling Subject Access Requests. The toolkit also shows how to integrate a BS10012 PIMS with an ISO27001 information security management system.
Alan Calder, Chief Executive of IT Governance, says: “The Data Protection Act sets out eight principles for securely managing personal information, but offers no guidance on how these principles should be adhered to. It can therefore be very difficult for management to know if it is doing the right thing, which is worrying when non-compliant organisations can suffer heavy fines and reputational damage.”
“BS10012 therefore comes as a welcome relief, as it sets out an approach to DPA compliance that is clear and can be independently tested,” Calder continues. “With the Information Commissioner increasingly keen to punish DPA compliance offenders, there is no time to waste. That is why the DPA Compliance with BS10012 Toolkit contains everything an organisation needs to implement this standard without delay.”
The DPA Compliance with BS10012 Documentation Toolkit is priced at £249.95/US$373.02/€274.90 and may be ordered for immediate download at: http://www.itgovernance.co.uk/products/2975.
April 9, 2010
Filed under: Business Tools, Marketing — admin @ 7:16 am
The growth of social networking on the internet has been rapid and is only likely to continue into the future as social networks grow in number and size. Businesses are increasingly looking to expand their presence online and provide a medium for their customers through which they can interact. Equally the market of social networking software has become a fairly lucrative one that many businesses are looking to move into and provide social networks for their clients. Thus the interest in people looking to develop and create social networks is growing all the time as they become an important tool of the present and the future. Internet security however is an additional factor that users need to consider when building a social network. There is a good availability of free antivirus software available to help ensure that your computer and internet activities are better protected.
The availability of white label social networks is ideal for both social network developers and businesses that are looking to integrate a social network into their site. The white label functionality means that all branding can be removed from the network, allowing developers to upload their clients’ logos so that the software can be seamlessly integrated as a bespoke social network. Similarly, businesses can apply their own domain and remove all links and image references so that the network can be branded as their own and members will not know what platform it is running on.
The extensive level of customisation that you can undertake allows developers and businesses alike to create a completely unique social network. In creating a social network for business the design and layout can be radically adjusted from the admin centre in order to create a network that you are completely happy with. The point and click tools makes it simple to make changes and the layout manager allows you to drag and drop every element of the network. Developers can go a step further and make advanced developments through the API, CSS style sheets and custom HTML, or just overhaul the look and feel of the network with a few clicks of the mouse.
The features that can be utilised as part of your social network are vast and soon members will be interacting on a variety of different levels. Members that sign up can set up their own personal profile and, in turn, get chatting with fellow members, whether that is through the easy messaging services, the forums or text and video chat. These features come as standard and they can further share content such as photos and videos, write their own blogs and create and organise events within their own groups. For further accessibility the social network can be integrated with their Facebook and Twitter accounts, so that they are logged in with the click of a button.
A social network can be created in minutes and all that is required is for you to pick the features, monetisation option and support package that you require. Developers can make a considerable mark up by selling on the network that they create, whilst businesses can recoup money by charging for membership or premium services, and hosting advertisements and classified listings. Businesses can also select the level of help they require that is available on demand, from getting assistance with the design and setup to personal support every step of the way.
March 18, 2010
Filed under: Business Tools, IT — admin @ 9:22 am
Small office, Home office (SoHo) businesses are proving resilient and adaptable enough to weather the economic storm – and thrive. In the UK, there are approximately 3 million SoHos and SMEs, many working with overseas businesses, customers and suppliers. Vonage UK believes VoIP technology and in particular unlimited call plans, tick all the right boxes for these businesses.
Vonage suggeste that “part of Britain’s economic recovery will be driven by SoHos and SMEs, and they need to communicate effectively through portable landlines, with capped costs and unlimited calls. We see it as a phone line with no boundaries.”
Until now, however, there has been one major financial consideration for these innovative businesses: communicating with their customers, particularly if those customers are overseas. This is where Vonage UK, one of the UK’s leading providers of VoIP technology is helping.
“For small businesses international trade, cost effectiveness and flexibility are the keys to success and growth,” says Vonage UK’s Managing Director Vincent Potier. “Switching from a traditional landline-based technology over to Internet telephony to make unlimited calls to your international customers is a major cost benefit,” he adds.
Vonage UK has quickly established itself as a major player in the new wave of internet-based telecommunications, concentrating on flexibility and cost effectiveness, as well as outstanding customer service. “Business is changing, the ‘global SoHo’ network where small businesses work with each other around the world is becoming increasingly significant in the business world and Vonage UK is providing the communications solution to make working with customers and partners easier.”.
The flexibility of Vonage UK’s call plans means that distance is no longer a factor in call costs. Many of the packages offer unlimited calls between Vonage to Vonage set-ups, allowing a business operator in London to call its satellite office in Spain, for example, as easily as making a local call. The portability and ease of use of VoIP VoIP revolutionises communication within networks of remote workers and clients, opening up the possibility of working anytime, anywhere and with anyone across the globe – the idea of completely flexible working is now a reality.
But the innovations don’t stop there. Vonage also enables small businesses to have ‘virtual phone numbers’, which have local dialling codes specific to a particular country. This means a client can call a US number and get through to the business’s UK number without paying international calling charges. Vonage believes this will enable small businesses to deliver better service to their customers abroad and position themselves as companies with a global presence.
Website: www.vonage.co.uk.
March 6, 2010
Filed under: Business Tools — Alan @ 6:07 am
The three-way fold brochure is one of the most popular setups, especially with regards to promotional material.
These folds can be configured in a variety of ways such as the z-setup or the gate fold. There are other variations but those are the two most popular ones.
The best fold entirely depends on the individual design and purpose of your brochure but the most common type is the three-way fold. One of the reasons for this is that this configuration is easiest to print and most uniform. Since it is basically the industry standard, these types of brochures are often the cheapest to print.
If you want something a little more unique and noticeable, then going for something a bit different such as the gate-fold setup may be advisable. Z-folds can also be good, but the way they read in their progression of content can be confusing to the reader and they are more suited to having different topics on each page.
The three most common layouts are the standard tri-fold and the slightly rarer z-fold and gate-folds; however, these are all fairly cheap and easy to produce.
Tri-folded brochures are most popular in the service industries; businesses such as hotels and restaurants etc. These brochures are also used for more informational purposes such as for banks to explain to their client’s particular procedures etc. However, this standard design can be suitable for almost any type of business.
Brochures are a great way to get your business off the ground since they are one of the cheapest ways of getting known and there are many different options out there to help you find the best deal.
Although they are not as cheap as printing flyers, they can contain a lot more information and images and almost certainly work out to be a better option in most cases.
Brochures are easy to customize and the more you have printed, the cheaper the price per unit is. They are easily distributable too (although perhaps not as easy as flyers).
March 4, 2010
Filed under: Business Advice, Business Tools, Marketing, Small business — admin @ 11:27 am
Daryl Willcox Publishing, has released a useful free guide to help small businesses and startups with DIY marketing and PR.
The guide is aimed at businesses who promote themselves in the press. It defines why PR is beneficial, provides a step by step ‘how to’ guide to writing a press release and details how small businesses should go about contacting members of the media with their news.
Additionally, the guide describes how companies can apply social media strategies and use other PR tools such as blogging to connect with customers. It also shows how to use audio and visual formats to present messages in different ways.
The free PR for Small Businesses Guide is available here.
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