by  gordonramsaysubmissions

A last month I wrote a post explaining about the different types of CRM.  A recent client project made me realize that I had left a few “flavors” off the menu.

This client is a marketing firm that wanted to implement a system that kept track of customer/prospect interactions and  client projects – customer relationship management (CRM) with project management (PM).  This was a new flavor.  They want to track contacts thru the sales cycle to proposal and then when a proposal was won, track the activities required to complete the proposed project.  What businesses would need this functionality?  Any business that performs multi-task activities for a customer – marketing and design firms, architecture and engineering, builders and remodelers, attorneys and CPAs.  The list is quite large and definitely includes technology consultants like myself!  So I updated the graphic from that last post:

Which tools support this kind of functionality?  Definitely the big names do – Salesforce.com, SugarCRM, Microsoft Dynamics CRM.  There are specialty niche products like Clients and Profits which is geared towards marketing agencies.  Then there are applications with broad functionality that can appeal to wide range of small businesses.  These include WorkEtc, Solve360, ZohoCRM and Zoho Project along with a host of others.

What came out of the evaluation I did for this client?  First, we choose Solve360 for their business and we’re implementing it now.  I also now have my eye on WorkEtc. for my next CRM, for when I outgrow Batchbook (which I love).

The price points and functionality vary and the list of companies here is far from exhaustive- it is worth getting some help evaluating these tools to determine which is right for your business.  In this article I talk about some of the success factors.  Get with your technical advisor to find out more.

by  RossW

I have written other posts about cloud computing and I am sure you see articles and blog posts about it all the time.  Today I want to narrow in on how cloud computing can improve how you run your office without buying hardware.

Reducing Software Costs

Most of us use the ubiquitous Microsoft Office suite – it is great but it can be expensive.  Some companies have found they can get close to the same functionality but for free with other office suites such as Zoho, Google Docs, and OpenOffice.

File Sharing and Collaboration

Not too long ago if you wanted to share files with your co-workers or employees you had 2 choices.  You could install a network your office or you could employee “sneaker net” – trading files on (used to be) floppy drives or (today) flash drives.  Now there are a lot of choices for online file sharing and collaboration – from simple tools like Box, Dropbox, Google Docs, Zoho or Egnyte, to setting up an intranet via a hosted version of Microsoft SharePoint.  Depending on your needs and which tool you choose, you can not only share files, you have instant access to capabilities like controlling access, tagging, keeping multiple versions of a document or searching across documents.  Even if you have highly sensitive documents, there is a cloud vendor that can  help you.

Providing Remote Access Regardless of Device (almost)

A cool thing about the file sharing and collaboration tools listed above is that most of them support file access and viewing via any browser and have special purpose iPhone or iPad apps.  It is great to be able to refer to documents and share them while you are out of the office.  The only problem is that you can’t EDIT the documents.  Unless, of course, you purchase a special purpose app, of which there are several.

Beyond the file sharing and collaboration tools, another more recent addition to the cloud parade are cloud-based desktops – in this case instead of having your software installed on a specific machine where you can only use when you are ON that machine, you can can have a virtual desktop that you can access from any device with a browser.  Since it acts just like your desktop (because it is) you can run any application that is on your desktop.  How cool is that.  Vendors in this space include Desktone, OnTheNetOffice and tuCloud.

Making Software Upgrades Simple

Virtual desktops bring another simplifying factor to your office – what if you could do away with installing software on each individual machine and keeping up with releases and patches on a one off basis?  Virtual desktop functionality allows you to create a “master” desktop with all the software your company needs and to replicate it across your users.  Time to upgrade or apply a patch?  Do it once and everyone gets it!  You can even create one-off masters if there is specialized software only a few folks need.  Of course, you still have to pay for the software licenses for each user.  I know, always a bummer to find out there isn’t a magic pill to rid you of software costs!

I hope this helps you think about concrete ways cloud technology can help you simplify your office, expand your capabilities and maybe even save you some money.  If you have used tools like these and have a story to share I’d love to hear them!

by  Sebastian Mary

All across town there are cafeterias and lunch counters that want to offer their customers good-tasting, made from scratch pizza each day, without having to make it themselves.  Enter Joe.  Joe is in the wholesale pizza business.  He makes a few types of pizzas in bulk and delivers them each day to to these food service establishments.  Each day his customers place their orders for the next day – how many pizzas of what sort and what time they want them.  They can even place multiple orders for a day – maybe two deliveries during the lunch rush and and another for the mid-afternoon snack crowd.

The key to Joe’s success is to be able to deliver the pizzas they want, when they want them.  His customers insist on getting hot pizza on time and are willing to pay a premium for a reliable, high-quality product.  To this end Joe is putting his money where his mouth is by offering his customers a discount if he is late or delivers the wrong thing.  His Service Level Agreement is more than we need to go into here but basically, if, on average, he is late by more than a few minutes or if, on average, he mis-delivers, his customers get a discount.

This is where things get interesting.  How can he a) collect the data to measure against this agreement and b) report back to his customers on his performance?    Here are some scenarios:

Low tech scenario

Joe’s delivery guys have a delivery receipt on which they record the time of delivery and have it initialed by the customer.  At the end of their shift they return their receipts to Joe’s bookkeeper who keys the information into a spreadsheet.  The spreadsheet has details about each customer and each delivery.

At the end of the month the performance metrics are calculated and the results are used as input into  billing.  A performance report is created out of the spreadsheet and included in each customer’s bill.  The bill can be sent via snail mail or email.

Tech-enabled scenario

Joe’s delivery guys each carry a mobile device capable of accessing files (probably still spreadsheets) on the Internet.   This is easily done with no custom software by using Google Docs, Zoho, Dropbox and the like.  When they make a delivery they note the time of delivery and the name of who received it, online as they complete the delivery.  They still carry paper delivery receipts to get the customer’s initial but they don’t need to go back to the office right away.  Joe’s bookkeeper doesn’t have to key in the data – it is already in file the delivery guy accessed via the mobile device.  Performance and billing calculations are done as in the previous scenario.

Because data is updated on-the-fly on the Internet, it is possible to give Joe’s customers read-only access to the files so they can see Joe’s performance whenever they want, not just at the end of the month.

High-tech scenario

Joe’s delivery guys have a specialized application on their mobile device.  When pizzas are delivered they hit a button that logs the time of delivery.  They then present the device to the customer for signature.    After the customer signs on the mobile device, the data is uploaded to Joe’s system at the click of a button.  Even if there is no coverage, the delivery guys can capture the delivery information and sync it up at a later time.  No paper documents to keep up with, no return trips to the office, no re-keying of information.

Results

You can see, a new small business can easily manage their customers in the low-tech scenario, as long as the number of customers and deliveries stays small.  Once Joe’s business starts to grow, he can move to the tech-enabled scenario without a huge investment.  When he is wildly successful the investment in the high-tech solution will make him much more efficient.

These scenarios really jus tdiscuss applying technology to the “collect” portion of  for Joe’s need to collect, use and report on performance data for his customer’s.   Think about how technology could be applied to the “use” (calculating performance metrics and applying them to billing rules) and “report” parts of the equation!

Would applying technology to your service level agreement process make your small business more efficient?

It appears that a) a lot of small business owners don’t know what “cloud computing” is and b) regardless of whether they know or don’t know they are wary of it. In this post I will clearly and simply explain what it is and hopefully clear up some of the myths and misunderstandings about cloud computing.

Wikipedia defines cloud computing as “cloud computing” is Internet- (“cloud-”) based development and use of computer technology (computing)”. Clear as mud, huh? This is simplest way I can think of to explain what cloud computing is: if you are doing something without installing hardware on your computer or a computer on your local network, you are involved with cloud computing. A great example is email – if you use Gmail, Hotmail, AOL mail, Yahoo mail or anything similar you are using cloud computing. You are using computers and programs that live in the cloud we call the Internet.  Facebook, Youtube, Flickr, Twitter – yep, all in the cloud.

But what does this have to do with business, especially small business?    Essentially it means that as a small business owner you have lots of opportunities to choose whether to buy software (and likely hardware) or choose a vendor to supply services virtually over the Internet.

What are some concrete examples?  What about (lists not inclusive):

• file storage and sharing.  You can buy and install  file server and connect it to your network or use a cloud-based solution like Egnyte, Dropbox, Google Docs or Box.net
• email.  Too many examples to mention, starting with our friends at Google.
• accounting.  Good old friends Quickbooks can be run online as well as newcomers like Freshbooks
• CRM.  Salesforce.com is a pioneer of cloud computing; other entrants to the fray include Batchbook (I talk about them here), SugarCRM, Zoho and Highrise
• Word processing and spreadsheets.  In this post I talk about Google Docs, Zoho and the like
• Document Management.
• Reporting and analytics.
• and the list goes on and on.

What are the pros and cons of using cloud computing?

1. It can be fast and inexpensive to get started.  Whether you have a new business or an existing business, using a cloud-based solution can dramatically cut down the time to get up and running and reduce your initial capital outlay.  If your business needs change rapidly, using cloud-based solutions allows you to add features quickly or even move to another solution more easily.  On the flipside, as your business grows you may find that the capital outlay of in-house applications is less expensive than ongoing costs of a cloud application.  You should always read the fine print and make sure that you can easily retrieve your data and move it to another provider should you outgrow your first choice or if you are unhappy with the service you are getting.
2. Your systems and data are easily accessible.  Wow, this is a big one; think about it, you can access your data from anywhere, anytime.   Using the business center in the hotel where you are vacationing and want to check your Quickbooks?  No problem!  Your salesperson drops their pc in the lake?  Don’t worry, their contact information is safe in the CRM system in the sky.  Cloud-based applications support virtual offices and working from home “out of the box” so to speak.  Downside?  You only have access to your applications and data thru the Internet.  No Internet access?  Internet down?  Have a slow internet connection?  All of these can affect, in some cases dramatically, your access to your business information.  As a business owner you have to weigh the risks of not having access to the costs of controlling your own access (and remember, if you don’t have electricity you are likely SOL anyway).
3. Your information may not be secure.  On one hand, it may not be secure in your office either.  Is it backed up regularly and is that backup in an offsite location?  Is it on a computer or server that is secured properly on the Internet?  Is it physically secure from theft, natural disaster, etc?  Many small business owners don’t pay attention to these factors, making their systems and data LESS secure in their own office than it would be anywhere else.  Most of the companies that provide cloud-based services have shelled out a lot of dough to make sure their systems are secure, safe and stay up.  That said, not all of them do it the same way or in the same degree.  As a small business owner you should sit down and assess the level of risk you are willing to take and with which kinds of data.  Then, as you look into cloud-based applications, make sure you understand each suppliers security precautions and service level agreements.
4. You can concentrate on your business, something you are probably pretty good at.  You can leave the care and feeding of computers and systems to the highly trained and compensated personnel that work for the service providers.  It can be distracting and expensive to maintain technology; most small businesses are better off spending their energy and money somewhere else.

Bottom line? My take is that most of the cloud-based applications are good, safe and secure and are getting more so every day.  While you should certainly thoughtfully assess your individual needs, especially where accessibility and security are concerned, I believe small businesses should seriously consider cloud-computing for many of their needs.  Determining where it makes sense and how to transition your applications should be part of your technology plan.

How do YOU feel about the cloud?

Photo attribution:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/8769295@N07/ / CC BY 2.0

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dyanna/ / CC BY-ND 2.0

If you have spent any time in corporate America you are likely well acquainted with the ubiquitous Microsoft Office Suite of products (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) and their close companion Visio.  How dependent on them have you become and what happens when you want (or need) to use one of the free competitors?

When I started my own small business last year I bought a new laptop that did not include Microsoft Office.  Though I had used the tools almost extensively for most of my professional career I decided, since my new PC didn’t come with Office, to try and use the free alternatives.  After all, many of my clients are in the same situation; what would I recommend to them?

Before we start, a few disclaimers.  This not a complete, formal or even impartial review. After many many years (I was 12 when I started) of using MS Office I have a lot of unlearning to do.  All those years of using MS Office has set expectations that may or may not be reasonable.

First,  I started using Google Docs (Document and Spreadsheet).  These work OK for very simple things.  With Document once I get into anything beyond rudimentary formatting I quickly become frustrated.  Something like adding a table then resizing the columns takes many more clicks than I am used to.  Spreadsheet is a little better; I can most of what I am used to doing.  At first I was worried that I couldn’t do graphing or Pivot tables but it appears that there are gadgets that do those things; I haven’t used them yet.   I scoffed at Presentation and didn’t even try it when I couldn’t figure out how to do slide transitions or animations (ok, does every presentation need them?  No, unless you are 9 years old.  As my son is.   Enough said.).   I am also concerned that you can’t embed fragments of Documents or Spreadsheets.

Next I tried Openoffice and at first glance I was pleasantly surprised with Calc; for me it was easy to use because it was so much like Excel.   Only little things were annoying (for example, the tab under the sort function that includes the option to specify a header row is a different tab from most of the rest of the sort options).  Writer is similar; simple things like resizing the columns in a table are as intuitive as click and drag.   Where I get aggravated with OpenOffice is with reliability and performance.  I consistently get crashes and have to recover documents.   One night I was helping my son with a school project and we were using Presentation (which, by the way, support transitions and animations).  Literally, we’d type one sentence and hit ‘save’ because every other sentence we’d have a crash and have to recover the document.   The applications would also hang up a lot.

After a while I completely uninstalled Openoffice, re-downloaded it and re-installed it.   It seems to be a little better now but I have recovered at least twice already today while preparing this post.

I then tried the Zoho versions of these programs.   I don’t know if did something wrong or I was losing my mind but I would open a csv file, modify it and save it and export it; I NEVER got the resulting exported file to contain the correct modified data.  The problem might be related to the fact that Zoho really doesn’t support Safari, which I use most often.  After that I didn’t spend much time with the other Zoho applications.  I will at some point.  The media loves Zoho, I want to love Zoho too.  I just don’t yet.

The high point of my frustrations came when I wanted to do what I thought was very simple…print mailing labels based on addresses in a .csv file. OpenOffice?   I finally figured out how to do it but it crashed about 2/3 of the way thru the Mail Merge.  Google Docs?  If you can do it I couldn’t figure it out.  Zoho?   After my issues with spreadsheet I kind of gave up.   After many frustrated hours I moved to my husband’s PC, which has MS Office, and knocked out the labels in about 10 minutes.

As a techie, Visio has long been one of my favorite applications.  I consider myself the Viso queen.   Frankly, I’m afraid to try the free competitors at this point.  I imagine it would be painful.

What is the moral to this story?  First, unbeknownst to me, I have been trained (brainwashed?) into performing certain functions in a certain way; in fact I expect certain functions be available.   If you are in this camp, the learning curve costs of switching may be more expensive than the dollar cost of buying MS Office (cost of learning curve proportional to your age and the number of brain cells you’ve lost over time).  Second, despite my frustrations, I think with more modifications and enhancements these free alternatives will be viable choices for some folks; they are already viable choices for some tasks (I am using OpenOffice right now).   I plan to continue trying to use them; but may spring for Office to get me thru humps and gaps. Seems like someone could make a ton of money writing books that bridge the gap for old MS Office users like me…

What do YOU use for spreadsheets and word processing?