If I closed my eyes, I could picture myself sitting in my cubicle alongside my colleagues. With all the technologies and communication resources at my fingertips, although half-way across the country, I could be constantly connected. As technologies continue to advance, working remotely has become more common or even most practical for some people. The ability to access all the necessary work activities from the comfort of your home is appealing to many. However, before you pack up your office and request to work remotely, consider what I experienced to be the pros and cons. Continue reading “Office or Remote — Where’s Best to Work?” »
Is a Bug That No One Perceives Still a Bug?
“The objects of sense exist only when they are perceived; the trees therefore are in the garden [...] no longer than while there is somebody by to perceive them.” – George Berkley, in A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge, 1734
I’ve often wondered, if Berkley was a software engineer instead of philosopher, how he would have viewed the world differently… Continue reading “Is a Bug That No One Perceives Still a Bug?” »
How to Evolve From Break-Fix to Business-Fix Services
By Justin Crotty, SVP and GM NetEnrich, Inc.
If you really think about it, what are conventional managed services? They’re the automation of the break/fix services the channel used to call professional and value-add services. Rather than sending a truck and technician to a customer site every time a server crashed or a switch required resetting, an managed service provider (MSP) technician remotes into the customer site, diagnoses the problem and – nine times out of 10 – fixes the problem before his coffee gets cold. Continue reading “How to Evolve From Break-Fix to Business-Fix Services” »
The #1 Threat to Business Continuity? Business Excuses.
In previous blogs, I’ve detailed how businesses can calculate their return on investment (ROI) for a business continuity solution and explained why tape backup products don’t meet today’s business needs. In case you haven’t noticed, I think business continuity and data backup is extremely important for an SMB.
Still, some SMBs insist on running their businesses without having the proper business continuity solution in place. Everyone has their reasons (or excuses), but we’ll start with the most basic one of all: people don’t know exactly what a business continuity does, or how it differs from a data backup solution. Continue reading “The #1 Threat to Business Continuity? Business Excuses.” »
To Market Your Business, Start with the Right Premise
By Robin Robins, channel sales/marketing guru and speaker at all HP/Axcient Cloud Roadshow events Feb. 28 – March 15.
The other day I was driving to my chiropractor when I noticed another burger joint had opened up, replacing a previous restaurant that sold – you guessed it – burgers. I suppose the other one failed and was forced to shut its doors like many restaurants do because of tight margins; it’s truly one of the toughest businesses to turn a profit. And although I don’t know the owners of the new restaurant, I’d be willing to bet that they reasoned to themselves that THEY would surely do better than the last place because they had better burgers, a cleaner store and maybe friendlier staff. Maybe they have some special kind of beef they use. Who knows. Continue reading “To Market Your Business, Start with the Right Premise” »
All Aboard the Agile Release Train
Within a technology company, Product Management entails turning the chaos of numerous competing demands into a coherent roadmap that yields meaningful product releases. It’s a challenging job, which varies considerably from one organization to the next. But throughout my career, it’s been a role to which I inevitably gravitate.
With that said, I thought I’d provide some insight into how products are managed at Axcient. Continue reading “All Aboard the Agile Release Train” »
Accounting Tips: Choosing a Payroll Service
This year, my blog will focus on the questions I get asked about the most. Questions like: What type of accounting software do you use or have used? What type of payroll service? Why? Where can I get information about new regulations? The list goes on and on. Well, I am here to answer these questions as they relate to small business. First up is my answer to the question: How do you choose a payroll service for your company?
One of the biggest expenses for a company is money spent on wages and salaries. It makes sense then to make sure you have a payroll service to track these costs properly – and to make sure you are compliant with various governmental agencies during the process. Continue reading “Accounting Tips: Choosing a Payroll Service” »
Reach New Heights With Your IT Business in 2012
This is first in a series of guest posts from presenters or sponsors of the HP/Axcient Cloud Roadshow.
From Jeannine Edwards, Director, ConnectWise Community:
ConnectWise is excited to hit the road to join the HP/Axcient Cloud Roadshow as a Platinum sponsor! Join us in DC, Dallas, LA, Chicago, or New York to find out how you can leverage the best-in-breed toolset to automate your processes. With a focus on your service help desk, we’ll show you how automation delivers significant gains in efficiency and profitability, while your business enjoys higher levels of customer satisfaction. Continue reading “Reach New Heights With Your IT Business in 2012” »
Create Your Cloud Strategy in a Day
As appeared in The VAR Guy on February 16, 2012.
If you’ve dismissed the cloud as “just another marketing term” to hype the on-demand solutions that businesses have been using for more than a decade, then you’re missing the point. Dave Nielson of Cloud Camp defines cloud technology as that which is “on-demand, self-service, scalable, and measurable.” In contrast, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has a two-page cloud definition – which, in typical government fashion, is overly verbose. But however you define it, there’s buzz about the cloud for good reason. The rapid movement of technology to the cloud – along with its promised benefits of elasticity and cost-effectiveness – is significantly changing the IT landscape for small and medium sized businesses (SMBs).
Gartner says that by 2015, 46% of all businesses will have more than half of their infrastructure and applications in the cloud, versus only 3% in 2011. IDC says that 85% of net-new software firms created this year will be cloud businesses. If you haven’t yet built cloud solutions into your selling strategy, it’s time to get on board. This year especially, the SMB market is looking to the cloud for solutions that are cost-effective, simple to manage, and easy to scale. You don’t want to miss out. Rome may not have been built in a day, but your cloud business strategy can be. Here’s how. Continue reading “Create Your Cloud Strategy in a Day” »
Your Backup Solution Should Be an Unsung Hero
Blog by Ed Burke, president of B2BMSP Technology Services and speaker at the upcoming HP/Axcient Cloud Roadshow, coming to five U.S. cities between February 28 and March 15, 2012
If you spend much time with your IT customer, you’ll eventually get a tour of their data center, where they’ll proudly speak to you about the mission-critical hardware and cool software that serves their company. When the moment is right, ask them about their backup processes. Don’t be alarmed if they suddenly freeze and get real quiet; they’ll probably try to change the subject. Why is this? Because most customers are relying on HOPE – hope that nothing goes down — rather than having confidence in the capabilities of their backup system. Finally, ask them if they’ve tested their backups, and by that I mean that they’ve restored an image or file that was randomly selected from whatever medium they are using. Doubtful! Continue reading “Your Backup Solution Should Be an Unsung Hero” »