Joe
Vangsness of Vangsness Consulting Inc
Presentation
to the Downtown Chapter of the Chicago Computer Society
November 29, 2006
-
How to focus on benefits first
- How to select and use
the proper software and hardware
- How to find and use
the right technology solution providers
- How to meet the
challenges of data security, viruses and spyware
- Options for data
backup and business continuity planning
- Some successful
approaches to effective internet use
- Information resources
for small business
- Success stories
What
are the benefits of using Information Technology effectively?
- Improved profits
- Improved customer service
- Improved vendor relations
- Improved employee morale and
satisfaction
- Reduced overtime
- Faster training of new employees
- Improved quality of life for the
owner/manager
Goals
for Technology:
- A system that handles all
transactions - quotes, orders, shipments, payments, etc.
- Files/databases of all customers,
employees, vendors, leads, prospects, etc
- Ability to quickly answer a question
about any transaction or customer, vendor, etc.
- Ability to analyze results over time
- Right hardware, software, &
business practices
- Security protection from viruses,
spyware, and theft
- Disaster Recovery Plan (Business
Continuity Plan) including data backup offsite
- Relationship with appropriate
technology service provider
- Effective Internet use
Software
- Office Suites
- Microsoft
Office
- Corel
WordPerfect Office
- Sun
Microsystems Open Office(Star Office)
- CRM, Contact Management
- ACT,
Goldmine, MS Outlook, MS Business Contact Manager
- Accounting Software
- What
is accounting software?
- Software that takes care of your accounting and the rest
of your business
- A complete information system for your business that also
does your accounting
- Choices
- Basic accounting products (Quickbooks, Peachtree, MYOB)
- Mid range (BusinessWorks)
- High End (ACCPAC, MAS90, MAS200, Great Plains (Microsoft))
- Most
of the Accounting Software products have industry specific versions
Some examples:
- Construction
- Retail
- Manufacturing
- Wholesale
- Many
of the Accounting Software products have products that can be added on
or linked to the base
product for a specific industry
- Vertical Market Software
- Software
designed for a specific industry or similar industries
Some examples:
- Medical
- Dental
- Industrial Distribution
- Construction
- Plastics Injection Molding
- Legal
- Retail Sporting Goods, Shoes, Apparel
- Interior Design
- Custom Software
- How do you decide what is best? Where do you look?
- Web
sites:
- www.accountingsoftwareworld.com
- www.aicpa.org/pubs/jofa/sep2003/johnston.htm
- CTS
offer directories for a fee at www.ctsguides.com
- Accounting, Manufacturing, CRM,
Medical, Small Business
- Their Small Business Guide covers:
BusinessVision
Netledger
Advanced Accounting
BusinessWorks
Gold
QuickBooks
Pro
Microsoft
Business Solutions
Small
Business Manager
Peachtree
Complete Accting plus Time & Billing
MYOB
Complete Accounting
- Professional
Societies sometimes publish lists or directories of software
- Magazines or Journal of professional
societies
- Steel Fabrication
- Construction
- Industrial Distributor
- Internet search on "software
surveys"
- How do you evaluate products and
software companies?
- Software
sales rep or reseller gives you a demo
- Obtain
a demo or evaluation copy and try it
- Ask
for 5 references from businesses that do what you do and are the same size
- Call
the 5 references and ask a series of questions - see Reference Checklist
- Who will install and support the
software?
- You
or your staff
- Software
company
- Software
reseller
- Consultant
who is recommended by the software company
Computer
Hardware
- desktop vs. notebook
notebooks -
road warrior, desktop replacement or both
- monitors crt vs. flat panel
viewable size issue
- data
storage dvd 4.7gb
dvd double recording to 94.gb
combo drive
with dvd burner & cd burner
- hard
drives pc internal speed 5400 rpm 7200 rpm
10000 rpm
- file
servers mirrored hard drives
- network
attached storage (NAS)
Quantum
Snapserver, Snapappliance, Adaptec
- flash
drives, thumb drives, memory stick
- pc
purchase strategy that I use for clients:
buy only
business class pc's
buy with
3-year warranty with on site next business day parts/labor
replace
after 3 to 4 years, or, replace the hard drive
Technology
Service Providers
Network Specialists
-Install & maintain
network file servers, network operating systems,
network components, & network cabling
-May also sell equipment
and network operating systems
like Microsoft Windows 2003 Server or Novell
Netware
-May also sell, install
& support pc's
-May also sell, install
& support commonly used software:
MS Office
MS Exchange
(network email)
-Normally configure and
support data backup, system maintenance
& upgrades
PC Support Tech Specialists
-Install, maintain &
support personal computers and office software
-Do not have the
training or skills to install & support network file servers
Custom Software Developers
-Design, program and
install custom software
-Will often design &
program custom software add-ons or modifications
to commercial software products
Systems Integrators/VARS/Resellers
-Sell, install &
support a package of related products:
-Some software product(
Accounting, Retail, Medical, etc)
-Have a sales reseller
agreement with the software company
-Also sell, install
& maintain network file server and any other
technology components the customer may need
-They are just like the
Network Specialist but include some
specific software product
-Will often offer
training and software modifications for the software
-May have multiple
software products:
for example, I have worked with a firm that
is a reseller for these products:
Software Trainers
-Offer installation
& training for a specific software product
-May also offer support
Web Designers
-Will design, install
& maintain web sites
-May not have the skills
to develop web sites with an interactive database
Web Developers
-Will design, develop,
install & maintain web sites that have an interactive
database
Multimedia Developers
-Focus on design and
development of web products that have a multimedia
content such as motion & sound
-Used
for training, education & product support
Technology Firms
-Firms may offer a
single focused service, or, may offer several services and
and several different skill sets on staff
Data
Backup
- backup to tape, cd-r, cd-rw, dvd-r
- take
backup media offsite
- remote
backup service like eVault & LiveVault
Disaster
Recovery Plan/Business Continuity Plan
1970 disaster recovery - recover
computer files
1980 disaster presentation - prevent
disruption, fire, theft
1988 continuous availability - keep
system running during a disaster
1990
business continuity planning - plan for
space and people needs as well as computer processing during a disruption to
keep the business running
Security
Virus protection
- Norton Internet Security, McAfee, CA
- pc based
- network version
Spyware protection
- Webroot Spysweeper
- Computer Associates PestPatrol
- Spybot Search & Destroy
- Adaware
Firewall either hardware or software
Acceptable use policy
Internet
Issues
web options
online
brochure
content site
e-commerce
site some optios: Shopfactory Pro, Yahoo Small Business
message or
discussion board to create an online community
email use your domain name in your email address,
jv@vangsness.com.
shows
that you have a domain name and maybe a web site, and many people will go to
web site just by seeing your email address
Other
voice over IP calls through the internet
example: Skype at www.skype.com
on line meetings Webex, Groove, Verosee
remote access
or remote support PC Anywhere
gotomypc
win
xp option
Windows
terminal services
Resources
Web sites www.news.com
www.smallbusinesscomputing.com
Newspapers Chicago Tribune
James Coates article on Mondays
New
York Times
Wall
Street Journal On Technology,
Walter Mossberg on Thurs in Sec B
Books
Information Technology for SMB's
Technology
Solutions for Growing Businesses
Author: Ray,
Ramon
Managing
Information Technology in Small Business: Challenges & Solutions
by Stephen
Burgess (Editor)
Backup & Business
Continuity Planning
Contingency
Planning and Disaster Recovery : A Small Business Guide
by Donna R.
Childs, Stefan Dietrich
The
Backup Book: Disaster Recovery from Desktop to Data Center
by Dorian
Cougias, E. L. Heiberger, Karsten Koop
Internet Marketing for
Small Business
Low-Budget
Online Marketing
by Holly
Berkley
Small
Websites, Great Results
by Doug
Addison
Joe Vangsness
Vangsness Consulting Inc.
833 W. Chicago Ave.
Chicago, IL 60622
312-455-1126
vci@vangsness.com
© Copyright 2006 Vangsness Consulting Inc. All
Rights Reserved