I just got an email from one of my credit card providers telling me about their new iphone/Android app. I can pay my bill, find out my balance, view activity, and view my minimum payment. After thinking about those items, I decided quickly that I do not need to do those items on my phone. The email jogged my memory to the recent GEICO ad with the pig on the plane (you knew they were going to hit on 'When Pigs Fly'), I don't need to do my insurance on the phone, so sorry Nationwide don't develop an app for me.
There is this fever going around the corporate world that you have to have an app for your business to succeed. Well I hate to break it to the business that are spending big bucks on apps development, but the fact is that not every business needs an app. Maybe I'm on old stick in the mud technology guy, but I don't think so. I love having stock updates, weather forecasts, breaking news and getting sport scores on my phone. I even like getting ski reports (thanks Wintergreen!) navigation aids and suggestions for where to eat or buy something on my phone. Picking emails and limited game playing are also welcome. Doing major financial work on a phone is just not going to be my cup of tea. I barely like doing it on my laptop/desktop. I do pay most of my bills on line, but pay them on my phone? Why? Maybe some of my customers can clue me in this need.
So what apps make sense to have on your phone? I've listed some great categories above. I love having a camera where I can instantly post the picture to facebook. I like seeing facebook updates. I don't tweet from my phone, but then again I don't tweet from anywhere else so that's not relevant. I don't order items from the phone because the screen is so small. I'm not sure what I'm getting. I do have a 4.3" phone screen, but making a financial transaction when I may or may not be 100% sure of what I've done (no print capability) is not for me. I like looking up information on the Internet so have a browser or 2 and voice commands is very cool. I do use the airline apps when I travel and use an app called Tripit that reminds me of my schedules. I even have an app that turns my phone into a flash light (used that during the 6 day power outage this summer).
Let me know if you have a favorite app I haven't covered and I'll pass it on to the PCSS customer base!
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
#221 - The Value of a Technology Assessment
One of the services PCSS offers for small business is a Technology Assessment. For no cost to the business, PCSS will come in and look at how your business is using technology. A written and oral report will be given to the business as to the state of their technology and recommendations for cost savings and productivity improvement technology. Also given are opportunities to use technology to increase the businesses revenue. Here are some of the items that we take a look at:
Where is the business right now? An inventory of what PCs/laptops/printers/monitors/networking that the business has. An estimate of what the business is spending on technology per year. Items we review include printing costs, licensing/leasing costs, age of PCs and replacement costs, Internet provider costs, email provider costs, web page/facebook page costs, telephone system costs.
Where can the business cut costs? Would a printer or multifunction machine with lower supply costs save the business money? Getting a competitive price on Internet service often results in decreased costs. Long distance and basic telephone savings by using VOIP technology. Are your technology costs reasonable for 2013? ie. are you paying too much for what you are getting?
Where can the business use technology to improve their profit margin? Is the business being reimbursed properly for the services they use and are providing ? Are there new technologies that can improve productivity or lead to new revenue streams?
These are just a few questions that PCSS can help your business answer as you look to have a more profitable 2013. Using technology should be viewed as a positive in your business not just a line item(s) in the expense column.
Where is the business right now? An inventory of what PCs/laptops/printers/monitors/networking that the business has. An estimate of what the business is spending on technology per year. Items we review include printing costs, licensing/leasing costs, age of PCs and replacement costs, Internet provider costs, email provider costs, web page/facebook page costs, telephone system costs.
Where can the business cut costs? Would a printer or multifunction machine with lower supply costs save the business money? Getting a competitive price on Internet service often results in decreased costs. Long distance and basic telephone savings by using VOIP technology. Are your technology costs reasonable for 2013? ie. are you paying too much for what you are getting?
Where can the business use technology to improve their profit margin? Is the business being reimbursed properly for the services they use and are providing ? Are there new technologies that can improve productivity or lead to new revenue streams?
These are just a few questions that PCSS can help your business answer as you look to have a more profitable 2013. Using technology should be viewed as a positive in your business not just a line item(s) in the expense column.
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