Business Apps

vmworld 2011

August 1, 2011 by brawlinmelgar Leave a Comment

VMworld 2011, hosted by VMware, is the leading virtualization and cloud infrastructure event of the year. It’s specifically designed for IT professionals seeking to accelerate success in their enterprises as they preserve existing investments while aligning their specific requirements to enable the cloud.

Thousands of IT innovators, practitioners, executives, SMB owners and technology providers attend VMworld to explore the leading edge of the industry’s most powerful trend in more than 500 breakout and information-sharing sessions, 20-plus hands-on lab topics, invaluable networking opportunities and meet over 400 sponsors and exhibitors.

Join other VMworld attendees and gain unlimited opportunities to discuss best practices for lowering costs, reducing complexity and enabling a more flexible, agile service delivery.

When: August 29 to September 1, 2011
Where: The Venetian and The Wynn, Las Vegas

Attend over 175 in-depth sessions and labs, a packed agenda of meetings and special events, and visit hundreds of exhibits showcasing the latest advances in virtualization and cloud infrastructure technology.

3 iPhone Apps Every SMB Owner Must Have

July 18, 2010 by Sarah Leave a Comment

3 iPhone Apps Every SMB Owner Must Have

More and more business-owners are relying on their smartphones to conduct business these days and as you can imagine, there are a million apps for that! But how do you know which ones will actually help you run your business effectively? To get you started, here are three that every small- and medium-sized business owner should look into for their iPhone.

1. Scanner Pro – $6.99

With this app, you simply use your iPhone camera to take a picture of a document and scan it into an PDF file. Once you take the picture of the document, you simply mark where the corners are and the app does the rest of the work for you. You can then email the PDF file to anyone who needs to see the document.

2. Good for Enterprise – Free

If you’re looking to sync your iPhone to Microsoft Exchange in a secure environment, this is the app for you. While iPhone normally supports Exchange, this app offers some added security. Features include the ability to keep data exchanged over a network encrypted and the ability to access your email, contacts, and calendar over a secure connection. It’s a great way to keep your company protected.

3. Recorder – $.99

For less than a dollar, this little app allows you to record outgoing calls. Ever forget what was discussed during an important phone call? This app can record for hours and provide you with the opportunity to play those calls back over and over again. You can also record voice memos. The best feature of all is that you can send those recordings via email to anyone. So, if your business partner missed an important call or a customer can’t remember what you told them, all you have to do is send them the entire phone conversation.

Looking for a GeoVison Security Camera System to help secure your small or medium business? Call www.CameraSecurityNow.com today at 877-422-1907 for a free phone consultation. Ask about the new Hybrid DVR/NVR surveillance solutions.

Top Blackberry Apps for SMBs

July 11, 2010 by Sarah Leave a Comment

Throughout the last decade, the Blackberry has made its mark as the leading business smartphone. E-mail capabilities, robust security, and Blackberry Enterprise Server are just a few of the reasons the device has heavily impacted the business world.

But in the last year, with new designs and marketing, nearly half of 32 million Blackberry users aren’t from the corporate world. They are consumers, pro-sumers, and small businesses. The Blackberry App store has over 3,000 apps, but it’s hard to know which ones are specifically SMB-oriented. Recently, bMighty.com teamed with Research In Motion to choose the top ten SMB Blackberry Apps. Here is a look at what they chose:

1. Blackberry Messenger – Connect with friends and co-workers by using a secure PIN or barcode password. Chat, share pictures and videos, or even hold a business meeting with the group chat feature. The app is free but it only works if the other people you are talking to have a Blackberry, as well.

2. Google Talk – Another great (free) way to connect but your friends and colleagues won’t need a Blackberry to respond. Have single or group chats, use emoticons, customize your status, and set up custom alerts for messages that come through while you’re not available. Google Talk is open and allows any third-party client to use its network. It’s also compatible with other Instant Messengers.

3. Yahoo Messenger – This one is relatively new to Blackberry but is just as popular as the computer version. It’s free, and allows you to check who is and isn’t online, customize your status message, create chat areas to talk with several people at once, and personalize your status with avatars, ringtone alerts, and emoticons. Talk with people who have Hotmail, Lotus Notes, and Windows Live accounts, as well as AIM or Google Talk with free account activation.

4. Documents to Go – Considered to be one of the ultimate business apps for Blackberry, this one lets you view and edit documents without changing the file’s format. If you like the free trial version, you can purchase the program for $70, but many business-owners say the price is well worth it. Especially if you need to read, create, and edit Word, Excel, or PowerPoint documents and PDF files on your Blackberry.

5. Exgis Mileage Tracker – If you travel a lot for your business, this app is a must-have. It makes record-keeping a little easier as it records your vehicle’s mileage and locations quickly and let’s you record travel time directly against specific clients. You can also export your data in a spreadsheet to send to to your office. The app is easy to use and costs a mere $4.99.

6. Google Maps – This is another great free app for the SMB travellers and it’s more than likely something you already know how to use. Get maps, directions and even mileage to and from any destination. Find out where you are with the “My Location” feature, should you get lost. In some areas, you can even get traffic and transit information. Just like with the web version, you can use Street View, to help you get a visual idea of many areas.

7. Intuit GoPayment – Several SMBs need the ability to accept credit card payments but don’t always have one. This app processes any major credit card and emails the receipt directly to the handset. Transactions can be transferred into most financial software applications. Security is tight and trustworthy with this app which is free, but charges a monthly service of $19.95.

8. Poynt – Blackberry users have ranked this among their favorites, claiming it’s better than the Yellow Pages when looking for a particular place. This app points you to the nearest movie theater, restaurant, or any business or person you’re looking for, using GPS and cell tower technology to provide you with the phone number, website, maps, and directions. Book tickets or make reservations, and even use it to invite colleagues to a specific location. And yes, it’s free, too.

9. Viigo – This app is a free content gathering tool that lets you access information and content from Twitter to podcasts and everything in between. Get your news, sports, weather, stock reports, movie reviews and anything else you might look for online, in one place. Not only can you customize your content collection, but you will also have access to content from Business Week, and Website magazine, vendor resources such as white papers and from companies such as Oracle and Microsoft.

10. Worldmate Live – This is a free App and a favorite among business travelers (it’s even earned a five-star rating at Blackberry App World). Forward your travel confirmation emails to Worldmate and they build your online travel itinerary, making it available to access via your Blackberry. Synchronise your work calendar, to make that part of the database, as well. The app is integrated with Google Maps, Blackberry maps, TeleNav, MapQuest, OAG, Yelp, Expedia, Hotels.com, Flighstats.com and many more.

A great way to impress new customers (and keep your business covered).

April 27, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

A good way to make a great first impression is the new customer packet. This should be printed on business grade paper (not copied-go visit you local quick printer-and get at least 3 quotes), and sent in a good looking envelope. What should be in your new customer packet? Here are some ideas.

1) A credit application. The credit application allows your business to legally pull a commercial credit bureau and should outline your company’s terms and conditions. It should ask for 3 trade credit line lenders, and a commercial bank check (on a separate form) both of which should be signed by an officer of the customers company. This document obligates the customer to pay invoices in the terms that you permit.
2) A sales tax exemption form or reseller certificate from the appropriate state. This is an absolute must for any company in any business but retail or retail food service. If your company is doing business to business commerce you must obtain this document!
3) A request for a freight guide. This is especially crucial for your small to medium business if you are conducting business with a Fortune 1000 type company. Other wise, your company’s invoices maybe delayed by the freight auditing department or your company fined for not following the customer’s guidelines (or probably both)! This also creates more expense as your company’s accounts receivable department (or yourself if you are just starting out) must now pursue the deduction for pay back which will most often be denied.
4) A welcome to your company. This is a sales and marketing document. It thanks your new customer for their order, and lists appropriate contact people. Who should be included: the main sales contact, customer service lead, credit representative or manager, and yourself-the owner. This document should include all appropriate business cards (included in packet)!

Follow these steps, and your company can reinforce your excellent first impression and ask for new orders. This lets your customer know that they are dealing with a classy organization no matter the size. All customers appreciate class, and this is a way to let them know that your company values their business. Remember to request that the packet be sent back complete if at all possible.

So You Think You Need a Business Angel? Not So Fast

March 18, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

Many companies who are just starting out need start up capital (some people called it seed money). Unless you have rich (and patient) relatives this can be a very difficult commodity to acquire. So too, going to a bank and getting a small business loan is a pretty daunting task and some business (restaurants and construction companies) are not very appealing to bankers in general; restaurants because the failure rate is so very high, and the construction business because of all the intricate workings of the business. What many beginning owners tend to look for is either a Venture Capital company or a Business Angel. Before you start your search (it might even be rightly termed a quest) here are some things to consider.

Venture Capital companies tend to look for “hot” industries or industries that have very high payback potential. In the past few years industries like Bio-Med, Medical Robotics, and the like have been very popular. Most Venture Capital companies avoid investing in stage one or the seed money stage. From their long experience, they’ve seen can’t miss products, miss. In fact in some cases they have watched the product fail miserably, and they lost their investment. Another thing very important to venture capital companies is their exit strategy. A VC companies business is much like a bank, loaning money (and over sight) for a project, but while they are willing to give a promising business a leg up financially, they are not wanting to own that business long term-usually they like to be involved for 3-5 years and then be bought out by the owner. This is called the exit strategy, and every Venture Capital company has one and a general time table target for payback.

A business angel can vary; many business angels these days have an association (and a front man) to screen potential businesses. Like a Venture Capital company, they provide funding and over site, but might be willing to be a long term partner of your business, or be willing to buy the business from you at a certain stage. As the entrepreneur, you must fully research the particular business angel and decide if this is a long term partnership that you are going to be compatible and consistent with you long term goals. Make sure you have a trusted lawyer read the contract!

Best Business Apps for iPhone

November 2, 2009 by Sarah Leave a Comment

These days, cell phones are becoming an important part of many different businesses. If you own an iPhone, there are even more ways to put your phone to work; the App Store has over 2,000 business apps! Below is a list of some of the must-haves:

Oracle Business Indicators: The Oracle Business Indicators app provides real-time business performance and information. Customize your financial, HR, supply chain, and customer relationship management analytics for free, as long as you own a version Oracle Business Intelligence Suite Enterprise Edition Plus or Oracle Business Intelligence Applications.

LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com fans and users can access the website anytime, anywhere with the LinkedIn iPhone app. Send and receive invitations, messages, post status updates, and find contact info. The best part is, it’s free.

Thomson Reuters: The Reuters app keeps you up to date on breaking news, global market information – including deals and mergers – and allows you to personalize lists of stocks and companies to watch. Browse in-depth company profiles with business descriptions, contact information, and employee profiles, and search relevant location-specific news. There is also technology, sports and entertainment news.

FedEx mobile: With the FedEx mobile app, you’ll find up to date information on the status of your shipments by creating a watch list for important packages or inputting tracking numbers to track packages individually. Info can be personalized and all tracked FedEd packages appear automatically in the system.

Salesforce.com: This app allows business users to view and edit Salesforce.com records, accounts, opportunities and leads, as well as access account activity as needed. The app comes in two versions: Mobile Lite provides you with a stripped down version of the website, to all customers with Professional, Enterprise, or Unlimited Edition licenses; the full version allows you to create, edit, and delete capabilities and requires you to have the Unlimited Edition or Mobile license.

Huddle: The Huddle iPhone app allows you to share files, manage projects, organize virtual meetings, access your data on the go (including tasks, discussions, spreadsheets and presentations) and so much more.

Adobe LiveCycle: This one is also free, but you must have Adobe LiveCycle Process Management ES2 configured. The Adobe LiveCycle app allows you to connect to your lists of pending tasks and process, and approve or reject them directly from your phone. You can also view PDF files, call or email task initiators and share task lists with colleagues.

RSA SecurID token: If you need to access sensitive networked information that is protected by RSA SecurID, this app allows you to do it directly from your iPhone, with your phone becoming a software authenticator. You can import a software token that will generate a SecurID password and eliminate the need to carry an authenticator. Again, this app is free but you must already own RSA Authentication Manager and RSA SecurID Software Token Seeds.

Cisco Mobile: This app provides you with access to your company’s internal phone system, allowing you to join meetings, answer business calls and check your voicemail. It also alerts you to missed calls, redirects business calls to your iPhone and allows you to dial via the office. You may also join Cisco Unified MeetingPlace via your phone. While the app is free, you must have a Cisco Unified Mobility Advantage server to use it.

Various Airline Apps: Many airlines offer free apps that provide you with up-to-the-minute information on flight arrival and departure for that particular airline. Browse flight schedules, plan your itineraries, or book and manage flights, and check-in online with these apps, depending on what airline you fly.

NetSuite: This one provides mobile access to NetSuites business management suite. Access real-time dashboards, financial and customer data, including sales orders, support cases and opportunities, and task management. Free to all current NetSuite users.

Wyse PocketCloud: User can manage their entire Windows desktop, data, and applications with this app. It offers secure Remote Desktop, VMware View, Thin-Browser and automatic keyboard activation when users install the free PocketCloud Windows Companion on their desktops.

Citrix Receiver: This app allows you to access any Windows app or document directly on your iPhone so that you may open documents, update reports, approve expenses and join webinars. You can also use the app to zoom, pan, click, scroll and type. All of your data is saved on your company’s network. It uses Citrix HDX technology to deliver multi-media content. This is another free app, but it requires you to have a wi-fi or 3G connection, also XenApp Web Services and Citrix XenApp 5 or Presentation Server 4.5.

iAnywhere Mobile: With this app, you can have access to Lotus Domino and Micrsoft Exchange, and supports email, calendars, tasks and contacts, as well as providing email push notification. It includes several great security features such as password protection, data encryption, and on-demand data wipe.

Skype: Call anyone with a skype account or send instant messages with this app – as long as you have a mobile data connection or wi-fi access. You may also use it to call landlines worldwide at cheap rates and send cheap texts.

Evernote: This app allows you to create text, picture and audio notes and then synch them with a Mac, PC, or the internet. You may also access them offline. Each note includes geo-location information for mapping and search.