For decades, voicemail ruled the corporate world. Sure, it struggled a little in the formative years, but soon, it became a crucial tool for both inter-office and customer communication. It was the ideal tool and businesses that made effective use of it reaped dividends. Decades later, even the largest manufacturers of phones with voicemail technology are cutting back on this feature, realising that people are ready to move on, and so is technology.
But what exactly kicked out voicemail? Lack of use and cost are the primary reasons. Companies spending several thousand dollars per year for voicemail services are beginning to question its worthiness as a must-have necessity. After all, most people today are communicating via text relying less on voicemail and even email. In addition to that, voicemail technologies are lethargic, way too distractive and take up a lot of time in lost productivity. Currently, only a third of top businesses have voicemail functionalities on their phones and even for them, the technology is rarely used. It can be said that email started the decline in voicemail and texting made it obsolete.
Although email is still widely used, the increased volume of email is a productivity killer. It is not unusual for employees to spend two hours per day checking, reading and replying to email. Also, it is a one-way conversation similar to voicemail. In the face of increased competition, companies need to be more competitive and are looking for applications and cloud solutions that will increase productivity and reduce costs without sacrificing customer service.
One such application that is gaining a strong-hold is in the area of collaboration software. It enables employees, customers and partners to create private channels for collaborating individually or in groups in real-time. And real-time collaboration applications like Slack are seen to many as the primary communication tool that will replace email in the near future.
With real-time texts becoming the norm, major companies including bottling giant Coca-Cola are moving on confidently after replacing voicemail with texts and other applications that improve customer service and enhance productivity.
The cloud provides companies with a means of expanding their information technology capabilities without a large infrastructure investment. With the cloud, a business is able to quickly introduce superior website, apps and online services and other tools that can improve the efficiency of business operations. But the challenge that most businesses grapple with is how to rightsize cloud management that offers a competitive advantage and improves their bottom-line.
Every business has unique requirements and it’s essential that cloud services are matched with the requirements of the business. The cloud services provider should first try to understand the business needs before offering cost effective, reliable and quality solutions. This way, enterprise owners and managers can enjoy better control and more value for the money.
But when you migrate to the cloud, one of the things that you should think about is rightsizing. You have to ensure that your systems are provisioned in such a manner that it can effectively balance loads during peak periods without disrupting operations. Cloud service providers offer several price tiers based on server requirements, storage capacity and bandwidth, among others. Also, when rightsizing cloud management, you may be able to purchase unused capacity at a reduced price. This is an arrangement where you bid for a server on hourly basis and receive the provisioning if your bid is accepted.
It’s also vital to understand that there are three approaches to be followed. The first stage is assessment of the business needs. This provides a road-map that addresses the actual requirements of the business. The second stage entails working with a cloud services provider to build custom software solutions based on the needs assessment. While some teams will leave you to complete the rest of the chores, a few cloud services providers will see you through the implementation process.
A critical part of a cloud plan is one that guarantees rightsizing, meaning that you can upgrade or downgrade as your needs change. Most plans are mainly based on assumptions and estimations on your part. Until a plan is up and running, it will be hard to verify if it’s running optimally. Your provider may have oversold you with more capacity than you need and the expensive price that accompany it.
The third stage is focused on rightsizing and verification of your plan. The services provider will need to monitor the recommended services to ensure that you have the right capacity for your business.
photo credit: photosteve101 via photopin (license)
Big data is gold and the sky’s the limit as the race to dominate big data cloud storage heats up with Google introducing the beta-release of Cloud Bigtable. Although the innovation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices continues to evolve, the constant growth of data is ever present and continues to grow exponentially. There is also a need to replicate big data to create new apps for smart watches and other IoT devices yet to be developed. But managing and querying such a large volume of structured and unstructured data can be a time consuming task that requires considerable machine throughput.
Cloud Bigtable is a scalable noSQL database solution for managing terabytes and petabytes of data in the cloud. While Cloud Bigtable is now being offered to the public, Google has been using it for the past decade in a number of its most powerful enterprise applications including Gmail, Google Maps and YouTube as well as its flagship Search product, to name a few. The impressive speed and handling of such large amounts of critical data for web, mobile, and Internet of Things (IoT) applications could make Google a major contender in the competitive big data cloud storage landscape already dominated by Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS).
It could be a tough battle. Both Azure and AWS are already well entrenched in a highly competitive market with a large existing customer base and offer noSQL cloud database solutions. Clients are generally not too keen on moving a sophisticated cloud infrastructure to another system.
Where Google has an advantage, however, is on cost. Google has so much unused data storage capacity that it can afford to offer it up at extremely attractive rates. And if its speed, reliability and ease-of-use hold up it may give Bigtable the edge it needs to move full speed ahead in the cloud storage market.
photo credit: Tristan Schmurr via photopin (license)
Photo Credit: Courtesy of enapps.com.au
Google has recently announced that it updated its search engine ranking algorithms to give priority to mobile-friendly pages in mobile search results. Individual website pages that are not deemed user-friendly on mobile devices will likely notice their rankings fall even though they may have scored higher in the past.
The change was made to provide mobile users with an improved search experience. It is important to note that this update only applies to rankings on mobile devices. Search results on desktops and laptops, for instance, are not affected.
Also, mobile-friendly pages will not automatically outrank traditional web pages in each and every case. Relevance and many other signals are important factors in determining individual rankings in search results. Website owners should review the percentage of mobile visitors in Google Analytics to understand the impact this update may have on their web pages.
What is a mobile-friendly website?
Loosely defined, a mobile-friendly website is one in which the width of the web page fits neatly within the browser window without requiring the user to tap or scroll to view the page contents.
Is my website mobile-friendly?
There is a simple tool that helps webmasters eliminate the guess work for determining whether or not a specific web page is mobile-friendly. When you key in your URL, Google will quickly analyse the site, simulate its appearance on a mobile device and inform you if it passes the test.
How do I make my website mobile-friendly?
Websites that are not mobile-friendly should take steps to remediate the situation as soon as possible to capitalise on all possible search engine traffic. This involves either building a stand-alone mobile website or convert an existing website into a responsive design. The number of individuals using mobile devices for online activities is growing and if you want to get your share of mobile search traffic from Google having mobile-friendly web pages is a necessity.
Data theft is one of those events that can send chills down the spine of any business owner or executive. It is an unfortunate reality that most instances of data theft are propagated by employees who are an integral part of the company. However, by understanding that employees are key to data protection, the right policies, procedures and workplace learning can be established. The damage that’s caused when data leaks is immense and could even lead to legal suits and loss of trust from customers.
However, business owners and managers need to understand that data protection failure can arise from complacent employees. If they don’t take data protection protocols seriously, they end up exposing the company’s network to potential risk. In fact, one of the most common means for hacking corporate data often starts with a seemingly innocuous email. Also, employees who use online services for work, non-approved software and failure to protect confidential information can increase risk.
To protect crucial data, employees should be made more aware of the existing IT policies by providing them with pocket manuals or posting important guidelines on the company’s website. They should be trained on the importance of accessing data through secured online networks only. An emphasis should also be on login security and installation of encryption software. However, not all files are electronic in nature and paper based files should be locked in a drawer and the company must maintain a central storage room where access to sensitive documents is allowed to employees with a genuine need for them.
Moreover, organisations should educate workers on how to secure the devices that they use especially when they are using cloud or other online services to access business data. It takes a split-second for viruses and spyware to intrude a corporate network. This makes it critical to be vigilant and use advanced network protection tools. Websites that aren’t work related and which are considered to be high risk should be blocked.
Nonetheless, managers should educate their employees about the dangers of forwarding and opening emails from people they don’t know. They should also understand that it’s dangerous to install software that isn’t recommended. Employees who leave the organisation also pose a major risk and as soon as someone leaves the company, access to the IT network should be restricted.
photo credit: Giorgio Montersino via photopin (license)
There are a lot of good things that can be said about e-commerce from a shop owner’s perspective but there are also a few problems that can make it difficult to manage. Returns are a genuine nightmare to deal with and when they happen too often things tend to get out of hand ultimately affecting the profitability of a business.
The good news is that there are a few best practices that e-commerce website owners can follow to help buyers make a much more informed purchase and reduce the number of product returns.
Product Descriptions and Images
Optimising product descriptions is key. One of the most common reasons for product returns is when customers receive a product that didn’t match the photo or description. To prevent misunderstandings about your products include a brief, but informative description, full technical specs, user comments and ratings and multiple product images or even videos.
Reviews and Links to Manufacturer’s Website
Reviews play an important role in helping a buyer make an informed buying decision. By including comments and reviews in product pages, buyers will be able to share their experience which helps new customers feel more comfortable with your products.
Confirming That the Order Is Correct
The number of customers that order a different product than the one intended is surprisingly high. They may accidentally click on the wrong button or forget to remove an unwanted item from the shopping cart. This occurs more frequently than you may realise and can contribute to increased product return rates.
A best practice is to display the contents of an e-commerce shopping cart with the complete order total before processing the transaction. This may seem like a no-brainer, but some e-commerce sites with express check-out skip this step. Also, sending a copy of the order via email would allow the customer to quickly report any discrepancies before products are shipped.
The bottom-line is that in order to reduce product returns from your e-commerce website it is important to ensure that products match the customer’s expectation from online purchase to delivery.
photo credit: Bill Abbott via photopin (license)
Business owners and managers in Australia are seeking alternative methods for improving their end-to-end processes with the aim of achieving beneficial outcomes that are essential to performance-based and customer-driven strategies. These outcomes include clarity with regard to strategic direction, alignment of company resources and discipline in daily operations. Minimising costs and improving productivity are no longer the only key goals which business managers strive to achieve. This non-traditional way of thinking has encouraged enterprise managers to think of custom software solutions for helping them achieve organisational goals.
To achieve these performance-based and customer-driven goals, many businesses are taking a more structured methodology for developing products and services that will be valued by its customers. It is this process-view of the enterprise that helps executives and managers have a better understanding of what customers value most and eliminating the gap that may currently exist to upend the ability to deliver performance goals.
In order to develop the right software solution processes need to be mapped with achieving the desired results in mind. An efficient process is one that consumes minimal resources and delivers goods and services according to an agreed upon specification. As enterprises measure performance with regard to customer-driven goals, employees don’t think of themselves as simply being responsible for highly functional outputs, but as being accountable for ensuring that customer needs are satisfied and loyalty is achieved. Because they are regarded as process thinkers, employees will be more adept in considering the impacts that certain processes can have on an organisation’s ability to deliver what it is promised to customers.
It’s this kind of thinking that could change the way people drive motor cars in the not too distant future. Automobile manufacturers are developing autonomous self-driving cars and Ford announced its plans to introduce an automobile that will prevent a driver from accelerating over the speed limit.
After mapping out the business processes that can help an organisation achieve its objectives, enterprise managers can use the power of software to automate repetitive processes that deliver results with sustainable value.
Photo credit: Karen Arnold
Email has been around long before the Internet as we know it, but its days may be numbered as a growth in online collaboration and cloud computing tools could make email redundant. And with the majority of emails being opened on mobile devices it is easy to see why.
Combing through emails takes time out of a busy schedule. The average employee is spending more than two hours per day responding to emails, according to a study by McKinsey Global Institute conducted in 2012. That’s about forty hours of wasted productivity every month, for each employee. This can add up to a lot of lost time for any size company.
The way people communicate has changed considerably in the last ten years. The old way of seeking input on a project by sending emails to an online distribution list and managing a stream of responses is becoming a thing of the past. Organisations of all sizes, from small start-ups to large enterprise companies, are embracing online collaboration tools with open arms.
Online collaboration tools are much more efficient than sending emails back and forth. By collaborating online team members can review, comment and make any necessary changes while maintaining an audit trail and keeping track of revisions. It’s also more secure. Access rights can limit who can review or make changes. Project managers can be notified if users don’t take action or complete the required tasks by the due date. Plus, depending on capabilities and user restrictions, participants can pass electronic notes around and even have public or private sideline conversations with each other. Also, online collaboration tools can stream audio and video conversions together with colleagues working in different locations, organisations or even on different types of devices like laptops, desktops and tablets.
Will online collaboration really replace email? Given the number of people relying on email as their primary communication tool, it is hard to fathom its complete elimination. But, that’s was what many people thought about the fax machine too. When was the last time you sent a fax? One thing is certain, there are a host of IT solutions that are changing the way we communicate and interact with each other.
photo credit: NEC-ext-39 via photopin (license)
The smart phone market, with nearly one billion users, is becoming increasingly saturated with alternative products being released at an extremely fast pace. As a result, Apple has been working very hard to not only protect its existing base of loyal users, but to achieve market growth in the highly competitive mobile market.
In what may be the most significant product introduction since the iPhone, the company recently announced the upcoming release of its much anticipated Apple Watch. On the surface, it appears that the smart watch can do everything the iPhone can do. It can play movies, access apps, make telephone calls and even tell you the current time. It will come in several sporty styles that consumers and business professionals alike will feel comfortable wearing rather than something that gets stuck in a pocket or purse.
With that in mind, why in the world would anybody need an iPhone? Apparently, Apple had already considered that thought and made the Apple Watch dependent on the iPhone which is probably more about ensuring product survivability than technological limitations. However, with an inevitable convergence between the phone and the watch market forces will likely prevail in producing smart watches that do not need to be tethered to a smart phone device.
The small size of the watch will ultimately inspire the development of more interesting ways of interacting with wearable technology. For example, a simple flick of the wrist could provide hands-free access to a menu of content options. This could open the door to a robust ecosystem with a wide range of mobile apps for smart watches from health and fitness to productivity and time management.
So, the uncertainty now is whether smart watches will create a new market or eclipse the existing smart phone market. This will depend on the device manufacturer’s ability to build wearables positioned as a fashionable accessory that consumers will want to wear.
photo credit: Apple Watch app via photopin (license)
There are virtually millions of websites competing for attention online and with billions of dollars in revenue at stake it is easy to understand why. But simply throwing up an e-commerce website expecting an instant rush of visitors anxious to buy your products is probably not going to happen. Unfortunately for some, many entrepreneurs do just that.
According to eMarketer, online revenue from Australian ecommerce websites is expected to top $10B this year, a 14.4% increase from the previous year. There is plenty of potential revenue to go around; good news for anyone venturing into the world of ecommerce today. However, in order for an online store to succeed, it is important to understand the three fundamental reasons why some ecommerce websites are doomed to fail.
Lack of a brand identity
Many ecommerce websites pop up with a logo and tons of products mistakenly believing they just created a brand. A logo is not the brand. It is a design or symbol that represents the brand. This lack of a brand identity or a failure to distinguish oneself among competitors is a common reason why many e-commerce websites fail. For instance, if you have an online ecommerce store that sells the same products as another online establishment you have to give potential customers a better reason to buy from your store. In other words, if you sell mobile phones, why should they buy it from your store when they can just as easily buy it somewhere else? That’s why you need to establish a brand identity that you’re target market can identify with and is willing to accept.
Lack of focus
Another common reason for failure is a lack of focus. With so much online competition it is nearly impossible to be everything to everyone. It is important to ensure that the products and services you provide actually belong together. It is often better to specialize with a few really strong products then offering thousands of product choices. If you focus on what you do best you will be able to please most of your customers most of the time which will increase the chances for repeat business and referrals.
Ineffective website design
Many e-commerce websites are simply not designed with the visitor in mind. They may have very little product information, are not regularly updated and make it difficult for shoppers to find and purchase the products and services they want to buy.
To be effective, online stores should have a clean professional design, offer high quality images with clear and concise content. It also needs a modern shopping cart that is integrated with a secured payment gateway that allows customers to pay for goods and services with their preferred method of payment such as PayPal and debit and credit cards, for instance.
Also, ecommerce websites that go the extra mile and offer a variety of support options including online chat, click-to-call and visible telephone numbers make it easy for shoppers to have their queries answered quickly making it more likely that they will make a purchase and return again in the future.
softwaredevelopmenttv 