InfoBusiness 2.0

There are plenty of other tools and technologies available to help you run you business more efficiently and effectively.  Let’s take a look at seven of the most popular ones:

 

Free and Open-Source Software

Over the last several years, free and open-source software – which is available for everything from operating systems (Linux) and databases (mySQL) to Web servers, email clients, ERP systems, and CRM software (SugarCRM) – has matured enough to earn a sizeable share of the enterprise market.  Today’s open source software is stable, user-friendly, and most importantly, free.  You can even get free support for most issues via Internet forums and communities, or you can purchase a service/support plan from a software vendor. 

 

You can find out more about open source software and related technologies at The Open Source Initiative. 

 

Automation

Every business has manual, repetitive tasks that waste resources.  By identifying and automating these activities, which can include order processing, invoicing, email correspondence, collection letters, and other duties, you can save time and money, while freeing up your staff for more mission-critical work.  Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems from vendors like SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft provide the most comprehensive automation for company-wide processes. 

 

Project Management & Collaboration Tools

Most major, mission-critical projects involve multiple staff members in different departments.  You may even have projects that require resources to be managed across several companies.  There are solutions available to help enhance workflow and coordinate activities and tasks, while giving all stakeholders instantaneous access to critical project-related documents and information.  For small to mid-sized project teams, check out Microsoft SharePoint, a robust software package that combines collaboration capabilities with document and project management functionality.  SharePoint will allow you to share information, project status and history reports, and calendars among team members.  It can be installed on a Windows server, or rented through many third-party hosting companies. 

 

Another solution worth a look is Web Office, which was developed by the creators of WebEx and Groove (Groove is now part of Microsoft). 

 

If you don’t need anything more than the most basic collaboration capabilities, you can use e-mail, Internet messaging tools like MSN and Yahoo, or shared file storage – all of which are free.  Or, try using Microsoft Outlook with Microsoft Exchange Server configured for shared security to link documents and calendars. 

 

New online meeting tools also enable more effective collaboration and increased productivity by allowing companies to host sales meetings, remote support sessions, and Web seminars.  The most popular solutions in this market include Microsoft Live Meeting, WebEx, and Citrix GoToMeeting.  There is even free online meeting software available (check out Vyew).     

 

Remote Access

Telecommuters, remote offices or branch locations, and frequent travelers are quite common in today’s business environment. In fact, 9.3 million people telecommute at least one day a week, and that number is expected to grow at a rate of 15% annually over the next several years.  In order to keep everyone linked together, you’ll need to set up remote computer access for mobile or off-site workers.   Remote access capabilities can be obtained through software like RealVNC or pcAnywhere, or via services such as Logmein, GoToMyPC, or WebEx Now.  Some solutions, like RealVNC or LogMeIn, are free.  Others will charge a few dollars per month, or $100 to $200 per computer. 

 

Network Faxing

If you send and receive a high volume of faxes, you can increase efficiency by setting up a centralized fax server.  This will allow your employees to print to a fax from any Windows application.  A free fax server comes bundled with the Small Business Edition of Microsoft Windows 2003 Server.  Or, you can purchase and download fax software from companies such as Symantec or WinFax.  You can also try eFax, which is an affordable service for Internet-based faxing. 

 

Hooking up your fax line through your VoIP service (fax services are available through any VoIP provider) will eliminate the need for you to pay to send long distance faxes to North American numbers, and can save you a significant amount of money on International faxes.  You can also set up your fax server to email all faxes to a designated person or list of people, or to print them out automatically. 

 

I recommend delivery of faxes via email.  Products on the market include the GFI Fax Server, or you can opt for services from TrustFax, eFax and other providers.  These services provide you with a fax line that is either free, or very inexpensive.  All faxes coming into the line will be automatically forwarded to you as an email attachment.  I also suggest printing and filing hard copies for archiving and record-keeping purposes. 

 

Unified Messaging

A few years ago, someone came up with a brilliant idea.  Link all communication mechanisms into one complete, fully-integrated system.  So, voice mail, email, faxes, pagers, and other communication mediums were all tied seamlessly together to become unified messaging.  Since then, many providers have come and gone.  But, unified messaging still plays a vital role in today’s work environments.   Most modern office systems come with this feature already enabled.  Telephony equipment companies like Cisco, Nortel, or BizPhone, or third-party unified messaging providers like Onebox, GotVMail, or Innoport offer this service to both companies and individuals.  

 

Unified messaging works via a single dedicated phone number or extension. All voice mail messages and faxes that come in to this number are automatically forwarded to an email address as an attachment.  Users then open and listen to their messages or view their faxes through their email client.  Unified messaging makes busy professionals more accessible and easier to reach, while helping the companies they work for to better organize their communications. 

 

Video Security

If your company employs more than five people, or if valuable items are stored in your offices, then it’s wise to install a computer video security system.  Video security systems can boost staff productivity, minimize wasted time, and reduce internal theft by at least 50 percent.  They will also reduce your insurance fees (contact your insurance company for more specific information about rate reductions). 

 

Most video security systems provide secure Internet access to cameras.  Users who want to see what’s happening at any point in time simply log in to the monitoring software through any Web browser.  Captured images are usually stored for a period of six weeks to six months, so video footage be viewed at a later date, if needed. 

 

You can “build-it-yourself” by purchasing all cameras, DVRs (digital video recorder servers), and software separately.  But, I recommend bringing in a specialist, who has experience installing similar systems, and can ensure that your solution is deployed in the best and most cost-effective manner. 

 

Biometrics in Time & Attendance

Many companies retain a large number of employees who work on an hourly basis.  For those businesses, installing a biometric-based time and attendance system can dramatically increase efficiency and accuracy, while cutting payroll expenses by up to eight percent. 

 

Biometrics are designed to replace manual time cards.  Instead of punching a paper card, employees insert their hand or finger into a reader and enter their employee ID number.  The system then verifies their access level (and authorizes or denies access as appropriate), tracks all punch-ins and punch-outs, and automatically calculates hours worked and overtime (using rounding rules).  With biometrics, companies have a complete record of who logged in, where they logged in, and at what time.  This can help accelerate payroll processing and eliminate data errors and re-work, while putting a stop to the unwanted “buddy punching” (where co-workers fraudulently clock each other in) that can cost companies up to 5 percent of their annual payroll. 

 

Over the past few years, the cost of biometric-based solutions has come down significantly.  Small companies with 50 people or less can now purchase a fully-functional fingerprint system, complete with all hardware and software, for less than $1000.  More information about biometrics can be found through PayPunch.com.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 5th, 2008 at 13:17 and is filed under business, it. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.