Transcript What’s New in Rep Business Technology?

What’s New in Rep
Business Technology?
Presentation by:
Matt Pansing & Gary Yantis
Midtec Associates, Inc.
2007
Basics
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New technology appears constantly so keep up to date
yourself. Don’t wait for an ERA or Snowball seminar to learn of a
great sales aid some of your competitors have been using for
several years. Subscribe to at least one general technology
(mostly computer) magazine. PC World (not other magazines
with very similar titles such as PC magazine) is, by far, the best all
around hands-on technology magazine. www.pcworld.com. If
you have several employees who you think have enough interest
to read it, buy them all subscriptions. Most will scan rather than
read every word. One may spot something really important that
others missed. The magazine changed last year from 100%
computers to include virtually all of technology both personal and
business. Everything from reviewing LCD big screen TV’s to cell
phones to PDA’s to --. If you like, you can stay up to date with
just one magazine. Some techie talk but mostly written so you
understand what you’re reading.
Basics
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You sell technology so use it! Don’t be part of the stereotype
that “everyone over 40 is, and will always be, computerphobic”.
Hire out the “heavy lifting” such as setting up and maintaining
your company computer network but do other tasks yourself that
are not time sinks. Yes, your time is valuable but technology
stopped being an option in our business years ago so you MUST
know how and where it fits into your business and when to use it
(or not). Remember: EVERYTHING new is rocket science at first
but becoming generally “technology literate” is no more difficult
than learning, say, auto mechanics. It just takes some time and
desire to learn. If you hire out everything, you’ll end up with
products and services you do NOT need or were not the best
choices and possibly miss out on important new technology.
Important point: the learning never stops! Read PC World
magazine! Plagiarism is good! Be inquisitive and notice what
others do and use in their companies.
Basics
Now – for several
REAL Shocks!!!
Basics
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Technology is NOT always the answer! If “the old way” still
beats the latest technology then stay with it! A good example is
Midtec still manually compares invoices to commission statements
(making sure we are paid and paid correctly) the old fashioned file
folder way. Yes, there are programs that will do this for you.
They require invoice numbers, part numbers, customer names
and so forth all be typed in exactly correct and exactly the same
way (i.e. ABC Electronics and ABC Elect. are considered to be two
companies by most programs but not to a person reading the
invoices). Yes, there are other reasons for such programs
including principal requirements but, if it is “your call” then be
pragmatic and always follow the path of least resistance. Do what
works best and is most cost efficient. Be it a computer program
or a #2 lead pencil. “Keep it simple” is still allowed!
Putting Your Best Techie Foot Forward
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Making maximum use of “what makes sense” technology in your
company is good. Every person in your company only has so many hours
in a day. The primary purpose of technology is to maximize the
productivity of those hours.
It is USUALLY a good idea to feature your emphasis on using
technology on your Web site, to your principals and to the world – but not
always. Rule #1 of any rep interview – make your rep firm “special” from
all the rest. Excelling in the use of cutting edge technology works for most
-- but not all. Being “high-tech” can also sink you like a rock.
Know your audience. Some years ago we lost out on a potential line
with the interviewing sales manager telling me afterwards “we need a
more ‘hands on’ rep firm”. It was obvious he was intimidated by our use
of technology thinking we use it to replace old-fashioned selling. Not true
of course; it just enhances the selling but, to someone who is technologyphobic, it can hurt you. “Know your audience”.
Gadgets, Software and Services
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R/W CD’s and DVD’s are dead for transferring moderate
amounts of data from PC to PC. Flash memory is now
everywhere. In cameras, cell phones and anything that requires
non-volatile memory (meaning memory that doesn’t go away if
power is lost). Flash memory is appearing instead of hard drives
in a number of high-end laptops. Flash memory is, being solidstate, lighter weight, smaller and more reliable. But not cheaper
(yet). The price per gigabyte (Gb) is dropping fast. $10 per Gb is
now common down from $50 just a year ago and $250 three
years ago. There is no end in sight. Unlimited (almost) free
memory is on the way. CD’s and DVD’s are for archival and
program storage. Not as a means of data transfer. The market
for CD/DVD “read/write” is over.
Cell phones, PDA’s, etc.
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You
can now have almost every technology gadget a rep needs at a customer
site in one hand-held unit. Do you NEED all you can have today? If you’re a tech’s
techie then the answer is always “yes”. Even if you’re wasting money and ending
up with something so complex that it borders on unusable, it can be fun. Assuming
you nix “fun” as a reason to spend company money, just be aware of features and
functions that are now hand-held and can be combined into one unit. Then you
decide.
Cell phone (remember those?), camera (still image), live video transmission, GPS,
music, Web access, company network access, radio, television, digital memory pad
(PDA), address book, XM and Sirius radio (satellite), video and/or audio recorder,
fax to e-mail, text messaging, alarm clocks, flash light and more are being added.
There seems to be no end in sight. NEEDED: smaller fingers and 20/10
microscopic vision. ANSWER: display holography that transfers much larger
images, tactile keyboards, etc. onto nearby surfaces. Coming soon!
CAUTION: Some customers will not allow cell phones with camera function on
their premises. Some don’t take chances and ban all cell phones and even all
electronic devices. As much as your salespeople may want “camera cell phones”,
the phones may spend a lot of time sitting in guard shack storage lockers. So give
it some thought before you buy checking out the policies of your major customers.
Internet Services
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Google has recently leapfrogged everyone else (what else is
new?) by putting Office-type programs on the Web (free).
Equivalents to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and so forth. A big
advantage is that many can participate real-time in the creation of
a document. How often do you do that in the rep business? Not
to often at least in Midtec but it can be a big aid in some
businesses. Do you want your important data and documents on
the Internet? Even as a second copy? Microsoft said last year
“the era of the PC is soon to be over”. That was when THEY
thought they were going to rent everyone copies of Office but do
so on the Web. We’d all return to the days of “dumb” terminals
with all the computing power residing in a master server.
Microsoft assumed this was their path to the steady income
stream they have searched for but haven’t found. With this new
service plus others, Google (and others) have come close to
ending reasons for Microsoft to exist! Free-market monopolies
are NEVER permanent.
Internet Services
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Rather than try to list all the services, features and functions Google
now offers (for free), visit their Web site and click on MORE then read
through the different categories. Pay special attention to LABS. You may
wish to download some or much of what you see.
Except for the operating system, a new PC today can function quite nicely
without Microsoft.
Instead of: (use)
OFFICE
Open Office
www.openoffice.com
Internet Explorer Firefox
www.mozilla.com
Outlook
Thunderbird
www.mozilla.com
*** All are free and all are actually better than the MS equivalents!
Open Office files are 100% compatible with MS Office files. Note: I admit
to still using most MS products out of habit except for Firefox (love it!).
Of all other software a rep does, may or should use, a free version of it
probably exists. www.download.com is the portal that should be used for
all free software (they test each one – this is from PC World magazine).
Free software MUST be safe so beware! Programs like Gold Mine,
Quicken, QuickBooks, FrontPage, Publisher, and so on exist as a free
version on www.download.com but may or may not be 100% compatible
with the $$ software it mimics. If Linux ever becomes 100% compatible
with XP or Vista then, at that point, does the world still need
Microsoft?
We’ll take a vote!
Internet Services
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Skype www.skype.com
Finally! A PC to PC audio/video
telephone service that really works plus seamlessly connects to
the “real world” phone system (free if PC to PC and one to five
cents per minute if PC to telephone – everywhere!). The days of
countries and hotels stealing from you by charging $5 a minute
for overseas calls is coming to an end. Just be prepared and
know what’s available where you’re going. Get stuck in an out of
the way foreign location where you MUST make a call but have no
clue what the cell $$ cost is – be prepared for a nasty shock! Be
sure you will have an Internet connection and you will have a
phone connection – worldwide!!
Everyone in Midtec has a
camera/microphone on their monitor
and are only a mouse click away
from a “videophone” connection.
www.midtec.com
Internet Services – Wi-fi
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Wi-fi (wireless fidelity) Fidelity? Who picked such an odd name is lost in
history. As a carry forward from the page on Skype, a “wi-fi compatible”
cell phone is one that seamlessly looks for “hot spots”* and switches your
call to go through a hot spot when one is in range. But the cellular
company has to include this service. This is common in Europe but
uncommon (today) in the U.S. Because of our many F.C.C. regulations
limiting competition, we now rank #14 in the list of countries considered
to be the “most connected”. As an example, Singapore is blanketed with a
wide area version of wi-fi called Wi-Max providing high speed Internet to
everyone. “Skype compatible” cell phones are appearing where their calls
route through Skype. The hardware exists but U.S. cell phone providers
are naturally resistant to this as it drops the cost of a call to almost zero.
“More or less government?”. The battle will continue well past all of us.
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*hot spot: an area where wireless Internet connectivity is available
Internet Services – Wi-fi
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Wi-fi provides wireless Internet connectivity. Virtually all laptops
today include built-in wi-fi transceivers. The range of wi-fi can
vary from 100 feet to 10,000 feet. Technically, just as any radio
wave, there is no limit. There are three primary modes, B and the
newer G and the even newer N. All are backwards compatible so
don’t worry about buying a G-mode router if you have older Bmode wi-fi laptops. There is some improvement in distance but
mostly in speed. But you never know what speed you’ll end up
with. You’re sharing a connection with others (probably).
www.speedtest.net is my favorite speed test site. Fast and
accurate.
There are books listing hot spots around the nation but new ones
appear so often the books are out of date the day they are
printed. There are numerous Web sites listing hot spots. Some
make it extra easy by just inserting the Zip code you’re in.
Internet Services – Wi-fi
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The easiest way to find hot spots is to carry a $15 “hot spot
detector”. This saves you the trouble of unpacking and booting up
your laptop to see if a “node” is nearby. Note: keep in mind some
are encrypted so you can’t gain a connection without being told
the connection password. Some charge for it and some are closed
to others because they want it that way. Wi-fi pocket sized
detectors down to keychain sized are for sale on eBay and most
any electronics and computer store for prices from $5 to $50.
Just like USB memory sticks, you may be lucky enough to have a
principal give away wi-fi detectors as freebies. All detect all three
modes. Only the most expensive do such things as indicate the
mode (you really don’t care), display the SSID of the node or the
direction. Price can sometimes indicate the sensitivity. Directivity
and good range are handy features. Hawkins sells one for $15
that is very sensitive and very directional.
Internet Services – Wi-fi
My favorite but, as I say, there are dozens including ones MUCH more sensitive than this one but
this one is many steps above the typical keychain detector in both gain and directivity.
www.ebay.com search for hawking wifi locator.
HWL1 802.11b/g WiFi Locater.
eBay.
$35 at CompUSA or currently selling for $6.49 plus $8 shipping on
There are options galore for wi-fi just as exist for cell phones. Extended range antennas being the
#1 handiest option. Roof-top cell phone antennas for instance. Wi-fi antennas that go up to the
dish level. Google for options. www.hawkingtech.com shows a dish antenna option. Very handy
when your hotel wants $10 a day but there is a Starbucks down the street or a hotel next door with
free wi-fi. You can also buy a portable router to provide everyone in the hotel free wi-fi from your
connection! The options are limitless. The record for long distance wi-fi? 191 miles (really).
Internet Services – Wi-fi
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As a courtesy, (and they will appreciate it!) have a wireless router on your
office Internet connection. How many times does a RSM come rushing in asking
“where is the nearest hot spot! I’ve been off e-mail for six hours now!”. Sweating
bullets. The younger they are, the more frantic they are. Have a waiting AC power
socket in your conference room and an open wireless router so all he/she has to do
is “log-on”. If you are not in an urban area (i.e. office building) where others might
find your signal and decide to make use of your connection instead of paying for
their own, just leave it unencrypted. But check every so often to see if anyone is
“hooked onto” your router and, if so, turn off your SSID (the signal that says who
you are and your Wi-fi’s name). This makes it a bit more difficult to hook-on but
still not that hard. If you discover others are hooking on and dragging down your
connection by using it a lot, switch it to 64-bit encrypted. Tell your visiting fireman
what the encryption password is. Newer laptops auto sense nodes and pop up
windows asking for encryption passwords. Insert the password and they are
hooked on. Simple!
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Keep the router as an access point only. Do NOT adjust it such that anyone (even
with passwords) can gain access to your network. The security reasons are
obvious. Instead, use remote connection software (a later slide) to gain access to
your network. If you use outside network techies, they will assume you want the
router to allow access to your network. NO! (be sure to tell them).
Internet Services – Wi-fi
There are many types of “wireless Internet connectivity”. Wi-fi
is the one you are probably most familiar with and probably
already use. Many of you have wireless routers in your home. As
an aside, if what you have works, don’t spend more money for
newer types (like N mode). Even b-mode is as fast as most high
speed Internet connection. Unless your router is also doing lots of
peer-to-peer intranet big file transfers, you will notice no
difference “upgrading” to a faster router. Until Internet providers
begin to offer 50,000 kbps (which they can already do but the
current infrastructure in this country couldn’t handle the load) a
plain old b-mode router is adequate in almost every instance. But
you can’t even buy a new b-mode router today. So g-mode is just
fine. N-mode will add zero improvement. They CLAIM to have
more range but in actual tests, that is seldom true. If you need
more range, antennas and other options are available.
Internet Services
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Remote control of PC’s. There are many such software programs on
the market. Many heavily marketed on radio and TV. GoToMyPC.com for
example. There are many such programs that work fine and also cost
money. Some are monthly rentals. There is no need to spend a dime!
The object is to have remote control just like you’re at the keyboard of the
other computer but have it such that security is like Ft. Knox.
Such a service exists. LogMeIn. www.logmein.com. I waited a year
before going with it to make sure it was indeed bullet-proof. It is. It is
now installed on many millions of computers and has not been hacked
even once. I have it installed on several of our office pc’s as well as
various computers where I help others with their computer problems. No
more service calls! As long as they are hooked to the Internet, I can hook
to their pc and operate it just like I was there. Go to their site to learn
more. Like all free software, they try to sell you their pro version but it’s
not needed for what we do. If you need or want remote control over any
pc, this is the Web-based service to use. You can control another pc from
any other pc with your log-in name and password. And the other pc has
to have the software installed and it set to allow you in. As I say, it seems
to be bullet proof. I have our server with so many security walls installed
that it is like Ft. Knox but this gets in as if no security was on the server
whatsoever. LogMeIn has saved me considerable time and effort working
on other pc’s plus it gives me direct remote access to our network
(through one our office computers).
Gadgets
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There have been few new “revolutionary” gadgets the last few years. At least
in industrial and business computing. There’s been the iPOD and the Wii video
game. As well as other consumer items such as the “Slingbox” and so forth. But
not much new for us. Just improvements of what we already have. For instance,
ink jet printers (unless you REALLY need color) is now a BAD investment. Good
quality laser printers and copiers have dropped below $100. No more messy ink
jet cartridges and laser cartridges last MUCH longer.
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Thin, light-weight
LCD monitors. Hopefully, you’ve dumped most of your old
CRT monitors!
Have you “upgraded” to Microsoft Vista? If not and you’re still thinking about it
– DON’T!. Bugs galore and it is a royal mess. Virtually all Vista sales have been
to major corporations who are under contract to buy whatever MS is selling
today. Stay with XP as long as you can. Midtec continues to buy almost new
Toshiba (favorite brand) laptops on eBay at VERY good prices and desktops built
to order from Microcenter. www.microcenter.com. Microcenter has everything
you need, at good prices and tech support that is more than someone in India
reading from a script.
GADGETS –
lots of new consumer items but little for business. We seem to
have hit a plateau. That’s good! Personally, I’m tired of having to junk
everything and start over every three years! Let’s hope this respite lasts!
Backups
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What!!??
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There are multiple methods of backup. From RAID in your
You’re not backing up all your data every night in
multiple ways?? You are skirting with disaster. 43% of all
companies who are highly dependent on their files and records
who suffer a catastrophic data loss (lose everything including their
backups) NEVER reopen for business. Of those who do, 54%
close within the next 12 months.
server, to individual backups, to flash memory sticks for very
critical data to Web-based automatic backup companies to – the
list goes on and on. Have at least THREE forms of backup of your
most important files. And keep at least two in separate places
and at least one off-site. An on-site copy in a fire-proof box or
safe is a good idea. And make sure you are REALLY backing up.
More than half of all catastrophic data losses happen to companies
who believed they were backing up. But their backups were also
corrupted or were blank! Periodically, look at the data on your
backup media to make sure your backups are really happening!
Services - VOIP
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VOIP – what is it? “Voice Over Internet Protocol”.
Basically, it is routing telephone calls over the Internet. Your long
distance carrier may already be doing some of it and you haven’t
noticed.
Should you opt for “VOIP” when you buy a new phone system?
Never say never but VOIP is often standard or is inexpensive as
an option. Buy it and leave it for the future if you like. BUT
You may never use it. VOIP drops the cost of long distance calls
to nothing to a few cents a minute.
Have you looked at your LD bill lately? It may be the only
expense that keeps going down. “Land-line” LD averages 5 cents
a minute today. I suspect you pay more for your cell phones than
your LD. “VOIP only” commits you to the Internet for LD calls
unless you keep your LD carrier as backup. In spite of claims,
VOIP still has occasional glitches and delays. LD is already so
cheap, is VOIP worth the effort? You decide. Midtec is VOIP-ready
but we don’t use it. Maybe someday. If you want to save on LD,
encourage your salespeople to use their cell phones (if your cell
phone plans have unlimited or usually unused LD minutes).
In Closing
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Wi-Max, T1, T3, cable, satellite, microwave, point-to-point, DSL, ISDN,
100Base-T, analog, digital, ad-hoc, SMTP, POP-3, authentication, fixed IP,
DHCP, SSID, encryption, WLAN, DNS, WAP, pass-through, HTTP, HTTPS,
spread spectrum, bandwidth, SSL, NETBEUI, packet, yada, yada, yada –
How ever much technology you farm out, do NOT let them snow
you! Write everything down and look it up. EVERYTHING can be
“Googled”. Let yourself be snowed and you needlessly open your
wallet and may or may not get what you want!
Checking the calendar, we are well into the 21st century and there
will always be a need for reps – who are pragmatic and change
with the times! That includes adding new technology WHEN and
IF it makes sense to do so.