When I started writing my blog “Real Networking”, I wanted to take a non-conventional look at Technology and how it affects our lives.
Today is my birthday (I’m 44) and the birthday wishes are flooding in from around the country and world from friends and relatives via Facebook and eCards. It is remarkable when you think how much technology has become a part of our social fabric. I’m sure we can all remember, as kids, running to the mailbox for the hallmark card mailed from our Grandparents with the obligatory $5.00 included. I remember grade school when we used exchange little valentines with our classmates. The world has changed quite a bit.
I received a call earlier this week that a good friend of mine had been diagnosed with cancer. This is devastating news for anyone. This news is the most difficult for my friend and his family. All of his friends were devastated as well. Our thoughts and prayers and love go out to him and his family for a quick and speedy recovery.
It is always difficult to gauge how to approach someone who is ill. Do you make them food, do you call, do stop by and visit? The answer to all of that is yes. However, there is a time to do those things and a time to allow people the peace and privacy that they need to spend time with family.
What I have found is Technology really can help bring people closer as well. I spoke to my friend as he was coming home from chemotherapy. In a bit of a haze, he told me some details. I have been getting periodic updates via Texts and was able to find out from him when he would be well enough to receive visitors. All of this was done, without the intrusion into his privacy that phone calls and visits require. A simple text saying that he was at the hospital for testing and would let me know later how things went was all I really needed. He didn’t have to explain his emotions to me; he didn’t have to explain anything. I know he wants to let us know how he’s doing, but on his own terms. This electronic communication also let me reach out and contact our circle of friends to let them know updates for which everyone was grateful.
Obviously texting or emailing is never a substitute for a hug or a handshake or a face to face conversation. It is something different. It allows for a passive form of love and caring that didn’t exist before technology became part of our lives. It allows someone to gently reach out without intrusion, much in the way that conventional mail does. This allows someone, like my friend, to feel in touch without giving up privacy. This allows all of his friends to reach out without intrusion.
I am looking forward to seeing my friend later this week to give him the love and support and a hug that he should have at a time like this. Strangely enough, texting him this week has made me feel more involved without burdening my friend when his focus should be on getting healthy. It has been a difficult week for me to deal with this news, but with some simple technology I feel as though my friend knows we love him and are here for him. I know that all of us can’t wait to come see him and give him a good old fashioned hug that even technology will never be able to replace.
Showing posts with label Secuirty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Secuirty. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
“Would you trade Your Reseller for a Camcorder?”
I used to have a copy of the aforementioned article hanging up in my office many years ago. I have researched a bit to find the article and can’t seem to find either the article or author. Obviously, from the camcorder reference, it was more than a few years ago that I found the article. I used to take copies of the article and hand it out to new salespeople that I hired. The message back them is the same as it is now. Business Partners are valuable. Make yourself valuable to your clients and surround yourself with valuable business partners.
The message from the article, in summary, was to make yourself valuable enough to a client that they wouldn’t exchange your services for even a $700 camcorder. At its face value, perhaps this seems a bit absurd….trade a business partner for a camcorder?!? How about something more current, how about a flat screen TV, a laptop computer, an iPAD?!? We all have people that we deal with in business who do nothing more than “order take”. Would I trade them for an iPad? I might. It really depends on if I consider them an asset to my company and specifically to me. Really it is whether they have value to me specifically and my ability to conduct my day to day business. Are they looking to line their pockets with a quick hit or are they “covering my back” when I am too busy to mess around with details? Do they stop me when I need to be stopped and do they help me move faster when I don’t need to mess with details? If they are a trusted business partner, they are hired for making me better at my job. The incremental dollar difference in dealing with someone who is an invaluable part of my business makes them a far more profitable asset than any extra markup, fee or hourly charge I receive while working with them. In nearly 20 years of running a business, I have never seen an exception to this rule.
This article speaks to the underlying value of any business relationship. Are you an order taker? Are you a commodity? Do you bring value to a client who would be hard pressed to replace you? If they do replace you, would they get the same quality business partner?
Let’s use the case of a networking reseller as an example. In very frank terms, most of us sell similar products and services. Most of us have quality engineers who do quality work. With all things being equal, how is it that some salespeople/business partners have customers for decades and others can’t stay at a company for more than a year? The long term employees have become an asset to the company, and in return reap the benefits of a relationship.
This can be said about anyone in a work place. Would your boss replace you in exchange for a cruise, a TV or an iPod? The more you bring as an asset to the company, the more your value rises within the organization. Great people surround themselves with the best business partners they can find. You should do the same.
In a commoditized world, a box can be purchased everywhere. The knowledge and skill of a trusted business partner is very difficult to replace and even more difficult to emulate. We all have trusted business partners and or resellers. There are suppliers, consultants, manufacturers, accountants and lawyers with whom I have long enduring relationships. Even when their prices are higher, or there is a disagreement, I find these partners to be an asset to the organization. Would I trade one of these business partners for a 50 inch Sony LCD TV? Never! I know that the $2,500.00 TV doesn’t even approach the amount of money this select group of people has helped our organization earn over the years. Consequently, I tend not to worry too much about the price of their goods and services as by dealing with them, and paying a premium for their expertise, the company saves far more than the difference in fees of less qualified people. Our organization makes up for the added expense for these professionals by using their insight, knowledge connections and services to make great business decisions. You should as well. Your business partners will not only help your company achieve its goals, but even more importantly they will make you better at your job.
The message from the article, in summary, was to make yourself valuable enough to a client that they wouldn’t exchange your services for even a $700 camcorder. At its face value, perhaps this seems a bit absurd….trade a business partner for a camcorder?!? How about something more current, how about a flat screen TV, a laptop computer, an iPAD?!? We all have people that we deal with in business who do nothing more than “order take”. Would I trade them for an iPad? I might. It really depends on if I consider them an asset to my company and specifically to me. Really it is whether they have value to me specifically and my ability to conduct my day to day business. Are they looking to line their pockets with a quick hit or are they “covering my back” when I am too busy to mess around with details? Do they stop me when I need to be stopped and do they help me move faster when I don’t need to mess with details? If they are a trusted business partner, they are hired for making me better at my job. The incremental dollar difference in dealing with someone who is an invaluable part of my business makes them a far more profitable asset than any extra markup, fee or hourly charge I receive while working with them. In nearly 20 years of running a business, I have never seen an exception to this rule.
This article speaks to the underlying value of any business relationship. Are you an order taker? Are you a commodity? Do you bring value to a client who would be hard pressed to replace you? If they do replace you, would they get the same quality business partner?
Let’s use the case of a networking reseller as an example. In very frank terms, most of us sell similar products and services. Most of us have quality engineers who do quality work. With all things being equal, how is it that some salespeople/business partners have customers for decades and others can’t stay at a company for more than a year? The long term employees have become an asset to the company, and in return reap the benefits of a relationship.
This can be said about anyone in a work place. Would your boss replace you in exchange for a cruise, a TV or an iPod? The more you bring as an asset to the company, the more your value rises within the organization. Great people surround themselves with the best business partners they can find. You should do the same.
In a commoditized world, a box can be purchased everywhere. The knowledge and skill of a trusted business partner is very difficult to replace and even more difficult to emulate. We all have trusted business partners and or resellers. There are suppliers, consultants, manufacturers, accountants and lawyers with whom I have long enduring relationships. Even when their prices are higher, or there is a disagreement, I find these partners to be an asset to the organization. Would I trade one of these business partners for a 50 inch Sony LCD TV? Never! I know that the $2,500.00 TV doesn’t even approach the amount of money this select group of people has helped our organization earn over the years. Consequently, I tend not to worry too much about the price of their goods and services as by dealing with them, and paying a premium for their expertise, the company saves far more than the difference in fees of less qualified people. Our organization makes up for the added expense for these professionals by using their insight, knowledge connections and services to make great business decisions. You should as well. Your business partners will not only help your company achieve its goals, but even more importantly they will make you better at your job.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
What’s Your Mission?
I just watched a video of former AOL/Time Warner CEO, Gerald Levin apologizing for the “Worst Deal of the Century” in reference to the 164 billion dollar merger bettween Time Warner and AOL. That statement, in itself, is remarkable from a CEO. The statement is stunning for numerous reasons, but if you watch the video Mr. Levin talks about his former company not having a mission. He refers to it as a “culture”. If you know what he’s talking about, it’s being part of an organization with a soul.
Why is this important to Techno folks like us? The real question is what isn’t important about this to the IT departments of the world. If I were able to get back the hours upon hours I have spent speaking with a support engineer to get some piece of technology running, I could add an extra ten years to my life. My point is that, as technology folks, we spend a huge amount of time getting the individual pieces to work correctly. We spend almost no time getting the people who work with us and for us working together with an overall purpose.
We spend too much time looking at the trees and forget about the forest. Here is a suggestion. Start with a simple mission. You could choose something like “let’s create the best phone call return policy in the entire company”. It sounds small, but it IS a mission and does create a bit of a “we’re all in this together” approach to working in a department. Ta Da! Culture.
Culture is very elusive subject for most companies. It is elusive because most companies just take it for what it is. If you have ever entered an Apple retail store, you can almost feel the culture oozing from the store, the people and its products. This is not an accident. This culture has been deliberately created and fostered by Apple’s founder Steve Jobs.
Computers and companies can be cool…..really! For that matter, so can a department. One of my favorite types of customers to visit are the advertising firms. It’s remarkable how different they all are. Some are intellectually funny, and some are whoopee cushion funny. Each has their own personality, unique and complimentary to whom they are and the clients they serve.
It all stems from a basic mission. Do you know what the mission of your company or departments is? Do something unique. Do something daring. You don’t really want to be known as just the guy or gal who fixes computers….do you? Wouldn’t it be cool to be known as the best department inside the company because you and your colleagues along with being knowledgeable are great to deal with? Dare I say it….fun?!? Try setting up a twitter account for everyone who you service. Send them out a weekly “hey, did you know if you….. you computer would work better or check out this cool web site?” Simple but effective! If you don't know how to do it, drop me a line, I would be happy to help you get this going.
Carpe Diem! (Latin for “seize the day”) Make that difference! Change something! It’s a new year! Expand your horizons! Create a mission for 2010, even a simple one. Create the rabid following and appreciation for you and your co-workers that you deserve.
A Happy and Prosperous 2010 to all!!!!
Why is this important to Techno folks like us? The real question is what isn’t important about this to the IT departments of the world. If I were able to get back the hours upon hours I have spent speaking with a support engineer to get some piece of technology running, I could add an extra ten years to my life. My point is that, as technology folks, we spend a huge amount of time getting the individual pieces to work correctly. We spend almost no time getting the people who work with us and for us working together with an overall purpose.
We spend too much time looking at the trees and forget about the forest. Here is a suggestion. Start with a simple mission. You could choose something like “let’s create the best phone call return policy in the entire company”. It sounds small, but it IS a mission and does create a bit of a “we’re all in this together” approach to working in a department. Ta Da! Culture.
Culture is very elusive subject for most companies. It is elusive because most companies just take it for what it is. If you have ever entered an Apple retail store, you can almost feel the culture oozing from the store, the people and its products. This is not an accident. This culture has been deliberately created and fostered by Apple’s founder Steve Jobs.
Computers and companies can be cool…..really! For that matter, so can a department. One of my favorite types of customers to visit are the advertising firms. It’s remarkable how different they all are. Some are intellectually funny, and some are whoopee cushion funny. Each has their own personality, unique and complimentary to whom they are and the clients they serve.
It all stems from a basic mission. Do you know what the mission of your company or departments is? Do something unique. Do something daring. You don’t really want to be known as just the guy or gal who fixes computers….do you? Wouldn’t it be cool to be known as the best department inside the company because you and your colleagues along with being knowledgeable are great to deal with? Dare I say it….fun?!? Try setting up a twitter account for everyone who you service. Send them out a weekly “hey, did you know if you….. you computer would work better or check out this cool web site?” Simple but effective! If you don't know how to do it, drop me a line, I would be happy to help you get this going.
Carpe Diem! (Latin for “seize the day”) Make that difference! Change something! It’s a new year! Expand your horizons! Create a mission for 2010, even a simple one. Create the rabid following and appreciation for you and your co-workers that you deserve.
A Happy and Prosperous 2010 to all!!!!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Using Twitter the Right Way
Is Twitter important?!? It depends who you are following. I have a myriad of friends who are now part of the ever expanding Twitter community. I have everyone from college friends to business associates who I follow and who follow me on Twitter. What does this get me? I’m not entirely sure.
Although we are all interested in how our friends are doing, I am not sure how much of a necessity it is for me to find out that the man standing in front of you at Starbucks smells like rotten cottage cheese. A great quote from the Host of “The Daily Show” John Stewart reads, “The Internet is just the world passing around notes in a classroom” really applies to Twitter.
I don’t need to know that you just had a great workout. I don’t need to know that you are proud of how well your daughter did during her ballet recital. Neither do the rest of you. Would you walk into a room with a bunch of people and make that statement? Of course you wouldn’t….well unless your mom was there and you were talking about her grandchild….always a captive audience.
When you want to engage in a conversation with someone it usually starts off with a question. “How are you doing”? The other person elicits a response. “TA-DA”… you now have meaningful dialogue. Simply put, this is what twitter should be used for in business. I am calling on everyone to use Twitter for good and not evil. I am always interested in what other people are doing and the challenges they face during the day. I already know everything about me. I want to know more about you. I try not to assume that I am that interesting, and neither should you. Chances are that you are very interesting, just not in the way you think you are. I am going to be trying a new experiment on Twitter and need everyone’s help. For those of you on Twitter, please sign up to follow my profile. I am on twitter as dankatz1 . When you sign on make sure to follow me for mobile updates. I will do the same on my end as well. For those of you who have not signed on to Twitter, now is the time. Its free, it won’t hurt and I promise you the information that we share will be useful.
Why will my information be useful? Because will not be my information. It will be your information. I would like to pose questions to those following me and share the responses. I want Twitter to be an open dialogue of those people following me so that we can all share information. I’ll even tell you what the first question is going to be. “What do you think is the coolest website on the Internet that no one knows about but should?” …Computer, Travel, business? Sign up and let’s start a dialogue. If you need help getting a Twitter account rolling, call me I’m always here to help.
Although we are all interested in how our friends are doing, I am not sure how much of a necessity it is for me to find out that the man standing in front of you at Starbucks smells like rotten cottage cheese. A great quote from the Host of “The Daily Show” John Stewart reads, “The Internet is just the world passing around notes in a classroom” really applies to Twitter.
I don’t need to know that you just had a great workout. I don’t need to know that you are proud of how well your daughter did during her ballet recital. Neither do the rest of you. Would you walk into a room with a bunch of people and make that statement? Of course you wouldn’t….well unless your mom was there and you were talking about her grandchild….always a captive audience.
When you want to engage in a conversation with someone it usually starts off with a question. “How are you doing”? The other person elicits a response. “TA-DA”… you now have meaningful dialogue. Simply put, this is what twitter should be used for in business. I am calling on everyone to use Twitter for good and not evil. I am always interested in what other people are doing and the challenges they face during the day. I already know everything about me. I want to know more about you. I try not to assume that I am that interesting, and neither should you. Chances are that you are very interesting, just not in the way you think you are. I am going to be trying a new experiment on Twitter and need everyone’s help. For those of you on Twitter, please sign up to follow my profile. I am on twitter as dankatz1 . When you sign on make sure to follow me for mobile updates. I will do the same on my end as well. For those of you who have not signed on to Twitter, now is the time. Its free, it won’t hurt and I promise you the information that we share will be useful.
Why will my information be useful? Because will not be my information. It will be your information. I would like to pose questions to those following me and share the responses. I want Twitter to be an open dialogue of those people following me so that we can all share information. I’ll even tell you what the first question is going to be. “What do you think is the coolest website on the Internet that no one knows about but should?” …Computer, Travel, business? Sign up and let’s start a dialogue. If you need help getting a Twitter account rolling, call me I’m always here to help.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Thanksgiving
Thanks.
All too often this simple word is missed during business conversation. I know that during the day to day operations of my company, we say thanks in many non-verbal ways. We say thanks by continuing to do business with suppliers who do good work for the company. We say thanks by giving a raise to an employee who has met or exceeded goals during the course of a year. We give thanks to our customers by picking up the cost of freight or adding additional discount for continued patronage. The truth is that as human beings we assume, to our detriment, that everyone knows we are grateful for the things we receive from others.
Business tends to be very "black and white" and "by the numbers". As President of an organization, I find myself often dealing in absolutes. During thanksgiving, I always take time to reflect on the people who make our business possible. I am thankful for our manufacturer reps. who go to bat to get a deal done for a customer and help us in a pinch. I am thankful for our distributors who go the extra mile to get product and services out on time and get us a price that keeps us competitive. I am thankful for our consultants, who sit and listen to crazy ideas and turn them into a workable plan. I am thankful for our customers, who put their trust, and in some rare cases, their careers on the line, trusting that my company will do right by them. I am thankful for our employees, for without them there is no company. I am thankful for my friends, who, among other things, convince me to go for a bike ride when I need one. I am thankful for my family, who tolerates the endless hours spent working. I am thankful for my wife, who even when she doesn't understand what's bothering me, pretends she does and makes me feel better by doing so.
The world is a very different place than it was 18 months ago. There is much worry and uncertainty and instability. What makes this world manageable for me is that I have many wonderful people that make up my professional and personal world. If I haven't said it lately. Simply put.......
Thanks
All too often this simple word is missed during business conversation. I know that during the day to day operations of my company, we say thanks in many non-verbal ways. We say thanks by continuing to do business with suppliers who do good work for the company. We say thanks by giving a raise to an employee who has met or exceeded goals during the course of a year. We give thanks to our customers by picking up the cost of freight or adding additional discount for continued patronage. The truth is that as human beings we assume, to our detriment, that everyone knows we are grateful for the things we receive from others.
Business tends to be very "black and white" and "by the numbers". As President of an organization, I find myself often dealing in absolutes. During thanksgiving, I always take time to reflect on the people who make our business possible. I am thankful for our manufacturer reps. who go to bat to get a deal done for a customer and help us in a pinch. I am thankful for our distributors who go the extra mile to get product and services out on time and get us a price that keeps us competitive. I am thankful for our consultants, who sit and listen to crazy ideas and turn them into a workable plan. I am thankful for our customers, who put their trust, and in some rare cases, their careers on the line, trusting that my company will do right by them. I am thankful for our employees, for without them there is no company. I am thankful for my friends, who, among other things, convince me to go for a bike ride when I need one. I am thankful for my family, who tolerates the endless hours spent working. I am thankful for my wife, who even when she doesn't understand what's bothering me, pretends she does and makes me feel better by doing so.
The world is a very different place than it was 18 months ago. There is much worry and uncertainty and instability. What makes this world manageable for me is that I have many wonderful people that make up my professional and personal world. If I haven't said it lately. Simply put.......
Thanks
Monday, November 23, 2009
Leveraging Technology in a Challenging Economy
Technology can be a funny thing. On one hand, when there is extra money available, companies can't seem to buy enough technology. When money is short, companies will do everything they can to avoid purchasing technology. Ironically, this is the exact opposite approach that should be taken.
Having run a business for the better part of 18 years the time we find new technology the most helpful is when money is tight. How could this be you ask? Simple. Technology should always create revenue. This can be done in one of two ways.
1. Technology can reduce costs (i.e. doing more with less)
2. Generate additional revenue.
I'm sure you are thinking "that all well and good, but if I don't have money to buy anything, what am I supposed to do?!?" Actually that question is really part of the problem.
If you have don't have money, you need to generate more money by either cutting costs or raising revenues. Most companies, even Cisco Systems (a company we represent), offers an amazing array of financing options including 0% financing options. So really what you end up with is a very pure business equation. Is the amount of money that will be spent per month on technology generate an equal or greater amount of revenue through cost saving or additional sales. ...starts to make sense doesn't it?!?
First and foremost, I run a business. I have always treated internal decisions from the perspective of "if it doesn't make us money, we are not doing it". The trick when making a statement like this is understanding that by financing, or leasing equipment, the monetary impact is spread out over many months. It is unrealistic to think that by purchasing a $24,000 piece of equipment that it will generate savings or efficiencies in the first month to cover that cost. However, if you spread it out over a 24 month period with financing, the effect to cash flow is $1000 per month. Now with this information, the question to ask is...."will the purchase of technology bring us enough revenue gain to cover $1000 per month over the next 24 months? More often than not, the answer will be yes. You wouldn't put headcount in your company unless you knew they would pay for themselves over time..... You should ask the same question about you technology decisions.
Having run a business for the better part of 18 years the time we find new technology the most helpful is when money is tight. How could this be you ask? Simple. Technology should always create revenue. This can be done in one of two ways.
1. Technology can reduce costs (i.e. doing more with less)
2. Generate additional revenue.
I'm sure you are thinking "that all well and good, but if I don't have money to buy anything, what am I supposed to do?!?" Actually that question is really part of the problem.
If you have don't have money, you need to generate more money by either cutting costs or raising revenues. Most companies, even Cisco Systems (a company we represent), offers an amazing array of financing options including 0% financing options. So really what you end up with is a very pure business equation. Is the amount of money that will be spent per month on technology generate an equal or greater amount of revenue through cost saving or additional sales. ...starts to make sense doesn't it?!?
First and foremost, I run a business. I have always treated internal decisions from the perspective of "if it doesn't make us money, we are not doing it". The trick when making a statement like this is understanding that by financing, or leasing equipment, the monetary impact is spread out over many months. It is unrealistic to think that by purchasing a $24,000 piece of equipment that it will generate savings or efficiencies in the first month to cover that cost. However, if you spread it out over a 24 month period with financing, the effect to cash flow is $1000 per month. Now with this information, the question to ask is...."will the purchase of technology bring us enough revenue gain to cover $1000 per month over the next 24 months? More often than not, the answer will be yes. You wouldn't put headcount in your company unless you knew they would pay for themselves over time..... You should ask the same question about you technology decisions.
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