Archive for the ‘Productivity’ Category
Description of ‘Productivity’ Category: Posts dealing with ratcheting up the work you can get done, usually appears in tandem with a tool that helps accomplish this.
Thursday, November 10th, 2011
Distraction can be a major obstacle for most people in the work environment. Filtering out the noise and staying focused on your daily tasks is often much easier said than done. Our daily routines, electronic devices, and environment all have the potential to stand in the way of us completing crucial assignments. The average distraction takes a person anywhere from 2-15 minutes to recover from once the distraction is actually removed. In order to overcome these distractions and conserve your precious work time you should try to incorporate some of the following suggestions into your work habits. For the purpose of this article the daily distractions that we encounter have been broken down into three categories mental, physical, and environmental. 
Dealing with Mental Distractions:
Have a Firm Stance-
Dealing with and overcoming distractions is no easy task which is why it is important for you to stand your ground. Know that your time crucial, understand that what you are working on is important, and recognize that it needs to get done.
Stop Procrastinating-
It is important that you break the habit of procrastination. Continuously pushing back work will only push it further from your mind and will make completing it even more stressful. People who say that procrastinating helps them because they work better under pressure are most likely just trying to justify a poor habit and would most likely work just as well if they were motivated to complete the task sooner.
Relax-
If you find that you are too stressed to work there is no point in stressing yourself out any worst. Find something that you like doing or and put your mind at ease for a little while. Try taking a few minutes for you by staying loose, listening to relaxing music, or reading un-work related material.
Be Well Rested-
Ensure that you get a good night’s sleep and that your body and mind is well rested, flexed, and ready for work. Exercising, reading the morning paper, and solving puzzles will help wake and keep your brain in gear.
Dress the Part-
What you wear often reflects how you feel. Wear the clothes that exude your confidence because it will most likely be shown though your work as well.
Reward Your Self-
Celebrate your accomplishments don’t just move immediately onto your next task. Have some kind of system that lets your brain relax and take a short break from work. Moving from task to task without any acknowledgement is a surefire way to burn out quickly. Going out to party every time you finish your work is a little much but perhaps you can do something small and personal like check out your favorite website, get coffee, take a walk, or call a friend.
Dealing with Physical Distractions:
Take on Bite Sized Chunks-
Start with the easiest assignments. Once they are completed feel good about your work and carry forward with that same momentum onto your next job at hand.
Watch out for Menial Activities-
Menial activities like washing out your coffee cup, opening mail, and sharpening your pencils can be used as a welcomed distraction from work but they can also unintentionally take up too much time. Reserve some time in your schedule to complete these activities or you could also use these tasks as breaks in between your other job assignments.
Be Prepared-
Make sure you have what you need before you get started so that there are no excuses to take any unnecessary break.
Eat, Drink, Sleep and Exercise-
Make sure your body has fuel and is well rested. Exercise is a great way to stimulate your mind and body as well as to stay energized throughout your day. Drinking too much coffee can often make it hard to focus so you may want to consider drinking tea.
Filter out the Noise-
Soft music, soothing sounds, and static noise can be helpful with relaxing because it helps to filter out the other noise distractions that you might encounter.
Minimize Interruptions from your Coworkers-
Use your email auto-responders to let others know that you are hard at work on something that requires your full attention. If a coworker does stop you from working avoid being rude, try saying something nice, then explain to them that you need to get back to work and maybe set up a time to catch up later.
Set aside your Own Time-
Schedule some time to take care of the stuff that would normally cause you to be distracted while working.
Organize and Prioritize-
Use a calendar or project management software that lets you create task reminders and set priorities to your specific assignments.
Complete Tasks as they Present-
Try to avoid picking up the same assignment twice. Make sure that when you receive something, that you complete it and then move on, don’t do part of it and then come back to it later because that can cause more distractions.
Dealing with Environmental Distractions:
Close the Door-
Close your office door, close the blind, and concentrate on your work. Cutting out visual distractions lets you keep the task at hand in sight at all times.
Turn off what you don’t Need-
The computer, the Internet, and your cell phone can all be a huge distraction. If they aren’t being used turn them off so that you can maintain your focus on your work.
Check the Temperature-
Maintain a decent temperature in your work environment. Too hot can put you to sleep where as too cold will make it so that you can only think about how cold it is.
Clean up the Mess-
Clean your office and organize your files so you can easily find what you are looking for and aren’t subconsciously impacting your productivity.
Get comfy but not too comfortable-
Be comfortable in your workspace but if you find that your desk chair, temperature, or lighting arrangement causes you to be drowsy then you should change it.
Hope some of these tips will be able to help you regain your focus and stay motivated while working.
For additional help for relaxing in your workspace check out 10 ways to relaxify your workspace!
Thanks for Reading!
Dustin
CDTek.com
Tags: distractions, focus, Productivity, work environment, workplace
Posted in Productivity, Small Business Tips | No Comments »
Friday, October 7th, 2011
Small businesses can often be overwhelmed with the amount of digital information that they have to retain for their business to operate correctly. Over time, the buildup of work documents, project files, client proposals, and employee information can often get out of hand. Which is why a few weeks back we wrote an article called “Organizing Your Office Equipment and Improving Your Work Environment”. This article proposed several solutions to maintain a file organization system for small businesses. However in the article we neglected to mention how digital data clutter can be just as hard on the stresses of our everyday job tasks. This is why to keep your office running proficiently it is important to perform routine digital housekeeping.
Digital housekeeping is the sorting, organizing, and discarding of old or unused electronic data. There are many elements to this type of cleaning. Although easy to do tasks like emptying your computers recycling bin are a good start there are many more layers that are often overlooked. Digital housekeeping isn’t only meant for your computer, it also covers mobile devices and other electronic office equipment. The following list is some suggestions to help you manage your office’s digital clutter.
Clearing Your Desktop:
- Remove unused shortcuts from your desktop and desktop toolbar.
- Keep only important and frequently used programs on your desktop or on the desktop toolbar.
- Put the programs that you use occasionally in a desktop folder.
- Empty the Recycling Bin.
Cleaning Your Hard Drive:
- Routinely perform the defragmentation process. (Start /Programs/ Accessories/ System Tools)
- Use Disk Cleanup to search out and remove unused files and folders. (Also in System Tools)
- Uninstall unused programs.
(To edit your programs enter the Control Panel, open the Add or Remove Programs function (Windows Vista and 7 “Programs and Features”). When the list of programs populates, select any program that you wish to amend. You can even sort by the last used date or installed date. Follow the uninstall procedures for each individual program and restart your computer if necessary.)
- Manager your Startup Folder.
(In order to fine-tune the startup folder you will need to access the system configuration folder. This can be done by expanding the Start menu, Clicking Run and then typing MSCONFIG. (Windows 7 uses the Search application instead of RUN.) Once the Configuration window appears click the Startup tab and carefully select the programs that you are positive that you do not need for startup.)
Updating and Using Malware:
- Use programs like McAfee Protection Software or Norton Security Essentials to identify and eliminate threats that can cause your equipment to run slower.
- Keep windows up-to-date using Windows Automatic Update.
Organizing Your Media Content:
- Delete duplicate file or files no longer being used.
- Keep the different types of media grouped together in separate folders.
- Create sub folders for extra organization and navigation.
Cleaning Your Internet Browser:
- Access your internet options to clear history and cache.
- Delete unused bookmarks.
- Add bookmark folders for easier navigation.
Organizing Email:
- Delete junk mail, outdated emails, sent mail, and old drafts.
- Create sub folders for emails so they don’t build up in your inbox.
- Establish rules in Microsoft Outlook so that emails are automatically delivered to the correct subfolder.
Managing Your Smartphone:
- Remove unused photos, movies, or music files.
- Delete unused applications.
- Clear out old notes in the text editor.
- Clear browsing history and map locations.
- Delete old and unneeded emails.
Cleaning and Disposing of Electronic Devices:
- Computers and external equipment should be cleaned routinely in order to prevent unnecessary problems caused by dust.
- Clean the area surrounding the device before cleaning it.
- Always spray the cleaning solutions on a rag first. Never apply directly to the electronic device.
- Avoid throwing out electronics with your everyday garbage.
- If you are getting an upgrade or newer model, donate or sell your old device.
- Shop with companies that use a “Take Back” program.
- Make it a priority to shop with companies with “Green Principals”
- Locate local e-waste recycling and disposal centers.
It is important to make a routine time to clean up your office’s digital clutter. Letting electronic data overwhelm your office will often only make it more difficult to focus, locate important information, and much more difficult clearing it away in the future.
Thanks for Reading!
Dustin
CDTek.com
Tags: digital, digital clutter, digital housekeeping, electronic clutter, electronic data, folder, program, Small Business
Posted in Business Tools, Computers, Productivity, Small Business Tips | No Comments »
Thursday, September 22nd, 2011
At one time or another you may have realized that you no longer have the productive and organized workspace that you once had. Keeping a clean and organized work environment can be extremely beneficial and can provide help with the completion of everyday work assignments. An unorganized office isn’t necessarily always a sign of a lazy or messy person. In reality a disheveled workspace could actually be a symptom of an extremely constructive and creative individual who has chosen to prioritize the completion of work over the organization of their office. 
For some, once a workspace reaches a level of disarray they are triggered to clean and organize. However for others it may be tempting to accept the new conditions and continue working in a jumbled and confusing work area. If you are struggling to keep an organized office or are looking to create a better and fresh work environment then you may want to consider some of the following suggestions. Along with these suggestions are reasons why you should establish positive organizational skills for yourself.
- Standardize a Process for Reviewing and Storing Documents
Establish a routine for identifying, reviewing, and archiving your documents. Start by identifying the task and assigning it a priority amongst your other work assignments. File and organize the documents in their designated location as you receive them in order to prevent a buildup of unsorted files. Perform a daily review of your action items and take inventory on what still needs to be addressed or the completed assignments that can now be archived or disposed of. You should also perform weekly and monthly reviews, this is where you can take the time to move completed projects to your archives as well as clean out the older items from your filing cabinet.
- Organize your mail and other documents.
Just like with email it is beneficial to keep your mail sorted in stackable letter trays or other types of document holders. A document holder can make it is easier to differentiate and prioritize incoming and outgoing mail items. Also try designating sections for current important action items and potential or on hold items. In addition create a file system using either a filing cabinet or an expandable portfolio folder. Create sections for the various needs of your work and label them clearly for easy retrieval.
- Discard old and irrelevant Documents.
Once you have identified items that you no longer need discard them in the trash, recycling, or use a shredder. Set up a trash can near your desk so you are not tempted to hang on to unneeded material. Allowing old documents to pile up will quickly consume important work space and can create unnecessary clutter at your work station. Be sure to keep all important material for the proper amount of time and only discard once no longer required, for example company financial and most employee records should be maintained for 7 years.
- Use a scanner to import documents.
Instead of maintaining the actual hard copy files use a scanner to import them on your computer. Storing your documents electronically will leave extra room on your desk and in your file cabinets.
- Use a desktop or virtual calendar.
Although post it notes and memo pads can help in certain situations it is better to utilize a calendar, software like Microsoft Outlook, or an agenda book to keep your thoughts, appointments, and to dos in one location.
Whether it’s a folder, drawer, or computer cables use a label to clearly identify it and its contents.
- Manager Computer and other electronic cords.
Keep your cords neatly organized and labeled in case they get disconnected. There are several products on the market that can help with cord control and desktop storage. Some of these products include the Belkin mini surge protector and USB charger, Cable IDs, 2 Pod Charging Station, GearGripper, Desktop Workstation, Calendar Mouse pad, Oxo Good Grips Cord and Cable Clip, Cable Zipper, Case Logic Cable ties, and the Cable Yoyo.
- Try to minimize eating at your desk.
Eating at your desk can lead to crumbs and spills. If possible try to eat away from your desk so that your office equipment stays clean.
- Remove any books that you no longer need or use.
If you have a bookshelf or a pile of books in your office, group them in categories so you can easily access the one you are looking for. Take home any books that you no longer use or store them somewhere out of sight in your office.
- Personalize but don’t over personalize.
Personalizing your office space can be a great way to relax and feel comfortable at work, however adding too many family pictures or personal object can be distracting and look cluttered.
- Have a properly lit workspace.
Make sure your work environment is adequately lit. A brightly lit office will be easier to spot messes and keep clean.
- Establish Equipment proximity based on usage.
Place the most frequently used office equipment closest to you and the devices that you use the least the furthest. For example if you use your printer the most have it in a close proximity to your workspace.
- Use a Desk Organizer and limit the amount of office supplies.
Purchase an Office Supply Organizer to keep your office supplies organized. Limit the number of supplies to only what you use and store the rest until needed. Try to keep your supplies grouped together, pens with pens and pencils with pencils.
- Have a space for your pocket items.
Instead of clogging up your desk space have a location such as a tray or a drawer for personal pocket items like your keys, wallet, and cell phone.
- Schedule a time to clean.
The only way to keep your office clean is to schedule a routine cleaning time or pay a cleaning service to clean every so often.
Some of the Benefits of having an Organized Work Environment:
- More Desk Space to work with and keep you productive.
- Less Clutter which will reduce stress and anger.
- Cleaner, more hygienic, and better for your health.
- Reduces search time by helping you keep track of your stuff and find it quickly.
- Provides a positive personal and professional appearance.
- Presents Less visual distractions allowing you to be more focused on the tasks at hand and prioritize your goals better.
These are only a few tips to keeping your workspace organized and each is based on the 5 S’s Process. The five S’s process refers to Sorting, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain. Being organized can be a major factor in the workplace. By taking the time to organize your workplace there are huge possibilities for increasing efficiency and productivity.
Thanks for Reading!
Dustin
CDTek.com
Tags: desk, document storage, office equipment, Office Space, Organization, Productivity, workspace
Posted in Productivity, Small Business Tips | No Comments »
Friday, June 10th, 2011
Over the past couple of years the number of resources available for small businesses has grown tremendously with the growth of new technology. With innovative technology like Smartphones and tablet PC’s, businesses now have access to a number of applications that are designed for a variety of professions. Cutting costs are important for most businesses but it is also important that they retain their quality which is why many companies have begun to utilize the free or low cost applications to assist with day to day operations. When using these applications, business professionals are able to elevate their service and productivity to a whole new level.
from http://www.apple.com/ipad/, June 2011
The Apple iPad is a great example of how mobile technology has revolutionized the manner in which both large and small businesses can operate. A recent commercial from Apple showcases the iPad in use in different work and social environments. The commercial really speaks to how we can successfully integrate technology into our daily lives and expand on all our experiences. The iPad commercial sets a positive tone for the future of our technology as it advertises that this is only the beginning and this type of technology is “just getting started”.
The following applications are completely free and cover a wide range of uses. These innovative developments cover activities like business development, communication, marketing, payment and sales, customer management, and much more. Many of the mobile applications listed below work across different devices and platforms like the BlackBerry, iPhone, iPad, and Android devices.
Email Marketing: Communicate with your customers. Don’t wait for them to come to you, go to them.
- Tiny Letter– This is an easy to use service that lets a user type and design email newsletters. The service will send them out according to the specifications set by the customer.
- MailChimp- With MailChimp you can Design, send, share on social networks, and track your email campaigns. This service lets you send up to 20,000 emails and have 2,000 subscribers completely free.
Professional Development: Add, follow, and manage professional relationships with clients, co-workers, and associates.
- NoteLeaf– After scheduling a meeting on your Google calendar this phone app will send out an alert prior to the meeting. The alert provides the user with important meeting information like who you’re meeting, a picture of who you’re meeting, where you’re meeting them, directions how to get there, the time of the meeting, a link to quick contact in case you’re running late, and other specified information.
- Card Munch– With this service you can take a picture of a business card and it will be transcribed into a contact format. The actual transcription is reviewed by real team of individuals to ensure accuracy. Card Munch not only places the new contact in your phones primary contact folder but also adds the contact in its own in app contact folder. This app also backs up all scanned contacts for an easy sync process and uses the logos on the business cards as the person’s picture.
- Bump– Lets two individuals exchange contact info, pictures, videos, music, and other information just by bumping their phones together.
Presentations: Prepare notes, design, and execute presentations flawlessly without spending.
- Slideshare- With Slideshare customers can create, upload, and access a presentation from anywhere with an Internet connection.
- 280 Slides- Allows users to create or upload existing presentation directly in the browser. These presentations are stored on a server and can be accessed from any location at any time. Customers can upload images or videos and include them in their presentations. They can also export the created slideshow as a PowerPoint presentation.
Backup and File Sharing: Backup your information on cloud storage and easily share files with other users.
- Amazon Cloud Drive- Amazon offers 5GB free of online storage. Users can store, share, and access their data from anywhere.
- Dropbox- Dropbox Lets users places up to 2GB of content into their drop box and automatically syncs their drop box contents to their other devices. The content is also stored on the Drop Box site so that it is never lost and can be shared easily with other users.
- Box.net- Box.net offers 5BG free data so that users can upload, manage, and share business resources online.
Customer Relationship Management: Acquire and keep your customers satisfied.
- SalesForce Mobile– Keeps your customer records and information at your fingertips where ever you are. The mobile version of this is free but users will need to pay a minimum of $2 to be an actual Sales Force web customer.
Video Production: Create and Share marketing videos with your audience.
- Ustream.tv– Easily stream live events, build an audience, and express your message to your customers.
- Live Stream– This is a broadcasting platform that lets you connect and engage your audiences as you share your message across the web and mobile devices.
Social Media Monitoring: Stay connected with your following and monitor your social media impact.
- Postling- This service helps customers create content, stay organized, and reach out to their customers.
- Crowdbooster – Measures your social performance on Twitter and Facebook and helps customers optimize for social media marketing.
Time Management and Note Taking: Increase your efficiency by knowing what is going on and when it is happening.
- Workflowy- Organize all of your thoughts in one place, categorize them, and review them easily. Workflowy is as easy to use as a simple text editor and can increase productivity and organization.
- Evernote- This web app allows users to save or make note of virtually anything imaginable. It also offers several compatible mobile apps that expand on the experience. With Evernote users can save anything, organize it, and access it anywhere.
Legal Advice: Get your Legal questions and find out the latest new on legal cases.
- Law Pivot- U sers can find answers to all their confidential legal questions at Law Pivot. After a user submits their questions the Law Pivot team identifies qualified lawyers to answer the question. They then send back multiple answers to the user.
Communications: Don’t limit your business to expensive phone services that lack options and important features.
- Google Voice- This service works with any existing phone service plan and offers some great features like one number, this option lets users choose one number for multiple phones. The Google Voice number will control which ever phone(s) the user selects. The service can be customized for specific callers or calling times, also the service transcribes voice mail to a written and organized communication record.
- Skype– Is an Internet phone company that offers free Skype to Skype calls, one to one video calls, instant messaging, and screen sharing. Skype also offers a ton of other features with their payment plans.
Customer and Employee Training : Teach your customers and employees through online courses and videos.
- Mindflash- Create employee training courses from scratch or existing material. Mindflash enables employers to track the progress of their trainees and also includes tests and quizzes.
- Udemy- Lets users create online teaching videos for any subject matter. These videos can be used as promotional tools to generate customer awareness or as an educational resource for customers and employees.
Customer Support: Connect with your clients
- Zopim- Provides a live chat widget where the business can perform live sales and provide customer support. The widget works across multiple browser and even works across mobile devices.
Group Building and Collaboration: Create an effective and collaborative environment where people enjoy communicating with each other.
- Teamly– Connect and share with co-workers. This online communication platform lets workers prioritize their daily task and communicate any problems or progress.
- Yammer– Provides a private internal corporate communication system for employees to develop group communication and organization. The network works similar to the social networking site Facebook.
These are only some of the many online and mobile applications available to you and your business. Free alternatives are always a good option especially if they are able to provide the same value and benefit as those with expensive price tags.
Thanks for Reading have a Great Day!
Dustin
CDTek.com
Tags: Android, Apple, Mobile, mobile app, Productivity, Small Business, Small Business Tools, web apps, web services
Posted in Business Software, Mobile Applications, Productivity, Small Business Tips | No Comments »
Friday, May 20th, 2011
Just a couple of days ago on May 16, Google implemented their new expandable Google News page. The new page provides users with more content from the news article without accessing the sites that the story is generated from. The new Google News feature showcases more top stories and also adds a drop down option that provides more details for viewers. Located at the top right corner of the news listing, the new “click to expand” option enables users to expand the content and further determine an articles relevance to their search. The drop down section provides resources associated with the article topic and additional insights into the article.
From Google News, May 2011
The expansion option now provides a detailed summary of the article, pictures, video clips, and suggestion for other related stories. With this feature Google can offer more news headlines and provide background information without completely consuming the results page. In addition Google has also provided genre labels that denote whether the article is an opinion piece, an in depth examination, Wikipedia reference, international news, and etc.
The top stories section has gone from previously listing 3 to offering 6 or more news articles. The new Google News also presents users with the ability to personalize their top news queries. For all viewers the top 3 news articles will always remain the same and will be selected by Google bots that scour the Internet to collect popular headlines. By accessing and editing your user preferences under the “news for you” section users are able select certain topics of interest to populate the remaining top news results. Users who do not wish to customize their news results can remain operating under the “standard edition” which populates the news page with only Google generated popular news stories.
What do you think about the changes Google has made to its Google News section? Please share your opinions below or provide your feedback directly to Google at Google News Feedback.
For more information visit the Google Blog and the Google News Help Center.
Thanks for Reading have a Great Day!
Dustin
CDTek.com
Tags: article exspansion, exspansion feature, Google, google news, news, news articles, popular headlines, stories
Posted in Communication, Google, Productivity | No Comments »
Friday, February 25th, 2011
Customer relationship management software like Infusionsoft can be great a way to manage the expectations of your clients. The Infusionsoft application is much more than just email and provides a fully integrated customer documentation center. CRM software creates an interface where you are able to store all the details concerning customer interactions including but not limited to their contact information, personal notes, and recorded conversations.  Among the other well known customer relationship management companies are Salesforce, Constant Contact, and ONContact.
Going beyond the role of a traditional email account, CRM software not only compiles your company contacts but makes it possible for you to keep track of any information that could play a key role in your customer relationships. Almost working as a high powered client cheat sheet this type of software contains everything you need to know about your client, greatly benefiting your customer communication skills. When utilizing customer relationship managers there are three important phases acquiring, enhancing, and retaining. Infusionsoft and software like it are designed strictly to achieve success in all three stages. These types of programs attempt to acquire new customers, enhance the customer service experience, and generate a lasting impression on the customer in order to retain their customer loyalty.
With CRM software you are able to fully integrate your business’s website to gain leads, maintain contacts, and grow your client list. By using a built in form builder you can quickly establish submission forms for your website that automatically links potential client data to your Infusionsoft client database. The Infusionsoft application can play a powerful role in your email marketing campaign. In an attempt to increase the effectiveness of an email marketing campaign Infusionsoft facilitates the creation of professional emails, selection of targeted consumers, and the monitoring and tracking of all your business to client transmissions.
In addition Infusionsoft comes fully equipped with Smart automation that allows automated marketing, automated follow-ups, automated sales-cycles, and automated fulfillment. Not only does Smart automation enable you to save time but it also maintains contact with current as well as potential future clients. The automation is fully customizable for each individual client thus building a better relationship and establishing standards for each or your interactions. Auto responding prevents users of Infusionsoft software from missing important dates or losing key leads. By establishing the built in triggers you are able to follow the leads that are the hottest and remove the guessing aspect of your customer interactions.
All in all, businesses can certainly exist without using CRM Software as long as they find other methods of meeting the expectations and needs of their customers. However with CRM applications the basic groundwork is already provided and makes it that much easier to keep your customers happy and your relationships growing strong. So, why not utilize a customer relationship management program or an application like it to make your job a little easier and your business a lot better!
Among the advantages that Customer Relationship Management Software provides are:
- Increase in quality
- Increase in efficiency
- Decrease in cost
- Better customer support
- Swift business actions
To learn about additional features that Infusionsoft offers visit Infusionsoft Additional Features!
Thanks for Reading have a Great Day!
Dustin
CDTek.com
Tags: client, customer, Customer Relationship Management, customer service, infusionsoft, relationship, Small Business, software
Posted in Communication, Customer Relationship Management, Productivity | 1 Comment »
Friday, February 18th, 2011
 from http://www.squareup.com Feb 2011 To accommodate the businesses that are on the move a few companies have begun to stray from the traditional stationary credit card readers. Among the companies already offering mobile card processing is “Square” and “Intuit GoPayment”. Created in 2009, Square like the Intuit GoPayment system offers a device that works as an electronic card reader with the design purpose of accepting electronic payments without the inconvenience of traditional bulky equipment. Without the restrictions that cash registers, card readers, and receipt printers inflict, vendors can now be completely mobile and better serve their clients. The “Square” gadget is about the size of a quarter and plugs directly into a headphone outlet on devices like the Dell Streak PC tablet or the Apple iPhone. Currently the device and software are only supported by the Apple iOS and Google’s Android operating system. For a full list of devices that support “Square” visit this link is my device supported?
“Square” provides customers and vendors with a fast, simple, and safe buying experience. Both the software and the card reader are free and are available after establishing an account at SquareUp.com. Following the creation of your account, the Square application can be downloaded through your device’s app store and you can begin mobile card processing.
It appears that the only charges that an account holder will incur while using Square are a 2.75% + 15¢ charge for swiped transactions or a 3.5% + 15¢ charge for keyed-in transactions. Using Square allows individuals or businesses to side step activation fees, annual fees, early termination fees, customer service fees, statement fees, batch fees, monthly minimum fees, authorization fees and any other less obvious fees associated with credit card processing.
“Square” is extremely easy to use and only takes seconds to complete a sale. All you have to do is swipe the credit card, enter the amount of the purchase, fill in the details of the purchase, charge the account, and send out a receipt. Upon completion of a customer’s transaction a detailed receipt is stored on your device and can be sent to a customer’s email account. Additionally, cash payments can also be monitored using this software.
The mobile nature of this device can cause some concerns regarding its security, however all of data sent out of your device is kept in a monitored and secure location. All personal and vital information is encrypted following industry-standard security practices and is backed by VeriSign and the PCI Security Standards Council.
“Square” currently accepts most of the major credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. In addition to swiping a customer’s card, merchants are also able to manually enter credit card information for phone or Internet orders. Whether you’re a new small business that can not afford the traditional equipment, or you need to accept payments while you are traveling, or if you simply want to cut down on credit card processing fees “Square” has you covered.
Establish your Square account today at SquareUp.com to receive your free device and software. Experience a new, fast, and efficient way of processing your customer’s credit transactions!
More valuable information:
Thanks for Reading have a Great Day!
Dustin
CDTek.com
We are an information technology firm providing Internet Marketing and Technical Support to businesses.
Tags: card, card processing, credit card, customer, device, fee, payments, square
Posted in Business Tools, Hardware, Productivity | No Comments »
Friday, January 14th, 2011
Eventually all users will experience a technical problem. These problems could range from simple user errors to complex equipment or software malfunctions. Either way it is important have a good Technical Support staff, in house or contracted, and have adequate support procedures in place. Regardless of the type or the size of the problem this team should be efficient and able to provide customer support to every client.
When facing a technical problem a lot of us do  not have the knowledge or the experience or the time to deal with it alone. Organizations need individuals that are able to assist them with any troubles and potentially around the clock. For an organization, although having technical support staff at the ready may mean an investment, it is viewed as a beneficial cost that reduces stress and aggravation while increasing productivity.
Taking a look at both a tech support customer’s perspective and a tech support provider’s, there are certain considerations that the customer and the support team should maintain throughout the solution process. Although mostly common sense, these suggestions can be easily overlooked or simply ignored. Most importantly it is necessary for both sides to avoid panic and remain civil when identifying a problem and a solution.
Sometimes, for a technical support professional it can be easy to forget that they are assisting someone without their knowledge. This sometimes can lead to a difficult situation.
Some recommendations for technical support members include:
- Listen carefully to the customer (hear them out and don’t interrupt)
- Remain calm and courteous even if the client is being impatient
- Make your statements easy to understand (avoid technical terminology)
- Don’t jump to conclusions
- Identify the problem
- Consider the solutions
- Attempt multiple solutions if necessary (no success, escalate to a team member)
- Don’t get worried if you don’t know something, politely place the client on hold or call them back, while trying additional resources
From the client’s perspective it is equally important for them to maintain their composure and practice certain guidelines as well. Yes, you may be experiencing difficulties but that’s expected.
- Please be civil
- Explain the problem to the best of your ability (give as many details as possible)
- Clarify any misunderstandings (if you don’t understand, ask)
- Remember, your Tech Support team are here to help you
- Focus on the issue without multitasking until completed
- Be honest if there was something you did that may have caused the problem
The communication between the tech support staff and client is vital. Utilizing these guidelines may assist in keeping both sides happy and could rectify the problem faster
For more suggestions and insights go to:
20 Things that I from Tech Support
Qualities of a Good Technical Support Representative
Thanks for Reading have a Great Day!
Dustin
CDTek.com
We’re an information technology firm providing Internet Marketing and Technical Support to businesses.
Tags: assistance, client, customer, problem, team, tech support, Technical
Posted in Communication, Computers, Customer Relationship Management, Productivity, Technical Support | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 5th, 2011
Many students who are on the verge of graduation will soon be faced with the grisly task of finding a job that they are both interested in as well as qualified for. One of the most important characteristics that a company looks for in a potential employee is the employees work experience in their related field. Having the skills that qualify you are a great advantage but without a work history in your desired occupation it is often very difficult for graduates to get a foot in the door. For many of us it’s a vicious cycle because, how exactly do you go about getting experience when need experience to get the job to get that experience? It might sound like I am talking in riddles but in reality the chances of finding a job that you really want are slim unless you already have a connection with someone within the target company.
So how do we go about getting the experience that we need to satisfy our potential employer’s expectations? Internships are a great option and can be very fulfilling if both parties are benefiting from the arrangement. Both the company and the employee should profit for a good internship to be successful.
If you own a small business why not share your experiences, teach, and provide young newcomers to your profession with the information and training they need? After all you were once in their position and most likely could have used the help. As the company and the intern build a relationship experience is transferred while the company benefits from the extra help. If an internship program is done properly, your company has very little to lose.
The following are suggestion for how to establish an internship program within your organization.
- Create a curriculum or work plan to follow throughout the internship.
Create a plan that covers all aspects of the job to ensure maximum growth. Determine a length of the program and contemplate a potential rollover to a full time position. Be creative, share, and determine the best way for you to teach and your intern to learn.
- Detail an orientation process.
Perform introductions, provide ground rules, and layout the expectations for all the parties involved.
- Work with your intern personally or assign a suitable supervisor.
Choose someone who wants to teach and lend their experience to the intern. Try to get to know each other on a personal level so that the experience is memorable.
- Create a feedback process.
The organization should establish a system to provide feedback to the intern. Similarly the company should inquire about the intern’s thoughts or insights about the program.
Gaining the experience is probably more beneficial to the student than financial compensation, but it is still important to compensate them. As previously stated, the organization shouldn’t be the only one benefiting from this experience.
- Coordinate with local colleges and universities.
Develop a working relationship with local education in order to locate students who would benefit from the program.
Small businesses are urged to create programs like this to ensure that our future workforce is adequately equipped and those that are in need of a mentor have one available. The inspiration, bonds, and gratitude will most likely last forever and you will be left with a sense of pride for doing something helpful for someone. Not only gaining the experience, an intern will also gain an appreciation for the ones who took the chance to help them when other companies wouldn’t. In addition in most cases small businesses that create internships are in great social standing and receive positive community feedback. Our company maintains a paid internship program for students studying in the field of information technology.
So if possible pass on your professional knowledge and wisdom, and help shape the future employees.
Thanks for Reading have a Great Day!
Dustin
CDTek.com
We’re an information technology firm providing two services, Internet Marketing / SEO and Technical Support to businesses.
Tags: business, company, experience, internship, internship program, program, Small Business
Posted in Business Tools, Productivity, Small Business Tips | No Comments »
Friday, July 30th, 2010
 Untitled photograph of an Google Talk Retrieved July 2010, from: http://www.google.com/talk/ Hello and welcome to Chesapeake Digital Technology´s blog. We’re an information technology firm in Maryland. We provide several services, like Internet Marketing and Technical Support to small and medium business.
Google is an Internet giant. They continue to offer valuable services to consumers and today we’re going to look at a rather simple, but perhaps very effective one. Google Talk is an instant messaging services offered by the company to allow for users to chat with one another.
Let’s start with an overview of the features offered by this free service. First, it has basic chat functionality. You can send text to friends in messages via the client. This isn’t anything impressive. Just about any service offers this in some form. However, your chats are limited to text alone. Using a plug-in developed by Google, you can user voice and video to chat as well. These can allow for more synchronous communications that possess greater detail.
Another valuable feature is the file transfer option. If you are chatting with a work associate and they need a file, rather than emailing it to them, you can simply send it in the chat.
Because this is a Google offering, interconnectivity is present. All of your contacts are your Google contacts, which is a huge time saver since you don’t need to register for new account anywhere else. Also integrated is archiving of conversations. Google treats chats just like emails, so you can search them later. However, should you be discussing sensitive matters, you can always go “off the record”.
Now using this software is super easy. If you have Google Mail, aka Gmail, there is a chat client option built in. However, if you don’t want to keep your browser open all day, you can download the software to your PC to use it there. If you use a Mac, there is no official release, but a chat client called Adium, which is an amazing free program that supports tons of messaging systems, can handle this for you.
-Josh
Chesapeake Digital Technologies
Tags: Communication, Google, Google Talk, Office Tools, software, Talk
Posted in Business Tools, Computers, Google Apps, Productivity | No Comments »
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