Posts Tagged ‘software’
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software
Friday, May 6th, 2011
The need to save money has always been present but in recent years that need has grown to be the primary concern for most businesses. There are a number of ways that a business can attempt to save money however the trick is to do so while avoiding a loss in company quality and customer connection. Living up to or developing the company brand should always be emphasized even while cutting costs. It can be tough for businesses to maintain their present status while making these adjustments which is why it might be a good idea to consider starting with smaller reductions like using free alternative software applications.
from http://www.openoffice.org/ May 2011
Free software or freeware probably won’t solve any major financial dilemmas that company may be facing but it could be a good place to start. Below is a list of free software that has the potential to save businesses a few dollars while maintaining the quality that their customers have come to expect from them.
Security Software:
Security is crucial for all businesses, whether it’s for Anti-virus or Data encryption it is one of the aspects that should never be neglected regardless of the financial standing of a company. Security programs can be pricy and even pricier when purchasing multiple licenses for an entire office. Most companies feel that in order to have effective security they need to purchase from a well known and expensive provider, which is always the case. Sure, it would be nice to have the best security program available but company funds don’t always allow that. Depending on the type of company and the data that they are responsible for, it’s not unreasonable to utilize free basic security programs. Some of the free security applications that provide basic protection include:
Easy to use security application that helps defend your computer against spyware, viruses, worms, Trojans, and other malicious software.
Free for users who already have a Comcast account. Helps protect your personal information, includes Norton Security Suite to protect against viruses and also has Secure Backup and Identity Guard.
Offers basic Anti-virus and Anti-spyware protection.
Offers basic Anti-virus and Anti-spyware protection.
Provides basic protection from viruses, spyware and offers a password protector.
Office Software:
Most businesses utilize some form of office or word processing software for their every day business activity. Most people are familiar with Microsoft Office however most of the features that Office provides aren’t exactly necessary for everyday use. Several alternative options for Microsoft Office that manage to provide the same primary functions include:
Lets users create documents, spreadsheets, drawings, presentations, and forms all online. Google Documents also provides the opportunity for multiple users to collaborate on the same document in real time.
Very similar to Microsoft Word without the price tag.
This software suite offers free word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases, and more. OpenOffice is probably the best known free alternative that is easy to use and completely free.
Storage Software:
Instead of buying extra hard drive space, offline backups or newer computers a good alternative for extra space is cloud storage. Although you can find good deals on cloud storage for multiple computers the free storage websites shouldn’t be overlooked. Some of the data backup sites that offer limited online storage for free include:
Offers a free 25 GB of online storage with the option to purchase more.
Offers a free 5 GB of online storage with the option to purchase more.
Offers a free 5 GB of online storage with the option to purchase more and saving plans for multiple users.
Free basic version online backup drive or one year trial for their professional version.
Operating Systems:
Free operating systems can save a company a lot of money. It is a common misconception that people are stuck with either Windows or the Mac operating systems but in reality there are many free alternatives available like Linux which is completely open source.
One of the most popular free operating systems, fast, secure, and easy to use alternative.
In addition to those mentioned there is a ton of other freeware applications on the internet that can be used for many purposes and provide financial benefits. Choosing a free alternative requires companies to devote some time to finding the appropriate replacement and be willing to utilize software that may not be as popular as the ones from Microsoft, Kaspersky, and Carbonite.
It is often faster and easier for businesses to spend money in order to get something done which makes it hard to break the cycle of spending. However once a business does get out of that routine they will begin to find more and more alternatives to save money. Again free software is a great place to start for any business trying to reduce some financial pressure. Starting with free software alternatives may seem small but can provide significant savings for most companies. With that being said it’s also very important that when considering free software that you do your research and download only from reputable websites.
Have any free software suggestion? Share them below.
Thanks for Reading have a Great Day!
Dustin
CDTek.com
Tags: business, company spending, free software alternatives, freeware, money, saving money, Security, software, Storage
Posted in Business Tools, Finance, Small Business Tips | No Comments »
Friday, April 8th, 2011
In the past decade the development of mobile devices has dramatically advanced and has become a major trend for competing technology companies. Companies like Microsoft, Apple, IBM, and Dell have spent years laying the groundwork for the latest mobile technologies and continue to impress us all with the progression of their products. Not only have these mobile devices gotten smaller and more portable, but they have also become more powerful and have come pretty close to matching the user experience of a desktop system. Today we rely on these devices for virtually everything from phone calls, texting, shopping, directions, weather, internet, email and more. It is clear that technology plays a powerful role in our life and continues to make our lives more efficient and easier.
 Microsoft Mobile Office 2010from http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/mobileApril 2011 Companies are not only creating new mobile devices but they have also begun to create mobile versions of their primary software applications. The Windows Phone 7 operating system created by Microsoft is doing just that with their integration of Microsoft Office Mobile. Microsoft Office Mobile is a perfect example of how companies are focusing in on the mobile experience and providing a user a similar experience to a desktop environment. While the majority of Windows devices come equipped with Office Mobile, anyone whose Windows phone did not come with Office Mobile pre-installed can purchase and download the software through the Microsoft mobile marketplace. In addition anyone who is using an older version of Office and has a Windows phone that is operating on Windows Mobile 6.5 and above can also upgrade to version 2010 for free.
Small businesses are always on the lookout for a new technology and tools to help them with their day to day operations. Most professional environments utilize Microsoft Office in one form or another whether it is Microsoft Outlook for their Email and scheduling or Microsoft Word for their text editing needs. Given its popularity and the uses of its many programs, Microsoft Office Mobile clearly illustrates the potential value that a mobile software companion can provide to a business and its employees.
The Windows Phone 7 mobile device not only has all of the basic functions of a phone but it also manages to incorporate some of the power of a desktop computer with a few minor exceptions. Microsoft Mobile Office 2010 was released to coincide with the release of Windows Phone 7 and is only available on devices running Windows Mobile 6.5 or later. With these mobile device users can now enjoy a valuable portable alternative to their most employed software applications. By having the Microsoft Office Mobile software installed on the Windows Phone 7, a user can access these programs as needed without being confined to an actual office or having to lug around a laptop. Programs included in the Microsoft Office Mobile 2010 bundle include Word Mobile, Excel Mobile, PowerPoint Mobile, OneNote Mobile, and SharePoint Workspace Mobile.
It is understandable that working with a mobile device doesn’t always translate the same comfort and ease that it would from desktop or laptop computer. The mobile aspect does however provide the necessary convenience but it still does not quite live up to the user experience of the traditional MS Office software. Besides the slight trade off between convenience and usability it is evident that the Microsoft Office Mobile programs manage to capture the basic functions and operations of Microsoft Office. Provided below are some of the basic pros and cons associated with the mobile version of Microsoft Office 2010.
Microsoft Office Mobile PROS:
- Supports touch gestures
- Easy document sharing using SharePoint
- Improved desktop syncing
- Quick note taking with OneNote
- New Text Reflow view looks good
- PowerPoint Mobile can control a laptop presentation and display notes remotely via Bluetooth.
- Incorporates the main and most essential word processor features
- Free upgrade for anyone operating Windows mobile 6.5 and above with previous Microsoft office mobile software installed.
Microsoft Office Mobile CONS:
- Small screen size
- Device needs touch screen or stylus capabilities
- Buttons are too small for fingers (needs stylus)
- PowerPoint is view only, there is no creation allowed
- Can’t drag and select text
- Layout and look is not what we have come to expect compared to tradition Microsoft office
In conclusion the basic functions of Microsoft Office remain intact on the Mobile version but as expected the software does not encompass the full power that the traditional version offers. Nonetheless even lacking the usual user experience the mobile version can certainly prove to be an asset to any organization that uses Microsoft Office on a regular basis.
Check out more details and find out how Microsoft Office Mobile can help your business and employees at Microsoft Office Mobile 2010 and How to Buy Microsoft Office Mobile 2010!
Please share your opinion and comments below.
What do you think about Microsoft Office Mobile?
Thanks for Reading have a Great Day!
Dustin
CDTek.com
Tags: device, Microsoft Office, Mobile, mobile device, office, software, Windows Phone 7
Posted in Business Tools, Communication | 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, October 22nd, 2010
 Hello and welcome to Chesapeake Digital Technology´s blog. We’re an information technology firm in Maryland. We provide two primary services, Internet Marketing / SEOand Technical Support for business.
Recently, Microsoft admitted that the open source, freely available productivity suite, OpenOffice, was a real threat to their software, Microsoft Office. This comes as something of a shock, since Microsoft, and most major companies, will rarely admit to an outside threat. Open Office is designed to provide users with a quality business productivity suite for the low price of free. While Open Office is free, does the old adage “You get what you pay for” hold true here? Let’s take a look at your two options.
Open Office
Pros
- Free to use
- Community support
- Includes Word Processing, Presentation, and Spreadsheet software
- Can save in multiple formats
- Microsoft Office
- Apple
- Other open formats
- Can read and edit other formats
- Available on PC, Mac, and Linux
Cons
- User Interface takes a little getting used to
- Not as tightly integrated as Microsoft Office
- Some formatting issues when importing documents from other programs
- No direct support
Microsoft Office
Pros
- De facto standard for office productivity.
- Tight Operating System integration
- Quality support
- Very stable
Cons
- Costly up front
- Only available on PC and Mac
- Uses different iterations
-Josh
CDtek
Tags: business, Linux, mac, office, open office, PC, Productivity, software, support
Posted in Business Tools | 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 »
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
 Hello and welcome to Chesapeake Digital Technology´s blog. We’re an information technology firm in Reisterstown, Maryland.. We provide several services, like SEO (Search Engine Optimization)and Technical Support to small and medium businesses.
In today’s business environment, everyone has a computer. In fact, many people have more than one. Personally, and take this for what you will since I’m a techie, I own two computers plus a ton of extra Internet enabled devices. As a result, there are certain things that one computer can do that the other cannot. Another thing is that files might be stored on a company computer that you don’t have at home, or vice versa. Because of this, there are situations in which you need to use another computer, but you might not have physical access to it. This is where Remote Desktop connections come into play.
RDC is a vital part of today’s IT world. There are a myriad of situations in which IT admins, and even certain employees, will need to access a computer without being there. If you are a national business, your corporate HQ might have people trained to work on your PCs rather than keeping IT staff at your location. Another common instance is telecommuting. Rather than supply you with a powerhouse machine and complex software, your company can let you use a simple PC and easy software to let you manipulate your work computer from home.
RDC is exactly what it sounds like. It opens up a connection to another computer’s desktop via remote software. This software is included in Windows and Mac OS X. By using RDC, you can get complete control of the system to which you are connecting. This means that you are using a completely unattached set of peripherals (keyboard, mouse, monitor) to use another machine. This allows for seamless access to these systems, thus making it possible for lots of work to be done. Given the push in the IT industry for virtualization of servers, RDC is clearly sticking around.
-Josh
Chesapeake Digital Technologies
Tags: business, Computer, internet, rdc, software, tech support
Posted in Business Tools | No Comments »
Thursday, June 10th, 2010
 Hello and welcome to Chesapeake Digital Technology´s blog. We’re an information technology firm in Reisterstown, Maryland.. We provide several services, like SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and Technical Support to small and medium businesses.
Sharing data around the office is crucial in today’s workplace. While sharing data has always been important, what’s changed is how we think of a workplace. In the past there might have been an office of 15 people working at a single location. Now there could be 25 people, only 5 of which share an actual physical space. The rest can be telecommuting, working on the road, etc. Sharing information now becomes much more complicated. Fortunately, there are services to help lighten the load.
Apple’s MobileMe Service
MobileMe works best when you have more that just documents to share. MobileMe provides for just over 10GB of online storage, as well as syncing of Dock shortcuts, Contacts, Calendars, and more. The only storage, called iDisk, can be mounted/mapped to your desktop so dragging/dropping of files is easily done. Once completed, devices like iPhones and iPads can access any file stored on the iDisk with a free app, provided the files are under 30MB. The service offers a free 60 day trial and after that is only $100/year. It comes with an email address at “me.com”.
Google Docs
Google Docs is a great, free way to enable collaboration online. You can store any type of file online (up to 1Gb free), upload and edit Office-style documents, and share both with friends and family. The real benefit here is the ability to edit workplace documents, like Word/Pages files, in real time with other people. This makes it great for people who have to collaborate on a project. You are notified who else is viewing a document, and the changes are viewed in real time. Google Docs requires a Google Account, which is free.
Microsoft Office Live
Office Live allows for users to store Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files online. You download a free update for your Microsoft Office products and then it allows you to save data to their servers (5GB free). The files can then be shared with others. While this service is free, it can only be access through newer version of Microsoft Office. While you likely have these programs already, you may want to consider purchasing the software as part of the price tag for this service.
That’s all for this week. Come back again next week for more small business tips!
-Josh
Chesapeake Digital Technologies
Tags: Apple, Cloud Computing, Google, internet, Microsoft, office, software, Web Based
Posted in Small Business Tips | 4 Comments »
Thursday, May 13th, 2010
 Hello and welcome to Chesapeake Digital Technology´s blog. We’re an information technology firm in Finksburg, MD. We provide several services, like SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and Technical Supportto small and medium businesses.
An operating environment is the technical term for the technology in use at a specific location. That location can be as small as a business office or as large as a national company. When it comes to operating environments, just like milk, you want it homogeneous. What I mean by this is that you want technology that will play nice together so that you can get the most out of your money. Here are some ideas for keeping your network layout in sync.
Choose the same OS
Using the same operating system for all the computers on your network is a big part of having a network function well. While it is not absolutely required, it is something we recommend. This is because when you have a variety of computing environments, you have to have people who know all their ins and outs. For this reason, I recommend that all computers run the same OS, at least, if they are in the same network. You may need to create small networks for specific, older software, but on the whole, keep everyone on the same page.
Uniform Software Packages
In the same vein as keeping all operating systems in line, controlling what software is installed on work computers is vital to network health. Things like this can be managed via a server with administrative powers on a network. However, enforcing this becomes difficult if your computers are a mish-mash of operating systems. There are some exceptions for specialty software, but on the whole, employees should be using the same version of the same software. This cuts down on IT complaints as well as time taken to convert/modify files for use across multiple software bundles.
We could on for days about ways to keep your network in line. The best recommendation I can make is to plan out, in detail, your business’ needs and then go from there. It may be cheaper up front to go with what you can get easiest, but in the long run, you’ll be glad you’ve chosen to keep all your technology in line.
-Josh
Chesapeake Digital Technologies
Tags: Computers, digital, internet, network, operating system, Small Business, software, technology
Posted in Small Business Tips | No Comments »
Thursday, April 15th, 2010
 Hello and welcome to Chesapeake Digital Technology´s blog. We’re an information technology firm in Finksburg, MD. We provide several services, like SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and Technical Support to small and medium businesses. Today, I’d like to talk about CRM software, something all businesses these days need.
vTiger has to be one of the best free examples of CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software I’ve used. I came across it when we were looking for a solid CRM solution for managing our clients. vTiger is free and offers a rather robust user interface. Here are some of the highlights of the software.
Client Support and Service
This functionality allow for creating trouble tickets and knowledge bases. The first, trouble tickets, are integral in tracking customer’s needs. Here, tickets are created that detail issues or thoughts the customer has and they can be assigned to a specific person or a group. The second, knowledge bases, allow for data collaboration among employees. This means that if customers are always experiencing similar problems, employees can look up the solution based on previous experience, rather than having to solve it on their own.
Inventory Management
This feature is rather self explanatory. However, it does not simply consist of listing all the items in an inventory list. This piece of the software not only allows you to manage products and services, but also lets you provide sales quotes, manage orders, and create invoices. All of this is done with one part of vTiger.
Customer Management
This is the biggest part of the software for some users. The creation of sales leads, current customer databases, etc is vital to any business. vTiger allows you to manage all of these with custom and pre-made data fields. Also, you can import from Excel files if your database exists in another format.
That’s all we have for this week. Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.
-Josh
Chesapeake Digital Technologies
Tags: CRM, customer, Customer Relationship Management, internet, knowledge base, software, support
Posted in Business Tools, Customer Relationship Management | 2 Comments »
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