All for one and one for all!

The reference to the Three Musketeers describes the confluence of technology that has forever changed the way we communicate and collaborate, and the acceleration of this technology has made the merging of different forms of communication much more attainable. No longer are businesses locked into disparate applications for voice communications, instant messaging, email, and/or video conferencing. The "unified communications" umbrella includes systems and applications that incorporate ALL of them! Some examples are Microsoft's Lync Server, Cisco's Smart Business Communications System, and so many more. It will take a great deal of time and effort to research the options that best fit your needs and budget, but in the end you'll have something that will grow with you and allow you to be productive almost without regard to where you are. Get with your trusted technology professional to see just what is out there, and embrace the challenge! Your employees and customers will thank you, and you will separate yourself from your competition!

I thought social media was free!





Some people still think there is no place for social media in the business world, but that totally depends on your perspective. If you mean you don't want your employees playing FarmVille all day, I think most everyone would agree. I was watching football on Fox the other day, and I was surprised to see an interesting point to this argument. When the cameras panned to the commentators, their Twitter handles were next to their names so you could follow their tweets during the game!

Bottom line, organizations of all shapes and sizes are jumping on the bandwagon. The entertainment industry has long been ahead of the curve in the adoption of social media. Moreover, they have embraced the new media and are working to find ways to use it to their advantage. Many organizations are now using social media for their marketing efforts. Get on board before you are left at the other end of the tunnel watching the lights come toward you at dizzying speed.

Get Your Head in the Cloud

I know this cartoon is a bit silly, but sometimes you need a laugh to get the work week started, right? Cloud computing for the SMB marketplace is doing nothing but accelerating in pace and in many flavors as well. Well, maybe not as many as Baskin-Robbins!

There are tons of public cloud offerings like Amazon's web service, Microsoft Azure and Office 365, Google Apps and Docs, MessageLabs, and Postini spam filtering. The list goes on and on, but for many small and mid-sized businesses there's not always a "one size fits all" solution. It could even be a mix of the public offerings and their own "private" cloud services.

Leveraging a local provider for creating your own hybrid cloud solution provides distinct advantages and comforts. For one, (in some cases) you can actually go and SEE the data center where your physical or virtual servers will reside. Another is the ability to customize your solution that best fits your needs. Find a technology partner that will LISTEN to your needs rather than TELLING you what you should have.

To save or to spend?

As 2012 brings new beginnings, some realists (I'm trying to temper it) will look at it as just another day. So when the top dogs of small and mid-sized businesses turn the calendar, they will decided to either spend money and invest in their technology or not. In the cartoon, Walter is the type that counts every penny not wanting to waste a cent, but historically this philosophy has not resulted in long term success.

This month the blog will focus on technologies  that many SMB organizations will invest in for 2012. Once again, cloud computing and mobility will be at or near the top of the list. If you have a particular interest or plan, I would love to hear about it!

'Twas the Week Before Christmas...

...and all through the office, not a creature was stirring not even the CFO who was freaking out trying to balance the year-end books.

Since we are all busy trying to tie up last minute deals for 2011, we must not let our plans for the coming year take a back seat. To ignore the future is to doom yourself to a repeat of the past. No, that's not an old saying I just made it up!

One of the key points to evaluating your revenues and profits of the current year is to know what you have to do in the next year to grow. Those with the responsibility of enhancing the P&L statement, whether that be the business owner or senior stakeholders, need to find ways to streamline the day-to-day expenditures. With new technology tools like cloud-based disaster recovery, storage, mobility and telecommuting, and social media marketing navigation of these shark-infested waters is critical. For the SMB, finding a trusted technology partner for this evaluation process can be a lifesaver.

So maybe the big guy will stuff a brochure in your stocking rather than coal this year. What you do with it is up to you, but make your holidays (both now and in the future) bright and seek out the help you need and watch your business prosper! That's a holiday wish I have for all of you. Be safe and healthy and happy this Christmas with you and yours!