Expert Posts
Dell Selects Eclipse Awards as One of Canada’s Most Innovative Small Businesses
Vancouver (July 4, 2008) — Eclipse Awards International has been selected as one of Dell’s Top Ten Canadian Finalists in their Dell Small Business Excellence Awards, at the 2008 International Council of Small Business World Conference.
Eclipse Awards is the leading supplier of crystal awards and glass awards to the corporate recognition market. The company’s state of the art website, www.eclipseawards.com, includes computer generated product images and 360 degree product videos. A customized Order Management System reduces costly errors and enables the company to scale operations with existing staff.
Eclipse’s investments have paid off — sales have increased and clients have been raving about the seamless customer experience. Eclipse Awards is located in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
About Eclipse Awards International Inc
Eclipse Awards is the leading supplier of crystal and glass awards to the corporate recognition market. A full service employee recognition awards company, Eclipse completes all graphics and personalization in-house. Eclipse services clients throughout North America, including Microsoft, NASA, General Electric, General Motors, the United Nations and Cisco Systems. Find out more at www.eclipseawards.com
Coffee House Survival Tip: Watch Out for Free WiFi
While I don’t normally get into Internet connection tips on this site, the following topic is so important that all entrepreneurs and small business personnel should be made aware of it.
That is: watch out for so-called “free public WiFi” connections.
Let’s say you are traveling on business or just want to enjoy the company of others by going to a public place like a coffee house to work, instead of staying isolated in your office. (Hey, I’ve been on plenty of business calls where I could hear the whir of the espresso machine in the background!)
You open your laptop. You check your wireless connections to see if there is an open and free WiFi network.
You happen upon something called “free public WiFi.” Sounds like exactly what you need, right?
Well, not so fast.
In the past few months as I’ve traveled, I kept coming across these networks designated “free public Wi-Fi” to the point they seemed ubiquitous. But in a way the designation “free public WiFi” struck me as too obvious — like a come-on. Some small voice inside told me to avoid those WiFi networks. Good thing I did.
A recent article in Small Business Computing points out those networks are most likely being set up for nefarious purposes. They are what is known as “ad-hoc” networks and seldom are ad-hoc networks used to deliver Internet access. More likely they are there to spy on computers or infect them with malware. The article also has some good tips for how to recognize an ad-hoc network and avoid having your computer automatically connect to it.
Read it so you can protect yourself when you are working outside the office.
From Digital Isolation to Global Inclusion
(Jul 04, 2008, New Delhi, India) – CyberLearning Educational Society, NGO arm of www.cyberlearningindia.com, in association with Rotary Club of New Delhi:
Successfully concluded a pilot program to bridge the digital divide amongst students from disadvantaged families. This
significant pilot was aimed at schools adopted by Rotary Club of New Delhi.
In the last decade, the information age revolution has brought India to being considered as IT Super Power. To ensure that the benefits of this revolution reach everyone especially the students and youth from underprivileged families, CyberLearning and Rotary Club of New Delhi initiated this digital learning and certification program.
This program was conceived in October 2007 and 2 girls’ schools in Delhi were selected for the pilot. Students in the selected schools pay a monthly education fee of Rupees 10/month, which is equal to 25 cents. 30 girl students were selected for the pilot of 3 months. The pilot was launched in Jan 2008 and was completed in April 2008. The entire fees were subsidized for the selected group of students jointly by Rotary Club and CyberLearning Society. In the program, students were trained using eLearning from CyberLearning and at the end of the pilot, 26 out of 30 students earned the coveted Microsoft Office Certification.
This program was aimed at empowering the students from the economically challenged background and I am happy to see the results stated Rtn. President Kamal Bhambhani. This program will help them realize their full potential with the help of best- in- the-world- training on Microsoft Technologies. It ensures that their talent is nurtured and competitive spirit among girl students from disadvantaged families is developed to their full potential.
These students, when certified, will be an asset to the country as this program provides them guidance; training and certification to take on the challenges of the 21st century economy stated Rtn. Pankaj Rai, President of CyberLearning Educational Society.
About CyberLearning:
CyberLearning Educational Society is NGO arm of Delhi based www.cyberlearningindia.com, which offers eLearning in over 2500 courses covering 50+ certifications like MOS, MCSE, MCSD, CCNA, CCDA, ITIL, ACA, IC3 etc. CyberLearningindia.com is the exclusive provider of MOS, MCAS, ACA & IC3 certifications in the Indian sub-continent including Mauritius.
About Rotary Club of New Delhi (RCND):
RCND has been adjudged the best club in dist 3010 for past 2 years and has won several accolades for community projects especially focused for betterment of girl child. The key projects launched by RCND include library for girl students, computer center for street children, blood donation camps and health check up camps.
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Cash is Still King for Travel
(Edinburgh, U.K. — July 4, 2008) – Cash, Cards or Travellers Cheques? Planning your holiday expenditure in advance can save you unnecessary costs and charges this summer.
Many of us have had our holiday plans booked for sometime now. We often spend ages shopping around to find the best holiday deal, but then forget about getting the best deal when it comes to buying foreign currency.
Recent research suggests that we are being charged far more than we should for our foreign currency and purchases while on holiday.
When it comes to holiday spending there are number options open to us, from credit and debit cards, travellers cheques, and prepaid cards to good old fashioned cash. Each option has pros and cons to watch out for.
Knowing which option to use for a particular purchase will save you paying through the nose for your currency and avoiding unnecessary charges.
For a typical holiday spend of £500, shopping around to find the best deal can save as much as £35, when comparing various bank and bureau de change rates.
Here’s how it works.
Credit and Debit Cards
Using credit and debit cards to make purchases abroad offers the most convenient and hassle free method of shopping. However, beware of hidden charges which will occur with every transaction you make.
Consumer groups are concerned that major banks are using a number techniques to squeeze more money out of holidaymakers relying on their banks cards this summer.
Most card companies charge two types of fees for the use of plastic abroad. Firstly a loading fee, this is similar to a currency conversion fee, typically at 2.75%. And a second charge is added for the transaction itself.
For an average spend of £500 on holiday, people who use credit ands debit cards face additional charges of up to £20.
For larger purchases abroad, £100 or more, using a credit card is a safe option as your purchase will be protected against faults by the Consumer Credit Act, but don’t forget to pay this off as soon as you return.
ATMs
Using bank cards to withdraw money from an ATM is an expressive method of obtaining local currency. Not only does this option incur a 2.75% loading fee but most banks charge a handling fee of up to 2%.
The transaction costs of withdrawing the equivalent of £100 from an overseas ATM can be as much as £5. For some banks this charge can be even higher.
Using a credit card to make a withdrawal from an ATM should be avoided at all costs. It is the most expensive option for obtaining your cash, and interest will be charged from the date you withdraw the cash.
Travellers Cheques
Travellers cheques have been largely superseded by plastic; however they still remain the safest way to take your money abroad. If lost or stolen, travellers cheques can be replaced and unlike credit and debit cards they are not linked to your bank.
Despite their risk free value, using travellers cheques is the most time consuming option for obtaining local currency and can be equally as costly.
You are usually charged commission when you buy them, and may have to pay a further commission when cashing them at your destination.
Prepaid Cards
More recently there has been an option available on the market which allows you to combine the safety of travellers cheques with the convenience of bank cards; these are known as prepaid cards, or cash passports.
These cards require you to preload money onto the card before you travel, allowing you to use it as if it were a debit card for purchases and ATM withdrawals.
However, these cards also include a number of charges such as issue fees, loading and reloading fees as well as transaction charges. In essence you pay handsomely for this low risk, high convenience option.
Cash
Cash is an essential item on your holiday check list and it’s always handy to have a bit of local currency when you arrive. Even for an all inclusive holiday package it’s worthwhile having a bit of spending money for drinks, excursions and gifts.
For small everyday items cash is crucial as it avoids surplus charges incurred by credit and debit cards, prepaid cards and even travellers cheques.
There are several options available for obtaining cash, these include getting it from your local high street provider, changing it at the airport or waiting until you’ve arrived.
There are huge variations between different Bureau de Change providers, choosing the right supplier can save you up £35 when changing £500 into foreign currency.
Leaving it until you get to the airport or using bureaux in touristy locations is an expensive method of obtaining local currency and can leave you feeling short changed.
According the foreign currency specialist, Mark McElney, getting cash before you go on holiday is essential.
“Most people do not shop around to find the best rate of exchange for their money, leaving it until they get to the airport or choosing to rely on their bank cards. This is costing them far more than it should.”
Shopping around to find the best deal on your local high street is by far the best option when it comes to buying foreign currency. This can be done by comparing exchange rates, commission charges and the option of a buy-back service.
If you’re still unsure which operator is offering the best deal, a safe bet is to seek advice from your local foreign currency specialist.
The Best Option
According to Mark McElney of No.1 Currency, when it comes to spending holiday money, cash is still king.
“For everyday purchases on holiday, taking cash before you go will not only save time and hassle when you get there but it will actually save you money in the long run.”
“These days every hotel, apartment and villa has a security box to keep your money and passports safe, so the risk of carrying cash is greatly reduced.”
“Although taking your bank cards away with you, as an emergency back up, is advisable, good old fashioned cash remains No.1 on the holiday check list for foreign currency.”
Real Life Examples of Business Owners Using Social Media
When speaking at events, I get the best response from talking less and asking more … in other words, encouraging the audience to share their examples and ideas. It’s more interactive that way. It’s more interesting. Everybody benefits from a wider set of experiences.
The event I attended this past Monday with a group of small-business owners in Houston, Texas was no exception.
At that event I asked those attending whether they were using various social media websites and online Web 2.0 tools. For those who responded “yes” I would then ask “what kind of results are you getting?”
In this post I’d like to share with you some of what those business owners said about using social media in real life situations.
About the Event
The event, entitled Women in Business, was hosted by HP for the benefit of Houston members of NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners) and WBEA (Women’s Business Enterprise Alliance). It is part of HP’s outreach to women businesspeople and small business owners, to create a dialog to better understand the issues small businesses face. While most of the attendees were women, I counted about a half dozen men, too, mainly co-owners or employees of women-owned businesses.
This is the second event in the HP Women in Business series that I’ve attended — the other being in San Diego. Each one has been nicely low key and characterized by a real desire to talk back and forth … and listen. Consequently, asking questions and getting the attendees to share their thoughts seemed very much in keeping with the overall tone of this event.
NAWBO and WBEA members attending HP Women in Business event
Good Experiences
Some of the positive Web 2.0 experiences that the business owners shared included these:
- Blogs and Forums — One business owner reported getting new/return business from participating in several discussion forums and blogs. Her business is a muscle therapy business. Being a source of information — i.e., sharing knowledge and answering questions on the forums and blogs — demonstrates value for clients and potential clients.
- LinkedIn — Several business owners reported good results from LinkedIn.com. One, a business coach, gets high quality business leads from LinkedIn, via making connections and being findable in LinkedIn. She points out that the people using LinkedIn tend to be professionals and corporate people (i.e., those in a position to actually hire a service provider). Her experience was a good recommendation for LinkedIn, especially if you are a professional service provider.
- Facebook — Two business owners reported getting substantial results from Facebook. One business owner has a business profile page on Facebook, as well as a personal profile page. Another business operates a Facebook group and attracts interest in the business and develops loyalty through the Facebook group.
- Online press releases – One person routinely puts press releases online and attested to their value at getting her website found in the search engines.
- Online video — The owner of a product company reported getting good results with videos that were loaded at YouTube.com and also available on the company website. The video brought people in to the site and also engaged existing visitors on the site.
- Twitter — One business owner admitted to being something of a Twitter-holic, using Twitter.com regularly to make and reinforce connections and to spread word of mouth about her business. However, she was decidedly in the minority.
Lisa Baker, Vice President of HP kicks off the program
Concerns
One of the other things I did at this event was encourage questions. Often questions reveal concerns that business owners have with using social media. So it’s a good way to find out what’s bothering or puzzling people. Here were some of the main concerns expressed:
- Lacking time to learn and use social media tools — The biggest concern expressed over and over was, “who has time for all this social media stuff?” As several others in the audience pointed out, the best strategy was to pick one or two tools and focus on doing those well. Another spoke about dividing up the effort, by having several employees sharing the updating responsibilities on the company blog. (As an aside, it seems to me there’s a great business opportunity for some company to provide contract help to perform social media activities.)
- Feeling uncomfortable putting information online – One business owner said she frequently received connection requests for LinkedIn but had not felt comfortable putting her information on the Web. Another business owner in the audience assured her she would not suffer a lot of spam through LinkedIn, but could actually make valuable connections with other credible business people.
- Questioning the ROI – One business owner wondered aloud if anyone ever got real business from these social media tools. If the audience responses and experiences demonstrate anything, they show you can if you pick the social media tool that fits your type of business best. LinkedIn seems very good for business service professionals, whereas forums may be better when dealing with consumers who are researching answers to questions they have about health or purchases.
- Worrying about spam comments on blogs – Two business owners worried that a blog would lead to problems due to spammers. I pointed out that you are in control at all times and can moderate spam or abusive / inappropriate comments.
- Questioning the difference between a blog and a forum — Several people were unclear of the distinction between a blog and a discussion forum. Although there are a number of differences, the chief one I pointed out was that on a blog, the blog owner controlled the subject matter to initiate discussing (even though readers contribute to the discussion). With a forum, anyone can initiate a discussion topic.
- Wondering how to get started with a blog – Several people asked how and where to get started with a blog. I recommended experimenting with setting up a free blog at Blogger.com or WordPress.com, to see if you like blogging on a regular basis. An audience member recommended Blogger.com as the blogging platform she uses.
There was much much more, but this gives you an idea of the experiences and also the concerns of small business owners around social media.
Yvonne Bourquin of HP, who spearheaded the day
Resources
Finally, I’d like to point you to some of the materials I offered at this event — feel free to download and share if you’d like:
100 Best Kept Marketing Secrets (PDF)
Best Business Blogs EBook (PDF)
10 Business Blogging Commandments (DOC)
Online Marketing ROI Chart
Many thanks to HP for inviting me. I’d especially like to acknowledge Yvonne Bourquin, who did a beautiful job organizing the event, along with Lisa Baker, Sheila Watson, Bill Seidle and numerous others who supported the event and my participation. And many thanks to the NAWBO and WBEA members who were so open with your ideas and concerns — we all learned so much from you. You ladies (and gentlemen) rock!
