Company Reputation
24/01/11 13:29
I just had a reminder how important corporate image is on the net. (My bad spelling and grammar aside.) Quest sent me an email asking me to verify my "Free Listing". Of course they butchered the company name, had old phone numbers and we even were miscatagorized as Plumbers!
We spend a lot of money in advertising and take great pains to ensure our companies reputation remains in tact. All it takes is one person with a grudge to cause irreparable damage to an on-line reputation as well as overall loss of revenue.
The real pain in the butt, is that there are so many social medial outlets, review and rating sites, that it is almost impossible to keep track of what people are saying about you and your company. Time for Google Alerts.
Google Alerts is easy to set up. Just log into your Google account (or create one) and enter up to 5 search terms. Be careful on choosing your terms. If they are too general, you will get lots of useless information. Too specific and you will not get anything. Fortunately "Datajockeys" and "HeliosNyx" are rare terms so we get great results. Terms are easily changed to fine-tine what your results.
I strongly suggest to all of my clients that they take advantage of this free service. Besides Quests mucking up our company information, there were users using our corporate identity to establish user accounts on various forums. Most professional system administrations are quick to resolve copy-write and corp identity issues. Just contact them (politely) and let then know your concerns. If you don't get the results you want, please contact us.
Policy Change (explanation) - Labor Warranty
02/01/11 21:06
We do everything we can to ensure the smooth operation of our client systems. To date, we have an outstanding record of up-time, data preservation and money savings for our clients.
But, on occasion, we run into a pice of bad behaving software that causes us grief. In this instance an anti-virus product decided that all the files on the server were a virus and attempted to quarantine everything! It took several hours to restore the files and get the server to a stable state. It was decided that it was an isolated incident and to keep the anti-virus product in place but to place it in an information only mode. No files will be moved without manual intervention.
After three months, the anti-virus program got another bad signature file and did it again. Somehow it got switched form manual intervention to automatic again and deja vu. The reason I am not mentioning the particular AV product is because ALL of the major vendors have had this issue in one form or another. The client was not impressed and insisted that this incident be covered under our labor warranty. This system was not under our management (so there is no paper-trail to review) and we have done due-diligence / due-care in setting up the product.
While we recommend products, use and manage them, we cannot be responsible for problems with other companies products. Datajockeys constantly keeps watch over issues that may affect our client systems. We take a proactive approach and often head off problems before they show up. Our clients understand the need for bi-weekly maintenance on their systems and we use scenarios like this as a reminder to have a clear expectation of who is responsible for what.
Service Contracts - A Revisit
02/01/11 20:59
Most people use only one or two main software packages to run their business. Quickbooks, JobBOSS, Goldmine, etc. These are critical packages that should be under support contract from the manufacturer. Notice I specified form the manufacturer, not a 3rd party that is an "authorized dealer” but the manufacturer itself.
Normal cost for a software maintenance package is 20% of the original cost. Maintenance often includes:
- Software upgrades (even major revisions)
- Real tech support via phone or help-desk
- License management
If you need help accessing what software you should have on maintenance agreement, please give us a call.
New Standing Work Benches
13/12/10 19:28
We have completed our 36" tall work-surface area in the lab. Now all work-surfaces are the same height. There are recent studies of schools and businesses (AIG) that have documented 40% increased productivity! I have noticed more energy, concentration, and efficiency in moving between work areas.
Occupational Health & Safety
Dust Bunnies
04/12/10 19:23
OK, this is after just 6 months in a class "A" office space. I suggested that the cleaning staff change the bag in their vacuum and that the owners of this server check it a little more often. Blocked air vents will cause overheating and GREATLY REDUCE THE LIFESPAN of your gear.
Mission Creep
23/09/10 20:53
I had an interesting reminder today of how sometimes technical folks run off with a project without first clearly understanding what the project is for. We get so wrapped up in the cool new goodies that the project suffers from “Mission Creep”.
There is a real temptation to try all of the latest technical goodies without consideration to the:
- Cost of maintaining the new technology.
- Complexity of keeping the technology managed.
- Security issues it creates.
- Actual user benefit.
Without consideration for the mission the project is in jeopardy.
Before starting ANY project make sure there is a clear mission statement, that users are on board and management is behind it! Let the need drive the technology and not the other way around.
Not to be a stick in the mud. Technology is cool, but it needs to be useful, especially in a tight economy. Everything needs to be cost justified with real numbers showing a real return on investment. Oh yes, be sure to include the Human Factor!
The Human Factor
23/09/10 20:52
So often we get wrapped up in the numbers of business that we often forget the reason we are in business. I am not including the companies that focus on profit instead of providing to the value chain or services.
It is so easy to get caught up in the normal Return On Investment (ROI) schema that we often forget the value of “warm fuzzies” or the Human Factor (Hu). Hu can be defined as:
- Perception of the product, service or project.
- The need to experience something new.
- The sensation (5 senses) that come into play.
- Competition, to have what others want.
Quite often we do not include or discount the Hu factor in our decision making process. As the definition of Hu matures, there someday may be a way to “hard-code” a value and make it easier to incorporate into decisions. But for now, just be aware of Hu and respect its value to your clients.
Extended Warranties
04/06/10 14:29
I just had a client get one of the "Best Buy" extended warranties for his new MacBook pro. Problem is that I told him to get the Apple Care warranty and a Best Buy employee convinced him that their 2 year warranty was better than Apple's 3 year plan. And... It costs the same! I had to call back after getting the news. (Bad attitude sailor boiling up in me).
Note: If you were pressured into getting an extended warranty, go back to the shop where you bought it and talk to the on-duty manager. If you don't get the resolution you want, fill out a Consumer Complaint form with the State.
Here are my guidelines for extended warranties:
- Not all extended warranties are evil. The poor schmuck that offers it to you is forced by his employer to push them.
- If it is a 3rd party warranty, run away!
- If it is a manufacturers warranty, consider it.
As a general rule, if it is a mobile device and the manufacturer offers an extended warranty, I get it. I have had to take 2 MacBooks that had issues and so far, minus extended warranty cost, I have saved over $2,500.00!
If it is a desktop I don't bother. Most problems are with the operating system (Microsoft) or buggy software. If warranty service has to be called in, they often nuke the hard drive. I can do this myself and keep client data in place.
Extended manufacturer warranty on servers and network electronics. Heck YES! If something goes bump-in-the-night, you want someone in the trenches with you.
So far I have yet to see a 3rd party extended warranty service be of value to ANY of my clients. If you are tempted, get a copy of the contract, go to your favorite coffee shop and read it. That is if you can get a hold of the contract and not just the application form.
Barnes & Noble
01/06/10 17:12
I am more than aware of the cost of running a "Brick and Mortar" front end, but this is just plain rude.
The shop needed a couple of books on Active Directory for reference and planning. I found two books totaling $77.60 and selected the option to have the local store pull it and have them ready to pick up. There was an option to be notified on the cell phone when the order was ready, so I selected it.
About an hour later I got two messages stating that my orders were ready for pickup. It was odd that the full retail price was mentioned in the text. I wrote it off to bad programming.
When I arrived at the B&N across town my books were ready and at the full price of $115.08! I showed the clerk the web printout and the similar Amazon pricing. She said that B&N does not price match ANY stores (even their own). You would be proud. I kept my temper, choosing not to berate the cashier, since she had nothing to do with the policy and making a fuss would not help resolve the issue.
The best way to get B&Ns attention is to take business elsewhere and show others how they can save LOTS of money by following my lead.
Presenting Amazon. No real secret here. But did you know that Amazon started out as being a book retailer? If you can wait a couple of days, you can save a BUNCH of money. Here are some tips:
- Take free or slow shipping as possible.
- Amazon represents multiple vendors. Be sure to place as many items with one vendor as you can to combine shipping cost.
- Check new and used pricing. Sometimes new books are actually cheaper than used!
- Beware the shipping and handling monster. Amazon monitors these charges, but sometimes a vendor gets uppity with charges and can surprise you at checkout.
- Be sure to check the version of the book you are ordering. This is especially true with tech books!
I truly hope B&N gets their act together and stops taking their clients for granted.
Fay's New Computer
26/05/10 13:46
I had to put in a plug for the wife's new computer. She had been living off my hand-me-down MacBook Pro for a while. I don't remember her being such a geek when we first got married.
Got iWork and iLife installed. Put in Quickbooks 2010 for Mac and she is a happy camper! We have a saying: "When you want to work on the computer, get a Microsoft-based PC. When you want to get things done, get a Mac!"
Fortunately most of my clients already know that after professionally managing computer systems for over 27 years, I am multi-lingual. So please don't think I have gone totally Apple zealot.
Policy Changes
26/05/10 13:05
It looks like I need to change the wording on our labor rates page. I used the term "demarcation" which found its way into my vocabulary during my sailor years. The new wording should be less controversial.
http://www.datajockeys.net/labor_rates.html
Please note an internal policy change. My wife hates it when I bring this topic up to the public, but it needs to be addressed. If by poting this it helps other IT providers, all the better.
In the past we have taken the position of distancing ourselves from undesirable clients, hoping the relationship would just desolv on its own. This has caused all sorts of friction on both sides. I admit my lack of knowledge in ending business relationships. Frankly, I hope never to get proficient at it.
Our new policy is to communicate directly to the principles involved and explain the reasoning behind our decision. The conversation will be frank and final.
Please don't think that Datajockeys has gone prima donna. We have only had to terminate relations about 5 times in 10 years. Either it was for lack of timely of full payment, an abusive client, or the client requested that we perform work outside of our ethic base.
http://www.datajockeys.net/labor_rates.html
Please note an internal policy change. My wife hates it when I bring this topic up to the public, but it needs to be addressed. If by poting this it helps other IT providers, all the better.
In the past we have taken the position of distancing ourselves from undesirable clients, hoping the relationship would just desolv on its own. This has caused all sorts of friction on both sides. I admit my lack of knowledge in ending business relationships. Frankly, I hope never to get proficient at it.
Our new policy is to communicate directly to the principles involved and explain the reasoning behind our decision. The conversation will be frank and final.
Please don't think that Datajockeys has gone prima donna. We have only had to terminate relations about 5 times in 10 years. Either it was for lack of timely of full payment, an abusive client, or the client requested that we perform work outside of our ethic base.
Service Contract Secret(s)
26/05/10 12:52
I keep running into business that get extended warranties and service contracts and don't manage them properly.
When you get a new service (be it hardware, software or service), calendar the start and expiration dates, contract information and involved parties in the project.
- Calendar one month before the contract expires to evaluate if you will continue as is, renegotiate rates or evaluate moving to another platform.
- Depending on the importance of the project, calendar every 3, 6, 9 1yr to have someone look at the project status. Note if there are any service issues and contact the provider to get the issue(s) resolved. Work the contract! Get what you pay for.
- Document ANY issues and be sure to address them at least one month before the contract expires. This will help with cost analysis.
No, we don't offer Service Contracts. I have yet to see one that benefits the customer, so I won't do it. Taking money and not providing a tangible return just grates me. If there is a problem, we are there. Sometimes we may have to work out some scheduling, but ALL of our clients are taken care of. No additional cost for the service. 7x24 if there is a problem with one of our managed sites, we are available as needed.
Spring Cleaning Tips
22/05/10 19:30
I guess it is time for a new spring cleaning tip. Caned air is great for cleaning out DVD drives, fan vents and keyboards (turn upside down and blow). Dust on screens and equipment surfaces has always been a pain.
Using rags and chemicals to clean electronic surfaces is a big no-no. Chemicals can ruin plastics, film left on surfaces can actually cause more buildup. Some cleaners will yellow or discolor monitor screens as well.
We have been using Swiffer dusting products for some time. They contain no chemicals, attract dust like crazy and are disposable. Yes I know, there is a green issue here. I have already contracted Proctor and Gambol on the subject of greening up this product. It is not recyclable and rivals old diapers on biodegradability. But, until something better comes along, this is a usable alternative.
A word of caution, the Swiffer floor products are junk. Handles fall apart, wet pads dry up before being used and STINK! The P&G FAQ page has this patronizing description of the contents of their wet mop products:
WetJet and Wet cloth ingredients
Published 05/07/2004 03:47 PM | Updated 10/10/2005 04:23 PM
What's in the solution?
Swiffer Wet Cloths and WetJet solutions are made of perfume and water-soluble cleaning ingredients commonly found in cleaning products everywhere.
Needless to say, we are sticking with our bucket and mop solution. At least we don't stink ourselves out of the lab and we know what chemicals are in play.
Project - Zimbra
13/05/10 16:42
This is a new project for us. For years we have searched for a useable groupware project. Zimbra uses a similar business model to Untangle. There is an open source version and a paid / supported version.
We have just finished testing and may have a 5+ site roll-out scheduled in two weeks. Update: Project was given to Google. Client's management overrode their own IT department. Stay tuned...
If you are looking at a viable replacement for Microsoft Exchange, Novell Groupwise or IBM Domino Server, you may want to take a look at what Zimbra has to offer.
I need to quickly mention that Zimbra also offers email archiving for those entities that have to meet applicable regulatory requirements.
Web Site Revamp
31/03/10 16:51
Our website is going through some tweaking to support "landing areas" for our Google Adwords campaigns. We have way too much clutter on the site and it is time to clean house.
The new focus is on what perspective clients need to see to feel comfortable with us. Second is contact information and 3rd to provide resources for our current clients (mainly the help-desk and blog area).
The new focus is on what perspective clients need to see to feel comfortable with us. Second is contact information and 3rd to provide resources for our current clients (mainly the help-desk and blog area).
Google Advertising
31/03/10 16:43
This is the 1st year that Datajockeys is advertising in ANY of the Yellow Page offerings. Just way too expensive and delivering 0 (zero) results. It just did not make good business sense in supporting these abysmal results.
Good news is that Google Adwords is the preeminent force in advertising. I took several webinar sessions, video tutorials and other training and got fairly proficient in getting business listed online. I like the granularity in adjusting your ad campaigns to fit your changing needs. No more waiting a year to make adjustments.
I have successfully consulted with several business owners and the feedback has ben GREAT! My philosophy is that if I make my clients successful they will need more of my services to shore up their infrastructure as they grow.
Data Recovery - Expectations
17/03/10 10:08
I just got a call the other day. The perspective client was distraught over the loss of their data. He had already sent his hard drive to a lab (which I never heard of). The diagnosis was a bent actuator arm, and would cost $1,300.00 to recover the data.
Frankly I have never heard of a bent actuator arm not causing total destruction of the platters and making recovery impossible.
I asked why he did not go through with the recovery since they had the drive in a clean room and were ready to recover his data. Stone silence... "Well, because it is so expensive!", he said. Clean rooms and the equipment they contain are extremely expensive. Drive Savers just spent 11 Million dollars (Visions of Dr. Evil here... "Million Dollars") to upgrade their lab.
Conclusion: Get a Western Digital Passport 750Gb hard drives and a little program called 2nd Copy by Centered Systems and be safe. The drives can be purchased at Costco for ~$100.00 and 2nd copy is downloadable for ~$30.00. If you don't do proper backups, plan on spending about $1,500.00 to $2,500.00 to recover data from your single hard drive!
USB Flash Drives
01/03/10 12:38
I got a call last week that needed commenting on. A student working on her Masters thesis moved ALL of her research and papers to an el-cheapo Flash Drive. Read MOVED, not COPIED the data. You can conclude, the drive failed and her thesis is unrecoverable.
Several behaviors caused this to happen:
Several behaviors caused this to happen:
- Moved important files to a portable media device. Keep viable copies on your PC, on-line service or server.
- Used el-cheapo media. At this time I recommend Sandisk products for Flash Drives. Note: Be sure to wipe all of the factory installed software from the drive before using it.