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View Full Version : What's the one product or technology that makes running your business enjoyable?



Harold Mansfield
04-09-2013, 05:57 PM
Advances in technology are the reason most of us are in business and are able to run it ourselves.
Besides the obvious of computers and the internet, is there one thing or combination of related things, that you use frequently that makes your business life so much easier? It doesn't have to be anything big, just one thing that you think "This would be so much harder with out this"?


For me, it's Bluetooth. It's come a long way in a few short years.
Being able to talk and hear clearly via a wireless headset while I'm using my hands to do stuff on my computer makes servicing clients so much easier than having a wired headset, or using speaker phone.

Its a small thing that I don't even give a second though to, but every now and then I'll get a call early before I turn everything on and have to answer the phone with my hands using the actual receiver, and it is a real hassle trying to type or write things down while bracing the phone between your head and shoulder.

The freedom to walk around while talking to grab some coffee, step outside, or whatever, makes things so much more relaxed. I don't know how people didn't go stir crazy at work with wired receivers that forced you to be at your desk, or worse, taking a call with one hand while trying to work with the other.

So for me, it's hands free communication.
What about you guys?

MyITGuy
04-09-2013, 06:45 PM
Firewalls that support VPN Clients/Tunnels - This allows me to work on my clients systems without having to be on-site each and every time
Remote Desktop tools (I.E. LogMeIn, ScreenConnect) - This allows me to work on client/customer systems who I've never worked with before in seconds, or clients who just don't have the funds for a hardware firewall that supports VPN's.
PBX's with Find Me/Follow Me functionality - I give out one number to all my clients (Or if they reach me through my extension or queue for support/care), my PBX can ring my desk extension along with my cell phone or any other number I give it. This way I'm not tied to my desk all day waiting on calls and don't miss any calls just because I'm on a client site.

vangogh
04-09-2013, 06:53 PM
Interesting question. I'm not sure I have a great answer. I want to say it's my computer or the internet, but that's against the rules. Bluetooth is definitely something I'm glad to have, but I try to stay off the phone so I can't say it's the product that makes my business more enjoyable.

Maybe something similar, AirPlay. I have an AirPlay speaker that's connected to my network. I open iTunes and play what I want and everything runs over the network, which is very nice.

Another thought is some of the specific software I used to do my job. There's no single application though, but I have code editors, text editors, and image editors that I enjoy opening and using.

One more. The chicklet keyboard on my laptop. Something about it feels right and since nearly everything I do involves typing in some form, it's great to have a keyboard I really like.

Business Attorney
04-10-2013, 10:39 AM
Dragon NaturallySpeaking. Although I don't use it as much as I should, speech recognition software lets me "think aloud" and not worry about being held back by my typing skills (which aren't bad but are not as fast as I can think or talk).

I've been using it for years and recently upgraded to version 12. It has been very accurate from the beginning and continues to improve.

Harold Mansfield
04-10-2013, 10:59 AM
Dragon NaturallySpeaking. Although I don't use it as much as I should, speech recognition software lets me "think aloud" and not worry about being held back by my typing skills (which aren't bad but are not as fast as I can think or talk).

I've been using it for years and recently upgraded to version 12. It has been very accurate from the beginning and continues to improve.

I remember seeing that demonstrated years ago at COMDEX (I think it was launching) and it was the hit of the show. I have followed it's growth over the years and it does look pretty sweet.

KristineS
04-10-2013, 12:27 PM
Smartphones. For me, because I'm Director of Marketing, it's about being in touch with our company social media accounts no matter where I am. I recently got a new Droid to replace my old smartphone, which was the dumbest smartphone on the planet, and the new phone lets me do so much so easily. I can stay in touch with all the company social media accounts, answer e-mails, send texts and do it all very simply.

Also, my new phone has speech recognition as well and it's awesome. Not perfect, but it's great to be able to say what I want to post and have it type without having to mess with a keyboard.

broudie
04-10-2013, 12:30 PM
Hands down its SHIPWORKS.

Shipworks is primarily a shipping tool, but I rarely use it for that anymore since all my goods are now with an order fulfillment company. But the stuff it can do..
- aggregate all my orders from different sales channels (all my Ebay stores, Amazon stores, web stores)
- automatically send order fulfillment emails to my warehouse in NJ
- facilitate some common workflows (returns processing, tracking requests, follow ups, etc)
- basic sales analytics i.e. sales this yr vs previous year, by item, by country, by sales channel, etc etc

A close second are the tools that help me manage my business remotely without which I would be tied to the chair in my home office:
- Google Drive, which allows me to sync my server data across different devices (laptop, iPad, smartphone)
- POCKETCLOUD, which allows me to RDP into my servers when I am away or on vacation using my iPad and smartphone
- my smartphone, which allows me to run my business at reduced functionality while I'm on the go (emails, some of my stores, etc etc)

vangogh
04-14-2013, 12:42 PM
What's most interesting is how we're all thinking of different things as that one product or technology. It shows how there isn't necessarily one killer app or device that's perfect for all of us. We each have our own favorites.

Harold Mansfield
04-14-2013, 12:54 PM
When I got my first computer I saw a guy with 2 monitors and I wanted that desperately. However, at the time it was pretty complicated for my knowledge level, and a lot of people just had 2 computers on thier desk to emulate it.

Now, I've been running 3 monitors for some time and the set up is pretty easy since new tools have come on the market that weren't possible in 2002.

Today, I couldn't imagine working with one monitor. Even when I'm on someone elses computer, it feels very limiting.

So the ability to run multiple monitors is up there too.

KristineS
04-15-2013, 01:11 PM
I have multiple monitors and, even though I don't design, it has increased my efficiency. I can look at something in one monitor and enter data into a spreadsheet on the other. I can compare products or sites. It's great for looking at a page on our site in two different browsers. I can research on one monitor and write a piece on another without having to toggle back and forth. It's a simple thing, but it has greatly increased my ability to process and absorb data.

vangogh
04-16-2013, 12:10 AM
A second monitor is something I really should get myself. At the moment it's not in the budget, but I also have limited space where I work so I'd need to change that too before a second monitor would be a real option. I did purchase an app that lets me use my iPad as a second monitor. I haven't used it a lot, but when I have it's been very useful. Now I just need to remember that and use it more often.

enjay
04-16-2013, 01:57 AM
For me it's definitely open source software, I can get a lot of components I need for free and then tweak them for my specific needs. Great progresses have been made recently in this field.

KristineS
04-16-2013, 01:19 PM
Open source software is another great innovation. We got the POS software we use at trade shows through open source and it's been wonderful. It's also saved us a ton of money considering what we would have paid to buy software.

billbenson
04-16-2013, 01:31 PM
I run two computers, not two monitors on one pc. The reason for that is the second computer is my hot standby, so if my main computer fails, I just turn on my second computer. I have a way of keeping all my emails current on my second pc as well.

I also use my second computer when I'm doing two tasks such as quotes and orders on my main computer and web design on my second one.

It's really a different application than dual monitors on one pc. My primary motive is hot standby. If I don't have a computer, I'm out of work!

I also agree with enjay. Open source software and free scripts help me a lot.