Tag Archives: Business
If Touch Screen Kiosks Can Help My Business Than Please Tell Me What They Are
If Touch Screen Kiosks Can Help My Business Than Please Tell Me What They Are
Kiosks are basically a one stop information tool, let’s first define the word kiosk to see the history of where they’ve come from so we’ll be better able to understand what exactly what they are: ki·osk noun
1. A small open gazebo or pavilion.
2. A small structure, often open on one or more sides, used as a newsstand or booth.
3. A cylindrical structure on which advertisements are posted. The first recorded instance of the word “kiosk” was back in 1865 with reference to a newspaper stand. Kiosks are still known today as traditional freestanding retail booths. With the recent advent of low-cost pc’s and the internet kiosks are taking on a whole new shape and definition.
Computer Or touch screen kiosks have forged their way into main stream.
The technology used in interactive kiosks is basically the same as that used in computers. Touch screen kiosks are mainly operated with the help of a control unit and a touch screen sensitive LCD monitor. To operate a kiosk the user simply needs to touch the area of the screen to navigates the custom built show. The touch screen operation of the kiosk make the functioning very simple and user-friendly. Considering that computer kiosks are run via PC computers, the utilization of video, images and text with sound all combine to offer a truly interactive experience.
When the Kiosks are not in use they can act as a screen saver to serve up advertising or upsell in store items to increase revenue.
The Benefits of Using Kiosks
Now a days kiosks have a wide range of applications and can be seen in department stores, airports or in government offices. The different services provided by a kiosk are accessing of live news from the newsroom with the very latest news and information, accessing of popular galleries with stills and video clips, information on number of job vacancies, etc.
The popularity of kiosks are stated below:
1) The long lasting steel construction of the kiosk helps it to be rugged and secure and is suitable for placing it at any environment.
2) A kiosk helps a lot in saving the valuable floor space. Just by plugging them in they are ready to go as the hardware and software comes within a single unit.
3) Kiosks are very easy to maintain as all the components of the kiosks are easily repairable and replaceable.
4) With the help of remote administration options the tracking of kiosks can be done via the internet or via e-mail or phone alerts for low paper or power failure.
Kiosks can be used for an infinite number of applications, including: Gaming, bill payment, eCommerce, human resource, customer service, location and mapping, credit application, vending machines, sales and marketing, internet access and adverting just to point out a few.
A kiosk project typically has 3 main components: Hardware, Software and Post Production.
Hardware:
Any tangible portion of the kiosk project will fall into the hardware category. Depending on the type you require, this can simply be a metal enclosure with a touch screen monitor attached to it with a PC inside. More complex kiosks have hardware components inside such as card readers, printers, telephone handsets, ruggedized keyboards, ruggedized pointing devices and other specialized peripherals.
Software:
Depending on what your kiosk is supposed to do, there may or may not be off-the-shelf kiosk software available for it. Kiosk software typically does the following: displays the content you want to display, prevents users from making changes to the PC’s operating system, allows the owner to make changes remotely, make sure everything is working properly, and interfaces with peripherals inside the kiosk such as printers, card readers, scanners, etc..
Postproduction:
Depending on the size of your kiosk project, there are services such as kiosk site acquisition, kiosk installation, and on-site maintenance. For a small kiosk project, typically the owner of the kiosk does these things on their own. For larger deployments, a kiosk implementation company will be your best bet.
For business owners a kiosk can be used in a wide array of applications as seen above – the one point to consider is that a kiosk can deliver the right message at the right time, consistently every time. There’s no doubt kiosks are here to stay – watch for them next time you go out into your community!
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Keeping Yourself Business Oriented
Keeping Yourself Business Oriented
For most home businesses, the computer and the
Internet are an integral part of the success or
failure of the business.
However, just like when you are at work, there’s
always the temptation to check your email, talk to
friends online, or play a game when you are not busy.
However, just like at a job that you commute to, this
should be something that should be avoided when you
are working at your home based business.
One way to help avoid doing this is to set up an
account on your computer that is just for your home
based business.
Set up an email that is just business, set up an
instant messenger that is just business, and use the
web browser to just do things that are part of the
business.
The temptation is still there, of course, but if you
start doing this right away you will find that it’s
not so difficult.
The other reason that setting up an account that is
separate for your business is good is because when you
are doing things that are personal on the computer you
will be less likely to work during your ‘off’ hours.
One of the biggest mistakes that people who work from
home make is that they are ‘always’ working. They
never allow themselves time to be ‘off the clock’.
This isn’t something that is healthy, and it’s
something that should be avoided. Having a separate
account on your computer helps to prevent this from
happening.
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Importance Of Technology Changes In Business Computing
Importance Of Technology Changes In Business Computing
The importance of keeping up with changes in business computing and technology can be more important over time as your business grows. As and an IT professional far too often I have seen many small businesses get way too far behind in computing technology and wonder why they should pay for the upgrades. Usually I have to explain to them the hard way that the current computers system that are over 4 years old are not going to perform the requested task very well and are not supported by software. Usually do to combination of software changes and incompatibility with older software and hardware platforms that cause issues. I explain that it actually will cost them more money in the long run to try and maintain there existing computer equipment then buy a new replacement.
Most small businesses fail to recognize that keep computer equipment very long periods actually can cost them more money to maintain those systems then the price of a replacement. One cost is the amount if money you pay out for replacement parts when there is no warranty on the old device. If the computer, server or printer is made by a specific manufacture then there is a good chance that you will have to go back to them for certain parts which can be very costly. Another problem is that they actually don’t make replacement parts for broke unit, this is a worse case issue I have seen although sometimes you might find a vendor that makes similar parts and hopefully it fits properly and works properly but not always.
Another disadvantage is if your business is operating on older slower computer equipment that takes a long process customer request and this might open the door for your competition to take your clients away from you but offering better service. If your competition is reinvesting in there business computing and technology changes then most likely they will have the ability to complete products and request faster and at a cheaper rate. The advance technology will cost you money upfront but if the proper equipment is purchased and utilized in office it can add to your over all business.
Some of benefits can include lower power requirements for the devices, more storage capacity for computer files, improved CPU along with memory speeding up processes run on the computer, faster and higher quality documents from new printers. Less down time and less delays in completion of customer request. These are just a few of the benefits of keeping up with technology in your business.
I know that some of you are say that this is easier said then done and in some cases that is very true depending on your current business. But as a small business or home office you should plan for these events after all that is what large companies do and you should follow the same lead. Your business should have at least a basic IT business computing plan that has budget plan and cycling out of computer and office equipment. By having budget and plan in place it should not impact your business finance as much since you set planed ahead. The IT business computer plan should have some flexibility after all you don’t want to do a complete equipment change in the middle of a big job or shutdown your business at the wrong time. And if your business in booming and you don’t have them time then hiring a temp IT professional to help with computing change which might not be a bad idea.
Investing in the proper technology is the key to success it does not matter if you have established small business, home office or if you’re a new startup business. Remember that your business most likely will change over time along with the clients you are serving so your computing equipment should also.
In conclusion business computing when done right can truly add to your business by adding to productivity and efficiency of the day to day operations and can help you take on more clients and over all help you build your business.
Hopefully this article has been informative and helpful to you. If you’re looking for more Business computing information and solutions then be sure to check our website listed below.
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Starting Your Own Computer Repair Business
Starting Your Own Computer Repair Business
You have a passion for working on a computer and you like fixing computer problems. Time to open your own computer repair business right? Well… Make sure you have good answers for the following questions.
How badly do you want it? Starting a business is not for the faint of heart. You’ll work lots of hours for lots of months before you’ll be making a good living. You’ll also have to go out and make lots of sales calls and endure some less than nice people in the process. If you have the stomach and the guts to push through that, you are on the right path, read on.
Once you’ve determined that you are serious about this business thing, you’ll need to make sure you have enough money to do it right. Remember that most people underestimate the amount of money it will take to run a business. It’s easy to think that you won’t need much but consider some basic costs. You’ll need some money for computer parts. You’ll most likely need either a cell phone and a landline phone or both. You’ll need to consider expenses like gas for your vehicle and some advertising expenses that will cover at least a basic form of advertising like flyers and the yellow pages.
Consider the tools you’ll need as well. Things like some screwdrivers, some extra parts like some extra computer cases, computer screws, magnifying glass, flashlight, duct tape, overalls, business cards, and a carrying case to name a few items. There is nothing worse than not having the tools you need to do business. Not only will you lose time, you could also potentially lose the respect of your customer. This in turn can lead to either loosing their business or at the very least making it less likely they’ll refer more business your way.
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Is The Computer Repair Business Dead?
Is The Computer Repair Business Dead?
Computer repairs are being done by computer novices at a higher rate than ever before. More and more people do their own computer repairs. Whether it is installing a hard drive or installing an operating system. Is the computer repair business dead?
The computer industry is evolving. It is always changing. In fact, if there is one thing that is sure in the computer repair industry it’s that change is going to happen. Companies like Microsoft have gone out of their way to make their products as easy to use as possible. Where does that leave the computer repair business? What can you do to stay in business and be competitive?
Offer outstanding customer service. Look for different ways to package your services. Take the time to research your competition. What could you offer that no one else is offering? One area that matters to your customer is time. Are you in a position to guarantee fast computer repairs? Maybe a same day repair service? Think about how you can take care of your customer while they wait. You could create a comfortable waiting area for them with good reading material, free coffee, computers with internet access or something similar. Don’t be afraid to get creative. Think outside the box.
Keep your prices reasonable without under or overcharging. When pricing your services, it is generally a good idea to go with the industry average for your area. If you offer something unusual like same day repairs, you could charge more money. On the other hand, if you charge the same as everyone else but get the computer repair done quickly, this can easily result in an increase in business.
Don’t overcharge for computer parts. Most customers are price savvy. If you are charging a premium for the computer parts you install over what other places are charging, you will most likely find your customer base dwindling. Here again, the industry average is your friend. Find out what your competitors are charging for general computer parts and look to stick around that. Getting known as the most expensive place in town won’t exactly help business.
Whatever you do, treat your customer with respect and you’ll have more business than you can handle. Is the computer repair business dead? I don’t think so. It’s simply evolving.
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