E-Updates Archive
A.R.E. Computer Solutions, Inc. is now an M5 Net Phone Systems Partner - 4/18/2008
Microsoft will end sales of Windows XP products - 5/2/2008
Is it time to tune up your business website? - 6/2/2008
Improve your Website's results - 6/11/2008
Are you one of the 220 Million Windows PCs that Microsoft says need help to run the new software? - 6/18/2008
Are You PCI Compliant? - 7/11/2008
Is your phone system still in the 1980's? - 7/18/2008
"What happened to my poor PC?" - 8/1/2008
Why do we recommend AVG? - 8/29/2008
How CRM can help grow your small business - 9/5/2008
Using Web Conferencing to Boost Productivity - 9/23/2008
What can Network Gateway do for you? - 11/4/2008
A.R.E. Computer Solutions Inc. is now an M5 Partner
What does this mean for you?
Phoenixville, PA - April 18th, 2008 - The availability of M5 Voice as a Service means that A.R.E Solutions customers can acquire phone system capabilities as an on-demand managed service through a partner they already trust and join companies like Century 21, Ammirati, Sotheby's, Crunch, Coldwell Banker and 600+ other companies that have made the switch to M5.
For more information check out our website at www.aresolutions.com or call us at 610. 917.2471
Voice as a Service
Voice as a service is a new way to look at phones for small and mid sized businesses.
It uses the internet
to make phone calls, send faxes, and other information that would normally require
seperate dedicated lines. With voice as a service long distance calls with be cheaper
and all other calls will be signifuicantly chepear. You will also have acess to
many of the expensive features of a telephone switch such as voice mail and message
taking, without the expense of a true telephone switch. Other benifits include using
the phone system when you are working from home, less expensive hardware, phones
still work when phone lines go down, cheaper faxes, and placing confrence calls
is easier.
M5 Networks is the market leader in "Voice as a Service," a breakthrough solution for business phone communications. Industry experts tell us that in ten years, no business will have a phone system - they will acquire phone system capabilities as an on-demand, managed service over the Internet - in other words, Voice as a Service. M5 pioneered Voice as a Service in 2000. Today we serve a rapidly growing base of mid-sized businesses. Our solution is distinguished by the rich capabilities and unmatched service that you would expect from an industry leader.
M5 Networks has received considerable recognition and was named to the 2006 Inc. 500 (#272) and both the 2006 Deloitte Technlology Fast 500 (#54) and New York Technology Fast 50 (#5). M5 was recognized by CRN as one of the top 15 Key VoIP Players in 2007 and received Frost & Sullivan's 2004 Entrepreneurial Company Award. M5 has also been included on the Pulver 100 list for five consecutive years and Fierce VoIP's Fierce 15 list in 2005 in addition to receiving numerous other accolades.
To learn more about M5, please visit http://www.m5net.com.
Looking for a reason to switch Outsource Your Phone System to M5? We've got 25
25. Advanced features such as off-network forwarding and unified messaging
24. No more busy signals
23. Direct-dial numbers for every employee
22. Easy On-the-Fly Conference Calling
21. Free 4-digit internal dialing between locations
20. Carrier-class quality
Find the rest on our website. www.aresolutions.com
Back To Top Microsoft will end sales of Windows XP products
on June 30, 2008
Phoenixville, PA - April 22, 2008 - For customers who want Windows XP after this date, original equipment manufacturers will have several options to provide Windows XP using downgrade rights. Mainstream support for Windows XP will continue through April 14, 2009. Additionally, Microsoft Extended Support will be available until April 8, 2014.
As has been Microsoft's practice, you can run an earlier version of their software so long as you own a more recent license for the Computer in question. Thus you could buy a windows Vista PC and Run windows XP.
If this is something you need to know more about, call us at 610-917-2471.We can help you to maximize your computer's efficiency.
And speaking of your computers efficiency we would also like to be sure you are aware that since Service Pack one, Vista (Professional) is a very viable option for most users.nbsp; While we are on this topic the two biggest reason for recommending the professional versions of Microsoft Operating Systems, in strong preference to the home version, would be that:
- The professional versions have network friendly software that enables it to work well in a network environment.
- The professional versions tend to be more stable, and thus less temperamental.
More information is available at www.aresolutions.com
Windows Desktop License Availability
Under the Support Lifecycle policy, Windows desktop licenses are available for four years after general availability in all standard product distribution channels (e.g. direct OEM, System Builders, retail, and Volume Licensing programs via licenses or via downgrade rights). Licenses will continue to be available through downgrade rights available in Volume Licensing programs after end of general availability.
Is it time to tune up your business website?
How long has it been since you updated your website?
Phoenixville, Pa - May , 8th, 2008 - How long has it been since you updated your website? Is it up to date with the latest technology? Is your investment serving you in the best way possible? When someone visits your website does the website draw them in or do they keep on going? A website is like a second store front if your store front looks out of date customers will believe your products and services are too. You know there is only one chance to make a good first impression; the same is true of your website. Why not have your website brought up to date?Some services could give you information about how long people stay, and what they look at.Perhaps we should add this to your site when we spruce up your website's appearance.
There are two aspects of web traffic. Getting it and keeping it. Information is the key to knowing what works and what doesn't work when you are evaluating your marketing results.
Is your website accessible? We can help more people find it and index it to more search engines.
Getting people to look at your site is important but not as important as keeping them there long enough to make an impression. Let us make your website interesting enough to stay at, not a click through.
Below is a summary of an article by Lora Krotz who writes on this subject for Microsoft
Joanna L. Krotz writes about small-business marketing and management issues. She is the co-author of the " Microsoft Small Business Kit and runs Muse2Muse Productions , a New York City-based custom publisher.
If you've figured out the kind of Web site your business needs, it's time to discuss how to attract visitors to your site and to keep them around long enough to develop a relationship.
Earlier we surfed for the joy of the ride. But now the online experience is all about getting immediate right answers. As Jakob Nielsen has pointed out, all we care about anymore is how fast we find the precise page that delivers the exact information or solution we are seeking.
Rarely do visitors bother to begin on a home page and navigate from top to bottom. (The exception, says Nielsen, is a well-organized e-commerce site, where you move from shopping to fulfillment to confirmation.) So your work is cut out for you. Your mission is to:
- Motivate visitors to spend time exploring your pages
- Persuade customers to keep clicking from page to page
- Prompt visitors to return after their first landing
All this makes it very important that you make your website "sticky."
Comfort your visitors with familiar items and navigation. Think about walking into a department store or supermarket for the first time. Previous experience tells you where to go to find what you need because there are conventions - established and traditional traffic patterns for you to follow. Do you know the online standard to help orient visitors, making them comfortable and ready to learn more.In a recent study, , the Nielsen Norman Group in Fremont, Calif., found the following page elements on roughly four out of every 10 sites.. Check out competitive sites and, if you decide to flout convention, have a good reason.
Intrigued?Read the article on our website at www.aresolutions.com
ARE Solutions, inc.. is a company dedicated to helping businesses do more with less, so they can stay competitive and meet the needs of their customers and employees, as well as their owners.Have a challenge, we can help.
Improve your Website's results
Now that you have a web site it's time to promote it.
Phoenixville, PA - May , 8th, 2008 - Recently we sent you an e Update titled "Is it time to tune up your business website?" As a follow up, we would like to discuss ways to improve your website results.
We told you some services could give you information on how long people stay at your site, and what they look at. Other services allow you to draw potential customers to your web site.
Now that you have decided what kind of Website your business needs, it's time to discuss how to attract visitors to your site and to keep them around long enough to develop a relationship.
Earlier we surfed for the joy of the ride. But our mission is to:
- Motivate visitors to spend time exploring your pages
- Persuade customers to keep clicking from page to page
- Prompt visitors to return after their first landing
All this makes it very important that you make your website "magnetic," attracting customers to your website.
Steve Strauss of USA today, writes that there are five rules to promoting your web site.
5 tips for promoting a Web site
Rule no. 1:
Choose and use keywords carefully. It is estimated that 90% of Web site traffic comes from search engine searches. Thus when a user types in a phrase or some words that match keywords or key phrases found in your site's content, they will find you.
So never underestimate the importance of choosing the right keywords.
How do you know which keywords to use? It can be tricky. I used an online tool to test a phrase that I thought was a killer keyword and guess what? The number of people who searched the term was almost nil.
The best way is find the right keywords is to use a keyword tool that helps you choose and analyze the right words and phrases to drive the right people to your site. Simply contact Lou Caccamo - lcaccamo@aresolutions.com and he will work with you to test the keywords you are interested in.
Once you have settled upon your keywords, then you have to intersperse them properly throughout your site, including
- At the top of your homepage
- In your meta and title tags
- In your content, and
- As links
Finally, remember that all of the tricks in the world will be worthless if, when people finally come to your site, they find it amateurish, not useful or hard to navigate or read. So put your best foot forward. And that is why we wrote our eUpdates on sprucing up your website.
Are you one of the 220 Million Windows PCs that Microsoft says need help to run the new software?
Ever wondered what possible reason there might be to upgrade?
Phoneixville, Pa - April , 23rd, 2008 - Do you know what simple change (Random Access Memory) will make a big improvement in the performance of your computer and the speed with which you get things done?
Contact us, we have a simple internet based test which will show you and us how much memory you have installed, whether it is all working, and what upgrade paths are available. We find that often a giga byte of memory makes a great difference in computer performance and costs less than 20 percent of a new computer.
Why is memory so important to performance? You may have noticed that new computers ship with 2 gigabytes or more (many have 3 Giga bytes) of memory. The reason that memory is so important is that Microsoft uses your hard drive and a process called virtual memory to swap information in to your hard drive used as virtual memory to augment what it keeps in Random Access memory. Thus the more information that is in Random Access Memory the less must be stored to your hard drive, and random access memory is more than ten times as fast. This speed up means shorter wait times and less time looking at a blinking cursor.
So Make it part of your spring resolutions to speed up your existing computer and get at least another useful year out of the equipment you own. Delaying your purchase of new hardware when your current computer could easily be sped up.
Call Lou at 610-917-247
Microsoft's reasons for updating memory to run newer software
Help your customers update their memory, easier, with the small business PC - includes Windows Vista® Ultimate with Service Pack 1, Office Small Business 2007, Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 and Windows Live OneCare. The small business PC has essential business programs the customers need to:
- Work more efficiently. Save time by instantly finding and organizing their information and automating PC maintenance tasks.
- Back up and better protect customer data. Help protect valuable business data with scheduled data backup, plus virus and malware protection.
- Market and sell. Manage customer information in one place, and create professional documents and marketing materials in house.
- Stay connected. Easily connect, communicate, and network with people and information-whether they are in the office or on the road.
- Keep their network reliable and security-enhanced. Help protect the business and the network from unauthorized users, threats and data loss with the most security-enhanced and reliable technology.
For more information contact
Lou Caccamo
Phone: 610-917-247
E-Mail: lcaccamo@aresolutions.com
or visit our website www.aresolutions.com
ARE Solutions, inc.. is a company dedicated to helping businesses do more with less, so they can stay competitive and meet the needs of their customers and employees, as well as their owners.Have a challenge, we can help.
Are You PCI Compliant?
Do you accept credit cards at your place of business, over the phone, or online?
Phoenixville, PA - June 30th, 2008 - If so, you need to be aware of the latest Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS) requirements and how they can impact your business.
A.R.E. Computer Solutions and ADTRAN are pleased to present this no-cost, informative webinar to our valued customers. You can attend from any computer with an Internet connection, and registration is simple:
To register, go to www.adtran.com/pci
Event Details:
Title: PCI Compliance Needs for Small/Midsize Businesses
Date:
July 30, 2008Time: 11:30 AM Eastern,
10:30 AM Central,
9:30 AM Mountain,
8:30 AM Pacific
Duration: 90 minutes, including Q&A session
The Payment Card Industry (PCI) security requirements are the same for both large and small merchants worldwide. Nearly all larger merchants are now compliant because they were the first to be pressured by their merchant banks to do so. Now, the card brands are going after midsize and smaller merchants to be compliant as well. In fact, merchant banks are now not allowed to sign up any new merchants of any level unless they are PCI compliant. Therefore, any company that handles credit cards (or retains credit card data) needs to:
- Be aware of what the standards require
- Evaluate the level of risk that they face in their business
- Determine some simple steps they can take toward compliance now
- Understand what tools, products and services are appropriate for their business
Our Speaker: Dr. David Taylor, CISSP: President, PCI Security Vendor Alliance
Dr. David Taylor formed the PCI Alliance December 2006 as a vehicle to help map the PCI security standards to the security and privacy market sectors, to improve the clarity and process of selecting PCI compliant solutions. In 2007, Taylor created the PCI Alliance's Research Program and launched the PCI Knowledge Base, as a searchable, interactive research community to improve the sharing of information about PCI Compliance among Merchants, PCI Assessors, and software and services Vendors. Prior to launching the PCI Alliance research program and the PCI Knowledge Base, Taylor created and was the VP of Data Security Strategies for software vendor Protegrity. In addition to providing PCI compliance consulting to Level 1 and 2 merchants, he was VP of Corporate Development. Taylor co-authored the book "Doing E-Business", published by John Wiley & Sons in December 2000.
Is your phone system still in the 1980's?
Do you have fewer than 50 phones that are actually in use?
Phoenixville, PA - June , 16th, 2008 - Then Microsoft has a solution for you, with a very attractive price point, and one that does not require a telephone technician just to make adds, moves, and changes. Microsoft believes this is the answer for businesses with fewer than 50 phones. Some reasons why are listed below.
We told you some services could give you information on how long people stay at your site, and what they look at. Other services allow you to draw potential customers to your web site.
Freedom from high priced phone technicians is just part of what Microsoft is offering with their new response point system.
- Response Point is an advanced phone system that radically simplifies the total phone experience for small businesses. Response Point supports both Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and analog telephone lines, thus allowing a blend of new lower cost technology with your existing phone lines.
- And it comes with built-in voicemail, and includes a breakthrough voice-activated user interface designed to give small businesses all the phone capabilities they need-in a single, easy-to-install box.
- Response Point also enables a small business to manage its phone system in-house, helping to eliminate the need for specialized IT support to implement such things as staffing-related moves, additions, or changes.
How does this equal savings to you the small business owner?
- It reduces phone system management costs by empowering average PC users to complete moves, additions, and changes without expensive onsite support.
- It lets small businesses slash their phone bills by using Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to cut long-distance bills and eliminate unnecessary local lines without forcing them to abandon their traditional phone service.
- It eliminates many expensive phone system extras-expansion packs, hours of employee training, etc.-that typically add thousands of dollars to the cost of a small business phone system.
And many of these features can be accessed by pushing a button on the phone. At this point you may be asking why up to 50 phones?
According to Microsoft:
Response Point can benefit small businesses with as few as one employee to as many as 50 employees, and it can grow with your business. Response Point is optimized for small businesses and organizations that need powerful telephony features, but aren't large enough to justify a dedicated IT staff. Businesses with more than 50 employees and a full-time IT staff are likely to consider additional features.
If that is the area you are in, call us about our mid range phone solutions as well as M5 our upscale solution for phones where your business depends on ability to track activity and numbers, or if your business is dependant on your phone system.
By now you may be asking just what Response Point offers my company or organization that I don't achieve with a standard phone system?
Response Point transforms phone system management and user experience from end to end.
- Response Point brings top-quality speech-recognition to the phone experience, allowing users to embrace phone features that were previously cumbersome or complicated to use. You can just say, "Transfer my call to Joe," instead of memorizing the right call-transfer keystrokes and Joe's extension number. Call anyone in the company, or any of your Microsoft Office Outlook contacts, just by saying a name.
- Response Point offers a helpful, Automated Receptionist that is fully customizable (you can record your own voice and company message), and includes the ability to add FAQs about your business (e.g., your hours, location, etc.).
- Callers need only speak their desired party's name and they will be transferred to that extension.
- Administrators can easily complete moves, additions, and changes with a few simple mouse clicks. The whole system can be managed by an average PC user, rather than a phone networking specialist.
Is the speech-recognition feature truly reliable? Is there a workaround in case I don't want to use voice?
Response Point's speech-recognition capability is top-quality-the result of long-term investment by Microsoft in speech-recognition research and development. Microsoft is deeply committed to its vision of delivering a rich voice communication experience. There are keystroke sequences for Response Point features as well, so customers who prefer not to use voice commands can still take advantage of the product's other benefits.
Response Point benefits mobile workers in several ways.
- It allows users to easily forward their office extensions to external lines, such as their cell phone or home phone, or a phone in a different office. Thus callers don't have to guess whether they are in the office or not.
- Response Point lets users retrieve and archive voicemail messages in e-mail. Windows Mobile users have found this particularly useful, since they can get instant notification of new voicemails and easily retrieve any message-new or archived-from nearly any location.
- Response Point gives users access to all their Office Outlook contacts from almost any phone, via voice commands. And these calls can be connected over a Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) line. To enable VoIP service, customers should obtain an integrated access device from their service provider and plug it into the Response Point base unit.
How much will Response Point systems cost?
Customers can purchase a starter pack, featuring one base unit, a four-port ATA, and four to five phones for around $2,500 at manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP). Additional phones will cost $139-$159 MSRP each. A typical complete 20-phone system will cost less than $5,500 MSRP. This places it well below standard pbx and switch style phone systems, without even calculating the cost of maintaining such systems.
Intrigued? Call Lou Caccamo @ 610-420-2456 or email him at lcaccamo@aresolutions.com
"What happened to my poor PC?"
No matter how fast computers might be when they are new, they all seem to get slower over time.
Phoenixville, PA - June 20th, 2008 - That state-of-the-art PC you bought last year might not feel like such a screamer after you install a dozen programs, load it with antispyware and antivirus tools, and download untold amounts of junk from the Internet. The slowdown might happen so gradually you hardly notice it, until one day you're trying to open a program or file and wonder, "What happened to my poor PC?"
There are a lot of ways to help speed up Windows and make your PC work better-even without upgrading your hardware. Here are some tips to help you optimize Windows Vista for faster performance.
13 Ways to Optimize Windows
1. Add more memory
This isn't a guide to buying hardware that will speed up your computer. But no discussion
of how make Windows run faster would be complete without mentioning that you should
consider adding more memory to your PC.
If a computer running Windows Vista feels too slow, it's usually because the PC doesn't have enough memory. The most sure-fire way to speed it up is to add more. Windows Vista can run on a PC with 512 megabytes (MB) of random access memory (RAM), but it runs better with 1 gigabyte (GB). For optimal performance, boost that to 2 GB or more.
If you're going to the trouble of opening up your PC case to add more memory, you might as well boost the total to at least 2 GB. Especially if you're the sort of person who keeps a dozen e mail messages, ten browser windows, and six other programs open at once-all while instant messaging.
Another option is to boost the amount of memory by using Windows ReadyBoost. This feature allows you to use the storage space on some removable media devices, such as USB flash drives, to speed up your computer. It's easier to plug a flash drive into a USB port than to open your PC case and plug memory modules into its motherboard. For more information, see our eUpdate from May 15th - "ARE you in need of a Memory Upgrade?"
2. Try restarting if there's a problem
This tip is simple. If your computer seems to be running slowly and closing all
the currently running programs doesn't help, trying restarting your computer. Restarting
can fix performance problems where the exact cause is hard to pinpoint.
3. Defragment your hard drive Fragmentation makes your hard disk do extra work that can slow down your computer. Disk Defragmenter rearranges fragmented data so your hard disk can work more efficiently. Disk Defragmenter runs on a schedule, but you can also defragment your hard disk manually.
For more information, see Improve performance by defragmenting your hard disk.put on web site from here down
4. Clean up your hard disk
If you want to reduce the number of unnecessary files on your hard disk to free
up disk space and help your computer run faster, use Disk Cleanup. It removes temporary
files, empties the Recycle Bin, and removes a variety of system files and other
items that you no longer need. For step-by-step instructions on how to do this,
see Delete files using Disk Cleanup.
Did these help? For 9 more ways check out the rest of the article at www.aresolutions.com.
Why do we recommend AVG?
AVG: The only real-time security solution!
Phoenixville, PA - August , 29th, 2008 - AVG provides real-time protection
against traditional threats such as viruses, spam, spyware and trojans - plus emerging
threats such as web exploits, drive-by downloads, phishing and rootkits. AVG solutions
include the latest web exploit prevention technology - yet are light on system resources.*
In fact, in a PC World study 1, AVG was named "lightest on system resources" when compared with other security software vendors.
In a comparative review by Cascadia Labs 2, AVG "demonstrated its value by providing a strong set of core features, making lightweight demands on system resources, and protecting against the greatest number of Web-based threats".
And, in a VARBusiness survey 3, AVG was voted the "#1 alternative security brand" by thousands of resellers in North America.
AVG protects more than 70 million computer users around the world and offers: Outstanding protection on a price vs. performance basis.
1. Source: PC WorldTop Antivirus Performers
Erik Larkin, PC World
April 23, 2007, 01:00 AM PDT
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,130869/article.html
2. Source: Cascadia Labs
Protecting Computers in a Small Business
June 2008
www.cascadialabs.com
3. Source: VARBusiness Magazine
Lawrence M. Walsh, editor
February 19, 2007
"Products such as AVG often provide value-added resellers with superior performance, innovative technology and preferential price opportunities."
The new AVG 8.0 - the only real-time security solution
Even visiting web pages can be risky!
These days, it's not only viruses that can harm your computer. Online criminals can potentially take control of any webpage and infiltrate your computer - to steal credit card numbers or to perform other criminal activities.
Stay protected
AVG ensures your safety while you search or surf the net, download music, documents and pictures, send emails or instant message by scanning documents, files, Web pages and Web links before you open them. Unlike other security products, our unique software stops the threat before it reaches your hard drive and becomes a problem.
What do you get with the AVG products?
- Trusted protection
AVG products are running on over 70 million computers worldwide. - Easy to use software Easy to download, install and use.
- Security with award-winning technology High-speed automatic updates, unique Internet security technology, certified and awarded by all major independent antivirus certification companies.
- Free support Technical support and new program upgrades included at no extra cost.
With all these advantages, you might expect AVG to be expensive. But you would be pleasantly surprised. AVG is very cost effective and reasonably priced as well.
Want to know more? Call Lou at 610-917-2471 and see why he has been using AVG since version 5. Or email him at lcaccamo@aresolutions.com with your questions.
"Outstanding customer service sets you apart"
"Outstanding customer service sets you apart"
Phoenixville, PA - September , 5th, 2008 - If you're running a small business you know it can be a great big pond out there, with big fish in it. How do you get customers to notice you, believe in you, and stay loyal to you once you sell to them?
Small businesses differentiate themselves from bigger competitors by virtue of their care and feeding of the customer. Customer focus-outstanding customer service-sets you apart.
This is where the customer-relationship management (CRM) offerings from Microsoft Office Live Small Business come into play. With features designed specifically for the small business you can be more responsive and attentive to your customers and other business contacts, and thus efficiently manage your relationship with them.
Customer relationship management is not a new idea; there are many CRM products and services out there. But Office Live Small Business specifically targets small companies. With Office Live Small Business, you can shorten sales cycles and make your customers more loyal to you by automating the daily work that goes into keeping your customers happy. The Office Live Small Business CRM features help you lend a strong personal touch to your dealings with customers-a key differentiating point for small businesses.
3 tools to help manage customer relationships
Microsoft Office Live Small Business has three critical tools: Contact Manager, a customer workspace, and a sales application.
With these CRM tools you can:
- Gain access through a browser to your key customer information.
- Configure Contact Manager to send event-driven e-mail alerts.
- Use shared workspaces to collaborate with customers and colleagues on business development, customer projects, partnerships, and more.
Through the Contact Manager "dashboard" interface, you can see-and update at a glance-everything about your business and its customers (sales opportunities, contacts, accounts, notes, contact history, etc.), and gain easy access to shared workspaces for customer collaboration. The Dashboard gives your employees direct access to tools that help them be more efficient and attentive to your customers. Details from contact information to account-level information (who in your company is assigned the customer, revenue information, payment status, etc.) is available at the click of a tab. This information is arranged in key functional areas that keep you apprised of everything related to a given customer, and related opportunities and obligations.
The tabs feature allows you to customize your view according to your business needs. When you click to a different tab, you click to a different view. Through the "Create View" option, you can customize your page to display your data in the ways most useful to you.
For more information on CRM check out our website: ARE Solutions or contact Lou Caccamo at 610-917-2471.
Using Web Conferencing to Boost Productivity
...and Increase the Profitability of Your Business
Phoenixville, PA - September 5th, 2008 - We have had a few businesses ask us about ways to reduce travel expenses and help eliminate time spent in commuting or traveling.
GoToMeeting® is one such tool, and one that may help some of you. We need to make it clear, that the cost is such that it may not pay where the attendees are less than a half an hour apart. But that still leaves a great many people as valid candidates for Go To Meeting by Citrix.
For that reason here is a white paper commissioned by Citrix which should give you greater understanding of when GoToMeeting® will meet your needs.
As always, if this was interesting, Call Jim Fowler at 610-505-0084 and arrange for a knowledge transfer.
Growing businesses today face escalating challenges in a rapidly changing global marketplace. They no longer compete with just the companies in their own backyard; now they must contend with competitors from around the world. And many of their customers are facing similar competitive pressures.These pressures are driving down prices and placing severe constraints on operating budgets. Consequently, growing businesses must adopt new, more cost-effective methods to win and retain customers, including those beyond their usual local reach. This is complicated by the fact that rising travel costs discourage companies from sending salespeople to visit remote prospects.
Many growing businesses are also permitting their employees to work at home. But this can be more expensive and less productive than desired, as remote workers may require additional travel and technology in order to coordinate with their peers elsewhere.
Smart businesses are leveraging the Internet to overcome these challenges. Most growing businesses promote their capabilities via their corporate Web sites and a variety of online search engines and advertising vehicles such as Google or Yahoo. Some more sophisticated businesses are leveraging electronic commerce to sell their goods and services. But few small businesses realize that the Web can be used to build closer ties with their customers, prospects, employees and partners, and compete with larger companies on a more even playing field.
Web conferencing has become a powerful and increasingly popular method to communicate with current or prospective customers, as well as partners and employees who are located remotely. Web conferencing isn't just for large-scale corporations who can afford sophisticated and expensive services. Web conferencing also permits growing businesses to meet virtually with these important audiences either one-on-one or as a group, and present valuable information in an easy and interactive fashion that can be just as effective as meeting across the table, but at a fraction of the cost.
Web conferencing can enable geographically dispersed employees to improve their productivity by allowing them to collaborate online. It can also be used for internal or external training purposes. It can also be used as a cost-effective sales tool to reach new customers located remotely.
Want to learn more?
Go to our website to read the rest of the white paper.
What can Network Gateway do for you?
Phoenixville, PA - November 4th, 2008 - Network Gateway offers you the following productivity tools:
In base form:
- Spam Blocker
- Virus Blocker
- Spyware Blocker
As you grow and need more features, you can add the following functions as well as improved versions of some functions as your needs increases. Truly the swiss army knife of network protection, "Network Gateway" grows with you in response to your increased needs, using the same hardware, just changes to the software to add more features. You pay only for the features you need and the configuration needed to add those features, once you have bought the basic Network Gateway hardware and software.
Peace of mind with the basic system and reports that will tell us when you need more protection.
Need anti virus software on the fly to protect your network from infected computers that plug into your network, Network Gateway is the answer. Need improved firewall protection? Network gateway can have this feature added. Need a Virtual Private Network tunnel? ( VPN) Network Gateway can have this feature added. Need a web filter to block web sites that could cost an employer a liability suit? This feature can also be added.
Have a router that will need to be upgraded to handle increased bandwidth needs? This feature can also be added to the basic form of Network Gateway.
Don't know what you need? Call Jim and let's create a plan that gets you started and allows you to add features as the need presents itself. Call Jim at 610-917-2471 and put a fortress around your network today.
Total features Network Gateway can be configured to offer:
Productivity
- Web Filter - Block time-wasting sites like MySpace and Facebook.
- Spam Blocker - Stop spam at the gateway before it reaches users.
- Protocol Control - Block unwanted peer-to-peer and port-hopping apps.
Security
- Virus Blocker - Scan all network traffic for viruses.
- Spyware Blocker - Protect users from websites and files that install spyware.
- Phish Blocker - Block email phishing attacks and pharming websites.
Remote Access
- Open VPN - Setting up a VPN server can't get easier than this.
- Remote Access Portal - Provide remote network access from a browser.
- PC Remote - Connect and provide support to PCs while off-site.
An example Network Gateway report is available on our website.