Archive for April, 2010
April 29th, 2010 by admin
Over half of all households that connect to the Internet have a broadband connection these days, mostly cable or DSL. Which means the other half does not and still uses dial-up. Modems are much faster than they used to be in the early days of computing, but today’s websites are larger and require a lot of bandwidth to load quickly. To make matters worse for those on slower connections, even simple software updates are now often dozens of megabytes and can take a long time to download. What it all means is that modem users need a break!
Fortunately, there are things that can be done to make a connection faster. You see, the operating system software on today’s computers is not optimized for fast downloads. Microsoft’s primary goal is simply to make sure Windows works with all the different hardware out there. Compatibility is important, of course, but it can be frustrating when things just don’t work as well as they should.
But not everything is your computer’s fault. Your Internet service provider, too, is primarily concerned with reliability (good), compatibility (good), and moving as much traffic as possible with as little investment as possible (not so good). Further, while the Internet moves at electronic speed, not all connections are equal. You may have noticed that downloading pictures from the same exact website is sometimes faster and other times much slower. That may be because the server is very busy, but it can also be because your connection is taking some detours instead of directly getting on the highway.
What does it all mean? It means that between hardware and software designed for compatibility rather than performance, and Internet connections that may not necessarily favor individual dial-up customers, you may simply not get the speed your computer is capable of and that you are paying for. This is bad news for those who frequently download movies, music or pictures.
Fortunately, there are solutions, and I don’t mean getting a new computer or waiting until you have broadband access. One such solution is download accelerators. They can greatly increase the speed and reliability of your downloads. How do they do it? By optimizing the way your computer works and by making sure your data downloads the fastest and most direct route possible. With a download accelerator, you are no longer at the mercy of some remote traffic routing computer. Instead, the accelerator in your own system determines the best way to download data as quickly and efficiently as possible.
But speed is not the only benefit of a good download accelerator. How often has it happened to you that a connection times out or is interrupted before a file has downloaded completely? Probably quite often. And then you have to start all over. A download accelerator will keep track of things and will simply pick up where you left off if a connection gets dropped. Imagine how much time you save.
The bottom line is clear. You have better things to do than wait for downloads to complete. If you want to regain control of your Internet connection, accelerate downloads and restore, or just web browsing in general, a good accelerator is invaluable.
April 27th, 2010 by admin
3 More Common E-Mail Problems And What To Do About Them
As we continue to evolve into the world of e-mail that is part of our everyday life, sometimes little problems arise that bother the user. Previously we talked about returned messages and lost connections, both which can be aggravating, and supplied solutions. But there are a few more problems that can affect an e-mail user causing frustration and we will address these here, and again provide reasonable solutions to over come them.
Problem 1 You Cannot Send a Message
Even when there is not a connection problem, you may attempt to send email, but find that it continues to remain in your outbox.
Solution
Typically this is a software problem, the result of otherwise unapparent damage or corruption to one or more e-mail messages. To address this problem, first copy any unsent messages as text. Then save them on the computer’s hard drive or a back-up storage medium. After all messages have been saved, highlight all the messages in your outbox and click on delete or clear. When clearing your outbox, start over. Just copy unsent messages from the text files, pass them into new e-mail messages and resend.
Problem 2 The E-mail is Missing an Attachment or the Attachment Won’t Open
An especially handy feature of e-mail is the ability to send and receive attachments. Transmitting documents, photos or other such information can save time and money compared to the U.S. Mail or express delivery services. At the same time, attachments can be real headaches. A common frustration is to receive an e-mail message that refers to an attachment, but then find nothing is there.
Solutions
Often the best solution is to request that the sender try once again, since it is not unusual for the writer to refer to an attachment, but then forget to attach it. Even if this is not the case, your request might prompt the sender to re-think the attachment’s format before transmitting again. If the problem continues, consider asking the sender to paste the contents inside an e-mail message and try again. This may disrupt formatting, but can be an effective way to circumvent attachment problems.
If you see a message that the attachment has been deleted, it may be that your anti-virus software has detected a virus, and you’re better off without it anyway. But if you find that all attachments are indiscriminately being deleted, check your mail properties. If a box is checked that blocks all attachments, remove the check mark so that you can receive attachments. If you then receive a message from an unknown person, or if the message or attachment seems suspicious, delete the message without opening the attachment.
A related problem is to see that an attachment has been transmitted, but find that you are unable to open it. The causes (and thus the solutions) vary. In some cases, the problem is that the software used by the sender does not match that of the recipient. As with a missing attachment, a simple fix is to ask the sender to copy and paste the contents of the attachment within a follow up mail message. Even if formatting is disrupted, you can still get the gist of the information. You can also use your own copying and pasting process to reformat the contents, if that is important.
Another strategy is to save the document to your hard drive, and then open the software program that was used initially to create it. Once this program is in use, your computer may be able to recognize what had been the attachment, and open it. If you do not have the appropriate software loaded on your computer, you may be able to download it from the Internet; just follow the on screen prompts to proceed.
Problem 3 You Have too Much Incoming Mail or Cannot Download What You Have
If you are receiving large volumes of e-mail, you may be vulnerable to several difficulties.
Solutions
Many Internet service providers place limits on the amount of storage provided to each user (although some have recently increased storage limits). If a pre-set limit is reached (perhaps because you’ve gone too long without downloading your e-mail, or have been inundated by SPAM or virus induced flood of messages), additional messages will be bounced back to those who sent them.
Of course the direct approach is to download your mail and then weed it out, but a smarter move may be to access your e-mail account via Web mail. That way you can see a listing of all messages and quickly delete any that do not appear to be of interest. The end result is the same, but this step can save a great deal of downloading time if you’re using a dial up modem. It also adds an extra measure of virus protection even if you have a broadband connection. Since you’re deleting messages from your ISP’s server before they ever have a chance to infect your computer, it’s like killing mosquitoes before they bite you instead of afterwards.
If you do not have a Web mail account, it’s easy to get one. Simply go to a provider such as Yahoo (www.yahoo.com) or Lycos (www.lycos.com) and register. You can also use a site such as mail2web (www.mail2web.com) or webmail4free.com without even registering. Go to the site and enter you e-mail address and password. You will see a listing of all incoming mail, which you can read and then retain for downloading, or delete, as you choose.
A similar challenge may be caused by unusually large message. Again, this problem is more common with dial-up modems, where hefty messages may take an annoyingly long time to download. In the worst cases, you may find yourself unable to receive other messages, because the connection with the server where your messages are stored is severed when a time limit has been reached.
Use of Web mail can also do the trick here. Just log on to the third-party site, peruse the list of messages in your inbox, and choose the one that is the largest (most Web mail programs automatically list the size of each message). If the message seems of potential interest, open and read it, and then delete it. Or if it is obviously spam or something in which you have no interest, you can delete the message without even bothering to read it. Once you have removed the offending message, your other incoming mail will no longer be blocked.
If you do not have Web mail, an option is to contact your Internet Service Provider and ask for help. Once a customer service representative deletes the offending message from the ISP’s server, you can then download all remaining messages.
Also keep in mind that retaining too much e-mail can be an organizational problem, if not a technical one. Take time to delete e-mail that does not need to be saved for future reference. Allowing too many messages to accumulate wastes storage space and makes it more difficult to find important messages when you need to refer to them. For messages that merit retention, create a series of folders so that they can be readily located, and so that your inbox will not become too full.
April 27th, 2010 by admin
ACT! Software Takes Customer and Contact Management to the Next Level
When it comes to software solutions that improve your productivity by enabling you to manage your contacts and customers, over the past 20 years ACT! has proven that is unparalleled. According to ACT consultants, the software allows users to track sales opportunities, manage everyday responsibilities, increase effective communication, and organize contacts.
The newest version of the software, ACT 2008, features an interactive dashboard that gives you a 360-degree view of your work. You can see the big picture, and then drill down for details, while also being able to write emails, view opportunities, and schedule meetings. The dashboard is available for all versions of the ACT 2008 software (ACT, ACT Premium, and ACT Premium for Web).
For those needing a vertical software solution, ACT has a product for real estate professionals. ACT certified consultants note that the version for real estate professionals creates integrated information about buyers, sellers, and properties that is easy to reference. It also allows Realtors to take a property listing from the inquiry stage all the way through the closing stage with exquisite detail. Most importantly, it enables real estate professionals to access critical calendar information, as well as buyer, seller, and property information through mobile computing devices. Having relevant information at your fingertips – regardless of where you are – is a critical factor to your success.
ACT’s vertical solution for financial professionals is similar to ACT for Real Estate Professionals in that it provides mobile portability, but it also assists financial service professionals in collecting important, finance-specific information on clients. In addition, it helps those in the financial field comply with company-wide and industry standards.
ACT also has a number of partners who provide add-on solutions to the already robust ACT 2008 software. These include data and document management, addressing and shipping solutions, email and direct mail marketing add-ons, faxing capabilities, project management and sales management, import and export solutions, and graphics and mapping add-ons.
When it comes to implementing ACT software, your best bet is to engage the services of ACT consultants. Getting ACT help can take many forms. For example, because ACT certified consultants are fully trained in ACT 2008, they can review your current business practices and suggest ways to customize the software to maximize your company’s productivity. They can also utilize their extensive experience to train your staff or your systems administrator, who can in turn train new employees to use the system. In addition, ACT consultants can assist you in integrating everything from handheld computers to servers. Some are even remote sales force automation experts, and can expedite the process of gaining remote access to your databases. And, should the unthinkable happen, the best ACT consultants are also specialists in database recovery.
There’s no question that ACT is the premiere customer and contact management solution being used today. Licensing the software and engaging the services of ACT consultants can transform the way companies work and can improve productivity and performance across the board.
April 26th, 2010 by admin
As of last week, Dell announced that it will cut back on mail-in rebates and make sale prices more accessible to customers after complaints that the procedure for receiving the sale price was too complicated.
Analysts believe this will help boost Dells customer relations but not necessarily its sales. Dell, the worlds largest personal computer maker said that product prices will stay the same.
Dells sales have been down in recent quarters with tougher competition from their number one competitor Hewlett-Packard. Dell which sells directly to customers through the internet and via phone has had complaints of their poor after-sale performance. In the early 90s Dells percentage growth was much higher and analysts wonder if Dell can once again reach these numbers.
An analyst with Cross Research says, “Dell is facing a lot of challenges. HP is just reinvigorated, which is one of their biggest problems. Their competitor is back.”
Dell shares ended down 68 cents, or 3 percent, at $21.70, more than the Merrill Lynch Tech 100 index’s (^MLO – news) 1.6 percent fall.
Dell anticipated a reduction of approximately 70 percent per product line in the number of promotions for U.S. consumers and small businesses. Promotions connected to a single product line would decline by 80 percent.
Reductions will take affect in the next 12 to 18 months, starting with the Inspiron notebook computers and Dell monitors.
Moors and Cabot analyst Cindy Shaw said, People hate rebates and she believes this is a positive move for Dell.
Some analysts thought Dell would introduce price cuts to contend with competitors Hewlett-Packard and Acer Inc. They continue to diminish Dells long-established price advantage thanks to cheaper components and more competent manufacturing.
In May, Dell publicized its plans to lower prices and is spending $100 million to improve customer service by hiring over 2,000 sales and support staff.
Dells senior vice president of home and small business groups, Ro Parra said the cutback in promotions will not affect the net price that customers pay but make the process of buying a computer easier.
Parra commented to reporters that customers dont like rebates and only about 80 percent redeem them. He also said “They are problematic, and our intent is to reduce them over time.”
Dell as well as other retailers like Best Buy Co are cutting back mail-in rebates. They are not much of an incentive to customers because they must fill out forms, send product codes and then wait several months to receive a check.
Dells new focus on existing promotions will be paperless rebates which make analysts wonder if this will motivate consumers to take advantage of the offers.
Research analyst Cross said “My biggest question is, what the financial impact of this is? If you don’t get a lot of hits on mail-in rebates, and now you’re just going to go to instant rebates or price cuts, then that hits everyone.”
April 25th, 2010 by admin
Initially developed by Motorola (and current Motorolas registered service mark and trademark), the Six Sigma is a business management strategy. It is widely adopted in todays many industries. By using various management methods such as statistical methods, the Six Sigma tries find and delete any defects or errors during the manufacturing and business process. The strategy is also responsible for training a group of quality management method experts. Similar to some other business management methods, the Six Sigma project teams always have a specific plan with milestones along with a clear financial target.
History
Originally, the Six Sigma was designed to be a practice to solely improve the manufacturing process by eliminating the defects, which is defined as anything that could dissatisfy a customer. It quickly became adopted in other parts of the business too as the Six Sigma showed great success.
The idea was first proposed and developed by Bill Smith in 1986. However, the idea sprung from the works of others such as Shewhart, Juran, Taguchi, Deming, and Ishikawa and their contributions to quality control, TQM, and Zero Defects.
The term and the symbol (6σ) itself comes from the study of process capability, a section from statistics. At first, its goal was to create a level of manufacturing so that a high number of the output will meet the minimum specifications. Now, it has grown, and the quality demands and strives to keep the defect level at 3.4 defects per million opportunities (DPMO) or below. Of course, its goal is to keep the number even lower.
In 2006, Motorola reported a savings of over $17 billion US dollars and since, many other companies such as the Honeywell International (previously known as Allied Signal) along with General Electric adopted the model, headed by the famous Jack Welch. Recently, many corporations have been adopting the Six Sigma with lean manufacturing to conduct a methodology known as the Lean Six Sigma.
The Core of Six Sigma
There are quite a few things that the Six Sigma emphasizes:
One is that constant effort should be made to achieve expected and stable results, as it is of high importance to the success of a business.
Another is that all manufacturing and business processes can somehow be measured, analyzed, enhanced upon, and controlled.
Commitment from the organization, especially those in the top-level management, is integral to maintaining continuous improvements.
The Uniqueness of Six Sigma
Six Sigma is quite different from other business improvement initiatives in a few ways.
It has a very definite and straight plan to achieve quantifiable monetary returns.
It calls for an enthusiastic management team with great leadership skills.
It has a special infrastructure that administers the implementation of the Six Sigma.
It requires decision making based on verifiable statistics rather than pure assumptions and guesses.
Six Sigma Criticisms
Although Six Sigmas low defect rate is impressive, it has its downsides.
Not Original: The Six Sigma has been dubbed unoriginal by a quality expert Joseph Juran, saying that it is just a fancy version of a simple quality improvement method.
Not Progressive: The Six Sigma is said to be effective at solving the current programs that exist. However, it is not so effective at coming up with new and innovative technologies and products.
Incorrect Standard: The 3.4 defects per million might be suitable for some products and some companies, but it certainly is not for all. Thus, its numbers are certainly not universal.
April 24th, 2010 by admin
3 More Common E-Mail Problems And What To Do About Them
As we continue to evolve into the world of e-mail that is part of our everyday life, sometimes little problems arise that bother the user. Previously we talked about returned messages and lost connections, both which can be aggravating, and supplied solutions. But there are a few more problems that can affect an e-mail user causing frustration and we will address these here, and again provide reasonable solutions to over come them.
Problem 1 You Cannot Send a Message
Even when there is not a connection problem, you may attempt to send email, but find that it continues to remain in your outbox.
Solution
Typically this is a software problem, the result of otherwise unapparent damage or corruption to one or more e-mail messages. To address this problem, first copy any unsent messages as text. Then save them on the computer’s hard drive or a back-up storage medium. After all messages have been saved, highlight all the messages in your outbox and click on delete or clear. When clearing your outbox, start over. Just copy unsent messages from the text files, pass them into new e-mail messages and resend.
Problem 2 The E-mail is Missing an Attachment or the Attachment Won’t Open
An especially handy feature of e-mail is the ability to send and receive attachments. Transmitting documents, photos or other such information can save time and money compared to the U.S. Mail or express delivery services. At the same time, attachments can be real headaches. A common frustration is to receive an e-mail message that refers to an attachment, but then find nothing is there.
Solutions
Often the best solution is to request that the sender try once again, since it is not unusual for the writer to refer to an attachment, but then forget to attach it. Even if this is not the case, your request might prompt the sender to re-think the attachment’s format before transmitting again. If the problem continues, consider asking the sender to paste the contents inside an e-mail message and try again. This may disrupt formatting, but can be an effective way to circumvent attachment problems.
If you see a message that the attachment has been deleted, it may be that your anti-virus software has detected a virus, and you’re better off without it anyway. But if you find that all attachments are indiscriminately being deleted, check your mail properties. If a box is checked that blocks all attachments, remove the check mark so that you can receive attachments. If you then receive a message from an unknown person, or if the message or attachment seems suspicious, delete the message without opening the attachment.
A related problem is to see that an attachment has been transmitted, but find that you are unable to open it. The causes (and thus the solutions) vary. In some cases, the problem is that the software used by the sender does not match that of the recipient. As with a missing attachment, a simple fix is to ask the sender to copy and paste the contents of the attachment within a follow up mail message. Even if formatting is disrupted, you can still get the gist of the information. You can also use your own copying and pasting process to reformat the contents, if that is important.
Another strategy is to save the document to your hard drive, and then open the software program that was used initially to create it. Once this program is in use, your computer may be able to recognize what had been the attachment, and open it. If you do not have the appropriate software loaded on your computer, you may be able to download it from the Internet; just follow the on screen prompts to proceed.
Problem 3 You Have too Much Incoming Mail or Cannot Download What You Have
If you are receiving large volumes of e-mail, you may be vulnerable to several difficulties.
Solutions
Many Internet service providers place limits on the amount of storage provided to each user (although some have recently increased storage limits). If a pre-set limit is reached (perhaps because you’ve gone too long without downloading your e-mail, or have been inundated by SPAM or virus induced flood of messages), additional messages will be bounced back to those who sent them.
Of course the direct approach is to download your mail and then weed it out, but a smarter move may be to access your e-mail account via Web mail. That way you can see a listing of all messages and quickly delete any that do not appear to be of interest. The end result is the same, but this step can save a great deal of downloading time if you’re using a dial up modem. It also adds an extra measure of virus protection even if you have a broadband connection. Since you’re deleting messages from your ISP’s server before they ever have a chance to infect your computer, it’s like killing mosquitoes before they bite you instead of afterwards.
If you do not have a Web mail account, it’s easy to get one. Simply go to a provider such as Yahoo (www.yahoo.com) or Lycos (www.lycos.com) and register. You can also use a site such as mail2web (www.mail2web.com) or webmail4free.com without even registering. Go to the site and enter you e-mail address and password. You will see a listing of all incoming mail, which you can read and then retain for downloading, or delete, as you choose.
A similar challenge may be caused by unusually large message. Again, this problem is more common with dial-up modems, where hefty messages may take an annoyingly long time to download. In the worst cases, you may find yourself unable to receive other messages, because the connection with the server where your messages are stored is severed when a time limit has been reached.
Use of Web mail can also do the trick here. Just log on to the third-party site, peruse the list of messages in your inbox, and choose the one that is the largest (most Web mail programs automatically list the size of each message). If the message seems of potential interest, open and read it, and then delete it. Or if it is obviously spam or something in which you have no interest, you can delete the message without even bothering to read it. Once you have removed the offending message, your other incoming mail will no longer be blocked.
If you do not have Web mail, an option is to contact your Internet Service Provider and ask for help. Once a customer service representative deletes the offending message from the ISP’s server, you can then download all remaining messages.
Also keep in mind that retaining too much e-mail can be an organizational problem, if not a technical one. Take time to delete e-mail that does not need to be saved for future reference. Allowing too many messages to accumulate wastes storage space and makes it more difficult to find important messages when you need to refer to them. For messages that merit retention, create a series of folders so that they can be readily located, and so that your inbox will not become too full.
April 22nd, 2010 by admin
2 Common E-Mail Problems and What To Do About Them
When it works well, e-mail can be great. It’s hard to beat e-mail for everything from staying in touch with family to requesting information from businesses or other organizations. Want to send the same message to several people? Communicate with someone across the continent? Transmit photos, manuscripts or other information? For speed and efficiency, this virtually instantaneous medium is one of the most convenient features of modern life.
But e-mail is not without problems. If you key in the name of an intended recipient but your message keeps bouncing back, you might not be singing e-mail’s praises. Ditto for attachments that won’t open or other such nuisances. With just a little patience, though, you can readily overcome most e-mail problems. What follows are 4 common e-mail problems along with solutions for overcoming them.
Problem Returned Messages
This may be the most frustrating of all e-mail problems. After taking the time to create a message, you click on the send button and consider your task accomplished. But the next thing you know, the message pops up in your in-box with a heading that it did not reach its intended recipient.
Solutions
First, take the simple step of checking to see that the address of your recipient has been entered correctly. This may seem obvious, but sometimes the only thing wrong is a misplaced letter, the use of com instead of net, or some similar error. If you know the correct address, this is a straightforward matter of double checking each character. If not, you might need to experiment by sending multiple messages, or by entering alternative addresses with slight variations. Under this approach, you simply keep track of which messages are bounced back and compare them with the overall list of addresses you used. If you sent four variations but only three were returned, you have solved the problem by the process of elimination.
Sometimes the source of your problem lies with the recipient. If messages to other addresses go through but fail here, try to contact the intended recipient by other means and report the situation. The cause may range from a temporary problem with the recipient’s server to a switch to another e-mail provider, to a full in box. In this case, simply waiting may be the best recourse. Or a phone call or other communication may be required on your part to obtain the correct e-mail address. If all your messages are being returned, you may have a connection problem. See below for more details.
Problem 2 You Have Lost Your Connection
Sometimes a failure to send or receive e-mail can be traced to a lost connection with your Internet service provider.
Solutions
If you see a failure to connect or no response message or have otherwise determined that you have failed to connect, double check to make certain there are no physical problems.
First, check your cables and connections. If you use a dial-up modem, listen to make sure it produces the normal high-pitched dialing sound. If not, the problem could be a loose connection. Locate the phone cord that runs from the back of your computer to the phone jack, and then make sure that each end is plugged in snugly.
If you will don’t hear the expected dialing sound, check to make sure your phone cord is undamaged. If it seems worn, replace it with a new one. Other steps include making certain the line is plugged into the right port, and checking the phone jack by plugging the cord into a different jack. If you hear the dialing sound after any of these steps, you have made a successful connection.
Connection problems may be more common with dial-up modems than with broadband connections, but the latter are also dependent on physical connections. A loose wire or poorly connected cable can easily be problematic. Sometimes a glitch occurs that can be best addressed by repeating portions of the initial set-up process. A simple fix touted by Verizon technical service reps for some DSL (digital subscriber line) customers is to disconnect the three lines from the back of the modem and then reconnect them in a specified order. When this action is taken, the online connection is immediately regained.
If you are online but keep getting bumped off, the lost connection can be the result of an unintended software command. In Outlook Express, for example, you will find the command Hang up when finished. If the box in front of this phrase is checked, the connection will automatically be severed each time you send or download e-mail. Sometimes a misdirected click of your mouse will cause you to place a check in the box even though you do not realize it. Simply click on the check mark to make it disappear, and the hang-ups will cease.
These 2 common e-mail problems are quite easy to determine and when rectified will make your emailing experience more enjoyable.
April 20th, 2010 by admin
A Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) is a group of hosts that feature a like set of requirements and can communicate as though they were all connected via the same wires. However, unlike a traditional LAN, a VLAN is not necessarily all in the same place, and the hosts involved in the network can be located practically anywhere. All VLANs have the exact same attributes as a traditional physical local area network, though they can be configured via software instead of having to actually relocate the hosts.
Many VLANs are designed as replacements to the services that are traditionally provided by routers on physical LANs. VLANs are able to tackle issues like network management, security, and scalability with ease.
VLANs are known as Layer 2, or Data Link layer, constructs which transfer data between network nodes. Because they are Layer 2 constructs, they can interface with Layer 3 IP subnets with a one to one relationship.
How are VLANs designed?
The IEEE assigned IEEE 802.1Q as the protocol by which to configure virtual LANs. IEEE 802.1Q provides for a header with a 2-byte protocol identifier and another 2-byte tag control information. These are known as TPID and TCI, respectively. The TPID is fixed at 0×8100 while the TCI contains information pertaining to the user priority, canonical format indicator, and VLAN identifier.
What are the two types of VLAN memberships?
VLAN membership can be assigned in one of two ways. Static or Dynamic.
A Static VLAN is also known as a port based VLAN. These types of VLANs are created by assigning specific ports to a VLAN. As new devices enter into the VLAN network, the device assumes a specific port. If end users change ports but require access to the same VLAN, network administrators are required to assign new port to VLAN assignments for the new port.
A Dynamic VLAN is designed to be easily configured using software. The most common software for designing dynamic VLANs is CiscoWorks, a program developed by Cisco. A VLAN Management Policy Server (VMPS) must be set up first for a dynamic VLAN. This server will allow the VLAN to automatically switch ports whenever new devices connect to the VLAN. It uses information such as the devices ports, unique usernames, and MAC addresses to determine whether or not to change ports to fit the needs of the incoming device.
April 17th, 2010 by admin
2 Common E-Mail Problems and What To Do About Them
When it works well, e-mail can be great. It’s hard to beat e-mail for everything from staying in touch with family to requesting information from businesses or other organizations. Want to send the same message to several people? Communicate with someone across the continent? Transmit photos, manuscripts or other information? For speed and efficiency, this virtually instantaneous medium is one of the most convenient features of modern life.
But e-mail is not without problems. If you key in the name of an intended recipient but your message keeps bouncing back, you might not be singing e-mail’s praises. Ditto for attachments that won’t open or other such nuisances. With just a little patience, though, you can readily overcome most e-mail problems. What follows are 4 common e-mail problems along with solutions for overcoming them.
Problem Returned Messages
This may be the most frustrating of all e-mail problems. After taking the time to create a message, you click on the send button and consider your task accomplished. But the next thing you know, the message pops up in your in-box with a heading that it did not reach its intended recipient.
Solutions
First, take the simple step of checking to see that the address of your recipient has been entered correctly. This may seem obvious, but sometimes the only thing wrong is a misplaced letter, the use of com instead of net, or some similar error. If you know the correct address, this is a straightforward matter of double checking each character. If not, you might need to experiment by sending multiple messages, or by entering alternative addresses with slight variations. Under this approach, you simply keep track of which messages are bounced back and compare them with the overall list of addresses you used. If you sent four variations but only three were returned, you have solved the problem by the process of elimination.
Sometimes the source of your problem lies with the recipient. If messages to other addresses go through but fail here, try to contact the intended recipient by other means and report the situation. The cause may range from a temporary problem with the recipient’s server to a switch to another e-mail provider, to a full in box. In this case, simply waiting may be the best recourse. Or a phone call or other communication may be required on your part to obtain the correct e-mail address. If all your messages are being returned, you may have a connection problem. See below for more details.
Problem 2 You Have Lost Your Connection
Sometimes a failure to send or receive e-mail can be traced to a lost connection with your Internet service provider.
Solutions
If you see a failure to connect or no response message or have otherwise determined that you have failed to connect, double check to make certain there are no physical problems.
First, check your cables and connections. If you use a dial-up modem, listen to make sure it produces the normal high-pitched dialing sound. If not, the problem could be a loose connection. Locate the phone cord that runs from the back of your computer to the phone jack, and then make sure that each end is plugged in snugly.
If you will don’t hear the expected dialing sound, check to make sure your phone cord is undamaged. If it seems worn, replace it with a new one. Other steps include making certain the line is plugged into the right port, and checking the phone jack by plugging the cord into a different jack. If you hear the dialing sound after any of these steps, you have made a successful connection.
Connection problems may be more common with dial-up modems than with broadband connections, but the latter are also dependent on physical connections. A loose wire or poorly connected cable can easily be problematic. Sometimes a glitch occurs that can be best addressed by repeating portions of the initial set-up process. A simple fix touted by Verizon technical service reps for some DSL (digital subscriber line) customers is to disconnect the three lines from the back of the modem and then reconnect them in a specified order. When this action is taken, the online connection is immediately regained.
If you are online but keep getting bumped off, the lost connection can be the result of an unintended software command. In Outlook Express, for example, you will find the command Hang up when finished. If the box in front of this phrase is checked, the connection will automatically be severed each time you send or download e-mail. Sometimes a misdirected click of your mouse will cause you to place a check in the box even though you do not realize it. Simply click on the check mark to make it disappear, and the hang-ups will cease.
These 2 common e-mail problems are quite easy to determine and when rectified will make your emailing experience more enjoyable.
April 15th, 2010 by admin
Predictive Dialers and Other Vital Tools to Increase Your Telemarketing Profits
Telemarketing has changed a great deal over the past few years. With innovative technologies being released such as Spitfire predictive dialers and other call center software and products, your telemarketing team can now be more productive than ever. Computerized telemarketing tools and the recent integration between the Internet and telephone systems enable your telemarketers to spend less time dialing and more time actually giving their presentation to potential customers.
Below are some unique telemarketing services and products that have revolutionized the way telemarketers conduct their businesses.
Predictive Dialers
A predictive dialer was developed to dial phone numbers automatically and then monitor calls and the types of answers it receives when dialing. It then connects telemarketing agents to the call once it recognizes that a real person is on the line. Predictive dialers are used in many call centers today, and have helped thousands of telemarketers maximize their efforts and waste less time dialing non-responsive numbers.
How It Works
With a hosted predictive dialer system, you’ll only need a computer, Internet connection, and a telephone line for each telemarketing agent. With a Spitfire Predictive Dialer, for example, you’ll receive outbound and inbound dialing capabilities, and can integrate the system with your T1 or analog lines without having a separate database server. Other features include query-based dialing, and time zone sensitivity. You’ll also have the capability to run multiple campaigns simultaneously, alternate number dialing, and monitor and record calls. This setup is an easy-to-use system and requires minimal effort to get started.
This amazing CRM (customer relationship management) software drastically reduces the number of answering machines, voice mails, busy signals and hang-ups that your telemarketers may encounter during the workday.
Auto Dialers
Auto dialers were available prior to predictive dialers. These can dial telephone numbers automatically for your call center agents, but do not use algorithms such as the predictive dialer to connect the agent to only successful calls. The auto dialer is a handy tool if you have a limited budget but want to automate your telemarketing efforts.
Monitoring Systems
A monitoring system enables you to monitor calls for testing, training, motivation and assistance. You can ensure better quality service by keeping an “ear” on your telemarketers during their training.
Amplifiers
Amplifiers are great for ensuring good sound quality for each telephone call. With an amplifier, you can control the volume and enable muting. With some amplifiers, you can switch from your telephone to your computer easily.
Headsets
With headsets, your telemarketers can have free hands to write, type or do anything else while talking with potential clients. This prevents dropping of the receiver or the need to hold the receiver in an odd position while trying to write or type the client’s information. There are many types of headsets including voice tubes, in the ear, over the ear, noise canceling, wireless, and convertible.
These are just a few of the basic tools every telemarketer should have to be successful. In today’s ever-changing marketplace, you have to stay ahead of the game with innovative call center software and products like predictive dialers to be a success. Telemarketing is still a great way to contact potential customers once you have all the tools you need.
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