Digital Forward: 2015

Sunday, October 4, 2015

4 improper techniques for the work environment management

Not anywhere where it says User Environment Management, also UEM's inside. Simon Townsend takes the four techniques "Profile Management", "User Environment Virtualization", "User Management Persona" and "Group Policy and Logo scripts" under the microscope, which are often used for UEM be sure but not suitable without restriction.

There are many techniques that promise improved desktop environment for users. Figuring out which of them actually keep this promise, is difficult. Many are also of the opinion that UEM merely a "Windows profile management" is and know the real benefits of a comprehensive user administration not.

First and foremost, UEM contributes to the optimization of user satisfaction. But this is not just for wallpapers or desktop icons, but rather to provide an improved working environment, the maximum productivity without compromising on cost, security or control permits. UEM simplified at the proper implementation of innovation, promotes the success of desktop projects, fixes annoying desktop problems, thereby reducing the capital and operating costs.

In order to decide which of the many UEM solutions best suited, it is important to understand how these solutions really work and which environments they are designed. We see here four techniques more closely, often referred to as a User Environment Management platform. We also examine their functions and deficits.

The IT department often puts in trouble when departments of their demand a Big Data solution.

Most stakeholders is not clear at the beginning of such projects for which the anticipated workloads infrastructure is to be aligned. This makes the trade-off between scalability and cost. A new approach on a reference architecture provides a remedy.

Anyone ordering a motor, should know to what this vehicle is used. Depending on the use of either a high-performance diesel or a petrol engine more quickly, or more recently, a more economical hybrid or electric drive is selected. Departments order being reinforced an engine - in other words: a new infrastructure - in the IT department, whose future application is largely unknown.

We are talking about the development and implementation of a business idea in the field of Big Data. A typical use case from the marketing, for example, the realization of a click-stream analysis. A distribution typical application is the creation of an after-sales analysis, which is expected by the IT to detect the systems that consolidates and analyzes, thus let himself be "predictive analytics" make forecasts for the future buying behavior of customers. Also in the production and in many other areas are increasingly the need developed for a variety of applications in the area of Big Data Analytics.

Terra Incognita

Essentially, three goals can recognize those who are persecuted by departments attended:

1. The optimization of existing business processes

2. The development of new products and services

3. The chance of an enhanced service orientation

As companies often do not know at the time of request, how an application is developed, are the IT department prior to insufficient information on how it is to align the infrastructure and what scalability is required. Nevertheless, from the department a sustainable solution "for all cases" expected.

"The Battle of the system houses is in full swing", is one of the results of this year's "Cloud Vendor Benchmark" Experton Group, compares the provider and shows trends.

The steep upward curve shows the cloud investments, which are expected in 2015 in this country made. "No one would have thought that cloud computing is such a long-lasting trend. The theme is not hype, but rather inherent in the system ", Heiko Henkes, Cloud Lead Advisor explained in Experton Group and project leader of the cloud provider comparison in the sixth edition now.

Investment Motor hums

According to the forecast, the cloud expenditures of many companies, driven by Big Data, Mobility, UC, collaboration and the increasing digitization and networking of this year could be around nine billion euros. This would represent an increase of 37 % y.o.y. For the first time of the expenditure on cloud services (+ 39% to EUR 4.6 billion), the total spending on cloud technologies (+ 33% to EUR 2.9 billion) as well as consulting and integration services (+ 38% to 1.6 billion euros) over wings.

What remains for local system houses?

Looking at the top players, especially for IaaS in self-service Public Clouds to Experton however, asks whether "the great Hyperscaler as AWS, Microsoft and - remain Google in the highly standardized IT environment and thus - already relegated for the local system houses only the place is reserved in the managed service corner ". In this segment, there is therefore only a hoster or a system house that offers the great significant headwinds. Also generally roll the wave of consolidation among system vendors continue.

In addition, shrinking the traditional IT market. While traditional hardware and software expenditures stagnate or decline, what the classical ISVs sit among other under pressure, the "catch basin Services" climb to continue - through expenditures in cloud concepts. "The software market is as usual no longer exist," says Henke - and as many will be fond of perhaps faster. Experton estimates that in 2019 SaaS accepts the supremacy.

New technologies, communication platforms and constant accessibility: Digitization its way into everyday working life. Simultaneously, the stress increases, the line between work and leisure.

How to evaluate the employees? This and many other important questions after the current Edenred-Ipsos barometer to well-being and motivation of employees.

The result is causing a stir: The impact of digital development is perceived by the workers for the most part positive. So are about nearly half of (47 %) of respondents said that the autonomy is improved when working through digitization. 45 % say that the collaboration between the teams of a company benefits from having closely followed by the quality of life at work (43 %).

In addition, can be derived from the study results, but also read that many workers still find no influence - neither positive nor negative. Only 16 % of survey participants confirm that the progressive digitization negative impact on their professional life.

That's really into the business meetings

Smartphone usage in everyday work

The smartphone is for many a nice distraction in official meetings: Four out of ten professional’s smartphone users do with their mobile phones in meetings besides private things.

Surely you've ever wondered what makes your colleague when he busily looking at his cell phone during the meeting, right? The good news: The digital association Bitkom has now been found. The bad news: Your colleague is doing very likely nothing that has to do with the meeting.
Instead, he makes perhaps the Date for your evening out, playing solitaire or briefed on the latest sports results. And he is no exception. Almost half of all working-smartphone users do with their mobile phone during business meetings Private. 36 % steers itself "so every now and then" off 5 % even regularly!

Emails, WhatsApp or SMS

Who uses his smartphone during meetings for private things, read or answered mostly private messages such as email, WhatsApp messages or SMS (67 %). Around one in three (29 %) use social networks like Facebook or Twitter, one in four plays (27 %) or read the latest news on the net (23 %). 15 % inform yourself about sports results and 6 % buy their smartphones during the meeting on online shopping portals one.

Stronger sales presence through intelligent IT and presentation

Products and prices are not enough to compete against other applicants in the e-commerce. Seller on the internet can make many things wrong and right. The IT service provider and an expert on e-commerce solutions Nasdo provide 5 tips on how to go on sale and the efficiency can be increased:

1. Make your E-Shop Responsive: The clearest product page is useless if it is bad to consume on smartphones and tablets. Reactive e-Shop websites, which adapt to the respective terminal, increasing not only the shopping experience of customers. They are also SEO friendly. So Google lists Responsive websites since this spring preferably.

2. Sale Shop across: Many shop owners selling in different channels - on eBay, Amazon, and in our own online store. Thus, the inventory data will not care to click marathon, it is advisable to install automated solutions that connect all major online stores and marketplaces in a single enterprise resource planning.

Many companies often underestimate the threat from organized cybercriminals and industrial espionage. Even risks that may arise from its own employees, have little presence.

Firewalls and perimeter security are now outdated in the distributed nature of many enterprise networks, in principle. New approaches, such as the Identity Relationship Management (IRM) can be a way out.

Hardly a day on which the press cannot report a blatant attack on the data security or cyber-attacks. One event after another: meetings may each. Recent cases like the pecking of Lufthansa Miles accounts of frequent flyers or bonus card users have brought clear once again into consciousness.

Many companies often underestimate the growing threat posed by organized crime and cyber economic espionage. Even the risks that may arise from its own employees, are not sufficiently present. Loss of data, the restoration costs, additional working hours and earnings and sales shortfalls pull cost billions of dollars by themselves. But the damage caused by industrial espionage calculates the VDI annually to approximately 100 billion euros. Is it any wonder that the data security is generally doubted, and consumers concerned remembers their past credit card purchases?

Including loss of confidence

Any breach of the data identity always attracts a loss of confidence in the trade mark concerned after themselves, not to mention the damaged customer confidence in the company and in the system in general. Both are extremely difficult to predict and may at worst jeopardize the economic survival of the company, or at least severely impair. Companies that react too late after an incident, have to reckon with substantial fines under certain circumstances. European companies are pressed for time when it comes to a proposal by the European Union for the end of 2015 the introduction of a General Data Protection Regulation (General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR) is, according to which uniform rules for the processing of personal data by private companies should be EU-wide.

Statista now been published for the second time an online store trial. This points to the top drivers that lead to increase the probability of purchase in online stores.

The e-commerce market is one of the fastest growing segments purchase. Forecasts suggest that in the current year, a growth of about 12 percent with a total turnover of 43.6 billion euros in the market can be expected. Around 550,000 online stores, there are estimated to total in the market. It is absolutely imperative According Statista therefore, to know the screws of the market in order to prevail in tough competition can - and shop visitors to successfully convert into buyers.

The online shop trial of Statista has revealed that there is not always a correlation between traffic and purchase probability. For example, Amazon has experienced an above-average traffic, however, is the actual purchase probability two percentage points below the source, who boast a lot less traffic to their website.

Less Legacy through IT standardization

Uniform systems will relieve the IT. That has always been the desire of CIOs. The associated automation enables repeatable processes in quality and in the shortest time. Linked to this is a new expectation of customers and employees.

You want an intuitive user interface and fast search functions, which can be found records from different areas and can take advantage of applications across divisions. Controlled degradation of legacy systems is therefore not a question of "if" but "how".

Inventory: In some areas, existing legacy system is quite useful, for example, if it only comes to the transaction is a defined records. However, to develop and deliver applications quickly, they are often a hindrance. IT managers need to keep the various application scenarios in mind.

Know what needs to change

A radical change should be accompanied only by an experienced IT. Not only the system landscape looks in every company is different, the requirements are depending on the sector. The Banks make changes conservatively and in small increments, which is also due to the very strict compliance requirements. Modernize a much greater dynamics, systems and applications, however, appears in the field of marketing, HR or Facilities Management. But be careful, out of sheer euphoria can rapidly a new problem with silo applications arise.

Companies in the manufacturing sector are the insolvency contesting not defenseless. Based on current judgments of the Federal Court, they can reduce their financial risk.

The application for insolvency of a business partner has for companies in the manufacturing industry a huge impact - even by the so-called insolvency contestation. Had the insolvent company's financial problems is known for some time, request its liquidator often back payments that were obtained up to ten years before the bankruptcy petition. The preconditions for this are relatively low after the Federal Court of Justice case law. Under certain circumstances, it is sufficient if the business partner is granted installment. The consequence: The company in the manufacturing sector has to refund payments received as a so-called challenge opponents and remain sitting on his demands.

Based on current decisions of the Federal Court, there are defenses and preventive defensive strategies that companies can practically and effectively protect from the manufacturing sector against the financial risks of the insolvency contesting.

Minimize the financial risk

1. Agreement Proper and immediate payment: The Supreme Court has ruled that according to the agreements and direct payment for a service or supply is protected against the insolvency contesting by their clients. The power exchange will then have a cash transaction. It is crucial that the specific performance and the payment related temporally. So is there at your customer signs of a crisis, suppliers should work to ensure that currently claims arising immediate offset payments initially and can be offset to current demands.

Cyber danger threatens to the Digital Economy

The Digital Economy is a decisive factor in global competition. A Forsa study on behalf of the specialty insurer Hiscox for handling digital cyber risks is now: Despite knowledge about the threat to the potential danger for the digital economy and thus the business location in the world is considerable.

Cyber risks constitute a tangible threat to the corporate balance sheets and the future economic development of the digital medium-sized companies are: two-thirds (66 %) of the digital company say they need in the event of a cyber incident interrupting the ongoing operation. A lengthy stoppage would mean for 66 % of company sales declines. Almost three-quarters (73 %) of the surveyed digital company would in the case of a hacker attack or data loss suffer from loss of reputation and more than half (55 %) expects for this case in order to lose customers.

And the danger is real: Every fourth digital companies (25 %) already had to cope with at least one cyber damage in the past. 72 % of these losses were caused by hacking, 36 % were secondary technical failures and 14 % due to the loss of mobile devices or theft of hardware.

Rapid development calls for quick solutions

Robert Dietrich, General Representative of Hiscox, says: "The Digital Economy is developing at a breathtaking pace, revealing the foundations for the future of the global economy. The problem of an existential threat to the Digital Industry by cyber threats urgently demands a solution: Who can such help the digital economy? To answer this question, we jointly investigated by Forsa, such as digital entrants already protect themselves, where their IT security has gaps and by whom the economy hopes help. "

According to Researcher, The prerequisite for loyal customers is to provide a shopping experience that is totally convincing and lasting memory. Researcher shows on six ways to successful customer loyalty.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) represents customer care and customer interaction. With explicit loyalty measures can retain customers, increase profits and strengthen the relationships between customers, partners and the brand. We are talking about relationship marketing.

Is to plan exactly, to develop a strategy and also to consider how one could measure the success is the most important thing in these measures. CRM and customer loyalty programs, according to Researcher, complex projects whose success depends on several factors, including at the forefront of the program concept and value proposition, optimized, well-defined processes and the use of best available technology. The focus of the customer should always be. How can it be motivating the best?

The basis for the success were the structured development of a customer loyalty program for the following modules of Researcher:

1. Analysis: The analysis of the current situation is the starting point. The market and customers are taken under the microscope. Central are examined here customer needs, but also competitors and CRM trends. The result of this stage is to define a concept sketch.

Ways to stable and fast Active Directory

Active Directory is in Windows networks essential basis for a stable operation. In order for the AD function optimally, Administrators should install the domain and the domain controller particularly cautious approach. We show the 11 most important steps when you install new domain controllers.

Step 1: Install and set up DNS for Active Directory

To create a new Active Directory, must be the first planned on the first domain controller to be installed the DNS extension. The software is installed via the Server Manager as a server role. Once installed, the management program for the DNS server in Server Manager is to find "tools" of the area.

With the node "Forward Lookup Zones" and "Reverse Lookup Zones" lay administrators of the areas that requires Active Directory for its operation. The first and most important zone is the "forward lookup zone" of the first domain of Active Directory. Click to create these administrators with the right mouse button on "Forward Lookup Zones" and select in the context menu, select "New Zone" from. When creating new domains in Active Directory exclusively primary domains are needed.

On the next page of the wizard, the name of the new zone is set. Here it is extremely important that the name is used as a zone name exactly who was registered as a DNS suffix of the server and will be used as DNS name of the Active Directory domain.

DNS servers running Windows Server 2012 R2 work with dynamic updates. That is, all server names and IP addresses as well as the SRV records from Active Directory are automatically entered into this zone. The installation wizard of Active Directory must be able to create dozens of messages automatically in a zone. Therefore, when creating a new zone should the option "Allow non-secure and secure dynamic updates" are activated . "Allow only secure dynamic updates" can enable administrators only after the creation of Active Directory.

Subscription Economy to individual service

No enterprise transformation without cloud computing

Customers no longer want to buy only products, but services subscribe. This trend has ushered in the era of "Subscription Economy" a few years ago. The dynamic that develops from it for markets and suppliers, is no longer to stop. This provides the increased business models to the test.

The Internet has changed not only the communication, but also the consumer behavior of people drastically. Thus, the price pressure due to the transparency of the web is growing. The transformation to a customer-oriented company, with flexible business models, provides the majority of companies are still major challenges. In many cases the existing IT infrastructure is overtaxed. Although it supports classical processes, but is too cumbersome and leaves no room for the timely realization of visions. Here's a quick rethink and a future-oriented transformation is asking my market research, because only so providers can respond to the changing behavior of customers and secure their market position.

According to a study, the IDG created on behalf of the Californian software vendor Zuora, the era of "Subscription Economy" has already begun. That Subscriptions model increasingly prevail, also show the achievements of pioneers in this market, such as Salesforce, Amazon or Netflix. Meanwhile, as well as companies from other industries have jumped on the train. The reason is obvious: the world there is, according to the SaaS specialists Zuora 6.8 billion potential subscribers who are open to new models of consumption.

How many distributors in this country order based ITC reseller?

What are the most important, as are the providers evaluated which incentives are sought after and which technology trends, there is the view of the dealer? One study provides insight.

The lovers of the distributors to each reseller is no cakewalk. Because the dealers not to order at a huge mass of providers. Rather limited more than half of respondents from the market researchers of Contextual Reseller in 2014 to three or fewer distributors for the purchase of their goods. Even only a single distributor they trust had at least 13 % of the 180 respondents. Less than 30 % bought last year at more than four wholesalers.
Broad liner at the top

When asked about the most important for them distributors, landed two Broad liner on the first two tiers, each with 18 % of mentions, followed by Wortmann. Fourth place, yet also with a double-digit number, the one was the broad-based provider secure. They are placed in the stands five to ten distributors have been named as the most important suppliers of eight % to three % of respondents.

The majority is very satisfied with its main distributor to which it depends on criteria such as delivery speed or technical support, are, however, differences in the valuation. From merchant perspective pent-up demand, there is, inter alia, particularly in training services, technical support, credit terms and the website of the distributors.

The digital transformation requires a new corporate culture. Unify recommends companies to deal intensively with the new way people work. Increasingly, employees are mobile and go about their tasks from different locations after.

Unify communications specialist sees digitization as one of the elementary stages of development for companies. How strong this change embossing the organization in the company, shows a degree of digital association Bitkom see according to which around three quarters of the companies surveyed, an acceleration in communicating with customers (79 %), or its own employees (75 %). According to the investigation flexibility (63 %) and efficiency (55 %) are also rising.

However, most decision-makers are also aware that the digital transformation requires a new corporate culture. Traditional working models would increasingly call into question. Employees want to be more flexible in order to bring private and professional life better balance can. Teams, groups or entire departments can be internationally composed and distributed over several continents. If companies want to keep their promise of digitization for all employees and the economic benefit for themselves, they should, according to Unify note the following points.

IT service providers need to talk with the customer

A study of Maxfocus, platform for system integrators and managed service providers and a product of Logicnow, occupied large discrepancies between the offers of IT service providers and the needs of customers.

In the study, "Global IT Service Provider Harmony" Maxfocus conducts an annual "health check" of the international IT services market. Maxfocus interviewed this time more than 1,300 IT departments and nearly 700 IT service providers in North America, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Brazil, and the Benelux countries, France, Australia and New Zealand, to face the needs of the company and offers the IT service provider. The results show that different supply and demand in many ways different. This relates not only to the services, for example the positioning of the deals and the type of billing.

Important Results at a Glance

Offers IT services providers not agree with the priorities of IT departments: The study found that IT departments often first turn to IT service providers, if they need help in solving current, business-critical emergencies. Instead of immediately complying with their specific needs in the first instance, many service providers extensive, designed to counseling services immediately offer. This deters many potential customers who would be more willing to general consultations only after the solution of an urgent problem.

According to the cloud Monitor 2015 put about 44 percent of companies in many countries already a Cloud Computing. Around 24 percent are planning or discussing the move. Exactly to this target group, the "Roadmap to the Cloud" directed Paessler AG.

The focus of the "Roadmap to the Cloud" by Paessler the administrator is in the SME sector: Why the cloud, which risks need to be considered and how can he convince decision makers of the introduction, when he chose not to?

According Paessler for many admins, the question in the room "Cloud or Not?" Compared with startups, which often make use of the cloud due to lower financial resources, and corporations, which the cloud allows an internationally usable IT infrastructure, were sitting SMEs between two stools , The data cloud can be an opportunity, but the introduction fails often to the platitude: "We have always done so," as a synonym for well-established processes. Their conversion would cost power. They also state that the IT department would usually consist of one or a few leaders who attend often under time pressure all sorts of projects and daily work. So few resources for changes are free.

Job satisfaction? For Generation Y, a key element in choosing an employer. A study now reveals which factors for workers count the most.

The good relationship with colleagues and the boss is the top motivator of the people in the job. 65 % of workers goes with more fun to work when they get along well with other employees and superiors. Opportunities for free time management spurs only at every other employee, in 2014 there were still two-thirds. These are the results the representative study "work motivation 2015" the Manpower Group. More than 1,000 citizens were questioned for over 18 years in the spring of 2015th.

Workers are more heavily loaded

Compared to last year decreases the approval of almost all the major motivating factors. "This fits in with our study on job satisfaction. This shows that workers on the job are generally less satisfied than in 2014, "says Herwarth Brune, CEO of Manpower Group. For working professionals, this is a sign of recovery of the economy: "The employees are currently busy strongly. In these stressful times their genuine and well-placed praise from the boss and the team cohesion are particularly motivating. "

The ten most important factors in the motivation of employees:

1. Good working relationship with colleagues and superiors:

The human factor counts: 65 % of respondents are more motivated in your job if you get along well with colleagues and bosses. 2014 were still 77 %.

The experts are a change of residence to be disclosed

56 % of skilled workers are in principle willing to change their place of residence for a new job. This is especially true for executives and young professionals. This emerges from a StepStone survey of more than 50,000 professionals and executives.

In Dusseldorf, the willingness to change jobs is less pronounced. 10 % would give up their center of life without ifs and buts. Also one of ten respondents would accept a new job beyond his current residence and commute home on weekends. One third (36%) of them making a work-related relocation depend on location. These are the findings of StepStone professionals Atlas, for many countries’ leading online job portal StepStone surveyed 50,000 professionals and managers.

Through an above-average mobility mainly workers distinguished in higher hierarchical levels and new entrants - both groups are more than 70 % open to a place far from home. Respondents in the upper management level would, however, for a new position relates a second home and commute on weekends. Except for the top management level, the degree of mobility decreases with increasing professional experience. Professionals who have more than ten years in the profession, show underperformed mobile (51%).

Companies often encounter it with skepticism - it is the real key to success: the digitization. With the right tools you can easily secure a competitive advantage.

To the digitization of business processes will come in time the industry around 4.0 hardly a company. Cringe that many entrepreneurs at the thought of such a change in their own business, seems evident at first glance - is on closer inspection, however unfounded. For web-based work is faster, more efficient and facilitates the everyday work. Whether it comes to Human Resources, Finance & Controlling and Marketing - appropriate tools are available for nearly all business processes.

Human Resource Management Online

The world is full of skilled labor and this can be found online more easily. Therefore, platforms offer as CareerBuilder or 4Scotty company not only the opportunity to distribute their job offers on the net, but also an insight into the CVs of registered users. Especially handy: With the help of the search functions are encountered specifically on potentially suitable candidates and if this contact. For the HR department provide digital solutions much practical benefit: files, for example, with IQDoQ be online "filed" and sorted. Packed with smart features Employee Information can even be quickly and safely structured evaluated. For complete project management software Blue Ant of the suitable proventis: In addition to planning and time recording, resources can be planned to create accounts and manage to-do lists.
Working in the cloud

Anywhere access to files works with cloud solutions as they are in the B2B marketplace of cloud world finds. Applications such as TeamDrive and Evernote not only allow access to data, but is designed specifically for teamwork. They allow the release of documents to colleagues and avoid sending a constantly updated version via email.

By 2018, the cloud market is with its service offering to grow to a turnover of 19.8 billion euros in many countries. A business so that worthwhile for manufacturers, distributors and resellers. But not only has the complexity of the matter held pitfalls.

Today, companies are faced with the challenge of improving the quality of service to their customers and to make processes more efficient. Show Recent IDC research (IT Service Management in 2014) that while cost savings are on the agenda of IT executives high up. As a rule, account for 80 % of the resources on the operative business of IT. This leaves little room for forward-looking innovations. Accordingly, the pressure on IT departments to standardize workflows and automate grows. A to correct the situation or Managed Cloud Services here. Because can react more flexibly to changing business requirements and the bound capital be reduced by outsourcing IT infrastructure and software.

Here, the range of services is varied. They range from remote management, backup or monitoring for the complete outsourcing of the infrastructure (IaaS), Software (SaaS) or whole platforms (PaaS). Also great is the variety of companies and public institutions and hence their requirements which take such services to complete. If the IT environment, in addition to the on premise IT increasingly also includes cloud services and outsourced IT components, it is hybrid and hence complex. This in turn provides IT service revenue potential when service providers (MSP) act as consultants and integrators between business customers and the so-called managed.

That an IT outsourcing must bring in the SME sector not personnel cutbacks with it, shows an example of laser welding technology specialists. The outsourcing was carried out hereม even in close cooperation with the employees. The result: a completely newly formed IT, which has grown also the future demands of the industry 4.0.

The occasion for the IT outsourcing at Ferro Forming was anything but pleasant: the end of 2013 the IT, which specializes in laser welding technology company had failed. The site could be several days not to call, e-mail traffic was paralyzed. The reason: Because of serious safety deficiencies, the systems had succumbed to a virus attack. The head of the company decided to completely re-establish the IT with the help of an external consultant. Targeted outsourcing security should be ensured, achieved cost savings and IT be better tailored to the company.

Counteract Anxiety

For the IT staff that decision was the cause for disquiet. They feared for their jobs and fell into a fearless attitude. Exactly this effect, however, was designed to avoid. Because the company's own experts have been and continue to be used. As an external consultant for IT topics Axxcon had to convey that instead of dismissing waiting for new challenges. In addition, the external consultant wanted to do as an interim manager in a few months again superfluous.

The IT distribution needs new customers

New customers are important to business. Also for the distributors. But what if the number of classic addressable customers back, never to return? Then it's like to look for new customers. In the case of distributors this can only end customer no. A thesis post by Damian Sicking.

For many years there have been in the IT industry is an all in all well-functioning process, the product comes to the end customer. The manufacturers sent their products to distributors, from here they were distributed to retailers and system houses that eventually the end customer expressed in the hands or installed at your site. This supply chain worked - despite occasional disturbances - on the whole good, and when it comes to the producers and distributors, this could also be many more years remain so.

The situation is different if one looks at the distributors. You cannot go on as before, and not just because of the declining equipment sales and still not really answered question of which meaningful role can play the distribution of cloud computing topic, but especially at a different, far more threatening development.

The distribution is now arrived at a point where it is forced to change their business model, or shall we say better: to expand. The main reason for this is that they an important component of their previous business model breaks away: their customers! The number of classical distribution customers - IT distributors and system vendors - has been declining for years, and there is no reason to assume that this trend will reverse in the coming years. For distributors, this is a threatening scenario. To date, some distributors have this loss of customers still can compensate for the fact that you entice away resellers and system vendors from the competition and piloted in their own barn. Classic displacement so. But in the long run this may be for a growth-oriented company no solution to the dilemma and no strategy.

Customer relationships deepen and sustainably strengthen the brand? Sure, of course! Haptic advertising also works in B2B business. And with these freebies you score points with your customers guaranteed!

The use of promotional products in many countries is rising continuously. For the 2014 financial year, the subject was allowed advertising recorded a new sales record. With 3.48 billion euros the promotional products are right behind the advertising billionaire TV in second place in the media compared.

The popularity of products with logo print can be in the face of this result not deny: Promotional products are one of the most popular marketing tools.
Promotional items work well in B2B. According to a survey from allbranded the brand or company name of the advertising company remains at 78 % of promotional products in the mind of (potential) customers! (Source: allbranded)

However, they are often underestimated, limited in their use at exhibitions or used only in the B2C segment. A downgrade, which comes to the promotional products unfairly. Finally, you will also meet as a B2B marketer to people that need to convince it. And even if business components are faced with personal needs, the principle remains the same: you have to be apart from the competition, attract attention and be particularly special.

A business cannot make too, because the customer does not have enough cash with you, is an annoying situation for each merchant or service. Similarly frustrating as the long wait for incoming payments after invoicing. One possible alternative is offered by modern mobile payment solutions.

Mobile Payment - i.e. paying the involvement of a mobile terminal - opened entrepreneurs new ways to meet customer service-oriented different payment options to offer and thus to obtain money quickly and safely. Solutions with mobile card readers on the dealer's own smartphone or tablet while offering an interesting alternative to solutions for Near Field Communication (NFC). These allow wireless paying smartphone to smartphone, but could not prevail so far in the market.

The motto "only is Bares truth" is in times of popular plastic money only limited validity, since most people wear less and less cash. According to a recent study by the Scientific Institute of trade (EHI study) is the cash share of the retail trade dropped to 55.6 %, while credit cards continue to grow - 2012 a total of 159 billion euros.

Following this development, even small merchants and service providers must be able to handle card payments quickly and easily. Stationary card terminals - as they can be found for example in department stores, or restaurants - but have the disadvantage of small businesses that they attract both high temporal and financial costs of acquisition, as well as monthly fees to be.

Those who recognize the feelings of employees properly deserves more

The Manager, who behave like a bull in are soon left behind and content standard. However, recognize the emotions of their employees, typically earn more than the coarse chunks. The scientists from the WHU - Otto Beisheim found School of Management.

The emotion recognition ability of people has a proven impact on their income. This is the result of a highly regarded study that Professor Jochen Menges of the WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management has carried out together with researchers from the University of Bonn and Illinois State University.

Study aroused enormous media

"The better employees recognize feelings of others in organizations, the higher the annual salary of these employees. Emotion recognition skills are not only of interpersonal meaning, but also have an economic value, "explains Professor Jochen Menges, Professor of Leadership and Human Resource Management at WHU.

The study has since its release will get the best of all media coverage ever published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior article. "Emotion recognition is an economic success, but is often underestimated in its importance. Thus, our study does away now. Therefore, I am particularly pleased that our research results are such a large media attention, "says Menges. The findings not only provides Menges ago in an article, but also in a video on the website of the Journal of Organizational Behavior.

Increasingly demanding and better informed customers are B2B company under pressure. For this it is increasingly difficult to satisfy the customers and to convince them of its own products and services. Every second company is struggling with rising distribution costs. At the same time the distribution is often not yet adapted to the new challenges.

So much money is wasted because the correct procedure EBITDA increased by up to 25 percent is possible. This emerges from the current study "Mastering the New Reality of Sales" of the international management consulting firm Bain & Company. In order to meet and efficiency at work is the high demands a reorganization of distribution is necessary.

Loyalty is more and more from

Companies are in B2B sales facing major challenges. The reasons for this are increasingly transparent markets with customers who are increasingly better informed because of the digital channels at the same time and be more demanding. As a result, customer loyalty decreases in companies. 68 percent of executives in industrial companies in the study indicate that the loyalty of their customers decreased massively.

The company is currently trying to reclaim this loyalty by investing in sales and reduce product complexity. 50 percent have their marketing spending increases - but so far often with limited success. Many companies have their sales structurally not yet adjusted to the new reality, in other words: the changing needs and behavior patterns of their customers. 60 percent of the salespeople do not know how their company differentiates itself from the competition. That makes it all the more difficult to convince critical and well-informed customers.

Tips for customer loyalty for retailers

Sysob IT Distribution has found in the market analysis "Retail WLAN" for resellers that stationary retailer of online competitors can face with optimized advice and customer loyalty.

More than 60 percent of 16- to 74-year-olds in shopped online in the past year. This has resulted in a recent survey by Eurostat and the Swiss Federal Statistical Office. Strong competitors for stationary retailers - they can but counter with optimized advice and customer loyalty.

As wireless networks help build more intimate customer relationships as Tante Emma explains the Sysob IT distribution in their market analysis "Retail WLAN" for resellers.

From a customer perspective According Sysob points online stores mainly through constant availability, a wide range and often international availability. When it comes to consulting however, wish that so many "mom and pop" principle back: The shopkeeper knows the customers personally, with their likes and dislikes familiar and therefore can express appropriate recommendations. Here, the stationary retail can look at some order to compete with better advice, service and customer friendliness of anonymous e-commerce sites.

The IaaS provider scent morning air

Digital transformation of business and production processes is the goal of the economy. The drivers of this are competition from the large number of start-ups, as well as industry pressure and admonishing media reports. But earlier, all should be clear that the way to digitize only the clean use of cloud computing is.

Suppose you were a medium-sized manufacturing companies and now want to systematically digitize even if were ready enough investment resources, the solution would probably not optimal. The reason for this is that the desired systems with the required performance characteristics are simply not yet available as a true cloud solution.

Software companies and system providers have long not yet made their programs cloud-enabled. There are several reasons. First, the software needs to be fully adjusted with the aim of multi-tenant architecture. Secondly, was and is the systems business is a very good business because this business model also brings with it forced loyal customers. And thirdly, there is a great fear of a sales dip. Therefore, it is only possible in the present situation, systematically digitize. As a result, give logical, strategic process models, such as those described by Crisp Research will be presented.

Which topics and trends employ marketers in 2015? Which technology trends alter the digital marketing?

The Digital Trends Report 2015 examines selected technical trends and their impact in marketing and shows how technology trends Marketers should take this year. Here you will find the most important developments at a glance.

Content and dissemination strategy

Content is King: With the growing awareness of content marketing also increase the efforts of the marketing departments to produce as many content to numerous possible topics. Whether corporate blogs, newsletters, social media, digital magazines or videos: The user is flooded with more or less relevant information and often overwhelmed. From a marketing point of view, it is therefore all the more important to focus on the quality of content to select strong and to provide users with high-quality and highly relevant content. Only in this way the user has the ability to perceive the important for him post or mail.

But even the best content can reach the user only on the appropriate communications channels. According to Digital Trend Report provides the right distribution strategy in 2015 a key success factor in marketing and product communication. A successful strategy means that the user can individually decide where and how they absorb the content. Because every user works differently: While a preferred content appropriate in writing, while others tend to use an audio or video post. The 'distribution' of the content is therefore just as important as its quality to reach the user in the most pleasant for him form. Which can be achieved over as wide a range of communication channels. The user will receive the greater control over back, who, when and how to communicate with them.

In more and more companies move mobile devices in the first place when it comes to further increase employee productivity. Finally, the processing power of smartphones is sufficient today to perform more complex enterprise applications. Most, however, it comes at the right app strategy.

Regardless of whether apps are provided for field service personnel or for academic staff, this development opens boosting productivity to place a lot of potential, even the most demanding applications and data to mobile devices of the user. Moreover, the idea of employees who are always online, extremely attractive for companies.
With all the positive aspects, however, need to be protected applications and content before an illegitimate use and dissemination. Two approaches have been established there to meet this challenge: the Mobile Device Management (MDM) with the control of the terminals used for corporate purposes and the Mobile Application Management (MAM) with policies for the use of applications. In both cases, these approaches focus ensuring the safety, the regulated access and distribution as well as the reliable closure of enterprise applications.

Datacenter: Great break, promising future?

The Hybrid Cloud is a reality in many companies. But why more and more CIOs opt for a hybrid environment? An article by Erich Vogel, Cloud Leader, Computacenter.

This survey has drawn in recent months large sections of our industry: "The Hybrid Cloud 2014" by IDC. The result is an illuminating and for the other at the same time for the unexpected: a further 27 % plan used or implemented in the past two years public cloud services More than half of the 2014 surveyed by IDC organizations their introduction. IDC also observed that the "early adopters" with a pure private cloud approach much more pull now Hosted private clouds or public cloud services into consideration.

Analysts summarize: The Hybrid Cloud is already a reality in many companies. The Reasons? In times of "d’ conomy!" - As this year's CeBIT, the upheavals of society addressed by IT - must be adapted to individual than ever a company's processes. The CIOs kept their data and applications to date preferably in its own data center, especially large enterprises build their infrastructure consistently. They consolidate, virtualize, rely on automated operation and invest in convergent structures.

When I look at the results of my personal event Three struggle EuroCIS, Bitkom Big Data and CeBIT, then draw many colleagues with great momentum on a loose rope.

Many points of my recent articles on theme SmartHome find an ominous projection in the world of industry and 4.0 Big Data. Here I see a huge gap between strategy and operational implementation, which could be due, among other things, that strategy consultants consider the infinite data flow as a given constant.

So what's behind the Buzzword Bingo and where lurk the problems? Topics Big Data, IoT, industry 4.0 were represented on all fairs and also attracted a lot of people on. Like me, many are interested in the state of affairs.

I will start with Big Data, which also provides the basis for the article title. Undeniably, well that by IoT and industry 4.0 have the amount of data with which we operate, again will rise exponentially. An important contribution of must be made here of big data is, to distinguish the important from unimportant data and filter. Even with Hana and Co. The sensor and actuator data would flood our systems.

Even though I now have the data, then you are not saved. About the Data Handling was very little talking at the fairs. Another important point is next to the quantity precisely the quality of the data (see title). And exactly at this point is still the great weakness of Big Data.

Top 5 Online Marketing Tools

The systematic use proper online marketing tool is also in the business-to-business (B2B) an increasing success factor. But the flood of information and the confusing software environment on the Web difficult Internet marketers selecting the right tools. Lion Stark Online Marketing presents the five most important tools.

Competitors keep an eye on Web traffic monitor advertising campaigns plan, implement and evaluate: To be successful in the digital B2B marketing must be a bit like the agent James Bond, says Lion Stark online marketing. For this, include not only specific know-how, professional online marketing tools essential. The catch: The software market has become very confusing; there cavort countless solutions that depict various aspects of digital marketing. Each tool has its priorities, strengths and weaknesses - an ideal all-round solution does not exist. On top of that are similar many approaches great. But digital experts see this as an advantage and recommend to work with multiple, selected tools at the same time - because the most reliable sources, the more accurate the final result. To allow a view through the tool-jungle has lions Strong online marketing together five tools that structure the work of every B2B Internet Marketers on the web and make it easier.

Tool 1: Google Analytics for web analytics

Good visibility in the network is for decision-makers in the B2B sector are of great importance. For potential customers, suppliers and service providers are generally used in the relevant searches on Google on the corporate side. In order to achieve a good positioning in the results, recommends lion Stark, to resort to the tools of Google itself. Even the free version of Google Analytics convinces many practical features and customization. It detects, among other visitors streams, Keywords and Conversion and content analysis. The data ran to the aid of graphs and tables represent clearly. "Especially handy integrated into the real-time analysis tool," explains Marian Wurm, Managing Director and co-founder of Lion Strong online marketing. "This allows an immediate insight into the activities on your site or app . User streams get to the goal conversions"

LAN and WLAN can be implemented in companies often separated and managed. This has serious operational and safety-related disadvantages. Both areas should therefore be monitored and managed uniformly.

Let me sketch a fictitious scenario: When prototypical middle-engineering plant Schräuble & Co. with 2,000 employees, the users are dissatisfied with the services of IT. The networks do not function as they should. An important reason: It lacks a unified network management for LAN and WLAN.
Employees are mobile only limited features available, for example, they cannot partly access important business data, no faxing and printing. You also can not smoothly roam in the company, because the Wi-Fi radio shows again and again gaps. When switching between wired and wireless they need to re-authenticate each.

The company's management refers to security risks. A unified security and authorization architecture because there are not, which is why it is also prohibited to discontent of the workforce to use private mobile devices for business purposes. Guests get manually WLAN voucher issued on the IT cumbersome leads lists.

When the company buys a competitor who uses different network technology in wireless and specialized WLAN manufacturers to which the company has set the Wi-Fi in the material storage, is insolvent, the situation escalates: The support for the camp implemented products is no longer guaranteed, The IT administration, only a handful of employees, stated that their resources are exploited to the limit. A fundamentally different solution must ago, otherwise one could not guarantee anything.

Verdict: Resellers must not distribute software demo version

The Higher Regional Court Frankfurt am Main had to decide on how the copyright is such protection of a computer program on the required level of creativity through the scope. Also, a "spy function" was discussed.

In the proceedings before the Frankfurt Higher Regional Court case were fighting a software maker and a seller on numerous issues of distribution of an application for managing corporate data. It was for example about whether the level of creativity and thus the copyright protection of the program are ever given if decompilation is allowed and whether the reseller could publish the product in the present way further - against the background, which rights he had.

Rights: yes or no?

Specifically, the reseller had offered a demo version of the software on the Internet to the test, even though he had no right to use the product from the perspective of OLGs. The seller had not comprehensible argued for the judge that a company was formed, which he had admitted this. The judge, however, found that the cooperation on the part of the manufacturer terminated or the transfer of rights for the disputed period was not made.

Release: yes or no?

Therefore, the reseller should not have to publish the software or make it available. The defendant seller felt a publicly available product does not because "the software in sealed-off environment" was operated. "Making available", as the Court of Appeal, "but is only expected, will be opened in the appropriate, protected work, the third of the access". The demo version that offered the seller on its website and its YouTube presence would, potential customers to test the possibility of using already allows, namely working with the user interface.

Does my enterprise resource planning have a Turbo?

The 10-point health check for ERP systems

Depending on pain tolerance and ambitions on the market, the idea is close to a modernization of the Enterprise Resource Planning system (ERP) more or less. However, before a decision for a new solution falls, the question should be analyzed what exactly the company slowly, and where speed would provide the greatest benefit.

The own slowness to become aware of is not so easy. IT decision-makers do not use do not always even the ERP in their daily business and to shortcomings so little discretion. Active ERP users are either accustomed or do not find the right ear. And annoyed customers often seek tacitly faster vendors.

In a global survey of Epicor ERP in the past year showed: Only 9 percent of surveyed 1,500 ERP users consider their current ERP system as simple and user-friendly is. For 35 percent, it takes too much time to their ERP system provides the information available. Nearly half wanted an ERP, which provides the necessary information easily and quickly if needed. Improved responsiveness is therefore - unsurprisingly - the most important argument for future ERP investments.

Megatrends such as cloud computing, Internet of Things and industry 4.0 are on everyone's lips and change processes, not only in business, but also at distributors and system houses. For most solutions and services found on retailer their way into the company. But, how trends have on the channel? Have many countries Industry 4.0 already overslept? And what role does the topic Hybrid Cloud? Roland König, Head of Business Area Virtualization at Bechtle, writes his opinion.

The partner business is always a result of technology trends. As early as the turn of the millennium has been a big change, then conquered the virtualization the IT market. From one moment to the other much less hardware was sold and virtual services and solutions could be offered. Such great innovation radically changes the market - as well as the digital infrastructures. Meanwhile, these infrastructures are highly automated and standardized. In a time in which many countries companies are increasingly operating globally, which is a very important development.

Many countries sleeps through no trends - but creating them

Generally go many countries companies with new trends and innovations to more cautious. Before this country is something new or have been implemented, it has been mostly already been tested by others. This has less to do with oversleeping, but rather "play it safe" with. Companies want to be successful in the future and not only maintain their competitive advantage, but also to expand.

Anyone who needs to delve further into software license management in the course of his professional life, can quickly get the impression that delve into a microcosm own.

Whether Microsoft, Oracle or IBM, each provider has developed other methods for licensing its software. The license terms from IBM are among certainly the most complex. Besides nested software products (the so-called software bundling) is available from IBM around 100 different metrics, based on which the software may be licensed - and rising.

In addition to the legal protection can the effort, periodically to review the existing license conditions, worthwhile for companies financially well, especially since the various licensing options are continually adapted and changed by the manufacturer.

Potential for cost savings

A variation that has a high potential for cost savings, is the licensing on the basis of so-called PVU metric (Processor Value Unit). Here the cost of the software are determined not on the number of users or installations, but on the performance of the processors. After a points table each processor model is depending on the performance and configuration associated with a certain number of points, which forms its PVU value. This value is then multiplied by the number of available cores. From these figures the required number of PVU licenses that will be charged as a basis for calculating the price to be licensed Software.

TCO Calculator for Office 365

On Premise or rather a practical cloud solution for Office? The TCO Calculator mod of IT services to help IT decision-makers to find the right solution. These 20 questions must be answered, which are then tool-supported and evaluated manually.

Whether IT decision makers should resort to a locally installed or a cloud alternative of Microsoft Office is not always so easy to clarify. Many parameters must be considered when making that decision, to find the most cost effective solution for a company. With an online TCO calculator for Office 365 would like to help in this decision mod IT Service IT managers. The free cloud computer of the overall IT service provider in the SME sector compares according to the supplier the total cost of ownership of OnPremises solution and the cloud alternative of Office products from Microsoft for each individual company.

20 Questions

In order to perform an accurate TCO analysis, requires mod IT Service some information about the company. According to the IT service provider with locations in Einbeck and Hannover has an IT manager online answering 20 questions first, this process takes about 15 minutes. For example, ask the TCO Calculator Information size of the company and the status of the current license agreements.

Although it is claimed, a picture says more than 1000 words. But also leaves a perfect speech at the audience with a lasting impression. Use the following tips to succeed in an eye-catching appearance.

Bound listeners to time laughing from time faces and applause: Such are the desired reactions when people speak before an audience. But not everyone is a born orator and can perform content inspiring and eye-catching. Rigid lectures tiring the listener and prevent messages arrive. Therefore, make speeches, not least is a basic factor for success in professional life. Eight simple tips to help your own speech arts on the jumps.

1. Structure is all the rent

A good structure of the speech introduction, body, and conclusion helps recipient to notice a common thread and easier to follow the contents. At the beginning of the speech best intersperse a surprising or moving statement about the nuclear issue. Thus, the speaker assures at the very beginning the undivided attention. In the main part numbering or pros and cons considerations facilitate the comprehensibility of the content. In no case should thank speakers at the end of her presentation for the attention. Thus, it has awarded the chance to stay with a memorable closing words in the minds of viewers.

Imagine, you have developed a software solution and are now looking for a cloud partner. What an odyssey!

It is based on an independent market segment to provide the platform for software companies. There are thousands of developers companies that have developed clever and successful software solutions. But very few have their programs on cloud architecture - so a multi-tenant solution - changed. Many but already have a browser-based user interface. In sum, these vendors provide considerable potential for infrastructure providers.

Speculating on the future

Software solution providers are not willing to high investments, especially as the IaaS provider in the seemingly destructive competition undercut. The knowledge can be found in the fact that keeps the effort for a well-organized IaaS provider in limits. His offer is divided into standard models with different server platforms and virtualized properly. The client software company can scale its performance in the self-service process itself and pays in addition to a basic fee its transactional revenues. In sum, these are after a random survey at CeBIT 2015, smaller suppliers about five thousand euros per year.

Here is an old, American investors wisdom comes into play: "Invest in seven start-ups. Six will fail. But this one will be so successful that it not only compensated the losses of the other six, but will generate large revenues. "Behave similarly IaaS provider. Many assume any ISV (Independent Software Vendor) as customers in the hope that exactly his solution will be successful. Here, the sales and onboarding effort are always the same. Because one does not know precisely in advance if the customer solution will be successful or not.

All cheap, everything good?

That there is more than one reasonable price, many software manufacturers have also figured and flirt with the provider selection with the possible disruptive success of their program. As a result, this brings the IaaS provider forcibly in the situation, to calculate offers not only cheap, but also with additional benefits, as outlined in the following examples to market, - technically interchangeable.

Example 1: Special Technical Services: This technical reliability by supporting documents, such as the ISO 27001 certification is documented by ISO 9001 (at best, based on BSI-Baseline Protection) or service capability. Thus, the customer ISV can be sure that its programs are pretty reliable on the net available.

Example 2: The Bi-directional value-system: In this case, the ISV customer in IaaS, because it is hosting its programs in the computer center of IaaS. At the same time he is also the supplier because of IaaS promises him his solution - that is, the solution to its customers - with at its own end-users to sell. One example is the "ISV Reselling and Enterprise Market Place" of T-Systems. The problem here is that such promises are to be redeemed almost entirely through a digital marketplace currently. But actually need the seller of IaaS in offering the ISV are trained to have it in the personal catalog solution with you. Add to this the problem that there are several suppliers on any topic. At the end of smaller suppliers is only the presence on a web marketplace.

Example 3: Increase value of the SaaS offering and successful marketing support: Even if I as the author of this article am not at ease, I have to say, this works quite well: The hosting provider has partnered with an association or an institution that have an effective marketing and also guarantee high quality. In the industry, we know for example, to the "Blue Angel". In IT, this is the German cloud certificate for example. The IaaS provider certifies its datacenters on the German cloud audit. By prolonging the part, then applies logically also for its customers ISV. This then needs only a part (data security, legal and service) at the cloud to have it checked and is in the sequence itself to German-cloud-certified providers.

Contracts, agreements, contracts ...

A small software company is hardly the idea of his service with very large system houses, which are also IaaS asking for hosting. First, because it is believed to experience a mini customer e.g. an IBM and T-Systems does not care, and secondly, because the fear of rigid and extensive contracts could represent the entrepreneurial freedom in question. But what the customer wants software house? He wants a technically reliable solution and a contact person who to his ambition successfully supported. It must not be a partner, which sends the client's data to the NSA ISV and hawked his keys to the US Department of Homeland Security. Yes, most like the customer wants to know exactly where their data are and will be processed. And he has the right to do so.
To truly compare the offers of hosting providers, addressing the seller contracts is inevitable. You have to understand that an IaaS provider cannot enter into an individual agreement with each customer. But service promise (SLA) should be verifiable and changes in power - be possible only with the consent of the ISV - for example when moving the data. A "Blue Angel" for the cloud builds trust with the customer and speed up the marketing.

Attention is needed

Against the backdrop of the effort to compare IaaS providers it is not surprising that software companies have selected a "good about" IaaS provider. But it is worthwhile to think again. One can not only his electricity supplier, but also the hosting providers change.