We’ve been talking about the proliferation of mobile phones and the impact it is having on businesses of all shapes and sizes.
According to the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA), 75% of Canadian households have access to a wireless phone, half of all phone connections in Canada are now wireless, and as of the end of last year, Canadian wireless phone subscribers numbered a whopping 22.8 million.
In the US, consumer surveys like Forrester’s Annual Consumer Survey say that four in five US households now have a mobile phone. “While today these digital activities are constrained to the home and the office, in the next several years consumers will increasingly rely on a ubiquitous Net that is instantaneously accessible on a wide variety of devices, from mobile phones to laptops to new form factors such as eReaders,” Forrester concludes.
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Technology is allowing the banking industry to provide their customers with the ability to proactively manage their personal finances anywhere, at anytime, through their mobile devices.
For example, our mobile banking solution lets the bank’s customers access their accounts, provide payment and transfer of funds, and search for nearby automated teller machines or branches - all from their mobile phone.
On the security front, it also gives the bank the ability to communicate back to their customers to alert them of activity on their bank account. In marketing, it allows promoting special offers where applicable.
People often ask if they need to be with a specific wireless carrier to have access to mobile banking. Good news: despite the wide array of mobile devices and services providers, the mobile banking solution ensures customers are compatible and covered regardless of the mobile phone manufacturer, model, wireless carrier or operating system.
While I am always looking for ways to maximize my time balancing work and home with little ones, I think I might need some additional convincing when it comes to mobile banking. Some questions arise as I envision myself mobile banking on the GO train on my way into work - primarily privacy related - such as what if I lose my phone? Will my banking information be accessible by whoever finds it? But to have my bank communicate with me in this new way is appealing, especially if it saves time.
Join the conversation. Are you a mobile phone banker? Would you do your banking through your mobile phone if you had the option?
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One size does not fit all: Canadians want tailored communications
"So get away to where the boat leaves from. It takes away all of your big problems. You got worries you can drop them in the blue ocean, but you gotta get away to where the boat leaves from." - Zac Brown Band
Summer is here and the draw of lakes, mountains and beaches is diluting enthusiasm to get work done. It's a time when Canadians "recharge their batteries", relax and take in the special beauty of this country. The reality, however, is that many of us simply can't take a true vacation during the summer. However, with a little preparation, time scheduling and technology, it is possible to enjoy the weather AND get your work done (think: mini working vacation).
Camping is an activity that I particularly enjoy. Sitting in front of a warm campfire with friends and family is one of my favourite things. I know from previous trips to Crimson Lake Provincial Park in west central Alberta that the campground has excellent 3G+ wireless coverage so I decided to take an extended weekend and work from a campsite on Thursday and Friday (relaxing the rest of the weekend). It was a great experience.
Here are my top 5 tips for working from a campground:
1 - Let your campsite companions know your schedule
If you plan on working from your campsite, let your campmates know well in advance. They are likely happy to give you the space, quiet and support you need during the day in order to have you enjoy the wilderness with them during the warm evenings. However, if you say you will be done by a certain time, don't be late - they may be waiting for you to join in the fun.
Although it's a little more challenging when children are along, it's not an impenetrable barrier. Ensure kids understand your schedule and that there are some times during the day when quiet is needed. As you take breaks during the day, take them for a walk, canoe ride or to simply toss stones into the creek. Both of you will enjoy the break and keep reminding yourself how much better it is than being at the office right now!
2 - Setup a workspace
Just like any mobile office, finding and setting up your workspace is crucial. If you have a trailer or camper, you can easily create a comfortable spot inside. If you are a tent camper, a picnic table is your best bet since they are sturdy and have lots of space.
Canadian summers can also bring a workspace challenge: weather changes. Would you be able to continue working if it rained? Also remember that the hot sun isn't always good. Are you protected against sunburns? Can you see your laptop screen due to glare? Will your equipment overheat in the sun?
From experience, I have overheated both an iPhone and and iPad due to extended periods in the sun. They work again after cooling down, but it stops your productivity dead in its tracks.
3 - Power
For me, power is the biggest campground working challenge. If you have an RV that is connected to power, you can plug in with ease. If there is no power at your campsite, it is important to plan ahead. Consider taking along a car charger or an AC power inverter that can be plugged into a vehicle 12 volt outlet. Charging is often slower with these methods, but it does work. Spare laptop batteries are valuable as long as you remember the charge them before you leave.
4 - Wireless connectivity
High-speed wireless connectivity is continuing to expand all across Canada. Check coverage maps ahead of time and call the campground office beforehand to confirm with park staff that their Smartphones work in the area.
My campground working kit is my standard mobile working companions: An Apple iPhone, a bluetooth headset and a 3G+ Mobile Internet Key connected to my laptop. The combination of devices provides full high speed connectivity and voice calling on the go. In fact, I was able to video conference while at the campsite using the Mobile Internet Key and Microsoft LiveMeeting.
5 - Dealing with distractions
Campgrounds can be full of distractions - loud neighbours, friends enjoying the day and the beauty of nature. For me, the two biggest distractions are simple: animals and mosquitoes.
Campground critters are fun, but they can be more distracting than a viral YouTube video. Ever had a squirrel scurry through your legs and over the picnic table while you are on a conference call? (true story) Keep your workspace clean and your attention focused on your work. If that doesn't work, take pictures of the fauna with your Smartphone and share them with your jealous colleagues.
Mosquitoes can be a big problems in some areas of Canada. While mosquito repellants can be effective, the constant buzzing can make working unbearable. If you are going to a known mosquito hotspot, consider working inside a bug shelter.
Try it and share your experience!
Working from a campground is a great experience. If you have never taken a working vacation before, please give it a try and let us know how it turned out.
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You don’t have your laptop, but you get an email on your iPhone or iPad saying that last quarter’s figures have come out. Thankfully, there is a data report reader that is as functional as it is chic. Roambi, short for Roaming Business Intelligence allows you to interpret, view, store and interact with data using a gorgeous touch interface, curing you of some analytical apathy.
The application is free to download from the iTunes Store and works on your iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. It’s free to set up a lite account for personal use, which makes it a great way to try Roambi and get comfortable using it. The other two account types, which harness the full power of Roambi, are aimed at the corporate crowd. The Pro account, designed for companies and work groups, will run $99USD a year, and ES3, designed for enterprises, is priced specifically based on your needs. For the full rundown on all three account types check out this comparison chart.
How it works
Roambi creates stunning outputs that are perfect for presentations. The application comes loaded with a set of sample data for you to play around with. Once you have created an account, upload data from your computer, from a variety of programs such as Excel or Numbers. When you are using the application, you can sync with the Roambi server to find any new data sets that have been uploaded. The enterprise level account also allows you to import and analyze more intense data outputs, such as SAP readouts, IBM Cognos, and Microsoft Reporting Services. All you have to do is log in to Roambi on an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad and you literally have the data at your fingertips. For anyone who works with numbers, Roambi is a must try.
What it is
The most noticeable benefit of using Roambi is that it allows the user to interpret data any one of several ways. You can get a brief overview of the data (above left) or use PieView (above right), but it also allows you to select a data slice for more information. The “Cardex” allows you to flip through charts, just like a Rolodex, and the “SuperList” allows you to read your data in a spreadsheet. Arguably, the most powerful mode is “CataList” (below left) which is a great comparative tool. For example, the sample data set that comes with the application includes store location and type information. You can compare store categories against a number of different statistics, such as: sales, visitors and specific inventory over a given time period. Finally there is also a very in-depth trend analysis tool (below right).
What it is not
Despite its ability to display data, it’s not a data creation or collection tool, like Excel or Numbers. This can be frustrating if you want to edit on the fly. Plus, because the application is so powerful and rich with features, some people might have a big learning curve. You will need to give yourself some time to test drive all of the features.
Is it worth it?
Given that the app is free, and you can try it out with a lite account, free of charge, it’ s definitely worth checking out. Upload your own dataset and run an analysis that is relevant to your business, rather than using the example numbers that are included. If you’re on the road often and your team analyzes data on a regular basis, then this application is worth piloting.
Conclusion
The Roambi application has the potential to be a business professional’s best friend. When important information is needed in a pinch, Roambi is there.
Have you had the opportunity to use this app? If so, post your thoughts below.
How to Find Your Next Big Business Opportunity Like Ray Kroc (McDonald's)
Posted by EvanCarmichael Jul 21, 2010My name is Evan Carmichael and I believe that the fastest and most effective way to build a business is to model the strategies of people who have already successfully accomplished what you’re trying to do. I call it Modeling the Masters. My last post was: How to Build a Business the HP Way.
Today I’m going to focus on how you can find your next big business opportunity like Ray Kroc who turned McDonald's from an eight-chain restaurant into one of the most recognized companies in the world.
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“Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat, the luckier you get." – Ray Kroc
Raymond "Ray" Albert Kroc (October 5, 1902 – January 14, 1984) was a Czech American businessman who took over the small-scale McDonald's Corporation franchise in 1954 and built it into the most successful fast food operation in the world. Kroc was included in Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century, and amassed a $500 million fortune during his lifetime. He was also the owner of the San Diego Padres baseball team starting in 1974.
Ray Kroc began his career selling paper cups for Lily Tulip Cup. It was in the course of selling paper cups that Kroc would meet Earl Prince. Kroc had noticed Prince after he began buying Lily cups by the truckload for a product that he had recently invented – a five-spindle milkshake-mixer. Kroc saw big opportunities in the milkshake mixer and bought the exclusive marketing rights to the product. Over the next 17 years, Kroc would travel across America selling it.
When he received an order for eight milkshake mixers from brothers Dick and Mac McDonald in California, he had to go out to see them. The McDonald brothers had focused on just a few menu items – hamburgers, cheeseburgers, French fries, soft drinks and milk shakes. Kroc was impressed with the efficiency and the popularity of their restaurant, and saw his next business opportunity.
In one of the greatest success stories of all time, Kroc took a small but successful California-based hamburger restaurant and expanded it into what is today a worldwide chain with 400,000 employees, $22 billion in revenue, and a logo that has come to be more globally recognizable than the Christian cross.
Action Item #1: Always Be On The Lookout For Opportunities
Most entrepreneurs don't end up being successful with the product or service that they start with. There are always tweaks and changes that will happen once you start talking to customers and they tell you what they want. Your prospects and customers will lead you to many potential opportunities to grow your business - the key is to jump on those opportunities and take action.
In Ray Kroc's own words: "The two most important requirements for major success are: first, being in the right place at the right time, and second, doing something about it."
Kroc started out as a salesman for paper cups and his customers twice brought him to new business opportunities that he acted on. Sometimes this can mean selling a completely different product or service than you were offering before. Look at your current customers - are there hidden business opportunities you can develop with them or improvements to what you currently sell that can bring them more value and put more money in your bank account? If you're always on the lookout for new opportunities to grow your business you will eventually find the one you can hit a home run with.
Action Item #2: You’re Only As Good As The People You Hire
As your business grows beyond yourself you'll realize the importance of having a good team. They are the ones representing your company, making decisions every day, and talking to your customers. Having a good staff will make or break your ability to build a successful company beyond yourself.
To make sure he had the best team possible in the early stages of the business, Ray Kroc personally took charge of the entire hiring process. Once he had made the decision to bring someone on board the McDonald’s team, Kroc would give each and every one of them a badge with the title of Management Trainee. It didn’t matter what their actual job was; Kroc wanted every employee to feel valuable and like an important part of the team. Kroc would then tell his workers to think of a better way to do their job or of any improvements that could be made in customer service, which could then be written down and placed into a Suggestion Box. The Suggestion Box led to countless successes like the Happy Meal, Filet-o-Fish, Big Mac, Hot Apple Pie, and Egg McMuffin.
When you hire a new employee make them feel like they are an important part of your team. Encourage their suggestions on how the business could be run better, create opportunities for them to advance, and let them know that you value their contributions. A loyal and hardworking team will reward you with outstanding business results.
Action Item #3: Be A Part Of Your Community
Whatever community you sell to, make sure you take part in building that community base and making it stronger. These are the people who will continue to buy from you and the more successful they are, the more successful you will be.
Ray Kroc launched a number of initiatives to help build the communities around each McDonald's restaurant. First off he insisted that his franchise operators lived in the communities where they worked. He also hired regional advertising agencies so they could work "on the ground" and organize grand openings, birthday parties, and community programs. Finally he believed in community involvement through charities and the company continues to give back to this day as part of its corporate philosophy.
You don't have to run a restaurant to be involved in your community. Just think about the people you sell to and where they hang out. Can you get involved in making their lives easier and better? It's a longer term strategy but an extremely profitable one if you can win the hearts and minds of your customers by giving back.
True Story
When Kroc was just four years old, his father took him to a phrenologist to try to have his future determined based on the shape of his head. Here, the young Kroc was told that he would be best suited to having a career in the fast food industry. Nearly 50 years later he would fulfill the prediction.
Contest
![26GaryVaynerchukFront[1].jpg](http://community.telustalksbusiness.com/servlet/JiveServlet/showImage/38-1120-1201/26GaryVaynerchukFront%5B1%5D.jpg)
I'd like to do another blog contest to give away a Gary Vaynerchuk card from my Entrepreneur Heroes series. At 13 Gary Vaynerchuk was making thousands of dollars per week selling baseball cards. In 1998 he took over his family’s liquor store business, moved from offline to online promotion and grew revenues to 60 million dollars in 4 years.
To win the card all you have to do is leave a comment below. One winner will be selected at random from the comments.
How are you planning on finding your next big business idea? Have you found it already? As always, I’ve love to hear your thoughts if you leave a comment below!
Evan Carmichael
To learn more check out my list of Ray Kroc articles or my website, EvanCarmichael.com.
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Done in the sun: Canada’s mobile workers take the job where they are
Posted by Allison.Vale Jul 21, 2010
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Business App of the Week - FlightTrack Pro for iPhone, iPad and Android
Posted by Peter.Hartl Jul 16, 2010Welcome to our App of the Week series where we highlight Smartphone and iPad applications for business.
If you are a frequent business traveler, you already know how important it is to keep on top of your flight schedule. A busy sales executive or consultant can often find themselves on four or more flight segments every week and missing a flight or being late for a meeting just isn't an acceptable option. On the flip side, those who travel only occasionally for business also appreciate the need for punctuality and pre-flight organization.
There are a variety of different ways to keep on top of your flight schedule. Paper based flight itineraries are the most common, but they are only as current as the last time they were printed. Email alerts are also available from a number of airlines, but if you fly with multiple air carriers, they become more difficult to manage. Fortunately there is a Smartphone app here to help.
Flight Track Pro ($9.99 from the iTunes store for iPhone or iPad, or the Android Market) takes your flight information and manages it with style. Right off the top, I can confidently say that Flight Track Pro is the current leader in this space. Here is why:
Loading and searching flights
Adding your itinerary to Flight Track Pro is amazingly simple. The first step is to create a profile at Tripit.com. Next, log into Tripit via the Flight Track Pro application to create a link between the website and your app (you only have to do these steps once). Then, simply forward your airline itinerary email to plans@tripit.com. That's it. Tripit will automatically scan the email for the required details and sync it with Flight Track Pro. Within minutes your flights and their status are shown in the application.
Flights can also be entered manually by flight number or through an impressive search of flights by airline, route and date. Personally, I have found this feature to be ideal when planning a trip. For example, if you want to know what all of the flights between Calgary and Toronto are on a certain day, Flight Track Pro will tell you with a very high level of accuracy. Being able to look over all of the available flights from multiple airlines helps business users choose the ones that make best use of their travel time.
Flight cancellations or delays
If one of your tracked flights is delayed or cancelled, you will quickly receive an alert from the Flight Track Pro application. Along with the notification, your flights will be updated to show the latest status. In the event your flight is cancelled, Flight Track Pro will even make recommendations on replacements.
Consider this scenario as well: You are sitting in the Edmonton airport waiting for your flight to Vancouver. Looking out the window, you see that there is no plane at the gate. Will the plane show up in time for your flight to leave as scheduled? While the agent will do their best to provide updated information, Flight Track Pro has the ability to predict whether or not a flight will leave on time based on the previous leg of the plane. This edge may mean the difference between hopping on another flight, beating a weather system to get home or grabbing a hotel for the night. (Note: this data isn't available for every flight, so experiment with your route and airline)
Mapping
The map feature of Flight Track Pro is the flagship feature. In essence, you can track thousands of international flights in real-time via a full featured map. Picture Google Maps, but showing the current location of the plane, approximate flight path, flight elevation and speed and even nearby weather systems. Visually stunning for a mobile device and full of good useful information.
The mapping feature is beautiful for picking up clients at the airport. If you know their flight, just search it in Flight Track Pro and you will be able to map their in-flight location. Still far away, stay at the office a little longer before leaving to pick them up.
Calendar Sync
An added benefit of using Flight Track Pro is a calendar sync feature. If activated, your mobile calendar will automatically be booked during flight segments. This is ideal for frequent business travelers, permitting colleagues to view and book open slots based on a more accurate picture of availability.
Conclusion
Flight Track Pro is a perfect business travel companion. It keeps track of flights, notifies you if things change and displays it all in a beautiful, easy to use interface. A top choice for iPhone, iPad and Android users.
Have you had an opportunity to use this application? What do you think? Please join the conversation by adding a comment below.
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"Most people look at the line in front of them and will never cross it. When I see the line, I'm always looking to step over it and see what's on the other side. That creates opportunity."
Controversial and brash as an NBA General Manager, in some circles, the mere mention of the name Mark Cuban evokes groans and cringes worthy of a pariah. In other circles however, the name Mark Cuban is held up as a model – a self-made billionaire entrepreneur who sold not one, but two technology start-ups at the height of their profitability and made off like a bandit.
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With a net worth of 2.4 billion and a spot high on Forbes “World’s Richest People” list, Cuban is the architect and leader of a business empire that stretches from movie theatres and cable networks to mixed martial arts and high tech toilet seats to philanthropy and investigative journalism.
Born into a working class upbringing in the Pittsburgh suburb of Mt. Lebanon, the precocious Cuban learned from a very early age that if he wanted something he was going to have to work for it. Cuban's first step into the business world occurred at age 12, when he sold garbage bags to pay for a pair of expensive basketball shoes. By the time he was 20, Cuban had experimented with an assortment of get rich quick endeavours – he hawked powdered milk door to door, sliced cold cuts in a deli, gave disco lessons to sorority girls, set up a successful chain letter that ended up paying for a semester’s worth of university tuition and in perhaps the first sign of his future entrepreneurialism, during a newspaper strike in Pittsburgh, he sold papers he had brought in from Cleveland.
Fast forward 30 years and Cuban, now 52 is sitting pretty as the owner of the Dallas Mavericks (one of the most financially successful NBA franchises), the owner of Landmark Theatres (the largest arthouse movie theatre chain in the US) and Chairman of HDNet (one of the first cable networks to make the shift to high-definition programming). But despite Cuban’s stratospheric ascent, were it not certain leadership rules he lives by, he never would have achieved the levels of success he currently enjoys today.
Here are some of the leadership rules from the Mark Cuban playbook:
1 - Know your customers – For Cuban, someone who has launched and financed over two dozen start-ups, successful leadership as an entrepreneur involves knowing your customers and putting yourself in their shoes. During the early days at MicroSolutions, a computer consultancy firm and one of the first companies he started, Cuban used to stay up all night reading up on his customers’ businesses so that he could familiarize himself with where they were coming from. For one building client, for example, he pored over architectural journals ad nauseam so he could, in his words, "talk the customer's talk" the next time they met.
2 - Don’t be afraid to change your mind and set off in a new direction – While Cuban has led a number of companies to dizzying levels of success, he has also driven numerous businesses into the red and bankrolled projects that never got off the ground. From a ratings disaster reality TV series to a late night talk show that never materialized, Cuban has shown that a successful leader is one who is not afraid to move in a new direction, despite the ever-present risk of failure.
Writing for Computer Reseller News in 1997, Cuban gave some indication of this ‘no fear’ attitude that would, if not lead him to success, at least allow him to find his way there. After writing about the hurdles he saw ahead for technology companies, he signed off with the line, "That's my story, and I'm sticking to it, until I change my mind."
3 - Take responsibilities for your mistakes – While other professional sports team owners are content to watch the game in their luxury boxes, the self professed ‘superfan’ Cuban prefers to be on the sidelines in the heart of the action, a position that has gotten him into trouble on more than one occasion. Cuban has been fined 13 times by the NBA for critical statements he has made against the league and its referees and despite these numerous verbal errors, like a good leader Cuban consistently takes responsibility for his comments when he knows he’s crossed the line. Moreover, proving that actions speak louder than words when it comes to contrition, Cuban matches any NBA fines he receives with charitable donations of equal amounts.
4 - Spend time in the trenches – One of Cuban’s most redeeming qualities as a leader is his everyman appeal – even when he was a multi-millionaire, Cuban didn’t shy away from the work that entry-level employees could have been doing. Cuban was willing to do the blocking and tackling to build a business, even if it meant thousands of hours of what others might think is tedious work. When he launched the web radio company AudioNet he described himself as working crazy hours doing nothing but posting on forums and message boards and scouring the hundreds of online directories that should be linking to his company, finding email lists to advertise on and doing absolutely everything possible to generate interest and usage of his internet sports radio channel. Any other person who had already accumulated $30 million dollars in their short business career might have relegated these tasks down the bottom of the corporate totem pole. But not Cuban. He voluntarily put himself in the trenches and worked and worked and worked until he had built the company into a 330 employee business, where it was eventually acquired by Yahoo for a tidy $5.9 billion.
What other ‘rules’ do you see good leaders follow? What leaders do you feel exemplify good leadership? Join the conversation by adding a comment below.
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Welcome to our App of the Week series where we highlight Smartphone and iPad applications for business.
Membership and rewards cards are everywhere. If you travel for business, you probably have a stack of cards from hotels, rental car agencies and airlines (my travel rewards card stack is about 15 high!). Although there are often good rewards with membership, carrying all of those cards isn’t always practical - especially when you need to carry both business and personal cards together.
Although some premium membership programs require a physical card for identification, most simply require a member number or a barcode that can be scanned. So why carry all those cards? It’s time to lighten your load and store all of the information on your iPhone.
CardKing™ for iPhone (free from the iTunes store) is an easy to use app that is designed to record, store and display your membership cards. Once cards are loaded, they are simple to retrieve and use. Here’s how it works:
Storing cards
The process of adding new cards into CardKing™ is very simple. First select one of the approximately 30 categories (they include airlines, hotels, restaurants, etc.) and see if your membership program is listed. While I’ve had good success at finding Canadian membership cards already listed in the application (there are over a 1000 available and each automatically show the rewards logo), adding a missing program is done with a simple tap.
Entering the number is easy. If the membership card has a barcode, just select “Scan Barcode” and take a picture of the code with your iPhone. If successful, all of the required information is automatically stored. If there is no barcode on the membership card, simply type in the member number. Take care to enter the number exactly as it appears on the card.
Retrieving and Using Cards
When CardKing™ is opened, it first shows a list of all the cards that are loaded. Simply tap the one you want to use and it will display full screen. If a barcode is associated with the card, it will also be displayed. As an added bonus, some reward programs also include handy links to their website and customer service phone numbers.
The idea of CardKing™ is that when the barcode is shown on the screen, you can simply hand your iPhone to a cashier, hotel staff, etc, and they should be able to scan the phone. From personal experience, I have found that this scanning process is hit and miss. Some scanners read the barcode off the iPhone perfectly, while others fail to read anything on the screen. In this case, the number (which is also displayed on the screen) has to be entered manually. It’s not as slick as just scanning the iPhone, but at least you still don’t have to carry all those cards. Of note, the CardKing™ website has a good list of tips for scanning the iPhone screen.
Business considerations
CardKing™ is a great app for business users – especially frequent travellers. However, there are a few items that should be known:
- CardKing™ doesn’t offer any in-app security. This means that if someone accesses your iPhone they will also have access to anything in the CardKing™ app. It would be wise not to use this app to store business critical passwords or payment account codes.
- According to the CardKing™ FAQ’s, the application does not collect or send personal data to any third parties or back to the app creators.
- Whenever you sync and backup your iPhone through iTunes, the CardKing™ app data is backed up.
Conclusion
Business users who have a pocket full of loyalty, membership or reward cards will appreciate how this app minimizes their wallets. It’s easy to use and the price is right – free.
Have you had an opportunity to use this app? If so, post your thoughts below.
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Have you heard the term Android in relation to Smartphones but don't know what it means? You've come to the right place. Here are five Android basics every business should know:
1 - Android is a mobile phone operating system.
In a similar way to how a personal computer requires an operating system like Windows or Apple OS, a Smartphone needs software to run. However, it's not practical to take a standard computer operating system and squeeze it into a mobile device. Screen sizes, battery life and memory space all demand software specifically designed for a mobile device. Google's answer to this need is Android and it's become the world's fastest growing mobile operating system.
Android logo (click image to enlarge)
It's important to note that there isn't just one version of Android. Google has released regular updates to the Android operating system in order to improve mobile efficiency and introduce new features. New versions are often referred to by their Google codenames: Cupcake (version 1.5), Donut (version 1.6), Eclair (version 2.0/2.1) and the latest release, Froyo (short for “frozen yogurt” - version 2.2). Updates like this tell us two things: 1) Google is serious about evolving the quality of their software; 2) Google mobile Engineers have an affinity for sugary snacks!
Cupcake, Donut and Eclair
2 - Android powered Smartphones are offered by a variety of manufacturers.
You may notice something different when it comes to the advertisement of Android Smartphones: a term similar to “powered by Android”. Unlike Apple or BlackBerry mobile operating systems, Android is available from a variety of Smartphone manufacturers. For example, the following 3G+ Smartphones are all Android powered:
Having multiple manufacturers building Smartphones with Android means your business has more choice. Want a touch screen? Full keyboard? The options are there and more manufacturers are announcing new Android powered devices every month.
3 - Thousands of free and paid apps are available on the Android Market.
What makes Android so special is that it is an open platform. This means that anyone with the proper skills can adjust or build programs to run on an Android device. As a result, thousands of strong applications are available to download from the Android Market. While some vary in cost, a recent study determined that over 57% of applications on the Market were free.
Here's a short video that describes how the Market works:
4 – Android Smartphones offer unparalleled personalization
Even in business, many Smartphone users like to personalize their experience. This may take the form of a special ringtone or may go deeper to moving icons or changing the way a screen operates. Android is currently the most customizable mobile operating system available. Here are some examples:
- Say good-bye to icons and grids. View messages, upcoming events, weather updates or whatever you need right on your screen with live widgets.
- Change what you want to see on your screen from day to day. Facebook, web bookmarks or YouTube – it's up to you.
- Create and design your own mobile experience with multiple homescreens.
5 - Android works for small businesses.
Android offers a strong and continually growing feature set for businesses. Items such as wireless email integration, easy to manage contacts and efficient calendars are base features. Hundreds of business specific apps are also available from the Android Marketplace. A small business user will feel right at home on an Android powered Smartphone.
For larger businesses, Android still has some growth to do. Exchange server support has a number of challenges and remote management tools are not to the same level as BlackBerry or iPhone. Watch for Google to make advancements in this area through 2010 and into 2011.
Want to learn more?
Two great options:
- Add a comment with your question below. Not only will you be able to tap into the experience of hundreds of other business professionals who are members of TELUS Talks Business, the team behind the scenes will bring in Android experts to get you the best available answer.
- If you prefer a one-on-one consultation, click the Contact link above, give some details about your business and a sales representative will contact you. Don't worry, it won't be a hard sell sales person – they're here to help you grow our business and answer your Android questions.
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Where is Canada’s best location for working outside the office? (4 of 4)
Posted by Paula.Cusati Jul 7, 2010Over the past few weeks, people from across the country submitted their ideas, via telustalksbusiness.com, on the places and spaces they think are Canada’s best locations for working outside the office. This week, as part of TELUS’ continuing focus on flexible work, we want to highlight some of the more interesting locations where Canadians have leveraged communications technologies to work remotely. This is the final post in a series of four articles...
As we wrap up our recent series of posts highlighting the interesting places where Canadians work we often forget that some people choose to work remotely not for a place’s beauty but simply because there is no other option. For Home Care Physiotherapist, Dr. JT Bains who lives in rural Manitoba, wireless connectivity is absolutely essential when traveling to remote villages to visit patients.
“My patients appreciate me being able to bring my practice to their homes. The connectivity with the office that my mobile devices bring is integral for me being efficient and to be able to provide high quality care. Just last week I was able to educate a parent about her child's speech impairment using my mobile device and the internet. We looked up information about the normal development of speech for infants and together alleviated her anxiety. When people have health concerns, providing them with information as quickly as possible is essential and with wireless connectivity I am able to do so”.
Are there any locations in Canada where you work remotely?
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My name is Evan Carmichael and I believe that the fastest and most effective way to build a business is to model the strategies of people who have already successfully accomplished what you’re trying to do. I call it Modeling the Masters. My last post was: How to Break Through Like Mary Kay Ash
Today I’m going to focus on how you to build a business like Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard, founders of one of the world's largest information technology companies, Hewlett-Packard.
Must Watch Video
“Believe you can change the world.” – Bill Hewlett
Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard were university friends who graduated in electrical engineering from Stanford in 1935. Eager to become entrepreneurs, Packard and Hewlett established Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 1939 in Packard's garage with all the startup money they could put together - a grand total of US$538. They then tossed a coin to decide whether the company would be called Hewlett-Packard or Packard-Hewlett.
Together, Hewlett and Packard created an audio oscillator. It was in fact the first practical, low-cost method of generating high-quality audio frequencies that were needed in a wide range of industries, including defense and medicine. Hoping to make it seem like the company had been around for awhile, they named their product the 200A.
According to Hewlett, “We really didn't know if this oscillator was any good. We simply put one together that worked pretty well, sent a letter out to universities and others, got three or four orders, and tried it again.” One of those first orders was from Walt Disney Studios, who wanted eight oscillators for their upcoming movie, “Fantasia.”
60 years after its founding, HP has developed a reputation for innovative and reliable products and in 2009 had revenue of $115 billion, making it one of the largest companies in the world.
Action Item #1: Think About More Than Money
Hewlett and Packard believed that a business had a purpose beyond just making money. Businesses had responsibilities to employees, customers, and the community at large. It was a controversial viewpoint in the 1940s but many of the management practices that are now standard in many work environments were pioneered by Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard.
Some of the initiatives they launched included: worker bonuses based on productivity, profit sharing plans, flex-time schedules, companywide health-insurance, pay cuts and Fridays off instead of layoffs in hard times, addressing everybody in the company by their first names, having an open-door policy, and creating a wall-free environment to encourage teamwork and the flow of ideas.
As an entrepreneur you have to worry about money and making enough to first survive and then build a lasting company - but don't make it your only priority. Remember to think about the people who work for you, the people who buy from you, and the rest of your community to make your business a force for good. Strangely enough when you focus on helping these people around you, the money comes in on its own.
Action Item #2: Adopt a Survival Mentality
The early days of a new business can be challenging. You may not be selling the right product or service and you rarely hit the targets that you set for yourself. This is where it's crucial to adopt a survival mentality - listen to your customers until you find the product or service that will really solve their problems and in turn help you build a lasting business.
When Bill Hewlett talked about the early days of Hewlett-Packard he said: “We were just opportunistic. We made a bowling alley foul-line indicator, a clock drive for a telescope, a thing to make a urinal flush automatically, and a shock machine to make people lose weight. We did anything to bring in a nickel.”
The best way to build a business is around customers with problems who will pay you to solve them. Adopt a survival mentality like Hewlett and Packard and look for opportunities to help your customers. In the midst of solving their problems you'll find a business idea that you can build into a successful and enduring company.
Action Item #3: Make Innovation a Part of Everything You Do
For a business to succeed today it needs to always be thinking about what's next and how it can innovate. If you can offer a more innovative solution that your competitors don't have yet it can be your chance to win new business and grow your company.
In HP's early years, Hewlett and Packard had made one rule, above all the others, the golden rule: To encourage innovation, no parts bins or storerooms should ever be locked. To outsiders, this was a mind-boggling phenomenon. Visitors to the company’s headquarters would be shocked that millions of dollars worth of parts and equipment were lying around free for anyone to use, and nobody ever suspected anyone else of theft.
Are you innovating enough with your business? Do you take time every week to think about ways to make your product or service better? Follow Hewlett and Packard's lead and stay on the cutting edge of technology and your customers and pocketbook will thank you for it!
True Story:
Hewlett and Packard's management style was so unique at the time that it was given a name: The HP Way. In Bill's words, the HP Way is "a core ideology ... [which] includes a deep respect for the individual, a dedication to affordable quality and reliability, a commitment to community responsibility, and a view that the company exists to make technical contributions for the advancement and welfare of humanity."
Here are the core beliefs of the HP Way:
- We have trust and respect for individuals.
- We focus on a high level of achievement and contribution.
- We conduct our business with uncompromising integrity.
- We achieve our common objectives through teamwork.
- We encourage flexibility and innovation.
Do you have a management philosophy that guides your business? What are the core beliefs that define your company beyond simply making money? As always, I’ve love to hear your thoughts if you leave a comment below!
Evan Carmichael
To learn more check out my list of Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard articles or my website, EvanCarmichael.com.
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Welcome to our App of the Week series where we highlight Smartphone and iPad applications for business.
For many mobile workers, a vehicle is their primary office. Tens of thousands of kilometres are driven per year (per month for some!) and thousands of dollars are spent on fuel and maintenance. With all that travel, tracking fuel economy isn't just a hobby – fuel costs directly impact profit margins. The downside is that recording and analyzing all of those expenses can be a time consuming task. If you already have an iPhone in your pocket, that process can become much more friendly.
There are a large number of expense and fuel economy calculators available for the iPhone, however Road Trip ($4.99 from the iTunes store) is unique for two reasons: 1) The application is surprisingly feature rich compared to others; 2) The app's creator, Darren Stone, is from right here in Canada.
Here are four areas that make this app a good fit for business:
Tracking Fuel
Fuel is likely to be the biggest regular expense of a vehicle-dependant mobile worker. Road Trip makes the process of tracking fill-ups fast and easy. A single screen records all the data needed for analysis including fuel cost, litres filled, fuel price and odometer reading. As you add in this data, the app automatically calculates fuel economy and distance travelled between fills – no math needed.
For those who appreciate additional data, Road Trip also enables the tracking of supplementary fill-up information. For example, the location of the fill-up, fuel type and payment options are all manageable fields. While there is an option to use the iPhone's GPS to identify the location of the fill, the process requires a few taps deeper into the options to get to.
Tracking Maintenance and other expenses
Wiper blades, headlight bulbs, highway tolls – the list of vehicle expenses can be long and the expenses section tracks each one well. However, busy professionals often need reminders of important maintenance points such as oil changes and tire rotations. Road Trip allows users to input maintenance expenses in advance and receive reminders based on odometer reading or date.
Statistics
Once fuel and expense data is entered, the Statistics page brings all of the information together. Based on a specific date range or trip, the following data points are all displayed on a single page:
- Minimum, maximum, and average fuel price per gallon/litre.
- Minimum, maximum, and average fuel economy.
- Average cost per day.
- Average cost per km.
- Average distance per day.
- Total fuel cost.
- Total litres of fuel used.
- Total distance traveled.
Working with the data
Many iPhone apps in this category only allow a user to manage the data while using the phone. Road Trip offers an easy export to CSV option which helps business users analyze and share the data using Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice or iWork Numbers. This feature helps speed up the process of creating expense reports or updating fleet management staff on the status of a company vehicle.
Conclusion
Like all apps like in this category, the more you use it, the more valuable the data it captures is going to be. Changing apps creates breaks in data so it's important to select an app that really works and stick with it. Road Trip makes the process of inputting vehicle expenses easy, displays great charts and even exports the data – it's an ideal app for vehicle-dependant mobile professionals.
What do you think? Do you have a favourite app in this category?
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