Friday, May 09, 2008
PROJECT OR RELATIONSHIP?...(Oct.. E-News from 2SS.Com)
[[Contact:26]]
[[Company:25]]
Dear [[Salutation:40]],
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‘ E – N E W S from ‘
‘ 2SS.Com ‘
‘ Compiled and Edited by ‘
‘ Mailed on: 10/01/2000 8:50 PM Number 26 ‘
‘ Int’l Standard Serial No. - ISSN: 1523-3537‘
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‘ Find E-News promoted at Excite, MSN, ‘
‘ Yahoo, Ziff-Davis University and more. ‘
‘ Please share E-News with others who might be ‘
‘ interested. It’s your FREE first-of-the-month, fast ‘
‘ read, update on technology that aims to make a ‘
‘ difference for your organization. ‘
‘ In this issue (4 Items): ‘
‘ ================ ‘
‘ 1--PROJECT OR RELATIONSHIP? ‘
‘ 2--QUESTIONS (What happened in Aug.)? ‘
‘ 3--STRATEGIC-USEFUL–INTERESTING LINKS ‘
‘ 4--WHY SUBSCRIBE?, 2SS.Com & YOUR ‘
‘ SUBSCRIPTION. ‘
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‘ --------------------------Item One---------------------- ‘
‘ PROJECT OR RELATIONSHIP How do ‘
‘ you behave?‘
‘ ------------------------------------------------------------- ‘
‘ It’s a project. And if a relationship develops… ‘
‘ all the better. But, don’t count on it!” ‘
‘ This sage advice is from one of our E-News ‘
‘ Strategic Systems Advisory panel members after ‘
‘ learning about a recent 2SS.Com project coming ‘
‘ to conclusion and comparing our experience to ‘
‘ his own in what is arguably the even more ‘cut- ‘
‘ throat’ Public Relations and Advertising ‘
‘ business. ‘
‘ Last month we talked about the success of ‘
‘ projects in terms of client expectations. This ‘
‘ month is the logical conclusion to that ‘
‘ discussion: ‘
‘ “What next when the project’s complete?” ‘
‘ The service providers (the sellers) are likely to ‘
‘ feel elated and ready to move on with improve- ‘
‘ ments, refinements aimed at building success.
‘ They understand all the obstacles they’ve ‘
‘ overcome and the value they believe they have ‘
‘ created. ‘
‘ The buyers may not be so generous in assessing
‘ where they are or what they have. While it’s not ‘
‘ hard to recognize a project that fails, it’s more ‘
‘ difficult to discern the real value that a success-
‘ ful new system might generate. Unfortunately, ‘
‘ getting a new functional system marks the NEXT ‘
‘ stage of the buyer’s investment, not the LAST! ‘
‘ At this point the buyer must spend the time ‘
‘ needed to integrate the new system into their ‘
‘ business process, to train users and to adapt ‘
‘ day-to-day operating procedures to exploit ‘
‘ potential benefits. They might even need to be ‘
‘ ready to invest in refining the a working to meet ‘
‘ new or changing requirements. ‘
‘ The bottom line is that it takes vision and patience ‘
‘ to move a new system from: ‘
‘ being available, to ‘
‘ being valuable, ‘
‘ So ‘buyer’s remorse’ competes with the full ‘
‘ realization of project success. (As a simple ‘
‘ example imagine how good it feels to get new ‘
‘ contact management software set-up and ‘
‘ working, only to realize that it’s worthless
‘ without a major investment in entering and
‘ maintaining contact data). For a buyer ‘
‘ already threatened by the pace of technology ‘
‘ the logical conclusion may be calling it a project
‘ and moving on. ‘
‘ It takes a lot more than results to move from a ‘
‘ project to a relationship but maybe the best way ‘
‘ to get there is that sage advise: ‘
‘ Manage expectations one successful project ‘
‘ at a time and if a relationship develops all the ‘
‘ better. ‘
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‘ --------------------------Item Two----------------------- ‘
‘ QUESTIONS? ‘
‘ ------------------------------------------------------------- ‘
‘ What is the most important issue in your ‘
‘ computing life? ‘
‘ * Using the Internet Effectively ‘
‘ * Getting My PC/Network to work consistently ‘
‘ * Getting Applications to work well together ‘
‘ * Getting the applications my business needs ‘
‘ * Something Else? ‘
‘ Help us know your concerns by answering our ‘
‘ short one-question poll on what you’re most ‘
‘ concerned about. Please click on: ‘
‘ http://www.alxpoll.com/cgi-bin/poll.cgi?user=370905 ‘
‘ We’ll use you’re responses to help us steer ‘
‘ toward future issues that offer more interest ‘
‘ and value to you. ‘
‘ LAST MONTH we asked… ‘
‘ Would you like to see additional monthly issues
‘ of E-News? ‘
YOUR ANSWERS WERE: ‘
’ * Yes Monthly 50% ‘
‘ * Yes but Quarterly 0% “
‘ * Yes with more product info. 0% ‘
‘ * Yes with more Q&A. 12% ‘
‘ * Yes with more personal insight features 25% ‘
‘ * Yes with more features from contributors 12% ‘
‘ * No () 0% ‘
‘ WHAT WINDOWS DO YOU RECOMMEND? ‘
‘ Now that Microsoft has released Windows 98 with ‘
‘ the ‘SE’ (second edition) update, Windows ME and ‘ Windows 2000 Professional what do you ‘
‘ recommend for a desktop PC? ‘
‘ 2SS.Com was a ‘die-hard’ proponent of Windows ‘
‘ 95 until the last few months. The reason ‘
‘ blow-by-blow is: ‘
‘ Windows 98 - Was never better-enough than ‘
‘ Windows 95 to justify the cost of the upgrade. If it ‘
‘ came on a new PC it should have tended to be a ‘
‘ little more reliable and therefore was worth ‘
‘ keeping but probably not upgrading to. Same for ‘
‘ Windows 98 SE. ‘
‘ Windows ME - So far ‘ME’ is Microsoft being ‘
‘ the superb marketing firm that it is. There is not a ‘
‘ great deal to attract the business user in what is
‘ advertised and sold as system for ‘home-based’ ‘
‘ PCs. But, like Windows 98SE it’s worth keeping on a
’ new PC if it comes installed. We recommend that ‘
‘ it’s just not worth the investment of dollars and ‘
‘ time to upgrade to at work. “
‘ Windows 2000 Pro. - WOW!. At 2SS.Com ‘
‘ several recent developments have pushed us ‘
‘ to BE READY for what we believe is the ‘best’ ‘
‘ windows you can put on your desktop. The ‘
‘ recent developments include Windows 2000 ‘
‘ versions of: ‘
‘ * Symantec Winfax ‘
‘ * Symantec SystemWorks (including the ‘
‘ Norton Utilities) ‘
‘ * Intuit’s Quicken 2001 ‘
‘ * Intuit’s QuickBooks 2001 (About to be ‘
‘ released) Microsoft’s Service Pack #1 ‘
‘ Together with Microsoft Office 2000 we believe ‘
‘ this kind of productivity software on a stable
‘ and highly network-able PC make it the most ‘
‘ cost-effective upgrade you can make for your
‘ Pentium 300 or higher PC with at least ‘
‘ 64 MB of RAM. The promise advertised years ‘
‘ ago with Windows NT is finally coming together ‘
‘ and it makes Windows 2000 Professional a ‘
‘ hard to resist upgrade or new PC choice! ‘
‘ IMPORTANT HINT: We spent hours (two of ‘
‘ them with Microsoft) learning that you must add ‘
‘ the target Windows NT or 2000 Server user to ‘
‘ the Windows 2000 Professional PC ‘
‘ Administrator group. That satisfies all the ‘
‘ permission requirements to let the workstation
‘ and server work together. But less, (e.g. adding ‘
‘ the group to the Windows 2000 Prof. user, or ‘
‘ duplicate users on each machine) will fail to ‘
‘ deliver the ‘expected’ capabilities. ‘
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‘ ----------------------Item Three------------------------ ‘
‘ STRATEGIC-USEFUL-INTERESTING LINKS ‘
‘ ------------------------------------------------------------- ‘
‘ Does anyone at your firm use clipart? ‘
‘ Here are a few links that person might like to ‘
‘ keep around for future use.
‘ 1. http://free.arttoday.com ‘
‘ 2. http://www.colorize.com/download/bg.html ‘
‘ 3. http://cgl.microsoft.com/clipgallerylive/default27.asp ‘
‘ 4. http://www.webutilities.com/community/libraries.htm ‘
‘ 5. http://zdnet.xoom.com/zdnet/web_clip_empire
‘ 6. http://xoom.com/clips/website
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‘ -------------------------Item Four----------------------- ‘
‘ WHY SUBSCRIBE? ‘
‘ 2SS.Com & YOUR SUBSCRIPTION ‘
‘ ------------------------------------------------------------- ‘
‘ Maybe the best reason to subscribe is ‘
‘ the ‘E-News Strategic Technology ‘
‘ Advisory Panel’, a growing list of ‘
‘ professionals in a variety of disciplines ‘
‘ who have agreed to: ‘
‘ 1--Review each month’s issue in ‘
‘ advance of its release. ‘
‘ 2--Contribute year-round from their ‘
‘ respective areas of specialization. ‘
‘ 3--Accept your strategic systems ‘
‘ technology questions. (This is a free ‘
‘ EXTRAORDINARILY CONVENIENT, ‘
‘ multi-discipline resource available to you.) ‘
‘ Computer Hardware and Software ‘
‘ Acquisition, Service and Repair by ‘
‘ Ron Ellis of 2SS.Com. ‘
‘ Accounting and Financial expertise inclu- ‘
‘ ding Audit, Tax and General Business ‘
‘ Consulting by David Ljung, Principal at ‘
‘ Gilbert Accountancy Corporation. Visit ‘
‘ them at www.GilbertCPA.com. ‘
‘ Perspectives from a long-tenured, technically ‘
‘ savvy and top-notch MIS Director Morris ‘
‘ Slocum of Emergency Physician Billing ‘
‘ located in Oklahoma City, OK. ‘
‘ Human Resources expertise, including ‘
‘ problem employees, policy and procedures, ‘
‘ and customized training by B.J. Flora of . ‘
‘ B.J. Flora Associates. ‘
‘ Computer network design, implementation, ‘
‘ maintenance and support by Ron Ellis, ‘
‘ Managing Director of 2SS.Com. ‘
‘ Computer and printer rentals of all ‘
‘ types by Rick Randall, President of ‘
‘ RenTech Computers. Visit them at ‘
‘ Corporate and professional skill training ‘
‘ by Ann McCandless, Owner and founder ‘
‘ of Computer Assistance. Visit them at ‘
‘ Strategic Planning, turnarounds, marketing ‘
‘ analysis, and litigation support by Peter H. ‘
‘ Michael, President of The Michael Consulting ‘
‘ Group. Visit them at www.mcgmcg.com. ‘
‘ Internet WWW authoring, database ‘
‘ development and connectivity by ‘
‘ Michael Nelson, President of SacWeb.. ‘
‘ Visit them at www.SacWeb.Com. ‘
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‘ current contact data for you. It is: ‘
‘ Contact: [[Contact:26]] ‘
‘ Company: [[Company:25]] ‘
‘ Title: [[Title:46]] ‘
‘ Address: [[Address 1:27]] [[Address 2:28]] ‘
‘ City: [[City:30]], State: [[State:31]] Zip: [[Zip:32]] ‘
‘ Phone: [[Phone:35]] Fax: [[Fax:36]] ‘