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ABC Computers eNewsletter June 2011 800-834-7700 www.ABC-Computers.com |
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| ABC Customer Comment |
"We would be dead in the water without our computer systems, and ABC ensures that doesn't happen. Their response time is amazing, and the service is outstanding. If my tech isn't available the instant I need help, I know he'll call back right away. I never worry.
Not only is ABC's staff knowledgeable, but they also have great people skills and they are extremely easy to work with - which is not always the case with IT service providers. Other companies have tried to court us, but we remain loyal to ABC because we know they've got our back."
Art Parry, Attorney-at-Law, Maroney & Parry, LLC
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Complimentary Report |
Did you know that 62 percent of employees believe their productivity increases when they work remotely-away from typical office distractions?
Yet, only 15 percent say their companies support remote working arrangements.
Employers and employees view remote working differently.
"Work without Walls: Best Business Practices to Enable Remote Working" provides the information you need to know to bridge the gap, create an effective remote workforce, and improve your bottom line. |
| Shiny New Gadget of the Month |
At just over a foot long and less than an inch thick, the Microsoft Arc Wireless Keyboard allows you to work from a distance with a reliable wireless connection of up to 30 feet. |
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June Quick Quiz | |
Enter our monthly Quick Quiz drawing for your chance to win the Shiny New Gadget of the Month, a Microsoft Arc Wireless Keyboard!
Question:
What inventor averaged one patent for every three weeks of his life?
a)Thomas Edison
b) Benjamin Franklin
c) Alexander Graham Bell
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May Quick Quiz Answer & Winner | |
Question:
What was put on sale for the first time in May of 1886?
a) United States Savings Bonds
b) Coca-Cola
c) Mother's Day Cards
Answer:
Mark Schramm of Alarm Detection Systems
Mark won a Microsoft Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000! |
| ABC Computers |
Offices in Waupaca, Rhinelander and
La Crosse, WI, as well as South Bend, IN.
Staff located throughout the Midwest including Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago.
General Inquiries
Website ABC-Computers.com |
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Greetings!
Have you ever made a bad mistake? I'm talking really bad - the kind of mistake that created a huge issue for a client or made a terrible impression on a prospective customer. The kind that still makes you cringe when you think about it.
We've all been there. Of course, we should strive to minimize the number and impact of our mistakes. But, we're human and even the best mess up once in a while. What matters most is how we handle the mistakes when we make them. That's why Jay Shepherd's article, Small Firms, Big Lawyers: Sorry About This Post, really resonated with me. He gives these 8 points of advice:
- Own the mistake
- Say "I'm sorry"
- Don't make your sorry conditional
- Don't be defensive
- Offer a brief explanation, but not an excuse
- Fix the mistake as best you can
- Offer something more
- Follow up afterward
As someone who has made his fair share of mistakes, I've learned that taking these steps can actually strengthen your relationship with the customer. By no means am I suggesting that it's okay to make mistakes on a regular basis. We should work hard to ensure it's a rare occurrence. But, when you make one - and you will - turn that mistake into an opportunity to build trust and loyalty. Sincerely,  
Donavan Lane, CEO
ABC Computers, Inc. |
| Are You Breaking the Law by Not Archiving E-mail? | | |
(Hint: E-mail archiving is not the same as e-mail backups.)
 Almost all business communications and negotiations are now performed via e-mail, making them important documents to keep for reference. And since you send and receive hundreds if not thousands of e-mail messages annually, it just makes sense to have a simple and easy way to find old communication threads. But, saving old emails isn't just a convenience issue, it's a legal one. Some industries have strict federal guidelines on storing e-mail communications (financial institutions for example). But what most people don't realize is that ALL businesses must comply with the Federal Regulations on Civil Procedures, or FRCP. Learn what every business is required by law to do. |
| Productivity Secrets of a Very Busy Man | | |
Bob Pozen is one busy man. He is Executive Chairman at MFS Investment Management and he teaches full time at Harvard. Pozen also participates in a lot of extra circular activities. He serves on two company boards and two foundation boards.
How does he do it all, and do it successfully? Read 6 tips from an article he wrote on "extreme productivity" that appeared in the May issue of Harvard Business Review. |
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Sales Analytics with CRM: Do You Know What's In Your Pipeline? | | |
By Ledgeview Partners
According to Gartner Research, sales people spend only 45% of their time selling. The other 55% is spent on meetings, administrative tasks, account service training, travel, research, and intra-company communications.
What about your company?
Can you relate to these common business issues? |
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Is Microsoft Dynamics NAV Destined for the Cloud? | |
If you've been following Microsoft's movements in the office application space (Office 365, among others), their desire to move ERP applications in the cloud was something of a foregone conclusion. Whether it's surprising to you or a statement of the inevitable, Microsoft made it official at Convergence 2011.
"Make no mistake, when it comes to the cloud, Microsoft's all in," Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said during the conference's keynote address. "Every one of our products will be engineered to deliver the full benefits of the cloud. Every one of the whole Dynamics set, for example. As I see it the cloud is probably the most important technological generation going forward for the next 10 years."
Among Microsoft's Dynamics range of software, it looks like NAV will be the first to make the cloud leap. While Microsoft is developing the next iteration of the entire range using Windows Azure, the next version of Dynamics NAV is scheduled to release in 2012, which means it will probably end up being a conceptual test bed for cloud-based deployment and installation. While Microsoft doesn't have the most concrete idea of what that roll out will look like, they wanted to put that stake in the ground now.
"For now we thought that it was appropriate for us to articulate the vision and the road map, the directional statement," Microsoft Business Solutions Corporate Vice President Kirill Tatarinov said.
Oddly enough, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online - which already runs in the cloud - does not run on Windows Azure, as it beat the cloud-based development platform to market. Microsoft is already planning to do a little catch up there, and will adapt CRM Online to run on Azure. With that in place, Microsoft's vision of the future is fairly clear: a full range of ERP and CRM software with full cloud support. It's a nice vision, but whether or not they can get there remains to be seen. |
| Last Call for Microsoft Year-End Offers & Discounts! | |
Have you been considering an investment in Microsoft Dynamics? Here is the incentive you have been waiting for. The "Buy 1, Get 3" promotion allows new customers to purchase 1 user license at full price, and get up to 2 additional users free. It applies to either Dynamics Advanced Management (AM) or Business Essentials (BE) editions of Dynamics GP (Great Plains) as well as Dynamics NAV (Navision) and Dynamics SL (Solomon). To take advantage of the "Buy 1 User, Get 3" offer, contact Tom Doran at 800.834.7700 or tdoran@abc-computers.com. Promotion ends Friday, June 24th, 2011. Microsoft Big Easy Offer 2011
The Big Easy Offer 2011 allows you to get the comprehensive Microsoft solutions you need and earn dollars towards deployment or future purchases! For every qualifying product you purchase between May 2, 2011 and June 30, 2011, Microsoft will pay you partner subsidy funds that can be used towards additional hardware, software or services from your Microsoft reselling partner. Contact Jeff Pergolski at 800.834.7700 or jpergolski@abc-computers.com for details.
Still using Module Based Licensing with Microsoft Dynamics NAV? Extend the capability of your current solution for less. Save up to 60% off of the cost of a transition to Business Ready Licensing with Microsoft's special "License Model Transition (LMT) Offer."
To learn how you can transition to Business Ready Licensing contact Tom Doran at tdoran@abc-computers.com. This offer ends on June 24, 2011. |
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About ABC Computers
ABC Computers has been providing a unique blend of business software solutions and computer support services to businesses - small and large - since 1984. Over the last 25+ years, we have earned a reputation for exceeding clients' expectations and developing lasting relationships by first listening - learning about your business - and only then suggesting solutions to help you achieve your objectives. With 3 locations in Wisconsin (WI), 1 location in South Bend, IN, and staff throughout the upper Midwest, ABC offers business consulting and IT services through two distinctly related teams. Our business management systems group specializes in financial management and enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions based on Microsoft Dynamics NAV (formerly Navision) and Microsoft Dynamics GP (formerly Great Plains). ABC's computer support services team specializes in troubleshooting IT problems that disrupt business operations and transforming technology from a burden into an asset.
Donavan Lane, as well as each team member of ABC, is dedicated to your complete satisfaction. Thus our commitment to implementing "Business Solutions...Your Way." | | |
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