Mark's Simply Blog
I am a voracious daily reader, mostly about business and the internet. I am always going up to my partner in business and my partner in life my wife and saying "I just read this". So I thought I would share some of my findings.
For my Blogspot: http://marksijustreadthis.blogspot.com/
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Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Our Bottom Line on the Apple iPhone:
The Good:
Fast Browser
IPod Function
Virtual Voice Mail
The Bad:
Fragile - I seem to drop the iPhone a lot.
Previews Text Messages (no privacy)
Using Certain Functions Require WiFi Connection
Overall:
Our rating is positive and we would definitely recommend purchasing the iPhone. The cost has come down and Planet iPhones now offers hundreds of iPhone wallpapers to choose from and all without the annoying embedded watermarks.
If you have created your own custom iPhone wallpaper, add them to the user uploaded wallpapers in their iPhone wallpapers.
Also, go see what iPhone mods you can create using their online color tools cutomize your iPhone with their iPhone mods and accessories.
Submit your own applications and share them with the Planet-iPhones.com community.
Below are some of the Native and Web Apps the iPhone supports and you can get them at www.Planet-iPhones.com.
Native Apps:
Development
Dictionaries
Games
Misc.
Multimedia
Network
Productivity
Sports
System
Toys
Utilities
Web 2.0 Sites
Web Apps
Bookmarking
Cars
Chat
Communication
Daily
Design
Education
Email
Entertainment
Food
Games
Health
Local
Media
Misc.
Movies
Music
News
Office
Personal
Real Estate
Religion
RSS
Search
Shopping
Sites
Sports
Travel
Utilities
Weather
So go have some fun purchase the hottest tech gadget to date the Apple iPhone and make it your own.
Mark

Saturday, June 7, 2008
California Directory of Phone Installers Service and Repair
SCT Products just updated their directory. California Directory Of Phone Installers Service and Repair.
Questions for the Best Quote on Security Surveillance Systems
To ensure the best quote for your system review our questions and just type in your name and email address. Surveillance Camera Systems Questions.
See our Complete Site with other articles on surveillance cameras and security, cctv systems. OrangeCountyCCTV.com
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Ten Advantages of Fiber Optic Cabling
We have just posted a new article on ....Ten Advantages of Fiber Optic Cabling
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Los Angeles Network Cabling & Los Fiber Cabling 800-203-9841
We provide the highest possible quality of work on each and every project through our thorough, detail oriented process.
Our approach to network cabling solutions is thus: A walkthrough the project will be performed prior to installation by our Project Manager. The Project Manager will work together with you IT staff to determine your needs before embarking on a project.
We assess all of your needs, including power usage, the best locations for communication closets, the specifics of setting up paging systems and figuring the appropriate number of voice and video drops for each location.
Read more.....
Our Approach to Los Angeles Network Cabling
Friday, April 25, 2008
Fiber Cabling: The 10 Advantages
Why are fiber-optic systems revolutionizing telecommunications? Compared to conventional metal wire (copper wire), optical fibers are:
• Less cost - Several miles of optical cable can be made cheaper than equivalent lengths of copper wire. This saves your provider (cable TV, Internet) and you money.
• Smaller-Thinner - Optical fibers can be drawn to smaller diameters than copper wire.
Read more.....
10 Avantages of Fiber Over Copper
Friday, April 18, 2008
Free Conference Calls
We just discovered this service, easy to use and as it says below up to 96 callers. We have started using it daily for our calls.
Free Reservationless Phone Conferencing
The service is so simple to use, requiring only a name and an e-mail to receive a 120 day renewable account. Once you enter your name and e-mail, you will be instantaneously provided with a dial-in number and access code for immediate phone conferencing.Your new conference line is available to you 24/7 and there is no need to schedule or make reservations. Each account accommodates 96 callers on an unlimited number of 6 hour free conference calls.
FreeConferenceCall.com
Monday, April 14, 2008
The Four Definitions of a T1
Four Definitions for T1- And All of Them Are Correct
Definition 1. - A type of high speed Internet connection that provides a great deal of bandwidth. Many businesses lease T1 lines to connect to the Internet, but because they are expensive and offer more bandwidth than most small businesses and homes need, they are not realistic solutions for small and low-demand Internet users.
You can read the other three definitions on our newest Squidoo Page....
The Four Defintions of a T1
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
National Network & Data Cabling Contractor Directory
We have compiled to make your life and to serve you better The Best National Network Cabling Contractor Directory.
Please see our link below. Go to our Directory and Choose the state a cabling contractor is needed...
Mark
http://www.sctproducts.com/
Making Our Customers Lives Better
PS Cabling Contractors get listed it is free. Email myoung@sctproducts.com with your information and we review it for submission to our directory. http://www.simplyusedphones.com/installers.html
Monday, March 17, 2008
Network Structured Cabling Contractors Directory
Save time on your search for a cabling contractor. Please see our link below.
Go to our Directory and Choose the state a cabling contractor is needed...
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Norstar T7316 $87.50 - 2 Yr Warranty - Free Shipping
Watch Our New Cheesy Video for The Norstar T7316 Phones
Please buy our phones....
Thanks....
Mark
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Nortel M3903 Phones $95 2 Yr Warranty Free Shipping
Simply Used Phones received a large shipment of Nortel Meridian M3903 Phones. See the video below.
See Tiffany Showing the Nortel M3903 Phone or Go To SimplyUsedPhones.com
Monday, March 10, 2008
Los Angeles Cat 6 Network Cable Standards Discussed in New Video
In this short video Valerie discusses the Cabling Standards including Cat 6 Network Cable.
Cat6 Network Data Cabling Standards Discussed by Valerie Rybinski, Global Sales Engineer of Siemon.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Cat6 Network Data Cabling Standards
We have just uploaded a new video from Siemon. Great Video for your clients. Cat6 Network Data Cabling Standards
Thursday, March 6, 2008
National Network & Data Cabling Directory
We have put together the best of and the most comprehenisve list of Network Cabling Installers throughout the U.S.
The link below will take you there.
http://www.simplyusedphones.com/installers.html
Sunday, March 2, 2008
What Are Your Network Requirements?
The media you choose when you set up structured cabling is something you have to figure out by measuring many factors. First, and most importantly, you will need to consider; what your current bandwidth needs are, what your network environment is, and what you think your future bandwidth requirements are going to be. You'll also need to construct what your budget is that you have to work with. We'll talk about each of these concerns and help you figure out what cabling solution is best for personal business needs.
Read More here at my forum post:
What Are Your Network Cable Requiements?
Friday, February 29, 2008
What Are Your Orange County Network Data Requirements?
What Are Your Network Requirements?The media you choose when you set up structured cabling is something you have to figure out by measuring many factors. First, and most importantly, you will need to consider; what your current bandwidth needs are, what your network environment is, and what you think your future bandwidth requirements are going to be. You'll also need to construct what your budget is that you have to work with. We'll talk about each of these concerns and help you figure out what cabling solution is best for personal business needs.
Determine Your Current Bandwidth Needs.
The most important factor, after you figure out what type of cabling you need to use, is what your network's current bandwidth requirements are. What you need can fluctuate greatly, and it is based upon the size of your network. If you have just 15 workstations, for example, your bandwidth requirements will generally be lower than those of a network that has 100 workstations or more. You should also factor in future growth when you consider your network size. If you are expecting to roughly double the number of employees within the next couple of years, you can also expect that your company bandwidth is going to need to increase about the same.
To further smooth the running of your network, you'll also need to factor in the volume and type of data traffic that your network will be supporting. For example, if you are a small graphic design and multimedia firm and you only have 10 workstations, you'll still have much greater bandwidth requirements than a law firm that consists of 25 workstations will. Again, this is largely due to the volume and type of the data you can expect in such a work environment. If you have a single user who is transferring a five-minute high-definition video across a network, that will take up much more bandwidth than if there are 20 users who are only accessing MS Excel and Word files.
For Your Networking Needs in the Los Angeles Area, Go To LosAngeles-Cabling.com
Accurately determining your network's bandwidth requirements. There are several ways that you can analyze network traffic, but perhaps best and most easy to use is a tool called a network analyzer. The simplest and most ubiquitous of tools is probably one built into all Windows servers, called Network Monitor. This utility gives you detailed insight into traffic on a particular network segment and can also analyze broadcast traffic and specific packets transmitted to or from a particular machine. There are also several other third-party products you can use, such as Ethereal, which is free, or commercial analyzers such as Cinco NetXRay, Network General Fast Ethernet Sniffer, Intel LANDesk Traffic Analyst, Novell LANalyzer for Windows, and AG Group EtherPeek; among others.
One note of importance is that when you use a network analyzer to monitor your current network's usage of bandwidth, you should sample data over the course of several days or weeks and do so during different times of day. By doing this, you'll get the most accurate picture of the bandwidth your network utilizes and will require.What Is Your Network Environment?Your network environment is a major factor when you are thinking about what type of cabling you should use. Optical fiber offers the fastest possible bandwidth and is the best way to "future proof" your network, but certain environments do better with other types of installation. For example, twisted copper mediums such as Cat5e or Cat6 are less prone to transmission problems because of dirt and scratches on the fiber compared to optical fiber with the same scratches. This type of dirt and dust is typical of dusty or dirty mechanical closets, equipment closets, or any rooms not kept clean and amenable to fiber technology. In these cases, twisted copper mediums may be a better way to go.
On the other hand it is also true that optical fiber is more beneficial to certain environments than twisted copper mediums are. Although Cat5e and Cat6 are much improved in terms of noise than previous incarnations, they are still susceptible to high radio frequency and electromagnetic interference. Hospitals have very substantial radio frequency interference problems when twisted pair cabling is used. A Cat5e or Cat6 cable running next to a CAT scanner or nuclear magnetic resonance scanner is virtually useless because of radio frequency interference. Therefore, in these types of environments, optical fiber is ideal because it is almost completely immune to these types of interference.
Determining Future Bandwidth Requirements Rarely do people think to factor in a company's growth, or think that they will be launching new products and services, when they estimate what their future bandwidth requirements will be. However, if you fail to do an accurate assessment of your future bandwidth requirements, it can end up costing you substantial money. It's important to understand that estimating future bandwidth is speculative and can be complex. For example, you might think that if you double the number of employees in your company, this would mean that you'll also have to double your network bandwidth requirements. However, it's not usually that straightforward. For example, it might be that several of your new employees are multimedia authors who will have higher bandwidth requirements as a result.
In addition, if you bring in several new salespeople, you'll have increased communications because those salespeople and their customers will be ramping up your traffic. Or, for example, the sales department may decide to host an in-house web-based CRM implementation. This could result in increased bandwidth requirements far out of proportion to what the rest of the network users need. These types of factors make it imperative that a network administrator knows what the future plans of your business are when he or she plans a structured cabling implementation. In general, it's far less costly to "future proof" a structured cabling implementation than it is to have to rework all of the existing cabling once it's clear that what's there cannot meet the demands of the network.
For Your Networking Needs in Orange County, Go To OrangeCountyCabling.com
The Budget.
It's true that you need to consider working within a budget, but you'll also have to understand that there's a big difference in cost when you compare Cat5e, Cat6 and optical fiber; the cost may end up seeing insignificant compared to what your actual costs will be if you don't use the correct conveyance media for current and future network requirements.
As usually holds true, the adage, "It's better to do it right the first time" also applies here when you plan your network infrastructure. If you don't do it right the first time, you could cost your company far more than you save if you choose older technology or less expensive conveyance media. In addition, if you don't choose the correct media, you could cripple your entire network and bring on the displeasure of its users. Because of this, current and future bandwidth requirements and a detailed understanding of your network environment should be far more important to you than costs should be as you plan your network and determine what type of cabling is best suited to you.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
The 10 Benefits of CCTV
The 10 Benefits of CCTV (Closed Circuit TV)CCTV...equipment can provide instant alerts when problematic trouble occurs, ensuring that crime against people, theft and vandalism are all substantially reduced and covered. And when crime does occur, CCTV system incident recording can provide valuable evidence, improving the likelihood of a conviction.
For CCTV & Surveillance Cameras In The Los Angeles Area, Go To LosAngelesCCTV.com
CCTV security system technology and CCTV equipment can be used in both internal and external environments to watch over and protect people, property, vehicles and valuables. CCTV is considered to be the most effective method of reducing crime.
1. You can control who is entering your premises as well as when and where.
2. Access control can help you protect employees, visitors, property and sensitive information; helping to promote a safer work environment.
3. You can secure certain sectors of a building using your access control system.
4. Access control can reduce timesheet procedures.
5. Integrate with HR systems for ease of monitoring and data management.
6. Integrate with other security systems for centralized management of the site.
7. Assist with car park management.
8. Help compliance with requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act.
9. Increase security with Photo ID or building access passes.
10. Control access to a wide variety of other facilities or equipment, such as vending machines or PCs, using smartcard technology.
For CCTV & Surveillance Cameras In The Orange County Area, Go To OrangeCountyCCTV.com
For San CCTV or Surveillance Cameras go to http://www.sandiegocctvexpert.com/
Data Voice Systems Moving Timetable Checklist
To ensure a smooth transition, while opening a new office or moving to a new location, SCT Product Sales, Inc. is pleased to provide you with the following checklist. You may want to consider this formula, while meeting your voice and data requirements. For the timeline please go here:
http://www.slideshare.net/simply54/network-cabling-los-angeles-data-voice-systems-timeline
Monday, February 11, 2008
Avaya 6408D+ Definity Phones Qty 30 @ $80
A large shipment of 30(Avaya 6408D+Definity phones) have arrived at SCT Product Sales, at their San Diego, California warehouse and have been priced at a 70% savings. Also, of interest all phones from SCT Product Sales come with a two warranty. Allen Tran negotiated, coordinated the purchase and shipment of the Avaya Definity phones for SCT Product Sales. About SCT Product Sales, (Avaya Definity Phones 6408D+) specializes in new and used Avaya and Nortel phone systems and used phones.
The company has a focus and emphasis on used Avaya Definity Phone Systems, Merlin Magix Phone Systems, and Avaya Partner ACS Phone Systems. SCT Product Sales helps companies cut thru the noise of purchasing new or used phone systems and VoIP equipment whether it is 1 phone or a complete VoIP telecommunication system. The company has been business 7 years, online for 7 and on eBay for 5 years.
About Avaya, Avaya Inc. designs, builds and manages communications networks for more than 1 million businesses worldwide, including over 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500®. Focused on businesses large to small, Avaya is a world leader in secure and reliable Internet protocol (IP) telephony systems and communications software applications and services. Driving the convergence of voice and data communications with business applications - and distinguished by comprehensive worldwide services - Avaya helps customers leverage existing and new networks to achieve superior business results. For more information visit the Avaya website: http://www.avaya.com/
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Nortel M3903 Phones Qty 100 Priced @ $95 ea Arrive...
A large shipment of 100 Nortel m3903 Phones (M3903 Phones)have arrived at SCT Product Sales, and have been priced at a 70% savings. Also, of interest all phones from SCT Product Sales come with a two warranty. Allen Tran negotiated, coordinated the sale and shipment of the Phones (Nortel M3903 Phones)for SCT Product Sales.
About SCT Products (http://www.simplyusedphones.com/) specializes in new and used Avaya and Nortel phone systems and used phones. The company has a focus and emphasis on used refurbished Nortel Meridian PBX's, Nortel M2616 & Nortel M3903 phones, also they carry all Nortel-Norstar telecom equipment, M7310, M7208 phones and including the new Norstar T7208 and T7316 phones.
SCT Product Sales helps companies cut thru the noise of purchasing new or used phone systems and VoIP equipment whether it is 1 phone or a complete VoIP telecommunication system. The company has been business 7 years, online for 7 and on eBay for 5 years. Mark is the Chief Purchasing Officer of SCT Product Sales. For more info how to sell your used Nortel phone systems go to: http://www.simplyusedphones.com/sellequip.html
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Cable is the medium through which information usually moves from one network device to another. There are several types of cable which are commonly used with LANs. In some cases, a network will utilize only one type of cable, other networks will use a variety of cable types. The type of cable chosen for a network is related to the network's topology, protocol, and size. Understanding the charac... read more Your-Network-Cabling.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Five Gotta-Get Cool IP Phone Features
1) Phone or PC?Over the years, many different things have been implemented in order to produce VoIP desk phones able to accomplish tasks that your grandfather's (actually even your older siblings') phone cannot do. Let's begin with the soft keys (the buttons you program depending on what you wish to achieve). When you combine large, brightly colored LCD functions that appear in words and pictures with easy-to-follow graphic instructions – you get a phone that mirrors the comfort and familiarity of the better personal computers on the market or other convenient consumer devices. No longer will you have to sift through the pages of a manual. Also, don’t forget to add one more development – the integration between applications relying on enterprise servers and VoIP phones that are becoming more and more useful and easy-to-use. This means that when you have the appropriate IP PBX and network structure, you will gain the same capabilities as if you were sitting at your desk; scanning and replying to email from the head honcho; reviewing a video message, or receiving access to corporate databases. All of this is displayed on a large, crisp screen. It is key to recognize that the quality of the user interface and the application integration are very important. If they seem harder to use than your cell phone, you may not want to bother.
Buy Now on eBay
2) The Power of the GigabitVoice conversations can work on 8 Kbs and when you encounter an Ethernet connection that possesses a gigabit – you probably think this is way too much. However, all of this has to do with the ever-changing interest in desktop VoIP phones. Why? VoIP phones and computers are both data devices and when you connect them to a corporate LAN – two data ports are used. Yet, if you hook up your computer to your phone, and then connect your phone to your LAN – the number of ports your office network requires is cut by half the amount. Up until recent times, the majority of phones had been created to connect at the 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps speeds associated with most office LANs. Nowadays, GigE enterprise networks, computers, and applications that find benefit in such speeds are becoming the norm. This means that when you buy a GigE-capable phone, the payoff continues to increase into the future of the IP telephony system used within your company.
3) Isn't HD Just For TV?The Polycom term known as HD Voice sheds light on the broader movement taking over desk phones. Companies that manufacture such phones are making strides in improving the sound quality of conversations. They believe that if your work becomes more efficient, then you won't have to work extra hard just to be heard. One glaring effort is seen in the use of wideband codecs, which are associated with voice audio samples 16,000 times a second, as opposed to 8,000 times with telephones of the early 1900s. A new crop of possibilities regarding enhanced clarity is emerging. All of this can make it easier for the interactive voice response system to realize when you are experiencing trouble with your order instead of…let’s say – doubling your order.
4) Using Space to Your AdvantageDo you know the difference between the quality of a call and speakerphone quality? Today, there have been many attempts to create desk phones that work just as well as a specialized conference room speakerphone. Overall, this can allow you to conduct business within the boardroom while the SEC is attending to your hard drive. To accomplish this, a bit of cleaver design in the physical sense is needed. One approach is to place a great deal of space between the microphone and the speaker. This cuts down on interference. The base of the desktop phone will become larger than a laptop computer as a result. Another trick is to leave a large empty space behind your speaker – allowing the sound to vibrate in the same manner as high-end audio systems.
5) No Moving Parts to Worry AboutSteve Jobs may have made efforts in making touch controls cool, but Siemens is pushing the envelope with their new line of OpenStage phones that places improved control without the use of moving buttons or levers. For instance, a user can increase the volume by easily slide their finger from the left to the right of a slot. Inside, a blue glow within the slot expands to reveal your volume increase. The soft keys and navigation wheel similar to an iPod are touch-sensitive as well.Conventional push buttons are a feature with the keypad, which helps people dial without fully concentrating on what they are looking at. Actually, does the phone you have your eye on possess a nib on the "5" key so you are able to shift about the keypad just by feeling it out? These are the kind of things that manufacturers take seriously (and so should you) if you are dialing a lot of numbers that aren't entered into your online directory.
The Magnitude of Cool
When it comes to IP phones, there are plenty of other concepts to look out for, especially with all of the many different forms of wireless connectivity. All in all – don’t forget to question one thing – does the phone look cool enough for you? What is meant by that is that you don’t want to spend all your days using equipment that looks like the handiwork of Bill Gates, do you? We thought not.
Friday, December21, 2007
Baby Boomers Going Deaf?
I just read this.....Hearing Impaired Telephones For Any Age
As baby boomers age, many of them also find that they have some sort of hearing loss. This is attributed to the fact that their generation was the first to hear rock and roll music and most will say it has something to do with loud noises and music. Due to this, they have to face the issue of hearing loss, which is now more prominent than it was in the days of their parents. However, hearing loss is also a hereditary thing, in which most of their parents also have some form of hearing loss as well. Find hearing impaired devices here: http://stores.channeladvisor.com/socaltel/Hearing%20Impaired%20Devices/?sck=9118111.
This is why hearing impaired telephones have increased in popularity over the last several years. As baby boomers begin to reach their fifties and sixties the need for hearing impaired telephones increases. Of course, it is not only the baby boomers that have to face troubles with hearing loss, it is almost any generation today that faces the problem.
In fact, in a survey conducted by the National Health Interview, there was a massive jump in hearing related losses in almost every age group. For instance, for those that are between 45 and 64 years of age there was a 26% increase. For those that are between 18 and 44 years of age there was a 17% increase. This means that there is an increase in demand for telephones for the hearing impaired.
For many people, when they think of hearing loss, they think of deafness or near deafness. The reality is that there are many different forms of hearing loss. While sound may be a bigger part of the picture, pitches and comprehension is also a major factor. Pitch deafness affects a person's ability to make out certain words and sounds as applied in the area of speech. This writer has her own personal hearing impairment and has the need for a hearing impaired telephone as well.
I am deaf to high pitch noises in one ear and have pitch deafness in another. In my right ear, I can hear that someone is speaking to me, but cannot make out what it is they are saying specifically. This typically occurs over the telephone, while in person the other ear tries to compensate. For hearing impaired phones: http://stores.channeladvisor.com/socaltel/Hearing%20Impaired%20Devices/?sck=9118111.
A hearing impaired telephone helps minimize the embarrassment of lack of understanding and increases the enjoyment of having a conversation at the same time. No matter if you are a baby boomer who is now suffering for the loud music or someone who just seems to have some trouble hearing a telephone for the hearing impaired can make all the difference in the world.
Mark
www.SimplyUsedPhones.com
Friday, December 14, 2007
Simply Used Phones Becomes Powerful Voice In Phone & Data Installs
www.SimplyUsedPhones.com Becomes Powerful Voice In Phone and Networking Installations for Small & Medium Businesses In Los Angeles
Offers used phone systems at fraction of cost, fills company needs without losing quality
Los Angeles, California – December 14, 2007 - SimplyUsedPhones.com is making life easier for medium-to-large businesses who need a quality phone system but don’t want to spend tens of thousands of dollars to install one. With their used and refurbished phone systems, they can offer the best that new phone systems have to offer at a fraction of the cost.
“We know ourselves how much a company phone system can cost, especially in businesses over a certain size,” says PJ Clark of SimplyUsedPhones.com. “For any business with a sales and service department, this can be astronomical and severely eat into your operating profits. This is where we came up with the idea of quality used phone systems or refurbished units. You still get the quality, but at a far greater reduction in price.”
It’s this approach that has seen SimplyUsedPhones.com become one of the top companies throughout Southern California for phone installation and repair. Additionally, the company has also been awarded the contracts for numerous Fortune 500 businesses for their communication needs. So what exactly does SimplyUsedPhones.com offer, and how can they benefit your business?
The first difference that your business will find with SimplyUsedPhones.com is that because they are part of Southern Cal Telecom Products, they have access to the biggest names in phone systems. From Alcatel to Panasonic and Nortel, the used systems that SimplyUsedPhones.com can provide offer as wide a range as any to choose from. And despite the fact that the phones are refurbished, they are put through strict quality testing and engineer checks, ensuring that they’re as good as new when ready.
Another way that the company can offer such drastic savings to medium-to-large businesses is by conducting the majority of their business online. With over 90% of all transactions and agreements handled via their website, it allows the savings on overheads to be passed directly back to the customer – your business. Combine this with the quality of the packages – regardless of whether it’s a single phone or a 2000 unit system – and it’s easy to see why SimplyUsedPhones.com is taking the market by storm.
Emphasizing the “value and quality for less” approach of SimplyUsedPhones.com is the Avaya PARTNER Advanced Communications System (ACS) from the company or the Norstar Compact ICS from the two leading manufacturers small business phone systems, Avaya and Nortel. These all-in-one packages allows any business to increase productivity and results through its features such as 3-party conferencing, remote administration, SMDR interface and much more. Ideal for small or medium businesses, it’s another feather in the company’s already impressive bow.
With a choice of service packages available for every business, and the full back-up of a national company, SimplyUsedPhones is providing an excellent and cost-effective phone system service for companies everywhere. It’s time to find out for yourself what they can do for your business.
For more information, please see www.simplyusedphones.com or contact Mark Young at:
www.SimplyUsedPhones.com
800-203-9841
myoung@sctproducts.com
More releases: http://www.simplyusedphones.com/whatsnew.html
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Energy
"Goals provide the energy source that powers our lives. One of the best ways we can get the most from the energy we have is to focus it. That is what goals can do for us; concentrate our energy." - Denis Waitley.
Simply The Best To You,
Mark
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
The Real Formula of Successful Marketing
Things are simple if you just focus on the important.
How many words are there in the English language?? Think about it all the words and only 26 letters in our alphabet.
Only three factors and only three influence the profitability any marketing effort:
The Right Message....To The Right Market....At The Right Time.
So you need to constantly ask yourself ...
"Am I focusing my prospects' & customers' attention on the RIGHT things?"
"Am I talking to them about benefits that are truly relevant to them?"
"Or I am bothering them with irrelevant messages?"
Sunday, December 8, 2007
A Simple Holiday Gift (and cheap):
Give a calendar that reflects someone's interest eg Boxer Dogs (I have 2 Boxers and our staff gives me a Boxer Dog calendar every year). This is a great site with all sorts of ideas..CALENDARS.com The BEST SELECTION of Calendars in the Known Universe.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Biggest Holiday Party Taboos
I just read this....
Top 10 Holiday Party Offenses
By Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com writer
No matter who you are, where you work or what you do for a living, somebody in your company dreads the annual holiday party.
Employees think the company party imposes on their free time during an already busy season, says J.T. O’Donnell, career expert and co-author of the nationally syndicated weekly column, “J.T. and Dale Talk Jobs.” Workers aren’t paid to go; they’d rather see the amount of money being spent on the party divided into bonus checks; and their definition of "party" means letting loose and being themselves with friends – not acting professional to gain the respect of their co-workers.
“[Americans] place more emphasis on our careers as a way to define ourselves personally,” O’Donnell says. “At any corporate-sponsored event, we must keep in mind – even if it is begrudgingly – that we must think about our actions and the impact they can have, both positively and negatively, on our careers.”
Unfortunately, this fact is lost on some employees. According to a recent study, 36 percent of employers reported such behavioral problems as excessive drinking, off-color jokes, sexual advances and fistfights at last year’s company party. Fifteen percent of employees who engaged in inappropriate behavior reported a negative impact on his or her career growth.
When work is bad, life is bad, so don’t take any risks this holiday season. Here are the top 10 offenses to avoid at this year’s company holiday bash.
1. Assuming you aren’t required to go.Unless you’ve got an unbelievably good reason, you need to attend. Not attending speaks volumes about your attitude toward the company.
“If you can’t appreciate what the company is doing to celebrate the holidays and its efforts to make you feel like a part of their family, then you send a clear message that you don’t put much stock in the employee-employer relationship,” O’Donnell says.
If you absolutely can’t go, let management know in advance and give specific reasons why not.
2. Dressing inappropriately.Don’t dress as if you were going to a club or trolling for dates, O’Donnell says. Even if you’re hittin’ the town later, you still need to dress properly for the party.
“Maybe you’re known for being very stylish in your private life, but when it comes to a work function, it’s better to blend in as opposed to making a statement that might get misinterpreted,” she says.
If you show up and realize you aren’t dressed appropriately, try to make light of it. Better to acknowledge it’s not acceptable than pretend that it is.
3. Attending on an empty stomach.Holiday events typically involve drinks and appetizers before the meal. But, appetizers often don’t make it all the way through the crowd, O’Donnell says. It’s better to get some food in your stomach prior to the event so your first drink doesn’t go straight to your head.
“If you’re feeling ‘warm and fuzzy’ and realize you haven’t eaten in hours, put the drink down, switch to water and find some food,” she suggests.
4. Pitching ideas to upper management.Some folks view the company party as a way to schmooze the higher-ups or tell them their grand plans to save the company.
“While managers do use these events to meet and spend time with employees they don’t regularly come in contact with, they aren’t looking to strategize on work,” O’Donnell says. “Keep the talk to lighter subjects. There’s nothing worse than a brown-nosing badger to ruin a manager’s evening.”
5. Getting drunk!Seventy percent of companies are serving alcohol at their holiday parties this year, a 15 percent drop from last year, according to a recent survey.
There’s a reason for this, people!
Bottom line: Don’t drink excessively at the holiday party. You’ll end up saying or doing something you’ll regret.
6. Hooking up!Co-workers secretly harboring feelings for each other often think it’s OK to act on those feeling at the holiday event, O’Donnell says. Not so.
“It’s important to act like you do at work. You’re not paid to get cozy on the job, and the holiday party is an extension of your job,” she says.
Keep your distance until after the event when you can have some privacy.
7. Bringing a ‘crazy’ date.If your spouse or date is known as the ‘life of the party,’ there’s a chance he or she will make the night unforgettable – and not in a good way, O’Donnell says.
“Some people think, ‘It shouldn’t matter how they act, as long as I act OK,’” she says. “You’re guilty by association.”
Don’t give employers any reason to wonder if you aren’t as you appear on the job. If your date starts to make a scene, cut the night short.
8. Being a ‘Scrooge.’Don’t be a Debbie Downer and walk around with a scowl on your face, O’Donnell says. If you aren’t excited to be there, keep your thoughts to yourself.
“These events are meant to give employees an opportunity to connect on a personal level so they can relate to one another at work,” she says. “You don’t have to overdo it, but you have to at least do it.”
Check your negativity at the door, put on a smile and socialize.
9. Not using your best table manners.It seems obvious, but for many, manners go out the door after business hours – especially with a drink in hand, O’Donnell says. No swearing, chew with your mouth closed and remember to say “please,” “thank you” and “excuse me.”
10. “Dirty dancing” or executing “athletic displays.”“Even though krumping, bumping and grinding are all the rage, these moves have no place on the corporate dance floor,” O’Donnell advises. “Moreover, back flips, splits, jumps and spins can only lead to disaster.”
Keep moves clean and in control. Even if folks are begging for you to dance, O’Donnell says, keep in mind that everyone loves to watch other people embarrass themselves.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Thought for the Day: Competition
"I'm not in competition with anybody but myself. My goal is to beat my last performance." - Celine Dion.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Warren Buffet Quote For Today's Economic Bad News
Warren Buffet is the most successful investor ever. If you had invested $1,000 with him in 1956 it would now be worth $26 million. He is worth over $58 billion.
With what is happening in real estate and the mortgage business this quote really is appropriate.
"Be fearful when everyone is greedy and greedy when everyone is fearful." Warren Buffet
Think about it, NOW is the time to invest in real estate, take advantage of the foreclosures, expand your business, and spend more on advertising for an even greater market share.
Have a great Thanksgiving Holiday!!
Mark
www.onlybabyboomers.com
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
5 Customer Contact Guidelines
I just read this by Dan Kennedy http://www.dankennedy.com/
5 Customer Contact Guidelines
Picking up with the important topic of Customer Service Diplomacy, I'd like to give you five simple success guidelines for your contact with customers. You might want to make a list of these guidelines and place them in a handy place for future reference. I believe that implementing these five steps can help you have a better day every day.
#1: Repeat business, positive word-of-mouth advertising, satisfied customer, customer's positive perceptions...these are the keys to a company developing a stable successful business. These are the keys to an individual's career security and advancement. These are controlled by you in five simple success guidelines. Success guideline #1 is remembering you are your company to its public. At Disney they found out that their maintenance workers were the company to its public. In every business the customer's view those they had the easiest and most frequent contact with as the company and that's you. You may be underestimating the power and influence you have over other people. Most of us do. The truth is that you can and do have great influence over others. You can turn a person's bad day into a good day or vice versa, a grouch into a friendly person. Even a person with a complaint into a person happy with how he is being treated. In this increasingly hectic, stressful world with more and more traffic and traffic jams, diverse demands on our time, normal job pressures, the public, the customer is often close to the end of his rope before he even gets to you. For example, into the diner came an obvious frazzled tired man. "Just give me a couple eggs over easy and a kind word," he said. The waitress brought the eggs and started to leave. He asked, "What about the kind word?" "Don't eat the eggs," she replied. Customers often just want a kind word, a sincere smile, an honestly pleasant greeting to be made to feel welcome and important.
Success guideline #2 is to treat each customer like your closest friend. I've been in retail stores or restaurants and observed sales people, store clerks or waiters and waitresses, going through the motions of their jobs almost sleep walking until a favorite customer or close friend comes in. Then the clerk perks up, smiles, comes alive, is a different person altogether. I'm sure you've observed this same thing. When a person cultivates the ability to express that kind of friendliness and enthusiasm with everyone he or she has a tremendous advantage that must eventually be a great career advancement value. You might think about it this way. We all share the same basic human needs, desires and motivations. You, I and every customer or client we deal with. One of the most basic of those needs is the desire to feel important. You don't want to be an account number, a file or just another customer. You want to be recognized and treated as someone important...so does everybody else.
Success guideline #3 is that customer diplomacy always gets first priority. Of course everything you do is important. Every aspect and fascet of your job is important, otherwise why do it at all? And you are undoubtedly often faced with conflicting priorities. Still something has to be slightly more important than other things and for us to win the game of attracting and keeping happy customers that thing that is at least slightly more important than all other things has to be customer diplomacy. It has to be a fixed, number one priority beneath which all other tasks, chores and projects order themselves as second, third, fourth and fifth priorities. Here's the simple very basic reason why this makes so much sense. Without an ever increasing number of truly satisfied customers nothing else matters. Repeat business is the most important business. That's where most profit is derived from, that's where stability comes from, and that's the foundation of a solid secure business. In the constant understandable battle for your attention, interest and energy between the customer and your other job responsibilities we have to let the customer win every time.
Success guideline #4 is to remember that it is really the customer who controls your paycheck, your promotions, your raises and your job security. Yes it's your future but it is you and the customer who will decide it. One big company did an extensive survey of all their employees. One of the questions in the survey was...where does your paycheck come from? Over 80% responded with the accounting department. About 10% said the bank. Of course we know that the paychecks are worthless without sales and profit revenue to back them up and that comes from customers. It cannot come from anywhere else, at least not for very long. When stress and tension has accumulated, things have gone wrong during the day and your patience is worn a little thin before you let yourself vent it on a customer you may want to remember that he controls your paycheck. Even visualize him signing your check or discussing your next pay raise with you. That's the idea. Respond to each customer as if he was the person you'll be discussing your next raise with.
Success guideline #5 says that customer service diplomacy means going the extra mile. Doing a little more or a little better than might be expected of you or accepted from you. After all is there any real virtue or satisfaction in just being average, the best of the worst, the worst of the best? If you are going to work at your job, which is after all your choice and you are going to put in your time why not also put in your very best efforts? I could just about guarantee you this when you consistently go the extra mile you'll receive better treatment from your customers and you will create career advancement. Rome wasn't built in a day though don't be too impatient. We live in a very instant oriented society...instant coffee, instant tea, instant microwave dinners. Success though is rarely instant. Going the extra mile is a behavioral investment that may take time to pay dividends like the spring planting takes months to produce a harvest.
To Your Success....
Mark
http://www.lacabling.com/
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
The Secret Wikipedia Services
I know you know about wikipedia (wikipedia.com). However, you may not be aware that wikipedia is only one offering by the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit group.
Other sister sites include:-
Commons (commons.wikimedia.org) - Free media repository-
Wikiquote (en.wikiquote.org) - Collection of quotations-
Wikispecies (species.wikimedia.org) - Animal and plant library-
Wikibooks (en.wikibooks.org) - Free textbooks and manuals-
Wikiversity (en.wikiversity.org/wiki) - Free learning materials and activities-
Wiktionairy (en.wiktionary.org/wiki) - Free dictionary-
Wikisource (en.wikisource.org) - free content library
Man, I wish I had access to all of this research material when I was in school!
The best part is that much of the content in these sources is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License, which generically means that the content can be used freely for any purpose.
Mark
http://www.lacabling.com/
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
The Biggest Success Secret
I just read this......The Biggest Success Secret Of All Time by Dan Kennedy
In this Success Marketing Strategy I want to talk with you about what is perhaps the greatest success commonality and the greatest success characteristic that spans all eras. You will find it heavily riddled through Napoleon Hill's work going all the way back to the 1930's and before. You will find it in today's business leaders and I am convinced we will find it in the next century's business leaders.
In fact, several years ago at a political function that I attended, one of the things that I had an opportunity to do was to observe President Reagan up close speaking and I tell you this and ask you to sit aside whatever your political preferences are for a second, not that I make mine a secret, but it really doesn't matter what your political preferences are, but we would all probably agree that he did an amazing job under crisis.
Yes…the greatest success characteristic is the ability to handle crisis.This characteristic if you think about it is common of all super successful people - super successful pro athletes, super successful coaches, super successful business people, super successful sales people. Who succeeds best in sales? The person who does it the same way whether it's immediately after having made a sale or having lost a sale - the person who's performance doesn't deviate.
You see that quality we find it's an ability to recover from adversity so rapidly that the observer doesn't notice the recovery. You'll find that in all of the training in the Napoleon Hill books. You'll find that in just about anybody's book you want to open up, about any texts, any material, about being successful you're going to find a discussion of the necessity to overcome adversity. Why?
Because everybody fails on their way to success. It happens. Try to find a highly successful person who hasn't actually had more failures than they've had successes. Try and find one. You won't. And so that's why everybody talks about this ability but what many of them don't point out is a related characteristic that is perhaps even more important that I will reveal in the next Success Marketing Strategy in just a couple of days.
LosAngeles-Cabling.com Expands Its Presence in Los Angeles
LosAngeles-Cabling.com, aka SCT Product Sales, Inc., continues to expand their presence in the Los Angeles area with in response to our continued business growth with IT infrastructure(voice, data, networking and fiber cabling). Also, LosAngeles-Cabling.com has improved, upgraded their web site and added numerous original articles on benefits and pitfalls of wireless LANs.
About SCT Product Sales
SCT Product Sales, Inc. (www.LosAngeles-Cabling.com) specializes in structured wiring & cabling communications solutions provider servicing commercial and clients throughout Southern California. Their services include cabling, infrastructure design, installation & certification, data cabling, voice wiring, audio/video cable, and fiber optic cabling.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Can You Hear Me Now (Hearing Impaired Telephones Become Popular as Boomers Reach 50 & 60)
New studies show that half of all Baby Boomers report experiencing hearing loss. If you ask a Baby Boomer why they feel they are having this problem, is due to exposure to excessive noise. They were the first generation to be raised on rock-n-roll and they are now facing a bigger problem with hearing loss then their parents did. Admitting there is a problem is the first step to fixing it, but it is not enough. Those same studies also show that most Baby Boomers have either a parent that has hearing loss or know another Boomer with hearing loss.
It is this fact that is driving up the popularity of telephones for the hearing impaired. President Clinton was 46 when he took office. Clinton was the second youngest president in U.S. history. It was just a mere five years later that he was sporting hearing aids in both of his ears occasionally. Especially when mingling in large groups, making communication easier by allowing him to hear discriminately what was being said to him.
Although most people see hearing loss as a problem that only effects seniors, the fact is that more and more Americans are experiencing hearing loss at earlier ages. Perhaps the most noticeable of these younger Americans is the segment of the population that is currently in their 40s and 50s, the Baby Boomers. Starting in 1971 to the year 1990 the National Health Interview Survey reported that there was a 26% jump in hearing problems amongst people that ranged in age from 45 to 64. This was accompanied by a 17% jump with people between the ages of 18 to 44. It is because these people were the first to be raised on rock music, gas powered lawn mowers, traffic gridlocks and other everyday threats to our hearing. According to the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA) regular exposure to sound levels above 70 decibels can damage hearing. So what is 70 decibels? That would be a hair dryer, vacuum cleaner or a gas lawn mower?
Hearing loss is not limited to the inability to sense sound. There is impaired pitch which means the ear isn’t able to sort out complex sounds in speech. This is why some people say that they can hear you but can’t understand what you are saying. The first tones to be affected are usually the high tones which just so happen to include many of the most common sounds that are spoke in the English language. These are sounds that are created by the lips and teeth.
Mid tones are which are created by the tongue and base of the throat typically are the next to fall. This loss is why some people say that they can’t hear you and then when you repeat the same sentence with an increase in volume the person with the hearing loss is now accusing you of yelling at them.
This can be incredibly frustrating when trying to carry on a conversation on the phone. With the varied degrees of hearing loss that are possible it is important to find a product that is going to meet your needs. There are many sites on the net that specialize in these products.
Amplified phones are designed for people that are dealing with partial hearing loss. These phones not only have volume control but they also enhance the volume of the high frequency sounds that allow people with the partial hearing loss to differentiate between words that sound very similar, for example “chair” and “stair”. Amplified phones also clarify high pitch voices like those of women and children.
There are also patented volume boost phones that are designed with features to help the hearing impaired baby boomers with high-frequency hearing loss. They can be found in more sleek designs then those phones of years passed. After all baby boomers do still have a very chic impression to portray.
To stay current with all the latest technology there are also amplifying agents that can be added to your cell phones to make communicating on the go. These little headsets can be connected to your mobile phone, cordless phone; any phone really that you would like to use that has a 2.5mm jack. This head set provides variable amplification up to 25 dB.
The cost of these products is no more expensive the regular phones and accessories for cell phones. These products will help the Baby Boomer be able to communicate with ease and less frustration and be able to hear and understand the other half of the conversation.
Friday, August 31, 2007
"The sub-prime meltdown and the amazing three headed woman"
I just read this from Ken McCarthy.....
One way or another, we're all going to
feel the fallout from the sub-prime blues.
If you don't feel it personally, you
can be sure that some of your
customers will or already are.
Some banks that bought these crazy loans are folding...mortgage companies are laying off thousands...things have gotten to the point that Bush is talking about bailing out borrowers.
That being said, the chief purpose of
being an entrepreneur - in my opinion -
is to develop the insight and smarts to avoid becoming a victim of the inevitable ups and downs of the economy.
Believe me, money can be made just
as easily on the way down as on the
way up.
It's a matter of mental flexibility
and knowing what you're doing.
As is true for many problems, the cause
of the sub-prime debacle also hold a
suggestion for the cure.
Now is the time for entrepreneurs
to start thinking about how they're
going to adapt to and even profit from
new market conditions.
(I say this as someone who survived
and thrived during...the slim pickings
early days of the Internet...the dotcom
boom...the dotcom crash...and the web 2.0
comeback.)
--- Think of it as musical chairs for adults
In the game "musical chairs," every
time the music stops, there's one less
chair to sit down on.
That's exactly what a contracting market is like.
It looks like scarcity. And it is.
But it's also opportunity.
Here's what I mean:
If you're one of the ones who ends up
without a seat, it's pain.
On the other hand, if you succeed
nailing down one of the ever-diminishing available seats...you'll have secured an asset that's even more valuable than when things were "booming" and seats were plentiful and
easy to get.
Here's a piece I wrote about where
we're at right now.
It's called:
"The sub-prime meltdown and the amazing three headed woman"
It's here: http://kenmccarthy.com/blog/?p=113
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