It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark...

Start the Plan

Howard Ruff, author of numerous financial planning books has been quoted as saying "It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark”. His reference was to financial planning, but the same notion applies perfectly when it comes to planning for disasters. Many business spend a great deal of time planning on how to grow their business while ignoring what might happen if they ever experience a major disaster such as a fire or hurricane.

Don’t feel alone if you don’t have a plan. According to industry statistics, despite major disasters like Hurricane Sandy that struck the east coast in 2012, less than one-half of all businesses say they have a disaster recovery plan. When asked, most of those businesses with disaster plans said they had not tested their plan. Not testing the plan is almost like not having one.

The consequences of not having a plan for a disaster are sobering. The numbers vary depending upon the source, but according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, 25 percent of all businesses do not reopen after a major disaster.

So where is the starting point? Unfortunately, this typically is not a problem to be solved in one short meeting over coffee. Planning for disaster recovery requires time and resources and it needs become an integral part of the business plan. The following points will give a good "jumping off" point.

1. Develop Your Plan. The first step in developing your plan is to bring together the people most impacted by a major disaster. Start asking the question "What do we do if?” For example, how would we know what our customers owe us? What do we do if we can’t process invoices or pay bills? How do we notify our customers and what do we tell them? How do we order product? Is our data protected?

2. The next part of the plan is to Assign Responsibilities. Who will get the message about the disaster out to our customers? This person will be responsible for emailing, calling, texting or faxing every customer to let them know what has happened. 

Assigning someone to develop an inventory of what the business owns is important for insurance claims.  

Give someone the responsibility of scanning important documents. This will include insurance documents, tax returns, payroll records, etc. Scanning doesn't have to be expensive. The Neat Company markets an inexpensive scanner that is simple to use and quick to setup.

Assign someone the task of installing a backup product, like Carbonite, to automatically backup everything that is on the PC. Carbonite's backup is simple, easy, continuous and in the event of a disaster the company would have access to all of the important records.

As part of the plan, make sure that company data is not only backed up, but a copy is stored off-site. This should go beyond the basic backup that Carbonite performs. This backup should be a restore drive/mirror image (a copy of the server drive with all software and files) that could be installed into any server. Most software providers are also providing cloud based systems that eliminate servers and give access to company data through the internet.

3. Work Your Plan. After all the time invested in growing the business, it's best to make sure that the new plan functions the way it was envisioned. In the beginning this may mean regular meetings to check on progress and to see if an area of the plan needs to be adjusted. The point of working the plan is to make sure that progress is being made, documents are being scanned, data is being backed up and the proper procedures are in place.

4. Audit Your Plan. The final step is to periodically audit the plan. It's great to have the backups automated but more than one company has backed up their data only to realize, at the most unfortunate time, that the data could not be retrieved. In other words, test your backups.

Make sure that all needed reports can be found easily and quickly. This might look like asking the person in charge of the financial reports for a specific purchase journal from last year. Regardless of the process that is tested, the point is to make sure that the plan is functioning properly.

None of us know when disaster will strike. We don’t know when the next earthquake, tornado or hurricane will hit, but history has proven to us that they do happen and they will happen again. Being prepared will significantly improve any companies chances of recovery.

Just remember what Howard Ruff said "It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark”

A little more maintenance

I've been talking about computer maintenance here lately and now I've got a little more to share. This article has two basic tips that work hand in hand to help your computer perform at its best.   

Tip One: Watch What You Download. Not only is it important to know where the download is coming from, that it is safe and legitimate, but whether or not that program is downloading other programs. When downloading a new program, look to see if a box is checked for a new toolbar, trial version of an anti-virus, etc. Unless the program is something that is needed for the computer it will simply be taking up valuable space and computing power. 

Tip Two: Make sure to Create Restore Points. Before downloading a new program it’s always a good idea to create a restore point. Creating the restore point doesn't take much time and if something bad happens in the download, the computer can be back to normal with just a few clicks.

How's your computer's environment?

Recently, I wrote about how to clean up your computer to keep it running smoothly. Something I didn't write about was that your computer's environment can also affect its performance. The goal is to keep the environment clean, cool, and at the proper height. Here are some of our tips for a better computing environment.

Tip One: Keeping the environment clean of dust and dirt will help keep the inside of the computer from getting coated in dirt. This will help the computer to run at an optimal temperature and preserve the life of the internal components.

Tip Two: Keeping the computer in a cool if not cold area can be helpful. Even when the room is clean, if the temperature is too hot, the computer could start to overheat.

Tip Three: The final tip is to keep the computer at the proper height. Since heat rises, having some "head room" above the computer will give the heat generated by the computer a place to go. However, this does not mean that the floor is the optimal location for the computer. The computer's optimal location would be on a shelf to avoid both heat build up and potential water or flooding issues. If possible, place an external fan near the computer to create even better circulation.

Obviously, the weather can not always be controlled and often the computer has to go in the hot warehouse because there is no other room. However, implementing some of these techniques can help to reduce the day to day wear and tear on your server, thus saving time and money!

Could your computer stand to be a little faster?

People are sometimes told that once a computer slows down that it has reached capacity or that it's time for a replacement. This isn't necessarily true. Many times there are a few basic things that can be done to help in this situation. In the following article we have a couple of tips to help.

Note: Before trying any of these steps to improve your computer's speed, make sure to create a full backup of the computer.

Step One: The first option is to work on the Startup Process. Turning off programs that aren't necessary for the startup will help. If you have a newer computer with Windows 7 or 8, then you could install a Solid State Drive which will naturally have a faster startup time than a traditional hard drive.

Step Two: Cleaning out excess files is also a good thing to do when trying to speed up a computer. Once that is done, run the Windows program Disk Cleanup. This removes temporary files, empties the recycling bin, and removes a variety of system files and other items you no longer need.

Step Three: After cleaning out the files comes the Defragmenting process. On traditional disk drives, information gets scattered across the drive causing the computer to go and gather all the pieces of a file and assemble them once they are needed. This obviously isn't the most efficient way for the computer to gather information, so by running the defragging program built right into the computer, all this information can be collected, sorted, and organized making the computer run more efficiently and effectively. To do this: Open My Computer > Right Click on the Main Drive > Choose Properties > Select the Tools Tab > Choose Defragment Now. This process may take some time to complete, so make sure that the computer won't be needed during this process.

Step Four: Removing any Viruses also needs to be done on a regular basis. It's best to have a program that runs in Real Time to protect the computer from any major threats. We recommend having Malwarebytes, which can be set on a schedule and will run in the background without affecting productivity. This protects from malware like worms, trojans, and spyware. Also having Norton Anti Virus or Kaspersky will protect the computer from major virus attacks in real time and stop them before your computer is ever damaged.

Are you running out of time?

If you're still using a PC running the Windows XP operating system, be aware that you may be running out of time. Microsoft has publicly stated that the end of life for Windows XP is April 8, 2014. That does not mean that your PC will stop working on that date, it simply means that support will start getting increasingly difficult to obtain. The OS will be locked which means what you have is what you get. Patches and bug fixes will disappear and when the security updates stop coming your PC will become much more susceptible to new virus’s and harmful malware. There's still time, but replacing Windows XP should definitely be put into the budget.

Did you say Monkey Tail?

Yes we said it. That phrase isn't normally in our vocabulary, but it's something that might be of interest when using our app. With the new application, people have been asking about some way to mount the iPad in the vehicle so that it would be easy to see the next stop or the turn by turn directions. After some research, several devices were found that would hold the iPad while driving to the various stops. Most of these options had to be mounted in the vehicle. A really interesting option is called The Monkey Tail. It gives the ability to mount the iPad without bolts or screws. If you would like to see more about this product and how it might be used in this application, just click here: The Monkey Tail

Virus Protection: You can't be too careful

Spyware, Trojans and worms. These are different forms of software that have one common intent. They want to infect your PC or server. You can't be too cautious when dealing with any form of malware, so the following list is a few reminders to help protect against these threats. 

Reminder 1: Make sure to have a reputable anti-virus software product installed on each PC. Norton and McAfee are both good products. Also make sure to keep the virus software updated. A good anti-virus software product will constantly update the list of viruses it detects and protects against. 

Reminder 2: Never open zip files unless you know who the file is from and are expecting it. Double and triple check the legitimacy before opening any zip file. 

Reminder 3: Always be suspicious of any email you are not expecting or don’t recognize. It may be tempting to open that email from the guy in China who wants to place a big order with you, but the probability is that his intentions are not good.

Reminder 4: When in doubt, look at the email address. If the senders email address ends in something other than .com and you don't recognize the sender, then it's probably best not to open the attachment. 

Final Reminder: Be cautious.

Backups: Fire and Waterproof

Weather seems to constantly remind us that we can't control it. We don't know what's next, but we do know that there's a need to make sure that we all have good backups. Backups are like insurance and this insurance is very inexpensive. The hope is that it never has to be used, but no one regrets having the backups when they're needed. The following are a few tips that we always tell our customers when setting up their backups.

Tip 1: Now would be a great time to Take an Inventory and make sure everything is backed up. This would include data files, the operating system, and any other programs that are being used. 

Tip 2: Store the backups in a secure place. Fireproof and waterproof safes are good, off-site is better. Multiple copies provide an additional layer of protection and if the data files are not too large, USB drives make an excellent low cost backup.

Tip 3: Verify the backup to be certain that it can be read after the it's completed. The best insurance is backing up over the Internet to an off-site server. It's very cheap insurance and most internet based backup products run automatically so the backup is never forgotten.

Final Tip: Don’t procrastinate. Do a backup inventory today. None of us know when that next natural disaster is going to strike.

Let customers do the work

Paperless invoices and online payments
Running a business efficiently and productively in good times will be even more beneficial when the economy is slow. The two key words in that sentence are efficiently and productively. The past few years have taught us the importance of doing more with less. Below are few ways to get more work done with less effort.

Paper No More
First, stop mailing out paper invoices. Paper invoices are kind of like VHS tapes. There was a time and a place for them, but there are more efficient ways of delivering your invoices, like email. I know, I’ve heard it before: customers don’t want e-mailed invoices. I am sure some customers fall into that category, but not all of them. Remember, there is an entire generation of iPhone users taking over businesses and they don’t want paper. 

As the possibility of e-mailing invoices is considered, think of all the associated costs with paper invoices: paper, printer ink, envelopes, people to put invoices into the envelope, and postage to mail the invoices. For every thousand invoices sent out each month, a company is likely to be spending a minimum of $500.

Put the Customers to Work
Let the customers do all the work by paying their invoices online. Most major companies encouraging customers to pay their bills online. Why? Because that means the workload is now carried by the customer. They don’t have to receive the check, mark the account number on it, send it to accounts receivable for posting, and then carry the checks to the bank for deposit. The customer service angle is great, because now the customers can pay their bills when it is convenient for them. The smaller the customer, the more they will like this feature, because a smaller customers could go home, eat supper and then sit down and pay the bill online. To make it even easier for them, a link can be put in the e-mail when the invoices are sent. They simply have to click on the link, which will take them directly to the online payment system. 


Keeping Transactions Secure
To accept online payments, there must be a merchant account and the appropriate web software that allows for the payments to be accepted. The merchant account would handle the security issues, such as the liability of handling and storing credit card information.

Note: The distributor will need a secure certificate, this will appear as a lock on the website.

The merchant account would approve the requests for payment. At that point, the approval amount, approval number and the invoices being paid will be sent to the distributor via e-mail. 

From a security standpoint, the distributor never sees the credit card, therefore payment will be confirmed by the approval number. Because of federal regulations, distributors must be extremely careful with credit card information. There should be no need to upgrade the host software, given that many online payment applications are web-based.  

This article originally appeared in the Second Quarter, Spring 2011 issue of Welding & Gases Today Copyright ©Data Key Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

Mobile Processing

Using mobile technology saves time and money while improving accuracy and customer service. After being in the welding supply business for a long time, being very successful at running the business, and upgrading to the latest computer technology, you keep hearing people say you need to consider something called mobile processing. What exactly is mobile processing, and why should you give it a second thought? 

What Is Mobile Processing?
Depending on whose talking, a variety of definitions will be given. One very simple definition is performing work away from your office. For example, mobile processing includes any time a call is made back to the office to find out what a customer owes. Another example is when drivers sell something off of their truck and write up a ticket in the field to give to the customer. Any work of this type performed in the field could easily be described as mobile processing.

When GAWDA talks about mobile processing, the definition typically involves the use of technology. When technology is added to the mobile processing equation, the benefits can be tremendous. Here are a few examples.

Improved Customer Service
Most distributors have outside salespeople calling on customers. Those customers often have questions that require a call back to the office. Questions like: "Did you receive my last payment?” or "What is my price for that helmet?” or "How many cylinders do you have me charged with?” If the salesperson does not have a printout with them, then they have to call the office and get someone to stop what they are doing to look up the answer for the question.

Suppose that a salesperson has a laptop or cell phone. Instead of having to call back to the office, the questions could be answered immediately for the customer. The customer gets their information quickly, the salesperson isn't wasting time calling back to the office, and the inside salesperson is free to continue working on other tasks. 

More Accurate Cylinder Records
One of the big headaches for many distributors is cylinder balances, specifically, keeping them accurate. Here is where mobile processing can help a company and it's customers. Even if cylinders are not currently being tracked by serial number with a PDA, ruggedized handheld computer or cell phone, the cylinder information could be downloaded to one of these devices. This would give the sales team and drivers the capability to perform cylinder audits when visiting customers. The sales team would be able to perform audits and immediately alert the customer to any discrepancies. At this point, they could begin working toward resolving the issue before they get out of control.

In this example, mobile processing with a mobile computer opens up the opportunity to improve the accuracy of cylinder records, reduce the number of meetings involving cylinder discrepancies and demonstrate to customers a higher level of customer service.

Processing Orders at the Point of Delivery
Many distributors stock extra cylinders and inventory on their trucks in case the customer decides they need a few more oxygen cylinders or some extra tips. Regardless of whether the order is generated ahead of time or at the customer site, changes to the order have to be made when the customer wants more products. How do these changes get back to the host system accurately and efficiently?

In many cases, what happens is that the driver writes down the changes on the ticket and brings those back at the end of the day. Then someone else deciphers the handwritten changes and manually enters the changes into the host system. Hours every day are spent on this repetitive, potentially error-prone task. 

Mobile processing gives the capability to streamline this operation. Instead of writing down the changes on a printed ticket, the driver simply brings up the ticket on their mobile computer and notes the changes. At the end of the day, the mobile computer is returned to the office and the orders, with all of their changes, are updated to the invoicing system. No one has to enter the changes that were made. No one has to enter the number of empty cylinders picked up because those, too, are in the mobile computer. Hours of data entry can be saved.

What is Needed to Get Started?
Mobile processing has come a long way in the last few years. The choices available are as wide ranging as the products you offer to customers. Some distributors download data to laptops every day and are already reaping the benefits of mobile processing. Other distributors have worked with their software suppliers to set up VPNs (virtual private networks), allowing them to use the laptop computer to access their host systems from wherever they happen to be.

If you think smaller is better, then take a look at the latest generation of rugged handheld computers with built-in bar code scanners and even transponder readers. These make it possible to do everything discussed above, plus track cylinders by serial number.

Don’t forget about that cell phone you're using. Instead of just using them to call back to the office or synchronize with email, download tons of information about customers’ buying patterns, cylinder records and even payment history. 

Maybe it’s time to give mobile processing a second look. Your software supplier can probably get you set up with one or more mobile processing options in no time flat. Not only will this save time and money, but think about how many trees will be saved by not printing out those inventory reports and price lists that the sales team are carrying with them.

This article originally appeared in the First Quarter, Winter 2008 issue of Welding & Gases Today Copyright ©Data Key Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Authored by Jim Broughton.