Opinions, info and news for SMB IT companies
Thanks to fellow SBSC’er Paul Dadge of PC Paramedic Solutions for making me aware of the following free Microsoft training course:-
"Exchange Unplugged in association with Lynx Technology
Language(s):
English.
Product(s):
Exchange Server.
Audience(s):
IT Professionals.
Reserve your front row seat at Exchange Unplugged, this is your opportunity to get the inside scoop on Exchange Server 2007, Office Communications Server 2007 and the rest of the Unified Communications platform.
Microsoft UK’s best and brightest Unified Communications (UC) specialists will all be there to guide you through Exchange Server 2007, Office Communications Server 2007, Mobility and the rest of the Unified Communications stack. You’ll learn, first-hand, how Exchange 2007 has changed due to customer feedback, how to migrate from your existing solution to a unified communications solution and how Office Communications Server 2007 can help you users communicate better and much more.
They will share with you all the inside info, including insider tips, those important “gotchas” and demos that will bring this to life.
Sessions will include:
This is a brilliant opportunity to hear first hand about the technologies that make up the Unified Communications stack and shouldn’t be missed."
I’m aware of two sessions, one in London next week and another (which I’ll be attending) in Coventry on 2nd November. Both sessions are free – so if you’re interested in Exchange 2007, get yourself registered now by visiting this web-site.
For those that don’t know me too well, what I’m about to say will compound every stereotype about me being a geek and a fan-boy in an instant. Any Professional respect (yeah right!) that I have will go flying out of the window, and I can hear the teasing from clients and colleagues alike on telephone calls, site visits and user group meetings for a long time to come. But I’m going to say it anyway.
Some people follow Football in their spare time, some people collect stamps, others go to the cinema.
I read Comic Books.
You know, Spider-Man, Batman, Captain America, that sort of thing.
Stop sniggering.
Anyway, one of my favorite Comic Book characters is called Quasar. He was a character created in the mid-70′s, about the time I was born. He’s heroic but he’s polite. He’s mild mannered. Not at all like all the other anti-heroes of the modern age. I’ve grown up reading about him and I know all about him. I’ve got all his comics. The fact that he’s not as popular as Superman or The Flash makes being a fan of Quasar that much harder. I get teased by other Comic Book fans about being a fan of Quasar. Now if you thought collecting comics was sad, imagine being teased by other people who collect comics!!!
Last year, something terrible happened. The writers at Marvel Comics killed off Quasar. I was distraught. The GG couldn’t console me. I moped around the house. Why would Marvel do this to a character so many (well, about 300 of us worldwide) cared about?
Quasar’s “real name” is Wendell Vaughan. A “Bring Back Wendell” campaign was started to persuade the big-wigs at Marvel Comics to resurrect Quasar because, you know, this is comics and people can come back from the dead with some decent writing.
Anyway, the response from Marvel has been less than stellar. Who cares if a bunch of fan-boys rant and rave about a character no-one else cares about? The letters of complaint can be strewn into the bin. The e-mails pleading for Wendell’s return can be deleted. It’s easy to ignore people if you want to.
So the folks at the “Bring Back Wendell” campaign did something a bit different. They sent the editors at Marvel Comics a Cake!
Everybody loves cake! It’s a lot harder to throw a Cake into the bin than it is a letter. It’s difficult to ignore a sweet-sweet Cake like you could a Telephone call. Suddenly the Marvel big-wigs are happy to chat about Quasar, and even hint he may return in the future. Great news!
The story got me thinking about something Susanne Dansey said recently. She recommended that on your next site visit to a client, you take a bag of Donuts. Your clients will love you for it!
Back in the day when I was an IT Contractor it could be real easy for the permanent employees (the “permies”) I worked with to be resentful of me for getting paid more, not having to work overtime, etc. etc. How did I keep those “permies” happy? I provided a constant stream of Donuts, Cream Cakes and Chocolate Biscuits. It worked – I got on with them just fine and even made a few good friends!
Since I worked for myself, I’ve never bought cakes for my clients. But I will do now. People are happy to talk to people who offer them cakes – it may improve my relationship with my clients!
And who knows? The good karma of my cake buying may help to bring Wendell Vaughan aka Quasar, back from the dead. Fingers crossed, true believers.
I attended the Microsoft Partner Roadshow in Nottingham yesterday. It was a really useful day, with some great presentations and just as importantly – providing the opportunity to network and chat with your peers and the folk at Microsoft and other vendors.
It was really good to have a couple of nice people who I’d never met before come up to me and ask me for my experiences in building a business as a “one-man-band”. Stay in touch guys, and let me know how you are getting on.
Andy Parkes has already posted really good write-ups of the event in his own blog, so I’ll spare you my report, but to say that two things really struck me at the event.
The first was that when standing back and people watching as to who was doing the networking – meeting new people, making the effort to greet others warmly, who was asking the questions of the presenters during their presentations, who’s hand went up with presenters asked “Who’s using this technology/methodology/facility”, and yes, I’ll admit – who was being a bit noisy and having some fun… it was the Microsoft Small Business Specialist partners and in particular, members of the AMITPRO Midlands User Group.
Just my opinion, but actively involved members of the SBSC wanted to get a lot out of the day – so they put a lot in.
The second thing, and I’ll admit this really made me bristle at the time, was during the SBSC-only sessions. Vijay Riyait gave a great presentation on the benefits of being a part of the Community and then asked the question “Of those SBSC members here who are not part of a regional user group – what’s stopping you from getting involved”. One answer made me tense up – “I haven’t got enough time”.
Grrr.
We’re all busy. Small Business owners more-so than most. But let me share something I’ve learnt with you. Whatever problems you experience, day-to-day, be they technology related or business related – odds are somebody else experienced those problems before you did.
What’s more, odds are that the very same person who can help you out with your problem is a member of your local user group.
That’s just one benefit of getting involved. I won’t expand too much upon the many other benefits, such as the fact you’ll get to hear directly from your peers as to which vendors and good, and which are bad – saving you time finding out for yourself. Or which products and technologies are exciting and need your attention now, saving you time wading through that mountain of magazines and articles you keep meaning to read. Or the soft benefit that regularly associating with successful motivated people in the same field as you brings, helping you raise your game and making you more productive.
So the next time your local user group meeting is due, and it’s the end of a long day and you’ve got the choice between breaking your usual routine and actually attending, or sticking with the tried and tested method of putting something else (the invoicing, the user issues you’re currently dealing with, dinner and television?) first – just question yourself. Are you not attending because you’ve really not got the time, as you keep telling yourself, or are you not attending because it’s difficult for you to do something different.
You can contact me to find out the details of your closest Small Business Specialist user group and when they are next meeting.
In closing, I highly recommend that if you’re SBSC qualified and not actively participating within the Community because you’re too busy that you make the time to read this book (or if you’re too busy, buy the Audio version and listen to it!).
Trust me when I say you’ll find it useful! 
Microsoft have announced the second of their "Business Bites" Webinars – aimed at helping Microsoft Partners to get to grips with various aspects of running their business.
I missed their first event as it was over-subscribed – so if you’re interested I would suggest registering as quickly as you can!
"Business Bites Live Meeting
Managing risk in your business: the role of insurance; Monday 29th October, 11:00 – 12:30
We are pleased to announce that the second edition of the Business Bites series hosted by Bill Wells will take place on Monday 29th October from 11am.
It is important to recognise that being in business is about managing risk. Clients, Cash flow, Technology solutions, Staff, and every other facet of your business has an element of risk attached. Quite often we accept the risk, and turn a blind eye to it, this series of presentations shows how we can minimise and manage risk.
Jonathan Cox of Pavey Group, a specialist in risk management and insurance will explain how an insurance underwriter should help a business understand what mechanisms exist for managing risk; Jonathon is an expert in the IT business, and specifically in the risks faced by small and medium sized companies. Jonathon will also give an insight into the style of relationship that can be expected from an insurance broker , it’s so much more than telling you which underwriter can supply the cheapest insurance!
Edmund Probert of Foot Anstey Solicitors will also be on hand to answer your legal questions as they relate to this topic.
To register your attendance at this event please visit http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032356971&Culture=en-GB. "
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