Where technology experts at Endsight share their expertise on IT Management, the issues that arise for clients, and the benefits of technology for medical practices, biotech firms, law firms, financial services and other small businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Aug 12th, 2010
by Jason Clause Filed under: Business & Management, Software
I’ve used Microsoft Excel for years as a way to analyze a sales pipeline or as a way to clean up customer lists. I’ve even used many of the rudimentary functions and calculation tools to help me total the cost of a marketing budget or to calculate percentages. But that has really been the extent of my use of this tool.
I don’t think I’m alone in this. In fact, I’d bet that most of us only use a small percentage of the features and capabilities available in this tool. But as Endsight’s outsourced IT businesses has grown, it has become more and more important for us to analyze our business data and use that analysis to help us make good business decisions based on what we know instead of what we feel.
For example, as a sales and marketing professional it’s important for me to know where our best new business leads are coming from. On the surface that seems like a pretty simple question, but the answer requires a detailed analysis of Endsight’s historical sales and marketing data. My traditional methods for sorting and filtering data were inadequate and so I set out to learn some of the more advanced features available in Microsoft Excel. The feature that really helped me with my specific issue was pivot tables.
Pivot tables allow me to organize long lists of incomprehensible data into a concise dashboard view. It took me a few hours to learn how to create a pivot table, but once I got it down I’m certain it literally saved me days of work.
I found a web video on YouTube that was really helpful in teaching me to create pivot tables. I’ve included the video in his posting. You can also link to it by clicking here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVa7PIDfi5A
If you have a difficult question that you need to answer and you suspect some key insight to the question might reside in your historical business data, A pivot table could be useful in helping you smoke the answer out. If you feel like you might benefit from a more intensive training on Microsoft Excel it might make sense to consider signing up for a training class.
Endsight does some simple end-user training but it does not do intensive, classroom-based training for advanced users. We do however work with some great partners that can provide that service. If you’d like an introduction, e-mail me at jclause@endsight.net and I’ll be happy to connect you.
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Tags: Endsight, how to create a pivot table, Outsourced IT, Pivot
Feb 10th, 2010
by Jason Clause Filed under: Business & Management, Managed Services, Marketing, Network Security, Outsourced IT Support
When I was in college, I had to move every year. I lived in a fraternity house and that really simplified the logistic. But even though I never had to move more than a few doors down the hallway, I still didn’t like it. The idea of a uprooting all of my things, transporting them, and then having to find new places for everything, was a daunting task that stressed me out every time.
As Endsight’s outsourced IT business has grown, we’ve been heavily involved in a staggering number of office moves. Every time, it’s easy to remember the stress I felt as an undergraduate with my mini fridge and futon. Obviously, the client has much more to consider which makes the stress level even greater.
No two office moves are ever the same. But having been through enough of these, I thought it would be helpful to list some of the key advisers and partner/vendor rolls to consider as part of your planning process.
Many of our clients begin the process by seeking council from key strategic advisers.
Contemplating a Move:
Commercial Realtor (Help you selected a new location)
Banker (Help decide the best way to finance the move)
Accountant (Help you decide if you can afford the move)
Lawyer (Help you avoid costly legal issues associated with the move)
Once a location has been selected, there are a number of other partner/vendors to involve in the process.
The New Office:
General Contractor (Tenant improvements)
Architect (Make it look fabulous)
Cable Installer (Network cabling)
HVAC (Server room)
Signage (Sign out front, names on the office Doors)
The Move:
Mover (To get from point A to point B)
Phone System Support (Take down and set up phones)
Computer System Support (Take down and set up computer systems)
Internet and Phone System Connectivity (Connect to the outside world)
Office Furniture (Acquire new and /or liquidate old)
Printers, Faxes & Copiers (Often times these are under contract)
Communication:
Marketing (Promote new location, update Website, send a news letter, and create a promotional item)
Printed Materials (Letterhead, business cards, marketing collateral)
Most businesses enjoy existing relationships to leverage as part of the planning process. If your company needs help filling in the roster, Endsight can help by facilitating introductions to our network of colleagues. If your small business is planning a move click here. We would be happy to meet in person with you to discuss your plan.
Tags: Endsight, move, Outsourced IT
Dec 3rd, 2009
by Jason Clause Filed under: Business & Management, Email, Hosted Services, Managed Services
In my opinion, the key incite to glean from Pete’s article is that your data is probably worth WAY more than you think. In fact, it is likely the very life blood driving your organization.
Many of Endsight’s clients operate a service business. They count on the intellectual property locked in their email and business applications to meet their customers’ needs. For them, data is the business.
As Pete’s article notes, “The Department of Commerce has determined that 90% of companies which do not have access to data for more than 5 days go out of business within 1 year.”
By itself, that statistic is alarming, but in the Bay Area it’s further exasperated by this one:
On April 15 2008, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that The US Geological Survey believes “A strong and deadly earthquake is virtually certain to strike on one of California’s major seismic faults within the next 30 years”
I’ve reposted Pete’s article below and invite you to consider what kind of impact a “day without computers” might have on your business. If you find the impact as alarming as Pete, contact us and let’s talk about how we can help mitigate that risk.
I’ve embedded a slide deck to a free seminar Endsight has provided about disaster preparedness. If you belong to a professional association or business / community group that might have an interest in the topic, let me know and I’d be happy to present it. If you’d like more information about the presentation, Email me and I’ll send you a topic abstract.
The Value of Data: What is your data worth to your Organization
By Pete Heles, Founder/CEO Framework IT, LLC
What is your data worth?
This question is one that will have a unique answer to each and every entity in existence. There is no easy answer. This is obvious in the fact that this very question has been asked many times without a quantitative foundation for the answer. It is the objective of this document to assist you in better determining the value of your firm’s data, how to increase its value and ensure the ongoing retention of value.
In researching this question, there are several current themes for determining the value of an organization’s data. The most basic formula is the data of an organization is equal to one times annual revenue. This theory is supported by the fact that if a company’s data is lost or handed over to a competitor, the firm is worthless without it. This is a rather simple formula that points out a fundamental flaw in attempting to establish a universal formula for determining the value of data: The value of data has much to do with the type of organization.
A flower shop, a paint manufacturer and a not-for-profit cannot use the same formula. Think about a dental office: new data is established on each visit and the data collected from prior visits is mostly negated. In the dentist’s case, the security of the new data is far more important than the “old data” with the establishment of HIPAA Guidelines.
A flower shop has names, addresses, credit card information and transaction history. The credit card data is again important from a security risk stand point, but to say the value of a flower shop’s data is 1 times annual revenue seems to be grossly overstated, as the majority of the information can be collected from a variety of sources and the confirmation of credit card information can and should be done with each transaction.
The paint manufacturer on the other hand is very different. In the recent past, a specialty paint manufacturer was purchased by a sizable competing firm. Within 6 months of the acquisition over 90% of the acquired firm’s employees were terminated and all but 2 plants shut down. The data was the only thing of true value. The purchase price was 4 times annual revenue. Formulas and client data in the sole possession of the acquiring firm were deemed to have that significant value.
In today’s business environment Certified Public Accountants and the Federal Government determine the value of tangible assets. Merriam Webster defines tangible as “capable of being appraised at an actual or approximate value <tangible assets>.”
If a firm buys a list of names and addresses it is a business expense and the initial value is easily determined. That list becomes valuable data with use and definition by the firm for its profitable use. The additional data that is built along with the name that was purchased is of significant value. In theory, it is no longer an expense, but becomes an asset. Only the tangibility of value is at question.
There are other considerations that must be realized in determining the value of data. A basic factor in value is the cost to maintain and collect data. What is the budget for computers, software, support, and people in the data systems group at a firm. This is a statement, not a question, as this is a cost of data for any firm. If, in fact, that amount is treated as an expense, it must diminish the value of data by the same amount.
On the other hand, it has been determined by the management of the firm that the value of data will increase in an amount greater than the expense; otherwise it would be a bad business decision to incur that expense. Conclusion: the data processing staff at a firm is critical in increasing the value of the firm’s data. Unfortunately the value of data is too often determined by the purchase price of technology which is used to house the data. That is like telling someone the $1 bill in the $100,000 vault is worth a hundred thousand dollars! In 1978 when a 73mb disk drive was $38,000, was the data more valuable than today when a 300 GB disk drive is about $250? Be careful not to get caught in this determination of data value.
Issues for consideration
1. Is it goodwill? What is that in accounting terms?
2. Is a patent an asset, and how is the value determined?
3. Is data the same as intellectual property?
4. Increasing the value of Data
5. Protecting Data
6. Handling, use, and availability of Data
7. Misuse of Data
8. Where is the Data?
9. Role of individuals and Data
10. Assault on Data
11. Treating Data as an investment
The topics noted above are best answered by the key management of your firm with needed participation from both accounting professionals and lawyers. A strategy for the proper collection, use, protection, and ability to compound data and its value can be an eye opening project that WILL increase the awareness of and value to your firm’s data.
Before starting the process of determining the management of your firm’s data, take a minute to answer the following questions. If an employee took (embezzled) all of your company’s key client, vendor, and financial data to his new employer (a prime competitor of yours), what could the financial affect be to your firm?
If there were a fire (or other situation) that destroyed all the file servers in your data center, how long would it take for your firm to recover from this calamity?
What is the cost/loss per day to your firm if corporate data is not accessible?
What would the financial impact be to your firm if the data that was backedup could not be restored and had to be rebuilt from scratch? These numbers are actually larger than you initially estimate. The Department of Commerce has determined that 90% of companies which do not have access to data for more than 5 days go out of business within 1 year. Does this fact change the way you think about the value of your firm’s data? The protection and assured availability of your company data?
A thorough Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan is a key part of ensuring the “Survivability” of your company in the event of a business interruption or serious data loss. It is estimated that less than 5% of unregulated* businesses have a current and thorough Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan.* (Banks, financial institutions, and publicly held firms are some of the business types that are federally required to have a BC/DR Plan.)
As a business professional it is essential (and possibly legally required) that you protect your firm’s assets. After reading this article and answering a few simple (maybe complex) questions you should have a new appreciation for the value of your firm’s data and understand the need to be more proactive in the protection and assured availability of your data. Start the BC/DR Plan development process today.
Tags: Bay Area, disaster preparedness, Email, Endsight, Technology
Aug 24th, 2009
by Jason Clause Filed under: Business & Management, General, Marketing, Media
I received this e-mail from the San Francisco Business Times last week.The publisher is taking applications from Bay Area firms for the publications list of the bay areas most admired CEOs.
If you admire your CEO, I suggest that you give this a look. Accolades are always nice and this is an easy way to bring your business leader and your business to the attention of the San Francisco Business Times’ readership.
After the year that we’ve had I think that completing this application is a great way of reminding ourselves of how hard we have worked and the admirable decisions we’ve made. If you are the CEO and you are too modest to bring this to the attention of one of your teammates, send me a note and perhaps I could nominate you. The application process is web-based and seems easy enough. I’ve re-posted the announcement here and have included a link to the original message from the San Francisco Business Times.
The San Francisco Business Times will honor 12 outstanding leaders of Bay Area enterprises in a special report, and at a gala awards dinner recognizing the Bay Area’s Most Admired CEOs Thursday, November 19 at the Hilton San Francisco.
We will honor CEOs in 12 categories, including public companies, private companies, emerging growth companies, a non-profit CEO, a small-business CEO, as well as an Innovator and a Lifetime Achiever.
This is a celebration of leadership at its best. It is an opportunity to recognize the CEOs who give the most to their companies, their people, their industries and their communities.
Which CEO deserves the nomination from your organization?
NOMINATION DEADLINE: September 4, 2009
Honorees will be selected by an independent panel of judges. Judges will evaluate these qualities: leadership, values, vision, company financial performance, work environment, community contribution, innovation and overcoming adversity.
Nominees must be present November 19 to receive the award. Nominees will be selected from the SFBT coverage area, including the counties of San Francisco, San Mateo, Marin, Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano.
The “Bay Area Most Admired CEO Awards” is presented by the San Francisco Business Times and Accenture.
Don’t miss this chance to recognize your most admired CEO!
About Jason:Originally from the great state of Ohio Jason Clause relocated to the Bay Area to work in high-tech. A veteran of the dot com boom and bust, Jason has more than 10 years experience helping small businesses apply information technology to improve business process and increase revenue. Jason lives in Dublin, California with his wife Jennifer and enjoys hiking, cooking and quiet time at home. His hobbies include golf, snowboarding, creative writing and performing amateur stand up comedy.
Tags: Bay Area, CEO Awards, CEO Nomination, leadership, NOMINATE, nomination deadline, san francisco business times, small-business, Technology
