Before you can begin thinking about an online presence, you must have the right tools.
An online presence should allow for interactivity. The key components of interactivity are availability and reliability.
Choices for IT hardware can be overwhelming. However, do not fret…there are only two names to remember, DELL and BlackBerry – the only names for serious business solutions. While Apple is a serious competitor, and maybe even better in the graphics and arts industries, DELL and BlackBerry are the only name in town for the business world!
Keep in mind, the stimulus package (yes, I know…) will allow businesses to deduct up to $250,000 for purchases like computers through December 31, 2009. Now is the time to consult with your accountant to see if you can take advantage of this perk. View the Forbes article here.
Starting with your computer hardware…what kind of a computer do you need? How much memory? RAM? What kind of driver? Processor? Graphics card? The list is endless. If you are now asking yourself, what?! The wrong answer is to go to your local Best Buy and pick up the recommendation of the Geek Squad. Deciding which components you need is the foundation for getting started. We all know about foundations! Build on a solid one!!! Hence, DELL has everything you need. When I say “everything”, I am talking about hardware, operating software, and most importantly, support. No need to guess. Go to www.dell.com and browse around. Once you have familiarized yourself with the products, call 1-800-WWW-DELL. The representative will walk you through your order and will recommend only what you need.
Keep in mind, what you need today will likely not be what you need two to three years from now. Leave room for future upgrades.
Do not forget the support package. Dell Pro Support is without a doubt the best purchase I have made in the last year. Do you look at your computer and wish it would process faster? Ever receive errors that do not allow you to use your software properly and continuously? Do you find that you are always turning off your computer in hopes that it will reset itself and finally work like a dream? The waiting and wondering is now over! Within two minutes, literally, of calling Dell Pro Support, a competent computer support specialists, who truly knows computers and how to fix technical problems, will answer your call. He or she will be physically located in Nashville, Idaho, or Oklahoma. The support specialist will not be reading an algorithm! What a novel thought?! Instead, the specialist will listen to the problem and will fix it! That’s it – no additional fees, no transferring of calls from one department to another, and no escalation to someone who is qualified to read Book #2 of the algorithm! What a novel thought.
Dell Pro Support is truly worth its weight in gold!
Now for BlackBerry…Being able to have access to email instantaneously allows for efficiency throughout the day. No longer do you need to wait until you are seated at your computer to review your emails and finally respond. Now, you simply respond instantaneously. Even if you do not respond, at least you will know what awaits you in your Inbox. There will be no more surprises! Furthermore, BlackBerry has its own Instant Messenger. This allows instant text messaging to others using a BlackBerry and allows for group conversations. There are many additional services and applications at your fingertips. Are you on Twitter? Get the TwitterBerry application and post to Twitter directly from your Blackberry. Are you subscribing to RSS feeds? Have them delivered directly to your handheld! This is just the beginning…take a look at all the available applications here!
A surgeon cannot make an incision without a scalpel. A dull scalpel does not “cut it”.
Your information technology “tools” are the keys to your online success. Accessibility and reliability are as good as gold!
Comments or suggestions? Let us know!
(Disclaimer: Get Online Solutions, LLC has no affiliation with DELL or BlackBerry. The above comments are entirely unsolicited.)