7 Steps to Cutting Costs in Your Business

As a fellow business owner, I understand the importance of maximizing profits and cutting costs to grow a company. That is why all of the business computer consulting services we offer are designed to help our client's bottom line.

This week's Business Computing Tip is a little different - dedicated to other ways you can save money at the workplace to free up resources for more useful places.

Consider these 7 tips the next time you are balancing your budget:

1. Migrating to laptop computers. Laptop computers consume approximately 90% less energy than standard desktop computers. Whenever possible, have your employees make the switch to laptops.
   
2. Printer ink alternatives. Are you paying retail prices for your printer ink? Refilling your used cartridges (once) at places like Cartridge World, and buying recycled cartridges online can save you almost 50% off the suggested retail price.
   
3. Evaluate your phone systems and usage. It's never too late to take a close look at your current phone plan and comparing your usage. Many times, business owners can reduce the number of lines they have or switch to an Internet-based phone system such as VoIP to reduce the costs of their bill.
   
4. Review your weekly spending. If you find yourself buying office supplies once a week, consider the benefits of buying in bulk once a month. Run a quick cost comparison to see how much you could save by simply re-arranging your buying procedures.
   
5. Hiring interns. Many colleges run a college credit program for internships. Simply contact the careers department and ask for information regarding their business partnership and intern programs. They are always on the lookout for opportunities for their students to work as interns in exchange for college credit.
   
6. Turn off the lights. Turning off the lights in unused areas in your office workspace can greatly reduce your monthly electric bill.
   
7. Leverage unused office space. If you have available space in your office that you do not actively use, consider subletting the space out. Sharing the rent and not paying for unused space are two great points to bring to the attention of your landlord.

We'd love to hear YOUR suggestions on thsi topic - Post your ideas in the COMMENTS below...

Upgrading Your Computer on a Budget

Replacing slow, obsolete parts in your computer can sometimes be a lot cheaper than buying a new one, and extend the life of your current PC for many more years. Many times, just a few small upgrades can make a world of difference in your computer's speed and overall performance.

You can achieve the most performance boost by upgrading your computer RAM, video card, and/or hard drive. But -- before you decide whether an upgrade is the right choice for your computer, you'll want to find out what hardware or software your computer currently has. We recommend that you download and run a free software tool called Belarc Advisor. Belarc Advisor will generate a quick report with all your hardware and software components listed.

Once you have your report generated, you are welcome to give us a call (847-348-3489) for a free consultation and we'll be happy to go over the list with you and explain which upgrade options would provide the biggest "bang for your buck."

Here is a quick overview of the main upgrade options to consider:

1. Upgrading your RAM
   RAM is often the cheapest and most significant upgrade you can give your computer. If your computer is older, it may have less than 1GB of RAM currently installed. This currently allows your computer to operate at only a fraction of it's overall capability. Upgrading to up to 4GB of RAM may increase speeds tremendously.
2. Upgrading your Video Card
   If you, or members of your family, enjoy playing PC games, you will want to consider upgrading your computer's video card. It's quite possible that your current computer only has onboard video graphics, which is placing a great deal of processing burden on your motherboard. Upgrading to an advanced video card (which is separate from the motherboard) will improve the speed of your computer.
3. Upgrading Your Hard Drive
   If your current hard drive has low storage space left, you should upgrade to a larger drive. Having more space will make your hard drive run cooler and work less. If you're low on space, your hard drive will bog your computer speeds down as it struggles to manage and move around your data. But more than that, the Hard Drive is a MECHANICAL device, and it wears down over time (due to fritcion), resulting in slower access to data and programs. Cloning your hard drive is best done BEFORE your run into problems.
4. Upgrading Your Power Supply
   Most power supplies that ship with name brand computers are cheap, generic and ineffective at keeping your computer running cool. Upgrading to a modular power supply will more effectively pull hot air out of the computer case. The cooler your PC, the faster it will run.
5. Upgrading Your Operating System
   If you're running Windows XP or Vista, it's time to consider upgrading to Windows 7. Windows 7 is easier on your system, more secure, more robust, and faster than all of it's predecessors. (see our earlier post on "Can my PC run Windows 7?")
6. Upgrading Your Computer Monitor
   If you have an older computer monitor, you should consider upgrading to a large 20" HD monitor. Your experience with your computer and the internet will change dramatically and you'll find it more enjoyable.

With our fragile economy, sometimes upgrading your computer is the best option for extending the life of your PC and improving overall performance. If you're considering any possible upgrades, we are happy to discuss your options further to help you make an intelligent decision that will reap you benefits for years to come.

Give us a call at 847-348-3489 or email MAX Communications

Five Tips For Going Green With Technology in the Workplace

Now that computers have become just a vital part of the workplace, it's important to consider ways we can conserve energy. After all, every little bit counts. Not only will you save on your utility and maintenance bills, but you will also be contributing to the greater good of society.

The following are 5 tips you can implement right now to go green with technology in your workplace:

1. Remember to use your power management features on all computers. Set a company-wide policy that staff members place their computers into sleep mode when they are sitting idle. This should be done during breaks in the work day, as well as at the end of the day when it is time to go home.  If you use Intel VPro Network Cards, you can actually send a manageed control to "Shut Down" and "Wake Up" your network workstations on a scheduled basis.  (Ask us how - MAX Communications 847-348-3489)
2. Use Uninterruptable Power Supplies (UPS) or PowerSaver Power Strips on all of your electronic components (stop "power vampires"). Power supplies help regulate the flow of electricity to your devices and save from much of the leakage that can occur from plugging devices directly into the wall.
3. Purchase Energy Star-rated Computers, Monitors, and Printers. A little research goes a long way. The next time you go to make a PC purchase, look for the Energy Star rating. This will tell you that the computer uses less power and will lesson the load on the environment.
4. Detox your computers the next time you make a PC purchase. There are many chemicals in computers; however, several can (and should) be avoided at all costs. The first chemical to watch out for is lead. Other chemicals to avoid include mercury, Brominated Flame Retardants (BFR), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), cadmium, hexavalent, chromium, Polybrominated Biphenyl (PBB), and Pentabromodiphenyl Ether (PBDE). Look for a hazardous material use policy on the manufacturer's website that you are looking to make a purchase from. It will take just a couple minutes of your time to research which brand to choose, and your decision to purchase green will help the fight to convince any reluctant manufacturer's to change their ways.
5. Look for green buying guides. There are multitudes of websites online that are designed to help you make smart, green technology purchasing decisions. http://www.thedailygreen.com/ is a great place to start. 

If you know of others, we'd like to share - post them in a COMMENT below...

Top 10 Keyboard Shortcuts

Computer keyboard shortcuts are designed to save you valuable time and productivity. Yet, many computer users opt to stick to long-form commands, because they are afraid it will take too long to memorize shortcut combinations.

The truth is, memorizing shortcut commands is easy and will eliminate unnecessary steps. Your hand muscles and cartilage will not have to work as hard and you will free up more time than you may think.

In this week's post, we've decided to feature our list of the top 10 keyboard shortcut commands we believe will be the most useful to you:

1. Ctrl + F
   This command opens the Find function in any program you are using. This includes your Internet browser as well to find text on a page.
   
2. Alt + Tab or Alt + Esc
   This command quickly switches between open programs moving forward. Pressing Ctrl + Tab will switch between tabs in a program. Adding the Shift key to Alt + Tab or Ctrl + Tab will move backwards.
   
   If you are using Windows Vista or 7, you can press the Windows Key + Tab to switch through open programs in a full screenshot of the Window.
   
3. Ctrl + C or Ctrl + Insert
   This command copy's the highlighted text or selected item.
   
4. Ctrl + V or Shift + Insert
   Use this command to paste the text you've copied from the clipboard to the spot your cursor is resting.
   
5. Ctrl + Z and Ctrl + Y
   This command will undo any change you've just made. For example, if you paste text, pressing this command will undo that paste. Usually, you can press this command multiple times to continue to undo previous commands further and further back in the order they were performed. Pressing Ctrl + Y will redo the undo.
   
6. Ctrl + Left arrow / Right arrow
   Use this command to move your cursor one word at a time instead of one character at a time. To highlight one word at a time, hold down Ctrl + Shift and then press the left or right arrow key to move one word at a time in that direction.
   
7. Ctrl + Backspace
   Press this command to delete a full word at a time instead of a single character at a time.
   
8. Ctrl + P
   This command will print the page you are currently viewing. This includes programs such as Microsoft Word and your Internet browsers.
   
9. Ctrl + Home / End
   Use this command to move your cursor to the beginning or the end of your current document.
   
10. Page Up / Spacebar and Page Down / Spacebar
    These commands will move your current document in either direction one full page at a time. When browsing the Internet, these commands will move your scrollbar one full page at a time in the direction you indicate.
    

These commands are easy to learn, and will save you a lot of time throughout your day. Every second that you waste in unnecessary steps adds up to minutes, hours, and days throughout the years you use your computer. Taking a few minutes to learn these commands now is well worth the investment for the long term.

If you are interested in our "Personal Computer Tutor" program that is customized for YOUR needs, give MAX Communications a call to setup a free consultation. 847-348-3489