Technology
Software as a service (SaaS)
- Details Category: Software
I had several folks submit questions via the Nov 13th webinar I performed at this site wanting to know my opinion on SaaS. While web-based contact management is fine, I’m not a huge fan of it for document management – see my thoughts below. I like to serve out documents securely via the web to others who need access to files (e.g., clients, satellite offices, remote users), and there is a variety of ways to achieve this including a SaaS model. Bottom line, decision making should be based on the goals of the individual firm to find the best suited technology match.
My feelin
Microsoft Email Tools for Advisors in 2010
- Details Category: Advisor Applications
Microsoft is attempting to compete with Google Apps for Business with its new Exchange Server 2010, part of its unified communications strategy. The Google Apps allure is certainly a low cost of entry, well known ease of use, collaboration tools and Postini email archiving.
As a disclosure, I use Google Apps for Business myself, and am quite satisfied with the functionality. My only wish list item for now is for Google to integrate Google Voice, which I covered in a recent article.
Google Voice an Intriguing Option as Practice Communication Tool
- Details Category: Phones
One area of practice and operations technology that is somewhat “under-discussed” or under utilized is the phone system. Not that advisors and their teams do not leverage interesting services in conjunction with their traditional phones - think CopyTalk, Jott and other voice to text services. However - many firms are limited either by budget or by the need for more comprehensive functionality.
One service that may be intriguing to advisor practices is Google Voice. Currently - Google Voice is in beta and is free except for international calling. For international use a user
Videos Showing Three CRM Workflow Engines
- Details Category: Advisor Applications
At this afternoon’s webinar at 4 p.m. ET, Blane Warrene, an operations consultant, talked about how advisory firms can embed their processes in their CRM.
Windows 7 and Your Practice
- Details Category: Software
This past August, I had been conducting testing and research for a practice on the use of Windows 7. It was timely, as Investment News at the time had also covered the forthcoming new operating system (OS) from Microsoft.
I had been using Windows 7 for about 30 days on my own evaluation PC when I commenced the testing in August - and have continued its use through the public release almost two weeks ago. I have been pleasantly surprised - which could be considered significant since all of my primary machines are Macs.
It has always been a practice of mine to maintain a Windows-based PC a
