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<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" media="screen" href="/~d/styles/rss2full.xsl"?><?xml-stylesheet type="text/css" media="screen" href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~d/styles/itemcontent.css"?><rss xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:openSearch="http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearch/1.1/" xmlns:georss="http://www.georss.org/georss" xmlns:gd="http://schemas.google.com/g/2005" xmlns:thr="http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0" xmlns:feedburner="http://rssnamespace.org/feedburner/ext/1.0" version="2.0"><channel><atom:id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349793799221791597</atom:id><lastBuildDate>Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:55:14 +0000</lastBuildDate><category>Social Media</category><category>IPv6</category><category>technology</category><category>Internet</category><category>Broadband</category><category>budget</category><category>Best</category><category>process</category><category>customer service</category><category>SIP</category><category>strategy</category><category>small business</category><category>Newsletter</category><category>improvement</category><category>Security</category><category>Safe Browsing</category><category>Phone</category><category>Local Provider</category><category>Spyware</category><category>Blogging</category><category>NetZette</category><category>Piracy</category><category>Browsing</category><category>VoIP</category><category>planning</category><category>Virus</category><category>IPv4</category><category>network</category><category>Efficiency</category><category>Prevention</category><category>Law</category><category>Facebook</category><category>SOPA</category><category>Managed Service Provider</category><title>Georgia Business Net</title><description>Premium Customer Service - Business Phone, Business Internet, VoIP, Local Data Center, Web/Email Hosting - Augusta, GA &amp;amp; The CSRA</description><link>http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/</link><managingEditor>noreply@blogger.com (Georgia Business Net)</managingEditor><generator>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>20</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><atom10:link xmlns:atom10="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/GeorgiaBusinessNet" /><feedburner:info uri="georgiabusinessnet" /><atom10:link xmlns:atom10="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" rel="hub" href="http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/" /><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349793799221791597.post-43163960279069828</guid><pubDate>Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:55:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2012-01-18T08:55:14.262-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">SOPA</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Piracy</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Law</category><title>What Techs ( &amp; Google) are talking about - SOPA</title><description>&lt;!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;&lt;xml&gt;  &lt;w:WordDocument&gt;   &lt;w:View&gt;Normal&lt;/w:View&gt;   &lt;w:Zoom&gt;0&lt;/w:Zoom&gt;   &lt;w:TrackMoves/&gt;   &lt;w:TrackFormatting/&gt;   &lt;w:PunctuationKerning/&gt;   &lt;w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/&gt;   &lt;w:SaveIfXMLInvalid&gt;false&lt;/w:SaveIfXMLInvalid&gt;   &lt;w:IgnoreMixedContent&gt;false&lt;/w:IgnoreMixedContent&gt;   &lt;w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText&gt;false&lt;/w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText&gt;   &lt;w:DoNotPromoteQF/&gt;   &lt;w:LidThemeOther&gt;EN-US&lt;/w:LidThemeOther&gt;   &lt;w:LidThemeAsian&gt;X-NONE&lt;/w:LidThemeAsian&gt;   &lt;w:LidThemeComplexScript&gt;X-NONE&lt;/w:LidThemeComplexScript&gt;   &lt;w:Compatibility&gt;    &lt;w:BreakWrappedTables/&gt;    &lt;w:SnapToGridInCell/&gt;    &lt;w:WrapTextWithPunct/&gt;    &lt;w:UseAsianBreakRules/&gt;    &lt;w:DontGrowAutofit/&gt;    &lt;w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/&gt;    &lt;w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/&gt;    &lt;w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/&gt;    &lt;w:OverrideTableStyleHps/&gt;   &lt;/w:Compatibility&gt;   &lt;w:BrowserLevel&gt;MicrosoftInternetExplorer4&lt;/w:BrowserLevel&gt;   &lt;m:mathPr&gt;    &lt;m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/&gt;    &lt;m:brkBin m:val="before"/&gt;    &lt;m:brkBinSub m:val="&amp;#45;-"/&gt;    &lt;m:smallFrac m:val="off"/&gt;    &lt;m:dispDef/&gt;    &lt;m:lMargin m:val="0"/&gt;    &lt;m:rMargin m:val="0"/&gt;    &lt;m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/&gt;    &lt;m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/&gt;    &lt;m:intLim m:val="subSup"/&gt;    &lt;m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/&gt;   &lt;/m:mathPr&gt;&lt;/w:WordDocument&gt; &lt;/xml&gt;&lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;&lt;xml&gt;  &lt;w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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&lt;div class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: &amp;quot;Calibri&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;; font-size: 11pt;"&gt;Google has changed its logo today - Big Clash going on against SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) - Congress Votes Soon.&amp;nbsp; What's your opinion?&amp;nbsp; One Story shared here -&amp;nbsp; &lt;a href="http://bit.ly/zTc9uz"&gt;http://bit.ly/zTc9uz&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5349793799221791597-43163960279069828?l=gabusinessnet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~4/iu1p14i6-UI" height="1" width="1"/&gt;</description><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~3/iu1p14i6-UI/what-techs-google-are-talking-about.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Georgia Business Net)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total><feedburner:origLink>http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/2012/01/what-techs-google-are-talking-about.html</feedburner:origLink></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349793799221791597.post-8556610981423836329</guid><pubDate>Fri, 03 Jun 2011 11:25:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2011-06-03T07:25:00.185-04:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">strategy</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">small business</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Broadband</category><title>Small Business Recognition, The Economy, &amp; High Speed Internet</title><description>&lt;div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"&gt;"American small businesses are key drivers of innovation, economic  growth and job creation. Small businesses employ more than half of all  private sector workers, and they have generated about two-thirds of net  new jobs over the past fifteen years. And small businesses drive  innovation.  Small firms produce 13 times more patents per employee than  large ones."&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"&gt;"Broadband and information technology is  increasingly important to the success of our economy, to jobs and to the  future of small business. Broadband connectivity and online business  tools enable small businesses to grow and jobs to be created anywhere.  They allow small businesses to market their products and reach customers  in the next neighborhood, the next city, the next state, and even  overseas."&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"&gt;"A recent study found that having a broadband  connection makes a $200,000 a year difference in median annual revenues  for businesses, by helping them reach new markets and increasing  productivity."&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: left;"&gt;That's straight from the FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski last week.&amp;nbsp; We agree with those statements, which have been incorporated into the vision of our company for years.&amp;nbsp; We are pleased to participate, be a part of that success, and help others achieve success.&amp;nbsp; As the broadband network and technologies evolve, we want to seize opportunities that help improve your business's bottom line.&amp;nbsp; Spread the word... start a conversation...&amp;nbsp; tell the stories of what our local small businesses can do!&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5349793799221791597-8556610981423836329?l=gabusinessnet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~4/ybQyzrJXmKY" height="1" width="1"/&gt;</description><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~3/ybQyzrJXmKY/small-business-recognition-economy-high.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Georgia Business Net)</author><feedburner:origLink>http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/2011/06/small-business-recognition-economy-high.html</feedburner:origLink></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349793799221791597.post-8731332441993522424</guid><pubDate>Fri, 27 May 2011 15:11:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2011-05-27T11:11:45.546-04:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">strategy</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Managed Service Provider</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">customer service</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">VoIP</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">budget</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">small business</category><title>The Diminished Value of I.T. ?</title><description>&lt;div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;The rules and technology changed!  Many are saying all I.T. and communications companies are the same.  Seen one … seen them all.  Is that true today?  Given the choice between Provider A and Provider B, there is no differentiating value? Are you about to make an I.T. commitment to a new server, a new phone system, or cloud computing?  And you think all of these choices provide about the same value?&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;&lt;xml&gt;  &lt;o:OfficeDocumentSettings&gt;   &lt;o:AllowPNG/&gt;  &lt;/o:OfficeDocumentSettings&gt; &lt;/xml&gt;&lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;&lt;xml&gt;  &lt;w:WordDocument&gt;   &lt;w:View&gt;Normal&lt;/w:View&gt;   &lt;w:Zoom&gt;0&lt;/w:Zoom&gt;   &lt;w:TrackMoves/&gt;   &lt;w:TrackFormatting/&gt;   &lt;w:PunctuationKerning/&gt;   &lt;w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/&gt;   &lt;w:SaveIfXMLInvalid&gt;false&lt;/w:SaveIfXMLInvalid&gt;   &lt;w:IgnoreMixedContent&gt;false&lt;/w:IgnoreMixedContent&gt;   &lt;w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText&gt;false&lt;/w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText&gt;   &lt;w:DoNotPromoteQF/&gt;   &lt;w:LidThemeOther&gt;EN-US&lt;/w:LidThemeOther&gt;   &lt;w:LidThemeAsian&gt;X-NONE&lt;/w:LidThemeAsian&gt;   &lt;w:LidThemeComplexScript&gt;X-NONE&lt;/w:LidThemeComplexScript&gt;   &lt;w:Compatibility&gt;    &lt;w:BreakWrappedTables/&gt;    &lt;w:SnapToGridInCell/&gt;    &lt;w:WrapTextWithPunct/&gt;    &lt;w:UseAsianBreakRules/&gt;    &lt;w:DontGrowAutofit/&gt;    &lt;w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/&gt;    &lt;w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/&gt;    &lt;w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/&gt;    &lt;w:OverrideTableStyleHps/&gt;   &lt;/w:Compatibility&gt;   &lt;m:mathPr&gt;    &lt;m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/&gt;    &lt;m:brkBin m:val="before"/&gt;    &lt;m:brkBinSub m:val="&amp;#45;-"/&gt;    &lt;m:smallFrac m:val="off"/&gt;    &lt;m:dispDef/&gt;    &lt;m:lMargin m:val="0"/&gt;    &lt;m:rMargin m:val="0"/&gt;    &lt;m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/&gt;    &lt;m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/&gt;    &lt;m:intLim m:val="subSup"/&gt;    &lt;m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/&gt;   &lt;/m:mathPr&gt;&lt;/w:WordDocument&gt; &lt;/xml&gt;&lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;&lt;xml&gt;  &lt;w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/&gt;  &lt;/w:LatentStyles&gt; &lt;/xml&gt;&lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 10]&gt; &lt;style&gt;
 /* Style Definitions */
 table.MsoNormalTable
 {mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
 mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
 mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
 mso-style-noshow:yes;
 mso-style-priority:99;
 mso-style-parent:"";
 mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
 mso-para-margin-top:0in;
 mso-para-margin-right:0in;
 mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
 mso-para-margin-left:0in;
 line-height:115%;
 mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
 font-size:11.0pt;
 font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
 mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
 mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
 mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
 mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
&lt;/style&gt; &lt;![endif]--&gt;  &lt;div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="line-height: 115%;"&gt;Not knowing your true costs in this economy could lead to lost opportunities!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;&lt;xml&gt;  &lt;o:OfficeDocumentSettings&gt;   &lt;o:AllowPNG/&gt;  &lt;/o:OfficeDocumentSettings&gt; &lt;/xml&gt;&lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;&lt;xml&gt;  &lt;w:WordDocument&gt;   &lt;w:View&gt;Normal&lt;/w:View&gt;   &lt;w:Zoom&gt;0&lt;/w:Zoom&gt;   &lt;w:TrackMoves/&gt;   &lt;w:TrackFormatting/&gt;   &lt;w:PunctuationKerning/&gt;   &lt;w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/&gt;   &lt;w:SaveIfXMLInvalid&gt;false&lt;/w:SaveIfXMLInvalid&gt;   &lt;w:IgnoreMixedContent&gt;false&lt;/w:IgnoreMixedContent&gt;   &lt;w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText&gt;false&lt;/w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText&gt;   &lt;w:DoNotPromoteQF/&gt;   &lt;w:LidThemeOther&gt;EN-US&lt;/w:LidThemeOther&gt;   &lt;w:LidThemeAsian&gt;X-NONE&lt;/w:LidThemeAsian&gt;   &lt;w:LidThemeComplexScript&gt;X-NONE&lt;/w:LidThemeComplexScript&gt;   &lt;w:Compatibility&gt;    &lt;w:BreakWrappedTables/&gt;    &lt;w:SnapToGridInCell/&gt;    &lt;w:WrapTextWithPunct/&gt;    &lt;w:UseAsianBreakRules/&gt;    &lt;w:DontGrowAutofit/&gt;    &lt;w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/&gt;    &lt;w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/&gt;    &lt;w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/&gt;    &lt;w:OverrideTableStyleHps/&gt;   &lt;/w:Compatibility&gt;   &lt;m:mathPr&gt;    &lt;m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/&gt;    &lt;m:brkBin m:val="before"/&gt;    &lt;m:brkBinSub m:val="&amp;#45;-"/&gt;    &lt;m:smallFrac m:val="off"/&gt;    &lt;m:dispDef/&gt;    &lt;m:lMargin m:val="0"/&gt;    &lt;m:rMargin m:val="0"/&gt;    &lt;m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/&gt;    &lt;m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/&gt;    &lt;m:intLim m:val="subSup"/&gt;    &lt;m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/&gt;   &lt;/m:mathPr&gt;&lt;/w:WordDocument&gt; &lt;/xml&gt;&lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;&lt;xml&gt;  &lt;w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
  DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
  LatentStyleCount="267"&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
   UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/&gt;   &lt;w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/&gt;  &lt;/w:LatentStyles&gt; &lt;/xml&gt;&lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 10]&gt; &lt;style&gt;
 /* Style Definitions */
 table.MsoNormalTable
 {mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
 mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
 mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
 mso-style-noshow:yes;
 mso-style-priority:99;
 mso-style-parent:"";
 mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
 mso-para-margin-top:0in;
 mso-para-margin-right:0in;
 mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
 mso-para-margin-left:0in;
 line-height:115%;
 mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
 font-size:11.0pt;
 font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
 mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
 mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
 mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
 mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
&lt;/style&gt; &lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;span style="line-height: 115%;"&gt;With thousands of VoIP, Hosting, and I.T. companies in North America, getting a tech business started is easier than ever!&lt;span&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;Numerous reseller programs exists that require no training.&lt;span&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;Direct Mail Campaigns, prepared by equipment manufacturers, could be headed to thousands of potential customers today - all with your new logo on them. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;span style="line-height: 115%;"&gt;True story: I received the same postcard from six different companies last week.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;span style="line-height: 115%;"&gt;If I.T. and Next Generation Communications present little or no strategic value to your business, I would agree that all companies and vendors are equal.&lt;span&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;The real answer, of course, is that many I.T.&lt;span&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;and Next Generation Communication Companies put in the hard work, time, and effort to provide your business with useful evaluations and information based upon years of experience and education.&lt;span&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;Your business can then, in turn, continuously improve decision making related to processes, communications, and productivity knowing the underlying knowledge was created from a credible source.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="line-height: 115%;"&gt;Is your trusted adviser sufficiently motivated to find the right solution for your business?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;span style="line-height: 115%;"&gt;A talented and experienced technology company will be able to help business owners and decision makers choose the best solutions for the needs of the organization.&lt;span&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;If your technology adviser lacks experience, training, financial stability, and accountability – what does the conversation sound like when you are faced with a capital expense solution of $120,000 versus an operating expense solution of $1,200 per month?&lt;span&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;Shared versus Dedicated?&lt;span&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;Premise versus Hosted?&lt;span&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;What kind of financial impact exists over the next three to six years?&lt;span&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;span style="line-height: 115%;"&gt;In most organizations, capital investment is limited.&lt;span&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;All companies want to direct their limited&lt;span&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;investment opportunities towards revenue generating projects.&lt;span&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;A wrong move leads to lost opportunity.&lt;span&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;(Be prepared – shameless plug coming up)&lt;span&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;Since 1995,&lt;span&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;Georgia Business Net has been advising and providing trusted solutions to organizations large and small throughout nine states in the southeast.&lt;span&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;We want to work with you and your partners with a goal of being your LAST technology solution provider.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5349793799221791597-8731332441993522424?l=gabusinessnet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~4/1MT8Cv6shpU" height="1" width="1"/&gt;</description><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~3/1MT8Cv6shpU/diminished-value-of-it.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Georgia Business Net)</author><feedburner:origLink>http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/2011/05/diminished-value-of-it.html</feedburner:origLink></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349793799221791597.post-7379956031747969103</guid><pubDate>Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:53:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2010-08-25T15:53:03.050-04:00</atom:updated><title>The Bottom Line:  Thanks</title><description>There is no better place than this public forum to say thanks to those who make it possible for Georgia Business Net.  I want to send out a “thank you” to our customers, and a “thank you” to our staff.  This summer has treated us well, but not without our staff’s great effort.  We’ve got our sights set on great things ahead, but that is not to say some praise isn’t due as we see some progress and a milestone or two in our rear view mirror.  Nothing pleases me more than to hear stories from clients that contain words like “above and beyond.”  The innovative ideas to help a client, the stretching and striving for a continuous improvement in our processes and products, make it awesome and fun to come to work each day.  And yes, this is all true in spite of what we hear about the economy.  Opportunity exists to succeed in every economy.  And regardless of how challenging the landscape, I work around people that ignore the news and press on towards our goals.  Because of people that care about the big picture,  I work in an inspiring environment that motivates and breeds success.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5349793799221791597-7379956031747969103?l=gabusinessnet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~4/FBIiOpUIP-g" height="1" width="1"/&gt;</description><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~3/FBIiOpUIP-g/bottom-line-thanks.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Georgia Business Net)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total><feedburner:origLink>http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/2010/08/bottom-line-thanks.html</feedburner:origLink></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349793799221791597.post-4471584716270145405</guid><pubDate>Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:22:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2010-08-04T11:23:32.029-04:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Spyware</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Security</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Virus</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Prevention</category><title>Latest Tips for Virus Avoidance</title><description>We have all been there, and there is no doubt we will all be there again.&amp;nbsp; It's inevitable that our Internet connected devices will get infected and spread viruses.&amp;nbsp; New vulnerabilities occur every day, and not everyone is proactive in playing defense utilizing anti-spyware and anti-virus protection.&amp;nbsp; Here are some excerpts and my related comments from a TechRepublic blogger to build awareness and to help any user avoid viruses and spyware:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;i&gt;"Oh, the deck is stacked. Don’t think for a minute it’s not. As a technology professional responsible for securing office networks, workstations, and servers from viruses, spyware, adware, Trojans, and other malware infections, I can tell you that the situation is only getting worse.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;i&gt;A Computer Economics report showed that annual worldwide malware expenses increased by $10 billion (to $13 billion) over a recent 10-year span. Google Research suggests that one in every 10 Web sites is infected with “drive-by” malware. "&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
With that kind of growth, the IT staff has an uphill battle in informing users of threats and performing preventive maintenance.&amp;nbsp; Posting these tips around the office or distributing them in an email is a great way to pass the word to end users.&amp;nbsp; Take back a part of that $13 billion!&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
1.&amp;nbsp; Install Quality Anti-Virus &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The best software packages on the market will give the user the ability to update frequently throughout the day.&amp;nbsp; As the vulnerabilities are revealed, the user will be protected in near real time.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
2.&amp;nbsp; Install real-time anti-spyware protection&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The best protection is one that checks as the user browses around the Internet.&amp;nbsp; Prevention is always a better strategy than detection and removal.&amp;nbsp; Most free versions only allow detection and removal.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
3.&amp;nbsp; Keep All Software Packages Current&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For security purposes, this is not a bad idea.&amp;nbsp; I understand that for operational purposes there are times where compatibility issues prevent immediate updates.&amp;nbsp; For those of you with these obstacles, please consult a technology professional for an alternate strategy and response.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
4.&amp;nbsp; Setup Daily Scans&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Even real time active anti-malware engines will fail and your system will get infected.&amp;nbsp; Daily scans will allow all of the running processes and system files to be analyzed, which could lead to isolation and/or automatic removal of a "sleeping" threat.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
5.&amp;nbsp; Disable autorun&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Users most certainly will have some autorun features turned on for convenience.&amp;nbsp; A good example is when a user connects a USB Thumb Drive and the routine task starts automatically.&amp;nbsp; This is a great way for a virus to propagate to the connected drive. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;i&gt;"Computer users can disable the Windows autorun feature by following Microsoft’s recommendations, which differ by operating system. Microsoft Knowledge Base articles 967715 and 967940 are frequently referenced for this purpose. "&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
6.&amp;nbsp; Disable image previews in Outlook&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Automatically downloading images received in Outlook opens the door for a user to be automatically infected.&amp;nbsp; Many Windows features are convenient, but can result in unintended security breaches.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
7.&amp;nbsp; Don't click on email links or attachments&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Professional grade anti-malware software can help protect the user by scanning the link ahead of browser download.&amp;nbsp; As a best practice, always try to manually navigate to the sites by opening a browser first and then typing in a link.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
8.&amp;nbsp; Surf Smart&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;nbsp;If the user has software that has phishing filters, link scanners, pop-up blockers, make use of all the tools.&amp;nbsp; If the user arrives at a website by manually typing the link, it is most likely okay to enter his/her user name and password.&amp;nbsp; If an online banking website appears automatically via pop-up window, close the browser immediately and avoid entering any personal data.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;i&gt;"But even manual entry isn’t foolproof. Hence the justification for step 10: Deploy DNS protection. More on that in a moment."&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
9.&amp;nbsp; Use a hardware-based firewall&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A separate device other than a user's PC is the best defense.&amp;nbsp; My general philosophy is that there is safety in numbers and diversity.&amp;nbsp; Whether it is investing in the stock market or computer security, having options is not a bad idea.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
10.&amp;nbsp; Deploy DNS Protection&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Our technicians have seen this a number of times right here at home for our customers.&amp;nbsp; Certain viruses like to translate friendly website names like Google or Yahoo and redirect the PC to malicious websites.&amp;nbsp; This is an advanced topic for the average user.&amp;nbsp; However, I would suggest to your company to consider talking with an IT professional about an implementation strategy if this is a concern for your organization.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If you are interested in reading the entire article (Yes, there is more, I actually shortened it with my comments),&amp;nbsp; it is available &lt;a href="http://bit.ly/9lMOU5"&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taking care of this yourself has become quite a burden.&amp;nbsp; Outsourcing your IT work to a company that focuses on monitoring and prevention is certainly a way for you to take a rest and focus on your business and core competency.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5349793799221791597-4471584716270145405?l=gabusinessnet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~4/1ewIk8tfdb8" height="1" width="1"/&gt;</description><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~3/1ewIk8tfdb8/latest-tips-for-virus-avoidance.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Georgia Business Net)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total><feedburner:origLink>http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/2010/08/latest-tips-for-virus-avoidance.html</feedburner:origLink></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349793799221791597.post-4062685878422782425</guid><pubDate>Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:43:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2010-06-24T10:43:46.231-04:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Local Provider</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">customer service</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">small business</category><title>The New Economic Value</title><description>&amp;nbsp;In the old economy you wanted "value" from all of your vendors, right?&amp;nbsp; In the old economy, we all said we wanted value, but did we really mean it?&amp;nbsp; Now, more than ever, I am finding that many small businesses are looking for better ways to do business with vendors.&amp;nbsp; Seemingly for the first time, I am seeing innovative thinking applied to every aspect of small business, including the purchasing process.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
What specific change precipitated us all to take a second look at value?&amp;nbsp; In our industry, I believe massive layoffs at larger companies changed the overall value of their products and services.&amp;nbsp; I have not concluded if the value change was intentional.&amp;nbsp; Would you intentionally "layoff" a valuable asset?&amp;nbsp; Regardless of the strategy, I believe in most cases value declined, while the cost of the product remained the same.&amp;nbsp; (That leads me to believe: the results were strategic and intentional - the bottom line staying the same and/or increasing was the ultimate goal)&amp;nbsp; Have you found that you are receiving less service, doing more work, and yet the costs remained the same?&amp;nbsp; If you lead an organization or run a small business, have you started asking questions like:&amp;nbsp; How does this organization become more valuable?&amp;nbsp; What is stopping us from setting the standard of becoming the most valuable ________ (fill in the blank of your product or service)?&amp;nbsp; Georgia Business Net's vision is to be your LAST Phone &amp;amp; Internet Solution Provider.&amp;nbsp; If we are going to be the LAST, we had better be valuable.&amp;nbsp; I hope that with this vision that we have inherently woven the idea of maximum value into our business culture.&amp;nbsp; There is certainly room for us to improve, however I think we are on the right track.&amp;nbsp; I hope some of my vendors are listening to this!&amp;nbsp; Will they take this information and use it?&amp;nbsp; Will you?&lt;br /&gt;
Like many small businesses, there is a customer service gap we fill as your Telecom and Internet vendor.&amp;nbsp; Roles we play like purchasing agent, your turnkey solution provider, your project manager aren't new to our business model.&amp;nbsp; Ten years ago those roles weren't nearly as valuable as they are today.&amp;nbsp; Why?&amp;nbsp; Much to my disbelief, those key roles with our competitors and some of our vendors were some of the first subjected to downsizing.&amp;nbsp; Change is awesome, and all of these changes have led to great innovation and opportunity.&amp;nbsp; I hope your company is taking advantage and seizing the current "gap" opportunities.&amp;nbsp; Maybe I lack logical reasoning, but if you layoff the value, won't your results include a less valuable bottom line?&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5349793799221791597-4062685878422782425?l=gabusinessnet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~4/b422rN7hEP8" height="1" width="1"/&gt;</description><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~3/b422rN7hEP8/new-economic-value.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Georgia Business Net)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total><feedburner:origLink>http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/2010/06/new-economic-value.html</feedburner:origLink></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349793799221791597.post-3906645566881412181</guid><pubDate>Sat, 17 Apr 2010 16:49:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2010-04-17T12:49:23.495-04:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Facebook</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Social Media</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">planning</category><title>Not Another Social Media is Awesome Article</title><description>Why don't you make it &lt;strong&gt;remarkable&lt;/strong&gt;?&amp;nbsp; Why don't you make it &lt;strong&gt;meaningful&lt;/strong&gt;?&amp;nbsp; Whether your vision is for marketing or for actually building relationships, those questions lead to characteristics that will help your social media efforts be more visible and appreciated.&amp;nbsp; Just a hunch here, but I bet those questions could help in the real world too.&amp;nbsp; I'm not an early adopter by computer geek standards, but I do qualify when compared to the general population.&amp;nbsp; However,&amp;nbsp; I was not an early adopter to social media - Facebook, Twitter, etc.&amp;nbsp; Nevertheless, we started dipping our toe into the social media pool last year.&amp;nbsp; Wow, just like many other environments in life, there is noise, spam, and junk mail that have taken on new faces.&amp;nbsp; I understand why.&amp;nbsp; Social media is a low cost way of advertising.&amp;nbsp; Now, I love innovation - especially disruptive innovation!&amp;nbsp; Can you guess my favorite innovative tool of late?&amp;nbsp; The Facebook Filtering tools!&amp;nbsp; I am very grateful for all the relationships I have in life (and in my virtual social media life).&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; However, I&amp;nbsp;never put all my friends on one giant conference call, and expect them to all talk at the same time.&amp;nbsp; Think about that phone call in reverse.&amp;nbsp; I am speaking to all my friends from all areas of life at once.&amp;nbsp; What subject matter interests them all simultaneously?&amp;nbsp; I could not provide value to all of them for very long.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; I am thankful for filtering tools in email, in spam, in the form of Caller ID, but I digress.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; My brief and humble words for you today, have a plan for your social media efforts.&amp;nbsp; The plan should be to provide value to your potential followers, friends, and customers.&amp;nbsp; &lt;strong&gt;Remember, the filter exists&lt;/strong&gt;, and your audience will tune you out if your message is too loud, too often, or meaningless.&amp;nbsp; Before you post, run your own mental filter first&amp;nbsp;and decide if the post is meaningful.&amp;nbsp; &lt;strong&gt;Value is ESPECIALLY important&lt;/strong&gt; if you choose to interconnect and redistribute your content and comments across several mediums.&amp;nbsp; Proceed with caution when using Feedburner, Twitterfeed, and other tools that redistribute your posts everywhere instantly.&amp;nbsp; Think about the users that are following you or that you want following you.&amp;nbsp; If they are devoted long time followers, most likely they subscribe to all your feeds.&amp;nbsp; If you choose to interconnect all feeds and post the same material across all platforms - they will stop listening.&amp;nbsp; Too loud or too often is not an initial problem on startup efforts, however it is a rule of thumb that you shouldn't forget as time passes by.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Social media is awesome, but only if you &lt;strong&gt;choose to make it awesome&lt;/strong&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Once a&amp;nbsp;follower filters you out for being too loud or boring, odds are you will&amp;nbsp;&lt;strong&gt;never&lt;/strong&gt; get them back.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5349793799221791597-3906645566881412181?l=gabusinessnet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~4/wQ48o32kq_k" height="1" width="1"/&gt;</description><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~3/wQ48o32kq_k/not-another-social-media-is-awesome.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Georgia Business Net)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total><feedburner:origLink>http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/2010/04/not-another-social-media-is-awesome.html</feedburner:origLink></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349793799221791597.post-7531498165571682050</guid><pubDate>Wed, 14 Apr 2010 02:09:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2010-04-13T22:09:27.219-04:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Facebook</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Virus</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Safe Browsing</category><title>Stay Alert:  Facebook Dangers</title><description>&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"&gt;While  it is very common for your friends to write on your wall, "&lt;i&gt;You've got to see  this!&lt;/i&gt;” - be aware that not all &lt;span class="SpellE"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt; content is  safe for your PC.&amp;nbsp; We have seen an increase in virus activity on &lt;span class="SpellE"&gt;Facebook&lt;/span&gt; in recent months.&amp;nbsp; Most of the viruses have similar  characteristics including a pop up window that won't go away, advertising for pc  repair, and locking up altogether.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"&gt;Here  are a couple of items to watch for to try to prevent an  infection:&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;ul type="disc"&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"&gt;If  you &lt;b&gt;see&lt;/b&gt;:&amp;nbsp;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;  &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;ul type="circle"&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"&gt;An  external web address or link that you do not recognize...&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;  &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;ul type="square"&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"&gt;What  should you &lt;b&gt;do&lt;/b&gt;?&amp;nbsp; &lt;b&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;  &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;ul type="square"&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"&gt;Don't  Click!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;   &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"&gt;Especially  a very long cryptic looking web address (&lt;span class="SpellE"&gt;a.k.a&lt;/span&gt;  URL)&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"&gt;If  you &lt;b&gt;see&lt;/b&gt;:&amp;nbsp; &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;ul type="circle"&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"&gt;Not so&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"&gt;  &lt;i&gt;tech savvy&lt;/i&gt; Great Aunt Myrtle has sent  you some "awesome web cam shots"&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;  &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;ul type="square"&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"&gt;What  should you &lt;b&gt;do&lt;/b&gt;?&amp;nbsp; &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;ul type="square"&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"&gt;Do  I have to say it?&amp;nbsp; &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;ul type="square"&gt;&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"&gt;Don't  Click!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;   &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"&gt;Even  if it is not a virus, Myrtle and a web cam &lt;span class="GramE"&gt;does&lt;/span&gt; not  sound like a good idea.  &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"&gt;A  cautious eye, always suspicious for malice and fraud, will save you from wasting  time and money on PC repairs.&amp;nbsp;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5349793799221791597-7531498165571682050?l=gabusinessnet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~4/NF_oPxQVMC0" height="1" width="1"/&gt;</description><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~3/NF_oPxQVMC0/stay-alert-facebook-dangers.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Georgia Business Net)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total><feedburner:origLink>http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/2010/04/stay-alert-facebook-dangers.html</feedburner:origLink></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349793799221791597.post-361273228007553760</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Apr 2010 15:29:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2010-04-10T09:29:43.672-04:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">SIP</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Phone</category><title>Did you know...SIP Trunks?</title><description>A SIP trunk is a phone call routed over Internet Protocol using VoIP technology.&amp;nbsp; A SIP trunk can be thought of as a traditional phone line replacement.&amp;nbsp; However, it can be much more.&amp;nbsp; Only recently has the flexibility of SIP trunks started to gain momentum with small and medium size businesses.&amp;nbsp; The delivery of the call is the key to the quality of the call; see our &lt;a href="http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/2009/11/what-you-need-to-know-voip-lesson-1.html"&gt;previous article&lt;/a&gt; to learn more.&amp;nbsp; The flexibility inherently presents its own set of challenges as you, the business owner, set out to purchase a SIP trunk.&amp;nbsp; Why would you buy?&amp;nbsp; What would you buy?&amp;nbsp; A multifaceted buying process is required to take full advantage of all the features.&amp;nbsp; I utilize a checklist to view it from the following perspectives:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The central question is - &lt;b&gt;How will the ___________ see, use, and benefit from this technology change?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;And then I fill in the blank:&lt;/li&gt;

&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;End User&lt;/b&gt;: receptionist, salesperson, call center, my customer...&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;I.T. Staff&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Business Owner &amp;amp; CFO&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;/b&gt;As I view and listen to the different perspectives and wishes of each person(s) affected, a clear picture of the product and its feature set is provided.&amp;nbsp; If the vendor and the customer have the same vision for product design, the benefits typically are:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Efficient Use of product, therefore moving towards a cost savings&lt;/li&gt;

&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Overbuying is eliminated&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Features that aid in higher productivity are put in place&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Evaluations &amp;amp; Metrics are available to enable constant evaluation of needs and new requirements.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Costly Forklift Upgrades are avoided&amp;nbsp; &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;&amp;nbsp;Of all the items you could have read today, I sincerely thank you for reading our blog.&amp;nbsp; We hope this adds value to your technology life and experiences.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5349793799221791597-361273228007553760?l=gabusinessnet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~4/S0LHzJom8YQ" height="1" width="1"/&gt;</description><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~3/S0LHzJom8YQ/did-you-knowsip-trunks.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Georgia Business Net)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total><feedburner:origLink>http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/2010/04/did-you-knowsip-trunks.html</feedburner:origLink></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349793799221791597.post-7577441766078104574</guid><pubDate>Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:03:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2010-03-11T16:03:17.710-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">planning</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">small business</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Efficiency</category><title>Small Business Advice:  Efficiency Tip of the Day</title><description>At every level of life and small business, the details can slow us down.&amp;nbsp; None of us have the time to dig into every aspect of our business to discover the advanced warning signals to prevent problems.&amp;nbsp; What if there was a quick litmus test that would send off early warning signals of business problems?&amp;nbsp; This recent &lt;a href="http://bit.ly/bM8cXh"&gt;article&lt;/a&gt;, by Dan and Chip Heath, tells the story of an unlikely character developing a litmus test for his business.&amp;nbsp; Your small business success story will one day be filled with the details that didn't slow you down.&amp;nbsp; Take time each day to figure out what the most important details are for your life and your business.&amp;nbsp; &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Over the past year, I've enjoyed the Heath Brothers various columns and their best selling book.&amp;nbsp; If you would like to learn more about them, click &lt;a href="http://bit.ly/da4Mxa"&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp; In a world full of massive amounts of information, they are standing out... which is the premise of their first book.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5349793799221791597-7577441766078104574?l=gabusinessnet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~4/COyB_jnlz_A" height="1" width="1"/&gt;</description><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~3/COyB_jnlz_A/small-business-advice-efficiency-tip-of.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Georgia Business Net)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total><feedburner:origLink>http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/2010/03/small-business-advice-efficiency-tip-of.html</feedburner:origLink></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349793799221791597.post-6904191236679542111</guid><pubDate>Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:12:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2010-03-11T14:12:19.934-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Browsing</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Blogging</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Best</category><title>Influence:   The Best the Internet has to Offer</title><description>My recent conversations with friends have centered around the "best" items on the Internet. Stating the obvious... we are truly in the Information Age.&amp;nbsp; Hey Mr. Huxley, it is a Brave New World, but not quite like the one you envisioned - not yet at least - not ever, I hope.  We have so much to choose from.  Who has time to sift through all of this information?  Whether you acknowledge it or not, you have some influence among those close to you.  My advice to you... Use your influence.  Tell everyone about the best the Internet has to offer or the best customer service you have received in awhile.  We are all dying to know about the best things in life.  Why?  So we can all find the good stuff quickly.  Life's too short to be slowed down with the not-so-good stuff. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;a href="http://technorati.com/blogs/top100/%20"&gt;Technorati&amp;nbsp;&lt;/a&gt; has a list of the best blogs on the Internet based upon various statistics, but nothing beats a good friend's recommendation.&amp;nbsp; These mathematical rankings never quite work, just ask anyone that follows college football about the BCS standings.&amp;nbsp; I think only one blog that I read is in the Technorati 100.&amp;nbsp; For the record, I really appreciate the information received from the 10 or 20 less popular blogs that gain my regular attention. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;br /&gt;
Here's to happier more efficient browsing.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5349793799221791597-6904191236679542111?l=gabusinessnet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~4/iaky9fWaA8M" height="1" width="1"/&gt;</description><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~3/iaky9fWaA8M/influence-best-internet-has-to-offer.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Georgia Business Net)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total><feedburner:origLink>http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/2010/03/influence-best-internet-has-to-offer.html</feedburner:origLink></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349793799221791597.post-3513629986399641842</guid><pubDate>Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:21:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2010-03-05T06:21:00.571-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Security</category><title>1 Quick &amp; Easy Security Tip for Today</title><description>&lt;i&gt;A brief discussion about "Two-Step Authentication" and your small business network.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Every additional layer of security reduces the risk of unauthorized access, and adding a second method of authenticating business network users may be a great way to deter inappropriate activities.  For very secure enterprise environments, this would require a key fob or some external hardware attached to a laptop in addition to a user-id and password.  While this method is very secure, it is costly to implement and few businesses choose to do so.  However,  nothing is stopping us from being creative and implementing two sets of authentication methods for various aspects of business.  Let's look at a simple wireless network in a small retail environment.  A consumer grade wireless router &amp; access-point can easily implement a form of two step authentication.  Consider enabling the wireless encryption protocol.  When encryption is enabled, not only is it harder to gain access to the network,  scrambling part of your transmission path is now an added benefit.  Many small businesses take advantage of this simple encryption method, but few take the second step of authentication to significantly reduce the probability of a network intrusion.  Media Access Control (MAC) Address filtering is another deterrent method available on consumer grade routers.  This will help restrict wireless access to only those users or devices you authorize.   These addresses are uniquely assigned to each network device manufactured.   If a MAC address isn't on your router's list, access is denied.      We certainly don't claim that this method is 100% secure.  If you are in a industry where security policies are regulated, we don't recommend consumer grade wireless routers as a solution.  Consult a professional!  Review your industry's requirements or recommendations, and if you have any questions - feel free to call our local support team for help.  706-823-2115.&lt;br /&gt;
At Georgia Business Net, we want to be your LAST Telephone &amp; Internet Solution Provider.  The Client Relationship means everything to us!  We feature Local &amp; Long Distance Telephone Service, High Speed Internet, Next Generation Phone Systems, a local Data Center, and much more.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5349793799221791597-3513629986399641842?l=gabusinessnet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~4/0xfMTizh5wU" height="1" width="1"/&gt;</description><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~3/0xfMTizh5wU/1-quick-easy-security-tip-for-today.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Georgia Business Net)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total><feedburner:origLink>http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/2010/03/1-quick-easy-security-tip-for-today.html</feedburner:origLink></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349793799221791597.post-6181926235402466817</guid><pubDate>Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:45:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2010-03-11T16:18:26.789-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Security</category><title>Two Tips for Your Security Review</title><description>&lt;i&gt;Spring is almost here!  It is always a good time for a Network Security Review.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Here are a few questions to ask and some low cost tips that are quick to implement on the road to continuously improving your network's security.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
1. Have you had any staffing changes in the last twelve months?&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If you have had a staffing change recently, take a moment to change passwords, VPN or Wireless Keys, and the security system's code.  We recommend this even if the staff left on good terms with you.  Why?  You never know when their password list was written on your letterhead which got thrown out with the garbage while cleaning their office.  &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
2. Have you had problems with your wireless router recently?  &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When most small businesses buy a wireless router, they do a good job of making sure it is secure.  Wireless Encryption, turning off the SSID Broadcast, and changing the default password are all on the agenda.  And then one day recently, it stopped working.  The quick fix was..?  You hit the "reset" button to get it working again quickly.   Now all those default passwords are back, and it is easier than ever to get access to your wireless network.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Changes in your office often result in potential gaps in your security policies.  &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Take a moment to review or give our Local Support Team a call if you have questions 706-823-2115.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;a href="http://www.gabn.net/subscribenewsletter.htm"&gt;Click here to receive more tips via email&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5349793799221791597-6181926235402466817?l=gabusinessnet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~4/0VrUJjy7GYE" height="1" width="1"/&gt;</description><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~3/0VrUJjy7GYE/two-tips-for-your-security-review.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Georgia Business Net)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total><feedburner:origLink>http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/2010/03/two-tips-for-your-security-review.html</feedburner:origLink></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349793799221791597.post-55253280559717995</guid><pubDate>Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:11:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2009-11-10T17:09:56.844-05:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">VoIP</category><title>What You Need to Know:  VoIP Lesson 1</title><description>VoIP's quality can be great!  With proper planning, a needs assessment, and a network designed specifically for your business, VoIP's quality will always be superb.  Without proper planning, your voice service quality could be diminished and tarnish your business's image.  If your business is considering changing its telephone service, it is critical for the decision makers to understand the different classifications of &lt;span style="font-weight:bold;"&gt;VoIP&lt;/span&gt;.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight:bold;"&gt;Classification #1:  Voice over the Internet&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight:bold;"&gt;Voice over the Internet&lt;/span&gt; is often the cheapest product available, and it is advertised the most.  Why? This type of service lacks the infrastructure to provide proper security or the quality of service business class customers have come to expect.  A lack of infrastructure translates into the absence of expensive equipment that ensures quality service.  There is a time and a place for the cheapest product available; I want your business to buy the product that meets your expectations and your budget.  In some cases, that product turns out to be the lowest priced.  If you can tolerate a few dropped calls and diminished quality during peak traffic hours, Voice over the Internet will be a good choice for you and your budget.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight:bold;"&gt;Classification #2:  Business Class VoIP&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Depending on how the service is designed, I've also heard this called Private Line VoIP.  A low price is &lt;span style="font-weight:bold;"&gt;not &lt;/span&gt;paramount when a vendor designs this service.  However, that does not mean this will be the highest priced product either.  Typically this service has circuits (or private lines) &lt;span style="font-weight:bold;"&gt;dedicated &lt;/span&gt;to voice usage.   &lt;span style="font-weight:bold;"&gt; Dedicated&lt;/span&gt; is the key design feature.  When I dedicate resources to a single task, I typically get better results than if I were to &lt;span style="font-style:italic;"&gt;share &lt;/span&gt;resources with multiple tasks.  The same is true with VoIP.  Another key design feature in some offerings is private transmission lines or "private lines."  Dedicated and private can be interchanged in the telecommunications industry from time to time.  Both words are clues to features that you should consider when choosing a VoIP service that offers quality and security.  You will not find those words in the marketing literature of a Voice over the Internet provider.  Why not?  Your voice  &lt;span style="font-style:italic;"&gt;shares&lt;/span&gt; the Internet with a lot of other people and applications.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Thank you for reading our blog!  Our ongoing mission is to keep you informed on technology and avoid any unforeseen difficulties.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://bit.ly/1EZ8vL"&gt;Find Us on Facebook&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://twitter.com/gabusinessnet"&gt;Follow Us on Twitter&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5349793799221791597-55253280559717995?l=gabusinessnet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~4/u3shPCLH6Jw" height="1" width="1"/&gt;</description><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~3/u3shPCLH6Jw/what-you-need-to-know-voip-lesson-1.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Georgia Business Net)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total><feedburner:origLink>http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/2009/11/what-you-need-to-know-voip-lesson-1.html</feedburner:origLink></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349793799221791597.post-1331168093769012624</guid><pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:40:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2009-10-27T16:04:53.614-04:00</atom:updated><title>Help to Find Energy On Rainy Day</title><description>Is it rainy and cool where you are today?  Do you need help finding energy to remain behind the desk for a little while longer.  I think it was a sign for me when the following headline popped up as a result of an unrelated search.  "Better Posture Means More Energy At Work."  Here's a &lt;a href="http://bit.ly/1KkeGl"&gt;link&lt;/a&gt; to read it.  Thirty percent more oxygen, better blood circulation, and energy is waiting for you there.  The Internet is full of distractions, and at times, you can benefit from paying attention to distractions.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Source:  &lt;a href="http://bit.ly/1KkeGl"&gt;lifehacker.com - Better Posture Means More Energy At Work&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://bit.ly/1EZ8vL"&gt;Find Us on Facebook&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://twitter.com/gabusinessnet"&gt;Follow Us on Twitter&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5349793799221791597-1331168093769012624?l=gabusinessnet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~4/FVIlv9RH6TQ" height="1" width="1"/&gt;</description><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~3/FVIlv9RH6TQ/help-to-find-energy-on-rainy-day.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Georgia Business Net)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total><feedburner:origLink>http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/2009/10/help-to-find-energy-on-rainy-day.html</feedburner:origLink></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349793799221791597.post-9032215132784336909</guid><pubDate>Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:56:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2009-10-22T17:30:11.182-04:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">network</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">planning</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">IPv6</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">IPv4</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">budget</category><title>Help with IPv6 - What's the plan?</title><description>We all have to prepare for IPv6.  I am going to try to make this article for the masses, but the fact is, we are talking about IP Addresses.  This subject inherently is technical.  Devices that are speaking IPv6 are still rare, therefore our talk today is not urgent.  Nevertheless, I've had four IPv6 conversations in the last two weeks.  (That's probably four more than last year)  With this little bit of buzz, and in an effort to help you prepare, let's discuss a good plan going forward.  For the non-technical reader, IPv6 is the next generation Internet Protocol address.  Currently while browsing, we find each other on the Internet with Internet Protocol version 4 addresses.  Version 4 IP Addresses are represented by 32 bits, while version 6 has 128 bits.  The Internet will run out of IP Addresses for each of our devices one day, and therefore we need more address space.  This conversion to 128 bit addresses is the solution.  All equipment that requires Internet Access needs to speak in this new format.  Here's the message we are sending our clients today:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;li&gt;  The time has arrived to have the "what if we had to switch to IPv6?" meeting.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;li&gt;  As a leader in your organization, it is time to raise awareness at all levels about this issue. Every purchase, every plan, every budget could be affected if a conversion was required.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;li&gt;  Justify the cost of whether or not you require IPv6 compatibility today or can it wait?&lt;/li&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In many cases, your technology purchases are inexpensive and replacing them for IPv6 will be inexpensive also.  In other cases, buying for this compatibility doesn't cost much more.  In that case, buy for the future, its nearly free!  My word of caution relates to the &lt;span style="font-style:italic;"&gt;expensive &lt;/span&gt;purchases for equipment that you will use for the next three to five years.  For these purchases, ask questions:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;li&gt;  Is it compatible today? &lt;/li&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;li&gt;  If not compatible today, is it a free and easy software upgrade later to be compatible? &lt;/li&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;li&gt;  If the upgrade isn't free and easy, how much is it going to cost?  How does that cost compare to buying another vendor's equipment that is compatible today?  Or buying new "again" when it is time to make the IPv6 conversion?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In summary, all you need to do today is be aware of this change.  Be smart and remind yourself of this change as you make big technology plans and purchases.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you have questions, email us, Georgia Business Net is here to help.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;support@gabn.net&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For some extended reading, Infoworld published a little news on this topic this week:&lt;br /&gt;Source / Article:  http://bit.ly/IPv6gabn&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5349793799221791597-9032215132784336909?l=gabusinessnet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~4/NyHXDb3y5tE" height="1" width="1"/&gt;</description><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~3/NyHXDb3y5tE/help-with-ipv6-whats-plan.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Georgia Business Net)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total><feedburner:origLink>http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/2009/10/help-with-ipv6-whats-plan.html</feedburner:origLink></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349793799221791597.post-2214531066739380556</guid><pubDate>Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:45:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2009-09-27T16:08:50.640-04:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">strategy</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">process</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">technology</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">improvement</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">planning</category><title>The Problem With Doing It the Old-Fashioned Way</title><description>“Working 9 to 5.  What a way to make a livin.”  If a filmmaker were to pay homage to the movie today, what would that look like?  Does the Starbuck’s barista accidentally poison Mr. Hart’s coffee?  Would Judy, Violet, and Doralee text each other with updates to their plan?  Several problems can arise when we start to analyze and plan for technology in our business.  The typical first problem is that we are emotionally tied to our current routine.  You like it.  It works.  You don’t like change.  “The Old-Fashioned Way” can easily turn into “that’s the way we’ve always done it.”  Some independent thought and analysis may reveal a better way.  Could the process work better?  Could we be more efficient?  Could new technology play a role in these improvements?  Technology changes so fast that every leader needs to evaluate business processes routinely to unearth the next productivity enhancement.  Where would you start?  How would you start?  I try to start by stopping.  I try my best to stop and listen.  Therefore I am going to take my own advice and stop for now.   I welcome your comments and suggestions.  Look for more on this topic soon as we discuss something we all want…making work-life easier.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href=http://bit.ly/1EZ8vL&gt;Find Us on Facebook&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href=http://twitter.com/gabusinessnet&gt;Follow Us on Twitter&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5349793799221791597-2214531066739380556?l=gabusinessnet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~4/sTZNLdBp4Ps" height="1" width="1"/&gt;</description><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~3/sTZNLdBp4Ps/problem-with-doing-it-old-fashioned-way.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Georgia Business Net)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total><feedburner:origLink>http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/2009/09/problem-with-doing-it-old-fashioned-way.html</feedburner:origLink></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349793799221791597.post-7597033871073878123</guid><pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:42:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2009-09-01T17:43:54.618-04:00</atom:updated><title>Ebay, Skype, VoIP News</title><description>Ebay sold Skype today, although kept a minority stake. A Skype vulnerability was discovered Monday. It is not a widespread danger... however, just a reminder to be careful. There are a lot of flavors of VoIP available, call us if you are concerned about which direction to go.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href=http://www.gabn.net&gt;http://www.gabn.net&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5349793799221791597-7597033871073878123?l=gabusinessnet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~4/co7WahC_24s" height="1" width="1"/&gt;</description><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~3/co7WahC_24s/ebay-skype-voip-news.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Georgia Business Net)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total><feedburner:origLink>http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/2009/09/ebay-skype-voip-news.html</feedburner:origLink></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349793799221791597.post-4857348854603272593</guid><pubDate>Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:21:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2009-08-31T15:27:42.134-04:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">NetZette</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Newsletter</category><title>Get the Latest News, Tech Tips, Local Augusta Features</title><description>&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Be Sure to check out the most recent edition of The NetZette:&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.gabn.net/newsletterlanding.htm"&gt;http://www.gabn.net/newsletterlanding.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;You can find the latest edition &amp;amp; subscribe to receive automatically.  Thanks!&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;Find Us on Facebook - &lt;a href="http://bit.ly/1EZ8vL"&gt;http://bit.ly/1EZ8vL&lt;/a&gt; &lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5349793799221791597-4857348854603272593?l=gabusinessnet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~4/9LOTFkCtxM8" height="1" width="1"/&gt;</description><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~3/9LOTFkCtxM8/get-latest-news-tech-tips-local-augusta.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Georgia Business Net)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total><feedburner:origLink>http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/2009/08/get-latest-news-tech-tips-local-augusta.html</feedburner:origLink></item><item><guid isPermaLink="false">tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349793799221791597.post-1396174693388658736</guid><pubDate>Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:44:00 +0000</pubDate><atom:updated>2009-08-31T17:13:49.359-04:00</atom:updated><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Local Provider</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Phone</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Internet</category><category domain="http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#">Broadband</category><title>Out of Town Versus Local Provider - Latest Technology</title><description>Georgia Business Net is trying to get the word out in every manner possible!    We continue to build our network in Augusta...For Augusta.  Tell us your pain with Telephone, Internet, or Hosting service - we are here to listen and help.  Georgia Business Net was started in 1995, and we have continually reinvested into Augusta, GA and the CSRA.  We provide and have access to a variety of solutions.  We are local and want to be good neighbors.  We want to bring the latest technology to Augusta and the CSRA; and we would like to bring it to town faster than the "out of town" providers.  We have all paid those out of town providers to send the latest technology to other cities... With your help, we can bring the latest to our hometown.  &lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Find Us on Facebook - &lt;a href="http://bit.ly/1EZ8vL"&gt;http://bit.ly/1EZ8vL&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5349793799221791597-1396174693388658736?l=gabusinessnet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~4/s1QKvOeB9gU" height="1" width="1"/&gt;</description><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GeorgiaBusinessNet/~3/s1QKvOeB9gU/out-of-town-versus-local-provider.html</link><author>noreply@blogger.com (Georgia Business Net)</author><thr:total>0</thr:total><feedburner:origLink>http://gabusinessnet.blogspot.com/2009/08/out-of-town-versus-local-provider.html</feedburner:origLink></item></channel></rss>

