I straddle both sides of this fence.  As marketing manager for Novo Solutions I want to provide our visitors with the information they need to evaluate our software in ways that make it easy for them.  My job also involves utilizing software to aid in my daily tasks, so I am also in the seat of a researcher.  Here are some tips I have learned for getting the most from your research.

1. Determine what you are looking for.  Work with your coworkers to compose a features list of critical and optional features.  Determine the number of users and set a general budget.
2. Research keywords.  There are keywords that relate specifically to what you are searching for.  Begin your research with words that explain what you are looking for. Wikipedia can be a good source for finding industry “names” and “acronyms”
3. Start your research.  In addition to vendor pages you may also find websites that provide reviews for the software you are looking for.  Keep in mind many of these sites are not unbiased – some are vendor managed or vendors are paying to appear there.
4. Evaluate vendor’s websites.  Many vendors give you multiple ways to collect information.  Resources such as white papers, data sheets, feature lists and videos will allow you to “see” into their software.  Gather information so that you can compare features & pricing among vendors.
5. Create a long list of best fit vendors (5-10).  Create a comparison list of features compared to needs.   This is a good time to start contacting vendors for more information.  Organize your notes to keep information sorted.
6. Consolidate a short list.  Hopefully at this point you are down to 3-5 that are a good fit.  This is the time to see the app first hand.  Companies typically offer a free trial or demo where you can experiment with the app yourself.  Many will also offer a demo with a salesperson.
7. Select your software!  In addition to features & pricing, be mindful of post sale needs.  What is the term commitment?   Is support included?  What about implementation & training?  Will this app meet current & future needs?  There are numerous factors besides features & pricing to consider.

A good salesperson will help you through the process. They should listen to your needs and tell you honestly if they are a good fit for you.  So as they say, do your “homework.”  Having the right software to streamline your work can save you time – having the wrong software… well I think we have all experienced that…frustration!

 For a free demo or trial of the nov software contact us – http://www.novosolutions.com

Most of us have had the unpleasant experience of having to make multiple telephone calls to a call center.  It is frustrating to be on hold and repeat your story, but what is worse is when you get a different answer from different representatives.  This often happens because the agents are not all gathering information from the same source.

If you are using shared folders, emails, or a home grown data base solution for storing company knowledge there is a better solution!  A central knowledge base repository is perfect for storing information that agents need when speaking to customers. This ensures that everyone is referencing the same information, and because it is simple to update, information is easily kept current.  Best practices and approved answers can be at agent’s fingertips so customers are told the right answer every time.

A cloud hosted knowledge base solution allows companies to step into a robust solution at an affordable price, and when priced per user, you only pay for what you need on a monthly basis.

Predictable answers.  Predictable fees.  The Novo Knowledge Base.

Contact us for a free trial of the Novo Knowledge base. 
http://www.novosolutions.com/knowledge-base-software/

Agent abuse is no laughing matter but it is understandable that by the time an agent gets to a call the caller is already frustrated.  Minimizing frustration by getting issues resolved is a win/win situation.

Providing self help so a customer doesn’t have to call is an ideal scenario.  This allows customers to get the information they need on demand, and saves call centers money by reducing call volume.  This also frees up agents to get to other calls even faster.  A self help knowledge base is an ideal tool to provide 24/7 answers to frequently asked questions.  Accessible from your company website, customers can go there to quickly find answers to their problems.

Knowledge base software tied to your existing request tracking software is also a huge time saver.  Agents can use it to quickly find answers and best practice resolutions.  It can easily be kept up-to-date advising agents of new/shift notices as well as solutions to recent and timely issues that may be “need to know’ that day.

Contact Novo Solutions for a free trial of the Novo Knowledge Base.

PS – still on hold….I hope they have a quick answer for my question….sigh!

http://www.novosolutions.com/knowledge-base-software/

Internally you can store important company documentation essential to managing your business.  Company policies, employee training manuals, best practices and other important information can be stored for easy retrieval. 

Externally you can incorporate the knowledge base into your website so visitors can search for their own answers.  Customizable permission settings allow you to set security settings so you determine ‘who’ can see ‘what’ information.

So how are you storing information now?  In a file cabinet?  In employees heads?  A knowledge base is an affordable solution that is easy to use and will grow as your needs grow.

Contact us to learn more about the Novo Knowledge base and request your free trial!

Businesses track all kinds of things.  Automating that tracking not only improves efficiency but saves money.  If you are relying on spreadsheets you know you have limited reporting capabilities.  If you are communicating requests through email you lack cohesive documentation in a single place as well as difficulty knowing the status of a request.  In addition it is easy for emails to get ‘lost’ and ‘the ball dropped’ if someone is away.  A help desk application, also called a request tracking solution will manage all your requests in a central solution.  Even better, a web based solution will allow you to track requests from any location – on any computer.

So what kinds of things can you track?  Of course we have customers that track IT support requests, but we have customers that track all kinds of unique things, such as specialized equipment and even employee illness.

Learn more about the Novo Help Desk and contact us for a free trial!

http://www.novosolutions.com/help-desk-software/

Other organizations like Spotify and Netfix use (or plan to use) social media to share with others what you are watching and listening to.

At Novo Solutions we take privacy very seriously! 

1. Our application by design has security measures built-in.  Login’s are required and administrators can control settings so only certain people can see certain data, giving management tight control to keep information secure.
2. For hosted customers we provide the Novo Private Cloud.  We go above and beyond normal cloud services – we have our own cloud (so to speak).  All Novo customers’ data is kept on a private cloud with added security features.

We encourage you to keep your eyes open, use diligence in what you share, and use complex passwords (and change them regularly).  For information on the Novo private cloud see: http://www.novosolutions.com/solutions/cloud-computing/index.html

A core mission of Novo Solutions is to serve our customers.  That means at the ‘point of sale’ the relationship is just beginning.  Unlike some companies who give a lot of attention to ‘make the sale’ then disappear, at Novo our customers get the same attention throughout  implementation and support  as when they are first speaking with a sales person.

Providing top-notch support is challenging for any organization, including technology providers.  Technology is ever changing and that brings challenges.  Our customers run our app in a wide variety of environments bringing added challenges.  In fact many of our support calls end up being the result of personalized environmental conditions. We will do what it takes to help diagnose and resolve issues because we want the Novo software to ‘sing’ when you get it home.

So Kudos to our support team!  If you would like to learn more about the suite of Novo products contact us at www.novosolutions.com.

Whether you agree with or oppose the proposed legislation this action raises a lot of issues.  Free speech governance concerns aside, an intended consequence is that many who rely on wikipedia for information are going to be disappointed when they cannot get to what they are looking for.  Instead visitors will be directed to contact their congressmen to oppose the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) legislation.

Knowledge management and ownership is a serious issue that must be addressed.  But this kind of action also raises the question “What would happen if you could not get to needed company information”?  It brings to light our vulnerability to how we access important ‘knowledge’.

Many times companies and organizations do not think about the value of company knowledge unless it is compromised.  A fire or physical disaster can destroy paper documentation or even local PC’s and servers, not to mention undocumented knowledge that is dependent on a person.

A web-based knowledge base is an essential tool for storing valuable knowledge.  With the proper credentials it can be retrieved anywhere, anytime.  This can make your everyday operations smoother and even save your company in a crisis.

We will have to see what happens with SOPA and PIPA.  By all means if you have an opinion please tell your legislators.  In the meantime YOU have control over your data.  Guard it well!

For information on the Novo Knowledge Base or for a free trial see: http://www.novosolutions.com/knowledge-base-software/

Asset management software is a good example of a valuable cost cutting solution. Maybe you think Asset Management Software is only for businesses with very large IT departments. It is an essential tool for tracking the locations and history of servers, computers and other IT equipment.  But when you think about it, behind salaries, IT equipment may be a company’s largest expense.  It males sense to know the status of every asset.

Asset Management Software is not just for the IT department.  Think about what other assets your company uses in doing business?  Do you know important information about:

• When items were purchased and deployed?
• Where they are located?
• Repairs, service outages and problem issues?

This is important information for any assets you may have.  Items such as:

• Mobile technology, – cell phones & tablets
• Office equipment – furniture & fixtures
• Cars, trucks, and fleet vehicles
• Equipment specific to your industry

Knowing what assets you have and where they are located ensures that you are managing assets efficiently to help minimize costs and maximize value.   Asset management software – it’s not just for IT. 

For a free trial of the Novo Asset Manager contact us http://www.novosolutions.com/asset-management-software

If you are interested in Beta testing our new solutions please give us a call.  Not only will you be running the newest version, but we will be offering deep discounts for Beta users who wish to continue using the new software.

Your comments and suggestions are always welcomed – please don’t hesitate to call or email us if you have any questions or suggestions about the Novo Software.

Again Happy New Year!

Novo Solutions!

http://www.novosolutions.com