Being the fan of digital media and home automation that I am I appreciate new ways to use and control content and automation. That is why I really like this new product from SilverPac, not only is it a home theater/automation controller, but it also has the ability to stream content to it and play back via an IP speaker doc. This last feature allows for the device to not only be a hand held controller, but a multi-room audio player as well.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Logitech Squeezebox Radio
For years now Logitech SqueezeBox has been a great way to distribute music from PC and Macs as well as access internet radio. Earlier this year LogiTech added a small radio to the line that provides a great way to play music in a single room as standalone or part of a complete multi-room system.
Labels:
Design,
Multi-Room,
Music,
Technology
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Intel Facing Antitrust Lawsuit from FTC
For years manufacturers such as AMD have filed suits against Intel for antitrust in the competitive chip market. These suits claimed that Intel held a calculated plan to remain dominate and not allow other manufacturers to compete with Intel for penetration into the market.
Labels:
Intel,
News,
Technology,
Video
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Inspirational Video 091215: Billy Cox- The Power of a Dream
We all say that we want to do something that never comes to be, without a goal with a deadline, a wish is only a wish. Have dreams and make your dreams come true by setting a goal to make the dream a reality....
Labels:
Inspiration,
Video
Monday, December 14, 2009
VW TDI Cup | Racing Under Green Documentary Trailer
Volkswagen has always cared about the environment and the sport of auto racing, so it is only fitting that they have created the FIRST and ONLY green racing series. This new series is an extension of the Jetta cup held in previous years with the addition of the TDI, it is now a green series. Discovery and Planet Green will be showing documentary on this revelutionary series in January.
Labels:
Autos,
Green Tech,
Motor-Sports
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Powering the Cloud-Intel Debuts 48 Core Processor
As the talk about cloud computing grows it was becoming clear that powering it would be a daunting task, well Intel has an answer. Intel has announced and shown to the press a 48 Core processor, pictures of the processor are posted on CNET News...
Labels:
Intel,
Technology
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Louis Armstrong - Danny Kaye on YouTube-WOW
I have talked about how technology is a great thing and how it allows us to find gems of entertainment that would be hard to find otherwise, well here is another example of that. A friend posted this video of Danny Kaye and Louis Armstrong on FaceBook and I had to share with everyone... Two of the greatest performers of all time together in one place, gotta love that.
Nvidia is Giving 3D in the Home a Jump Start
3D has been around for a while in theaters and CE manufacturers have been talking about it and showing for a few years now, but it has not quite made it to homes yet. Nvidia has announced software that will be available next year to support the release of 3D PC monitors. This is good news for the format as it is a good starting point with 3D being a technology that is desired for gaming.
Labels:
3D,
Blu Ray,
Technology
This year, you can stalk Santa from your car | The Social - CNET News
Technology is such a wonderful thing, it has given us so much to enrich our lives and now thanx to the NORAD Santa Web site and some partnerships with social media it has given us Santa Claus. This year you will be able to track Santa from anywhere and receive live updates anywhere. Can hardly wait to track him right to my door with a great gift...
Labels:
Technology
Panel PC controls lighting, HVAC automatically
As we move into the second decade of the 21st century more and more products are emerging that will make life in the future better for all of us. Home Automation is one of those areas that continues to grow with products and features to make life better.
In the past a proprietary system was needed to run home automation, but now PCs are being utilized to perform this function as well as others. This product falls into that category in not only that it supports home automation, but it provides a user interface in one neat package.
Labels:
Home Automation,
Technology
10 Holiday Gifts for Tech Lovers - CE Pro Article from CE Pro
The holidys are here and that means lots of cool tech toys for all the good little girls and boys (and adults). CEPro has some suggestions on what to get the tech lovers in your family.
Labels:
Gadgets,
Technology
Sunday, November 29, 2009
HP Dream Screen Photo and Music Player
While I have not played with this product first hand I like what I see from the printed and video press on this device. Sure it will not do everything that a full blown media server, multi room audio or home automation system can do, but I like the fact that it is another device that brings media servers to the masses.
While one would like for distributed audio and video to be more widely accepted, the fact remains that most of the public is just catching on to it. Over the past several years the category has grown with items such as the AppleTV and Windows Media center as well as other servers. but the main interface for these products is the TV screen. Most customers don't want to turn on the TV just to listen to music. Sure a good custom installer can add a remote that would control these devices without the TV, but that is costly and it does not help the general public who does not know about custom installers.
For the average person (and even me for smaller usage areas) this is a good device and will expand the world of custom installation and bigger systems. Start them off with the basics and then the big systems will be asked for by more and more.
Labels:
Custom Integration,
Gadgets,
Home Automation
Make A Comeback | Billy Cox Championship Sales Blog
Set backs are always tough to deal with, but in these down economic times it can be even more difficult. Being winner requires bouncing back as we do not always win. Biily Cox has some inspiration to help you bounce back from any down situation.
Read the blog @: Make A Comeback Billy Cox Championship Sales Blog
Labels:
Inspiration
Olive 4HD | High Resolution Music Storage
While most media servers allow for lower audio bit rate files to be played, the Olive 4HD can store and play back 192kHz/24-bit audio. It is refreshing to see that someone is making a media server for true audio lovers and not just the masses.
Read the rest at Home Entertainment: Olive 4HD Home Entertainment
Sperm Whale Explodes...
Very interesting.
WARNING: the video is very graphic and should not be watched by everyone.
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/wild/3464/Overview/?source=4003#tab-Videos/06221_00
Friday, November 27, 2009
Inspirational Video 091127: Power of Decisions and Action
Another great video from Billy Cox, get in the game and make things happen...
Labels:
Inspiration,
Video
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Product Alert 091126: Defective Chinese Drywall Corrodes Wiring
If you are a CE Integrator, electrician, home builder, contractor or just a DIYer, be sure to read this article. The consumer product safety commission is warning that imported dry wall is causing copper wiring in walls to corrode due to the materials it is made from. Just one more thing to worry about when constructing or modifying a home...
Labels:
Custom Integration,
Product Alert
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Inspirational Video 091125 - Get Back Up, Nick Vujicic
We all experience set backs in our lives that make us feel like it is the end, this has happened more and more with the economy. When we fall we need to remember to Get Back Up and stop thinking of the start and focus on the end result for the future. This video shows us that even if we are in a bad situation, we can Get Back Up and make the best of a bad situation.
Labels:
Inspiration
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Are You Prepared for CES??
CES is fast approaching and Wright Technical Solutions is available to make the show a smooth one for your company. We understand what it takes to prepare for such an event as CES and know that internal resources can be overburdened with extra work in order to be prepared. Don’t let the short time frame or lack of staff prevent you from making this CES a success for your company.
Find out how WTS can help you avoid the frustration and be prepared:
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Inspirational Video 091118 - Billy Cox :Follow Dreams
Staying focused on your dreams is important to success in work and life, when times are tough and you are down, remember to stay focused in order to succeed.
Labels:
Inspiration,
Video
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Wright Technical Solutions Updates Phone Number
Wright Technical Solutions has a new phone number to make calling in easier.. The new number is toll free @ 888.407.9211. The contact us page has been updated to include a new "Ring Me" button to call from the site.
Labels:
WTS
Friday, November 13, 2009
How Not to Drive a Bugatti Veyron
Wonder if the warranty for a $1 miilion car covers this??
You would think that if he can afford the car, he can afford a boat.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Technology and the Church: Automatic Holy Water
The church has turned to technology to help with the increase in the demand for holy water. With the current swine flu epidemic, churchs all over the world have an increase in the amount of people praying and accessing holy water. Churches in Italy have installed automatic holy water dispensors like the sinks we see in public restrooms. It is pretty interesting to think that the church is turning to science to help with religion.
Posted on: msnbc.com Tech Watch under High-Tech Holy Water
Labels:
Technology,
Video
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
GUI Creator Donates Proceeds to CE Pro in Need
In this day and age we seem
to hear a lot about how bad the world is and how people do not seem to care
about their fellow man. That is why it is good to see a company helping
out a friend and colleague in a time of need.
Background
Three years ago the wife
of a friend and former colleague of mine was diagnosed with bone cancer, since
then she has experienced the loss of a leg and part of her hip. In an
effort to make life easier the Chris Bauer and his wife Angela decided to sell
their home and build one that is more handicap-accessible. To help with
some of the costs involved in this, Chris and Angela's friends have set up a website to raise money. In addition an article was
published in CEPro to let the CE industry know about a friend in need.
Good People to the Rescue
Guijaboard.com a website that creates and sells graphics
and templates for user interfaces is donating proceeds to help out the
Bauer's. With the purchase of these templates you are not only
getting a great product for your customers, you are helping out a family in
their time of need.
Links to Sites
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Inspirational Video: 091108-1 Billy Cox Motivation
Powerful words to inspire greatness in yourself and your team. What he says is true and are words to live by, they are part of being a winner in life and in business.
Posted on Billy Cox Championship Sales blog and YouTube @ BillyCox01
Labels:
Bussiness,
Inspiration,
Management
The Art of Visual Thinking : The World :: American Express OPEN Forum
Intersting article, Visual Thinking is needed in all aspects of business and life. I beleive highly in this and have use this concept through out my career and my life. There have times when I have lost site of this due to situtaions and the culture of people around me, and when I have my performance has suffered.
With the world in the current state it is in economically we need more Visual Thinkers at all levels of business and life. If we look at some of the big acheivements of the past few decades we can see visual thinking in areas for advancements in technology such as smart phones and Hybrid cars. Our lives are enriched when this occurs and the world becomes a better place to live and work...
Labels:
Bussiness,
Creativity,
Inspiration
Friday, November 6, 2009
Instant Concerts from EMI
We live in a wonderful time, with the internet and digital media formats our favorite recordings and movies can be beamed to our homes at a moments notice. However, we have to wait sometime after the recording in a studio, at a concert, or filming of a movie to enjoy it in our homes.
EMI has a resolution for that.. Called Abbey Road Live, EMI will make concerts available for purchase through various formats directly after the concert has ended. Imagine going to a concert and then being able to listen to it when you arrive home. This sounds extremely cool to me...
Read the complete article from EMIs site...
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Why crutches may soon be relics of the past | Health Tech - CNET News
I came across this article on CNET and thought that it needed to be shared. I reallt like to see technology used to better our lives, and this is an idea that makes that happen. We need more advanaced free thinking people in this world, if more people were as creative and forward moving the world would be a better place.
Labels:
Free Thinking,
Technology
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
The Business of Integration
As integration companies are formed and grow it is easy to lose site of the operations sides of the business. Sure there are plenty of ways to run a business, and there is a lot of duties to be performed, but how what tasks are needed and what is the right way of doing them?
Running a technology service business is very different from other businesses, the proper operations for others is not necessarily true for the integration company. Technology people are generally more creative and more knowledgeable than the average worker and need to be managed in a way that does not prevent good performance. The attached article shares some advice from Custom Integrators on some do's and don'ts that may not be known by everyone.
I particularly like the part about project management, this is a term that has grown in business and while I understand the need for the skill, it has turned into a way to micromanage employees. Micromanagement is not a good practice in general, but especially not in a technology development or service environment. The creative free thinking flow of ideas required for proper operation is limited when micromanagement exists. I will talk about this in the future.
For now read the attached article as it has some helpful tips on proper opertaions of an integration company.
Labels:
Bussiness,
CE,
Custom Integration,
Management
Don't Mess with the Mouse
Being a huge fan of movies and having been a bit of an art buff as well it is will come as no surprise to you that I love Disney and everything that Walt has created. Back in school I would read everything about the man and of course his beloved mouse, the mouse we all know and love, well at least think we know.
Mickey may be seen as the cute cuddly everyone friendly icon for the happiest place on earth, however Mickey was originally created with a slightly darker element and was even kinda rude in the early days. This mix or light and dark is at the heart of Disney and everything that Wlat believed in.
Being such big fan of his true nature I was pleased to read about a new game for the Wii that brings Mickey back to his original nature. I look forward to the release of this game when it comes out.
Most Popular Stories in CEPro - October 2009
October 2009 was a busy month for Consumer Electronics and CEPro had plenty of articles on varying subjects. It was a month filled with acqusions, new store concepts, Walmart announcing installations, and of course new products. The attached article lists the top 10 stories in CEPRo according to it's readers, they are very imformative and entertaining.
The future for CE is looking pretty bright...
Labels:
CE,
Multi-Room
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
City of LA to use Google Apps
In a unanimous decision on Tuesday, the city council of Los Angeles approved a $7.2 million deal to move away from Novel and switch to Google Apps on- line hosting. This decision comes after months of debate over the security of using on-line hosting. Currently the contract is tentative based on the integration provider paying a penalty for any breach in security.
With this contract, LA is the second large government adoption of Google Apps providing a win for Google competing against Microsoft for large enterprise customers. With this news and changes being made to Office Live, there is definitely some interesting news to follow in the next year.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Make a MAC-O-LANTERN for Halloween
Have an old Mac laying around that you don't want to toss for sentimental reasons?? Well here is a project that will allow the dust to be removed while putting it to good use for Halloween.
Make it into a MAC-O-LANTERN ....
Monday, October 19, 2009
Unknown Da Vinci Found by CSI
Well not actually CSI, but by CSI type methods and a 500 year old finger print a painting believed to be by an unknown artist is now believed to be by Leonardo Da Vinci.
During a routine spectral analysis to verify the age of the painting revealed a finger print that matches Da Vinci's at 10 points, only 8 point s are needed for a perfect match according to experts. Other facets of the painting match techniques used by Da Vinci and the age of the painting indicates that it was painted in his time according to the leading expert on Da Vinci.
More tests will reveal the truth, but if this really a Da Vinci that was unknown, it would be worth around $150 million which is a great deal more then the current owner paid for it.
Balloon Family in Trouble for Stunt
The saga of baloon boy seems to continue to evlove into a mess for the parties involved. Since the admission of doing for a show by the son Falcon, and being ill during later interviews, the Colorado sheriff has grown suspecious of the families story.
On Saturday October 17th, the Coloarado Sheriff office questioned the father for 6 hours, while no arrests have been made, the family is facing felony charges as well having to pay for the cost incurred by the incident.
Stayed tuned, I have feeling that this is not the last we will see of balloon boy.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Balloon Boy's Parents Busted on CNN
On Thursday October 15th 2009, the news was filled with the reports about a balloon floating over Colorado that had a child trapped inside. Authorities spent a good part of the day trying to figure out what to do to get the boy home safely. By the end of the day it was announced that the boy was in the garage the whole time and not in the balloon as originally thought. Everyone was relieved that the boy was safe.
However, the question arose as to why the parents did not look in the garage and why the boy did not come out... Well the truth came out in an interview with Wolf Blitzer on CNN..
When asked why he did not come out of hiding when everyone was calling for him Falcon (the boy believed to be in the balloon) said "You guys said that we did this for the show.".. Wolf heard what he said but played dumb and asked the parents to clarify what Falcon said, they did a poor job of covering it up. Something tells me that there will be an investigation and that there will be some trouble coming for this family.
See for yourself...
You see though, this only goes to show that pulling cheap publicity stunts and making up stories does not work and eventually the truth comes out...
Can you say BUSTED....
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Contractors to The Rescue
Many companies are fearful of using contractors to perform key company functions, while it can be scary, contractors can be useful in making projects work. By using contractors a company can lower costs by paying per project and gain experience that can only come from outside the company.
A series of articles on BNET.com looks at the use of contractors in the business world. This article series entitled Contractors to the Rescue, explains the benefits of using contractors and provides useful tips on how to work with contractors to the highest benefit.
Whether you are considering contract work or not, I recommend reading the articles.
Article 1: Maximum Work Flow, Minimal Head Count
Labels:
Consulting,
Contracting,
Management
The Importance of Design Thinking
I came across this video while reading through a newsletter email, it discusses the importance of change by design and how design thinking is important to the end product result.
This is something that I have always believed in, not only due to my nature of being a design thinker, but because I have witnessed the benefits of its inclusion from the start. One of the main benefits as pointed out in the video is that designers are not stopped by a business or marketing thought, they are only limited by their imagination. While I know that these items are important, they should not be allowed to limit the functionality of a product or service.
While there are a lot of companies who understand this principle, many do not and that is hurting not only them as a company, but the industry that they function in. Part of what happens is that non designers push out designers as they appear to infringe on outdated business ideals. I have witnessed this first hand as business minded non designers would not accept the free form thought needed at the start of project leading to the project being late and not meeting its goals.
If you are in development field or management of development, I recommend watching this video: Change By Design by Tim Brown | Book Brief
Labels:
Design,
Management
Discover Great Music on YouTube with TubeRadio.fm
If you are a music lover who enjoys watching music videos from YouTube, then there is a new online interface that you need to check out. TubeRadio.fm has a solution that provides an easy to use FREE interface to locate music, create, and share playlists.
Laid out similar to iTunes and working in the same manner as iTunes and Real Player, the interface allows for your favorite music to be searched and played. Upon typing in an artist’s name, a list of all the tracks available on YouTube appears. From there tracks can be played and added to playlists, a free login can be created that stores the playlist information.
Playing back and saving to playlists is only the beginning, play whole albums via discography, purchase albums via download from 7Digital or CDs from Amazon, and share your playlists via Twitter, Facebook, email, and more. Here is a playlist that I created for Stevie Ray Vaughan.
While the interface has some quirks, it is a very useful and fun way to enjoy music from YouTube. I recommend taking it for a spin and see for yourself.
Visit TubeRadio.fm
Laid out similar to iTunes and working in the same manner as iTunes and Real Player, the interface allows for your favorite music to be searched and played. Upon typing in an artist’s name, a list of all the tracks available on YouTube appears. From there tracks can be played and added to playlists, a free login can be created that stores the playlist information.
While the interface has some quirks, it is a very useful and fun way to enjoy music from YouTube. I recommend taking it for a spin and see for yourself.
Visit TubeRadio.fm
Monday, October 5, 2009
Buying Group Partners With Hollywood Studio
In the world of custom installed home theaters, media demos are one of the most important parts of the sale. When a customer is shelling out more money than people spend on a car for a sound system, hearing and seeing it become real important.
While demos go on, over the years having a consistent source for demo material has been an issue. Additionally, customers who like the material usually have to go elsewhere to find that material. However, thanx to a partnership between Home Entertainment Source and Image Entertainment dealers now have access to demo material and can even provide the same material as packages to their customers.
Until now the studios have not used the promotional platform that is the customer installation demo. By allowing dealers to demo material and then sell it to the customer is a win/win situation for both.
I hope that this is the start of more announcements like this to come as they will promote both the movies and the means to play them back in the home.
Read the Story @ CEPro:
Labels:
DVDs,
Home Theater
Are You Really Listening to the Customer?
Here is a little quiz to see how well you pay attention to your customers..
After taking the quiz ask yourself, how well you listen to not only your customers, but other people in your company especially your employees. I know a few managers who feel that they listen, however they would fail this test...
Labels:
Bussiness,
Management
Monday, July 13, 2009
When Knowledge is Unclear - The importance of accurate and detailed information in support media
We use the web to find information to resolve issues with products and services, several site exists to help in providing information from a company site to 3rd party site. While it is great to have access to vast amounts of information, there are issues with information that can be more of hindrance then a pleasant solution. One thing that I have observed is that manufacturers as well as 3rd party support providers do not accurately explain problems and solutions and leave vital information out.
Just today I needed to resolve an issue with an installed piece of software that would not uninstall through the normal methods. Searching the internet I found an abundance of information about the problem. The sites ranged from 3rd party forums and knowledge bases to manufacturer forums and knowledge bases. While they appeared to contain expert information, none of the information resolved my issue and each ones provided different concepts for solutions even from the same resource. To me this is a big problem with support which caused me to review different information to resolve my problem, which by the way was not resolved with any of the information provided on the sites.
Why does this happen?
My take on the situation is that companies or even 3rd party experts do not take the time to detail information, especially when it is in response to a forum posting. To add to this, some experts out there want to chime in when they do not know all the facts about a particular problem, thus misinformation is created that cannot answer the problem. Many manufacturers see support as a liability instead of an asset, the result from this is limited time and resources to produce accurate information. Since the birth of the internet, knowledge bases and forums have been established in a way to provide support inexpensively, however the concept behind these tools is that when a support person answers a question it is posted for everyone to see. This is a good way to provide information, however every support person is different and will not always answer the questions correctly or with all the details. When these knowledge bases and forums are not monitored for accuracy and completeness of detail, the result is worse than having no support structure at all.
While I understand the need to limit costs, I also understand the concept that quality of product is most important whether it be an actual product or support document. This is another area where support information fails. Support documentation is not considered a product, however in actually it is. If it is being produced it is a product, even if the company is not the document business.
How to Improve Support Communication
By now some of you are thinking that improving support communications is difficult and costly, this is only partially true. Accurate and detailed support is not as difficult as you may think, all that is needed is a plan on how the material is created and communicated. A good plan can be basic steps at first with improvement steps over time.
Basic Steps to Improve Communication
Follow a predefined method for information gathering and document/posting creation - Every form of communication should have the same layout, create a template to follow as this will provide a way for everyone to create the document/posting in the same manner.
Gather information and then create the communication - It is difficult to provide accurate information if it is gathered on the fly.
Put steps to be followed in a list - Many times steps are put into paragraphs with commas separating them, this makes following the task difficult. By listing and numbering steps the reader can follow the information quickly and accurately.
Have the information proof read by a knowledgeable party - Due to human nature the expert is too close to the information and thusly can miss something in the content, by having the information proof read the lack of information and errors can be corrected before release. I am sure that even this blog has some items that are not correct due to the fact that no one is proof reading it.
Have a non-expert perform the tasks - As experts we know the basics behind functionality in general and may fill in missing information without even knowing it, when a non-expert can perform the tasks without help, then the communication is complete.
Make a list of the desired results of the communication - With a punch list, all points to be addressed can be checked for inclusion and accuracy.
Avoid posting on the fly answers as an official solution - When support personnel answer questions on the fly, the information is usually suitable to a particular situation. An official document or posting should contain information from several support calls and not a particular situation.
There is a lot more to this subject that I will not go into detail on in order to limit the length of this blog, providing more would also go beyond step 6 above. There are several ways to improve your technical operations for support. One way is to hire a consultant to provide a review of your current methods and then provide a solution that fits your company. If you are interested in improving your support, my company Wright Technical Solutions can provide those services. Feel free to review my website @ www.wrighttechnicalsolutions.com or look up other consultants.
Labels:
Knowledge Base
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Going Green While Enhancing Your Life
We have heard the term “Going Green” in relation to saving energy in order to save the planet. Most of the information in news articles covers gas mileage for our cars, how to insulate our homes and purchasing energy efficient appliances. While the concepts are beneficial to the cause, they make going green a boring subject as there is no added benefit. However, thanx to CE manufacturers, going green does not have to be boring and can enrich our lives while saving energy.
Evaluating Your Home
One the key players in this movement is Microsoft with their Holm program, this program aligns with energy company partners to help consumers conserve energy. At the heart of Holm is a site that allows for consumers to create a free of charge profile where they enter in information about their home such as windows, insulation and appliances. With this data a baseline is established on how well your home should use the energy. If your energy provider is a partner, then data on the usage of your energy is pulled to show what you are using, this data can also be entered manually from past energy statements. The site itself is very user friendly and kind of entertaining to view your energy usage.
Going Beyond Green
Aside for energy efficient appliances, electronics, and insulation, controlling the power that you use provides a benefit that can also enrich your life. Many home automation manufacturers such as LifeWare, HAI and Control4 that are providing energy management as part of their products. Using a home automation system is a great way to monitor your home and have appliances, electronics, HVAC and lighting controlled to limit the amount of energy that they use. With one of these systems you control the lights, climate, and media throughout your home from any location in the home, or even from a remote location as well.
Let’s say that you just left for vacation, you are on your way to the airport and you start to think that you left the oven on, the lights on and the heat blasting. What do you do? Do you turn around risking missing your flight? With a home automation system you can alleviate your concerns from the airport using a laptop or a Smartphone in many cases.
Added Benefits
Basically a home automation system is a good way to cut your energy costs while adding the convenience of control to the electronics and appliances in your home. With this in mind you will not only be saving the planet, you will be enriching your life as well.
For more information contact a home automation manufacturer or your local integrator:
Labels:
Green Tech,
Home Automation
Talking about 8 Creative Employee Compensation Strategies - CE Pro Magazine
While directed at custom integrators the advice included can be used for any company. As we all know the economy downturn has provided layoffs and closing, mostly from poorly run companies who were not motivating staff correctly. You can have the best products in your inventory, but if your sales or operations staff is not motivated, you are not achieving the level that can be reach. Sure products may sell, but why?
In many cases companies overlook the true nature of why a product sells, the success of a product may be short lived and if not recognized the result is disaster. By motivating your staff to perform better, disaster can be avoided or at the least minimized. Far too often management forgets that the people on the front lines do not have the same stake in a company as they do, their motivation is not as high as managements. In order to be successful in manufacturing and retail, your staff must receive benefits that motivate them to achieve and not just work.
True motivation comes in many forms as the article states, the one that gets overlooked by managers and companies the most is Recognition. Upper and middle managers usually achieve these levels cause they have the motivation to get there, they are driven by ideals different then the masses. Additionally, executives and managers can be on power trips, when this occurs there is a belief that misconduct and failure is mentioned and no good behavior. When you recognize a job well done, a person will be motivated to achieve the same level or higher the next time.
More can said, but for now check out the article:
Labels:
Management,
Operations
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Welcome to My Blog
This blog will contain my thoughts ideas around my favorite subject, Home Media Entertainment, which is something that I not only enjoy to do, but a field that I have worked in for over 20 years. Additionally the contents will touch on the development, marketing, selling and support of products and service for the industry. Don’t worry I will keep it light and cheerful, even though some the content will be intended for industry professionals, end users will find the information useful as well.
With a philosophy to share information, I will cover processes for technical operation as well use of the product, this content can be used in any form of business. My company, Wright Technical Solutions provides technical writing and processes development for the CE industry. Some of what I do there will find it’s way into this blog, but it can be used by all.
So sit back and relax and I hope that you will enjoy what some of the content in the future.