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Last month, Unified360's resident "legal beagle" Matt Hutchins wrote a blog entitled One Liners for the New Year. It was so popular that we decided to post a "sequel" of sorts, sent to us by a friend. Here you go...
"I really enjoyed reading your blog 'One Liners to Start a New Year' submitted by Matt Hutchins awhile back. Heck, I even used a few of them at a News Years Eve party! Matt is a good friend of mine, so I wanted to come up with a sequel to his blog.
Now for the background. A first grade teacher had 26 students in her class. She presented each child in her classroom the first half of a well-known proverb and asked the class to come up with the remainder of the proverb. It's hard to believe these were actually done by first-graders. Their insight may surprise you. While reading, keep in mind that these are first-graders, 6 year olds, because the last one is a classic..."
- Don't change horses ... until they stop running.
- Strike while the ... bug is close.
- It's always darkest before ... Daylight Savings Time.
- Never underestimate the power of ... termites.
- You can lead a horse to water but ... How?
- Don't bite the hand that ... looks dirty.
- No news is ... impossible.
- A miss is as good as a ... Mr.
- You can't teach an old dog new ... math.
- If you lie down with dogs, you'll ... stink in the morning.
- Love all; trust ... me.
- The pen is mightier than the ... pigs.
- An idle mind is ... the best way to relax.
- Where there's smoke there's ... pollution.
- Happy the bride who ... gets all the presents.
- A penny saved is ... not much.
- Two's company; three's ... the Musketeers.
- Don't put off till tomorrow what ... you put on to go to bed.
- Laugh and the whole world laughs with you; cry and ... you have to blow your nose.
- There is none so blind as ... Stevie Wonder.
- Children should be seen and not ... spanked or grounded.
- If at first you don't succeed ... get new batteries.
- You get out of something only what you ... see in the picture on the box.
- When the blind lead the blind ... get out of the way.
- A bird in hand ... is going to poop on you.
- Better late than ... pregnant.
Doug Younie, Partner
Apogee Software
dougy@apogeesoftware.com
Software business applications once solely resided within your desktop computer. You acquired a CD or other physical storage media from the owner of the software and installed the programs directly on your computer. You paid for the use of the business applications in the form of a software license, or one-time upfront payment, for each computer installed with the applicable software. Microsoft's Office software is a good example. Regrettably, you were an island within a sea of other unconnected business computing systems. You shared your computer information with others via "sneaker net" (physical delivery such as the U.S. Postal Service or overnight courier), or by fax machines over analog telephone lines. However, with the explosion of the Internet, we were able to connect all these remote devices together into a massive computing network of virtually real time shared intelligence via digital communications. It became commonly known as "distributed computing."
The next phase of the delivery of computer applications was launched by companies who "hosted" various business applications on their managed server platforms which allowed their customers to remotely access those applications over the Internet. Cost savings was the biggest driver for using a third party "applications services provider" (ASP) for all your basic business applications requirements. You typically paid the ASP a monthly fee for access to the necessary business application.
About 5 years ago, a cousin to the ASP business applications delivery model was born. It became known as the "software-as-a-service" (SaaS) delivery model. It primarily differed from the ASP delivery model in that although, like an ASP, SaaS providers permitted remote access by networked customers to a managed server platform for the use of a particular business application and customer data, the SaaS provider typically licensed the applicable software to its customers on a "pay-per-use" or "seat license" basis. "Cloud computing," or business application services residing within the fabric of the Internet, finally arrived. As with ASP delivered services, lower costs in both time and money, and continual access to the latest, upgraded version of a software application were the primary business drivers for migrating a company's business computing functions to a SaaS managed services provider. Today, the SaaS market is growing at an exponential rate.
Swamp Dawg Software provides a full suite of managed SaaS services to business customers, such as virtual office applications, robust security, and intelligent call routing and autodialing functionality for call centers. Because the use of SaaS applications is becoming more and more routine in business, SaaS customer contracts are getting increased attention by businesses, and they are being scrutinized by IT or legal for all kinds of issues. Although end users are smarter about the delivery of SaaS business applications, most businesses have no SaaS controls at all, and many fail to negotiate nonmonetary terms of standard SaaS contracts. Here are key areas that should be addressed when negotiating a SaaS contract with your vendor.
- Select the right vendor because switching vendors can be time consuming and costly. It is expensive to migrate off a SaaS platform. While you evaluate a new vendor, you are still required to pay the old one. Bargain hard going into a SaaS agreement because the vendor will likely be less likely to negotiate better terms upon renewal.
- Be realistic about the number of seats you contract for and the time it takes for implementation. Request a ramp up period and flexibility for adding new users. In addition, negotiate up front for different pricing in the event that the number of users changes.
- Make sure you understand how the SaaS vendor will help you retrieve your data if the contract should end for any reason, and make sure that you get the data in a useable format.
- Inquire about data protection. Who will perform data backups? Where is the information being stored? Is the software code being held in an escrow account in case the vendor ceases to do business?
- Clearly define the service-level agreement (SLA). Establish the availability component of the SLA to be the shortest time period that is practical - namely, monthly or quarterly rather than annually. Define the percentage of uptime for SaaS availability. Consider the right to terminate the contract if the vendor fails to meet the defined uptime level for reasons within its control over a certain period of time (e.g. two consecutive months).
- Incorporate a change-of- control provision into the contract to make sure that if the vendor is acquired by another company, you have the option to lock in renewal rates at your current rates for 6 or 12 months. This will allow you to decide whether you want to remain with the new vendor.
- Protect yourself from periodic price increases. Standard annual price increases should not exceed 5% or some measure of inflation, whichever is less.
- Make sure you have the ability to assign or transfer the contract if your company is acquired by another company. You might need to obtain the consent of the vendor to do so, but if the acquiring company is financially able to perform your obligations under the contract, an assignment of the SaaS agreement should not pose a problem to the vendor.
As the SaaS market continues to grow, more and more businesses will look to SaaS providers for the delivery of mission-critical business applications and services. Be proactive and select a top quality vendor, such as Swamp Dawg Software, at the outset and avoid the pitfalls of a bad contractual relationship adversely impacting your business.
Matt Hutchins, General Counsel a/k/a Legal Beagle
Unified360
"Shoot a lawyer, and save a tree"
Work email up and running? Check. IM with co-workers, status: available? Check. Blackberry next to me forwarding office calls so I don't miss a client's call? Check. At home with a fever and sore throat? Check. I am one of the many people who are working from home today because Unified360 understands and supports the importance of being able to work remotely.
Working from home is quickly a growing segment of professionals and entrepreneurs. 21% of Americans work from home on a daily basis, and over 35% of employees work from home, even after they leave the office. Having the ability to work remotely offers the benefits of saving time and expenses by avoiding frustrating and lengthy commutes, flexibility, and being able to answer a sales call in your pajamas! (just kidding). My benefit today is that I myself have hardly ever called in sick, whether it was from school as a child or at work in my adulthood. I was always worried about all the work I would miss and have to catch up on, therefore I would push myself to present, no matter what the excuse should be. My thought process was simple: never miss school or work and be successful. Unfortunately, I usually ended up making myself sicker than before. With the ability to work remotely from home, I can still accomplish what I need to in order to be successful at work without feeling the pressure of going into the office when I feel like my head could very well explode. I can take care of work and myself and not skip a beat.
Work- from- home programs are becoming standard practices for many companies. In fact over 40% of private sector businesses have some form of telecommuter policies in place at their company. It used to be thought that if you let your employees work from home they would use that time to grocery shop instead of actually work. However, studies show that working from home increases productivity, produces happier employees, lessens turn over and lessens the amount of time and money that is spent on recruiting. If given the opportunity, many employees will view working remotely as a reward or benefit, and in turn end up working harder and more productively because they want to give back to the company who trusts them.
Unified360 has many different solutions to offer companies who desire to allow their employees the ability to work from home. Please contact us today to learn more about this great benefit! Don't worry... I'll answer my phone and return my emails, because had I not told you, you wouldn't even know I wasn't at the office!
Amber Leatherwood, Account Manager
Unified360
What an interesting title, you might ask? As a lifelong Cowboys fan, the last thing I want to do is acknowledge a song Brett Favre sang after a Cowboys defeat by his Minnesota Vikings. After days of agony, I have decided to move on but this song sticks in my head. Not because of Brett Favre necessarily, but more so because of Larry Platt - a 62-year old American Idol contestant who created the first viral video of 2010 and is referred to as a "General" in the civil rights movement.
What many do not know is that Platt marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. in civil rights movements in early 1960's. Now since Atlanta is honoring Platt with his own holiday, you can expect much more publicity to follow.
So why is this important? Well first, the phrase "Pants on the Ground" was the number one search on the Internet with over 1 million fans on Facebook and 1 million YouTube views within 24 hours. Secondly, it continues to prove the importance of social media's role in communications with today's society which will continue to grow.
As we have seen Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media tools help us, we have also seen them help communication and the delivery of content specifically with voice, video, texting, and data. This is one more case that is important to the continued movement towards increased visibility into important American topics including civil rights. As one of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s admirers, I hope Platt's viral video continues to help with awareness of civil rights issues and allows us to grow as a country.
So at the end of the day, the Cowboys did not win and the Minnesota Vikings did. But at least something positive can be taken away from Brett Favre's chant. Now we will see if his chants match up to Drew Brees' this week when the Minnesota Vikings match up against the New Orleans Saints for the NFC Championship. Let's see who has their "Pants on the Ground" this week.
Jim Barker, CEO
Unified360
Anyone who knows me probably reads this blog title and thinks, "What is wrong with Jim?" I'm a lifelong Cowboys fan who grew up watching games with my dad, and when I get to experience the game in the new stadium and watch my team play, there's no question that I've always been a die-hard Cowboys fan. However, although the Dallas Cowboys are my favorite sports team, and always will be, there are things about them that I wish I could change sometimes.
Tomorrow they begin their 30th run into the playoffs in an attempt to make it to the Super Bowl for the 9th time. With hopes of winning their 6th Vince Lombardi Trophy, I couldn't be more proud (I remember the 1-15 season). The challenge I face as a Cowboys fan is knowing that it has been 13 years since they won a playoff game. However, I am optimistic about this one and their run into the playoffs as long as... they get a miracle.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think the odds are against them or that they are underdogs or anything like that. What I think is that they need their leadership to step up significantly if they truly want to take this run to a Super Bowl win - THE leader... Head Coach Wade Phillips.
For anyone who has not seen the movie Miracle about the 1980 U.S. hockey team who beat the Soviet Union's dominant team to go on and win the Gold Medal, you can at least capture my thought by watching this clip of their head coach Herb Brooks in his locker room speech the night of the game - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvJ4fqaYFq0. The story goes that the U.S. team was made up of amateur and collegiate hockey players that no one thought could even compete. Luckily, Herb Brooks stepped in and took over the team and led them to what is known today as a Miracle.
In sports, business, and life in general, I believe there are times when a leader needs to be strong, hold their team accountable, and show the team that there is only one option - to win. I have served on many teams in my life - many times as a leader and many times not necessarily the leader. In every occasion I can recall, the winning teams were the ones where the leadership was strong and had no thought of anything other than success. In my opinion, our society lacks leadership in many areas that BELIEVE in achieving the goal.
From a business standpoint, we go into 2010 with many goals as individual businesses and the economy as a whole. We have always been the greatest nation in the world with the most entrepreneurial opportunities (again, my opinion). Now is the time for the leaders to step up and lead by believing, standing strong and winning in the fight against failure.
Do I think the Dallas Cowboys need a miracle to beat Philadelphia and move on through the playoffs to the Super Bowl? Yes! I think they need the miracle of a leader that believes, stands strong, commands wins, and is not afraid to make people mad and even lose friends to achieve those goals. So step up Wade, bring a Herb Brooks presence to your team and command success. If you do, I believe we will take home the 44th Vince Lombardi Trophy and be The Best team in professional football again.
Jim Barker, CEO
Unified360
When the idea of Beer:30 was introduced to me by our owners, Jim and Paul, I didn't understand the benefit it would bring to our company. As time has progressed over the past few years, I have seen much value come from our monthly happy hours hosted at our corporate office.
While many people may think we use these events to get businesses or promote ourselves the primary goal is to bring people together. As Tara Young wrote earlier in the week in her teamwork blog, the most successful people in life can name at least one other person who contributed to their accomplishments. The idea behind our monthly Beer:30 is to bring people from all aspects of business together to have a drink (on us) and meet others.
Unified360 has seen great success with these events and know that many other attendees feel the same way. We have found current employees and new business partners by a simple introduction from one of our attendees.
So, the question is posed...what can Beer:30 do for you and your company? We host Beer:30 on the second Friday of every month which happens to be tomorrow. Why don't you come on out to our corporate office around 3:30pm, have a beer and hand out a few business cards! What do you have to lose? Nothing! I can guarantee you have MUCH more to gain!
Kimberly Kelly, Director of Marketing
Unified360
I hate to say this, but more often than not first impressions are generated by ones appearance. Imagine going out on the town with your friends or going on a first date with someone special. As you get ready you put on your favorite jeans. You're about to leave, check yourself in the mirror, and then you realize it... your favorite, perfectly worn-in jeans have a hole in them. Frustration and anger takes over because they fit you perfectly and give you a certain sense of comfort. Even though you hate to do it, you change them.
You're probably thinking, "How does an old pair of jeans have any relevance to business?" Well, it all goes back to appearance being the biggest part of a first impression. The outer-shell of your business is what draws in your clients. You wouldn't own a restaurant without having the name of the restaurant out front, would you? Unfortunately, the corporate world is full of business owners who resist the need to update or change for the good of their company. The key to making your business successful is being susceptible to change. Times are changing and you should work to keep up!
One of the fastest growing changes in the world as we speak is, of course, technology. Technology is driving businesses worldwide to become more successful than they ever imagined. Businesses can have one office, be located in ten or more different cities, and have their employees working remotely from home through the ease of technology. Instead of clients calling your office phone and getting your voicemail if you're busy, now those calls can be forward to your cell phone! Or even better, you can have your voicemail sent to your email! Have you ever missed an important email while not at your computer? Well thanks to changing technology, you can receive emails via your cell phone. My point is, technology can help you be more efficient not only for your employees but most importantly, your clients.
I get it... you're comfortable with your old phone system just like you are with your old jeans. Why would you want to start all over again wearing in a new pair? Similarly, you don't want to go through the trouble of learning to use what you think is "complicated" technology. The problem with this is, nothing lasts forever. Eventually, you need to put on a new pair of pants. Your business needs to update its communications solution. The great part is that thanks to VoIP, you can establish change without burning a hole in your pocket. It actually saves you money and increases your ROI. That's like finding another great pair of jeans on sale! There's definitely no excuse for you not to make the change. Even if you're hesitant to leave your comfort zone, we at Unified360 urge you to take that first step towards an upgrade. After all, isn't your business worth it?
Felicia Cienfuegos, Marketing Coordinator
Unified360
As an employee at Unified360 and a former dancer, if there's one thing I know about, it's being on a team. I have learned through my past experiences that your team has the power to help you succeed, or contribute miserably to your failure.
I think it's fair to say that we all work better with someone else. It helps to have that support system to bounce ideas off of and help you with your responsibilities. It all goes back to that age old saying "together we stand, divided we fall". No truer words have ever been spoken. I believe that those who are the most successful in life can name at least one other person who contributed to their accomplishments. How much can one person really do without enlisting the help of others? And even if the answer is a lot... how enjoyable is it?
Personally, I have found that I am best at my job when I roll my chair over to Felicia's desk and we talk about things together. I believe we both learn faster and come up with a larger variety of ideas. The support the marketing team gives each other contributes to our success and the enjoyment of our jobs. But just as easy as it is to build one another up, it is just as easy to tear each other down. As a dancer, I came face-to-face with both realities. There is nothing more exhilarating than having your team cheer for you and believe wholeheartedly in your abilities. But there is also nothing more devastating than having them rip you apart and experiencing the darkness that comes from feeling alone and worthless. It's hard to believe we have that kind of power over one another.
Most large, profitable, thriving businesses are successful because of a team of people working together.
- Facebook was started by Harvard sophomore Mark Zuckerberg in his dorm room. What began as a kid hacking into his dorm network grew to be a world-wide phenomenon only after he was joined by friends Eduardo Saverin (business aspects), Dustin Moskovitz (programmer), Andrew McCollum (graphic artist) and Chris Hughes.
- Bill Kaplan was a "smart guy" who graduated from Harvard who, after joining forces with J.P. Massar, created a card-counting blackjack team that took Vegas for millions in the 1980s... a feat that definitely couldn't be accomplished alone.
- Our company, Unified360, was started by the partnership of Jim Barker and Paul Tran in the back of a dry-cleaners.
Troy, Emmitt, and Michael; Dolce & Gabana; Shaggy and Scooby... Let's face it. Your team is your foundation and many times, the key to your success. If anything, it's just nice to have that support in knowing that someone believes in you. Having been torn down and built up by teams that I've been a part of in my life, I choose to follow the golden rule, if only for the fact that my success and happiness is intertwined with that of my teammates.
Tonight, I'll head home to sit and relax after a long day at work--- with friends of course. After all, if I'm going to sit around and do nothing, I might as well do nothing with other people. That's teamwork! :)
Tara Young, Marketing Coordinator
Unified360
So, I am the one that always blogs about advances in technology and how everyone should do their best to keep up with the changes. So this blog may come as a bit of surprise since I'm about to question the need for the newest technology gadget.
This year, Amazon.com has called the Kindle the "#1 Best Selling, #1 Most Wished For, and #1 most Gifted Product on Amazon". It is titled the ultimate gift. Don't believe me? Check out the homepage yourself and see the countdown rolling on "time left to order Kindle" to get free shipping for Christmas! It makes the book I bought my best friend (that I know she'll LOVE) look a little inadequate. Or does it?
I hate to say it, but doesn't it seem a little ridiculous? Are we really so advanced that the thought of reading a book that's not on an electronic screen seems outdated? Don't get me wrong, I definitely get the fact that it's flashy and convenient and much easier than searching through a line of shelves for the book you want. But when does convenience start disguising what might just be down-right laziness?
I guess that idea can be applied to many other types of technology. I'm not trying to attack all the advances that we have grown accustomed to (remember, I usually write my praises about them). I just thought for once I would sit back and take a different perspective on things. Newspapers, books, magazines, journals... they're dropping like flies everywhere. It really has become so much easier to find the information you need or want through simple technology. If you need proof, just go to newspaperdeathwatch.com to see for yourself. I don't even remember a time where I actually had to go to the library to write a research paper. Truthfully, I would write it with the information I found online in no time... then I would spend hours in the library trying to find a book to "reference" to fulfill my professor's requirements (Sorry, Professor Schuester J).
Don't ask me why I all of a sudden think the Kindle has taken things too far. I guess I just love reading a good old fashioned book. Snuggling up next to a warm fire with my Kindle just doesn't have the same feel. And on that note, the fancy shmancy Kindle can be destroyed in a fire (or water or any other damaging effect) just as easily as a book can. At least my book won't run out of battery.
Tara Young, Marketing Coordinator
Unified360