HD Network Technology Blog

The Bring Your Own Device, or BYOD, revolution until recently was naively believed to be a problem affecting big business solely. Whether we like it or not, this just purely turned out to not be the case. While the earnest discussion about the problem began a few years back, this issue has been around for small businesses in some form for the better part of the last decade.

But more importantly, how does this trend affect your role as a consultant, and why should you be concerned? For numerous reasons, actually. The small businesses you support are likely seeing more devices enter their networks than ever before, which means  the possibilities for data leaks, mass infection, and security breaches are at an all time high. Ignorance is not a great plan for the long run.

This topic is quite timely on my own end, as customers of my company FireLogic are finally realizing the risks that all of these foreign devices pose. While it’s definitely not my place to play small business tech referee, as a trusted adviser, I do see fit to provide my honest opinion. Whether it be security related or in consideration of bandwidth limitations, BYOD is hitting small business hard. Here’s my top recommendations for easing the burden on your customers’ networks and offices.

Pitch Unified Threat Management (UTM) devices to replace standard SOHO routers

These bona-fide devices go under many different monikers, such as Unified Security Gateway (USG) by Zyxel, but their premise is roughly the same. Instead of beefing up security at the client-side as was the norm for the past decade or so, computer repair consultants now have a better option at their behest. These routers-on-steroids combine top notch firewall functionality with enterprise-level threat prevention to stop attacks and malware before it ever enters the network.

These small to mid-size business “all in one” router/switch/firewall+ devices not only have advanced filtering power, but they all have some flavor of subscription-based capability to tack on additional fringe benefits (for a cost, of course.) In example, Zyxel’s USG line of small business security routers can pull definitions for antivirus scanning, spam filtering, and intrusion (hacking) prevention. For a mere $150-250USD, small business customers can finally play with similar network security gear that the big boys have had for years.

Some of the popular other choices on the market include Netgear’s Prosecure UTM line, SonicWall’s TZ series, and the WatchGuard FireBox XTM line. I tend to like Zyxel’s bang for the buck, but each manufacturer offers differing benefits. Be sure to do your research before purchasing any of these firewalls.

Use VLANs and Guest SSIDs to separate network access by devices

Most decent SOHO routers (nearly any of the above recommended UTM devices) allow for the easy creation of VLANs to separate distinct safe (internal) traffic from insecure (guest) traffic by employee and visitor smartphones, laptops, etc. Many companies I work with are going a step further to also introduce separate wireless SSID broadcasts to segregate WLAN traffic. This division of traffic allows possibly-infected devices to keep trojans and other roaming nasties off the private internal network, while still providing necessary internet access for guests and their devices.

You can read further about the concept of VLAN segregation on Wikipedia.

Consider recommending a proxy server for your customers

Proxy servers still serve a valid purpose. If a small business you support is having a tough time with unregulated website access, a proxy server could be the difference between YouTube eating up all the bandwidth or business running smooth as silk. Sure, there are plenty of paid products out there, such as the Smoothwall line of appliances, but cheaper options exist.

I covered this dirty little secret in my article on refurbishing customer PCs into purpose-driven feats of magic. There are a bevy of freeware or open-source proxy server distributions out there. I covered IPCop in the aforementioned article, but Untangle is another wonderful option. That old Windows XP tower gathering dust could be easily transformed into a powerful proxy server at little to no cost for a customer. Talk about saving the day on the cheap!

Configure Posture Assessment functionality if available

Posture Assessment is a fancy term for something the enterprise IT world has been using for many years already, known also as Network Access Control (NAC). Many of the UTM devices I recommended above, like the Zyxel USG firewall routers, offer posture assessment capability. You know the saying “No shirt, No shoes, No service.” Well, PA is merely the network access equivalent.

You can specify the UTM device to require, for example, that any Windows 7 computers trying to get onto the internet over the company connection must have SP1 installed. Likewise, Vista systems could be asked to show proof of having SP2 before being allowed access. If they don’t meet the necessary requirements, the firewall can direct them to the proper place to download the necessary security updates.

Yes, these rules require some fine-tuned calibration to work properly, but I have implemented them at a few select locations with much success where infections commonly crawled in from guest devices. While they are not fool proof by any means, they do add an extra layer of security by keeping the worst security offenders at bay to a fair extent.

Don’t forget that solid HR policies on BYOD still work wonders

Not every technical problem needs to have a technical solution to be effective. For a lot of small businesses I serve, helping owners work up a solid BYOD policy is usually as good as implementing any of the above technologies. As long as management follows through and enacts consequences, workers tend to abide. Technology shouldn’t be a band-aid in place of good human resource leadership; it should merely be there to supplement the former.

Let’s be mindful that the BYOD landscape is rapidly evolving still, and it’s anyone’s guess as to what the office of the next five to seven years will resemble. Acting as a trusted technology liaison to recommend cost-effective solutions where HR needs a helping hand is exactly the position you should be exemplifying. My list of recommended options above is not exhaustive by any means – I merely described the most common technologies I’m implementing at customer sites. Mix and match my recommendations, and consider some of your own, when dealing with similar situations and you will have more than a few tricks up your sleeve.

How do you handle BYOD and the risks it brings with your customers? What technologies do you turn to? Are there any suggestions I forgot in this article? Feel free to let us know in the comments area below!

Outline all of your current processes and procedures. Even if you need to make a few up as you go, get the basics down. Updating your manual of operations is a key factor for building your company. Even if it’s basic information about how to open the store, close the store, take calls in for your clients, outtake processes, how you do tune-ups or virus removals, onsite visit information, etc. All of these are important. If you decide to hire before having this operations manual updated, you should do it as you hire that person. Have them document for you, (kill two birds with one stone).

Training program

It’s not easy to have a training program that sticks, but I have learned that if you have an outline of what you want them to learn and follow it, you can go slow and train them on new things each day. This is why it’s great to have the processes and procedures down pat. They can have the lists ready to follow after you have trained them.

Don’t throw them into the fire day 1

I learned this the very hard way. No matter how busy and slamming you are, do not throw them into repairs day one. They should shadow you for many days. You should start to show them the store and telephone answering procedures first and then they can help out there. If you get them on repairs, you will for sure have them working without a game plan. No data backup problem is worth that. Train them your way, one repair at a time. Don’t forget to document new things that you overlooked in your documentation.

Gentle correction and be firm

As the new employee gets comfortable, you will find them following your lead, but most find their own way to do some of the process and procedures. Sometimes I like the changes they have done because everyone is due a chance to make things better or more efficient. But if they are not interested in following your process and procedures and continue doing things their own way, it’s time to start doing gentle corrections and document.
This is sometimes hard to tell someone, “I’ve asked you ten times to close a ticket the way I trained you, why can’t you figure out that formula”, some employees are just not focused on your procedures when the shop is busy. You may need to sit down and figure it out, make some things more simple, or realize…they will always be a problem for you and they are probably doing more things the way you don’t want them to.

Documenting employee behavior

It’s always recommended that after you have trained an employee and find them doing things you are not happy with, that you document and use the guidelines of “verbal, written and final warnings” but to be honest, that has never once worked out for me. I have documented, but most of the employees I have fired didn’t make it past verbal warnings. There is a thing called reality that is in our favor as businesses, just not wanting to deal with that employee ever again. We have the power to let someone go right now if we chose.

Firing an employee

I have documented employees behaviors and corrections, but I usually want to fire them before the “final warning” time because of something they did or didn’t do… and then I have to take that risk of them collecting unemployment. If I make that choice, I’m fine with paying more later on if my insurance goes up. It’s never been a deal breaker for me, if I need to let go of someone, I do it no matter what. My brand, my business and my mental state are all at risk for one person to stay on and potentially make things worse.

Unemployment

Check your state laws on this one. In Minnesota, we are an “At will” state, but that doesn’t mean that an employee can’t file unemployment. You pay into the system to protect you, so you can hire and fire at will and the employee is protected to get a percentage of their pay.

Guest Post by Lisa Hendrickson, Owner of Call That Girl Computer Support and Repair. Lisa has been a featured writer for Technibble since 2010 and is a contributor in the Technibble Business and Marketing forums.

With the Windows 8 user base increasing steadily, and the majority of the focus on computing devices switching to mobility, we’re going to see an increase in the need for backup and imaging solutions focused on mobile devices. As Techs, we need to fill that gap between desktop backup systems and mobile device backups. There are a few Windows 8 backup and imaging tools for techs as far as backing up Windows 8 devices. A few new tools have recently become available – RecImg Manager and SlimImage. These utilities support Windows 8 on desktop and tablet, with touchscreen support, and are packed with features every Tech will appreciate.

RecImg Manager and SlimImage differ as far as their focus. SlimImage is probably the imaging tool you’ll use most as it backs up user documents and libraries as well as user defined folders, as well as the OS and installed apps, while RecImg Manager mainly focuses on just the OS and installed apps. The backup size is small, and it does perform quickly. SlimImage supports local, external, and network storage devices, and features automated and unlimited backup scheduling. If you visit recimg.com, you’ll find a chart comparing features, and you’ll be able to decide which solution would suit your client most. Both utilities are free, and while SlimImage is still in Beta, it’s a fully functioning solution you can start implementing now.

Windows 8 Refresh and Reset features have been under discussion for some time, but you won’t have to worry about RecImg Manager or SlimImage conflicting with them. If you provide a client with a new Windows 8 device, I’d recommend installing SlimImage for them and setting up scheduled backups. If they ever have a problem with their device and come to you for a solution, you’ve already set it up and shouldn’t have any trouble getting them back to their desired device state again. That said, you may want to ensure the backup is stored in a location that won’t be disturbed by normal computing, if possible. Of course, that’s a given with any backup media.

To obtain the latest version of SlimImage, use this link HERE, and enter the code betanews. You’ll be prompted to install, and launch the program on the client machine. When launched, you’ll see the splash screen, and from there you can choose the backup or restore type. I don’t recommend trying SlimImage out on a VM first, unless it’s VMPlayer. VirtualBox seems to cause problems with the imaging process, but with VirtualBox you’re able to take snapshots of the system, rendering a backup system like SlimImage rather redundant on that VM system.

To obtain RecImg Manager, use this link HERE, which redirects to Cnet for downloading. The interface is similar to SlimImage, with the exception of the extra features. As SlimImage has more features, you’ll probably want to focus more on that with clients, as it offers a better backup coverage.

With SlimImage, you can manage multiple images, browse the backups with a file manager, purge outdated snapshots, and take advantage of incremental backup creation as well, all with a very small utility and a small image footprint. Even if your client somehow manages to obliterate the operating system beyond use, a Windows Refresh and a reinstall of SlimImage with a restore of the latest good image will put them back in business.

Other backup systems may work on tablets and mobile devices, but they may require registry changes or other tweaks to work correctly, whereas SlimImage works out of the box, and only needs a small space on our tech USB toolkit, which is great for Techs.

If you are considering covering Windows 8 residential or business users with your services, grab a copy of SlimImage and try it out. As Techs, we need to cover new and popular operating systems as they become more commonly used, and SlimImage fits the bill for Windows 8. If you have had good experience with other Windows 8 backup and imaging tools for Techs, post your thoughts below.

No matter how 2012 treated your computer repair business, let’s put yesteryear behind us and look ahead to what 2013 has to bring. The holidays were likely crazy for most of us, forcing many to juggle a hectic mix of client work and family matters. But I hope you had a chance to relax a bit and think about your strategy for the new year. Reflection and subsequent planning are a healthy part of managing any size business.

As much as it seems like I can never get away from the daily grind of running a computer repair company, I kept a promise to my girlfriend and we took a nice cruise vacation to the Bahamas over New Year’s. While I had plenty of time for fun, I happened to read a wonderful book that every aspiring computer repair business owner should consider picking up. The title I’m referring to is called The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich and can be picked up on Amazon used for just under $7 USD.

While the author Timothy Ferriss is as far from a computer repair technician as can be, his business sense mixed with witty, logical outlook on living a sane professional life are nearly second to none in this genre of non-fiction. Not everything in The 4-Hour Workweek is directly applicable to my own life, nor will I misrepresent the title as an end-all, be-all guide for your own. There are numerous juicy nuggets of information that I gleaned from this humorous rant/self-help easy read. A few of the things that Tim used to help change his professional life are items I present below as common sense ways to help yourself in 2013.

Below are some of my top recommendations that any computer repair business owner can consider. After having left my full time job this past year to run my own computer business FireLogic full time, I’ve had more than a few months to see what works, what doesn’t, and what changes I need to implement in 2013.

10. Simplify your phone communications and consider a VOIP provider. 

As my own business grows, I’ve realized that bootstrapping works in most respects. Previously, I’ve fully recommended the free Google Voice service for small computer shops. In fact, my own company had been on Google Voice since 2010. But as we continue to grow, we’ve hit the limits of the product. After searching long and hard for who does small business VOIP the best for a good price, we chose to go with RingCentral for our needs.

If you are still merely using a personal cell number as your business line, think about streamlining your phone communication flow with a service like RingCentral. We now have 2 desk phones, mobile extensions for every tech, e-faxing, conference call bridging, voicemail-to-email, and much more for a (super) low monthly price. Best of all: the new features we gained help us work smarter, not harder, when it comes to communicating with our clients. A big business image for a small business price!

9. Start leveraging the cloud to save money and time.

I know the cloud has become nearly passé as a term lately, but it truly does have a lot to offer computer repair businesses. We’re steadily moving our customer base off of hosted on-premise Exchange systems and over to Google Apps and Office 365. But it doesn’t stop with email by any means.

Some of our major cloud moves already began in late 2012. As mentioned above, our entire phone system is now nearly fully on cloud VoIP provider RingCentral. I made the move to QuickBooks Online back in November and have been happily managing my invoicing, billing, and accounting in the cloud. And I’ve gone a bit rogue and adopted online work platform Podio for our hybrid CRM, lead management, and job reporting hub. And we’ve just begun dabbling with Microsoft’s Azure service for hosted virtual machines. These services keep us nimble and focused on profit-bearing client work, not time consuming internal IT management.

8. Re-think your service offering and trim the losers.

Tim Ferriss had a wonderful quote in his book which resonates with something I wrote about previously. “It is more profitable to be a big fish in a small pond than a small undefined fish in a big pond.” In many respects, he’s exactly right. For my company FireLogic, we quickly realized that being the undefined fish offering iDevice repair and motherboard-level chip replacements was losing us time, money, and potentially better customers. Take a weekend to make a list of the services your company offers, and which ones need to get the permanent boot.

7. If you want to grow, you can’t sustain a one-man-show forever. 

As much as I planned on keeping my company a part-time, one person endeavor, it quickly outgrew its initial conceptions. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. I haven’t looked back since becoming busy enough to leave my full time job. But a solid growth strategy needs to entail a candid understanding that being the “everything” man/woman is a recipe for disaster.

Last year, I brought on the help of a near full time technician who also handles web design for us, and another night/weekend/holiday tech who fills in the gaps. Its reaped its rewards tenfold. I’ve been able to focus my time and energy handling less residential work and chasing the commercial/education leads which are the true money makers.

Even my opposition to office space was busted (as I made evident on my appearance of BAMCast.biz Episode 8). We opened our first public facing office before the end of 2012. And now I’m on the brink of bringing on an administrative assistant to handle paperwork, HR, and daytime phone calls. Yes, people power costs money, but it frees me up to do what I do best: building our commercial customer list, and doing tech work, too.

6. Consider a website redesign to increase your web conversion rate. 

Referral sources, average page time per visitor, conversion rate… the list of metrics by which mere visitors are turned into true customers are never ending. Let’s face it: most great computer repair technicians don’t have great websites to match. My company FireLogic is no different (note: we are launching a complete overhaul in February 2013, so we are acknowledging our own problems!)

Before you go out on a whim and just have any joe schmo code up a new site, you may want to do some reading to get acquainted with what quality sites encompass. An excellent resource is the expert blog run by SEOMoz, who are probably as close to website design & SEO theory gods that I’ve ever come across. I even penned an article on how to boost your website presence back in 2011 which covers some of the basics.

5. Fire the customers that are not worth keeping. 

As harsh as it may sound, remember that you are running a business, and businesses are here to make money. As much as we want to please everyone, it’s not ideal nor is it practical. The 80-20 rule, which Tim Ferriss spends a lot of time on in Four Hour Workweek, is something you need to judge for your own company. 80% of your profits likely come from 20% (or so) of your customer base.

You can read my in-depth opinion on the topic of figuring out how to know when it’s time to let a customer go.

4. Stop wasting money on old-school advertising and try alternative marketing.

The yellow pages, local newspapers, and even flyers become drab money pits after a certain point. If you can’t claim at least a few new recent customers from these outdated marketing techniques then put your foot down and consider a new approach for 2013.

What am I referring to? Getting creative, unique, and downright clever with your local untapped customer base. My company has been reaping the benefits from doing monthly volunteer computer classes at local libraries and schools. We also exchange services-for-exposure at our local community Taste of Park Ridge festival. All in all, we’re building quality word of mouth and picking up excellent new clients from unconventional marketing avenues that the competition has never even considered locally.

3. Consider partnering with your local competition.

I’m planning on doing a full writeup on this gem, but I thought I’d share my initial experiences on this article. A dirty little secret I’ve come to appreciate is the fact that as crazy as it sounds, you can come out ahead by leveraging what I call “competitive partnerships.” Just because you are in the same industry doesn’t mean two sides can’t have something positive to offer each other.

In fact, in 2012 we’ve built relationships with numerous local partners. You have to tread carefully and evaluate who you’re potentially teaming up with, but with an ounce of common sense, you can build a reciprocal lead system to benefit all sides. For example, we tend to pass along high end server or virtualization work in exchange for cloud email jobs, surveillance system installs, and website work. I’m so pleased with the relationships I’ve made in 2012 that we are already in talks with other potential partners in our area.

2. Trim your expenses to help reduce your company’s “belly fat.”

Expense cutting is a never ending battle. As soon as you think you’ve trimmed everywhere you can, a new hole opens up. I’ve been on a cost reduction rampage at my own company, getting rid of unneeded services, switching to cheaper providers, and taking an overall inventory of what we are spending on and whether it can be trimmed or eliminated.

I wrote about a few of the common areas of waste in a previous cost-cutting article. But there are tons of new outlets to consider. Consider refilled toner or ink tanks to save on expensive brand name “virgin” consumables for your printers. Price check your needed parts against Ebay, Newegg, and Amazon before purchasing as there is almost always a hidden gem tucked away on one of those services.

And finally, one of my new favorites for 2013: consider becoming an affiliate of the most common products/services you already sell! Our company already pushed a lot of NOD32, Mozy, GoDaddy, Malwarebytes, and HostGator, but when I found out they all had affiliate programs that paid good commissions, it was a no brainer. It’s not like we succumbed to selling sub-par products we didn’t initially recommend - far from it. We merely were able to start capitalizing on the items we were already promoting, and it brings in a couple hundred dollars in extra revenue every few months with no extra effort.

Check out Commission Junction, which is the hub for what seems to be hundreds of easy to join affiliate programs that require nothing but a valid tax ID and a legitimate business. They are good for their word, and we haven’t had a problem being paid yet.

1. Embrace new technologies – don’t dismiss them.

Virtualization, the tablet revolution, and cloud computing are here to stay. These trends may be riding waves of media hype to some extent, but their existence for the long term has been solidified. As a computer repair technician, you need to stay on the cutting edge and become acquainted with these hot topics in computing. From what I can see, the repair companies falling the furthest behind are the ones that are stuck in a pre-2010 mindset.

There are so many resources out there to help you grow your business that there really is no excuse to be stuck in the past. Evolve or die; it’s as simple as that. Just two years ago virus removals were 75% of my company’s income; today, they make up a mere 25% where cloud email and business consulting have taken over tenfold. Rethink your strategy, evaluate where you can branch out, and jump into some of these new technologies feet first. You’re not getting anywhere fast by standing still.

Technology and consumer spending are on the rise for 2013

You don’t have to look far to see the signs that 2013 could be a good year for computer repair shops. IT spending in the business sector is clearly on the rise this year, with consumer spending moving in the same general direction. Your customer base should have some more disposable income if the above holds true, which means those projects that were delayed indefinitely should start bearing some fruit.

The advice I provided above is meant for computer repair shops small and large. Everyone has room for improvement, and I’ve been evaluating my own company’s standing on the aforementioned topics very heavily as of late. Some changes are harder to make, yet some are as easy as picking up the phone and calling your service provider for a discount. No matter what the case, take an honest look at where you need to make adjustments in 2013 and don’t procrastinate.

Do you have suggestions for a better 2013? Where have you cut costs or re-thought your processes?  My list was by no means exhaustive. Share them with us in the comments section below! We’re all here to learn from one another.

HP EliteBook 8460p
I’ve been using the EliteBook series of HP laptops for a couple of years now. They haven’t failed me, not once. This particular one utilizes the Intel Core i5 vPro and performs exceptionally well for my needs. It looks great and has been very durable on all my travels having received more than a few knocks. It’s not the lightest of laptops but the pros far out weigh this single negative. Obviously it’s equipped with WiFi and Bluetooth for all your connectivity needs if you so wish.

This particular model has been discontinued but the 8470p is the closest match.

Nokia 920 Windows Phone 8
Everyone has their preferred mobile phone and this, of course, is mine. I’ll not bore you with why I think you should own a Windows Phone (though you know it makes sense). I’ll just go as far as to say that you’ll need a smart phone of some sort to be truly effective whilst on the move, capabilities such as email, calendaring, contacts are a must. If you can Tether your chosen mobile then this is a big plus.

Voyager Legend Headset
Being sure you can be contacted whilst on the go and whilst driving will be a huge advantage. I’m often asked to recommend a Bluetooth headset and there’s only one that I’m interested in talking about. The Voyager Legend pretty much destroys the competition in regards to its cost, capabilities and performance. If you’re in the market for one (or even if you’re not) then take a look. 7 hours talk time on a single charge, almost an entire working day. It will tell you who’s calling so no need to have your phone in hand for caller ID. Pairing with two devices so you can stay connected to your phone and laptop at the same time. Just a couple of key points that are important to my mobility.

Microsoft Surface RT
I always find having a tablet device of some kind is always useful when you’re in a situation that makes a full laptop difficult, basically for anywhere that you feel crowded. Such as crowded public transport, crowded coffee shops etc. The Surface has the added bonus of having the touch keyboard attached so that I can adjust to my environment quickly. Other tablets such as the iPad and Galaxy can of course utilize wireless hardware in a similar way, you’ll just need to make sure it all packs nicely.

Kindle Paperwhite with Trendz case
I’m still a believer in ebook readers, regardless of the fact that I carry a Surface. The Kindle Paperwhite is exceptionally easy to read and use, fits in my pocket and is a good device to reference books whilst working on my laptop. All that aside it’s a great way to relax during a well earned coffee break in that coffee shop that I hope you’re already sitting comfortably in. If you get a Kindle or other e-reader, get a case to keep it safe. It will likely take a few knocks in your bag or pocket otherwise, the kindle is too nice a device to scratch.

Dicota BacPac Mission XL
Of course all this hardware is all but useless if you don’t have the means to carry it around comfortably. For me the Dicota BacPac Mission XL covered my needs perfectly allowing me to easily fit all the above plus all the additional sundries below with complete ease. There’s space and pockets for just about everything you can imagine needing including all the necessary paperwork. The design is a little sporty which doesn’t scream mobile office hopefully giving would-be thieves the wrong impression. It’s weather proof but breathable in key areas to avoid excessive heat when carried so durable and adaptable to the sudden changes of weather in the UK.

Sundries

Small Tool Kits
I wouldn’t be much of a repair tech if I didn’t keep a few tools close at hand to cover the majority of fitting/replacement tasks and as such I have a Professional Screwdriver Set from Lindy and a Professional PC Tool Kit from Hama

Docking Station + Monitor + HP OfficeJet Pro 8500
Whilst clearly not items you should be carrying around with you, I do have two office locations which utilize this setup. One location for the business and one for the day job for prolonged periods of work where avoiding the office is just not feasible. Usually as a result of meetings, maintenance and repair work. This particular OfficeJet is particularly helpful with double sided scanning and utilises HP’s ePrint services allowing me to print documents and have them ready to pick up at the office. Paper, sometimes, is unavoidable.

Software & Services

SkyDrive & Google Docs
For cloud based storage I primarily make use of SkyDrive for all my documents so that I can get at everything I need easily on all my Windows devices. Google Docs also supplements this service nicely allowing me to collaborate with a number of clients and colleagues including my colleagues here at Technibble.

Log Me In Rescue
Having a remote support service in place is key in your ability to remotely assist clients and colleagues alike. Log Me In has been a good choice for me so far, reliable and easy to use for people on both sides of the connection.

Corporate Exchange & Office 365
I look after a corporate exchange network at the business I work for and utilize Office 365 for my own business needs. Needless to say I utilize Email, Calendaring and Contacts to their full extent on these services whilst on the move. Of course there are alternatives which can provide comparative services at cheaper rates. Take a look at Office 365 and Google Apps for Business.

Other
I utilize various pieces of software to meet my working objectives and they include Microsoft Office 2010, Dreamweaver & Photoshop CS5, WAMP for working with websites locally and DropBox. I also have numerous Windows 8 Apps from the Marketplace for both work and play.

What you’ve seen here is my core kit, pretty much what I’m using constantly day in and day out. This somewhat small collection of items allow me to stay productive regardless of my location and I’m confident I’ll want for very little when stepping out of my front door. The oddity is that you probably utilize the same or similar equipment right now, the only difference is that I’ve just ordered my second cappuccino and I’m never far from where I’m needed.

• 1. Have a Coffee
  Every once in a while grab your laptop and take it to your favorite coffee shop and do a few hours work. Take note of what you accomplish and compare it to what you achieve at your office. On the majority of your visits you’ll find there’s a jump in productivity, the feeling of just grabbing a coffee yet having got a ton of work done is good encouragement to be doing this more often.
• 2. Get Out and Stay Out!
  Kick it up a notch and once every two weeks force yourself out of the office all day and make sure you don’t go back until at least 4pm. I’ll warn you now the first time will be incredibly hard, you’ll forget almost everything important, you’ll find you’re missing key documents and access to the server at your office is all but impossible as you work out the kinks. This is where the perseverance comes into play, review what went wrong at the end of the day, make some notes and review these notes the day before you try again. Things will gradually improve.
• 3. Map It Out
  Because my business focuses on a particular town I wanted to visually represent the coverage and density of all customers and particularly my repeat customers. I bought a large map of the town, pinned it to the wall and stuck yellow stickers identifying my customers and using red stickers for my repeat customers. Quickly I can see the greatest density of all my customers and that of my repeats allowing me to focus my out of office activities in particular areas of the town if I’ve no need to go further afield.
• 4. Impress the Spouse
  One thing you can’t do whilst you sit at the office, and that’s errands. When you’re on the move, nipping into the post office or the supermarket is no big deal. Just be sure to have a cool box on hand for the fridge items. This will inevitably impress your other half as you clear out the weekend jobs before the weekend, keeping you in the good books and freeing up your time for friends and family.
• 5. Don’t Forget to Stop
  Being on the move it can be easy to forget about the basics, such as eating properly and cost effectively. When I started to stay out of the office I was in the habit of thinking that entitled me to eat out regularly. It can get expensive and you’ll soon put on a few pounds. Take a packed lunch and don’t forget to eat little and often, you’ll need your strength.
• 6. Forward Your Calls
  I’ve slipped up a couple of times and forgot to forward what was my home/office phone to my mobile. On these occasions I missed a couple of important calls which is why I invested in a call answering service. They now answer all my main line calls and email me all the details allowing me to respond in my own time giving customers high priority. The guy trying to renew my utility bill can wait. I’m presently using http://www.answer-4u.com, but try http://www.angel.com for a good US alternative.

For Business Owners With a Day Job

For those with a day job, the idea of becoming un-tethered may seem unrealistic or even impossible but remote working is a growing trend which is being understood by more and more employers. My job is a little different to some in that I’m expected to be able to move about the offices and various one man locations in any given working day so when it came to asking for a remote working trial it was easily accepted. No point in making my way back to the office if I can drive five minutes down the road, grab lunch and continue working. It just made sense. My productivity shot through the roof and I found that I had numerous hours to spare doing other work that I wanted. It didn’t matter what I was doing in these spare hours because I was out performing my colleagues who insisted on getting back to the safety of their desks.

For those of us tied to a desk things are very different. The general working society dictates that you need to be at your desk, visible and contactable throughout the 9 to 5 working day. Suggest anything different to almost anyone with a job and you’ll be met with puzzling looks. This is normal, but it is possible to break free.

• 1. Do You Trust Yourself?
  Before you even think about approaching the boss you need to know that you can trust yourself to actually do the work. If you got told to work at home all day, would you remain productive and get everything on your to-do list done? Or would you start cleaning the house, perhaps play a little Xbox? It’s hard to resist these little distractions and being out and about can have the same effect. I’ll just do a little TV shopping whilst I’m passing. Or I’ll just pop in to see my dad for two hours. Be honest with yourself, can you buckle down and get on with key tasks if the benefits I’ve described actually exist?
• 2. Find Out, Do a Trial Run
  Use up one of your holidays and take a Tuesday or Wednesday off but still do your usual midweek work whilst bouncing across a couple of locations. At the same time doing a little work on your computer business making a few calls, respond to email, perhaps a little remote support. Review your results at the end of the day. Did you get everything done? If not you need to ask yourself why but the majority will realize that you’ve probably had one of your most productive days for a long time. If you’ve been productive be sure to document your office work to gather as evidence to show your boss later.
• 3. Take a Sick Day
  Call in sick and spend the day at home working yourself to the brink of a real sick day. Show your manager that you perform strongly out of the office under the pretense that you should be in bed. “I was sick as a dog but was concerned about project x, just take a look at what I got done”.
• 4. Propose a Trial
  Once you have all that quantifiable proof of your performance when out of the office you should then, and only then, take it up with your boss. Show the proof and pitch your idea of working out of the office one day a week. You should suggest mid-week to avoid it looking like you’re wanting to extend your weekends and you should push the idea of a “Trial”, nothing permanent. Cite various reasons such as in office distractions and productivity and make sure they feel in control of the situation.

If you find your manager blocking every attempt for a remote working arrangement then you first need to ask yourself why. Perhaps your job cannot be done remotely? If you have tasks that require your daily presence then investigate what you can do to solve this problem. If you haven’t been able to prove your productivity adequately spend the coming months gathering more evidence and resubmit your proposal at a later date.

Sometimes however, managers simply don’t want to know. My previous employer roared with laughter every time I tried to broach this subject. After this realization we have but two choices, stay and continue as you are, or look for a different employer, one that’s not interested in holding you back. That choice I leave to you.

In part 2 I’ll be doing a quick write up of the hardware and software that I utilize to get all my remote work done and dusted. Hopefully this list will give you a clearer idea of my remote working day and the great things that can be accomplished with only a few items. Remote working is a mind-field of ideas, technologies and various processes in getting work done. So share yours and together lets get liberated from the shackles of our offices.

When CanlessAir.com offered to send me a sample of their flagship product, the Hurricane Canless Air System, I couldn’t resist the offer. Like most other technicians out there, I heavily invested in compressed (canned) air for most technical work up until about two years ago. I still keep canned air around for when my beloved air compressor just won’t fit the bill (like going into downtown Chicago on the train) and it’s still expensive as it ever was.

The premise of the Hurricane Canless Air unit is pretty simple: ditch the canned air that you have to re-purchase consistently, and invest in a piece of equipment like any other that resides in your tool bag. More specifically, a tool that can be recharged numerous times (over 500 times, they claim – equivalent to 1000 cans of air) and provide consistent operation each and every time. All this in the size of a product that is truly not much larger than a decently sized can of compressed air.

The version that I was sent happens to be the industrial-strength unit, which supposedly blasts concentrated air at a forceful stream of about 200Mph. A bit lofty of a statement, as I have no way of clocking the stream to check its validity, but the power of the unit is just as good (if not better at times) than your stock can of air from the store.

I wanted to get a few different opinions on the product for this review, so I didn’t stop at merely testing it myself. I let one of my FireLogic colleagues give the system a try for a few days, and also lent it to another friend who works in IT for the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art. Their thoughts are intermingled with my own below.

The unit is very plainly packaged, and includes the Hurricane of your choice (there is a lower priced basic model, which has a 160Mph stream of air), the power adapter for recharging, and a nozzle. The unit weighs slightly more than compressed air, but keep in mind that the unit packs a battery that adds some decent weight to the package. It’s well worth it, as the unit averages about 12-15 mins of air flow until it loses power.

You may say that 12-15 mins isn’t much, but keep this in mind for comparison: that equates to about the same blowing time given by roughly 15-20 cans of compressed air. Count the money you last spent on a 3-pack of compressed air, and you can see where the contrast in savings stands. This is not to say the product is perfect, however. I’m merely making the claim that in terms of long term value, the Hurricane has canned air beat by a long shot.

Derrick using the O2 Hurricane Computer Duster

It goes without saying that the Hurricane pushes dust like a pro. Just like canned air has a peak of strength beginning with the first minute or two of usage, the Hurricane behaves similarly. The stream of air is definitely strongest when the battery is fresh off charge, but the “usable life per charge” is still longer than what you get out of a single can of air. While I tend to see about 12-15 mins of airflow (confirmed by colleagues), your best airflow happens in about the first 10 mins or so. Still, this equates to a lot of air time.

Some of my colleagues questioned the feasibility of a rechargeable battery within the unit, especially one that cannot be replaced by the end user. This happens to be one of our common gripes: that once the battery is end-of-life, we are pretty much forced to get a replacement unit since the battery takes a queue from Apple and is sealed inside the casing. The unit still presents a considerable cost savings over purchasing compressed air, but this is one area that could be improved in the next revision we’re hoping.

Overall, the charging system that the Hurricane presents is well developed. The AC adapter is small and portable, and can be carried in your bag in addition to the unit if you plan on doing a ton of dusting in a single day. One caveat to be mindful of is that you cannot use the unit on AC power alone after the battery has died. Some of my colleagues thought they could use the AC charger as a backup when they ran out of battery life, but this was not the case. A full recharge is about an hour or slightly longer, so there is a waiting game if you run out of juice in the middle of a long day onsite.

While I personally feel the unit has fairly adequate power to clean dust off systems, both of my colleagues felt that the unit could have been more powerful. They have a fear that fine dust in a system does not get cleaned off with the Hurricane and therefore a tech would have to go to other means in order to fully clean a unit. I personally did not experience this issue, but it’s a viable concern if indeed the Hurricane doesn’t have the extra punch to go all the way.

Another thing to be mindful of is noise. Compared to compressed air, the Hurricane uses a motorized system to force air centrally through the front nozzle, so it’s considerably louder than a standard can of air. Again, this is the tradeoff for working with a rechargeable system of this nature, but you need to be mindful of your surroundings when attempting to use this in quieter office settings. If there is no background noise in a given office, the Hurricane will be very audible and may create a stir for workers. But you’re the best judge of how your clients are, so just be sure to warn them before turning this puppy on for minutes at a time.

One of my buddies said that he has had a good experience with an alternative product called the DataVac (available from Newegg) which has a comparable price to the Hurricane. However, the product’s reviews on the site are a mixed bag at best so it’s hard to say which one would fare better in a matchup. My personal opinion is that I will likely supplement my own toolbag with a Hurricane. While I can’t say that it will replace my favored air compressor just yet for all jobs, it’s certainly a good pick for when I need to visit locations that require public transit access only.

For the weight, price, and packaging, I have to say the Hurricane is a good product, but it doesn’t win my top accolades due to some of the minor grievances from our findings above. If you’re looking for the cost savings that an air compressor provides, but need the portability that canned air affords, then the Hurricane could be a good pick for you as a mobile onsite technician.

The Hurricane retails at $80 USD for the original version and $110 USD for the industrial (heavy computer repair) version direct from CanlessAir.com. You can find them for a few bucks less at various retailers around the web, however.
If you’ve personally used the Hurricane yourself, let us know your thoughts in the comments section!

Final rating: 3 out of 5 stars