What does Database mean to you?

The word database can mean different things to different people. To some a database is their collection of names, addresses and telephone numbers of contacts for their business be it either on a spreadsheet, an address book, entered in a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution or as a batch of business cards in a box somewhere.

For others a database is a list of stock available for sale or any list to do with their business.

According to Wikipedia, a database is an organised collection of data. The data is typically organized to model aspects of reality in a way that supports processes requiring information.

If you have multiple databases you sometimes find that information is duplicated or you cannot find the data you are looking for. Here at Convallis Software we are specialists in the development of bespoke databases and can help you get your business databases organised.

If you would like to find out more about how we can help you, we offer a free initial one hour consultation (depending on location) to discuss your personal requirements.

Microsoft's OneDrive to become simpler in the future.

Reading some of the recent technology news, I came across an article regarding Microsoft's OneDrive cloud storage system and how they are going to be changing it to make life simpler for users. This prompted me to think about my use of OneDrive here at Convallis.

I actually use OneDrive more than I thought, backing up things like photos, saving documents such as my car insurance documents that I may need elsewhere. I also use it to for business to back up certain documents or photos, plus I share files/documents with one of my customers as they allow me access to share certain files.

The article mentioned that some people have had a problem with reliability with OneDrive, well for me I have never had an issue, but the great thing about what Microsoft are doing is that there will be a single sync engine for both business and consumer use, this will certainly make life a lot easier.

Whatever cloud storage system you use, be it OneDrive, Dropbox or any of the others available I'm sure you will agree that the more user-friendly it is the better it will be for us all and there will be less complaints!

Listening to your Customers

What do you do when you receive customer feedback about a product or service you supply?

Here at Convallis Software customer feedback has played an important part in the development of our ConvallisCRM product.

ConvallisCRM has been developed and improved over many years and this improvement is ongoing, quite a bit in part to feedback received from our customers. The software started out as a very simple contact management solution but over time has been developed into a far more functional customer relationship management (CRM) solution.

One example of a feature that was integrated in the software following customer feedback is the 'personal' details section.

Example of Personal information in ConvallisCRM

This feature came after talking to two clients, one runs a holiday let and wanted the medical conditions box to make notes if their clients were disabled or ill and needed and special facilities and/or access. The date of birth feature came from a club that wanted to make a report each month of their member's birthdays so that they could send them a birthday card or special offer for their birthday.

This is just one example of how listening to your customers can allow you to improve a product or service, but don't forget that as businesses we may sometimes get negative feedback. This should also be acted on appropriately and can still help to improve your business product or service.

Safer Internet Day: Let’s create a better internet together

Today is the eleventh annual Safer Internet Day and is  taking place with the theme ‘Let’s create a better internet together’. 

Celebrated globally in over a hundred countries, Safer Internet Day aims to inspire the safe, responsible and creative use of technology.

This year’s theme covers the responsibility that everyone has in making the internet a safer and better place. For young people, Safer Internet Day is a chance to celebrate being kind and creative online, while educators, parents and carers can help to empower young people to embrace the positive by equipping them with the digital literacy skills they require for today’s world. Industry should work in partnership with others to create and promote a positive online environment for young people.

Coordinated in the UK by the UK Safer Internet Centre, Safer Internet Day brings together hundreds of organisations from across the UK in promoting the safe use of technology.

At Convallis Software we will be taking the opportunity to promote the day and will hopefully make more people aware of the event and the activities taking place.

To mark the day the UK Safer Internet Centre will be presenting a live TV Show from Belfast as well as hosting a youth event at Microsoft’s head offices in London.

SID TV will be broadcast live at www.saferinternetdaytv.com with advice and practical information from experts and providers such as Facebook, Twitter and BT for teachers, young people and parents on internet safety and issues such as cyberbullying, sexting, parental controls, reporting and privacy.

The Safer Internet Day 2014 Youth Event will bringing together a panel of young people with experts across government, industry and education to hear more about what a better internet means to each of these important audiences.

As Will Gardner, Director of the UK Safer Internet Centre, says:

“This Safer Internet Day looks set to be the biggest one yet - the fantastic range of supporters really reflects how widespread and important this issue is, and we are delighted to see such collaborations where schools, civil society, public and private sectors are all championing the same cause. Safer Internet Day is a time to celebrate the great work that everyone across the UK is doing to create a better internet together.”

For more information on the activities taking place to celebrate Safer Internet Day, visit the UK Safer Internet Centre website.

The Down Side of the Cloud

I've been using Windows 8 for months and I'm not ashamed to admit that I like it. One of the features I've found particularly useful is the ability to share settings between different PCs once you have linked your Microsoft account (formerly known as a Windows Live ID) to your PC login.

I regularly use two machines, a multi-monitor desktop in the office and a touch enabled tablet. The tablet is used both in the office and when I'm out and about and having my settings replicated on each machine (particularly IE bookmarks & links) is proving to be a great time saver. This is achieved by seamlessly copying the settings to and from the cloud.

The cloud features heavily in other ways as well, with Microsofts' SkyDrive storage service being pushed as the way to store your documents, photos etc. allowing them to be accessed anywhere. Windows Store apps (formerly known as Metro style apps) also have limited local storage capabilities and are encouraged to store their data in the cloud, certainly for any meaningful line of business applications it will be the only option as databases such as SQL Server can't be directly accessed from the new Windows runtime (although they still can from a desktop application).

Relying on the cloud to store settings and data is all well and good if you've got the connectivity, but it soon unravels when you don't. Unfortunately, there seems to be a lot of people in the tech industry who assume that we are connected to the internet wherever we are all of the time.

Read more...

Telephone Etiquette

I have been prompted to write this post following what I assume is a sales call that I have just received. The conversation went something like this:

Me: 'Good afternoon, Convallis Software, how can I help you?'

Caller: 'Is that Convallis Software? Can I talk to the Managing Director?'

Me: 'This is Convallis Software, our Managing Director is unavailable at the moment, I am another Director of the company can I help?'

Caller: 'When will the Managing Director be available?'

Me: 'Can I ask what you are calling about please?'

Caller: 'It's' (then she says something I cannot here clearly)

Me: 'Could you repeat that please I couldn't hear you very well?'

Caller: puts the phone down on me!

I though how rude, although they were probably trying to sell us something we don't want it's not very polite to just put the phone down on someone you are calling, to me that is poor telephone etiquette.

I am sure we all have callers that we want to get rid of, but for a caller to put down the phone on me when I'm trying to find out what they were calling about has really irritated me. Have you had experience of this? If so did it bother you?

I know it's hard to be polite to callers especially when you are having a bad day, but when a caller is impolite it's not good, well if they call again and I see the number on call display I will be prepared for anything!