Almost cool, but not quite

Kodak Zi6 Pocket Camera.  Almost cool, but not quite.

A couple months ago, I was on the market for a digital camera.  I am the kind of guy that needs to have something different, unique and kind of cutting edge.  I can’t just have a camera that takes pictures – I need more.   Since Tech-Flo most focuses on Internet Marketing and Web Design across Southern California and Orange County, I wanted something to take pictures for their website gallery or video for viral marketing. So when I went down to my nearest Best Buy in Lake Forest I picked up the Kodak Zi6.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Out of the box, the sleek black design is sexy.  It comes with rechargeable batteries and charger, but I had to grab a couple regular AA batteries  from our junk drawer to start playing with it right away.  Once powered on, the screen quality is amazing and the camera and video camera functionality is fairly straight forward.  In HD video mode, it records 720p quality at 60 fps.  Connecting it up to the TV (HDTV cables included), the video quality blows me away! And if you want to upload stuff to a PC, a little USB connection pops out of the side – so at least that is one less thing to lose.

On the other hand, this puppy isn’t quite prime time.  Battery life is horrible.  I am not used to bringing a pocket full of batteries for a full day out with the family. My experience is about a solid 30 minutes of video from 2 batteries.  Kodak claims it can record 32 gig of video – which is a couple hours, but I am going to buy stock in Duracell or Energizer before I fill this thing up.  A killer lithium ion battery that could last 3-4 hours would be sweet!

When you are out there taking pics or video, you need to be eerily close to your subjects – it doesn’t offer much in terms of zoom features and I swear to you that to have a decent pic or video, you need to be about 3 feet away.  Better zoom functionality that can give a great quality result from near and far would be ideal.

Let’s just say you had the patience to get past replacing batteries and sticking this thing right in someone’s face.  Now, you need to make sure you have enough light because there is no flash or LED to illuminate your subject in dark areas or at night.

As for the USB pop-out, it is cool, but imagine that being too rough with it would result in some broken part.  When you plug the camera into the computer, it kind of just hangs there, suspended in mid-air with all the weight on the pop-out USB stick.  No wonder the Kodak Outlet store online offers a refurbished model at $145.   Kodak offers an easy way to upload to YouTube with the built-in USB, but I haven’t tried it yet.

I kind of picture this device like a Ferrari.  First off, I can’t afford a Ferrari, but if I could, my wife would likely tell me to get something practical.  Of course, I would ignore her, buy it and quickly realize why I should have listened.  Drawn to the sexy curves of a Ferrari or the Kodak, I am certain this was something I would love. But then, reality sets in on that first tune-up is $5k (or ton of batteries).  I would soon realize that I need to baby this car because things can and do break and often expensive to fix.  Then their is the practicality – I can’t fit 4 people in my Ferrari and can’t drive long distances, nor can I really drive it in harsh conditions, much like the fact the Kodak takes great videos close-up but bad pictures and a very limited amount of time on the battery at that.

For now, the Ferrari (Kodak) sits in the garage (drawer) as I move to more simple and practical means.  Save your money and wait for the next generation of this pocket video camera – I am certain that they know these problems and will address them soon.

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Today, I decided to go a bit off topic from technology to talk about a fundamental dynamic in business – the constant give and talk known as negotiation.  You may not realize it, but you are always negotiating; Vendors, customers, employees – they want something from you and you want something in return.  I wanted to leave you with some things for consideration as you negotiate in the future that hopefully equates to a win-win for the parties of the negotiation and helps maximize your satisfaction of the outcome.

State needs, priorities at outset of negotiation.

Make it clear to the other party what it is that is important to you and not only what it is important, but why it is important.  It is important to understand their needs and wants too – so ask good probing questions.  Stating needs and priorities will maximize the value of the discussion and create a more personal relationship.  You will be able to harvest common goals and determine concessions or strategic moves to make later in the discussion.

Know your BATNA.  Be willing to walk away.

Know your best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA).  If you are like me, you negotiated feeling you had little room to take what was offered.  You may end of frustrated, resentful and at least unsatisfied that you left something on the table that you really needed.  Always prepare an alternative of some type and if it is a compelling point.  Empirical evidence by researchers prove that those with a BATNA typically have better outcomes.  Moreover, you may find it appropriate to share your BATNA with the other party – albeit in a subtle, nonconfrontational way.    Empirical evidence and research shows that those with a BATNA have better outcomes and letting the other party know your BATNA (and vice-versa) results in better outcomes.

Consider benefits of intangibles.
A negotiation begins with a opening offer of some point.  Counteroffers come and concessions are made – this is the essence of negotiation.  Your concession does not always have to be of monetary value.  Write down a list of your potential needs and potential counteroffers – both tangible and intangible.  It is easier to make a concession that is of intangible value that maybe appealing to the other party.  Knowing their needs and understanding your capabilities can give them something for nothing and give you a leg-up to request a concession in return – perhaps something of tangible value!

Never make an ultimatum – cultivate alternatives.
The focus of my business is partnerships – not just a provider or consumer.  I want to be a stakeholder of my clients businesses and want to see them succeed and want trusted successful vendors/suppliers too.  Hopefully you and I share that opinion and if so, a ‘take it or leave it approach’ will close the door on future opportunities with that party.  That’s why I suggest to conjure up alternatives if there are disagreements.  Again, the essence of negotation is give and take, so give yourself wiggle room in your offers to provide alternatives you can live with and demonstrate your willingnes to come to an agreement.

When you make a demand in negotiation, justify it.  Don’t be vague.

I sometimes hear ‘I can get this faster/better/cheaper’ and things of that effect.  If you want something in particular, be prepared to do some research and articulate your demand.  You should expect the other party to do the same.  There are non-confrontational ways to probe and ask how they came to that conclusion and even ask for the source so you can educate yourself too.  Chances are that they are misinformed, don’t have all the facts or you may be humbled to correct your understanding and take a new factual position.  Facts speak for themselves, so know the source of the facts.  Hopefully this mind set prepares you to do your research and articulate your demand clearly.

Get it in Writing.  Be suspicious if they won’t.

Perhaps it still works this way in some places, but a ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ or a deal on a handshake won’t necessarily generate the outcome you hope to achieve.  We all process verbal messages differently and dissonance is created when the expectations are not aligned.  Whatever your agreement, get it in writing.   If you have the opportunity, be the party to offer the agreement in writing – this gives you a chance to put a bend on how you perceive what you both want.  Be wary of those that don’t take this step or say things like ‘don’t you trust me?’ – because at the end of the day it is your word against theirs and this creates unnecessary frustration and suboptimal outcomes.  (key point: Always consider facts – explore the origin of the facts provided.)

Value what you are giving up as a concession later

In a negotiation, there may be several elements at stake to give and take.  However subtle, be it tangible or intangible, write down your concessions.  Consider this: Even if you ask for something in the negotiation and they won’t budge – this has become leverage for you later.  You can say ’since you didn’t concede on x, I am going to ask for this on y.

If a topic deadlocks or becomes lengthy, agree to come back to it later – keep things moving.

To somewhat build on the last point, there may be a big gap in what you want and what they want on a particular topic in the negotiation.  Don’t rathole the entire conversation on one topic. You are better off to suggest to come back to that point later to keep a good flow of conversation.  Continuing to remain gridlocked on a particular point can set a negative tone to the rest of the negotiation and calling out the need to move on and come back later can help assure that cool heads prevail and the discussion remains positive.  In fact, circling back on a stuck point later may have given both parties time to rethink their position on that topic and a positive mood and acceptable results on other topics will make things easier.

Keep control of the circumstance and negotiation. Don’t get channeled into negativity or be taken off track.

Yet again, focusing on the previous point, be aware of the over all mood and pace of the conversation.  We all know negotiations can become heated, tempers flare and sometimes attacks and jabs may come, but consider not returning the favor.  Maintaining a controlled and calm demeanor will prove your resolve with the other party and demonstrate they cannot use emotion alone for you to concede.  There are negotiators that use this tactic to get what they want, or perhaps they just have a vulnerable temper for which negotiation is not their strength.  Take the upper hand and simply ignore this tactic, call it for what it is, but never reply in kind.  Continue to move the conversation forward, even if that means suggesting a temporary break.  Focus on your goal and maintain conduct – if you cannot bring down the hostilities, you may even consider breaking off the negotiation and going with your BATNA (best alternative to a negotiated agreement).

Know when to stop talking and listen more.

Are you the talkative type?  Negotiation experts suggest that the more information you provide, the more leverage you give to the other party.   I am not suggesting you don’t engage in conversation, but consider what you are giving up and how that can be used to their advantage.  Let’s say hypothetically for a moment that you are selling widgets.  You had a deal to sell these widgets on the market for $2/each for a $20,000 order.  Your costs is $1/each.  For whatever reason the buyer backed out and the deal fell through.  Great.  Now you have inventory on the shelf tying up precious capital.  As luck would have it, a new buyer calls in and they need a rush order of a similar quantity. You answer the call and say ‘Great! As luck would have it, I have the quantity you need in stock because another deal fell through and I sell at $2/each’.   Does the new buyer really need to know that you another order fall through?  Sensing your desperation or sense to get this inventory of your shelves, this could potentially give your new buyer strong leverage to get a reduced price and cut into your margins.   By listening more to their needs and talking less, there could have been another scenario that has an upside. By listening to the new buyer, you may come to find out they are willing to pay up to $2.50/each and a modest rush fee if you can ship ASAP.   See how different the outcome could be?  This scenario may not speak to you per se, but hope you see the point of listening and providing only the information that is really relevant to what the othe r party needs and wants.

Lies and Secrets always become uncovered

I am sure you are smart enough to ask probing questions so the other party doesn’t ‘pull the wool over your eyes’, but listen to your instinct and determine of the other party is lying or being overtly secretive.   Be wary of subtle and white lies because this can lead you to discover inconsistencies in other parts of the negotiation that can make your BATNA more attractive.

To that end, be ethical and honest yourself.  Overt secrecy, nondisclosure or misrepresentation of any type can be considered reckless disregard for the truth.  Be objective, be factual, be honest.  Bluffing (insincere threats or promises), bloated or lowball offers, corruption, bribery or other insincere acts will be uncovered in time.  This damages credibility, brand, reputation and future deals – particularly if you work in an industry where people know one another and their dealings quite well.

Be aware of this old saying -

“Oh what a tangled web we weave,
When first we practice to deceive!

Sir Walter Scott
Scottish author & novelist (1771 – 1832)”

Tech-Flo strives to be an ethical business that believes socially responsible practices is good business.  Find out what we can do to give your company and call as at (949) 468-9577 or email us.

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Tech-Flo offers you a comprehensive Internet Marketing Strategy

The chances are that your customers or prospects shop for products and services on the web. Is your Small Business positioned to grow your business via the Internet? You customers want to hear from you and wants an easy way to understand your products and services and connect with you.

The impact of the Internet on marketing your products and services is profound. Fundamentally, it is changing how we research, compare and buy products and services. It is essential that you create an online relationship with your customers and prospective visitors. Even if you don’t have an internet strategy, you must know this – you are competing in a global marketplace and you don’t even know it. Not only can businesses sell to customers in far away places they never imagined, but your neighbor down the street may buy comparable products and services from some far away place with a quality virtual experience.

Tech-Flo can build an internet marketing strategy that will yield growth. Here is a high-level list of services that you should consider:

Web Presence – You need a website, bottom line. Every expects to see a website with your products and services. A website can be as simple as an online business card, or become a fully-interactive system that automates business processes with your buyers and your suppliers.

eCommerce – Drive customers to the web and reduce your transaction costs. Take credit cards online, automatically calculate shipping charges, track shipments and allow the customer to follow their transcation online, real-time. Leveraging the internet to execute your business transactions automates manual tasks and frees up your people to continue growing the company.

Constant Contact – You need to create a ‘call to action’ for visitors to interact with you. Don’t miss the opportunity to follow-up with every single visitor to your website. Capture their contact info and send them newsletters, product updates, promotions, discounts and more. Follow-up with existing customers on complimentary products and services. Make people feel welcome and remembered will keep your company on their mind.

Campaigns – Tech-Flo offers the latest in Internet Marketing with you to drive traffic to your website. Have you ever wondered what it takes to show up on Google or Yahoo or do you want your company to rank higher in those searches? This is the essence of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and with a targeted campaign of SEO, blogging, etc. we will get you the exposure you want.

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Your data may cost you business.

You are only as strong as your weakest link.  Now, consider the possible threats to your business or your information.  Surely you put a lock on your door and perhaps have a security system at your home or office, but do you know how secure your data really is?  Chances are, you don’t exercise the same vigilence on your website or your servers  as you do when you leave your car and lock the door.  Do you have an IT person focused on log management, threat management or malware detection for your systems?

An emerging trend to consider is to outsource security management. You really need a partner focused on analysis, security architecture and strategic planning.

Have a Web site that needs monitoring? Companies like Tech-Flo can monitor your site should it appear on a blacklist, alert you instantly if there is malware activity on your site, and automatically quarantine a malware infection discovered by its monitoring service.

Security is a necessary tool and like any other tool, it’s only as good as the person, or the organization, that uses it. Smart companies and home office customers outsource IT management, IT security and Information Security to companies like Tech-Flo to audit and secure their IT assets. For the small business owners here in Southern California, we find that our clients are asking us to supplement their existing staff while freeing them to do the things that probably are not getting done.  I hope you find this advice of value and you take steps to assure that your information is secure.

Give us a call today at 949.468.9577 for a comprehensive IT audit/ security review and protect your data now!

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Managing your small business requires a broad skillset and experience.  If you are like us, you have competing pressures on your time and resources, and money is tight.

Secure and reliable network, servers and applications can put you on track to sustain your competitive advantage. A work environment based on reliable technology infrastructure will maximize profitability and enhance customer service by streamlining processes, focusing productivity on core competencies, enhancing communications in real-time fashion and allow you to achieve higher levels of effectiveness. That said, if you don’t have a reliable IT partner, this can be tough to accomplish.  For many of my small businesses clients,  IT is not a core competency and may not even have an IT person on staff so maintaining the critical technology functions becomes more of a distraction than an enabler.

By hiring Tech-Flo to manage your network and your systems, we  allow you to get back to work.  We provide you with your own IT engineer or Tech Support but at a fraction of the cost of full time staff. We are uniquely positioned to offer you the loyalty, impartial help & advice you’d expect from your very own IT manager.

Tech-Flo services both small businesses and home offices with the following services:

• Outsourced IT management and 24×7 monitoring (network, servers, desktops, laptops, VoIP – troubleshooting, upgrades, patches, etc.)
• Internet Marketing
• Web Design/Maintenance
• Moves, expansions and acquisitions
• Business continuity planning and securing your data
• Virtual CIO to rightsize and properly manage your technology
• Strategic IT Planning, Cost Reduction, Business Automation and More

Call us today at 949.468.9577 for an initial consultation and let us help you focus your time and resources on your core competencies.

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