Dell OptiPlex GX620 ATX Tower - Off-Lease
Intel Pentium 4 3.2Hz Cpu
3D Audio
3D Video
10/100 LAN
2 GB RAM
750 GB SATA Hard Drive
XP Professional OS Installed. Re-installation disks included.
CD-RW/DVD Combo

$250

 

 

 We are proud to announce that Google has ranked us a "Favorite Place" on Google. So what does that mean? Basically means that Google users found us over 3,000 times in a 3 month period and searched for driving directions to us over 80 times in those months. So thanks to our users we are considered "popular" in Google's database.

 

Customers seeking information before investing in technology often turn to Gartner, Inc., because of its detailed and methodical reviews. Among the most respected reports are its Magic Quadrants, which help buyers assess vendor strengths and weaknesses that can be used to meet the purchaser’s current and future business and technology requirements. Microsoft Dynamics CRM is pleased to note that in the 2009 Magic Quadrant For CRM Customer Service Contact Centers, published April 3, 2009 and written by Gartner Research Vice President and Distinguished Analyst Michael Maoz, Gartner positions Microsoft Dynamics CRM in the “Leaders” quadrant.

Microsoft is positioned in the Leaders Quadrant in the latest Gartner Magic Quadrant Report
on CRM for customer service, April 03, 2009

This Magic Quadrant graphic was published by Gartner, Inc. as part of a larger research note and should be evaluated in the context of the entire report. The Gartner report is available from Microsoft at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2009/apr09/04-29CRMMQPR.mspx.

Gartner uses 15 weighted criteria to determine whether a vendor is a niche player, a visionary, a challenger or a leader.

The Collective Excellence of Dynamics CRM with other Microsoft Products and Technologies

Delivering the Microsoft integrated customer service contact center vision to Gartner for this report was a collaborative undertaking among not only the many members of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM team but also among many customers who served as detailed references.

Customer Care Framework, which makes it easy for contact center organizations to aggregate disparate applications into a single user interface, is a good example of the kind of value-add that the world of Microsoft brings to Microsoft Dynamics CRM in the contact center. (Learn more at http://www.microsoft.com/ccf

More Details and Read the Full Report

Besides Gartner, Forrester ranks Microsoft Dynamics CRM as a leader in both the Q3 2008 Forrester Wave for Enterprise CRM Suites and the Q3 Forrester Wave for Mid-Market CRM reports, citing functionality, ease of use and time to value. Microsoft Dynamics CRM consistently receives accolades from analysts and press alike. The CRM team considers this to serve as a strong affirmation of the product’s ability to deliver.

The Magic Quadrant is copyrighted 2009 by Gartner, Inc. and is reused with permission. The Magic Quadrant is a graphical representation of a marketplace at and for a specific time period. It depicts Gartner’s analysis of how certain vendors measure against criteria for that marketplace, as defined by Gartner. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in the Magic Quadrant, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors placed in the “Leaders” quadrant. The Magic Quadrant is intended solely as a research tool, and is not meant to be a specific guide to action. Gartner disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
 

 

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 delivers flexible power of choice and familiar Outlook experience.

REDMOND, Wash. — Dec. 17, 2007 —The new version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM, formerly code-named “Titan,” has been completed and released to manufacturing, Microsoft Corp. announced today. The new version is offered under two product names: Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 for on-premise and partner-hosted deployments and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Live for Microsoft-hosted deployment. Designed with a single unified-code base for both on-premise and on-demand deployments, Microsoft Dynamics CRM enables customers to choose the right deployment model for their specific business and IT needs, with the flexibility to change deployment models over time if their needs or preferences change.

“Microsoft Dynamics CRM is making the power of choice a reality for businesses around the world,” said Brad Wilson, general manager of Microsoft Dynamics CRM at Microsoft. “This new release further enables us to deliver on Microsoft’s software plus services strategy and provide our CRM solutions with a great user experience and exceptional business value.”

Some of the significant new benefits and capabilities of this new release include these:

•	An advanced multitenant architecture that supports multiple customers per server
•	Extended global capabilities including user choice of more than 25 languages and pervasive support for multiple currencies
•	New business intelligence capabilities including cross-entity views and an end-user ad hoc reporting wizard
•	Advanced business process automation based on Microsoft Windows Workflow Foundation
•	New collaboration capabilities with Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 including real-time presence indicators within the CRM application

The new release of Microsoft Dynamics CRM has been in extensive use over the past year by more than 600 partners around the world and more than 100 early access customers representing a broad range of on-premise, partner-hosted and Microsoft-hosted deployments.

“Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 meets our needs for an enterprise-ready CRM solution,” said Dirk Karl, general manager and chief procurement officer at ING Group, a financial institution that offers banking, insurance and asset management services to clients in 50 countries. “It will allow us to easily automate innovative workflows, quickly share knowledge across our global enterprise, and develop a more productive worldwide purchasing and vendor relationship management environment.”

Availability

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 will be available worldwide in more than 25 languages. The English language pack will be available within the next seven days to new and existing partners and customers. Nine additional language packs will be available in January and the remaining language packs will be delivered at a rate of four or more each month. Existing customers with an active Software Assurance plan for Microsoft Dynamics CRM are entitled to receive the new release at no additional charge.

The new Microsoft Dynamics Live CRM service is offered only in the United States and Canada, and is currently available to a limited number of customers via the Early Access program.

 

About Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft Dynamics is a line of financial, customer relationship and supply chain management solutions that helps businesses work more effectively. Delivered through a network of channel partners providing specialized services, these integrated, adaptable business management solutions work like and with familiar Microsoft software to streamline processes across an entire business.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

 

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.mspx.

 

Printed in the Sun Sentinel January 23, 2006

Firm provides fast tech support for small businesses

Marilyn DeMartini thought she had bought some peace of mind when she purchased a technical support contract for her new laptop back in September. But when the laptop soon began sending multiple copies of her outbound e-mails, DeMartini's calls for help resulted in help-desk run-around, hundreds of dollars in charges and no solution.

So a friend gave DeMartini the number for a local tech support company specializing in home and very small businesses. Three hours and less than $150 later, her laptop was fixed and DeMartini was sold on where to turn for her future tech support needs.

"Knowing I could take the computer in to the retailer's tech support desk and get it fixed was a comforting myth," recalled DeMartini, an independent writer and publicist in Fort Lauderdale. "The first time I had to call on them, I didn't have the computer for a week."

Many businesses have tech support on call or on staff. But micro-entrepreneurs -- those working from home or in businesses with just a few employees -- often don't have the skills to troubleshoot tech issues, or the ongoing needs or finances to keep tech support on the payroll. Some find themselves in the niche of being too small for corporate support, and too busy to do IT support themselves.

Enter the small technical support provider. Often sole practitioners working from home or small storefronts, these IT providers are skilled enough to troubleshoot small business problems, but small enough to be priced right for other small businesses.

"You can use a national company like Geek Squad, but they don't know you from Adam," said Eric Reivik, owner of PCLauderdale.com, which specializes in computer installations, upgrades and support for businesses with fewer than eight users. "There's not a lot of support for that audience from a provider that knows your needs, habits, trends and tendencies."

Often a technician's first step when signing on a new customer is to audit all the hardware and software running on the user's PC. A tech also might inquire as to whether the PC is for personal or business use, and what applications are used most. This snapshot can help diagnose a problem, assist with new installations and build customer trust, said Gary Herbstman, president of Byte Solutions Inc., a Boca Raton IT firm.

"You have to earn their trust for someone to let you into their systems," he said. "No manufacturer or national tech support firm can know a customer's system inside and out."

Looking for a tech support person or provider? Ask clients, peers or fellow small business owners, or visit the local chamber of commerce for a list of companies. Ask for references and pricing. Reivik charges around $75 for the first hour for a visit anywhere in Broward County, and $100 for Palm Beach or Miami-Dade. The second hour is $49.

In less than two hours, Reivik discovered the 40,000 e-mails DeMartini had imported to her new laptop had caused her Outlook Express to malfunction. One hour and $173 later, the problem was fixed.

"My learned lesson was, forget the tech support phone people," DeMartini said. "I'd rather pay for help from a pro who knows what he's doing. It's like having a good doctor on call."

Jeff Zbar is a free-lance writer. Reach him at jeff@jeffzbar.com

 

Why Hire An Accountant?

In today's tight economy, many people are looking at the bottom line to see if they can fit everything that they need into their budget.  This can be both good and bad.  If it's something that you don't need, you can probably safely eliminate it.  But what about accounting?  Is it necessary to hire an outside accountant?  The answer is:  sometimes.  If you own a small business and are thinking about growing it, you'll want to talk to an accountant about making sure that your books are presented truthfully and accurately. Banks and other loan institutions are being more careful these days on lending money, and they should be.  Therefore, you'll want to make sure that you are presenting an accurate and truthful picture of your business and its projections.  

 

More than a number-cruncher
What can the right accountant do for a small business?

• Tax planning -- Accountants do much more than just prepare tax returns. They should be involved in the planning stage of any new business and can offer advice on choosing a business entity, setting up bookkeeping systems and negotiating leases. Once a business is operational, an accountant is still needed to prepare annual information returns, do quarterly reviews and offer advice. "Your accountant's role has changed from somebody who would take the records and prepare the information to someone who's a reviewer of the information -- more of an adviser," says Mike Jeffries, an accountant with Bedard, Kurowicki, & Co. in Flemington, N.J.
• Business planning -- A good accountant can take on the role of general business consultant. "The accountant is, based on various polls, the most trusted adviser of any business," says Steve Milner, an accountant with Squar Milner in Newport Beach, Calif. "You want to get in a new line? An accountant will tell you why it makes sense or doesn't make sense. You have a problem with cash flow, internal controls, inventory pricing? You're going to go to the accountant and ask for his or her help."
• Networking -- Accountants are a great source of referrals. An accountant may have one client who is seeking financing and another who is looking for a good investment; the accountant can put the two together. Accountants can also refer other professionals, such as attorneys, insurance brokers or bankers, to small business clients. They may even refer customers.
• Personal tax planning -- Often, personal tax issues are closely related to and affected by business tax issues. "I needed an accountant to set up the business," says Gary Herbstman, president of Byte Solutions Inc., a computer consulting firm based in Boca Raton, Fla. "But he has also helped me set up retirement planning."

Finding a good accountant
How can a small business owner find a good accountant? Experts suggest looking for the following qualifications:

• Proper experience -- Choose accountants who specialize in small business issues and have experience representing other companies in your industry. "There are certain industries where someone who does not have specific experience in that industry probably would not be the best choice," says Jeffries. "Like auto dealerships. Experience in the industry gives somebody a leg up in terms of knowing the nuances of what goes on in the business."
• A comfort factor -- "You need to make sure that you feel personally comfortable with the accountant, because you're going to have a relationship," says Milner. 
  "A personal relationship is important," says Jeffrey Levy, a principal of Leads for Life Inc., a Metuchen, N.J.-based marketing firm. Her ideal accountant? "Someone who's going to answer your questions, someone who listens to you and your needs, someone who is reliable."
• Firm size that's right for the business -- A sole proprietor probably should not engage the largest accounting firm in the state to handle tax work. "Choose someone who fits the size of your firm," says Jeffries. "If you're in business by yourself, you don't need a large firm. Try to choose somebody who's about the same size as you."
• CPA vs. non-CPA -- Business owners are frequently confused as to the meaning of the certified public accountant (CPA) designation. A CPA has a minimum level of education and experience and has taken tests to prove competency. While certain situations demand a CPA's involvement -- such as an audit or loan application -- other tasks such as bookkeeping, preparation of tax returns or write-up work can be handled efficiently by a general accountant. "CPAs have passed a rigorous exam and have to get continuing education every year to keep current," says Jeffries. "But that's not to say that someone who does not have a CPA designation could not be a good financial adviser."

Referrals, interviews, references
To choose an accountant, business owners should follow the same procedure as with any other vendor: Seek referrals from people you trust, interview prospective accountants and check references.

Jeffries suggests that business owners ask potential accountants pointed questions about their business, their industry, and how he or she would handle hypothetical situations. "How that person presents himself in the interview should give a pretty good indication of what he can do," he says.

Fees for accounting services vary greatly and depend upon the size of the firm, the experience of the accountant and the area of the country in which the firm is located. "Where the write-up work and the tax return can initially be prepared by someone at $65 to $70 per hour, the consulting work is typically done by the partners of the firm, and their rates are going to be about $150 to $300 per hour," says Milner.

As a business grows, accounting work such as routine bookkeeping can be done in-house by employees to save money. "If you are starting a business, get an outside CPA first -- one you can trust," Milner says. "If they are good and trustworthy, they'll tell you there's going to be a point when it's too expensive for us to do this stuff for you."

Mohelsky almost learned the hard way how important it is to select the right accountant. "Look for an accountant who brings not only expertise in number crunching, but consulting and business planning -- a full package," he suggests.

Levy agrees. "Choose the correct accountant. If your accountant is not listening or giving you the right advice, then you're going to have a much harder time achieving your financial goals."

(Robyn A. Friedman is a freelance writer based in Florida.)