Not all Technology is Good Technology (or Omission Sales Force)

Bear with me on this one.

Had a client come to me because the previous vendor was not honest with them. (Omission Sales Force)

If I need to manage arrival times of airplanes with aircrews at a busy airport – a basic accounting program cannot help me. If I need to run a home based business – a SCADA program cannot help me. Software needs to be applied correctly. How important is the right tool for the right job. Well….

There is an article about software in Baseline Magazine about the issue. “‘We Really Did Screw Up’ - Kaiser Permanente Kidney Transplant Program” is the article. (Google it) It shows how the greatest intentions, the best of systems – if applied wrong can have dire consequences.

Technology (Software and/or Hardware) used for the wrong reason will fail. Our lead products assist companies with their technology infrastructure (See last post) and Digital Signage needs – but don’t ask it to manage an airport, or logistics.

At CTI Solutions we focus on what we do well. Hertz does not do oil changes in the aftermarket and Jiffy Lube doesn’t rent cars. We focus on what we do well. The issue isn’t companies that engage large houses for IT projects get it wrong – the sales force of the large technology companies and digital signage companies are effective. They don’t tell you what you want to hear – they let you believe what you want and don’t correct you. They don’t commit anything wrong – their level of omission is exceptional. This is the “Omission Sales Force”. If you are a potential client – ASK QUESTIONS! Don’t assume. The "Large Well Known" sales team will let you believe what you want – so ask the questions…….

At CTI Solutions our solutions performs. Am I sold on CTI? You bet. I didn’t CTI Solutions because “it is a job” – this is a company that is looking to grow and everybody wears multiple hats. I took it because I believed in the ownership and company.

Is our technology products and service all things to all people – no. But when our sales team tells you something - believe it. 30 Years of Success - Making Technology Your Advantage.

www.cti-kc.com

Digital Signage + Laptops + VDI = More Money for You

Digital Signage is an important componet to any new construction
Laptops are important to individuals who work with clients at client sites
VDI is important to lower costs for employees who never work at the client site

To say what we do is important is a stretch. What are clients do is important. Hospitals, Visiting Nurses, Engineers and Lawyers are some of the professionals that come through our doors. Why? Because they use laptops and tablet PCs. Something we not only sell but we service as well. Allowing them to work - save people and help people, projects and the public. (Did I mention how many schools we work with?)

Retail Also - Important? Well if they are publicly traded - Yes! Performance matters - and we provide the support so they can perform. If you are a large retail outfit and you have a lift in Same Store Sales - Does the "Street" care? Yes. The uptick on the stock provides leverage to hire, expand and grow. Digital Signage can provide a mechinism to lift sales.

Insurance Also - Important? Well if they are spending too much money on infrastructure - It kills their performance. With VDI we can lower that cost - again providing leverage.

Business are in the business to provide service - we are no difference. We provide a service. We provide products. And just like your business - we charge for these products and services. We know that an interruption in business (cash flow) will impact the business. You need partners you can trust to deliver every time you call them.

For 30 Years CTI Solutions has been saving our clients money. Yes I know you have to spend money with us to save money. But at the end of the day you will have to buy what we are selling. Why wait?

www.cti-kc.com

What Did He Do Different?

In 1950 in the small town of Bentonville AR Sam Walton opened a store - a Five and Dime. I was there last week. This store - about 3000 SqFt - is the beginning of Walmart. Now Bentonville is a small town today - in 1950 - I sure the entire town did not have phones or TVs. Not to insult Bentonville - which looks like a great small town today - but Northwest Arkansas is rural.



So what did he do different? Great question. Very complex answer.


He used information - he collected the data on what he sold - and promoted those items. (According to a CNBC show done about Walmart they sell Strawberry Pop-Tarts in larger than expected quanities prior to a tropical storm or hurricane showing up - Why? who knows why but Walmart tracks that.)


On the way from this Retail Giant Birthplace to Kansas City (check the map - not metro) I stopped for gas. The gas pumps had touch screen digital screens promoting products for sale in the convience store. One could go back or forth to view a particular ad of a product of interest.


Digital Signage is all about promotion. Promote employee education along with retail pushes to lift sales. Find out how we can promote what you have.

www.cti-kc.com

Location, Location, Location

Went to a Fast Food (or Fast Casual) Restaurant over the weekend. They had a Digital Signage deployment. My clue was video on the drive thru.

Yes - Video on the Drive Thru! The Digital Menu Board had dynamic content and was upselling items. (Question: Do you think they were low margin or high margin items?)

We went in there - My wife and my two kids and I was the most excited going into fast food restaurant - and was I disappointed. Yes - let down.

Video on the drive thru is high end. No question about it. A Digital Menu Board not only has the ability to upsell and cross sell - but changes in the menu can be done quickly - and pricing can be adjusted daily. And if you are a franchise operator you can control all your Digital Menu Boards from one location. Imagine that - 10 locations - all the same menu - or all different - but under one control - no worry about print and distribution or errors. Great forethought by the leadership of this operator who installed this DMB outside.

Then I had to go inside. A flat screen promoting the latest product mix right inside the door, and a flat screen in the sitting area promoting as well. When it came time to order - the menu board was the same-old same-old. You could see the plastic channels and the print ads.

Nothing at the point of sale to sell me. Product promotion in the the dinning room is too late, at the front door it is too early - need to get me at the Point of Purchase.

If you need to get information about this - contact CTI Solutions today.

http://www.cti-kc.com/

Paper Paper Everywhere

It does not make sense.

I went to the Digital Signage Expo (www.digitalsignageexpo.net) 2010 in Las Vegas. Great show - but I came back with brochures -paper. I understand the need to have it but would it not make sense to provide business cards and thumbdrives?

There are some cutting edge display technologies - if you are in retail and not looking at Micro Tiles for displays, or if you are in fast food and not looking at Digital Menu Boards, and if you want the latest and greatest technologies - well GestureTek and ProVision have the latest. Now as far as software goes we have our favorites. (Scala and Harris)

But why paper?

Digital Menu Boards takes out the cost of print and distribution - and allows upsell at the point of order. (Order just a sandwich and get prompted for a "meal". Order a meal - get prompted for a dessert.)

Retail - do not update a store or a campaign unless you think lifting your sales by department 7% to 28% is not important. Or how about Sales Lift by product type of 7% to 18% - and this is over a large population - not just a spot deployment. 18 Months of data at a large retail store.

www.cti-kc.com

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