HELP - Green Geek offers some useful I.T. advice for those affected in the recent disasters
The recent catastrophic floods in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria have reminded me of just how stressful the aftermath of such disasters can be. In addition to cleaning up and repairing the physical damage, many people also find it challenging to get their business up and running quickly, which only adds to the pain. Over the past week I received several calls from nurseries asking for advice on how to recover their computer systems and get their businesses back up and earning much-needed cash as quickly as possible. Some of the tips provided are applicable in all manner of disasters, from flood and fire to theft.
During these conversations, a very important, yet all too often overlooked practice, cropped up. People that had backed up and taken offsite all of their important computer files were able to get their businesses up and running quickly. Computers and software can be replaced - business data can't. Unless you back up your business data and physically move it somewhere safe, it will be lost forever in times of disaster. This is especially true for nurseries that are at the mercy of the elements. By storing files safely away from the nursery you greatly reduce the chance of it being lost.
Along with computer files, it is also a good idea to have stored away from the nursery a list of all the software you own, including each packages serial number as well as the date when the application was purchased. This is especially important for expensive, business-critical applications like MYOB. If you can, create backup disks of your valuable software and store them away from the nursery. By doing this, you can be sure that not only your data is safe, but also the applications that run your business.
The good news is - disasters can also give you an opportunity to improve your nurseries technology. We horticulturists are notorious for running computers and software well past their used-by dates. I've seen retail systems and printers that are more than a decade old in some nurseries! Often this is due to the fact that if you replace one bit of equipment in the nursery setup, it can cause difficulty with older solutions and hardware. For example, last year TyTags upgraded our desktops to Windows 7, but this meant that our telephone system no longer worked with our desktops!
When a disaster happens, there is no longer an imperative to keep all the old stuff working together. It gives you a chance to start afresh.
The first thing to consider is what software solutions did you previously have that were doing the job really well? Make a list of all the software you want to keep. If you already have taken copies of this software offsite, you can just reinstall it. However, if your original software disks are destroyed, you will need to find a way to replace them. Use the Internet to look up the companies that created the software (as opposed to the retail shop or local distributor where you purchase the software) and then find a link or email address for their sales department. Send the sales department a polite email, telling them of your situation, giving them as much information about when and how you purchased the original software. If you know the serial number of the software, provide that too! Most software companies will agree to replace your lost software disks at very little or even no charge. If you do get a negative response from the software company, don't give up. Write to their management and reiterate how much you need their software and how you have been a loyal customer. Nine times out of ten they will come around to help you out.
Next, you should make a list of the software solutions you previously used, that were getting a little outdated and were not as good as other products now on the market. This will likely be the case with accounting software which, as I discussed last month, is moving to "the cloud." My suggestion is to examine alternatives to any software that you think could be 'done better' and take a serious look at cloud-based alternatives. Of course, only look at cloud-based software if you have decent broadband connections to the retail area of your nursery!
Another area that should be considered is your point of sales (POS) solution. The majority of retail nurseries have very weak, aged POS solutions, many of which do not connect well to their accounting solutions. The good news is - there are some new POS cloud solutions that integrate with accounting, and even, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions. This means it may be possible to not simplify your accounting solution, but also improve your Point of Sales activities while getting better marketing and customer care… all without having to purchase and physically install new software. Some solutions you may wish to look into include: www.salesexpress.com.au , www.saasu.com/pos and www.netsuite.com.au.
When looking at these new solutions, keep in mind, you will probably want to import your previous business data. Call each vendor and question them about how you're backed up data can be moved into their solutions. You should also ask them how you can export data out of their systems for your own personal backup purposes. Even though cloud-based software vendors conduct automatic backups of your data on a daily (even more frequent) basis on your behalf, I believe it is still worthwhile doing monthly exports from these systems and storing the information somewhere you can control. My geek motto: better to be safe than sorry.
Now that you've considered your software and solutions, you'll need to think about the physical aspects of your technology.
First, let's consider the network. If you only need a couple of computers, you should just buy a "broadband router with a built-in wireless hub and up to four wired 'ethernet' ports." In human language, this means you should get a little box that you plug into your broadband phone line which has as a tiny aerial that allows computers to connect wirelessly to each other and the internet. The box will also have sockets into which you can plug network cables for important shared devices, like printers or "network storage devices." These boxes are cheap (a little over $100) and greatly reduce the number of wires dangled around your office. Popular brands include Dlink, Netgear and Billion. Your broadband internet provider or friendly computer geek (try the local high school, seriously) may be able to suggest a model, or even sell you one. You can also find them at rock-bottom prices from Australian online tech retailers!
Next you should think about the computers you wish to use in the nursery. With luck, your computers will be covered by insurance. If this is the case, you can sometimes negotiate with the insurance company to give you a lump sum for procurement of new computers and printers. If not, then ask your insurance agency for the name of the company they are using to replace the computers (many insurance agencies outsource replacement of office technology to a specialist bulk supplier.) These specialist companies are generally very happy to give you new model computers to meet your needs, just as long as the total budget does not exceed what the insurance agency has given them. In the past, I have even topped up this budget personally to get exactly what I needed at the time, rather than simply replacing what I used to have.
Unfortunately, getting a computer replaced by insurance can take a few months. For this reason, you may wish to purchase one or two new PCs right away.
Keep in mind that if you are going to use a wireless router for your network, then all your computers will need WiFi capability. Most notebooks have this built in, but you will need to explicitly request it for desktop computers.
If you are getting new computers, be aware of one important 'gotcha'. A lot of older software does not install or run well under Microsoft's new Windows7 - 64bit operating systems. Microsoft is pushing PC vendors to install this new operating system by default. I strongly suggest that you avoid any potential headaches and request that all new notebooks and desktop computers be installed with Windows7 - 32bit software (not 64bit). You've got enough troubles already, without adding more!
Finally, I would like to express my personal sympathies to everyone affected by the floods in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Many of you have lost rare plants and breeding stock that will take years to replenish. It is heartbreaking. I have personally visited many of you over the years and know all too well the pride and passion you all have in your nurseries. I know this passion will carry you through this disaster and also know that the entire industry is committed to helping everyone get back on their feet.