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Playing with fire: The basics of managing business risks
Being in business invariably means treading that fine line between risk and reward. But how do you minimise the danger of getting burnt?...
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Stay connected for summer with Wi-Fi
These holidays are looking good for staying in touch as you travel around...
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Five tips for getting to BI heaven
IBM’s five ‘best practice’ tips will point you towards business intelligence nirvana – and greater profits and cost-containment, according to Big Blue’s Mac Bryla. Johanna Bennett reports...
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Top ten IT predictions for 2010
IDC sees planning for economic certainty continuing, as well as government consolidating IT buying, and a restructure of the present badly conceived ultra-broadband plan… all will feature in the coming year, says the analyst firm...
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Working together will get the job done
ICT is a key productivity driver that can fast-track New Zealand, writes NZICT’s chief executive Brett O’Riley…
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All aboard for RFID
Gary Hartley from the RFID Pathfinder Group talks tags, ePasses and frequencies…
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SEO…The newest profession?
Search Engine Optimisation is emerging as the newest kid on the block. Already well established in the US, there is a growing demand for the unique skill sets that make up a rigorous SEO strategy and execution plan. SEO consultant Jacqui Jones is one who has watched SEO grow from its early roots – she gives us some history, and some insights…
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Unified Communications: The Killer App?
(September 2009)
UC is one of those fuzzy buzz-phrases, but it is slowly becoming a tangible reality. iStart looks at what it is, what it does and where to find the ROI...
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Five show the KPI way
(September 2009)
Five Kiwi manufacturers describe how using business intelligence to measure key performance indicators has helped them track and grow business better...
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Beyond the photocopier
(July 2009)
Office copiers have been transformed into business process management tools. We look at some of the offerings available and find out what they can do to make document management easier... and deliver your coffee just so, too...
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Taking the ERP path less followed
(July 2009)
ERP need not always be a huge Tier 1 purchase. Sometimes a Tier 2 – or even a Tier 3 – solution may be all you need. iStart examines the differences between them to help you choose what’s best and most cost-effective for your business...
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GOTCHA! Catching burglars on your 3G phone
(July 2009)
The Smart Sensor Alarm is new security technology that sends live video footage of an intruder to your 3G phone...
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In depth: Under the hood of eProcurement software
(July 2009)
eProcurement can be a powerful cost-saving tool. Unimarket president Kurt Black gets under the hood and describes how it can be used as an engine to drive savings...
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SaaS the clouds roll in
(July 2009)
Software as a Service (SaaS) is growing in popularity, proving a cheaper alternative to traditional in-house solutions. Randal Jackson explores where SaaS sits and why the future is cloudy…
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Don't jump: ten tips for managing performance in a crisis
(March 2009)
It’s tempting to just slash costs when a recession bites. However, it pays to give some considered thought to what should go and what should stay. Many a good business has been built in a recession and the lessons learnt in lean times can turn to gold when the environment improves (and it will improve!)
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Beyond CRM
(March 2009)
Putting your customers on the map, using the newer GIS and GPS services, will help you find them – and sell the right products to the right people...
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Fleet management shifts up a gear
(December 2008)
Advances in GPS technologies and location based services have made fleet tracking solutions more feature-rich and affordable. So what do you get for your money today and how are organisations taking advantage of the technology to gain a competitive edge?
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The internet is calling
(December 2008)
Traditional thinking has been that VoIP-related services for businesses needed to be run over private, dedicated networks rather then across the public internet. But have technological advances made enterprise-grade VoIP and Unified Communication over public networks a reality?
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All together now - B2B messaging hubs blossom
(December 2008)
Electronic business-to-business transactions are mushrooming, as the amount of traffic flowing through EDI gateways continues to grow. But there’s no doubt businesses are missing out on the full benefits that would be possible if collaboration in this area was even higher. So what needs to be done for e-procurement to reach its full potential?
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Extreme ERP: Leveraging your investment
(December 2008)
ERP systems are evolving. Once just glorified backroom accounting tools, they are now integrated solutions spanning a growing number of organisational processes. What are ERP buyers demanding today and how are the vendors delivering?
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Recession tactics: How to shave 30% off your IT costs
(December 2008)
As the recessionary environment bites, how can CIOs contribute to business survival? After canvassing his network of CIOs, leading outsourcing consultant Dean Robb presents a series of tactics that deliver bottom-line results...
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Mobile safety
(september 2008)
For years people have speculated and worried about getting cancer from cellphone radiatio, or untimely phone calls setting petrol stations alight. But what is becoming tragically clear is that the biggest danger of mobile phones is their apparently innocent and disturbingly widespread use behind the wheel of a moving vehicle...
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Plain sailing: doing BI effectively
(September 2008)
A business intelligence solution can be a highly effective tool for turning a mountain of organisational data into a goldmine of insightful information. But for New Zealand organisations who have mastered BI, including Wellington’s CentrePort, there’s more to getting it right than just deploying the technology...
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It's easy being Green - 7 ways to use technology
(September 2008)
With consumer awareness of environmental issues at an all-time high, there is an increasing expectation businesses embrace sustainability principles. To do so will typically make financial sense. Stephen Withers explores eight easily-implementable ways to cut your corporate carbon footprint...
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The great face-off
(September)
Facebook is the new soapbox. As the election approaches, we find out how the political parties are performing when it comes to utilising technology to run their campaigns and win voters...
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Get smart! Get out of the office
(June 2008)
Smartphone capabilities and options are constantly evolving. We investigate what today's technology can offer the mobile executive.
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CRM that delivers: 7 ways to maximise your investment
(June 2008)
Despite the fortunes spent on CRM software, if your tools and your people aren’t correctly lined up, you’re probably missing your target. The good news is that working largely with existing technology you can align people and processes to unlock maximum CRM value.
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Killer KPIs: getting your business metrics right
(June 2008)
Performance management and business intelligence tools can be powerful business enablers. To make the most of them you need to start by getting your key performance indicators right.
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The 7 deadly sins of selecting business systems
(June 2008)
The IT industry has a bad reputation based on the failure rate of its projects. The seeds of project failure are often sown in the selection stage. By avoiding the ‘sins’ highlighted in this feature you can minimise your chance of becoming another casualty...
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7 tips for attracting & retaining staff
(March 2008)
Regardless of the size of your organisation, attracting and retaining the right staff is a major factor in your success and ability to grow. Here are some ways to do it right...
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Videoconferencing: Video on demand
(December 2007)
Advances in network and video management technologies mean videoconferencing systems are easier than ever to install and use. Vikki Bland asks whether that also means returns on VC investment is also improving...
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Decisions, Decisions
(September 2007)
Mark Norton, chief technology officer of Idiom Ltd, outlines the benefits automated decisioning can bring to an organisation and offers some tips on how a decisioning solution can be implemented effectively...
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BPM: A matter of public opinion
(September 2007)
The Pubic Records Act ushers in sweeping changes to the way government departments manage and archive information. What can the business world learn from the civil service’s PRA experience?...
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CRM software on demand: the elusive silver bullet?
(September 2007)
Is the software-as-a-service model of delivering CRM just a wave like any other or a Tsunami force your business can’t ignore? CRM expert Trudy Barnett investigates...
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How's your form?
(July 2007)
Organisations fighting the paper war are increasingly going digital as the productivity gains and cost savings of deploying e-forms as part of an effective business process management strategy becomes clearer...
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As simple as A, B, C?
(July 2007)
While activity-based costing (ABC) can be a powerful tool for analysing profitability it has met with mixed enthusiasm over the past two decades. Has its day finally arrived?...
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Tripping through the CRM minefield
(June 2007)
Having made the decision to get serious about customer relationship management, what does a business need to do to make the CRM dream a reality? Expert Trudy Barnett offers some suggestions...
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Supply chain collaboration could be ERP's redemption
(March 2007)
Supply chain collaboration is becoming one of the competitive battlefields for industry, and an area where costs and inefficiencies can be stripped down by sharing documentation and inventory levels online. But what are the road risks for you and your trading partners in this new, two-way commercial traffic?..
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Counting the cost of CRM
(October 2006)
Implementing a CRM system can be an expensive exercise but projects that succeed will deliver the benefits to offset the cost and far more. Here, CRM expert Trudy Barnett outlines the six elements to success, and warns that you ignore the advice at your peril...
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How to save a packet with VoIP
(July 2006)
The imminent ‘unbundling’ of New Zealand’s local loop has focussed attention on IP-based telephony. Vikki Bland examines the ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ benefits of VoIP...
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BI systems - make your next move count
(July 2006)
Too many business decisions are based on ‘gut feel,’ according to recent surveys, but to get a clear picture of how your company is performing you need a Business Intelligence System. Adam Gifford reports...
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ERP landscape: A year in (p)review
(April 2006)
What did your ERP provider achieve last year, and what are its plans for 2006? Find out the answers to these questions and more in iStart’s review/preview of 2005/2006...
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Workflow/Process Management - Don't mention the paperless office
(March 2006)
Electronic document workflow isn’t only about reducing paper. It allows you to re-engineer processes, achieve operational efficiencies and extend workflows to suppliers and customers, as well as breathing new life into legacy systems...
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Avoid embarrassments get business intelligence
(February 2006)
The embarrassing about-turn in recommendation by the independent directors of Carter Holt Harvey that shareholders now accept Graeme Hart’s takeover bid is a lesson to all business managers in the importance of good reporting. As Michael Foreman finds out, there are business intelligence solutions out there to support the growth of any size organisation...
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CRM is becoming the next ERP
(September 2005)
With the new focus on managing customer relationships, CRM systems are becoming as widespread and business critical as ERP/financial systems. Marty Verry looks at the evolution of CRM through the decades and identifies the new concept of ‘predictability’ that’s likely to drive CRM’s popularity in the coming decade…
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Fast Internet: making the business case
(September 2005)
Broadband means more than just a fast internet connection. It can change the way you do business or even change your life. Greg Adams reports...
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Fast Internet: where do you get it?
(September 2005)
Okay, so you need fast internet. But where do you get it, and if you’ve already got it, are there better options available in your area? Michael Foreman and Greg Adams scour New Zealand's fibre optic networks, copper cables, and airwaves to find out...
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Can IT rescue an overcooked economy?
(June 2005)
With an over-valued New Zealand dollar and a tight labour market, investment in technology is the recipe for growth and productivity, argues ASB Bank chief economist Anthony Byett...
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Killing downtime: 10 tech tools to boost productivity
(June 2005)
While investment in machinery is important to blue collar staff productivity, information technology solutions hold the key to accessing greater levels of productivity from New Zealand's white collar workers and office based managers. We review over 600 case studies to find the top 10 productivity-enhancing solutions...
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RFID: From farm gate to restaurant plate
(March 2005)
One of the first areas to take up RFID technology in New Zealand will be primary produce – in particular, the meat industry. Marty Verry explains why RFID makes sense on the farm...
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Report: Are you ready for RFID?
(March 2005)
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is set to turn the mechanics of supply on its head. By tracking the number, location, and history of items in the supply chain, RFID will deliver internal efficiencies and productivity improvements as well as allowing businesses to be more responsive to market needs...
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Reinforcing the case for IP Telephony
(December 2004)
Cost savings, improved functionality and reliability are all cited as potential benefits of internet protocol telephony. But experts advise against hinging your business case on the savings - instead, focus on business process improvements. Chris Bell explains…
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Passion! CRM that fuels the emotions
(December 2004)
Traditionally you may have focused on a product push strategy, but Saatchi & Saatchi's Kevin Roberts says the winning brands of this century will be ones that can "create genuine emotional connections with the communities and networks they live in". Neil Stewart examines the trend and how CRM solutions can help your organisation make the most of it...
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Business Intelligence: All eyes on the dashboard
(September 2004)
Dashboards use an organisation’s data to present managers with clear, actionable information in a highly graphical, intuitive format – making smart decision making easier...
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e-Commerce's big comeback
(September 2004)
New Zealand has had around a decade of commercial online activity. What have we got to show for it? What’s the Net being used for these days? And who’s succeeding in the online world and why? Vikki Bland investigates...
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Mobile email for business
(September 2004)
Email is perhaps the most important functionality in current mobile devices – be they PDAs or mobile phones. But with security now all important, business users need enterprise grade mail solutions for their people in the field – offering a combination of pull and push techniques to give the always-on email experience...
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What next for CRM?
(June 2004)
As the ‘trickle-down’ effect in business applications continues, CRM specialist Trudy Barnett takes a close-up look at CRM in New Zealand - and finds the SME sector firmly in vendors’ sights...
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E-procurement made easy
(June 2004)
Misunderstood by many, e-procurement is not an online version of Victoria Park Market where procurement managers shop around for the best deals – line item by line item. Instead, it is simply organisations automating their purchasing processes - and making huge overhead savings by doing so. David McNickel explains how...
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6 steps to IP Telephony
(June 2004)
Thinking about IP telephony? Unsure of what you need to know, where you should start or who you should partner with? In this in-depth feature, telephony guru Vikki Bland steps readers through the entire IP telephony process - from vendor consultation, to system analysis and ultimately, implementation...
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Docu-shock: Dare to share!
(March 2004)
Spent any time trying to find a lost email, Word doc, spreadsheet or research report lately? Annoying wasn’t it? Annoying… and expensive. Badly managed document flow, storage and retrieval is costing New Zealand businesses millions of dollars a year. But as David McNickel discovers, it doesn’t have to be that way...
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ERP battle moves to mid-market
(March 2004)
2003 was a tumultuous year in the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software sector – and 2004 is already shaping up to deliver more of the same. In this special iStart report, we take a close-up look at emerging trends in the New Zealand ERP space – and offer business decision makers some insight into how current trends may influence their ERP decision making strategy...
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Is IP telephony right for you?
(March 2004)
As they ready their ageing PBX systems for retirement, many business managers are asking about IP telephony. What it costs, what it does, how they get it – and if they don’t get it now, are they missing the boat? Fortunately iStart telephony expert Vikki Bland has all the answers…
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Shape up or ship out! NZ retailers get strict
(March 2004)
The pressure is on for suppliers to New Zealand’s larger retail chains to lift their game by adopting electronic tools including using mobile sales entry and document exchange to improve accuracy and efficiency...
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2004 Buyers Guide: Smart Help Desks
(December 2003)
In a small company, if a PC, fax or photocopier breaks down, there’s usually someone in the building who can fix it. For bigger organisations, however, managing support services across multiple sites has become a major cost center. Current best practice thinking is to consolidate IT, Human Resources, and Facilities support into one consolidated service desk. David McNickel finds out why...
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Messaging - your business lifeblood
(December 2003)
The human body needs a constant flow of nutrients and energy to survive. Blockages can be fatal and in business it’s no different. Marty Verry examines the business equivalent to human pacemakers and dialysis machines - integration solutions and message-broking services - and how they’re being used locally...
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Cut to the chase with content management
(October 2003)
As communication channels proliferate, an organisation's ability to manage the content it presents to both internal and external clients has become crucial. Keith Newman investigates the solution to getting all your data managed online for when, where and how you need it...
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Mmmmmm...Payments
(September 2003)
M-Payments – the TV ads are running and the media machine is in motion – but should we be expecting to turn our ‘cell phones into buy phones’ anytime soon? Vodafone says of course, but Telecom isn’t so sure. Vikki Bland investigates...
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Get Smart! 3 steps to better business intelligence
(September 2003)
Businesses today are continually asking questions about how to cut expenses and improve profitability. Increasingly, a comprehensive Business Intelligence solution is the tool they’re turning to for answers – David McNickel finds out how it’s done...
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Getting your emails onto your mobile - here's how?
(September 2003)
Are you one of the thousands who've heard about email to your mobile - but still haven't got a clue how to get it? Vikki Bland explains the steps...
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Which mobile device for your business?
(July 2003)
Where once our mobiles were lovingly referred to as bricks, they've now morphed into a range of different devices operating on quite diverse networks. So which mobile device is right for your business? Vikki Bland investigates what's on offer - and talks with business people about what they're using and why...
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GoProcure - 'watch this space' say Govt
(June 2003)
Suppliers interested in getting involved in GoProcure, the proposed whole-of government online requisitioning system, will need to wait until at least the end of November for decisions says the E-Government Unit...
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CRM: it's time to get closer
(June 2003)
Question - Is there anything more important than your customers? Answer - You're kidding right? It's a given. And yet despite the fact that this is lesson one in Business 101, many companies today continue to sideline, annoy - or flat out ignore their most valuable asset. If you think that's you and you'd like to get closer, Trudy Barnett and our 2003 CRM Solutions Guide will tell you how...
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GoProcure reduces offering
(June 2003)
State Services Minister Trevor Mallard announced late Friday that after evaluation of the first phase of GoProcure, the proposed whole-of government online requisitioning system will be scaled back to focus on creating a "core transaction hub"...
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GoProcure - It's showtime!
(June 2003)
The country’s biggest buyer is taking the first steps to channel $1.25 billion a year of agency spending with suppliers onto an electronic procurement system. Keith Newman investigates what GoProcure’s seeking to achieve, how it works and what it means for you if your company supplies products or services to government agencies...
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