Techno News – Technology, Hardware and Software

After having purchased an HP system/ PC it is quite understandable that you are on a look out for HP accessories for maintaining your system well. There are lots of HP options available, you might find these in the local market but can you guarantee the quality and the pricing?

I guess it is not always possible to find these. This is the very reason that some people will like to get in touch with an organization that is well known for providing accessories for HP. Also consider this, if you are provided more than you are actually looking for, like more deals out of one then would it not be something better to opt for? I know it sounds good but finding the right organization is a tough job.

Even though there are numerous organizations providing these but to recognize the right one depends upon a few of the factors, such as:

• PAN India reach
• More than a decade of experience in IT industry
• Having big names like HP to their credit
• Designing services around customer needs
• Providing after sales services for customer delight

Now after knowing all this you might also be interested in knowing the advantages offered by such an organization, these would follow:

• You will be provided with genuine spares
• Be sure about the best prices offered
• You would be able to avail the latest schemes & special offers on various options
• Weekly updates on what’s new in the market available on the website
• Specialized offers for customers and companies available would be communicated
• Single point of contact for customers

All these are provided so that the customer will benefit by making any purchase. Whether you are on a look out for HP computer accessories, HP wireless keyboard, HP wireless mouse, HP cleaning kit for proper upkeep of your system or even HP backpacks & HP carry case. All will be provided to you under one roof without getting into the hassle of finding this elsewhere. If you own an HP laptop or HP notebook even then you can benefit. How? You can always go for HP laptop carry bags, HP battery, HP sports backpack and other HP accessories.

You must remember that only an organization dealing in HP genuine spares is going to provide such benefits to their customers. So, whenever you are looking for HP computer accessories then all you need to do is get in touch with an organization that is going to be well suited to your needs as well as which is more of customer oriented. This way you will benefit in the long run.

Purchasing software is a major issue as it is not only the cost of the purchase, but all considerations required making a good decision, there’s the learning curve, the conversion process, and other costs that are hidden. Many of us have a tendency to compare what we think are apples and apples, when in reality they are not. There are many questions people should ask before making changes.

1. Why am I making this change? Is my software so bad that I cannot work with it any longer?

2. What sacrifices will I be making internally in order to change?

3. Is it an upgrade?

4. I hope I’m not making a lateral move; will the benefits far outweigh the inconvenience and cost of making this switch?

5. It’s nice to be on the competitive edge of technology, but do I need everything that is offered?

6. Are my employees driving this decision? If so, my software must be pretty bad.

7. Is the support process from my proposed new company far superior to my old company?

8. What about follow up after sale, what does the contract actually say?

9. Do I have the proper equipment to support the new technology; are my licenses in place for related software?

10. Should I consider software as a service, as that may be my best bet?

Here are a number of things commonly heard in the marketplace, conferences, seminars, and feedback from clients.

1. I called my software supplier and asked to do of data conversion. I was told it would be 4 to 6 months before they even put me into queue. That’s an exceptionally long time when I’m trying to get a new client. I will probably lose this one.

2. Even after getting into the queue, it turns out that the conversion cost is prohibitive. My client will never pay that exorbitant amount, what are the alternatives?

3. My client base is growing, yet my licensing fees remain the same. Isn’t there some kind of sliding scale as my usage becomes greater?

4. My supplier nickel and dimes me to death. Every time I pick up the phone, it’s 2 or 3 hours of billing. What is included in the support price for the new product? Is it the frying pan to the fire syndrome?

5. Oh No! Another upgrade, more money, more testing, and if I don’t do it I will eventually be unsupported. I really wish my software supplier would seamlessly make those upgrades so I don’t even see them. Someone told me that web based products can do that since there’s no software on the client machine. This must really be a key selling point for software as a service as I wouldn’t expect to be involved in any of the upgrades.

6. Upgrades? Do I need to take them? Of course you do, but try to see if your support contract and maintenance contract includes them. The advantage is you are never behind, there’s no big gap between your system and the current system, or one less thing you need to worry about.

7. Will I be generating more work for my IT department, not if my vendor supports the product themselves? That’s a good thing since I don’t have an IT department any way.

8. Am I buying software or expertise? We really need a strong vendor that can serve as a consultant for both the hardware and software and anticipate our needs. Many of the banks are taking the position of assisting in financial matters, doing payroll, analysis, and other aspects that detract from my ability to perform the work required to run my own business. That seems to make sense and we should expand that to all facets of our business when applicable. Let the vendor be responsible and give me a good product to help me with my business that I don’t have to be involved in. My Doctor doesn’t consult with me before he operates, my lawyer doesn’t discuss how he’s going to handle these things and my vendor should do the same just get the job done.

It’s a competitive market out there. There are tons of companies offering many types of programs, products and services. Take the extra time to research all options. In the long run, a better decision will be the result. It’s worth the investment, get as much exposure, knowledge and advise available. Maximize your ROI by creating a profit center rather than an expense.

Before a medical practice decides to invest in Electronic medical billing software it has to make the decision if it wants to continue to do the billing for the practice in house or do it online. If it is already doing its billing online and wants to make a change then it has to decide which added or new features it wants in its Electronic medical billing software program and does it want to include revenue cycle management within its program.

There are some questions that a medical practice should ask before it invests in any Electronic medical billing software program. One of them is what is the total cost of ownership for the life of the system? And does this include any updates or upgrades as they become available. Cost has to be a component of any medical practice decision to purchase an online system. If a medical practice does not know what it costs them to do their own billing then this cost may come as a big surprise to them. When a medical practice is evaluating these costs it also has to include any start up costs. Most software programs are designed to work with most computer operating systems but if an office has an old outdated computer that may even be dial up then it may have to include in the start up cost the cost of a complete new computer system. This will add to the initial cost for them to buy one of the programs and has to be taken into consideration.

You have to consider that a large part of office management is the paying of office staff salaries. Then add the cost of storing documents and old paperwork. And part of this cost is keeping these pieces of paper secure since they contain private patient data. So in many cases an online system may be a big cost savings for a medical practice. But electronic billing is one of the cornerstones of medical practice management systems. With electronic billing, in theory, there are faster collections, fewer denials and less administrative work involved. The office staff will have to go through a training cycle and big learning curve if they have never used an online billing system before. Older staff employees may not be very happy with the change but if the system is very user friendly then they too will catch on fairly quickly.

If the office does a lot of Medicare claims then it will have to determine if the new program can handle Durable Medical Equipment billing. This is a separate part of the Medicare claims program and has to be invoiced separately. Also any user fees have to be evaluated before any purchase can be completed. If the user fees are high it may not make sense for a small medical practice to buy that particular program. There are plenty of choices out there that are available with lots of options aimed at specific types of practices so choose wisely.

Cell phone chargers come in a broad range of prices and quality. There are several things to watch out for when purchasing one. Knowing whether or not it is an OEM charger, whether or not it has an IC chip, what the warranty is, the location of the company selling the charger, and the return policy will help ensure you get a high-quality charger that will not damage your phone.

1) OEM Chargers – OEM, or original equipment manufacturer, cell phone chargers are made by the company that makes your cell phone. For instance, a Motorola brand charger is the OEM charger for Motorola phones. Some cell phone owners will take a phone worth hundreds of dollars and then charge it with a cheap, poor-quality, aftermarket charger. The results of this can be expensive, as almost all manufacturer warranties are voided if a cell phone is damaged using a non-OEM charger. As a result, you should always make sure any charger you buy is authentic in the case of OEM units and therefore protects you and your phone.

2) IC Chip – Any good charger will have overcharge protection embedded in the form of an IC Chip or similar technology. This protects the phone and battery from damage due to overcharging or overheating. A charger without overcharge protection should never be used.

3) Warranty – A good-quality aftermarket charger should come with at least a 1 year warranty. You should also make sure the company who manufactured the charger guarantees it will not damage your phone and promises a replacement if the phone is damaged. There are hundreds of inexpensive, very poor-quality chargers on the market with no protection to the user in the event of damage. It is important to purchase chargers only from companies that have a proven track record of quality and support for their items. If you are purchasing an OEM charger and the store requires return of the charger to them if defective, it is unlikely it is an authentic OEM item (normally, a defective item would be shipped back to the manufacturer). These types of chargers can be the most dangerous to use with your phone.

4) Location of the company selling the charger – In the last year or so, a number of companies out of Hong Kong have started offering products on the internet shipped directly from China (this can often be determined by looking at the company’s return policy and address). If a charger from a company based overseas damages your phone, it is unlikely you will have any protection. When you see OEM items on these websites, they are almost always counterfeit OEM items.

5) Return policy – Anytime a company requires you to return an OEM cell phone charger to them versus the manufacturer, a red flag should go up. This is almost always a good indication the cell phone charger is not authentic.

All too often people save a couple of dollars on a poor-quality charger only to have their phone damaged. It is not worth it to chance your expensive phone with a charger with no guarantees! Knowing whether or not a charger is an OEM charger, whether or not it has an IC chip, what the warranty is, the location of the company selling the charger, and the return policy will ensure you get a high-quality charger that won’t damage your phone.