<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>smbtech &#187; business</title>
	<atom:link href="http://www.smbtech.co.uk/tag/business/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://www.smbtech.co.uk</link>
	<description>Consultancy, web developers and support crew.</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:00:28 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5</generator>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
			<item>
		<title>Making brilliant design work</title>
		<link>http://www.smbtech.co.uk/features/making-brilliant-design-work</link>
		<comments>http://www.smbtech.co.uk/features/making-brilliant-design-work#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:53:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[What's on]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[adobe air]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[custom application]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[interactive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jquery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[linux]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mac]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mysql]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[php]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[process]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[project]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[quick]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[secure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[usability]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.smbtech.co.uk/?p=208</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Working with designers is a significant part of our business and over the past few months we&#8217;ve been busy with a number of projects. Some projects we can talk about but others we cant mention specific names for various reasons. We&#8217;ve no ambition to become a design agency but design contributes to every project we [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Working with designers is a significant part of our business and over the past few months we&#8217;ve been busy with a number of projects. Some projects we can talk about but others we cant mention specific names for various reasons. We&#8217;ve no ambition to become a design agency but design contributes to every project we do. <strong>Our focus</strong> is on system design, usability and the development of websites and applications &#8211; something that most designers dont want to or can&#8217;t do well. Projects over the past few months include:</p>
<p><img class="alignleft" src="http://www.smbtech.co.uk/images/pmap.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="260" />Client: <strong>Design Agency / Public Sector</strong></p>
<p>Project: <strong>Standalone Interactive Tool</strong></p>
<p>Technology: Adobe Air, jQuery, Javascript, CSS</p>
<p>Highlights:</p>
<p>This project involved the development of an interactive tool for capturing details about the steps/actions in a business process and generating a colour-coded process map based on the selected options. The tool is used at events and workshops, and also captures the contact details of people interested in the workshop and/or those that have completed the process mapping survey.  The details entered are saved in a secure local (computer) database so that the user can download them to a csv (comma separated value) file that could be imported into a spreadsheet. </p>
<p>The tool utilised Adobe Air technology to allow it to be run on a PC, Mac or Linux computers as well as be distributed as a download from a website or sent as an attachment via email.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img class="alignleft" src="http://www.smbtech.co.uk/images/comb_uoo_sml.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="187" />Client: <strong>Design Agency / Public Sector</strong></p>
<p>Project: <strong>Web based application</strong></p>
<p>Technology: PHP, MySQL, Javascript, CSS</p>
<p>Highlights:</p>
<p>The project was delivered within a very short turnaround &#8211; 10 days from project approval. On the front end it is a pre-course survey booking application that captures potential attendee details and stores them in a database. Course leaders can then view all the applicants, approve their application and download their details. In addition to the requirements we created a visual candidate ranking feature that gives the course leader a quick view of the most appropriate course applicants.</p>
<p>Both projects highlight just how easy and cost-effective a custom application can be written for your business, based on good requirements specification and a little development magic from SMBTECH.</p>
<div id="crp_related"><b>Also read...</b><ul><li><a href="http://www.smbtech.co.uk/about/environmental-policy" rel="bookmark">Environmental Policy</a></li><li><a href="http://www.smbtech.co.uk/about/mission-statement" rel="bookmark">Mission Statement</a></li><li><a href="http://www.smbtech.co.uk/what-we-do/web-solutions/logo" rel="bookmark">Logo Design</a></li><li><a href="http://www.smbtech.co.uk/what-we-do/web-solutions" rel="bookmark">Web Solutions</a></li><li><a href="http://www.smbtech.co.uk/what-we-do/web-solutions/web-services/web-development" rel="bookmark">Web Development</a></li></ul></div>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.smbtech.co.uk/features/making-brilliant-design-work/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>5 Ideas for using Twitter in business</title>
		<link>http://www.smbtech.co.uk/features/5-ideas-using-twitter-for-business</link>
		<comments>http://www.smbtech.co.uk/features/5-ideas-using-twitter-for-business#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 2009 14:57:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Web Trends]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[customer service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social networking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[twitter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://localhost:8888/newsmb/?p=88</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Twitter for the un-initiated is a social networking service that allows registered users to communicate with friends, peers, customers and strangers &#8211; all within 140 characters or less.
How can it be used in business? 
We&#8217;ve put together five simple ideas that we hope will prompt you to think about how it relates to your organisation [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft" src="http://www.smbtech.co.uk/smbimg/twitter_150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" />Twitter for the un-initiated is a social networking service that allows registered users to communicate with friends, peers, customers and strangers &#8211; all within 140 characters or less.</p>
<p><strong>How can it be used in business? </strong></p>
<p>We&#8217;ve put together five simple ideas that we hope will prompt you to think about how it relates to your organisation or even joining in this phenomenon. To sign up visit <a href="http://www.twitter.com" target="_blank">www.twitter.com</a> .</p>
<p><strong>1. Use it as a customer service tool.</strong> Use Twitter to invite feedback on your organisation, its products and services; research what&#8217;s being said about your company (in near real time) using a service like Twitterfall</p>
<p><strong>2. Start a new way of marketing.</strong> Twitter gives you another voice &#8211; not just as a short message broadcasting service but as a way of demonstrating subject leadership and interacting with your customers.</p>
<p><strong>3. Start a new way of prospecting.</strong> If your potential prospect customer are online Twitter could be a great way of starting off new relationships with people. It&#8217;s an almost instant way of communicating &#8211; just remember it&#8217;s mostly a public service, so whatever you say could be bouncing around the internet within minutes!</p>
<p><strong>4. Use Twitter as an easy step towards setting up your own blog.</strong> Twitter can be an excellent way to kick start your journey into the world of blogging, primarily because you don&#8217;t have to plan out a whole article &#8211; just 140 characters. This tiny message is easier to construct and it&#8217;s easier to plan in the time to send out a regular tweet &#8211; daily if required.</p>
<p><strong>5. Use it to leverage group think.</strong> Start off with encouraging the use of twitter internally and benefit from a wider source of knowledge and experience. As the number of collective followers increases, so does your potential pool of group think intellect.</p>
<p>If you need help in bringing together your thoughts on how Twitter could help your organisation/company/school &#8211; talk to us.</p>
<div id="crp_related"><b>Also read...</b><ul><li><a href="http://www.smbtech.co.uk/what-we-do/web-solutions/web-services" rel="bookmark">Web Services</a></li><li><a href="http://www.smbtech.co.uk/what-we-do/it-support/home" rel="bookmark">Home IT Support</a></li><li><a href="http://www.smbtech.co.uk/what-we-do/web-solutions/premium" rel="bookmark">Premium Web Package</a></li><li><a href="http://www.smbtech.co.uk/what-we-do" rel="bookmark">What we do</a></li></ul></div>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.smbtech.co.uk/features/5-ideas-using-twitter-for-business/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
