Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why do I need IT consultancy?

One of the most important requirements of automating and integrating your computer needs is to have a clear understanding of what you are trying to achieve.

The aim of Consultancy is to identify clearly what you are trying to achieve; what you currently have; what you need to do to get to where you want to be; and ultimately did it achieve the objective.

By identifying the above and working to clearly defined criteria you reduce the possibility of error and are more likely to achieve your goal.

In support of the above Computime are an approved Consultant to the business, under the SBS Register and WMita, enabling you to gain Government and EC grants towards the cost. If you are interested in using us, please either contact John on 024 7667 1900 or email john@computime.co.uk now

Why do I need a website?  What can it do for me?

There are many reasons for having a web site. However, they break down in to 2 basic areas, one is to encourage an increase in business, and the other is to reduce your administration costs.

In considering the increase in sales, what the Internet allows you to do is make your shop window available 24 hours a day every day of the year. It also opens up your market place, from being local, to covering the whole world. The only problem is, that unless you invest in a well designed site, and let your your potential customers know you are there, you are unlikely to achieve any returns on your investment. 

However, done correctly, it can change your business forever.

With regards to reducing administration, we developed a site called www.signcal.co.uk which is run by one person, covering all elements of the business. Every thing is automated. From people down loading the estimating program and trying out; to ordering; to receiving payment; to issuing a receipt. This is possibly the ultimate of what you can achieve.

With a well constructed e-Business web site that links web sales to a back end accounts system, you should be looking at getting your investment back within 12 month by the reduction in staff/ administration.

What can eCommerce do for my business?

Computime have a specialist Internet facility dealing with complex database driven Websites that typically feature an advanced level of integration with existing or new client software.

1. What sort of cost savings can be achieved?

The kind of savings that can be achieved are those normally associated with a reduction in labour costs as staff conducting data entry tasks are re-deployed, communication errors are also greatly reduced resulting in a much more streamlined and cost effective centralised operation.

2. What types of business are the key targets?

The type of business targeted are those with a desire to save money and increase profit by embracing advanced office technology typically employing between 10 and 500 people with a turnover of £1 to £50 million per annum, these companies can be within any market sector.

3. Is the Computime offer unique in the Coventry/ Midlands area?

There is no other company offering the level of advanced integration work in the Midlands area

4. Why are businesses missing out on the e-business opportunity?

Many businesses miss out on the e-business opportunity because (a)They are unaware of the concept (b)They are aware of the idea but unable to perceive the benefits to themselves (c) they have an irrational fear of the dot com

5. What size investment are we talking about?

The investment can be from £750 to whatever level of solution the client, wishes to attain, although we would typically expect to provide a full integrated office solution for around £5,000 to £20,000

6. In what ways is the Computime offer diferent from the competition?

Computime differ from the competition in as much as we offer an extremely high level of expertise under one roof, and it is this ability to avoid outsourcing that enables us to maintain a competetive edge and over all control of your project. Also, we are to be found at the forefront of integration technology, covering Accounts, CRM, Telephony and remote and mobile access for email/ fax/ and voicemail, and the development of maintenance free e-business websites.

Why would I want system integration?

The following represents the key benefits of Integration: -

• You can speed up the obtaining of information about your customers with links to documents, emails, faxes, voice mails -
• You can make sure everyone is aware about a customers or suppliers performance, e.g. outstanding debts, complaints, possible sales etc.
• You are able to maintain continuity of information if any staff are not available or have left
• You are able to maximise your investment in IT In short you work more efficiently Why have unified messaging?
• you are able to see all the communication together, whether voice, email, fax, WAP on one screen
• You are able to share the information easily with others within and outside the company
• You are able to remotely, through the Internet, look at your in box, and continue working, even though you are on the other side of the world In short you work more efficiently

• You are more likely to keep a customer if you maintain contact with them
• You are able, through integration to your accounts, to keep control of your debt chasing
• You are able to monitor customer business, in addition to any problems they have, all on one program
• You are able to work more effectively by the use of links to Word, and Unified Messaging
• In short you work more efficiently.

Computime are actively developing bespoke CRM solutions tailored your our client's needs.  For more information or to book a demo, contact john@computime.co.uk

Can I get funding for a large project?

There are a number of Government schemes running at the moment covering first year full depreciation allowances on e-business. In addition, through our Consultancy arm Computime are able to gain Government and EC funding up to 50% for certain projects. Email us now with your requirements.

What is WMITA?

West Midlands Information Technology Association - In January 2003, sub-regional IT groups from around the West Midlands amalgamated to become the West Midlands IT Association (WMita). As the Region's foremost IT trade association, WMita are able to offer a high quality and reliable "one-stop shop" for all IT requirements in the area.

Specialist expertise from across the West Midlands has been marshalled into a cohesive force, making it easy for organisations and businesses with IT requirements to source an appropriate and cost-effective solution, enabling business growth, increased profitability and competitiveness for WMita customers.  All IT requirements are catered for, from networks, hardware and software, through to bespoke systems, eCommerce, marketing, back end system integration and training. WMita can add further value with a full range of support services such as graphic design solutions, multimedia presentations, photography and print. 

WMita Approved Membership Scheme - A hallmark of quality, designed to assure customers and potential customers that they are dealing with a credible supplier.  Attaining approved status enables members to stand out from the competition.

We at Computime are a founder member. If you would like to know more please email me at info@computime.co.uk or go to the www.wmita.co.uk

WMita - working in partnership to make IT effective.

What are your opening hours and where can I find you?

Our opening hours are 9am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday.

Please note that during lunchtime, calls may experience higher delays before being answered.

For a versatile map of how to find Computime IT Solutions, try our contact us page.

The code of conduct encapsulates the philosophy of ADMIT:

Member Meetings:
ADMIT organises regular members meetings which include discussions and representations on topics important to the members and provide the opportunity to discuss key issues with senior representations of Pegasus Software LTD.

Training:
ADMIT organises workshops and training courses on a variety of management and technical issues.

Special Interest Groups:
ADMIT promotes specialist group activities, and currently several member companies are commited to the DTI skills challenge initiative, which is focusing on the strategic development of each business, using the 'Investors in People' framework.

Internet:
ADMIT is developing its use of the internet, with the opportunity for members to test the use of this expanding communications medium.

PegWorldTM:
ADMIT provides a showcase opportunity for members' products and services to Pegasus resellers and advisors through its Pegworld roadshow.

The unified messaging concept is basically the ability to send and receive communication by any electronic means anywhere, at any time. Longer term this will also apply to and from any location.

Most people are aware of email; mobile phone SMS?ing; faxing; and voice mail. However, few are aware of the ability to be able to use all of these techniques from one source, the PC or PDA.

Frequently people have a message that they want to communicate, but the intended recipient of the message cannot be reached. Technology is helping people overcome this problem. Products are available that are powerful as well as flexible to meet these needs.

Unified messaging is a personal resource for the individual user. It can help send and receive messages, whether they are voice, e-mail, SMS, or fax. It also will notify the user whenever mail arrives.

The concept of notification is becoming a large part of messaging. Some people want to be reached at all costs, anywhere, at any time. Whether they are at home or on holiday, they want to be notified of messages. Others are more protective about their privacy. They do not want to be reached when, for example, they are sleeping or having dinner. Unified messaging technology provides the power to reach people almost anywhere, at any time and the flexibility to allow people to control when they can be reached. This is based on a concept of "your time" communications, where users can send and receive messages how and when they want.

With unified messaging, users can reduce the number of places they must check for incoming voice, fax, and e-mail messages. From a single interface, they can check for all message types.

Technologies exist that enhance the integration of voice mail and e-mail, such as text-to-speech software that converts e-mail into spoken words. For example, at the airport a user could call in on a phone and hear e-mail messages, making it easy to reach important decisions without delay. Other enabling technologies, such as speech recognition, are becoming more reliable and cost-effective. For example, people who are driving will find speech recognition a particularly convenient interface.

Easy-to-use user interfaces are essential to accessing the unified mailbox. Whether from the phone or from the Internet-enabled PC, the subscriber can navigate through the unified mailbox with ease and full control at all times (see Figure 1). Checking e-mail from the phone becomes intuitive, and likewise, hearing voice messages from the PC becomes second nature.

Unified messaging is a business tool as well. It can provide a twenty-four-hour shop window. People can use the phone to get information or to make transactions. They can purchase items without talking to a live person. With the emergence of new technology, especially the Internet, the twenty-four-hour shop has flourished. More information can be accessed and more shopping can be done than ever before. Through the Internet, people can search for the items that they need and find out more information about what they want to buy.

The phone and the personal computer have become transaction terminals. Newer technologies are emerging for the phone that will make it more than a device by which customers can listen and use the keys to order items. People can use it for banking transactions, and even to order a book or a pizza. On the other end of the network, a pizza restaurant, for example, would have a small database of users on their computer system. Customers call in and enter the data mode. Their calling number is recognized immediately as a previous customer, and they can order their pizza with choices presented to them on the phone's display. The caller's address and telephone number is then retrieved from the database. This application is an example of technology yielding business solutions.

A significant part of unified messaging is consolidating different mailboxes in a way that allows people to retrieve their messages through a single point of access and to have all their communication needs met.

Another important consideration is scalable systems. A lot of the current technologies and products in the market only work well on a small scale. The unified messaging platform should reach thousands of customers. The network deployment cost for scaling up these systems must be manageable?merely having the technology to provide a user service is not sufficient. For example, users must be added to the system en masse rather than having to type them in one by one. The systems also must be integrated with the existing back office service infrastructure of the company. A similar infrastructure service is needed, such as providing management reports, research data, or data-collection facilities to allow the company to know which part of the service is being used, what the popular services are, and which services or features are not as popular. This information helps company determine where to invest next. The data-collection facility is another feature that companies want to integrate into their service and system.

For the users, it is important that the interface is simple and intuitive. In a business environment, people are forced to learn to use a service?such as voice mail?that their company provides. There may be training sessions for employees to learn how to use the sophisticated features. If it is simple and people can use it, they will benefit from it and will want to continue to use it. If the service is less than satisfying, users will drop it. Instead of making products and services ever more sophisticated, they must be made intuitive, simple, and useful in solving problems.

Unified messaging can also streamline operations. The Internet has changed technology and communications. It has shown how standards work and how they can benefit even competing products. With standards, less training is required. Different machines and different systems can work together based on common standards. The power of the standard will streamline products and services as well as operations. Fewer service reports are needed. With network-management standards, for example, an essential system of control by polling different machines can be established to find out how these machines work. Streamlining operations will provide large cost savings for companies.

In addition to storing voice; fax messages; and SMS messages, the unified messaging platform can also house the e-mail text messages. This would ensure real-time access to messages as well as a more tightly integrated robust architecture for the company.

The new and dynamic growing company will be the first to adopt fully enhanced unified messaging. Whether these Companies are heavy messaging users at home or small office home office (SOHO) business entrepreneurs, with unified messaging, they have a means of saving time and increasing productivity by having access to all their messages?voice, fax, SMS, and e-mail.

With text-to-speech technology, users are able to hear their e-mail from any mobile or office phone. Using standard voice protocols, they are able to hear their voice messages on a PC. For example, the travelling salesperson who may be delayed at an airport, or in traffic is still able to stay in touch with the office. With unified messaging, the salesperson is able to check voice messages, e-mail, SMS, and faxes all from the convenience of an airport telephone, or mobile phone or PDA, or while in a car.

For users who make use of a fax machine, having a unified mailbox will provide them with added fax functionality. Not only are they able to print faxes to the destination of their choice, but they can also view their faxes directly from their PC. They can treat the fax as they would a voice message, with reply, forward, and save capabilities. They can also create and send faxes singularly or in bulk from their PC. How about faxing your invoices and statements?

With unified messaging, users can also have text-to-fax functionality?directing e-mail to a designated fax machine to be viewed in hardcopy.

For more detail of what Unified Messaging can do for you please contact Computime on 02476671900 or email info@computime.co.uk

Computime are one of the main developers and suppliers of Tobit, the Unified Messaging Company. They are also able to develop integrated solutions from Accounting; Databases; and CRM systems.