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Re: CompTIA: Our Trustmarks are too hard

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 09:31:39 -0000

I must say, I was rather surprised to see this post. As a long-time IT practitioner and hiring manager, I've always viewed CompTIA certifications as fairly rudimentary--covering the best practices but not overly difficult for any serious practitioner. I had assumed the Trustmarks to be very similar.

If these are "too hard", what does this say about the readiness of the channel to embrace necessary fundamental skills needed to navigate this transformational landscape and serve their customers? Should customers be concerned?

Re: What I Learned From Growing My Email List 3,418% (Nearly 200k) in Just 11 Days

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Wed, 27 Aug 2014 17:49:26 -0000

Josh, excellent post. I appreciate the candor and tactical walk-through.

I really enjoyed the advice, and especially tips on what not to do.

Re: And They Said I Was Stupid—A Thought from 21,400 Feet in the Air

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Thu, 01 May 2014 00:31:25 -0000

I've very much enjoyed getting to know more about everyone here. Quite savvy, Pat!

I've got lots of fun little tidbits in my life, as I'm sure most everyone here does (People are so very interesting!). I could tell you about how I'm a former Marine who can hit a man-sized target at 500 yards with a rifle 9/10 times in a 30 knot winds and also managed the Marine Corps network in San Diego. Think about me showing up to fix your computer with my sunny disposition!

Or, I could tell you that I play guitar, took several years of Aikido, and collect Star Wars Legos (boy those images just don't go together do they?) But my favorite story to tell is how I met my wife.

Let's just say it all started with a phone call, a garage band video, a former best friend's betrayal, and a high speed car wreck...

19 years later we are celebrating our 17th wedding anniversary... on May 4th! The best part is I am married to the love of my life and have been blessed with a beautiful little girl who is the light of my life!

Call or not, I love sharing how much I cherish my family. Keep up the good work Pat, and everyone else keep living such wonderful lives!

Re: How to Land Your Emails in the Gmail “Primary” Tab Every Time

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 08:42:17 -0000

Michael/Luke, I use the web interface for Gmail. Michael, from my own (non-scientific) observations, I believe you are correct. I have noticed that over time if my reading habits begin to gravitate away from a certain blogger/author, the emails start fading to the promotions or even spam folder. I think there is some categorization based on content and format (and probably sender reputation), but it must have some portion of weighting based on my own preferences.

BTW, I was able to set certain subjects and senders to appear on a specific tab, much like using a rule. This is of course, personal preference, so I don't know that I would expect a reader to go through this hassle unless they are highly engaged and loyal.

Just for what it's worth from one man's observations.

Re: 6 Key Workflow Automation Steps | Articles | Document Media

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 15:22:26 -0000

Great story, Tom. The first two resonate with me, especially. All are certainly valuable, but I suppose I see the most effort being expended on really mapping and conditioning the processes. So I latched on to those points very quickly.

Re: 3 Time Management Tools to Stay Focused

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 08:21:47 -0000

Thanks for the tip, Mary. I'll have to check this out. I've been using a Mac for some time now, and one thing I've found about Basecamp is that there doesn't seem to be a good Mac time tracking widget. We used to use Basecamp religiously in an IT group I managed, and the Windows version was wonderful.

I think you may have given me something new to go and review! Keep in touch and let me know how you fair with this. I'm building out a resource page, and would love to include useful tools and other resources for good folks like yourself.

Re: Shed the Stress of Scope Creep

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 15:41:38 -0000

Bren, it sure sounds like you have a challenging role. I have to imagine this "ready, fire, aim" mentality has to be very frustrating.

Do you feel like the issue has to do more with the client or with your managers? In other words, do you think a lot of the message is lost in translation, as it were?

I wonder if you have the opportunity to reach out to your clients directly? Is this overstepping your imposed boundaries?

Re: HP should have listened to its CFO

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 09:20:58 -0000

Vindication? Perhaps, but perhaps another voice of reason is more of what beleaguered HP needs. I certainly hope the current CEO and board heed this execs advise in the future.

Re: Not your usual breach | TechCentral.ie

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 18:09:02 -0000

While you might not believe it be so, most security breaches are typically enacted or enabled by a corporation's own human resources. Whether knowingly (as in this case) or not, "social hacking" is very common primarily because of lax education and awareness. Sadly, this case demonstrates multiple gates of failure. While I had always thought that digitizing a document would allow for more control, many security professionals I've worked with have demonstrated just how viral a digital document can be. Aptly so, you've pointed out the immense damage each company's reputation might now experience.

Semper Fidelis
Ken Stewart
ChangeForge

Re: Two Lists You Should Look at Every Morning

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 08:48:45 -0000

Peter, you once again have a great set of stories to frame a real challenge today. As I once heard a speaker say, "If information overload was the problem, we'd explode every time we walked into a library."

It's all about how we focus and process. I developed a free resource to help the stay-at-home workers, mobile warriors and entrepreneurs out there called a Daily Focus Pad.

http://destroydistraction.c...

Just trying to help where I can, b/c I suffer from distractions as bad as the rest of us... Squirrel!

Warmest Regards,Ken Stewart

Re: How to Evaluate MPS Service Providers

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Tue, 29 May 2012 12:15:40 -0000

Alan, solid article covering all of the requisite basics... well, almost all of them. The elephant in the room is the big question around "Why?" While many first time contracts may cover these basics, our research at Photizo Group is showing an strong movement towards requirements for providers to heavily engage in workflow and business process consulting as well.

In your article, you clearly articulated some key values when essentially working with what you have. However, looking at why things are done the way they are in the first place can create some very interesting opportunities for "end users".

Keep up the great work, Alan.

Ken Stewart
Director, Channel Analysis
Photizo Group

Re: The Magic of Doing One Thing at a Time

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 14:34:11 -0000

I love the focus on 45 minute meetings! I've really seen so many poorly run meetings (and some I've even facilitated)! The part on renewing your energy is a great piece of advice as well.

I found that working out of a home office could really drain my battery at points, so I came up with my Daily Focus Pad to help me stay on track and maintain focus...

I'm happy to share it free for all to use at http://destroydistraction.c...

Keep up the great advice!

Ken Stewart
ChangeForge

Re: Kodak Sues HTC, Apple Over Patent Infringement

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:48:47 -0000

Are the chapter 11 lawyers giving them a 2-for-1 deal or something? I suppose the Kodak execs have been hanging around the RIAA execs too long!

Re: What’s the difference between an ISV, a VAR, and an SI?

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:00:48 -0000

David, solid clarification. Indeed the lines are blurry, and I've begun to think of these terms (and other channel labels) in terms of "heritage" as opposed to an all inclusive label. MSPs seem to be the force dujour today, seemingly taking the heritage of either a VAR or SI and evolving the finance and billing aspects to the business. In other words, adding "managed" to the transaction/project, as it were, in an on-going, annuity-based model.

Re: Destination or Direction? Why Your CRM and SFA Initiative Failed.

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:46:04 -0000

Very well said, Hyas! How do you recommend management teams reduce risk, and what are the most common causes of 'CRM failure'?

Re: Top 10 Takeaways: 2011 Global MPS Conference

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Mon, 09 May 2011 18:19:57 -0000

Hmmm... uniforms, conformity, boot-licking... I see a theme here, Mr. Walters. LOL!

Re: How to Focus Your Finding-Customers Efforts

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 14:54:06 -0000

Great article, Laura! I am always a fan of free resources for small businesses!

In that same light, I try to offer some unique spins on various technology tools out there for small business owners. I wrote a quick article on using 37 Signals Highrise product for managing your employment pipeline for free while you were unemployed, but the principal remains true...

Most don't need the heavyweight CRMs out there like SalesForce.com... http://changeforge.com/unem...

Outside of that, other easy applications like Freshbooks and Zoho are pretty solid for helping to manage your customers and your budget :-)

Semper Fidelis,
Ken Stewart
ChangeForge

Re: Five Lessons Learned On the Road to Becoming a Guru

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 17:55:26 -0000

Dude, you crack me up! That SNL skit cracks me up, and yes that is a 'hottie in a box', but I'm sure you'll notice a fair amount more clothes are indeed present. ;-)

I am glad you enjoyed.

Re: The Secret of How To Get Your Message Out Without Spending Alot!

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 00:53:52 -0000

LOL, Carro! I continue to find distractions in my own life ;-)

I have my daily focus pad I'm using to help me clarify my daily goals...

Re: Farewell, Blogs! Your Days Are Numbered

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 07:59:00 -0000

Keir, while I am an avid blogger (over the age of 34), and would hate to see a future where your title comes to life, I certainly see you points.

Marketing is being turned on its ears. This morning I was having trouble with Google Reader -- while sipping a cup of coffee ;-) -- and when I experienced a nightmarishly slow connection I first turned to a friend on Google Chat, but then instantly got my answer from Twitter Search.

We buy from those we trust and ask those we trust to tell us what to buy. While I might argue the semantics of a scary type of 'groupthink', your points here make sense. The only challenge I'm seeing is how scared corporations are of people airing their dirty laundry... and this ruins the intention and corrupts the integrity most certainly.

Ken Stewart
ChangeForge.com

Re: Verizon's Big Year Is Much More than Just iPhone

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 09:01:57 -0000

LOL, it was meant to be a bit confusing... I am not terribly keen on the shackle of most mobile providers. However, Verizon Wireless has been nothing but excellent in their customer service. I've had repeated good experiences with them which make me worry much less about the feeling of being "locked in". On top of that the Droid X has been a wonderful mobile device that I have almost felt like a laptop replacement (almost, but not quite).

Past that, AT&T Mobile had not proven to be a great partner. BellSouth, or SBC (which adopted the AT&T brand after acquisition), had been really solid in customer service, but I've not had great experiences with them lately. While I only have the choice of ISPs (AT&T and Charter), the mobile market is much more open, but I chose Verizon Wireless because of 3 things:

1) Network coverage
2) Customer service
3) Device mix I liked (less the iPhone, which is changing).

PS - now that I've been using the Droid X for awhile, I am seriously wondering if I will ever "need" an iPhone again...

Re: Verizon's Big Year Is Much More than Just iPhone

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 08:22:10 -0000

Louis, join the dark side... wait, I mean leave the dark side ;-)

Regards,
Ken

Re: Nuance Recommends Adobe

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:21:32 -0000

Steve, first let me say thank you for your passionate response. I am very glad you are so expressive.

Now, please allow me to respond in kind.

1) I'm not insulting Nuance for caring... I'm insulting them for lack of caring. The point is that I waited for an entire month for a response. Would you really accept that as adequate customer service?

2) Nuance clearly states in their sales literature that their solution is the "smarter" choice for those who create, manage and read PDF documents. In fact, they go so far as to claim they have tools and options others don't. Something as simple as rendering a font not to be some elaborate process, but a simple bug. If you are a business owner, and you make a claim that your product is superior than all others (not just one), then recommending inferior products is in fact, malpractice.

3) Evidently, you wanted to put emphasis on my "SELFISH NEEDS" in my business. First, a business, by definition is formed to serve customers while generating revenue sufficient to maintain operations. Second, I've offering my time, effort and energy on this blog since 2008 - FOR FREE. Third, I must've missed the memo that Nuance is a not-for-profit organization...

4) I've managed businesses, customer service centers, software developers, etc... and in my years of doing this, I've gained a healthy instinct for when an organization cares for its customers and when they are simply passing the buck. Going back to bullet number 1, they took almost a month to answer me and then said that another product would be better to use. This wasn't due to some intensive Q&A, it was simply due to the fact the product I purchase was a consumer-focused product and this issue was minimal enough to sweep under the rug.

5) Then you state, "When your customer is floundering on something critical to them and you know that you are unable to help them, the right thing to do is direct them to the solution, even when it doesn't directly benefit you." I completely agree with you! -- all I have to say is A MONTH??? Good thing it wasn't critical in nature, Steve.

6) Do you know how many updates I've had since then? 0 - ZERO... not one contact from Nuance, except to try and sell me on another product of theirs. A company concerned with my benefit would've contacted the customer they cared so deeply about.

I live and breath support. Why? Because I know the only way to survive is to develop long lasting relationships. It's bad when a company doesn't stand behind their brand promise, but the one thing I can't abide is missing the opportunity to make a customer a raving fan.

If you want some examples of a great company, take a look at Aliph, makers of the Jawbone headset. Three times I've had to call them for issues with my headset and they've replaced it, at their cost, three times. They didn't deflect blame, they were happy to talk with me and made me feel like an appreciated customer... for a $99 headset?

So you know what, I tell everyone I know how good the support is at Aliph, and that I recommend their product every time without reservation. So it is that I end this response... Why, Steve? Not because I want to berate you, but because my hope is that you see the opportunity that was missed, and the opportunity you overlooked. You were almost there, Steve... and given you took time to write to me, you really care about this.

So you can leave this conversation with the knowledge that I heard you, and that I care about what you say as a person. I just disagree with your logic in supporting your argument as well as your delivery in personally attacking me. Keep up the passion, and I especially encourage you to continue to have such strong opinions. We need more people in this world who care so very much.

Happy New Year to you, Steve! Best success and I wish you well!

Semper Fidelis,
K

Re: Empathy: The Bridge Connecting People

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 00:00:47 -0000

Michelle, I originally sourced it from Flickr Creative Commons under Attribution-Only rights, but the link provided to credit seems to be broken.

Re: 11 Things Every Entrepreneur Should Do in 2011

ChangeForge | Ken Stewart — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 22:39:31 -0000

Maren, new to the site and this post is spot on. An assistant is the first thing I'm looking for! I am horrible with minutia!

I'd like to say kudos to all here who are setting their goals! Make sure you get out there and make them happen!

Best Success in 2011,
Ken Stewart