

July 2009 From the Desk of \| Tip \| Announcements \| Customer Success Story \| Industry News \| Special Offer Have you ever felt like “time” is that must-have dream car glistening in the sunlight at the dealership you pass everyday? Or, maybe like a beautiful diamond ring sparkling in a jewelry store at the mall? It’s that thing you want so badly, but never seem to get. It’s elusive. It’s fleeting. It’s never quite yours. Well, that’s how I’ve been feeling lately. As a business owner and a new dad, time doesn’t slip away; it actually flies out my bedroom window every morning before I can catch just a few handfuls of it. Before I know it, it’s midnight and I’m back in my bed, thinking about all of the things I have to get done tomorrow. In fact, you may not have noticed, but this newsletter was silent in the month of June. It was one of those things that just didn’t get checked off my list before it was too late. I’m sure my commentary was sorely missed! With tightened budgets and reduced staffs, it’s no wonder everyone is harried. That’s why I thought I would focus on some time savers this month … How can you do more in less time? Here are some things to consider: • Don’t do everything yourself. Look for professionals who can save you time and effort. This is particularly applicable to IT services. I know it probably sounds like a sales pitch for an IT service provider to say this, but you can trust that I wouldn’t be doing what I do if I didn’t wholeheartedly believe in the value, both monetarily and intellectually, of outsourced expertise. Other than the obvious, another example is running CAtV cabling for data access in a warehouse. This is something many of my clients typically think they should do themselves when an expert usually can do the job in much less time. And, your time is money. • Step back and observe. It may be difficult, but if you can take just one day to do nothing but walk around the office or warehouse and watch; you will be amazed at how many inefficiencies you find. We often fall into patterns and develop habits that are based on the way it’s always been done, or the way someone was taught to do something. Other times, we start doing things less efficiently because we've forgotten the best way or have slowly lost the precision of our methods. Look for duplication and wasted time, then look for ways to sharpen up. Just a little bit of effort and minor changes can go a long way over time. I’ve found that it’s worthwhile to do this observation method on yourself, too. For one day, or even a week, keep a close eye on things you do that seem inefficient. Do you list your tasks on paper and also key them into Outlook? Do you often stop what you’re doing to read or answer an email and lose momentum? Do you schedule meetings (or accept meetings) at times that interrupt your day too often? Once you’ve figured out the biggest offenders, come up with a plan to eliminate or reduce them. • Speaking of meetings, another time-saving tip is to avoid being “the meeting company.” In the past, I’ve seen the trap of meetings define people and jobs. Yes, meetings are a necessary evil in business; but, they easily can become a waste of time if the company culture forces too many people to be part of every decision. When this happens, you end up meeting to talk about a meeting. Then there is no time left to do what was discussed at the meeting. When meetings are necessary, following some basic project management guidelines can help to use time effectively: Have a well-defined agenda and appoint someone to keep the meeting on task. Document notes and action items. Assign deadlines to tasks. Follow-up after to keep things moving between meetings. These suggestions should keep you from experiencing meeting déjà vu … “Haven’t we discussed this already?" "I thought we already made a decision on that." “Does anyone remember?” • Maintain your equipment. Every kind of technology-related equipment can make you vulnerable to delays, even a desktop printer or fax. It’s often these basic tools that suck hours out of your day when they go down. Whether your equipment is very old, but still functioning (which I see often), or brand new, make sure you have maintenance contracts in place. Frequent, scheduled checks and regular maintenance will help avoid unexpected outages. These contracts also act as an insurance policy and your “911” call for the inevitable equipment failure, saving you both time and money. Also consider consolidating equipment where possible. Good vendors should be able to help you determine the best course of action for your company (which actually refers back to my first tip). • Think about training. Again, not a sales pitch but a reality. Only with proper training that is periodically reinforced can your team perform correctly (read: efficiently), with fewer questions about processes and procedures. This goes for Eclipse, as well as other on-the-job duties. Training and re-training may take time in the short-term, but it will save you countless hours in the long-term. Now that I’ve finally finished writing this article, which took me about a week, maybe I can start following my own advice. Or, maybe I should pray that tomorrow when I wake up, I will miraculously find a few extra hours that I can keep from flying out my bedroom window. Happy time-saving! Tony King, Vice President 321.229.1089 Back to Top Dulles Electric: A Plan That Moves Me An electrical supplier was preparing for two big moves at the same time: relocating to a new facility and completing a wireless warehouse install. Zerion was called in by its partner, ESC Online, to devise and manage a project plan and provide training. The focus on planning paid off and the project resulted in greater efficiency and better customer service. Read the complete success story (.pdf) ... Back to Top What’s happening with distribution, software and business? Zerion is committed to being a resource for our clients and friends. In the newsroom on our Web site, we have an RSS feed supplying new articles all the time. We also have some links to industry news. Here are some of the recent articles we found most interesting: Coping with IT Pressure: Try Doing Less with Less Warehouse & DC: Voice broadens its horizons Economic recovery: Manufacturers and wholesalers expect late 2009, early 2010 recovery Wholesalers Expand And Renovate Want more news? Visit us at: www.zeriongroup.com/newsroom/industrynews.html Back to Top Get a FREE half day of consulting ... Do you know someone who would benefit from our services? Tell them about us. For every one day of business that is secured with your referral, you get a free half day of consulting (travel not included). This offer is only available for newsletter subscribers for a limited time. Contact Tony King (321.229.1089) by August 31 with your referral to receive the discount. Back to Top	Add a Comment to an Order There is a comment option inside the change log of sales orders, purchase orders and transfer orders. Here, you can add a note to explain the order or make a comment about it for future reference, or for a co-worker. This comes in handy when you need to add information to the order but don't necessarily need to change other parts of the order. You can do this in both Solar and Eterm and the comment will be time and date stamped. We Can Make You Smarter Higher margin. Increased sales. Customer retention. Productivity. ROI ... These may sound like buzz words, but we've found a Business Intelligence partner that makes them reality. On Friday, August 14 at 11:30am Eastern, Zerion and PHOCAS are hosting a webinar that will show you how. Register for this free, live demo today by clicking here. We'll share actual case studies from other Eclipse users. New Toll Free # Zerion has a new toll free telephone number where you can get connected to any one of our team members or departments. Need to reach someone and not sure of their cell number? Or, not sure whom the best person is to contact with your question? Call us at 877.872.1726. Zerion's SAP Practice in Atlanta In addition to providing Eclipse services, Zerion has a growing SAP division serving small to mid-sized businesses. We recently announced that we're expanding our geographic footprint for this division in the Southeast, with a focus on distribution. Read the news release ... UFO Updates Web site The Eclipse Users Group has launched a new web site with a more user-friendly look and feel. You can check out the site and their schedule for upcoming in-person and web-based classes at eclipseuser.com. Cool Down Classes Get out of the warehouse and into an air-conditioned office. Take some time to cool down this summer with one of Zerion's web-based training classes, such as Counter Sales, AP or Warehouse Management. To see the complete schedule or sign-up, visit our web site.

July 2009

From the desk of Tony King Have you ever felt like “time” is that must-have dream car glistening in the sunlight at the dealership you pass everyday? Or, maybe like a beautiful diamond ring sparkling in a jewelry store at the mall? It’s that thing you want so badly, but never seem to get. It’s elusive. It’s fleeting. It’s never quite yours.

Well, that’s how I’ve been feeling lately. As a business owner and a new dad, time doesn’t slip away; it actually flies out my bedroom window every morning before I can catch just a few handfuls of it. Before I know it, it’s midnight and I’m back in my bed, thinking about all of the things I have to get done tomorrow. In fact, you may not have noticed, but this newsletter was silent in the month of June. It was one of those things that just didn’t get checked off my list before it was too late. I’m sure my commentary was sorely missed!

With tightened budgets and reduced staffs, it’s no wonder everyone is harried. That’s why I thought I would focus on some time savers this month … How can you do more in less time? Here are some things to consider:

• Don’t do everything yourself. Look for professionals who can save you time and effort. This is particularly applicable to IT services. I know it probably sounds like a sales pitch for an IT service provider to say this, but you can trust that I wouldn’t be doing what I do if I didn’t wholeheartedly believe in the value, both monetarily and intellectually, of outsourced expertise. Other than the obvious, another example is running CAtV cabling for data access in a warehouse. This is something many of my clients typically think they should do themselves when an expert usually can do the job in much less time. And, your time is money.

• Step back and observe. It may be difficult, but if you can take just one day to do nothing but walk around the office or warehouse and watch; you will be amazed at how many inefficiencies you find. We often fall into patterns and develop habits that are based on the way it’s always been done, or the way someone was taught to do something. Other times, we start doing things less efficiently because we've forgotten the best way or have slowly lost the precision of our methods. Look for duplication and wasted time, then look for ways to sharpen up. Just a little bit of effort and minor changes can go a long way over time. I’ve found that it’s worthwhile to do this observation method on yourself, too. For one day, or even a week, keep a close eye on things you do that seem inefficient. Do you list your tasks on paper and also key them into Outlook? Do you often stop what you’re doing to read or answer an email and lose momentum? Do you schedule meetings (or accept meetings) at times that interrupt your day too often? Once you’ve figured out the biggest offenders, come up with a plan to eliminate or reduce them.

• Speaking of meetings, another time-saving tip is to avoid being “the meeting company.” In the past, I’ve seen the trap of meetings define people and jobs. Yes, meetings are a necessary evil in business; but, they easily can become a waste of time if the company culture forces too many people to be part of every decision. When this happens, you end up meeting to talk about a meeting. Then there is no time left to do what was discussed at the meeting. When meetings are necessary, following some basic project management guidelines can help to use time effectively: Have a well-defined agenda and appoint someone to keep the meeting on task. Document notes and action items. Assign deadlines to tasks. Follow-up after to keep things moving between meetings. These suggestions should keep you from experiencing meeting déjà vu … “Haven’t we discussed this already?" "I thought we already made a decision on that." “Does anyone remember?”

• Maintain your equipment. Every kind of technology-related equipment can make you vulnerable to delays, even a desktop printer or fax. It’s often these basic tools that suck hours out of your day when they go down. Whether your equipment is very old, but still functioning (which I see often), or brand new, make sure you have maintenance contracts in place. Frequent, scheduled checks and regular maintenance will help avoid unexpected outages. These contracts also act as an insurance policy and your “911” call for the inevitable equipment failure, saving you both time and money. Also consider consolidating equipment where possible. Good vendors should be able to help you determine the best course of action for your company (which actually refers back to my first tip).

• Think about training. Again, not a sales pitch but a reality. Only with proper training that is periodically reinforced can your team perform correctly (read: efficiently), with fewer questions about processes and procedures. This goes for Eclipse, as well as other on-the-job duties. Training and re-training may take time in the short-term, but it will save you countless hours in the long-term.

Now that I’ve finally finished writing this article, which took me about a week, maybe I can start following my own advice. Or, maybe I should pray that tomorrow when I wake up, I will miraculously find a few extra hours that I can keep from flying out my bedroom window. Happy time-saving!

Tony King, Vice President
321.229.1089

Dulles Electric: A Plan That Moves Me
An electrical supplier was preparing for two big moves at the same time: relocating to a new facility and completing a wireless warehouse install. Zerion was called in by its partner, ESC Online, to devise and manage a project plan and provide training. The focus on planning paid off and the project resulted in greater efficiency and better customer service. Read the complete success story (.pdf) ...

What’s happening with distribution, software and business?
Zerion is committed to being a resource for our clients and friends. In the newsroom on our Web site, we have an RSS feed supplying new articles all the time. We also have some links to industry news. Here are some of the recent articles we found most interesting:

Coping with IT Pressure: Try Doing Less with Less

Warehouse & DC: Voice broadens its horizons

Economic recovery: Manufacturers and wholesalers expect late 2009, early 2010 recovery

Wholesalers Expand And Renovate

Want more news? Visit us at: www.zeriongroup.com/newsroom/industrynews.html

Get a FREE half day of consulting ...
Do you know someone who would benefit from our services? Tell them about us. For every one day of business that is secured with your referral, you get a free half day of consulting (travel not included). This offer is only available for newsletter subscribers for a limited time.

Contact Tony King (321.229.1089) by August 31 with your referral to receive the discount.

Click here for our special of the month.

Add a Comment to an Order
There is a comment option inside the change log of sales orders, purchase orders and transfer orders. Here, you can add a note to explain the order or make a comment about it for future reference, or for a co-worker. This comes in handy when you need to add information to the order but don't necessarily need to change other parts of the order. You can do this in both Solar and Eterm and the comment will be time and date stamped.

We Can Make You Smarter
Higher margin. Increased sales. Customer retention. Productivity. ROI ... These may sound like buzz words, but we've found a Business Intelligence partner that makes them reality. On Friday, August 14 at 11:30am Eastern, Zerion and PHOCAS are hosting a webinar that will show you how. Register for this free, live demo today by clicking here. We'll share actual case studies from other Eclipse users.

New Toll Free #
Zerion has a new toll free telephone number where you can get connected to any one of our team members or departments. Need to reach someone and not sure of their cell number? Or, not sure whom the best person is to contact with your question? Call us at 877.872.1726.

Zerion's SAP Practice in Atlanta
In addition to providing Eclipse services, Zerion has a growing SAP division serving small to mid-sized businesses. We recently announced that we're expanding our geographic footprint for this division in the Southeast, with a focus on distribution. Read the news release ...

UFO Updates Web site
The Eclipse Users Group has launched a new web site with a more user-friendly look and feel. You can check out the site and their schedule for upcoming in-person and web-based classes at eclipseuser.com.

Cool Down Classes
Get out of the warehouse and into an air-conditioned office. Take some time to cool down this summer with one of Zerion's web-based training classes, such as Counter Sales, AP or Warehouse Management. To see the complete schedule or sign-up, visit our web site.