Smart-sourcing strategies: Technology, Business, Finance

Pune Rain: Where forecasting failed.

Pune had its largest single day rainfall on Monday - 181.4 mm (7.3 inches). It rained very heavy later that day and that too at rush-hour leaving all Punekars helpless. Mantra has a large team in Pune and it was evident while talking with all of them that they all were frustrated for a lack of early warnings / alerts from Meteorological department.  

There were flash floods in many areas with some tragic deaths.This downpour was sudden, unexpected and so city was totally un-informed and un-prepared for the same.

Ironically Pune has India's oldest and (now most technolgically updated) Meteorological department. Pune also has large pool of talent available across all branches of science and technology. And yet, for example, just a mile behind its campus, Pune's City commissioner allegedly got swept away in a powerful flash flood currents in his residence campus.

AFTER the rain had "happened", the department came out with a proper, scientific explanation.

There real problem is - why didn't they came out with a weather aleart BEFORE it happened?

Why even in 2010 Meteorological department failed to forecast it well in advance?

 

Data Synchronization in SQL Express Samples

SQL Express is becoming increasingly popular alternative to many small applications. It is freely available from Microsoft and is preferred choice for small businesses.

Recently, while working on some requirement, I was doing some research on achieving database  synchronization in SQL Express. I thought it would be cool to have all those links at one place so someone can save some time.

First, you can download SQL Express 2005 FREE here and SQL Express 2008 here.

Microsoft has also released Sync framework that you can download from here.

Synchronizing a server database scope (hosted in a SQL Server or SQL Server Express instance) with multiple client-side instances of SQL Server or SQL Express : Sample Code is here.

Here you will find 3 methods with the sample source code. If you don’t want to disable / enable referential integrity, while performing sync operation, then you should use Method 3. Again, they have all the sample code and you will need only some minor changes required.

A company named XSQL Software has some propritary API and an application that you can download and use for sync.

It gets tricky while doing Sync particularly when maintaining referential integrity, managing peer-to-peer and peer-to-client sync, etc. Similar to our team, you may perhaps find that writing custom sync from scratch is a better alternative to many of these options.

[Press Release] Mantra Technologies To Deliver Cloud Computing Solutions To Insurance Company

Sep 10, 2010 - Mantra Technologies, a SaaS and product development company based in Alpharetta GA, today announced new partnership with a leading Auto Insurance company from Atlanta to build next generation SaaS based solutions for its customers. Under this partnership, MantraSys will provide complete re-write of an older system, which is insurance company's core application. the new solution will be developed with Mantrasys's mSource methodology and will cover all phases of the SDLC. Mantra's global team will collaborate very closely with client's local team to develop user friendly, intuitive cutting edge application. New application will include features such as Customer Relationship Management, add-on sales, real time access to outside interfaces, Dashboards and graphs, Reports and Business Analytic, etc.   "We are very excited about this partnership. This partnership is direct result of Mantra's focus and offerings designed for SMBs" said Hemant Panse, CEO of Mantrasys. "Our SMB clients find Mantra's value proposition unbeatable in terms of cost, turn-around-times and quality.  Larger service providers cannot match our value because of their overheads and non-practical scale of economics. On the other hand, with changes in business environment, offshore-only companies cannot deliver to US customers directly because of their location and lack of understanding of customer requirements. Mantra bridges this gap by providing quality consulting, proximity, working very closely with its customers and delivers superior results through strategic partnerships." Mantra Technologies has successfully implemented many software and custom application development projects in Banking and Financial Services sector. Mantra teams have many man years of experience in developing complex accounting applications. Many of applications that Mantra has developed use latest technologies such as .NET, web services, SSRS, Data ware housing, SaaS and cloud computing. Within BFSI, Mantra has deeper domain knowledge and experience particularly in - Collection Software, EDI Exchanges, Data Mappings and interfaces, Formats and translation, Accounting, Reporting, Legal custom software for attorneys, Highly secured, SAS70 compliant apps, Reports and BI, Custom Reports and Dashboards, Data mining, integration and transformation, Quality Metrics, Scorecards, Benchmarks Mantra's approach to Strategic Outsourcing is relationship based, technology oriented, delivery focused and knowledge centered. The underlying philosophy speaks for enhancing value and ensuring customer delight. It is this philosophy and the commitment of Mantra's management that has resulted in enticing diverse organizations enters into long-term partnership with Mantra, and thereby successfully reaping the consequent rich rewards. The value addition and strategic advantages derived out of this outsourcing partnership with Mantra is well recognized by organizations. - An integrated service when it comes to offshore strategic outsourcing. It acts as a one-stop-shop for all the customers' requirements. - Choice of delivery and pricing models that suit the customers' requirements. - Performance based contracting, ensuring mitigated risks to the customers. - Accountable to the customers and always delivers what is promised. - Cultural diversity necessary for successful outsourcing. Well positioned from technology perspective, understands IT and business goals, share values, and information the same way the customer does. - Believes in creating and protecting IP (Intellectual Property) of its clients with strong commitment.   - State-of-the-art infrastructure with business continuity and disaster recovery mechanism that reduces the risk of its customers substantially. The risks & threats are mitigated with the help of Usage & Administration Guidelines, Security Policies & Procedures, Backup Policies & Procedures, Emergency Procedures, Regular Maintenance, and System Audits. For further inforamtion about Mantra's BFSI solutions, contact: Christine Summers, VP - Projects MantraSys 2650 Holcomb Bridge Road, Suite 650 Alpharetta GA 30022 Phone:  678 743 1120 web: http://www.mantrasys.com/solutions/financial-banking-sol ... email: christine@mantrasys.com About MantraSys: Mantra Technologies is IT consulting company based in Alpharetta, GA with a Global delivery center in Pune, India and partner delivery centers in Cebu, Philippines . Mantra offers wide range of end-to-end Software Development, Software QA and Project Management solutions specifically targeted for small and mid-sized businesses. For more information please contact christine@mantrasys.com or call 678 743 1120. # # #

Is Kindle a better reading tool than iPad?

During Christmas of last year Amazon, just in one day, sold more e-books for Kindle than paper books. Then came Apple with iPad and its great marketing machine. It looked like for a while that Amazon was going to see Kindle sales going down. But thanks to their smart price cut and aggressive media campaign, Kindle sales are actually picking up. 

Now Amazon is saying it will sell around 5 Million Kindles just this year. You can read full story here.  

Tweets of last week - 08/29

SaaS and Cloud Computing solutions for an Insurance companyhttp://conta.cc/8XmusU 

No campsites available for this weekend in N. GA mountains:-( I think whole Atlanta is camping.7:25 AM Sep 1st via Twitter for BlackBerry®

 DalaiLama I am encouraged by the clear acknowledgment of the need to seek non-violent resolutions of conflict in a spirit of reconciliation.

@SrBachchan sir ji - you are right! No question. But why retweet replies? For validation or support?

Bill Gates Interview at techonomyhttp://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid87735931001?bclid=87675639001&bctid=541391120001

SaaS and Cloud Computing for a Financial Softwarehttp://conta.cc/aTLbeo 

Little Fockers trailer http://bit.ly/9pRfcv

Has Ari Gold really weakened a bit this season?

Tweets of last week - 08/22

My fav deli shop owner 'went to a local company for delivery. Th've 1 person for every 5 cubicles. Frm 250 th're dwn to 50.' 

SaaS and Cloud Computing solutions for a Insurance company http://conta.cc/9xmglm

 

Cloud Computing Solutions - MantraSys http://conta.cc/9EG7fa

Wondering if traffic jam in New Delhi last week and Ford India introducing 5 new models have something in common. 

Spending dilemma for CEOs - Spend or Save: Should CEO's be leveraging their cash reserves and… http://goo.gl/fb/OjgnN 

Spending dilemma for CEOs - Spend or Save http://bit.ly/ceKuKO 

Facebook’s ‘Car Town’ Gains Honda Ads in Games Shift - BusinessWeek: Interesting article… http://goo.gl/fb/yZlrL

Facebook’s ‘Car Town’ Gains Honda Ads in Games Shift - BusinessWeek http://bit.ly/bz3NS8 

Moneycontrol.com >> My TV >> CNBC-TV18 >> Video - Banking sector: Experts give outlook and picks http://bt.io/Frv0 

Educating your salespeople about the new B2B sales cycle: Educating your salespeople about… http://goo.gl/fb/BJGXs 

Spending dilemma for CEOs - Spend or Save

Should CEO's  be leveraging their cash reserves and spend on business growth, or just wait more (... and more) to see there economy improves? That's a trillion dollar question.

Here is a good article.. from John Melloy.

It’s said sharks will die if they stop swimming. The same could be said for the corporations hoarding record amounts of cash on their books right now in a board room paralysis rarely, if ever, seen before.

“Companies are getting closer to the point at which they will either have to accept slower growth or put capital to work,” said Jason Trennert, founder of Strategas Research Partners.

Corporate profits relative to GDP are near 40-year highs, according to Trennert, at more than 10 percent. These fortress balance sheets made sense coming out of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, but the economy is supposed to be well into a recovery by now.

I talk to many businesses, small and mid-size, for my work. I see their pain and part helplessness closely. Many of them so much on to-do list and planing board, but they are looking at bigger companies and markets for any clues.

Facebook’s ‘Car Town’ Gains Honda Ads in Games Shift - BusinessWeek

Interesting article about how advertising moving towards social networking. You can read complete article here.

Honda Motor Corp.’s campaign for its new CR-Z car features the hybrid vehicle in some colorful roadside billboards that can’t be seen from a freeway.

The ads are on display in Facebook Inc.’s virtual game “Car Town,” as Honda advertises on the social-network site for the first time today. The game, which allows users to collect and customize cars, has 3.1 million users. It was released on Facebook two weeks ago by Cie Games Inc.

Brands are turning to social networks to reach an audience with leisure time on its hands and the patience to sit through branded messages. Walt Disney Co., Electronic Arts Inc. and Google Inc. have all bought games makers in recent months to benefit from millions of users signing up to play.

There is also lot of buzz about Apple's iTV. With that advertisers can get a real time feedback about their ads and change those dynamically or even have different ads for different target market at same time.

Educating your salespeople about the new B2B sales cycle

Educating your salespeople about the new B2B sales cycle

I spent most of my career in B2B marketing, although for four years I was in B2B sales. So I've seen both sides.

Back in the mid 1990's it was hard to find evidence of love between marketing and sales. At many business-to-business companies the relationship was downright adversarial. Often, the tension extends all the way up to senior management.

It all stemmed from the sales process involving a "handoff." Marketing generated leads, handed them over to sales and then the sales team owned them until close.

Like a marriage gone bad, the circa 1994 dialog was an endless tape loop.

Sales says, “Get me some good leads! These leads stink! My people can’t sell.” And Marketing responds: “You got good leads! Your guys just stink at closing!” Having been in the middle of these “discussions” at several companies, I’ve heard it time and time again.

That's so 1994

We're in a world now where sales and marketing coexist throughout the entire sales process. Buyers are evaluating your offerings throughout the sales process based on what the salesperson does and says AND what they see and do on the site and in social media.

Savvy marketing and sales professionals understand that sales and marketing must work together to move prospects through the sales cycle. This is especially important in the complex sale with long decision making cycles and multiple buyers that must be influenced. The good news is that Web content can drive people through and even shorten the complex sales cycle.

Smart marketers need to educate the salespeople so they understand that we're in this together. We are no longer in a world where marketing hands off to sales. Marketing needs to create content for each step in the process. And sales, if they are active in social media, can drive people into the top of the funnel.

And you've got to make sure sales knows it's not about "leads" as the primary measurement. Explain that squeeze pages just don't work in an environment where Google delivers the best content. Free content is what drives action today.

The most successful B2B companies are those where salespeople and marketers work together to move people through the sales process.

Is that happening at your company?

Raw funnel images Shutterstock / John T Takai

via www.webinknow.com

Great article and paradigm shift. I was looking for something like this for weeks and could not have found better

I spent most of my career in B2B marketing, although for four years I was in B2B sales. So I've seen both sides.

Back in the mid 1990's it was hard to find evidence of love between marketing and sales. At many business-to-business companies the relationship was downright adversarial. Often, the tension extends all the way up to senior management.

It all stemmed from the sales process involving a "handoff." Marketing generated leads, handed them over to sales and then the sales team owned them until close.

Like a marriage gone bad, the circa 1994 dialog was an endless tape loop.

Sales says, “Get me some good leads! These leads stink! My people can’t sell.” And Marketing responds: “You got good leads! Your guys just stink at closing!” Having been in the middle of these “discussions” at several companies, I’ve heard it time and time again.

That's so 1994

We're in a world now where sales and marketing coexist throughout the entire sales process. Buyers are evaluating your offerings throughout the sales process based on what the salesperson does and says AND what they see and do on the site and in social media.

Savvy marketing and sales professionals understand that sales and marketing must work together to move prospects through the sales cycle. This is especially important in the complex sale with long decision making cycles and multiple buyers that must be influenced. The good news is that Web content can drive people through and even shorten the complex sales cycle.

Smart marketers need to educate the salespeople so they understand that we're in this together. We are no longer in a world where marketing hands off to sales. Marketing needs to create content for each step in the process. And sales, if they are active in social media, can drive people into the top of the funnel.

And you've got to make sure sales knows it's not about "leads" as the primary measurement. Explain that squeeze pages just don't work in an environment where Google delivers the best content. Free content is what drives action today.

The most successful B2B companies are those where salespeople and marketers work together to move people through the sales process.

Is that happening at your company?

Raw funnel images Shutterstock / John T Takai

H-1B and L-1 Visa Fee Hike Could Lead to More Offshoring - CIO.com

Good view-point in CIO about H-1B Visa fee hike.

H-1B and L-1 Visa Fee Hike Could Lead to More Offshoring - CIO.com

CIO — UPDATED 8/17/2010 -- It's not often that H-1B visa critics and advocates are on the same page, but Senator Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) has accomplished the seemingly impossible. Representatives on both sides of the H-1B visa debate agree that the increased visa fees established as part of a new border security appropriations act introduced by Schumer in the U.S. Senate are inequitable and likely to be ineffective in creating or maintaining American IT jobs.

Dr. Norm Matloff, a professor of computer science at the University of California, Davis and a leading voice in the call for temporary visa reform, says the increased fees are a setback and discriminate against Indian IT service providers. Vivek Wadhwa, a visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, who is usually on the opposite side of the H-1B visa debate, agrees with Matloff. Wadhwa says the legislation is "misguided, misleading, and won't achieve its purpose."

The law, signed by U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday, stipulates that any company employing more than 50 workers in the U.S. must pay $2,000 more for an H-1B visa application and $2,250 more for an L-1 visa application if more than half of its U.S.-based workers are non-citizens. Those new fees come on top of a $320 filing fee, a $500 anti-fraud fee and a $1,500 American worker training fee.