Editor's Notebook

51. What Does Security Mean To You?
    6/3/2010
    By Gennifer Biggs, security, storage, and managed services editor
    As technology continues to integrate on the IT network, VARs and MSPs are finding themselves juggling more and new technologies to meet the needs of their customers.
52. Who’s Selling Video Security To Your Customers?
    6/1/2010
    By Mike Monocello, chief editor
    If you’re not currently selling video security solutions, you could be overlooking a great revenue generator. Conversations I’ve had with dealers, distributors, and vendors are similar regarding physical security as a cross-sell opportunity for POS dealers — just like payment processing, POS dealers are in a great position as the trusted advisor of retailers and restaurateurs to be selling these solutions.
53. ETA Annual Meeting Day 2
    4/15/2010
    By Mike Monocello, chief editor
    In yesterday's notebook entry, I noted how the VAR and ISV community has shown an increased interest in payment processing. One thing I forgot to mention, that I'm very proud of, is Business Solutions recently appointed status of Premier VAR/ISV Publishing Partner for this Annual Meeting and Expo. Walking the floor of ETA, I take my job and this designation very seriously as the source for information on the payments industry that's specifically applicable to VARs and ISVs.
54. ETA Annual Meeting Day 1: Mobile Payments and PCI
    4/15/2010
    By Mike Monocello, chief editor
    Over the past few years, as VARs and ISVs have shown increasing interest in incorporating payment processing into their portfolios, Business Solutions magazine has responded with an increase in coverage of the payment processing space. For me, this increased coverage has culminated with my first trip to the ETA Annual Meeting and Expo. As with our editorial aimed at providing VARs and ISVs education on important topics pertaining to card processing and security, it's my hope that this event will yield information you find valuable.
55. Strong Signs Of Economic Recovery Come Out Of NRF 2010
    1/14/2010
    One of the most often-asked questions posed to me while at the NRF Big Show 2010 was, “What’s the big news from the show?” In years past, my answer may have included new products being released that could change the landscape of retail. As day one of the 2010 show kicked off, last year’s NRF was still fresh in my mind: slow floor traffic, a lack of new products planned for 2009, and a state of near-depression from those manufacturers I spoke with. New York is always cold and grey in January for NRF, but last year seemed a little darker.
56. Get To The Heart Of What Retailers Need
    12/1/2009
    In a recent article, Matt Pillar, chief editor of Integrated Solutions for Retailers magazine, revealed the results of research his magazine conducted with the help of Penn State University. The gist of Pillar’s article is that retailers have a few major initiatives on which they plan to focus in 2010 — e-commerce, inventory management, and marketing being the most commonly identified. The data shared in Pillar’s article serves as a great starting point for where you might want to focus your sales and marketing energies in 2010.
57. SaaS: Webinar
    8/11/2009
    This month's Business Solutions' Lunch & Learn Webinar Series will tackle the issue of SaaS: "How VARs and MSPs Can Make Money Using SaaS." Join us on Thursday, Aug. 20, 1 to 2 p.m. ET, for this free webinar that will address the burgeoning popularity of Software as a Service (SaaS), including what is...
58. Improve Your Web Presence With Flip Video
    7/27/2009
    In the past I’ve written about the importance of creating valuable content for your website that does more than just list the products you carry and service you can perform. In many cases, creating such web content (e.g. case studies) takes only a little time and effort. Recently, I came across a cheap way to...
59. Market Overview Shows Break/Fix Filling the Gap For Some VARs
    7/20/2009
    If you like the facts and statistics found behind the scenes in any industry, check this out: OnForce has just released its OnForce Services Marketplace Index (OSMI). Based on more than 70,000 service events this quarter across North America, the OSMI provides a comprehensive overview of key spending trends in IT and..
60. Did You Miss Our Time Management Webinar?
    7/17/2009
    If you didn't have a chance to watch the first Business Solutions Lunch & Learn webinar yesterday, don't fret. Instead, download an archive version of this one-hour presentation on time management, featuring Business Solutions President Jim Roddy, Editor Gennifer Biggs, and special guest Jim Estill, time...