SURE, E-MAIL AND INTERNET-BASED COMMUNICATION is here to stay ... but it's still impossible to imagine a functional home office without a trusty telephone. Although some home offices may shelter beige slimlines borrowed from bedrooms, you need a true business phone--one that can match or surpass the multiline, conference-calling, bells-and-whistles phones used by corporate America.
Most small-business phones fall into two categories. One is a typical multiline device, in which two to four phone lines are plugged into one telephone. These systems are affordable, full-featured, and highly functional for the typical home office.
The second, newer category features so-called KSU-less phones--systems that promise much of the functionality of sophisticated, midsize office solutions at a fraction of the cost, partly due to the removal of the "key service unit," or separate electronic box, that handles such installations' auto-attendant, greeting, and call transferring capabilities. Instead, KSU-less phones' built-in intelligence enables calls to be transferred between different phones in your home and helps callers find their way to a particular extension or voice mailbox.
We reviewed six multiline phones aimed squarely at the home office. All boast two-line capability or better; conference call, speakerphone, and speed-dial functions; and caller ID support. Three are standard multiline phones, and three are KSU-less phones. All consisted of a base unit, a handset, and a power source.
Friday, January 19, 2007
New Products & Services - Buyers Guide
Benchmark's Computerized Patient Record program, BenchTalk, produces patient chart notes dictated by the physician using voice recognition technology. The program integrates voice recognition technology into a comprehensive electronic medical record. It is easily customized to fit most medical environments and shortens the turnaround time for generating notes while lowering costs. The software is designed with an open architecture allowing it to be integrated into virtually any patient database environment. BenchTalk can immediately generate and distribute dictated chart notes, shorten reimbursement time and improve patient service. --Benchmark Systems, Lynchburg, VA, www.benchmark-systems.com
Scheduling, call logging, patient registration, billing and claims processing are automated tasks that can be done with PAxNetTM, a practice management system from PhysicianAccess.com. After information is entered, it moves into a database where physicians can view the information from any Internet browser. The one-subscription service includes tools for practice management, clinical support and information-rich communication with patients. --PhysicianAccess.com, San Jose, CA, www.physicianaccess.com
Circle 179
Is There a Patient in the House?
Locate patients, track surgical procedures and check bed availability in real-time with AdvanTRAX, a program that provides a customized, graphical representation of a medical facility. The patient tracking application uses computer hardware and software to monitor a patient's progress through a surgery center. Hospital personnel scan a patient's bar-coded wristband whenever a procedure or task is done. The information appears on the Transaction Diary, which contains an exact record of the patient's progress. The program's computerized floor plan shows room availability; patient information can be obtained by clicking on the appropriate room icon. --AdvanTRAX, Agawam, MA, www.advantrax.com
Scheduling, call logging, patient registration, billing and claims processing are automated tasks that can be done with PAxNetTM, a practice management system from PhysicianAccess.com. After information is entered, it moves into a database where physicians can view the information from any Internet browser. The one-subscription service includes tools for practice management, clinical support and information-rich communication with patients. --PhysicianAccess.com, San Jose, CA, www.physicianaccess.com
Circle 179
Is There a Patient in the House?
Locate patients, track surgical procedures and check bed availability in real-time with AdvanTRAX, a program that provides a customized, graphical representation of a medical facility. The patient tracking application uses computer hardware and software to monitor a patient's progress through a surgery center. Hospital personnel scan a patient's bar-coded wristband whenever a procedure or task is done. The information appears on the Transaction Diary, which contains an exact record of the patient's progress. The program's computerized floor plan shows room availability; patient information can be obtained by clicking on the appropriate room icon. --AdvanTRAX, Agawam, MA, www.advantrax.com
The ultimate business guide: 62 must-have resources for launching or growing your own company - Tutorial
If there's one constant in business, it's that you'll always have more questions than answers. And veteran entrepreneurs know that ignorance can be costly. That's why HOME OFFICE COMPUTING has dug through directories and databases to compile this special guide of associations, government agencies, books, and software to help you. But we didn't stop there. These sources were then screened for usefulness to bring you the best. Those that offer unusual or outstanding benefits have been highlighted in the text.
National Association for the Cottage Industry, P.O. Box 14850, Chicago, IL 60614; (312) 472-8116. A 13,000-member association dedicated to the advancement of home-based businesses. Activities include the sponsorship of trade shows and seminars to publishing Issue Alerts--announcements of proposed legislation that will affect small-business owners. Annual dues: $45.
National Association of Home Based Businesses, 10451 Mill Run Cir., Suite 400, Owings Mills, MD 21117; (410) 363-3698. An organization formed to enhance entrepreneurship. Membership earns you a listing in its register, which provides access to anything from joint-marketing services to a consultant (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time)
National Association for the Cottage Industry, P.O. Box 14850, Chicago, IL 60614; (312) 472-8116. A 13,000-member association dedicated to the advancement of home-based businesses. Activities include the sponsorship of trade shows and seminars to publishing Issue Alerts--announcements of proposed legislation that will affect small-business owners. Annual dues: $45.
National Association of Home Based Businesses, 10451 Mill Run Cir., Suite 400, Owings Mills, MD 21117; (410) 363-3698. An organization formed to enhance entrepreneurship. Membership earns you a listing in its register, which provides access to anything from joint-marketing services to a consultant (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time)
Getting connected - chambers of commerce - Home In
When Derrell Vaughn Jr. incorporated his company, Benefit Options Inc., in 1994, there was no question in his mind about joining the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce.
"My dad owns a 75-year-old plumbing company. He was the state president of the junior chamber, and he's always been in the local chamber. I was brought up in it and feel like it's a starting point," says the 31-year- old homebased insurance broker.
But joining the local chamber did more than just continue a family tradition; it helped Vaughn make contacts in Montgomery's corporate community.
"I have an ad in the chamber's buyer's guide and directory, which is given to all chamber members. There's also an after-hours networking event once a month at a different member's business," says the entrepreneur, who sells supplemental health and dental insurance and other employee benefits.
Vaughn is also a member of one of the chamber's CEO Roundtables, in which 10 to 12 CEOs from noncompeting companies meet monthly to discuss challenges. The Roundtable acts as an informal board of directors to help him with business decisions and problems.
Like Vaughn, many homebased entrepreneurs are discovering the benefits of membership in a chamber of commerce. From moral support to business advice, from political clout to profitable contacts, chambers of commerce offer it all. And with a growing number of chambers offering programs and services specifically for homebased businesses, the time has never been better to get involved.
Making Waves
One benefit any chamber of commerce can offer a homebased business owner is the chance to gain a larger presence in the community. In Alabama, for example, the 1,100-member Gadsden Area Chamber of Commerce offers programs including a matchmaker business expo, where members set up booths to establish contacts with local corporate heads and purchasing agents.
"My dad owns a 75-year-old plumbing company. He was the state president of the junior chamber, and he's always been in the local chamber. I was brought up in it and feel like it's a starting point," says the 31-year- old homebased insurance broker.
But joining the local chamber did more than just continue a family tradition; it helped Vaughn make contacts in Montgomery's corporate community.
"I have an ad in the chamber's buyer's guide and directory, which is given to all chamber members. There's also an after-hours networking event once a month at a different member's business," says the entrepreneur, who sells supplemental health and dental insurance and other employee benefits.
Vaughn is also a member of one of the chamber's CEO Roundtables, in which 10 to 12 CEOs from noncompeting companies meet monthly to discuss challenges. The Roundtable acts as an informal board of directors to help him with business decisions and problems.
Like Vaughn, many homebased entrepreneurs are discovering the benefits of membership in a chamber of commerce. From moral support to business advice, from political clout to profitable contacts, chambers of commerce offer it all. And with a growing number of chambers offering programs and services specifically for homebased businesses, the time has never been better to get involved.
Making Waves
One benefit any chamber of commerce can offer a homebased business owner is the chance to gain a larger presence in the community. In Alabama, for example, the 1,100-member Gadsden Area Chamber of Commerce offers programs including a matchmaker business expo, where members set up booths to establish contacts with local corporate heads and purchasing agents.
The Hoc 100 - Buyers Guide
GOT A GREAT PRODUCT FOR THE CORPORATE INFORMATION technology (IT) director? Keep it to yourselves. Just launched a fabulous Web site for family scrapbooks and birthday cards? We don't care. We're HOME OFFICE COMPUTING, and our third annual HOC 100 Awards salute the best products, sites, and services for home-based business operators and teleworkers we've seen this year--if it's not right for the home office, it's not here.
Scorekeepers will notice a few changes from last year--instead of honoring one Gold and a varying number of Silver winners in each category, we got specific with Gold (shown in the photos that follow), Silver, and Bronze medalists in each of 33 contests, plus the year's most impressive newcomer to make 100. Reflecting the boom in Web applications, many of last year's "software" categories now honor "solutions" with browser-based services competing alongside CD-ROM programs. Sidebars to the main list let us salute a few runners-up and tweak a few noses. But the HOC 100's mission is unchanged: to spotlight the best available tools for competing with and beating big businesses. Use them wisely.
Scorekeepers will notice a few changes from last year--instead of honoring one Gold and a varying number of Silver winners in each category, we got specific with Gold (shown in the photos that follow), Silver, and Bronze medalists in each of 33 contests, plus the year's most impressive newcomer to make 100. Reflecting the boom in Web applications, many of last year's "software" categories now honor "solutions" with browser-based services competing alongside CD-ROM programs. Sidebars to the main list let us salute a few runners-up and tweak a few noses. But the HOC 100's mission is unchanged: to spotlight the best available tools for competing with and beating big businesses. Use them wisely.
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