Last Wednesday, I received an email from my Point of Sale Software vendor, touting a new release of the software. My first thought was "Hmmmm...not so sure I want to perform an upgrade during such a critical time of year in my sales cycle." Plus, past experience has never made me a fan of jumping into a new release quickly unless there is a regulatory reason to do so. I reviewed the bug fixes and enhancements and determined there was nothing that I needed at this time. This could definitely wait until January.
On Friday, a follow-up email came out. Turns out that there were some incompatibilities with some database configurations that had created problems for those trying to upgrade. The link to upgrade had been suspended until the development team could fix them with a new release planned for early this week. I had to smile (a little bit) but felt bad for those who had attempted the upgrade and the developers who now had to work the weekend to fix the problem.
Moral of the story - Don't Do It! (Or, at least don't do it until someone else has done it first!)
Showing posts with label IT stuff I wish I did not have to deal with. Show all posts
Showing posts with label IT stuff I wish I did not have to deal with. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Analytics
You can't escape it - numbers have a level of importance in every business. And not just sales and profits and expenses but also your online presence and engagement with potential customers.
For example, I write this blog for a few simple reasons - 1) It is a way for me to share the process of creating and running the store with friends and other interested parties, 2) It provides me with a method for documenting all of the key events (and helps remind me how far I've come!), 3) It provides a reference for anyone who might want to know more about the experiences of a normal person trying to build and run a boutique, and 4) It provides a real look at the person behind the business.
I will never know who reads it and, unless they comment or email me directly, what they think of it. But I do enjoy looking at the statistics for the blog to see what topics are being read, where my readership is located, and how they arrived at the site. (Don't worry, I don't know who any of you are!) This week, I seem to have a strong readership in The Netherlands (Juice, were you carrying a Zoe bag when you visited Amsterdam?)
Google provides not only the map shown above but a detailed breakdown of the browsers used and even the operating systems/device types used to read the blog.
The blog is one thing because it is fun and interesting and if people enjoy it or find it useful, that is wonderful. But I decided this week that I needed to start tracking the visitors and their engagement with Zoe's webpage (shopatzoe.com), especially with the knowledge that I am planning to add eCommerce to Zoe's site next year. I contacted Web Developer Phil and had him apply the Google Analytics code to Zoe's website. And timing was perfect as I had just sent out a Constant Contact email that included a link to Zoe's site.
While it has only been up and running for a few days, I'm already finding the statistics fascinating. Please note I do control myself and only check it once a day! It is really interesting to see what city the user is located in while looking at the site, what browser and operating systems are used, which service providers they are using and even the screen resolution if they access it via mobile device! It is also very helpful to see "where" they came from (the referring sites vs. an organic search). I know there is much more to learn from the information!
Next: Halloween at Zoe!
For example, I write this blog for a few simple reasons - 1) It is a way for me to share the process of creating and running the store with friends and other interested parties, 2) It provides me with a method for documenting all of the key events (and helps remind me how far I've come!), 3) It provides a reference for anyone who might want to know more about the experiences of a normal person trying to build and run a boutique, and 4) It provides a real look at the person behind the business.
I will never know who reads it and, unless they comment or email me directly, what they think of it. But I do enjoy looking at the statistics for the blog to see what topics are being read, where my readership is located, and how they arrived at the site. (Don't worry, I don't know who any of you are!) This week, I seem to have a strong readership in The Netherlands (Juice, were you carrying a Zoe bag when you visited Amsterdam?)
Google provides not only the map shown above but a detailed breakdown of the browsers used and even the operating systems/device types used to read the blog.
The blog is one thing because it is fun and interesting and if people enjoy it or find it useful, that is wonderful. But I decided this week that I needed to start tracking the visitors and their engagement with Zoe's webpage (shopatzoe.com), especially with the knowledge that I am planning to add eCommerce to Zoe's site next year. I contacted Web Developer Phil and had him apply the Google Analytics code to Zoe's website. And timing was perfect as I had just sent out a Constant Contact email that included a link to Zoe's site.
While it has only been up and running for a few days, I'm already finding the statistics fascinating. Please note I do control myself and only check it once a day! It is really interesting to see what city the user is located in while looking at the site, what browser and operating systems are used, which service providers they are using and even the screen resolution if they access it via mobile device! It is also very helpful to see "where" they came from (the referring sites vs. an organic search). I know there is much more to learn from the information!
Next: Halloween at Zoe!
Monday, October 17, 2011
High(er) Tech
You can take the girl out of technology but you can't take the technology out of the girl. Yes, it is still there. And it is still always thinking about how to use technology to make the retail business and the fashion world a better place.
I've been thinking for a while now about the best way to set up a disaster recovery system for processing credit/debit cards. As you may recall from reading my blog, I've had two instances (one with my router and one with a Comcast failure) that created problems in this area. Yet, as is the case in most businesses, it is often something else that helps you come up with the solution.
I had made a commitment to have a Zoe booth at a Fall Festival held at the Alexandria Country Day School. The genesis for this adventure came from some women from that area of Alexandria who visited Zoe one day and suggested it as a way to get the word out to more people about the store. Although my focus would be to have smaller, affordable items at a fair like this, I knew that having the ability to accept credit cards (as well as cash and checks) would increase the likelihood of sales.
It was important to find a solution that would work with my current credit card processing company AND with my iPhone 3GS (so, I'm a technology laggard in some areas). My credit card company had a solution in conjunction with Verifone that they suggested I review as my solution.
One of the things I liked right away was that the Verifone solution creates an end to end encryption. Meaning no one's credit card number EVER hits my phone at any time but is encrypted at the time of the swipe. It was also a very sturdy, robust card reader. And, even better, it came at the right price (30 dollars cheaper when purchased from the Apple Store than from Best Buy!)
The set-up process was also fairly straight-forward. The technician from my credit card company did all of the set up on their end. I had already received the sleeve and downloaded the App from the iTunes store and the remaining set up on the iPhone was minimal. We ran a test transaction through using my credit card and the technician showed me how to set it up to email the receipt to the customer.
The two forms of credit card acceptance are processed in different batches. Meaning that my store's credit card receipts were processed in one batch that night and the receipts from the iPhone were processed separately. There is a small ($5) monthly fee to maintain the ability to accept cards on the phone and a separate (slightly higher) swipe fee. But for the peace of mind that the $5 a month gives me for disaster recovery alone is well worth it. Plus it makes it easier for those times when I do make sales outside the bricks and mortar store.
Next up: Adventures at the Country Market
I've been thinking for a while now about the best way to set up a disaster recovery system for processing credit/debit cards. As you may recall from reading my blog, I've had two instances (one with my router and one with a Comcast failure) that created problems in this area. Yet, as is the case in most businesses, it is often something else that helps you come up with the solution.
I had made a commitment to have a Zoe booth at a Fall Festival held at the Alexandria Country Day School. The genesis for this adventure came from some women from that area of Alexandria who visited Zoe one day and suggested it as a way to get the word out to more people about the store. Although my focus would be to have smaller, affordable items at a fair like this, I knew that having the ability to accept credit cards (as well as cash and checks) would increase the likelihood of sales.
It was important to find a solution that would work with my current credit card processing company AND with my iPhone 3GS (so, I'm a technology laggard in some areas). My credit card company had a solution in conjunction with Verifone that they suggested I review as my solution.
One of the things I liked right away was that the Verifone solution creates an end to end encryption. Meaning no one's credit card number EVER hits my phone at any time but is encrypted at the time of the swipe. It was also a very sturdy, robust card reader. And, even better, it came at the right price (30 dollars cheaper when purchased from the Apple Store than from Best Buy!)
The set-up process was also fairly straight-forward. The technician from my credit card company did all of the set up on their end. I had already received the sleeve and downloaded the App from the iTunes store and the remaining set up on the iPhone was minimal. We ran a test transaction through using my credit card and the technician showed me how to set it up to email the receipt to the customer.
The two forms of credit card acceptance are processed in different batches. Meaning that my store's credit card receipts were processed in one batch that night and the receipts from the iPhone were processed separately. There is a small ($5) monthly fee to maintain the ability to accept cards on the phone and a separate (slightly higher) swipe fee. But for the peace of mind that the $5 a month gives me for disaster recovery alone is well worth it. Plus it makes it easier for those times when I do make sales outside the bricks and mortar store.
Next up: Adventures at the Country Market
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
A Happy Ending with Comcast
Those who read the blog as I was preparing to open Zoe know that there is no love lost between me and telecommunications providers. But, as you know, I may hold you to a high standard and get frustrated when you don't perform but I will also sing your praises if you do well. Today, Comcast "exceeded my expectations" (which, admittedly, are pretty low to begin with).
Around 11:30, I realized that Zoe's email synchronization was failing. When I tried to access Google, Safari froze. Hmmm...not normally problems I have with my Apple OS, email, and browser. I walked back to look in the office and saw that the lights on both the phone and internet modems were not lit up in their normal Christmas tree fashion. Oh no. I picked up my phone - dead!
Using the tiny screen on my iPhone, I found the Comcast website and started the call process, absolutely cringing each time I had to press "1" or "#". After about 3 minutes of navigating the phone tree, I was connected with one of the nicest customer service representatives I've ever encountered. She was pleasant, upbeat, competent and informative. She told me that my area was experiencing an outage that was affecting both phone and internet connectivity. She gave me the main ticket number for the outage and attached my ticket to it. She said they would work on it as quickly as they could. I was shocked that I didn't get transferred, put on hold, or hung up on!
I called my landlord to let him know because I knew that they had their DR internet connection via Comcast. He said they would have their IT person check to see if they were also having problems (it turns out they were too).
As you know from previous Internet fun at Zoe, I have to have a way to process credit cards when I don't have internet connectivity. I started putting those measures into place in case the delay was a long one.
Within an hour, the problem had been resolved. I happened to walk back to my office to drop something in my file cabinet and saw the modem lights shining brightly! I quickly checked both phone and internet connectivity and found no issues! Happy Happy Joy Joy! The only "slight" black mark against Comcast was that the rep had said that an automated voice system would call me when the outage was fixed but I never got a call. I guess I'll forgive them this time.
Around 11:30, I realized that Zoe's email synchronization was failing. When I tried to access Google, Safari froze. Hmmm...not normally problems I have with my Apple OS, email, and browser. I walked back to look in the office and saw that the lights on both the phone and internet modems were not lit up in their normal Christmas tree fashion. Oh no. I picked up my phone - dead!
Using the tiny screen on my iPhone, I found the Comcast website and started the call process, absolutely cringing each time I had to press "1" or "#". After about 3 minutes of navigating the phone tree, I was connected with one of the nicest customer service representatives I've ever encountered. She was pleasant, upbeat, competent and informative. She told me that my area was experiencing an outage that was affecting both phone and internet connectivity. She gave me the main ticket number for the outage and attached my ticket to it. She said they would work on it as quickly as they could. I was shocked that I didn't get transferred, put on hold, or hung up on!
I called my landlord to let him know because I knew that they had their DR internet connection via Comcast. He said they would have their IT person check to see if they were also having problems (it turns out they were too).
As you know from previous Internet fun at Zoe, I have to have a way to process credit cards when I don't have internet connectivity. I started putting those measures into place in case the delay was a long one.
Within an hour, the problem had been resolved. I happened to walk back to my office to drop something in my file cabinet and saw the modem lights shining brightly! I quickly checked both phone and internet connectivity and found no issues! Happy Happy Joy Joy! The only "slight" black mark against Comcast was that the rep had said that an automated voice system would call me when the outage was fixed but I never got a call. I guess I'll forgive them this time.
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