eBiz Tomorrow by Chris Salazar

The internet is everywhere…Jeremiah once said that the Web will soon be amorphous and ubiquitous…I think it’s already ubiquitous. Cell phones, mobile PCs, palm pilots, and all sorts of gadgets now have internet access 24/7 and just about anywhere.

Unfortunately, many cell phone customers are facing several on-going issues with their services. Perhaps as gadgets continue to get more fancier, they face more problems?

Monday’s (October 23rd) edition of the Wall Street Journal had an interesting article, “The 10 Biggest Problems with Wireless & How to Fix Them.” Here are the top 10 probs with wirless cell phones:

1. Spotty Coverage: Let’s face it, carriers cannot 100% of the United States’ terrain, but they can definitely try. Yet, consumers can install antennas both on their phones and homes to increase the wireless coverage in their area. In addition, TensorComm has developed a tool that will automatically detect and work to strengthen wireless access automatically. This tool should be released in 2007-2008.
2. …And No Coverage: To avoid heartache, consumers can check the availability of wireless in their proximity first before purchasing plans from companies like Cingular and T-Mobile. Make sure to check the wireless capability of your area before signing up!
3. Poor Customer Service: Often times, consumers feel that instead of helping to fix problems, customer service agents provide more excuses instead. So, carriers have recently invested a tremendous amount of resources into improving their customer service including short-code dialing and automatic services.
4. Lengthy Contracts: Most carriers charge anywhere from $150-$300 for early contract cancelations, but now new consumers are offered with a 30-day grace period allowing them to cancel accounts without any charges. For existing customers, Sprint provides users with a three-month rate-plan trial period in which they can make changes to their account without renewing their contract.
5. Damaged Phones: Carriers now offer insurance for damaged phones, but those with no insurance are forced to buy new cell phones. However, smaller companies are starting to offer repair services for cheap prices for damaged phones, especially water damage.
6. Surprise Charges: Many companies are now offering a variety of security options to limit the amount of surprise charges made including: Sprint’s call guard, Flexible plans, PIN IDs for purchases, and roaming options. These tools should help limit extra charges, therefore, enhancing the wireless experience.
7. Complicated Bills: Carriers are currently striving to make their bills as simple as possible. This is especially key as older generations are starting to use cell phones. For example, instead of using “Airtime Minutes,” carriers should use “Minutes Used.” These simple changes will make the overall experience with cell phones more pleasurable.
8. Missed Calls: Unfortunately, telephone lines and cell phone memory become congested and can stop working properly for a short period of time. To remedy this problem, carriers are working on providing tools that will send voice messages by text and other ways to keep an archive of emails sent.
9. Weak Batteries: The more gadgets offered, the less time the battery will last. Perhaps buying a backup is needed.
10. Overloaded: Wireless cell phones are becoming more fancy and complex than ever, which makes them more prone to frequent overloads. The simpler the phone, the less problems consumers will face.

I would like to hear your thoughts on wireless cell phones. Which service provider do you have? What problems do you face? What’s being done about it?

In a recent survey of over 1500 employees, its been found that money is not the primary motivator for employees. Yes, this was surprising to me, but here’s the top five primary motivators…LET ME KNOW IF YOU AGREE!

1. A learning activity and choice of assignment. Employees value learning opportunities in which they can gain skills to enhance their marketability. The ability to choose work assignments is a plus
2. Flexible working hours and time off. Employees seem to value time in general, whether its at work or personal time. Flexibility around their work hours will allow them to better balance personal obligations with work responsibilities.
3. Personal praise. People like to feel theyre needed and that their work is appreciated. Yet employees report that their bosses rarely thank them for the job that they do.
4. Increased autonomy and authority in their job. Greater autonomy and authority tell employees that the organization trusts them to act independently and without the approval of others.
5. Time with their managers. When managers spend time with employees, it does two things: First, it provides recognition and validation. Second, it provides support through listening to the employee’s concerns, answering questions, and offering advice.

Do you agree with these motivations?

Personally, I believe that managers should be careful with these factors, because too much praise or too much flexibility can backfire and cause an employee to loose motivation and not be productive.

As an upcoming professional almost entering into the workforce, I am becoming more aware of consumer needs.  Therefore, I am seeing a lot of business opportunities for entrepreneurs.  In fact, I may want to start my own business in the near future, but how?  Creating a new business takes a lot of initiative, time, effort, and patience.

Yet, I stumbled upon some advice in my International Business book that is valuable:

• Don’t rush familiarity:  when addressing people in the business world, always be formal (unless you know them on a personal basis).  Your first impression will often stick with you and your business.
• Build relationships: what matters most isn’t money, buting building personal relationships and being refered by someone who you’ve done business with.  Build a strong network that lasts.
• Expect limited resources:  use the internet to facilitate communication with businesses.  You cannot expect people to contact you, contact them on your own.
• Establish who is in charge:  establish who is in charge of all aspects of the business.  When contacting other business professionals it is important that the person in charge communicates with them instead of a company rep

As I think more about becoming a future entrepreneur these tips are very important.  Yet, succeeding does depend a lot on personal will power and perseverence.  Although the tips above may vary by person, thinking about what makes an entrepreneur successful and developing a plan is probably a good first step.