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Market Race: The Keys to World-Class Distributing

September 29, 2008

Are you still stumbling or setting the bar? Infor’s Whitepaper outlines “The Five Keys to World-Class Distribution.” The latest NAW SmartBrief (National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors) offers up this tasty peach describing specific actions to transform sluggish sales to peak performance.

No techonlogical advancement will surpass the wisdom of tried and true methods and attitudes used by leading companies for over a century.

Infor lists the five keys, in no particular order: Exceed customer expectations; Cut operations costs; Reduce lead times; Streamline operations; and Improve business performance visibility.

Infor not only stresses the power of capability, but flexibility, the ability to adapt to emerging business situations, and the importance of good information management.

Maybe Infor’s five keys aren’t secret, but they are an important reminder that a workman is only as good as his tools.

Download Infor’s free “The Five Keys to World-Class Distribution” WhitePaper here.

Posted by anne · Filed Under Industry 

The Strategy Institute Announces the Mobile Media Investor Conference

September 29, 2008

Mobile Media Investors Conference

Dec 9 & 10, San Francisco, CA

To bring together ingenious minds in the mobile media industry, from start-up to investor, Strategy Institute presents the Mobile Media Investor Conference, supported by numerous industry experts in the emerging mobile media arena.

Get the tools to understand the profitable business models for mobile media, determine the worth and value of your company, raise money to take your company to the next level and achieve maximum ROI on your investment. Also, create exclusive business connections unavailable elsewhere, source insights from respected analysts on opportunities and risks and elevate your profile with strategic partners, dealmakers and decision makers.

Information is at a premium, and this event will deliver the executive knowledge you need to make key decisions.

Hear from CEOs, VCs, dealmakers, and the insiders who will share their years of experience with you. A roster of the industry elite is brought together for your learning and networking benefit.

Exceptional Networking Opportunities!!!

All the stakeholders – companies looking for funds, investors, dealmakers, analysts, and advisors will be in one place, at one time. Be at the center of the action!

Whether your interest is social networking, billing, video, music, or advertising, the Mobile Media Investor Conference hopes to bring you closer to the sectors you are most passionate about. We look forward to two days of discovering the opportunities and challenges that lay ahead in mobile media, as well as new strategies for monetization.

For info and registration: Click here

Get the tools to:
• Understand the profitable business models for mobile media
• Determine the worth and value of your company
• Raise money to take your company to the next level
• Achieve maximum ROI on your investment
• Create exclusive business connections unavailable elsewhere
• Source insights from respected analysts on opportunities and risks
• Elevate your profile with strategic partners, deal makers and
decision makers

Information is at a premium, and this event will deliver the executive knowledge you need to make key decisions.

Posted by anne · Filed Under Industry 

SURPRISE MARKET SWEETIE: RIM’s Sweeter Berry

September 29, 2008

To the surprise of perhaps everyone except Research In Motion (maker of the BlackBerry) the BlackBerry’s still on top when it comes to smartphone buyers. A recent posting by FierceWireless, as reported on Yahoo! News, from research firm IDC that in the second quarter Research in Motion captured more than 50 percent of the U.S. smartphone market, up from 44.5 percent in first quarter.

IDC attributes the increase to the release of new BlackBerry CDMA devices such as the Curve and the Pearl for Sprint Nextel and Verizon Wireless networks. Curve was launched with both networks in the second quarter of this year, while Pearl was launched with the two networks in the fourth quarter of last year.

Meanwhile, IDC says that Apple lost share in the second quarter. Apple’s share declined as consumers waited for the July release of the iPhone 3G.

In fact, the current CNET Review doesn’t even list the iPhone on it’s top five best smartphones. The five all-in-ones that were listed appeared in this order: AT&T’s Tilt, RIM’s Blackberry Curve 8320 in pale gold, Samsung’s SCH-i760, Nokia’s N95 in brown/silver, and the Palm Centro in red.

Why are SmartPhones all the rage? CNET Reviews defines SmartPhone consumers as “intelligent enough to know that carrying around a cell phone and a PDA is inefficient.“ And who would disagree? Phone-PDA hybrids that can do everything from giving users access to the internet and email to snapping high-resolution photos, playing music and even movies, all while on the go, have had techies drooling for over a decade.

A twist on this story, a posting from Popular Mechanics may keep RIM a little more humble. Popular Mechanics’ SmartPhone Lab Test reveals that the evolution of SmartPhones from “business tool to cool” was turbo boosted by a single item. This of course is Apple’s wonder product, the iPhone. Popular Mechanics rated seven phones and graded them accordingly: Apple’s iPhone gets an A; Samsung’s BlackJack, an A; RIM’s Blackberry 8830 a B+; Palm’s Treo 755p a B+; T-Mobile’s Wing a B; LG’s enV a B-; Helio’s Ocean a C+; and lastly Nokia’s N95 got a passing C.

No matter the shape or size, SmartPhones are sweet.

Posted by anne · Filed Under Industry 

Still scared to get in the water? Get Verified!

September 29, 2008

Online B-2-B Fraud is rampant and no one could blame you if you’re wary to do business with companies you don’t know or haven’t had recommended to you. Credibility is one of the top concerns for the wholesale industry.

Wireless Association’s Wireless Association Verification Service can make you feel safe about doing business, worldwide.

Wassociation’s Verified Service checks four types of company information before issuing its Verified Seal to a member including:

• Email address and primary or secondary phone numbers
• Physical Address
• Legal business entity information with appropriate government agencies
• Wireless industry trade references.

Wassociation’s Verification Service promises to provide the wireless community with a trade platform where verified wholesale buyers and verified sellers can come together to buy, sell, or trade their products in a safe, secure, one-stop shopping environment.

Where are your snorkel and flippers?

Posted by anne · Filed Under Site News