Do You Think Employees Working From Home Are Productive?

What do you think about Yahoo's new position on banning working from home?

Yahoo has made headlines all week, and there has been a flurry of articles, responses and reactions to the Marissa Mayer's announcement. As CEO Mayer is implementing a policy that asks all current remote employees to come in the office or quit because of the cultural assumptions that those remote employees get less work done.

Do you agree? Do you think employees aren't as productive if they are working from home?

NCH Software actually makes a software program designed to be a bit of a compromise allowing employers to monitor hours and tasks remotely. FlexiServer employee monitoring and attendance software is meant to help give the employer peace of mind that employees are being productive. And as you can see in the reactions online, there are a lot of remote workers crying out that face-time doesn't equate with productivity.

What are your thoughts? Monitoring software may be one possible compromise, are there any others? or do you agree with Mayer that all employees need to come into the office?

B is for Business

NCH Software ABCs Series

NCH Software has a wide range of business solutions, and just like our other software categories, each program is focused on doing a specific task in an easy and efficient manner. The individual programs can be combined, making it easy for a small business to grow into other applications at their own pace, and customize a software solution for the unique needs of their business. Along with our software utilities for file management and other essential software tools, these core business products will help you keep track of how your business is doing and keep things running smoothly at a cost-effective price.

• Express Invoice invoicing software
  
• Express Accounts accounting software
  
• Inventoria inventory management software
  
• Flexi Server productivity and attendance software
  
• HourGuard time sheet tracking software
  
• Reflect customer relationship management software
  
• Copper point of sale software system
  
• CardWorks business card software
  

<<< Previous: A is for Audio

Next: C is for Converting >>>

Growing A Quality Transcription Business With Express Scribe

Guest Post by Annalisa Holmes, Director of The Transcription People

We have been using Express Scribe transcription software in our Australian-based outsource transcription business for years and we love it. Why? I have a list, so here goes:

Cost Effective

You can't get more cost effective than free software. For as long as I can remember Express Scribe has been free. This continues to be the case with a free version still being offered alongside a new paid Pro version.

In my business I employ a mix of transcriptionists; we have some work onsite in our office but the majority are work-from-home micro-businesses. Included in that mix are a wealth of "old school" typists and "wannabe" transcriptionists. Old school typists are used to the cassette tape days of micro and mini cassette dictation and are very experienced at transcription. Wannabe typists have time on their hands, want to learn a new job skill and possibly work from home or for an employer.

Express Scribe is perfect for both these dynamics, experienced typists can very quickly switch their mindset to the digital way of doing things and with the option of a USB foot control, can make the transition very quickly from tape to digital transcription with a free download and a low-cost foot pedal. Those new to transcription can have the software installed in minutes and have the flexibility of training themselves using the configurable control keys. For a zero dollar outlay Express Scribe is a very attractive tool to those looking to start a career in transcription.

Multiple Use Scenario

Most people think of Express Scribe as just a tool for transcription typists. That is true for the majority of people, but in my business we also utilise Express Scribe for our proofreading team. My company is renowned for producing high quality, accurate transcription and the way that we do that is with a two-step quality assurance process. Step one is the traditional transcription typist who listens and transcribes. Step two is where the quality and consistency across clients is provided by our proof-reading team. The proofreaders do not transcribe, their role is to apply customer-specific formatting and act as a second set of eyes over the transcript, ensuring the highest quality.

My proofreading team use Express Scribe to play back audio whilst reading through the transcripts. Typically they prefer the control key functionality and love the variable speed playback, one of the many features in Express Scribe.

Very Easy To Set Up, Install and Use

Express Scribe can be installed and up and running in minutes. For users of all technical levels we have found Express Scribe to be a breeze to get working and get used to. People of all transcription abilities get used to Express Scribe very quickly. As we all use the same software throughout my business, we have a pool of experts within our own teams who can help each other out with any questions.

From a business point of view, all my staff are on the same page when it comes to transcription and proofreading software. We don't need to waste time supporting various vendors' software. Consistency across the team makes for a smoother transcription and proofreading workflow.

The Future

I really can't see my business moving away from Express Scribe, there is no need. It has served us well for years and will continue to do so for years to come. We are particularly excited about the new Pro version of Express Scribe which can now process the DSS Pro audio files created on the latest Olympus and Philips digital dictaphones. Before the Pro version came along we had to include an extra file conversion step from .ds2 to .dss. Now NCH has that covered.

Thank you NCH for your excellent software, which has helped my business get to where it is today.

Annalisa Holmes is the director of The Transcription People Pty Ltd, one of Australia's largest outsource transcription services. Annalisa started as a transcription typist in the early years of forming her business and now oversees a large team of transcription typists across Australia and New Zealand. The Transcription People service clients from across Australia, the USA and the UK and boasts AMP, Holden, Ernst & Young as some of her clients.

Home Business: More Software to Help Business Run Smoother

Software for Getting Your Home Office Running (Part 5 of 5)

Once you have your accounting software in place and your telephone system set up, it is time to think about the other types of software that might help with your specific type of business.

For instance, if charging by the hour, you might benefit from HourGuard timesheet software to log the time you spend on projects for each customer for easier billing.

Use Reflect customer database to save, organize, and cross-reference information about your clients, and set reminders for yourself on events you should follow up on.

Another work-from-home profession is transcription, where Express Scribe digital transcription playback software, FastFox text expansion software and TexTally word counter can all be extremely useful in improving your efficiency.

Those examples are just the beginning of possible business applications that can help you run your home office more efficiently. Your time is a valuable commodity when you are getting a business off the ground, so it makes sense to find ways to streamline as many processes as you can. Some other software programs you may want to consider are:

• CardWorks business card designer
  
• Express Invoice invoicing Software
  
• HourGuard timesheet recorder
  
• Express Scribe transcription playback software
  
• FastFox text expander software
  
• Inventoria inventory management software
  
• Copper point of sale software
  
• Barillo barcode software
  
• Reflect CRM software
  
• FileFort data backup software
  
• MEO file encryption software
  
• Bolt PDF Printer
  
• Doxillion document converter
  
• Express Zip file compression software
  
• FTP client software
  

Home Business: VoIP Phone System

Software for Getting Your Home Office Running
(Part 3 of 5)

Another key component to setting up your home office, after your accounting system is in place, is the phone system. You've likely heard about VoIP, which has been growing in popularity, and with good cause. As an entrepreneur the important thing to know is that VoIP can save you a lot of money on phone bills.

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol, and what that means is that the call information travels over the Internet instead of through traditional telephone landlines. Essentially, the only cost for sending information over the Internet is the Internet connection; the transmission itself costs nothing. That means calls between VoIP users will frequently be free.

The only cost associated with VoIP calls come from connecting to other telephone networks that service cell phones and landlines. Even in this case, there are significant cost savings because the VoIP phone providers can use the Internet to travel long distance, and then switch the call to a standard phone line in the local area of the destination, and you pay only for the local call, eliminating long-distance charges. The benefit to this is that you can increase the reach of your business, because you won’t be worried about your long-distance phone call budget.You business can potentially be more functional—providing new opportunities to increase your productivity and responsiveness.

With that in mind, here’s an example of the cost savings. For your home office, the telephone line and long-distance charges using a traditional landline phone system can cost upward of $100 per month. Compare that to the cost of using a VoIP system, where the total cost can be as low as $3.25 to $4.30 per month, a savings of more than 90%! With those savings, the initial cost of a business-oriented softphone will be paid for in less than a month.

A VoIP phone, or softphone like the Express Talk softphone only takes a few minutes to set up and will work with any VoIP provider. Express Talk is designed for professionals and has all the features you expect from a business telephone including do not disturb, conference calling, and even the ability to record conversations. It can be used with a USB phone to give the feel of a traditional phone, or with a headset, or microphone and speaker setup—which you may already have—making the cost of setting up your office with VoIP only a matter of buying the software.

Next: Phone System Enhancements

Home Business: Accounting and Invoicing Software

Software for Getting Your Home Office Running (Part 2 of 5)

You've got the idea for your business and are swarming with ideas about how to get started. You may think that bookkeeping and accounting is getting ahead of the game at this point—first you need clients. But that's not true. You need to keep track of all your expenses and payments right from the start. Setting up accounting software to manage your accounts out of the gate can save headaches caused by trying to find these details later.

One of the advantages of running a business out of a home office is the tax deductions you can take. But to take advantage of those deductions, your records must be in order. Deductions are retroactive once you have paying clients, so accurately tracking the expenses leading up to that first client is extremely important.

You need a flexible, easy-to-use accounting program or you won't use it. Ideally, it will also handle your invoicing to making record keeping even easier, which is one of the things that Express Accounts accounting software offers. Express Accounts is available for Mac and PC, can be installed and ready to use in less than 5 minutes.

Here are some of the key features of Express Accounts:

• Create journal entries for payments, purchases, receipts and deposits
  
• Create and send invoices from inside the application
  
• Set up alerts to track unpaid invoices and make sure nothing falls through the cracks
  
• Standard reports including Profit & Loss statement and Balance Sheet
  
• Email or fax reports and invoices directly from the program
  

Express Accounts is particularly ideal for your start up business because it allows you to track expenses without having to pay extra bookkeeping costs or for expensive software with features you'll never use. Express Accounts will also grow with your business; it can track all the business expenses of multiple businesses with your original software license, and across several locations. Setting up your home office with Express Accounts ensures you'll have software that is easy to use, and that you can use for years to come without any additional investment.

Next: VoIP Phone System

Software for Getting Your Home Office Running

Have you recently decided to take the plunge and become the entrepreneur you’ve always wanted to be, or are in the beginning stages of a new business venture? No doubt you are worried about startup costs. There’s a fine line to walk when it comes to using the highest quality tools to start your business with a solid foundation while searching for cost savings, and it's possible the threat of spending too much money is holding you back. Setting up your business office can be done efficiently—spatially, time-wise, and monetarily.

It may be hard to imagine, but you might be surprised by how good it feels to be running your own venture once your office is up and running. So, whether you’re a sales person, a lawyer, a teacher, a healthcare professional, a carpenter, or a builder—any profession at all—let’s get started setting up a home office.

The essentials for an office space are a desk, a phone, and a computer. After that, it’s all about the software, and finding the right tools for your needs. One of the beautiful things about software is that it can do a lot of work for you, helping you not only start out on the right foot, but also to project a very professional front for your small business that can help you compete with larger, more established organizations. Plus, if you do your homework, it can cost a lot less than you might think.

There are two major aspects of running a business that you need in place at the start: a bookkeeping system and a good phone system. Both sound expensive, but they don’t have to be. In fact, you could actually save money on a phone system and still have more features than your current setup.

For the next few weeks, we’ll be running a series of blogs about the software you need for setting up your home office:

• Accounting and Invoicing Software
  
• VoIP Telephone System Software
  
• Phone System Enhancements to Help You Sound Professional
  
• Other Software to Help Make Business Run Smoother
  

In the meantime, take a few moments to peruse our business software. There are a wide variety of tools for helping you in all aspects of your business, all designed to get your business off to the strong start you’re looking for.

Express Invoice at a Glance

A look at Express Invoice, the best professional invoicing solution for entrepreneurs, freelancers and small- to medium-sized businesses. Everything you need to manage and track customer billing and payments in one easy-to-use invoicing program.

Transcription - A Flexible Work At Home Option

Accuro Transcription Services is an outsourced digital transcription solution for a range of specialized professions including the legal and medical sectors. Transcription is completed by a panel of independent professional transcribers.

A recent story posted on the Accuro website talks about how transcription software and technology allow transcribers to benefit from a flexible working schedule, working from home and managing their own workload.

Christine Miller joined the Accuro team of typists in 2008 as a way to supplement her income. Christine found it very easy to start working at home. With her medical secretary skills, the only things she needed to get started was a computer with a broadband internet connection and Express Scribe transcription playback software. Express Scribe allows a typist to control playback of the digital dictation audio with keyboard hotkeys or a transcription foot pedal for hands free audio control, improving transcription efficiency.

Read the entire Technology Helping Firms to Embrace Flexible Working article for more about how Christine is enjoying the benefits of working from home and information about Accuro's services and professional panel of transcribers.

Making a Case for Telecommuting

I am currently working towards my MBA, and this semester I'm taking an information systems class online. As with all the classes I've taken I try to find a way to relate what we're discussing in class to my life and my job to help make the lessons both more interesting and more useful.

Last week the connection between what we were talking about and work was immediately apparent. We were given a group assignment to develop a plan for a group of employees trying to convince management to allow telecommuting, a request they had flatly refused in the past. FlexiServer Team Management Software is one of our business applications that is designed to track the attendance and computer usage of employees, making it an ideal solution for managing remote employees, so naturally it immediately jumped to mind as a potential solution to overcome management objections. FlexiServer would allow for telecommuting while addressing answering one of the large concerns management might have, how to accurately track the hours and productivity of the telecommuters.

Managers don't want to end up paying an employee for surfing the internet all day and not getting anything done. And there is a concern that this is what will happen when the manager can't see what an employee is doing. Fortunately real-time technology tools for employee tracking not only open the door for telecommuting, but can offer a solution for this concern as well. Using software like FlexiServer allows managers to see reports on employee hours, application use, or optionally screenshots of the employee's computer; giving managers greater peace of mind that work is still getting done.

Also important for the telecommuter, who might be using a personal computer, is the ability to log in and out of work-mode. This allows the employee to log-on when they are doing work related activities to have their hours tracked, and then log-off during non-business hours and not need to worry about their personal computer use being tracked. Similarly, in an office an employee can switch to a private-mode during a break to do something like checking their bank account without worrying about the session being recorded by Flexi or seen by management.

For the assignment, my group chose to use an interrogatories technique. What that boils down to is compiling a comprehensive list of all the possible questions management might have about allowing telecommuting. Questions, such as why the staff wants it to what other companies have in place, to how it could be achieved. Then when you have the list you go through and answer them all in order to help persuade management that telecommuting is a viable business plan despite their initial misgivings. I think that FlexiServer Attendance Software is an answer to one of these big questions, how to manage and track hours of remote and telecommuting staff.

eWeek Article by NCH Software CEO

In a recent Knowledge Center article in eWeek, NCH Software's CEO talks about some of the ways you can Run A Small Business on Single Applications.

Especially for a small business or start-up venture, the purse strings can be pulled tight making it very important to not spend money on anything you don't need. This idea also extends to the software world. Instead of buying an entire suite of software that might contain applications or features you don't need, it is becoming increasingly possible to find single applications that can be purchased separately but ingrate with each other to meet the specific needs of your business.

This is how the NCH Software business software suite has been designed-so that you are never required to buy all of the applications, only the individual components you need. This approach gives you more flexibility in finding a tailor fit solution that can grow with your business.

Single Software Applications are the Way of the Future You Don't Need to Buy the Whole Suite Anymore

The days of needing to purchase an entire software suite are behind us. At NCH Software we have designed our software suites so that each product can be bought individually and still integrate with other individual applications. This gives businesses more control and flexibility to purchase only the products they need without spending money on products they will never use. Customization becomes available to businesses of all sizes so they can craft solutions to best fit their individual needs.

This approach to separating out the units of a software suite is particularly beneficial for smaller businesses just getting started. A small business has fewer needs than a more established company and less capital to put into a fully fledged system with all the bells and whistles. With our software you can start out with just the features that you need and easily add on more features and more products as your business grows. The benefits of this type of scalable system of buying individual products as you need them should be obvious.

For example, most new businesses with limited personnel are going to hire a consultant part-time to manage their accounts, but they are still going to need to invoice their customers. Having the option to purchase a standalone invoicing program like Express Invoice is a great solution in this case. Later, the business can upgrade to Express Accounts as they begin handling more accounting in-house, or integrate with Inventoria for inventory management control. The flexibility of upgrading and integrating as needed caters to the environment and economic needs of a small business owner.

Your telephone system is another area that should be able to grow with your business. As you bring on employees you will need extensions. You might want to set up an information line to answer frequently asked questions when no one is in the office to take a call. Maybe having on-hold music and messaging is something you need. With the NCH Telephony Suite you can add on features like these to your basic system as you grow into the need for them. There is absolutely no reason to purchase features like call conferencing capabilities that you won't ever use, but it is always available if someday you do.

We have had a lot of positive feedback from customers about this approach to selling software. We would never dream of making someone pay for the entire software suite if they didn't need it. Integrating the products together gives you the ability to design a custom software solution, piece by piece, for exactly what you need.