Rob Bamforth on IT-Analysis.com

Learning from the credit crunch to avoid a broadband crunch

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:14:36 +0100

While it might be the most pressing issue de jour, the financial system isn't the only area where government needs to inject a bit of liquidity to get a market moving. The way in which... [Read More...]

Customer service not lip service

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 07:56:35 +0100

You would think that as economic conditions harden that customer service might improve. Certainly it should if businesses want to remain competitive, but the problem is exacerbated because all too... [Read More...]

Picture this?

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 08:05:00 +0100

A whole bunch of episodes have demonstrated how bad many organisations are at protecting secret or personal data, especially those in the public sector. This is particularly apparent when data is... [Read More...]

Ten tips for managing telecoms budgets

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:00:00 +0100

Telecoms costs are always an issue, they just seem to keep going up - don't ignore the issue and try to keep costs under control without simply wielding a big axe to the budget [Read More...]

e-business - flexible and fuel efficient?

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 23:00:00 +0100

Some things look obvious candidates for being online, but it's not always necessary to shift an entire business process, just the elements that make sense - the ones that benefit from the lower cost of shipping bits instead of atoms [Read More...]

iPhone, YouTube, we manage

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 06:00:00 +0100

Where once technology flowed from the business and corporate world into the consumer space, the reverse is now often true. Should individual preferences or IT department dictate the rule? - not an easy choice [Read More...]

Mind the gap - mobile coverage issues and the SMB

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 06:00:00 +0100

It's good to talk, especially with customers, but small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) face particular challenges in trying to keep in touch. [Read More...]

Who really gains from iPhone - Apple, BlackBerry or Microsoft?

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 06:00:00 +0100

The 'collision' of enterprise and consumer technology markets gathers pace, where once the organisation led and the individual followed, the reverse is now often true - the continuing impact of 'shadow IT'. [Read More...]

Are SMBs getting enough?

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 06:00:00 +0100

Small and medium sized businesses depend far more on their internet connection than ever before, but SMBs need to ask the right questions (and get meaningful answers they understand) from the internet service providers. [Read More...]

Why are CFOs giving away company profits?

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 06:00:00 +0100

Personal use of a business supplied mobile phone might seem like a reasonable perk - but who really knows how much it costs and its value is to the employee or the business - especially now that roaming and mobile data are more in vogue? [Read More...]

Don't throw the telecoms baby out with the cost centre bath water

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Tue, 06 May 2008 06:00:00 +0100

Mobile phone costs are too high, but why do so many financial controllers believe it is better to wield an axe with a blindfold than a scalpel while wearing spectacles? [Read More...]

Measurement - do records management policies, systems and procedures really deliver?

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 06:00:00 +0100

Is it better to test, or wait for something to go wrong before picking up the pieces - generally the former by a long way, but too many organisations opt for the latter - is lack of measurement false modesty or simply false economy? [Read More...]

Outrunning the bear - cutting costs not corners

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 06:00:00 +0100

When times are hardening, everyone looks for things to cut and telecoms is an obvious target. But while saving money looks simple, it isn't always, and it's not always the right thing to do if it has negative knock-on effects elsewhere. [Read More...]

Communications - Unify or Die?

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:00:00 +0100

Is the hype around Unified Communications really justified, or is this just another re-hash of a collection of disparate technology, cleverly presented on slide decks to appear like it delivers real business value? [Read More...]

Terminal decline at Heathrow - failing IT or management failing?

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 06:00:00 +0100

When will those running large institutions or endeavours realise that IT systems are just part of a bigger overall system and the top priority should be about getting the project right rather than deciding where best to lay the blame? [Read More...]

The spread of technology reliance and the BlackBerry jam

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 07:00:00 +0100

Some users love their technology, but although the individual power user may feel more productive, it doesn't necessarily spread through the whole organisation. Soft skills are still as important as the technical ones. [Read More...]

Is too much data mobility bad?

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 07:00:00 +0100

Information records are no longer anchored to large storage systems hidden in distant data centres; they pop up on memory sticks, CDs and travel over the wired and wireless ether - keeping it all safe and secure is an increasing headache [Read More...]

Security - plugging and avoiding data leakage

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 07:00:00 +0100

It is becomming an ever more complex task to secure information across the organisation as the physical boundary becomes porous, but embedding security into a business's processes rather than round its perimeter will yield greater benefits. [Read More...]

Applying Web 2.0 to the enterprise

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 07:00:00 +0100

The internet has brought many new tools which offer new ways for organisations and individuals interact, but isn't there still a need for a little management or corporate control? [Read More...]

Who is responsible for what?

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 07:00:00 +0100

Defining the roles and responsibilities of those involved in managing information records is vital for making sure organisations stay in control. [Read More...]

Information management

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 07:00:00 +0100

How and why is it important to have a policy for records management? Because it involves so many people and is of interest to those outside as well as inside the organisation [Read More...]

Who's taking out the garbage?

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 07:00:00 +0100

We may rely more and more on automated data checking, such as spellcjeckwers, but how many information records could easily still be entered inaccurately as it's not an easy task to find problems later [Read More...]

Data leakage - prevention or cure?

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 07:00:00 +0100

Information security - how much is it an IT problem, a process problem or a people problem? [Read More...]

The evolution of the mobile phone

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 07:00:00 +0100

It's easy to overestimate the impacts of change in the short term, yet underestimate the long term impact. 25 years on, the evolution of the mobile phone is taking a new twist - so when should we drop the term 'phone'? [Read More...]

The rise and rise of the mobile machines

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 07:00:00 +0100

People are expensive to deploy and manage, especially for tedious repetitive tasks like monitoring, checking and measuring. Are automated solutions now cost effective and what more needs to be done to make them really worthwhile? [Read More...]

Web 2.0 - re-hash or revolution?

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 07:00:00 +0100

Mass user generation of content is fine as far as it goes, but it needs focus on relevance, context and accuracy for the next step forward - and to be personalised and mobile like people, rather than deskbound like computers. [Read More...]

Fixed / mobile convergence - who will be Lord of the Rings?

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 07:00:00 +0100

Who is in the best place to offer what in the fixed and mobile communications ecosystem? [Read More...]

What value are mobile operators in an enterprise world focused on cost?

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 06:00:00 +0100

The cost of mobile telecommunications, especially while roaming, is a major concern for businesses, in particular for large or multinational companies, but does the focus on cost mask other more important issues? [Read More...]

Apple's iPhone - why the price is not always right

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 06:00:00 +0100

The product choices we make as individual consumers are not always logical and based on objective criteria. Surely our business decisions are, but perhaps the criteria are wider than we first believe [Read More...]

Who bears the cost of home working?

Rob Bamforth, Quocirca — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 06:00:00 +0100

Teleworking, homeworking or flexible working? The names differ, but unlike the automobile commercials of the 70s and 80s, your mileage is unlikely to vary. [Read More...]