End Of An Era II

I think my time advising people that they should be self sufficient in their WWW IT is over.

WordPress, Wix, Godaddy and 123-Reg are now household names and anybody with anything about them should be looking towards these solutions to expose their business on the www.

With regards to Protopage whilst this is the best of the lot nobody wants it ! It offers huge amounts of functionality far more than the others and should be essential for of an Active Web Strategy.

Working with Hitec Computers showed me just how closed the business world is to change.

So I have dropped the Consultancy tag from my website as I am no longer attached to a business.

YMG and Bitesize Golf should have been the entry point into the Golf Business – sadly that venture never got off the ground as Protopage was not recognised as being the tool for effective communication.

Bitesize Golf remains a site with very little traffic, so much could be done to help junior golfers if golf professionals got www savvy.

I will now look to promoting the Redcamel Brand in supporting those businesses  which have elected to join me.

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LearnIT

I have decided that my first MVC /C#/SQL/XML/JSON project will be a Feedback Clock Emulator.

My second project will be PayIT 2017 – A Sodexo project update with Uni2000, Sage and Quickbooks interfaces.

Which is what should have happened in the 1980’s after I had implemented Unistar  time and attendance system.  But MPJ said that I must not propose any more PC Applications – we are a mainframe shop. How off the mark was he.

End Of An Era

In 2007 I was appointed IT strategist for Young Masters Golf by Golf Fellow David Gosling.

I formed an outsourcing company called BBCommuniSYS Ltd  and we went to work servicing his website, creating two online shops, a forum, tournament booking system and online quiz.  David lost control of his company and we only received payment of £1,000 having laid out significantly more than that for 3 high specification laptops and Microsoft Office.

David returned to golf and we re-engaged with him in 2016 – we commenced work on a subscription based document sharing website. Typically with Dave the development was a disaster and it did not get implemented.

David was instructed that Google Drive and Protopage were core business solutions. To our dismay these were not implemented.

David has hit hard times whereas we have gone from strength to strength with our association with Hitec Computers in Cheadle.

David is now working outside the golf industry and my vision of looking after the intellectual training of his junior golfers has gone.

I like David a lot and wish him the best – we really needed him onboard with http://thegolfhub.net

We could have done so so much with Dave all he had to do was follow our advice and we would have done good stuff to attract kids to his website.

Broadband and Hitec

 

Business Consultant Alan Bramwell created an Internet We Server for Hitec Computers in Cheadle wanted to expose his work on the WWW like he does from home but was not able to due to the fact that Hitec use their Internet for their PDA machines.

Alan who works for Internet Provider Verastar believes that the the business needs a second line and a static IP – being a computer shop they should be leading the way in Internet technology which includes broadband advice.

Verstar has the broadband package which Hitec needs as a low business user – it would cost nothing in business terms for the value it has.

Industries in decline / on the up

 

In 2007 I was working in an indusry in decline – Direct Marketing.

A fire put me out of work ! I will let you hold judgement on that one.

 In 2007 I looked for an Industry on the up and decided to work in the Sales department at Unicom in Manchester.

There I gathered valuable experience in sales but as there was no computer work I elected to leave – I worked in sales for just 3 months.

I elected to stay in the telecoms industry and moved into Field Sales for Geezer Telecom where I worked for a very short time before being head hunted by a friend of Adam’s who worked for Nationwide Energy Services. I worked in field sales for a long time but was asked to return to Unicom – I accepted to offer as I still wanted to gain access to their computer system. There was still no access so I left again. I went to work in the voluntary sector as I wanted teaching experience but was once again I was  invited to join Unicom in 2015. My son Adam said – you are working 5 days a week volunteering please go and earn some money.

 I accepted Unicom’s offer and worked in the Sales Department again Unicom was a really good company to work for. They loved my work ethic and accepted my needs this time I was given access to computer system by joining Customer Service where they realised that I had technical abilities and moved me to Product Support. It was then decided that I would be better back in Sales supporting the sales team and checking the validity of contracts.

 Unicom is now part of the Verastar empire. The telecoms industry is on the up as I predicted in 2007 and I will remain with Verastar till I retire.

My recommendation to youth is – if you want a career with a company going  places and you want to gain valuable sales experience then join Verastar – you will soon be advised if you have got what it takes and if sales is not your thing there may be other opportunities for quality people.

 

Gatley Signs and Print

The is now an understanding between Gatley Signs and Print that there will be a relationship with Redcamal systems resulting in donations to charity should Redcamel gain contracts for Golf Score Cards.

Gatley Computers – Price Match

I am trying to help both Gatly Computers and Hitec by entering into a partnership deal.

The hight street needs to be creative to fight off Amazon.

I have now been in to see Gatley Computers.

They will not be promoting Redcamel Systems and they do not have nor want a website.

They get there business using Facebook in Gatley. They have been established for over 5 years.

They have said that they will conduct builds for Redcamel Systems and will price match Hitec Computers.

The formulae will go something like this :

Cost of Parts @purcahse price

Less Redcamel discount @ 15%

Plus 1 Hours build cost @ £60 per hour

For a £200 parts list that will mean the build price will be  £230

This would look like we are only paying 1/2 hour for the build  – which is reasonable, an experienced engineer should put a machine together in about 20 minutes according to YouTube.

There will then be a 10% Purchasing Surcharge making  the selling price £253 plus a 10% markup – making it circa £280.

That looks reasonable to me !

It makes sense to increase the Redcamel discount to say 20% – reducing the build price then outsourcing the build. The mark up % could then be increased bringing the selling price back to £280.

I have blogged this so that all parties can see the Redcamel purchasing policy.

We will discuss the merits of stipulating that all parts should be sourced from Amazon as it is Amazon that we are competing against. The idea of becoming an Amazon reseller might be attractive – this could support cash flow as we could insist that buyers supply their own parts ! One for discussion.

If any party says no we have not got a business.

Verastar – Quo Vadiz

This is an announcement to my community that I work for Verastar which is a utilities company based in Manchester England

I am a Business Consultant  of 40 years standing in the IT industry having worked in the voluntary sector since 2000 as a Community Guardian.

I have a project which commenced circa 1979 when I was introduced to Home Computing by John Arnold Edwards – Senior Exec at Ferranti Computer Systems.

We said then that we should start business – We missed our opportunity.

I have now started a manufacturing business as a Division of Redcamel Systems – I am following JAE footsteps as a Divisional Production Manager. I will be suggesting to Hitec Computers in Cheadle that they should cut their production costs by 20% and commence outsourcing to Gatley Computers. The first machine will be specified next Saturday.

I will then become CEO of Ferranti Business Computing – operating out of Hitec Computers in Cheadle where I currently operate as Redcamel Systems..

I am looking to Verastar where I am employed full time as a broad band provisioning officer to support my initiatives..

I have of my desk a book called in Search Of Excellence which features Ingersoll Rand where I was part of the management team. It is a best seller – if written today it could well include Verastar.

It is my intention to stay at Verastar till I retire – I selected them in 2007 when they were Unicom. I had 3 stints of employment in Sales and they keep asking to get me back. This current stint of employment has seen me out of the sales force but looking after the sales teams – I can clearly state on my cv that I am a Sales Professional – expected to deliver high standards.

My CV will state tht I am on a mission to impact the golf industry.

Amazon

Today I had a 3 hour business meeting with Andy Clarke of Manchester University to discuss the status and merits of my on-line shop. We discussed my buying and selling policy and discussed Maplins who have gone into administration. We also conducted a buying session – 2 buying sessions to test the Amazon Echo.

Whilst we discovered Alexa was excellent at tracking purchases she was not so great at tracking the second purchase.

We are a little ahead of our time but there will be a time when all the next generation will be using an Echo product as a lifestyle choice.

Whilst we were on the subject of technology I was demonstrated one of these wrist devices that interfaces with your mobile phone – amazing.

My conclusion is – Amazon is an opportunity for every company to take advantage of as clearly the high street is suffering.

The next to go could be high street clothes retailers. My second purchase was some golfing trousers – I was able to find my size at just £16 whilst last week I went into Central Manchester and bought 3 pairs at £20 per pair plus £4 train.

This is a message to Eb at Hitec Computing – Look towards Amazon and take advantage of their technology.

And to John @ my place of work ! – we should too………. and we should look to selling wrist messengers for people who can not use their mobile phones in work.

With regards to my own buying policy l still will not use Amazon or Ebay as I want to protect the high street. That means whilst I will advertise my product range on-line I will only sell on the high street and only on a Saturday.

Which comes to my agreement with Hitec Computers – To bridge the Amazon / High Street Gap the Redcamel Shop has been set up giving all year round discount at !0% of the normal Hitec selling price. And to this end Redcamel Systems will absorb all programming and development costs.

I have introduced a buying policy to allow my purchasing team to buy from Amazon.

Until I have recruited a suitable candidate I will have to set up the purchasing department myself. I will set up a new bank account just for the purpose and start the process rolling. My first purchase will be a programmable usb robot from Maplins before they close. I have unfinished business I have a Maplins programmable control panel which I need to make up but I have lost the programming instructions – next task to see if Maplins have Java instruction for my control panel.  Once Kava is proven then I will clone the processing in MVC and C#/Sql Server to hold the instruction sets.

All help on code samples will be appreciated !!!!!

The Robot will be my Chistmas present for Richard  – a little early to buy it – make hay whilst the sunshines and hope Maplins have some great discounts !

On second thought I know a person that gives away unwanted presents for Christmas I will think of sending Rich my old Maplins kit – It comes with a little soldering set that he might find of good use. I will ask him now.

Message to Richard – I have been converted what present do you want  – for me to test Amazon.

 

 

 

Redcamel Shop

It is 03/03/2018 and I announce that the Redcamel Shop is now open for business.

(It is in draft mode at the moment and can be found on my Home Server).

It was 02/02/2017 when I announced my return to the IT industry when I formed the limited company BBCommuniSYS Ltd delivering Structured Social Networking applications SSNA . It was shortly after when WordPress banned all my sites for violation of condition of usage that I discovered Protopage. I have never looked back.

http://protopage.com/digitalchampions is a significant effort and is of high value to me.

Whereas http://protopage.com/manchestermusic is just a bit of fun and

http://protopage.com/thegolfchannel is dear to my heart as it was mine and  Adam’s project.

http://redcamelsystems.com is well on it’s way now.

BBCommuniSYS was a outsourcing company – I am thinking of making Ferranti Communications a multi purpose company – PC Manufacturing / Online Shop / Web Hosting / Bespoke Design / Outsourcing / Bespoke Build / Multi-Media Marketing / Event Management.

J.A.E  was on the executive at Ferranti in Wythenshawe Manchester – he was D Division Production Manager – My mentor.

P.E. Was a programmer at Ferranti where he wrote Q for Dos machines as a type of pre windows substitute – clever stuff – he was my student. We wrote Monopoly on a .Commodore Pet to learn Jackson Structured Programming.

I have just had a post saying that today, 5 years on, is when I met Richard Gilbert on Facebook.  Richard is my closest friend and my Microsoft Certified Programmer – I have known Richard for over 20 years. He is brilliant at what he does – he is my mentor. With his support I will now learn MVC and Ajax. Richard taught me ASP.NET/C#/SQL Server in 2000 after I gained my City and Guilds in C programming. 

Thank you Richard without you none of this would have been possible.