Traveling with the Latitude Z

This weekend I got my first opportunity to try out the Latitude Z while traveling.  This was a quick, easy tryout, as Adam and I, along with our son, just took a drive down the coast and stayed in a resort overnight, to celebrate a friend’s birthday.

When I got the Latitude-Z, I noticed that it doesn’t come with a built-in DVD drive.  This surprised me at first, but then I realized that, at about 1/2 inch deep, there just isn’t room for a DVD drive.  To me it is worth the sacrifice to have such a thin and lightweight computer, since all you have to do is plug the external DVD (or BluRay) drive into the side of the computer, and you are all set.  This really came in handy over the weekend - I was able to bring one of my son’s favorite DVDs on the trip with us.  I botted up the computer, plugged in the DVD drive, inserted the movie, and he was all set.  No more hotel room boredom!  Yes, I’ve been able to do this in the past with other notebook computers, but the picture and sound quality on the Latitude-Z are so much better than my past computers - the HD display in particular makes a huge difference.

The Latitude also worked really well for me to stay connected with work.  Despite being out of town for a “pleasure trip,” I did need to look up some information on the fly for a customer.  I connected remotely to my office computer, got the information I needed, and quickly sent an e-mail to the client with the information.  What might have taken an hour (calling another staff member, perhaps having someone drive to the office to look up the information) was accomplished in just a few minutes.  So convenient.  Again, I’ve done this in the past with other notebook computers, but often the display quality on a remote connection is poor, and generally the connection is also pretty slow.  With the Latitude-Z, the display was much better and there was only minimal lag time with the connection.

I also got the chance to play with a few more features.  One of the coolest features I came upon is Dell Capture.  Dell Capture is included software that allows you, through the use of the built-in webcam, to scan documents and business cards directly into the computer.  My first attempts were only partially successful (due to user error rather than the software itself), but after a little practice, I found that I could successfully scan a business card and then export it into Outlook as a contact.  Cool!  I know that there are plenty of card scanners out there, but they always seemed like overkill for  my needs.  This will be perfect for me.

So, all in all, a good weekend - a fun and relaxing time with my family, a little bit of work, and lots of fun playing with the Latitude-Z.

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Staying connected with the Latitude-Z

I’ve mentioned before how lucky I have been throughout the years to see the world, often as a result of work-related projects. These days, in addition to traveling for work-related projects, I also find myself on the road to attend a variety of industry functions and speaking engagements (such as when we were recognized by Dell as a “Trailblazing” company).

As the business has grown, I have noticed one difference from my past travels, though - the need for me to stay constantly connected with the office and my clients even when I am halfway across the world. When I travel, I of course have my iPhone, but a notebook computer is now a necessity as well. With it and a wireless internet connection, I can log onto my office desktop computer (via our company network) and do just about everything I would do on a regular day at work - prepare customer quotations and orders, access documents on my office desktop or even on our company network, and so much more - almost as if I was sitting in my office at work rather than in a hotel room 100s or 1,000s of miles away.

My relationship with Dell Computers has been a huge help in this area. Recently they suggested that I try their newest notebook computer, the Latitude-Z, and I am so glad they did - it really is an incredible machine.

When I unpacked all the boxes for the Latitude-Z Package, I was impressed before I even booted up the computer. First, let me say how well it was packaged for shipping. The components were shipped via Fed Ex in several cartons - laptop itself in one box, other components in additional boxes.

Dell really does a good job in packaging the components to ensure that they arrive in good condition, using inner boxes, molded foam, and molded cardboard pieces. Nothing is going to slide around or get damaged in shipping - no way! But on the other hand, it also didn’t seem like there was a bunch of extra unnecessary packaging - just enough to keep everything safe and organized.

But it was my first look at the computer that really threw me for a loop. It is gorgeous - sleek and modern and oh so thin! Pictures really don’t do it justice. The first thing I noticed was the color. It is a beautiful Black Cherry (burgundy/black) color. The next thing to hit me was the size - it is amazingly thin and so lightweight! My previous laptop was about the same size (in terms of screen size, I mean), but it is so much heavier and bulkier. What a difference with the Latitude-Z. But even though it is thin and lightweight, it is still a good working size, at about 15″ x 9 ½”, with a 16″ diagonal screen.

I decided to spend my first excursion on the Latitude-Z exploring all that it had to offer. And it really does have some fun bells and whistles. The first thing I noticed was how great the wireless inductive charging stand is. I have never used charging pads or anything of that nature, so this was new to me. I plugged in the charging stand and set the Latitude-Z on top. The computer fit perfectly on the stand - no need for trial and error to get it in the right position. I booted up the computer, and almost instantly I saw that the computer was charging. It was time to start exploring.

I decided to check out the high definition display by pulling in some photos from the company digital file storage. The photo display was incredible - light years away from my previous laptop. I couldn’t believe the detail in the photographs - just amazing. I then opened a video - even more incredible. The detail is at least as good as (maybe even better than) my HD television. Wow! The sound is also great.

This really is a great notebook, and I am looking forward to putting it through some trials, including my first foray into travelling with it. I’ll keep you posted.

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Thinking about Technology

I was in New York City just 2 weeks ago - a wonderful opportunity - to speak to some media about our business and the importance of technology in our business model.  We are thrilled and delighted to have been recognized by Dell Computer as a “Trailblazing” company.  Indeed - we do choose our own path and always have.  We did not always choose Dell - not in the early days when I first started - but ever since we discovered the important role that technology plays in a small business.

I am a big fan of the Internet - ever since we lost a large contract some years ago - when the US car manufacturer said to me “your numbers for your theatrical drapes are great, your staging product is perfect - but we just can’t award you the special event contract as you don’t have a website.  Having a website is one of our vendor authentication criteria.”

WHAT? Did you just say that we did not get the job despite being the most competitively priced because we don’t have a website?

Bah humbug.  Some tears and a few beers later, I had a website all right.  By that weekend’s end, I had built one - clip art and all.  To no avail - it was too late, and they weren’t interested in reopening the bid.

Thanks to my homegrown website, clients began to find us ever so slowly on the Internet - now, we are talking the early 2000’s, so it was not the norm to “google” things.  Phone books and directories were still relatively cool.  And hard-copied printed resources were still go-to must-haves.  It didn’t matter, did it, that I had clip art?  It was cute!  Really cute…..like needles and thread, thimbles and buttons.  Oh - there aren’t buttons on drapes - I knew that - but I did not think that my web visitors did.  WRONG.

WHAT? Did you just say that we did not get the job despite being the most competitively priced because we have clip art on our website?

Right then.  Just watch me - enter Cindy McMahan of Search Engine Pros and Chris Sandberg of Star Marketing.

Now - armed with a flurry of experts in SEO and design, we finally nailed it - and the clients came!  No clip art.  Complete credibility.  We were a real company!

So the phone rang and the Internet inquiries arrived in our inboxes.  But we had no infrastructure…….so they called, but I had no record of who they were.  They requested a quote from me and then separately from a coworker - we had no idea that we were both servicing the same account.  Nor were we consistent with our pricing.  The clients were confused.  How could we forget them…..or not know their mailing address.

WHAT? Did you just say that we did not get the job despite being the most competitively priced because we had no technology on the front end and were still writing orders in #2 lead pencils on the back of cocktail napkins?

So - we decided to find a resource.  One strong and reliable resource that would be there when we needed them.  Not a fly-by-night whose gear would not be compatible with anyone else’s, and not the cheapest.  Rather a resource that would fill our needs from there on.  So we chose Dell.

WHAT? Did you just say that we are now a player in the Theatrical Drapery Manufacturing marketplace because we are credible, believable and organized?  WOW.  This is fantastic news.

This has been a real adventure to say the least - to get from there to here.  I’ve loved every minute of it and am so thrilled to have brought so many friends, family and clients along for the ride.

Sew What?  Sew This!

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Dell’s “Take Your Own Path” campaign

Recently, Dell Computers announced its selections for business owners to be featured in its “Take Your Own Path” campaign.  In the campaign, Dell spotlights inspiring entreprenuers from small and medium sized businesses around the world.

Megan Duckett, President & Founder of Sew What? Inc., was selected as one of seven “inspiring entreprenuers” in the United States - a group that Dell calls “Trailblazers” that includes founders of companies as well-known as Lonely Planet and LinkedIn. 

Here we are, a small company making custom stage curtains for churches and schools, rock tours and special events.  Most people have never heard of us, at least not in the way that people have heard of Lonely Planet, for example. What an honor for Megan, and for all of us here at Sew What? Inc., for her to be included in such company.  

But even before the Dell campaign, those of us here already considered Megan an inspiration - she never stops thinking and planning and dreaming of ways to make this little company become the best it can be!

Make sure to read the stories of all of the U.S. Trailblazers selected for the “Take Your Own Path” campaign - they truly are inspiring.

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The Power of Technology

When most people think about a company like Sew What? Inc., a small business making custom stage curtains and the like, I am guessing that technology isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.  Sewing machines, fabric, thread, and scissors - of course.  But technology?

One of the things that I am most proud of here at Sew What?, however, is our emphasis on continually finding ways to utilize technology to grow the company.  Not to reduce the workforce - we still have real people cutting the fabric and sewing the drapes - but to improve our processes so that we can provide better service and a better quality product to our customers.

Here are just some of the highlights (more detail on some of these in later posts):

• Building our very first website - Megan took a class and built it herself
• Implementing networked QuickBooks to process quotations, order confirmations, invoices and purchase orders
• Retaining a marketing company to build a brand-new website with all the bells and whistles
• Working with a computer programmer to design our own software application to build custom drape sewing plans
• Digitizing our flame certificates, allowing us to quickly e-mail them to clients in rush situations
• Receiving the 2006 Dell Computers / NFIB Small Business Excellence Award for our innovative use of technology
• Outgrowing QuickBooks and implementing Epicor’s Vista software, an ERP system that integrates all systems in our company, from sales management to job management to material management to financial management.

Quite a long list already, and these are just the highlights.

And, oh yeah - this blog!   Who would have thought, five years ago, that I would be writing a blog, trying to give people some insight into the world of stage drapes and band backdrops, while throwing in a little education along the way?  But here I am - ain’t technology grand?

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Sew What? Goes to Class

Last month, I got a comment on my post Reader Poll: Price vs. Service from Scott Smith.  Scott, in addition to being the Vice President of Watson Companies, a domestic auto dealer, is also pursuing his MBA with the University of the Southwest.  

In the course of a couple of e-mails back and forth with Scott, I learned that they had used Sew What? Inc. as a case study in his class.  Apparently, we were featured in the textbook “Management Information Systems.”  Scott said that they studied our “use of IT (information technology) pertaining to the manufacturing processes and the uses of IT in streamlining manufacturing and customer satisfaction.”  Another graduate student e-mailed us and mentioned that he was also studying our company in his MBA class at Florida Tech.

It is almost surreal to think of Sew What? Inc., a small family-owned niche company making custom stage curtains and digitally printed backdrops, being featured as a case study for a college textbook and in MBA classes!  But it reinforces all that we have tried to do over the last few years, in terms of building our technological infrastructure to become more efficient and better able to meet our customer’s needs (more on that in future posts).

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