Tech means Business

This podcast is produced in conjunction with OutSystems.

The big talk in enterprise software development circles is around low-code taking some of the hard work out of the development process. But there are solutions out there that are for both "citizen" and "traditional" developers. OutSystems has evolved that paradigm with high-performance low-code.

Our Tech Means Business podcast guest is Richard Davies, the Director of Digital Transformation for the APAC region. Richard is a stalwart of enterprise-scale software development and someone whose experience informs his role, advising and helping multinational companies craft production-ready apps in record time.

We talk about partnerships between development functions and other stakeholders and how high-performance low-code is the obvious evolution of Agile methodology, where producing an MVP (minimum viable product) takes a fraction of the time, thanks to (relatively) simple application development tools.

While “Harry from Accounts” may not yet be able to create an ERP in a week, those days may not be too far off. But for now, Richard throws down the gauntlet: attend one of OutSystems' one-day boot camps where you can "build an app in a day" or, try the platform for free in your own time. Put your battered O'Reilly volumes back on the shelf!

Try out OutSystems from here:
https://www.outsystems.com/Platform/Signup

Enterprise-grade app in a day? Go for it!
https://www.outsystems.com/training/classroom-training/developing-outsystems-web-applications-boot-camp/

Richard Davies is here on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/richdavies1/

Joe Green can be dragged and dropped here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephedwardgreen/

This podcast is produced in conjunction with ConnectWise.

Many businesses today use the services of an MSP (managed service provider) to handle all the day-to-day IT needs of the company: provisioning email accounts, ensuring connectivity, setting up new clients, and so on. Many MSPs are also responsible for their clients' cybersecurity – an increasingly important role given the rise in the prevalence of cyber attacks in the last few years.

But most cybersecurity measures are designed to protect a single business, not dozens, if not hundreds, of companies. Security tools specifically written for MSPs are thin on the ground, but fortunately, they do exist – including from our guest on this edition of the Tech Means Business podcast, ConnectWise.

Raffael Marty is the company's General Manager for Cybersecurity, and we discuss how MSPs have unique experience in the cybersecurity field, working as they do with all manner of company types and sizes. We touch on the need for consolidated security reporting, the ability to apply specific protections for each client individually and how this can be done at scale.

ConnectWise is rapidly becoming the go-to place for MSP software across the board (billing, support ticket management, and so on), and with cybersecurity tools built for this type of one-to-many business, MSPs can ply their trade more safely.

To learn more about ConnectWise, follow this link:
https://connectwise.com/

Raffy of ConnectWise is here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/raffy/

And your host's social media page is here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephedwardgreen/

This podcast is produced in conjunction with Euronet.

Financial institutions with any history at all are renowned for being slow to offer the types of digital banking services that many of us demand. After all, in 2022, should it be quite so challenging to take and send FOREX payments on an e-commerce site?

It's here that the REN service from Euronet can help out by offering modern, digitally-native financial services to banks and finance houses that are struggling to modernize thanks to legacy infrastructure and technical debt.

In this podcast with Himanshu Pujara, the Managing Director, Asia-Pacific for Euronet, we talk about how the company is fulfilling consumer and business demand for services that, today, we expect just to be a screen tap away and active in seconds.

And at the same time, Euronet is leveraging its technology to leapfrog the traditional evolution of banking in un-banked or under-banked parts of the world. It's enabling service providers to offer under-served populations immediate access to financial services, like digital wallets and electronic payments.

Built from the ground up with cloud-native technologies, the REN platform is, like microservices themselves, highly modular, extensible, and scalable. The company invested in developing containerized software from its beginnings, so the platform is not only modern but mature, too.

You can learn more about the Euronet REN platform here:
https://www.euronetworldwide.com/products-and-solutions/ren

Himanshu Pujara is on LinkedIn here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/himanshu-pujara-3999374/

And your host, Joe Green, can be found here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephedwardgreen/

Welcome back to part two of this podcast series, in which we're talking all things automation for supply chain, logistics, warehousing and distribution distribution companies.

In a double-bill of podcasts, the Tech Means Business podcast talks to a company specializing in automating digital and physical systems in this sector. Dematic provides the type of 360-degree examination and refinement of systems that can make the difference between capitalizing on potential growth and struggling to compete with more efficient companies.

The Nordic team at Dematic knows their market inside out and brings their experience and ability to bear on the specific challenges faced by supply chain companies in the region and further afield. Whether robotizing the warehouse floor or re-assessing digital systems that underpin operations, the Dematic experts can craft bespoke solutions for large and small companies. The difference between their approach and others vying for the attention of operations managers is a business focus – where strategy, methodology, and opportunity are all considered before any suggestion for improvement is made.

Our guests are Anders Poulson and Finn Biller from Dematic, who are the Nordic Sales Manager and Brand Ambassador for the company, respectively.

And don't forget to comb your podcast feed for the first part of this conversation if you missed it.

Find out more from Dematic here:
https://www.dematic.com/

Anders Poulson is on LinkedIn:
https://dk.linkedin.com/in/anderspoulsendk1

Finn Biller's here:
https://dk.linkedin.com/in/finn-biller-4716597

And your host, Joe Green, is here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephedwardgreen/

Pressures on the supply chain and logistics have been growing strongly since the advent of online shopping. Today everyone expects the type of customer experience provided by the tech giants: on tap, and it is (or should be) on its way. But operational issues like limited real estate and a squeeze on employment have made finding efficiencies and cost savings a do-or-die exercise for many in distribution, warehousing, wholesale, and logistics.

In a double-bill of podcasts, the Tech Means Business podcast talks to a company specializing in automating digital and physical systems in this sector. Dematic provides the type of 360-degree examination and refinement of systems that can make the difference between capitalizing on potential growth and struggling to compete with more efficient companies.

The Nordic team at Dematic knows their market inside out and brings their experience and ability to bear on the specific challenges faced by supply chain companies in the region and further afield. Whether robotizing the warehouse floor or re-assessing digital systems that underpin operations, the Dematic experts can craft bespoke solutions for large and small companies. The difference between their approach and others vying for the attention of operations managers is a business focus – where strategy, methodology, and opportunity are all considered before any suggestion for improvement is made.

Our guests are Anders Poulson and Finn Biller from Dematic, who are the Nordic Sales Manager and Brand Ambassador for the company, respectively.

And don't forget to watch your podcast feed for the second part of this conversation, which develops the themes we begin to explore here.

Find out more from Dematic here:
https://www.dematic.com/

Anders Poulson is on LinkedIn:
https://dk.linkedin.com/in/anderspoulsendk1

Finn Biller's here:
https://dk.linkedin.com/in/finn-biller-4716597

And your host, Joe Green, is here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephedwardgreen/

This podcast is produced in conjunction with Dematic.

When supply chain and distribution companies decide to digitise and robotise their systems to any degree, it's wise for them to partner with a company that knows its stuff. In this second part of a two-parter with Dematic UK, the Tech Means Business podcast looks at the best ways and places to approach modernisation & automation projects.

Back-end automation might be a wise first step for some; for others, it will be a trial, followed by a roll-out of warehouse robots that reduce picking times by 40% (and mistakes by 99%).

Every company's needs will be different depending on aims, budget, and available resources. But Dematic – a long-time player in this space – will have "been there, done that" before. Who better to turn to for advice and practical implementation of automated systems designed specifically for this competitive sector?

If you've not yet listened to episode one, check back here, or continue your listening journey with Dematic UK and the Tech Means Business podcast, hosted by Tech HQ's very own Joe Green.

Learn more about what Dematic does and what it can do for your company here: https://www.dematic.com/en-gb/

Guest Gunter van Deun can be found here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gunter-van-deun-1b70234/

His colleague, Ian "software" Abbott, is here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-abbott-4841aa17/

The host of the podcast, Joe Green, is here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephedwardgreen/

This podcast is produced in conjunction with Dematic.

Rising costs are making margins tighter in all manner of supply chain companies, especially in distribution and warehousing. Huge demand for services has also driven prices down, and companies are trying to out-compete one another in a market where alternative services are a mouse click (or screen tap) away. It's here that automation technologies can help companies offer better CX to clients at lower price points.

But what do we mean by automation? The term can cover solutions that affect all types of business processes, from the warehouse floor to the financial back office and every point in between. Robotised systems can move goods inwards and outwards more efficiently, make better use of warehouse space and help companies build upwards rather than outwards. Alternatively, automating data flows between software point products (like payroll and time management software platforms, for instance) can also save costs by reducing repetitive, expensive processes.

Today's guests on this episode of the Tech Means Business podcasts are experts in this particular space. Dematic operates globally but helps companies find solutions to their automation problems that are always pertinent to the locale. The UK distribution and warehousing sectors have very specific challenges that take an expert partner to help solve, and Dematic has relevant personnel, systems and technology.

We're joined in this, the first of a two-parter, by Ian Abbott and Gunter van Deun, both long-term industry veterans. They bring deep knowledge of robotised and automated hardware & software to companies. Whether you're looking for a wholesale modernisation programme or just a few "quick wins" to shave precious percentage points off operational costs, Dematic should be your first port of call.

You can learn more about the Dematic consultative and action methods here:
https://www.dematic.com/en-gb/

Ian Abbott is on LinkedIn here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-abbott-4841aa17/

Find Gunter van Deun here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gunter-van-deun-1b70234/

And in Aisle J, Bin G, your host Joe Green:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephedwardgreen/

This podcast is produced in conjunction with Riverbed Technology.

When people build digital infrastructure, the added monitoring capabilities often can't correlate network or application activity and any customer experience or end-user problems. As today's guest, Brian Gormley (Senior Manager, Solution Engineering for Riverbed Technology), says, it should be "all about putting a lens on exactly what users are seeing and experiencing."

Equating user experience with what's going on throughout the stack is especially important today. A "spinning cartwheel of death" or an unresponsive app for just a few seconds is enough to make users switch to an alternative. And the issues that cause poor CX are usually a combination of internal and external factors rather than a piece of hardware or software that's misfiring.

Then, there's the issue of prioritization. Once you've pinned down the problematic elements in the stack, which to address first?

The Alluvio IQ platform from Riverbed ticks all the boxes. It locates problems, cross-references the end-user impact points, and shows how your organization's end-user experiences stack up against your competition. It's a business-oriented cloud platform that brings network insights to a new level, where strategy and end-user experiences inform your team's decisions.

You can read all about the Alluvio IQ platform and the value Riverbed Technology can bring to your business operations by following this link.

Brian Gormely on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gormleyb/

Joe "tone deaf" Green is on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephedwardgreen/

This podcast is produced in conjunction with essensys

It's 2022. Today, we experience on-demand digital services in most areas of life, from where we work, to transportation, shopping, deliveries, and even government and health services. Small wonder, then, that the basic requirements of a modern office are so different from what they were even five years ago.

In today’s episode, we take a look at essensys, a technology that helps office landlords and flexible workspace operators or anyone with a stake in how a professional space is run to connect, control, and automate digital services - enabling seamless in-building digital experiences. Essensys lets office landlords and flexible workspace operators get the best return on their investments by removing complexity and automating error-prone, time-consuming common processes along the infrastructure stack. The platform also enables cross-portfolio customer mobility so their workplace users get the best experience they can.

Eric Schaffer of essensys joins us to talk about the way our workplaces are changing and technology enabling landlords and flexible workspace operators to cope with shifting demands.

Commercial real estate is under pressure at the moment, with a sea-change in all our working models. How can workspaces adapt for the future now they are less of a natural hub for commerce than they were pre-COVID? And does technology have some answers?

If you are struggling with managing your networks or looking for the right tech foundation to enable digital services within your office portfolio, essensys might be the solution for you.

Wondering how essensys can help you? Speak to a member of the APAC team here.

Discover key steps to digitally enable your office portfolio. Read the free eBook here.

Connect with Eric here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-s-schaffer/

Joe's LinkedIn profile is here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephedwardgreen/

You can spend millions of dollars on every cybersecurity feature under the sun and commit similar sums to create SOCs and ranks of qualified experts. But sooner or later, your organization will suffer a cyber breach.

With that in mind, what's the policy for recovery, rollback, and business continuity? What's your recovery time and recovery objectives? And what are you backing up where, and why?

Thinking about a recovery strategy early will involve an examination of the data your organization holds and what you might prioritize over other information. That process should inform you what you want to snapshot every ten seconds and what can go straight into cold archive.

In this episode of the Tech Means Business podcast, we talk to industry stalwart Brian Spanswick of Cohesity about how putting the business's continuity needs at the front of the pile of arguments as to what gets backed up, where, when, and how. If your company is going to cease trading if it loses information stored in X, then making X recoverable in an instant has to be your focus. The pictures of the Head Office party can probably wait…

Brian's experience helps us shed light on why we should be running rsync, arguing air gaps, and studying snapshots. (This podcast contains no further alliterations.)

Brian's profile lives here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianspanswick

You can read about Cohesity's backup and recovery solutions here:
https://www.cohesity.com/

Joe "spinning rust" Green on LinkedIn is here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephedwardgreen/